Satan's Same Old Playbook

      

     If you have followed me for any length of time, then you will know that I am not your conventional Christian. I'm not satisfied with blindly accepting the customary position of the Church when it comes to doctrine or ideology. I do not consider myself a conformist or traditionalist, IF it's for the sake of standing approved by men. I want to see beyond man's interpretation, which has been amended so many times that I often wonder if it represents God's perspective at all. 

     I want to understand God's heart and His truth in His inspired Word, both historically and spiritually. So, sometimes what I write about may appear far-reaching and radical; and maybe even heretical to some. But please know that when presenting it, I have spent an exceptional amount of time studying my Bible, praying, and asking for discernment. This may be one of those posts. But I hope you will read it with a heart open to new revelation and a mind eager to do your own searching. So, hear we go....

     Since I am a student of the entire Bible and not just the New Testament, I understand that Jesus is on every page of the Good Book; and that from Genesis to Revelation, we have been given God's plan for His creation, relationship, and redemption of mankind. And I will tell you that you can't just read the Bible once and see "the big picture". I have read it multiple times, and I think that's how God wants it, because if He tried to download every part of His plan to me in one sitting, my mind and spirit would be overloaded and explode. So each time I have read it, I receive a new principle of His magnificence and my "picture" expands a little more. 

     And in these multiple journeys through the Bible, I am able to see not only God's plans emerge, but how the Enemy has tried to counter God at every turn. I begin to see patterns in the devil's strategy. And the one thing I know for sure is that he is not on par with our Sovereign God when it comes to creativeness. He runs the same playbook over and over. And I'd like to compare what I'm seeing in the present with some of his earliest schemes.

     Sex and power have always been two of the devil's greatest seductive tools. From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, we see his strategy of approaching Eve, offering her the idea that she and Adam could be "like God", knowing everything of both Good and Evil. And then in Genesis 6:1-4, we see Satan sending his Fallen Angels to have sex with earthly women, in the hopes of defeating God's plan to send the Messiah through a pure line of men. If Satan could corrupt the gene pool of mankind, then Jesus would never be born. But God brings the Flood and starts over with Noah, a man who was blameless in his evil generation and walked faithfully with Him. But once again, the devil is able to work his plan through the great-grandson of Noah. 

     The Bible refers to this descendant of Noah as Nimrod, which may not have been the actual name of this man. "Nimrod" means "The Rebel", and the name might have just epitomized someone who was rebellious against the Creator and the One True God. And sadly, we know that rebellion began soon after the Flood as civilizations emerged and expanded. This Nimrod soon established a kingdom of his own. And read what the ancient Jewish priest, scholar and historian Flavius Josephus wrote about him: "Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the [great] grandson of Ham, the son of Noah -- a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was through His means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny -- seeing no other way of turning men from their fear of God, but to bring them into constant dependence upon his own power. He also said he would be avenged on God, if He should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! And that he would avenge on God for destroying their forefathers!" (Ant. 1:iv:2) 

     Simply put, this Nimrod character was committed to violent rebellion against God, and bringing tyranny against mankind. And he was able to influence the Kings of the Earth to stand with him, and convince the rulers to counsel together against YHWH and His Anointed One. This is plainly stated in Psalm 2 ... "Let us break apart their [divine] bands of restraint, and cast away their cords [of control] from us." 

     All we have to do is look around us to see that Satan has once again influenced mankind to partner with him in his evil work. We see a repetition of how he was able to seduce man in the Garden; today men give in to his seductive whisper that they don't need to obey God in order to have the desires of their heart. They use the knowledge of evil to try to overcome good and overthrow God's government here on earth. We see it in the machinations of the Illuminati and the New World Order as they manipulate protest groups like BLM and Antifa. These groups march to the orders of powerful men who think they can "become like God".

     We see a repetition of sex [as in Genesis 6] as a tool to manipulate and control mankind through the evil practice of sex trafficking. The State Department speculates that nearly 25 million people are enslaved in human trafficking worldwide [per the 2020 Trafficking In Persons Report]. We can no longer hide from the facts or turn a blind eye to this wickedness. It is being played out on the nightly news around the world, and there are many speculations as to the powerful men and women that are involved.

     Which brings me to the repetition of Satan's use of the spirit of Nimrod. That Anti-Christ spirit has convinced men that they can rebel against the rule of God; that they can displace Him, dethrone Him, and seize His power ... that they can control the world through their own power and they can become their own gods. For example, we see that in the efforts to destroy man, who is made in the image of God, and replace him with computer brains and bionic body parts, all while manipulating our divine DNA so we become a hybrid species (think Genesis 6:1-4 again). Nimrod was a "mighty hunter of men", and do not be deceived because his spirit is still at work in the world.

     So, can you see the same old playbook being played? Rebellion/Disobedience, Sex, and Power are all the tools that Satan needs to tempt vulnerable men and women. It's all laid out for us in the first 10 or 11 chapters of the Bible and then repeated over and over throughout the remaining 65 Books. But I didn't show you this to discourage you -- I am writing to reveal the first layer of the "big picture" that God has shown me. And I am writing to motivate you to stand with me and fight against those who would pervert our Almighty God's plan for us. Know that those of us who worship and serve Him with an awe-inspired fear and submissive wonder will be blessed; we will be fortunate, prosperous and favored by God as we take refuge in Him. The Bible tells us so in Psalm 2! We just need to open our spiritual eyes and see what is being revealed to those who fervently press into Him. Take heart! Facing the monster is a whole lot less scary than avoiding the truth in fear. Our God fights with us!

 Psalm 2:4, 9    "He who sits enthroned in the heavens, laughs at their rebellion; The Sovereign Lord scoffs at them, and in supreme contempt He mocks them ... You [the Lord] shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall shatter them in pieces like earthenware."

    

This Is A Season For Intercession And A Time For Battle

    

     I recently read an article on the Intercessors for America website in which author Brandon Smith provided some insight for prayer regarding what he called, "A Worst Case Scenario for the 2020 Election". He then proceeded to unravel what "the Deep State's" plans were for the upcoming election, and how they hoped to not only defeat President Trump, but ultimately accomplish "a contested election, civil war, martial law, economic collapse and destruction of the US from within".

     Everything he suggested presented a plausible and logical scenario -- all valuable information to understand the political and globalist agenda. I am well aware of the plans and strategy to overhaul the American "experiment", as our first President called this nation. And, yes, I see below the surface of all the media deception and the political maneuvering. I see what is happening from the worldly perspective very well.

     But I also see and hear from the Lord, and receive His perspective and how we are to react to what we comprehend in the physical. So that's why I found the comments far more interesting than the article itself. The differences in how people recommended we pray [as intercessors] was very revealing. Most people were able to see behind the curtain, and ascertain that we are in a spiritual battle for the soul of this nation. But there were different positions on how to engage in this vigorous conflict.

    There were those who believe the only way to win against Satan's agenda is to up our game in intercessory prayer; to pray more fervently and without ceasing. Some prayed, "Father, raise up Your church to be Your Ambassadors of Love and shine the Light of Love into this dark world so that darkness cannot prevail and the Kingdom is advanced through Grace." Others are taking a little bolder stance and forming prayer groups, acknowledging that we have been born for "such a time as this" and calling on people to "agree and declare that the enemy is defeated and speak words of life, declaring that our God is able to do far more than we can ask or think. Let’s start thinking as big as possible and let him make it far bigger." These intercessors are asking for signs and wonders demonstrating  the Lord's Sovereignty during these tumultuous times.

     Still others asked, "Why even print such a negative and defeatist article? As the sons and daughters of God we are COMMANDED by God to focus on things that are of a good report! We will be held accountable for every idle word we speak! We need to focus and pray for God's Will on earth, in the White House, and in America, as it is in Heaven! We do not need to focus on debates, strategies, opinions, he said she said, etc”... We need to pray for agreement and for people to OBEY GOD….
Fast and pray for those in Authority. The power of Death and Life is in our tongue. We must speak Life over our country, not Death!"

     As to be expected, there were those whose focus seemed to be on our rights as citizens of America, telling God they wanted to stand and fight for the Constitution and Bill of Rights; asking God for His perfect will to be done, and asking "our Sovereign LORD to please give us Mercy and not what we deserve." But, I respectfully ask, "What do you think God's Sovereign will is for our country? Do you think politics is at the center of it, and it can be accomplished through an election?"

     I tend to agree with one of the commenters, who said, "The current war we face is between two kingdoms.The enemy is distracting God’s people by tempting us to focus on personal and national injustices. Our gaze needs to be unequivocally upon the kingdoms. By frequently gathering in worship, prayer and supplication, to seek Holy Spirit’s direction, He will lead and guide us through each step going forward. We will need to lay down every preconceived idea, no matter how brilliant it may seem, and seek to understand what our Commander in Chief wants to accomplish."

     Now I want to take it a step further. Yes, intercessory prayer is VERY important in this time! As we are faced with wickedness and evil that is emboldened and strengthened by the rebelliousness of men, we need people of strong faith and discernment to remind the Lord of His promises until we see them fulfilled. These are men and women who walk in their identity as anointed priests of God, with holy revelation their goal. We need men and women who will plead for Justice on behalf of the righteous; who are willing to build a wall of protection with their prayers and then to stand on that wall as encouragement for others. We need intercessors who know and understand what the fear of God is all about, and who are being transformed by the power of their prayer to form a stronger bond with our great God on behalf of all of us. I submit that there is only a remnant of such powerful prayer warriors who deserve the name of Intercessors. They need the rest of us to pray that they will grow in strength and endurance for the days ahead.

     Then I want to remind all of us that our Lord is a Man of War. The Bible is full of exhortations declaring His status as a Warrior. Who He was at the Red Sea is who He is today! As Moses wrote [in Exodus 15) after Pharaoh's army was destroyed in the midst of the Sea, "The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is His Name". And as King David wrote in Psalm 24, "Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle." As Charles Ellicott (1819-1905) wrote in his excellent Commentary, "In the very name, Jehovah, is implied all might, all power, and so necessarily the strength to prevail in battle. The name, meaning "the Existent One," implies that nothing else has any real existence independently of Him; and if no existence, then necessarily no strength." He is Jehovah, the Strong and Mighty One; strong in Himself, mighty in His acts of war against the wicked, and mighty, especially in battle.

     We must not forget that the Lord described in these Old Testament accounts is the same King that the Apostle John reveals in Revelation 19:11, "Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war." He is also Jehovah Nissi and He will fight for us. His Name is a strong tower, and the righteous run into it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). But that doesn't mean we sit on the sidelines and not participate in the spiritual war. That is why we have been give spiritual armor. We are to fight alongside the Heavenly Army of God on the earth and in the Second Heaven, as the Holy Spirit trains us up, counsels us, and leads us. The intercessors' prayers will give us strength in battle, as we wage war against the forces of evil -- both the human tyrants of this earth, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Their prayers will demand that the spiritual authorities and powers of darkness submit to Jehovah, the One before whom all others who exist will fade and fall into nothingness.

     So, in summation, as we approach the 2020 Elections, we will see many secular and political articles like the one mentioned at the beginning of this post. They have credibility as far as looking at possible outcomes of the Presidential race and our future from an earthly perspective. But are in this world, not of it! We must never lose sight of who we are, and who our God is. With fervent and unceasing Intercessory Prayer, coupled with dedicated and fearless warriors in the spirit, we will unite with our Warrior King of Mercy and Justice to see His will done on earth as it is in Heaven. There is a victory coming in every realm ... and it is ours!

Psalm 37:13     The Lord laughs at him [the wicked one—the one who oppresses the righteous], For He sees that his day [of defeat] is coming.

The Cost of Discipleship

      If you have followed this blog for any length of time, then you know the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. If not, then I hope you will find the courage and wisdom of this Pastor to be a beacon of hope and encouragement during this season of our nation's history. Let me share a little bit about him...

      I know we are not to have idols in this world, or lift any man above another.  But there are times when we must look to the example of righteous men, in order to know the path we are to follow. My friends, that time is now.  Our culture and nation are rapidly disintegrating into immoral chaos. Destruction begets more destruction; death begets more death. We see the moral fabric of this nation being stretched in so many directions that we wonder how long before it's ripped to shreds? People are listening to false prophets and teachers who promote lawlessness in the name of justice. How far are the citizens of this nation willing to go to achieve their idea of "social equality"? Do we, as a nation, still revere our individual freedoms, or will we blindly follow the voices of deception? Are we, as Christians, willing to stand for uncompromising Christian principles?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

     Eighty years ago, a pastor in Nazi Germany asked himself those same questions and took his stand. Dietrich Bonhoeffer acted responsibly in his faith during one of the most evil times in history. He was a deeply religious Lutheran pastor and he found himself in a dilemma ... when informed of the evil that was Adolph Hitler, and the plan to exterminate the Jews, he had to make a decision ... how far is "too far" in order to stop that evil?  When confronted with something so offensive to God, is there ever an excuse for Christians to compromise, capitulate, or raise the white flag?

     Bonhoeffer didn't think so, and it cost him his life.  At the beginning of the Nazi regime, many members of the [Protestant] churches did not reject National Socialism on principle.  Suffering from the effects of their loss in WWI, many Germans were drawn to the German National People's Party and their idealization of the past.

     But a small group of pastors, including Bonhoeffer, became unified in what would be called "the Confessing Church" and arose in opposition to government-sponsored efforts to nazify the German Protestant church. They objected to the Nazis on moral and theological principles: they could not reconcile the Nazi state's claim to total control over the person with the ultimate sovereignty that, in Christian orthodoxy, must belong only to God.  It was their stated objective to resist state manipulation of religious affairs. They tried to stay out of the political fray, and hoped to convince the Church to recognize the contradictions of being a Christian and a Nazi.

     But as the evil that was Hitler and his regime grew, pastors could no longer stay on the sidelines.  They had to choose between inaction, which was, in essence, condoning the atrocities towards the Jews; or becoming involved with plots to stop the madness -- even if it meant being part of assassination attempts on the Evil Mastermind, himself.  Many chose the safe route that included tolerance and turning a blind eye. A few did not; with some being sent to concentration camps, where they survived the war -- or in the case of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose fate was to be hanged for his opposition to Hitler and his obedience to his faith.

     I can only imagine the spiritual struggle involved in making that kind of decision. As a Christian, willingly killing someone is never something that we want to consider. But as our Second Amendment rights are threatened, and as the soaring gun sales across this nation exhibit, people are sensing that evil is on the rise and there may come a time when they must make a decision to defend their own life by taking the life of another. God forbid! Dietrich Bonhoeffer faced that decision on behalf of his entire nation. 

     Therefore, I have not been surprised at the efforts of the anti-Christ spirit in unbelievers to tear down the memory of martyrs like Bonhoeffer.  They must not let us see or hear the writings of such a man who struggled with how to respond within his religious principles (and God's will) to a rapidly deteriorating national culture -- and who was not only unafraid to live for what he believed in, but was not afraid to die for it.
     I can only imagine the struggle within his spirit as he confronted the likely consequences of his actions. One day he would have to stand before God and explain how, as a Christian, he could be complicit in murdering Hitler.  He finally decided that he would have to rely on God's mercy to understand that he had to stop Evil at any cost, even if it meant he lost his soul. But it wasn't just his own soul he was concerned about.  Writing to his co-conspirators in 1943, he said,  "The ultimate question for a responsible person to ask is not how he is to extricate himself heroically from the affair, but how the coming generation is to live."

     In his masterful book, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, author Eric Metaxas tells us of the challenges Bonhoeffer faced in reconciling his faith, his moral ethics, and the politics of the day, which were quite diabolical in Nazi Germany. How does a committed Christian deal with the prospect of conflict with the Enemy on the battlefield? 

Desmond Doss

     In comparison to Bonhoeffer's story, I'd like to present Desmond Doss, an Army Medic and real-life hero of WWII, who vowed to serve both his country and his God, no matter the cost.  As he told a military tribunal who tried to court martial him for his refusal to carry a weapon, "With the world so set on tearing itself apart, it don't [sic] seem like such a bad thing to me to put a little bit of it back together." Doss determined that he would serve his fellow man by putting him first; willing to endanger, and even sacrifice, his own life in order to save another's.  He would save lives, rather than take them, choosing to live out, Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

     Bonhoeffer, however, was faced with how to stop the demonic actions of Adolph Hitler, the anti-Christ of his times. Like Doss, Dietrich knew the 6th Commandment, Thou shalt not kill.  But he faced the moral dilemma of doing nothing to stop the murder of 6,000,000 Jews.  He finally came to the conclusion that he trusted God to understand his motives in becoming involved in an assassination attempt on Hitler. To Bonhoeffer, it had come down to God's admonition to Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Both men exercised their freedom of conscience, and they took their accountability to God not only seriously, but solemnly.

     So, are we all capable of being as heroic as Doss or Bonhoeffer?  We have yet to find ourselves in the midst of a gruesome battlefield, although our streets are rapidly becoming a war zone. One thing is clear -- as Christians, we are all in a battle with our culture, and the increasingly compromising positions of our Churches and governmental officials. And like Doss and Bonhoeffer, we must decide how we are to act, as we find ourselves inside the collective drama.  While we are in this world, we are not of it. So, we cannot, and must not, separate ourselves from the world. But it is going to take courage to be and maintain the image of Christ, while all around us, the darkest impulses of the human will try to overwhelm and defeat us.
     If we are true to our faith, we know where our citizenship lies. We are the sons and daughters of the King and citizens of the Kingdom of God. In fact, we are already there with Jesus, in spirit.  We just have to conform our mind, emotions, will, and these temporary bodies to the heavenly conviction of our spirit, and then let our actions show who we are.  It is not enough to pray... although we should not abandon sending our petitions heavenward.  We must be totally committed to our Biblical morals and completely loyal to God; acting on our faith, not just believing.

     And it will cost us. Discipleship in the Name of Jesus will not be a road easily traveled.  We can look at the lives of all the Apostles and see what it cost them. And in the cases of Doss and Bonhoeffer, we can see how loyalty to their God resulted in very different outcomes -- one's actions led to a hero's medal; the other to execution by hanging. I know that there will be those who say that Bonhoeffer's path was wrong and can never be accepted nor forgiven by God.  But my thoughts turn to King David, and his actions in having Uriah killed so that he could lie with Bathsheba.

     As theologian and Hebrew scholar, Michael Heiser, so eloquently writes in his fantastic book, The Unseen Realm, "King David was guilty of the worst of crimes against humanity in the incident with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite.  He was clearly in violation of the law and deserving of death.  Nevertheless, his belief in who Yahweh was among all the gods never wavered.  God was merciful to him, sparing him from death, though his sin had consequences the rest of his life."  The lesson here, is that personal failure, even the worst kind, as exhibited by Bonhoeffer, will not separate you from God's mercy. Although Bonhoeffer was not spared from death [as King David was], he never disavowed his loyalty to God, nor doubted YHWH's loyalty to him.

     In the final minutes of his life, before being led to the gallows, he led a short service for fellow prisoners, praying, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Then he asked that a message be delivered to Bishop Bell [a supporter of the German resistance to Nazism) in London; the message reading that "this was the end, but for him also the beginning of life, and that the ultimate victory of their cause – a universal Christian brotherhood rising above all national interest – was certain".
     The prison doctor, who witnessed the execution recorded this impression: "Through the half-open door in one room of the huts I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer, before taking off his prison garb, kneeling on the floor praying fervently to his God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the steps to the gallows, brave and composed. His death ensued after a few seconds. In almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God".

     Again, I look to Bonhoeffer's story for signs of what might be coming to our land. Dietrich Bonhoeffer and a handful of pastors stood alone in the German Church. He came to America in 1939, hoping to escape the fall of his Church, gain strength from the American Church, and return to Germany to rebuild the Church from the ashes of war.  But he soon became disillusioned with the American Church, writing:  "I now wonder whether it is true that America is the country without a reformation? ... There hardly ever seem to be "encounters" [with God] in this great country.  But where there is no encounter, where liberty is the only unifying factor, one naturally knows nothing of the community which is created through encounter."
     While attending an American church in June of 1939, Bonhoeffer wrote of the sermon, "Lively and original, but too much analysis and too little Gospel."  What would he say today??  And again in June of 1939, he wrote about America:  "The separation of church and state does not result in the church continuing to apply itself to its own task; it is no guarantee against secularism.  Nowhere is the church more secularized than where it is separated in principle, as it does here.  This very separation can create an opposition, so that the church engages much more strongly in political and secular things."
     Sad to say, I find many Churches and fellow Christians looking to politics and elections to solve our issues. They look to bring their Christianity into the political arena in order to influence it. Do we really think changing our politicians or passing legislation will accomplish our commission from the Lord? Do we really think the ballot box will provide us with an escape from what the Bible tells us is coming?

     So, how will we, as modern day Christians, exhibit our loyalty and discipleship to our Lord?  We have seen in the examples of Desmond Doss and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the very picture of heroism -- two entirely different men, but both committed to acting out their faith. Neither set out to become a hero, and I wage that neither welcomed the mantle.

     Ultimately, what does Dietrich Bonhoeffer's story have to tell us? Consider what he had to say in his own words ... "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”  All Christians, whether in leadership roles or not, should take heed of Bonhoeffer's words and pay attention to history. The German Church ignored the growing persecution of Jews across Europe.  They turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to it, and they did it at their own peril.  In the end, the German Church was taken over by Nazi ideology and the blood of millions of Jews was upon their hands. The American Church is flirting with following the same path.  Pastors must throw off the chains of government and speak out about the wave of persecution streaming towards Christianity.

     We must open our eyes and see that the tide of torment in the streets is beginning to turn its attention to our faith. First it was the tearing down of statues that honored the history of our nation's Civil War. Now, I'm beginning to see the defacement of Christian statues and cries to tear dow Jesus. Evil is growing into a tsunami and history has shown us what can happen when such evil is allowed to foment unchecked.

       In the words of Spanish philosopher George Santayana (1863-1952), Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. In the end, we are responsible for our faith and our actions. I pray for hearts that are set on being obedient to the will of God. That's not a simple thing to do in this world. I pray that we all will have the courage of Desmond Doss and Dietrich Bonhoeffer... to be a bright light in the midst of this dark time in our nation's history; to be that unwilling hero to someone in need of the image of Christ in their life. And I know in my spirit that God will honor our actions on His behalf. He's just looking for willing participants.

I have written a series of posts on Dietrich Bonhoeffer from 2012-2016. This post is a compilation, along with added and relevant insight to current events.

Isaiah 50:7-8:  "But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near..."

The Knowledge and Reality of Good and Evil

    I enjoyed some very interesting conversations this weekend with a couple of very close friends; one churched, and one unchurched. And I say "interesting" because they both began from a similar starting point, but ended at a very different conclusion, owing to their relationship with Jesus.
     I am finding that people are beginning to take notice of what is going on in the world, and I don't mean the day-to-day visible changes that we are all seeing around us due to Covid-19. However, the virus has caused some to look beyond the surface of events, organizations and people, and dare to peek behind the curtain.
     Such was the case with my unchurched friend. He has no relationship with Jesus, but categorizes himself as "a good person". I will agree that he does have a good heart, is kind, and I have rarely seen him angry or mean to anyone. And he only wants to see the good in others. Therefore, to entertain the thought that scientists would create a vaccine that might be harmful to children, or that modern "designer" pharmaceuticals are becoming increasingly toxic to the human body (just listen to the long list of side effects for some of the prescription drug ads on TV) is some kind of "conspiracy theory". And certainly, Bill Gates only seeks to do good with his charitable organizations; Warren Buffet is just a humble guy from Omaha who wants to help "the little guy" invest his hard-earned money; and there is no such thing as a global agenda or manufactured crises to submit mankind to the totalitarian rule of a Beast System. "Things just happen" and he has such a hard time seeing or believing that people could be that evil. And he definitely cannot conceive of hell.
     Then there is my churched friend who is very intelligent and not so naive. She knows her Bible well; knows that evil exists, and is beginning to come to the realization that her desire to see all evil eventually come to the knowledge of the Saving Power of Jesus Christ might not be possible. That comes from our discussions on the very real existence of a cabal of evil men who willingly serve Satan's agenda. Call them the New World Order, or whatever name suits your fancy, but she can no longer ignore that they exist. Still, it is so hard to think that men would willingly choose evil over good. All you have to do is think of Hitler to see that truth.
    She is not alone. For most Christians, it is difficult to venture outside the comfort zone of the Western Church to see just how evil that agenda of Satan's is, or to come to the realization that men would willingly cooperate with it. But for the sake of the next generation(s), it is important that people take the blinders off. We must begin studying and renewing our minds and preparing our hearts. Yes, we know that Jesus paid the price for all men, but eventually we should come to the gut and heart-wrenching questions my friend came to .... Is there hope for such evil men? Can they be Saved or is it too late? And I need you to understand that I am not talking about the Grace and Mercy that Jesus offers all men, even sinners. And I am a person who believes that He is a God of second chances, even when we are face-to-face with Him at the moment of death.
     But here is where I believe the Body of Christ needs to get to in their understanding: We who know who we are in Christ cannot imagine separating ourselves so far from the One who is Love. But for those who want to follow Satan's agenda (whether they be called New World Order or by any other name), their truth is as old as the Bible itself. They believe the same lie that Adam and Eve believed ... "you shall not die" and "you shall be as gods".
     Is there hope for them? I know that Jesus doesn't want to lose a single person to the Enemy, and if they would confess, repent, and ask God for forgiveness (and sincerely mean it), I believe they could be redeemed. But sadly, they refuse to acknowledge God, so He has given them over to a depraved mind. They will be judged according to their works, as we all will (Romans 1:28-2:11). And the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 4:1-2, that they have a seared conscience, which means they will not have the ability to feel remorse, so they will not be able to renew their mind. Just as when you sear your flesh, it is dead, with no feeling, and cannot be restored. They will go to hell.
     And that is another concept that may be too difficult for Christians to contemplate -- that our loving Father would deliberately consign men to hell. But Jesus, Himself, says there will be a final judgment, and He will say to those He has separated on His left, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Hell is a reality!
     So, I believe that such evil exists in men's hearts; men who are so sold out to Satan, with hearts and minds so depraved that they will be unable to even consider God. These are the men talked about in Revelation 16; the men upon whom the Bowls of God's Wrath will be poured upon; men who "refused to repent of their deeds and continued to blaspheme and curse God...". That is incredibly sad to me, especially when I consider the immensity of evil that must be in their hearts.
     Unlike my unchurched friend, I know there are men in this world who match that description. Would I hope that they would use their free will to choose God over evil? Of course! And believe me, it would be easier to refuse to acknowledge they exist, or to turn a blind eye, but I know that I need to be aware of them because I am an ambassador of the Kingdom of God, and they represent the kingdom of darkness. I need to know what, where, and how I am to battle in the Spirit.
      And, believe me, I can identify with my churched friend. For a long time, it was really unfamiliar and scary ground to contemplate the depth of evil on the earth. It was much more pleasant and agreeable to focus on Jesus and His nature of  Love, Mercy and Grace towards all men. But one day, the Father is going to give Jesus the go-ahead to render the Righteous Judgment of Heaven upon such evil. And once I faced the knowledge of that Day of Wrath, Evil no longer had the power to shut me down. I knew who I was, what my role was to be, and I felt I was qualified to get in the game. Actually, I needed to get in the game! And I was realistic about it .... could I, a single person, stop Satan and his New World Order or their agenda? Not in the physical. But I know I am powerful in my spirit, and He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.
     And this precious friend explained her own state of mind so well ... she sees the dots being connected; what was once fuzzy, is now "starkly clear"; and there's no more gray area. And I think the Body of Christ (at least in the Western Church) has been operating in that "gray area" for quite awhile. It's that place where we view the world with our rose-colored religious glasses on; the ones that project an optimistic outlook because we are Saved and going to Heaven. But there's a whole lot of Bible between the Resurrection and Revelation, and its clear that we will not escape persecution and tribulation. Don't you want to be prepared? The Prophet Hosea's that "My people perish for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6) has never been more appropriate.
     I think it goes without saying that unless my unchurched friend begins to seek a relationship with Jesus, he will continue to be fooled into seeing the world only as he wants to see it. Perhaps he can live out his life never having to face evil and never choosing to pursue Jesus, but he will end up standing in judgment before the Lord one day and when he looks upon the face of the One who has loved him "before the foundations of the world", I expect he will wish he had pursued Him earlier. I pray that he comes to that knowledge and decision soon.
     On the other hand, my faithful friend has come to the knowledge that we are in the midst of two kingdoms at war on the earth, and that she cannot rest in her contentedness or the gratification for her salvation. Knowledge is power and ignorance puts us in a position of weakness. Acknowledging the level of evil in the world does not mean we live in fear or doubt. It means the Lord can use us in greater measure as the times grow darker because we will be able to endure in faithfulness, having the knowledge of the Father's heart, and receiving the full counsel of God and His Word. We will be able to speak encouragement to others just coming out of the gray, fuzzy, disconnected parts of their faith. May we all walk bravely with the Lord as He continues to grow us up into His image, at one with Him and the Father, and seeing as They see.

Proverbs 24:5-6    A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,  for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
    

My Refuge and My Fortress

     Today, I want to share a unique perspective on Psalm 91, and a testimony that will be sure to stir your spirit and heart. (Please read to the end for this inspiring word). I want to stress that this impactful psalm has been at the center of prayer lives for over 3200 years, and it is particularly relevant today.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

 

³ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge—
¹⁰ no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows My name.
¹⁵ When he calls to Me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him My salvation.”

    

     In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic many Christians are finding their strength and hope in the encouraging words of Psalm 91. The ancient Jewish midrash (commentary) states that it was composed by Moses on the day he completed the building of the Tabernacle in the desert. If you are knowledgeable in the Bible, then you know that the glory of the Lord filled the completed tabernacle as a cloud covered the congregation, the covenant people of God. And this covering accompanied the Israelites as a sign of protection as they wandered in the desert. The last verse in the Book of Exodus tells us "For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys." The cloud was the presence of YHWH, who made His home in the tabernacle, and the fire is the Holy Spirit.    
     As recipients of the New Covenant with God, we are the tabernacle where the Most High now dwells, and the fire is still in us, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. So, I want to pose the same question to you that I asked in a 2012 blog post: Do you have the courage to believe that God literally means Psalm 91 in His promises of protection? Please take that question seriously, because it is not asked lightly, and here's why...
     I want to boldly declare that not everyone will benefit from the promises.  Like all the promises in Psalm 91, they are available to all; but only those who believe what God says in His Holy Word and hold fast to the promises within, will receive the benefits. It is essential that we choose to believe and trust His Word! Only those who are in close communion with God -- Christ lives in them and they live in Christ -- come into the secret place of shelter with the Most High. It is a promise of refuge and safety that we can trust!
     And I am sure it is not lost on you that "pestilence and plague" are prominently mentioned in Psalm 91. In referencing the "deadly pestilence", the psalm renders the promise in verse 7 profoundly comforting: A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. Likewise, we find the promises in verses 9 and 10 particularly reassuring: Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my refuge—no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. But do you see the stipulation? You must have made the Lord your dwelling place; your refuge. And verse 14 makes it clear that Because we hold fast to Him in love, He will deliver us; He will protect us, because we know His name. This is a deep and abiding relationship between us and our God, with conditions attached to His protection. But as the Lord has shown me over and over, if I am faithful to Him in all my ways, He will be faithful to me, and all His promises are mine.
     But I want to now share a comment I received from a 78-year-old in Sydney, Australia. This person recently stumbled upon that blog post I wrote on Psalm 91 way back in 2012. But their comments bring new life and relevancy to my words. Prepare to be inspired as I was...
    
     "Never was Psalm 91 more relevant to mankind than today. Your explanation of Psalm 91 is what the Holy Spirit has been revealing to me over the last few weeks, as the Corona Virus brings the whole World to its knees. Although at age 78 I am at higher risk, I have no fear, because I trust in God's promises in Psalm 91. 
     Until recently I have been teaching scripture to Primary School boys and girls (schools have been closed due to the Pandemic).  Last year the syllabus dealt with God's promises. I taught the kids, as the Bible teaches us, that when God makes a Promise, He Keeps it! I was so happy to observe how the children accepted this truth so eagerly. Whenever I would use the phrase God makes a Promise in class, the whole class would rise in unison, punch the air with their little fists and shout out loud, He always keeps it! I pray they will never forget this truth. It is clear to me (like you) that only those who truly believe in the promises of Psalm 91 will receive the protection from God which is promised in this Psalm.
     I am dismayed that many God fearing Christians (including the Pastor of the Church I attend in Sydney, Australia) when praying for God's help in this global crisis, are only asking God to help the scientists discover a vaccine or treatment for Covid-19, when the most obvious thing to ask is that God causes the virus to mutate into a harmless type. God could do this if it is His will. However, I think about another promise from God, that He will shake the Heavens and the Earth once more. This could be what we are experiencing now. After God cleansed the evil in mankind during the flood, He promised Noah He would not send another flood. However, God did not mention never sending a plague. 
     I have no spiritual confirmation through the Holy Spirit that this is what is happening now, but if this new plague is how God plans to cleanse mankind from people who hold evil in their hearts, the righteous may observe with our eyes the punishment of the wicked, [as is written in verse 8 of Psalm 91].... Can we believe that the righteous will not get infected, while the unrighteous perish? May God bless and protect [us all]."

     I closed out my 2012 commentary on Psalm 91 with the admonition that it speaks of spiritual warfare - the attacks of the Enemy: the snare of the fowler; the pestilence and destruction; and the evil. God is a moral ruler and a God of Justice, so sooner or later the ungodly will reap their due punishment. But He is also a God of mercy for those who find shelter under His wings, and He will deliver us and protect us; He will rescue and honor us. So let us join with those precious children in Australia and shout, with upraised fists, When God makes a promise, He always keeps it! And then let us walk in the weeks and months ahead in full obedience to that Truth! Amen!

Good and Evil

    

      I'm going to be chasing Scripture today in search of an answer to a question that has intrigued me for quite some time. Are you ready to join me in the pursuit? As I have stated before, I believe that one of the most important decisions a Believer can make is what they think about God. I say that because our perception of God and His Nature will influence our relationship with Him, and will ultimately affect how we regard ourselves.
     If our "picture" of God is a stern, judgmental Father, then we are not likely to seek or experience intimacy with Him. Conversely, if we see Him as only Loving and full of Grace and Mercy, then we probably aren't willing to conceive of His Wrath and Judgment. And both views of Him are Biblically correct ... Love, Mercy, Grace, Wrath and Judgment are all parts of His Nature. But conflict over the full and complete Nature of God can lead to confusion and, frankly, to an incorrect understanding of who He is. Our denominational doctrines and personal theologies and Biblical worldviews also add to our flawed understanding.
     One of the biggest issues we run into during an Inner Healing session [or discussion on the Kingdom of God] is the matter of "God's control". People either believe God is in control of everything or He is not. And I want to differentiate "control" from "sovereignty". There is no question that God is Sovereign, and I define His Sovereignty as His authority to govern Himself and His creation; His ability to set the rules of His government [on earth and in Heaven]; "His absolute right to do all things according to His own good pleasure" (Easton Bible Dictionary).
     But control is another matter and certainly affects how we view God and how we feel about Him. If we believe that God controls everything in our lives, then when an innocent child dies, or we get fired from our job, or find ourselves physically violated, our automatic response is, "God, why did You allow this to happen?", and God can be seen as distant, detached, or unsympathetic. On the other hand, if we believe that the devil's goal is to kill, steal, and destroy our relationship with our Father, then we may see his handiwork in these events in our life, and need to come to the truth of Scripture that says it is inevitable that we will face trials and troubles in this life, but we can trust that our Lord will be there to walk with us and comfort us through them.
     As I have contemplated how to approach this conflict in our Christian belief systems, there is a deeper question that has piqued my interest. It is most likely one that many of you have asked yourselves, but may have been reticent to bring into a conversation without having an adequate answer. So, I'm going to take a leap of faith and ask it on behalf of all of us and then share the path I am following [in Scripture] to try to find my answer. Here's the question: Did God create Evil? If so, Why? First of all, what is your belief on that supposition? Do you believe He is the creator of Evil... or not?
     I began my quest for an answer in Genesis 2:9, For out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree pleasant to the sight, and good for meat: the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and of evil.  From this verse, it appears that God created two trees: one of life, which is received from God, and one of the knowledge of good and evil. Why, if we know that God is good [and Jesus states that "No one is good except God alone" in Mark 10:18], would He create a tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden that offered knowledge of both good and evil?
     But don't we have to consider God's timeline in all of His creation? And do we really understand it from His perspective? Genesis, Chapter One records the creation of the heavens and the earth, and verse 31 tells us that on the Sixth Day, "God saw every thing that He had made, and behold, it was very good." Some versions actually say, "And it was all good". It goes on to tell us at the beginning of Chapter Two that He rested on the Seventh Day "from all His work which He had created and made". 
     But God doesn't create man until Genesis 2:7 and these trees in the Garden until verse 9.  And if the serpent [or Satan, if you will] was in the Garden of Eden, then he had already rebelled against God and been kicked out of Heaven, correct? Now, then the serpent appears in verse one of Genesis, Chapter Three. So, do we really know the span of time that existed between the Sixth Day and Seventh Day of Creation until the creation of man? And from the creation of Adam and Eve until their temptation to rebel against God in the Garden? No! The Bible doesn't make it clear, but how many of us have assumed these events followed each other in a rapid manner just because they appear sequentially and in order in the Bible? Remember, the original Scriptures did not have Chapter and verse breaks. Scribes added them for the sake of convenience, but they can lead to problems in our understanding. 
     Obviously, Satan is in the Garden of Eden. So, how do we reconcile that with "everything God had made was good"? Here's how I settle that question .... God created Lucifer, who was originally good, but he rebelled against God because of his pride and was expelled from Heaven. In fact, a website called harvest.org explains it as I understand it ... "When God created the world, we are told that God examined it and declared that it was good (Genesis 1:31). This means that even the angelic world did not have evil angels or demons in it at that time. But by the time of Genesis chapter three, we find that Satan, in the form of a serpent, was tempting Eve to sin. Therefore, sometime between the events of Genesis chapter one and Genesis chapter three, there must have been a rebellion in the angelic world, with many angels turning against God and becoming evil. This rebellion was led by Satan himself."  So, in my mind, this makes it clear that God did not create Evil, but it was a consequence of rebellion against Him, otherwise known as Sin. Can we agree that this is at least a possibility?
     But there still remains the question ... Why create a tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Surely, He knew what a great risk that was! And in Genesis 3:22, when He discovers that Adam and Eve have disobeyed Him, He says,  “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”. It was imperative that God protect the way to the tree of life, so He banished Adam and Eve from the Garden [which served to separate them from the intimate relationship they had with God. They no longer had direct access to Him, nor were able to be in His presence]. 
     So, now I'm faced with two frames of reference --- not only do I see that God didn't control the situation [by stepping into His sovereignty and stopping Adam and Eve], but now there is the knowledge of good and evil in the world. What good could possibly come from these two facts? I think I have found one possible answer in Isaiah, Chapter Seven. And, not surprisingly, the Lord shows us the way.
     The prophet Isaiah is sent by the Lord to speak to King Ahaz, the king of Judah, who is besieged by his enemies. God gives him a sign of the deliverance of the House of David: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted" (Isaiah 7:14-16).
     Of course, this is a prophecy of the Anointed One, Jesus Christ, who comes to model how we are to live our lives in obedience to our Father. It is evident that God's principle of Free Will is at play here. As a child, Jesus has the option to refuse the evil and choose the good. And throughout His life, He chooses to do the Father's will, even to the point of choosing to go to the Cross. That choice to do good is something at which Lucifer and Adam and Eve failed. And what was the result of the Son of God's crucifixion? It glorified the Father! Jesus expresses this in His humanity in John 12:27-31, Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 
     Here we see both the promise of God's glory and His judgment. Jesus, knowing what His fate would be, could have, at any time, chosen to abandon His purpose. But He chose to offer His life to the Father so that the Father might be glorified in His coming Resurrection. God didn't control the situation. Jesus chose to be obedient, bringing judgment upon all those who choose to follow the Evil One and his ways. You see, Free Will is at the heart of people choosing to know evil. There can't be a judgment against Evil [by God] if He controls everything and causes it to happen. There has to be a choice made .... whether to know [and do] good, or to choose to know [and do] evil.
    So, at this point in my search of Scripture, here's where I stand: I do not believe God created Evil. But I also do not believe He controls everything and "allows" Evil to exist. I believe that one of the principles of God's creation is the choice of His created ones to choose Him. He didn't create us to be robots, with no capacity to decide for ourselves that we would follow Him. Wouldn't that be God glorifying Himself? Instead, I believe that He made us to be in relationship with Him, while giving us the choice to show our love by being obedient and sharing in His goodness -- or reaping the misery of a life lived in disobedience and rebellion. When we choose Him, that is what glorifies Him, exalts Him, pleases Him, and honors Him. 
     Do I think that my conclusion is the only correct one? Absolutely not! But I hope the questions I've pondered will lead you to search out your own answers and bring you into a greater intimacy with the One who has all the answers! Whether we end up agreeing on these questions is not my goal. It's my hope that your journey will bring you into a greater intimacy and knowledge of He who loved you enough to send His Son as a sacrifice for you. That relationship is what matters and what will ultimately defeat Evil and return the earth to its original state.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20     I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him,