The Four D's Of The Enemy's Battle Plan

     There is no doubt that our culture is a battleground these days.  Pick any subject and it seems that we are at odds with each other over it.  Black versus White ... Christianity versus Islam ... Homosexual versus Heterosexual ... Rich versus Poor ... Conservative versus Liberal ... there seems to be no middle ground upon which we can agree or come to terms.  It's all or nothing, and there is no mutual respect for differences of opinion.
     As in any war, both sides want to win, and defeat is not an option. And in the case of the spiritual war in which we are engaged, all the above issues are fair game.  Our Adversary is using some very subtle tactics as he fights to gain valuable territory ... our souls.
     I wish to share with you what I call the Four D's of the devil's tactical plan to defeat us.  I cannot take credit for the categories.  They were published in a 2013 article by Monsignor Charles Pope, titled Four Common Tactics of the Devil.  However, the examples and applications I use to explain how they are being used against us in today's explosive culture are my own.  That being said, I am grateful to Msgr. Pope for his excellent and in-depth article.
     The first tactic used by our enemy is Deception.  We all know that the devil is the Father of Lies, and he is a deceiver.  Yet how easily he draws us into battles based on deception.  How many of the recent altercations and shooting between policemen and citizens have been cases of policemen doing their job?  How many of these situations have involved citizens who were not obeying the law, or who refused to recognize a law enforcement office with any show of respect?  Yet how many have been isolated and presented as the embodiment of prejudice in terms of white on black violence?
     Are these cases unfortunate?  Yes!  Is there room for discussion on police tactics and performance?  Absolutely!  But there are complexities in each of these circumstances, and the enemy seeks to confuse and deceive us by simplifying the situation to an "us" versus "them" scenario.  If we are going to win this battle, we must be a seeker of the Truth and quit listening to the lies, exaggerations and half-truths administered by the puppet master.
     The second tactic employed by our opposer is Division.  The minute that we quit seeing each other as fellow members of the human race, and start applying labels to those who are different than us, is when the enemy gains a little more ground.  And he is winning this battle today.  Not only is there division between the races and different faiths, but there is even division within each group.  The word "tolerant" has become a convenient and misused catchword; it's amazing how this one word can be both a positive and negative attribute -- what a convenient tool for the devil to cause strife and division within our ranks.
    As Christians, we are called to love our neighbor, warts and all ... to forgive their sins as we ask ours to be forgiven.  That commandment includes upholding another's right to make their own choices.  That's the understanding, forgiving, charitable application of tolerance.  Yet we are also called to stand for God's principles and not back down; we are to stand on the belief that there is an absolute Truth that cannot be compromised.  So when that Truth is hidden through deception (tactic #1) or distortion, then we cannot be tolerant of it, and the name-calling begins, and the devil begins dividing us.
     The next tactic is Diversion.  The devil is having a field day this week with this strategy!  Take for instance, the uproar over the Confederate flag controversy.  In this instance, our enemy has combined all three of the mentioned tactics in his use of this flag.  There is the Deception that it represents white supremacy to all white southerners, and is therefore a threat to the peace and safety of all black Americans.  There is the Division it is causing between the races and different population groups of our nation.  And finally it is a Diversion in that the devil is using it to force us to focus on the lesser issue of what this historical symbol means to any one person, rather than the greater issue of how we regain our moral compass, and our respect and love for each other in this nation.
     The same could be said of the renewed controversy of the use of the "N word".  What an opportunity this diversion provides the devil!  Now that the highest official in the land has used it to divide us as citizens, it has ignited an irreconcilable firestorm of bitterness and applied an unfair stereotype for every southern white citizen in what is supposed to be these "united" states.
     And that leads to the final tactic ... Discouragement.  I admit to times of battle fatigue lately.  It seems for every step we take forward, we are knocked back two spaces.  I can honestly say that I harbor no bitterness toward anyone.  I do not wish harm to anyone for their beliefs, their faith, their race, their gender, their social status or any other way in which they might be different than me.
     Do I believe there are moral absolutes and standards by which we should live our lives?  Yes, and they are determined by my faith.  But I can disagree with another's choices, and at the same time advocate their right to make that choice.  But I also see how the devil uses that against me.
     Those who do not experience faith in God cannot know how the hearts of the faithful bear witness to His love for mankind.  I know that going against the culture will give ammunition to those who wish to deceive us on a personal level, divide the masses, divert attention away from the serious matters, and discourage us from continuing the fight for the Kingdom.  I will be labeled all the things I am not -- unloving, prejudiced, selfish, hate-filled, irrational, fear-mongering, and intolerant.
     So the battle goes on ... and it is intensifying with each day.  We must stick with our battle plan to counter the tactics of our Enemy:  uphold the Truth, instead of falling for the Deception; join together in love with the community of man, instead of separating through Division and alienation; stay focused on what matters and don't be persuaded by Diversionary tactics; and renew and strengthen ourselves daily for the ongoing spiritual war -- we must not become Discouraged!  Remember, we know the outcome of this battle and we will be victorious!

Isaiah 41:12    "You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all."

I Will Hold Fast My Integrity

     It's becoming increasingly difficult to find my place in this world.  According to the President, I don't use the "N word" because I'm simply being polite.  My refusal to utter that despicable word couldn't possibly have anything to do with my respect for a fellow human being, could it?
      And then there's the Pope, who has an opinion on us Second Amendment supporters.  Apparently, I am a hypocritical Christian if I "invest" in the weapons industry.  "If you trust only men, you have lost" said the Pontiff, who seemed to imply that all people (the public included) who dealt in weapons were subject to distrust.  Supposedly, "we say one thing and do another".
     I somehow feel as if Pope Francis is accusing me of "trading in duplicity" by implying that my belief in the commandment to "love my neighbor as myself", while being a licensed, responsible firearms owner (and prepared to defend myself or family against evil) is somehow dishonest to my faith.  Did not Jesus give this instruction: let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one? The Christian who wishes to protect his life and that of his family from evil is not violating Biblical love. 
     So, speaking of hypocrisy ... In his encyclical on climate change, how does His Eminence justify his comment that he "does not mean to 'settle scientific questions', but to open debate" on the subject (in paragraph 188), with the encyclical's proposal of an international body that has the power “to impose sanctions” (paragraph 175) or “impose penalties” (paragraph 214)? Sounds like he's already decided that the climate change argument is valid and he supports punitive action.

     So between my contribution to global greenhouse gasses, my collaboration with the "violent gun culture" in this country, along with my inability to erase my racist tendencies from 200 years of slave history ... well, it's time I realized that my attitudes are wrong and I need to get with their program!  Of course, has anyone bothered to point out the hypocrisy that we can't seem to erase 200-300 years of [racist] history, but should have no problem with erasing 2000 years of traditional marriage with a stroke of a pen?
     By the way, the title of this blog post comes from the Book of Job, and it struck me that as I try to live an upright life, the world wishes to twist and turn my motives and beliefs.  Like Job, I sometimes feel as if I am being attacked on all sides, and I find myself wanting to defend my integrity and character.  But also like Job, this very stress upon my foundational belief system has strengthened my moral consistency, and I have found that is not necessary to resist the attempts of others to impugn my character.
     The world can question and challenge my opinions and actions, but I cannot change my heart and how the Bible tells me to live my life.  In other words, I cannot live a life that seems false to me, just in order to conform to the world's agenda.
     So no matter that the world thinks they know me, or that they try to define me with labels such as  racist, hypocritical, or even homophobic -- I know my heart, and all those labels are unwarranted.  But I also know that as long as I remain unchanged and uncorrupted in my moral code, and resolve to live my life righteously (according to God's standards), the world will never understand me or my motives.  
     Like Job, my integrity and my character will be discredited and maligned.  And like Job, whether my friends stand with me or attack me; whether my family understands me or not; and whether the world approves or disapproves of my positions, I will be unwavering in my determination to do right -- no matter what.  So there is no need to stand and decry the false accusations.  Indeed, it is better to pray for the scales to be lifted from their eyes, and their hearts to be softened.
     You see, I don't really care what the world thinks they see in me.  I know who I am; and more importantly, I care more about what God sees in me.  He knows my heart.  Through the work He and the Holy Spirit have done in my life, I have the integrity and the courage to hold true to my convictions to live an honest and upright life.
    So let the "kings of the world" define me as they will; their labels are false and unfounded.  For those who really care to understand me, my actions will display my character.  And I will remain committed to living a life of faith and moral character.  I will stake my reputation -- in this world, and the next -- on that steadfast integrity.

Psalm 62:1-2   "Truly my soul waits in silence for God only; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved."
   
   
   

The Demise Of Womankind

   

     I have to admit it ... my generation is largely to blame for the state of confusion among Millennials of the female gender.  We were the Baby Boomer daughters who were often among the first of our family's women to attend college.  We grew up watching women role models on TV; like Lucille Ball, Donna Reed and June Cleaver, who were probably pretty close to the images of our own mothers -- happy in their roles as child-nurturers and support systems to their husbands.  There was something comforting about the TV personas of these domestic goddesses who were queens of their castles.
     But then something happened.  Perhaps it was the seduction of being "on our own" in the world.  Suddenly, we stopped admiring the women that our mothers represented, and were lured to the celebrity of a new breed of women who told us that we shouldn't limit ourselves to the roles our mothers played.  They even called themselves by a powerful new title ... feminists.  
     In reality, they weren't the pioneers they proclaimed themselves to be.  They were actually the descendants of an earlier generation of women who focused mostly on equal voting rights and the rights to own property.  This second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 70s was actually a delayed reaction to the efforts to return women to their domestic roles after a brief release from those duties during WW II.  During the war years, women went to work in the factories to support the war effort, only to return to home-making when their husbands came home, and needed the jobs.
     The likes of Gloria Steinem and the feminist movement reawakened the cause, and broadened the debate to a wide range of issues: sexuality, family, the workplace, reproductive rights, perceived inequalities, and official legal inequalities.  Suddenly, we young women looked upon our mothers' domestic roles as too traditional and quite frankly, unfashionable.
     TV shows like Mary Tyler Moore glamorized the new "professional" woman; a woman who didn't need marriage and motherhood to fulfill her -- and didn't even need a man.  That mindset soon led to uncommitted sex and inconvenient pregnancies, which led to the "liberating" option of legal abortion.  And from those seemingly proud accomplishments, we have progressed to this moment in time and society ... we seem to have rejected our identities as women.
     I feel sorry for the young women of this Millennial generation.  Who are their role models?  Who is the media and culture touting as representing them? Increasingly, they are the misguided and sad little puppets who are the result of the women's movement run amok.  They have not only bought the lies that motherhood, marriage (especially to a man), and home-making are a waste of their time; but they have taken the "I don't need a man to support me" principle to the furthest extremes ... and if they have a weak moment and their maternal instincts kick in, they don't need a man to produce a child; medical technology has solved that issue.

     And what about love?  Well, men aren't needed in that department, either, these days.  In the 60s, Walt Disney Studios promoted a young, innocent girl named Annette Funicello, who grew into a beautiful young woman who wasn't afraid to embrace her femininity and attraction to young men.  At the turn of the century those same Walt Disney Studios were promoting the modern version of the cute, clever young girl in Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana.  But something happened to Miley on her way to womanhood.  She lost what defined her as an attractive young woman and embraced the "anything for shock value" mode of self-promotion and identification.

     And she is the icon for a whole new platform among Hollywood women -- of all ages.  They are proud to declare the "gender fluid movement".  I'm not quite sure how to define it, but by the press that young stars like Miley Cyrus and Kristen Stewart are receiving, I can guess that it probably means they follow their base instincts and are free to choose to love anyone of any gender ... or no gender at all, such as Miley's "Agender date" to a recent gala supporting AIDS research.  But then Miley is proudly exhibiting armpit hair these days, and openly calling the Bible "a fairy tale", so let's just say that what she thinks doesn't have any relevance to me.
     But that being said, I fear that she and the current movement to destroy the acceptance of the traditional man-woman relationship is gaining some steam.  It seems as if every new young starlet feels compelled to announce, as Miley did, "I never want to label myself. I am ready to love anyone that loves me for who I am. I am open."  But open to what??? To a delusion that loving a woman is the same as loving a man?  Open to some misguided belief that we must accept any and all relationships despite the fact that they are not natural?  How has loving a man suddenly become so taboo and intolerable?
     It also seems that you can't watch a TV show, or go to the movies, or listen to a song without it promoting "the freedom" of young girls to pursue female sexual love.  Let's call it what it is ... Satan's seductive instrument called ... LUST!  It is unnatural and ultimately unfulfilling.
     And how long before the young women of faith who enjoy the traditional male/female roles, and who denounce such sinful lifestyles, are ostracized and driven from the public square of debate?  The so-called "sexually enlightened" love to proclaim that "labels are outdated", and we should see each other as all equal and potential love partners.  I'm sorry, but I just can't go there!
     You see, I don't want to blur the lines between the genders.  I love what makes me different from men, and I enjoy how we compliment each other and challenge each other through our differences.  I like that my husband wants to protect me and provide for me, and I like being in charge of making a comfortable home for him.  I also like that he values my opinions and that we pull together on this journey called life.  I like the security and commitment that comes with marriage.  I like that he knows what I'm thinking, even when I haven't said a word.  I can't say it any plainer than this ... I love how he appreciates me as a woman.
     I have no desire to let my armpit hair grow, or deprive myself of his companionship and love, just to prove that I am equal and don't need him.  Does that sound rational, at all?  You see, I love the blessings that come from that label "woman".  And the fact that our society is desperately trying to eliminate all references to gender -- in effect, trying to become "genderless" -- is a sad commentary on our slide into degeneracy.
     So, I believe it is inherent for us "mature Christian women" to show our young sisters in Christ that it is not only natural to embrace their female gender and their God-ordained role as partners to men; but they need to recognize that accepting any other definition of their role is willfully sinning against their Creator.  It's true that we may have been wrongfully seduced by the promises of feminism in our youth, but let's help this generation begin a new movement ... one that returns to Biblical definitions of marriage partners; honors and embraces the unique ways God made males and females different; and restores the beauty and dignity to what it means to be a woman.

Romans 1:25-28    " Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator ... For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one ... And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome."

Hebrews 4:9-10

So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath-rest

 reserved for the [true] people of God;

For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from

 [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested

 from those labors peculiarly His own.

     The concept of the Sabbath has been a controversial and often contentious subject among fellow Christians and our Jewish brethren, alike.  I believe it is a much bigger concept than most of us realize.  To the casual observer, it seems to be a question of semantics and timing.  It usually begins with a discussion as to what day is the Sabbath?  Is it Saturday, or is it Sunday?  Does the command to observe it belong to the Old Testament law, or is there a greater principle that still applies to us today?  Is it as simple as setting aside a day to honor God, or is the picture of the Sabbath and Sabbath-rest a much bigger canvas?

      I happen to think that there is a huge spiritual element to the concept of the "Sabbath as rest" that all of us (both Christian and Jew) miss.  We all tend to want to assign physical attributes to it, but miss the fact that we are called to "enter into it".  What does that mean, and how do you "enter God's rest"?

     Let me just say, that I am a Christian who believes that the Sabbath "day" is Saturday, and not Sunday.  History has shown us that Emperor Constantine, a pagan king who professed Christianity (yet remained a pagan sun-worshipper at heart) issued an edict in 321 A.D:  "On the venerable Day of the sun (which we know as Sunday) let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed."  

     We must remember that Constantine hated the Jews because he blamed them for killing Jesus.  Therefore, he wanted to separate his newfound religion (and convenient political tool) from any semblance of Jewish compliance.  We also need to understand that the Jewish people "kept the law of the Sabbath" for more than 1500 years, so its observance on Saturday was closely associated with them.  Therefore, it should come as no surprise that, close on the heels of the Edict of Constantine, there followed the Catholic Church Council of Laodicea Edict (circa 364 AD): "Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday (Sabbath), but shall work on that Day: but the Lord’s Day (the Sun Day, substituted by Constantine), they shall especially honour; and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ."  The threat was clear:  do not observe the Sabbath as the Jews do (on Saturday), or you will be excommunicated from the Church.

     Following this initial legislation, both emperors and Popes, down through the centuries, have added other laws to strengthen Sunday observance. What began as a pagan ordinance ended as a Christian regulation.

     The question as to whether Christians should keep a particular day as the Sabbath is answered very plainly in Scripture ... Romans 14:5 to be exact:  "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord...".  Each Believer needs to be wholly convinced in his own mind; and if he is, then he must follow his conviction by honoring the Lord on that day.  But I do not believe that we are called to demand it of others who do not have the same position of faith.  

     Ok, now that we have covered the matter of the Sabbath DAY, let's consider what it means to "enter the Sabbath rest", or to "enter God's rest".  It can all be summed up in the simple principle of "God rested on the seventh day [Sabbath]" (Genesis 2:3).  Consider this ... it wasn't that God was so exhausted from creating the world that He had to stop and rest (or relax, or recharge, or slow down because He was weary).  No, He had completed what He had set out to do, and was ready and willing to accept that what He had created would go forward as planned.  He no longer had to work at it; it was complete as it was.

     So, how does that concept of Sabbath rest apply to us?  It is the same principle when we stop trying to control ( or work out) every situation in our lives, and step back and realize that we can, in full confidence, trust, and faith, rely on God's Word and what He has set in motion in our lives. 

     So can you imagine what that means to enter into HIS rest?  It is the same rest that He enjoyed at the moment He knew His work was done; He is inviting us to join Him in that place where, we too, can experience the presence of His authority and power.  True Sabbath rest is something that we have no part in making happen.  It is a spiritual understanding that takes place in our minds, souls and spirits.

     It is that moment when we look beyond the physical day, and come to the realization that we no longer have to worry that somehow we will fail to get the job done in our lives.  It's time to "stop working" (another attribute of the Sabbath) for acceptance by God.  There is nothing we can do to accomplish that goal; all of our efforts will never be enough.  So, we can take a Sabbath and rest in the work Jesus is doing in our lives, through our faith.  

     Part of learning to "rest in God" is learning to be obedient to God; to trust Him and rely on Him; and let Jesus do the rest.  When we can do that, and quit trying to finish our faith by our own efforts, we will find that we have peace in our minds and our hearts and our emotions.  It is having that "heart knowledge" that God will work things out in a manner that is pleasing to Him, and best for us.  That is true spiritual rest; a true spiritual Sabbath.  Remember:  Jesus said He would give rest to those who were "weary and heavy laden."  Give it all up to him, and take Him up on His offer!  

This is really just a cursory discussion on the spiritual essence of Sabbath.  But hopefully, it will entice you to study Scripture on your own, and come to an understanding of what Sabbath means to God, and how we are to "rest" from our labors.  Thank you to AmazingDiscoveries.org for the historical facts on the Edicts of Constantine and the Catholic Church Council at Laodicea.  Thanks also to Steve Highlander and Crossroads Ministry for insightful and Biblical references on the Sabbath rest.

     

     

"A Call To Courage In The Hour of Evil"

     Yesterday, I voiced my opinion on the evil carried out in Charleston, South Carolina.  What we see on the surface is a despicable act of hate based on racial differences.  As I tried to explain yesterday, Evil doesn't distinguish between races, but it will dispense its hate against God's people by using race as an instrument to divide us -- both from each other and from God.
     Now I would like you to read the opinion of Armstrong Williams, printed in an editorial on Breitbart.com.  Mr. Williams is a cousin of Dr. Clementa Pinckney, the Pastor of Emanuel AME Church.  He is far more qualified than I am to render judgment on how we should perceive this tragedy, as well as how we should respond. I pray that his words will resonate with all of America, and that we will honor the legacy of his cousin and the saintly souls who died with him.

Pastor Clementa Pinckney

     Among the nine innocents murdered at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston Carolina this past Wednesday was Pastor Clementa Pinckney. Reverend Pinckney is my cousin, and our parents lived just across the field growing up in Marion, South Carolina.  Our families have remained very close over the years. I knew them before I knew the world.  We were all molded from the same clay.
     Pastor Pinckney was the real deal.  He was always one of the bright ones. He did very well in school, and was called to preach at the age of 13.  By the age of 18 he had become a pastor.  After college he served as an intern for a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. When she retired, Clementa ran for her seat, and at the age of 23 was the youngest person ever elected to serve in the House. In another unprecedented achievement, Pinckney was elected to the South Carolina Senate at age 27.  In between raising a family and serving as a pastor, Pinckney earned at least two masters degrees.  At the age of 41 he was just beginning to fulfill all of the promise his hard work and dedication had earned him.
     But growing up back then in rural South Carolina we were just normal kids.  Our lives were full of innocence, laughter, harmless mischief.  Our community saw our parents’ offspring as the future potential at a young age.  They said we were the hope for a brighter future. So when Rev. Pinkney and my brother Kent were elected to the state senate, this represented the fulfillment of that hope.
     Some of that hope died yesterday in that church.  The survivors, including my bother Kent and I, know that Clementa’s absence puts more responsibility on our shoulders to continue the work he had begun. That will not be easy. Pinckney was always a bridge builder. Everywhere he went, he was a living example of his faith. His sermon and his testimony was how he lived his life. He was affable. He was just. He could be trusted.  As a state senator along with my brother, where he served on the senate finance committee, he was doggedly principled.  Clementa left a legacy of achievement despite his humble origins.  He did not allow the circumstances to define him. He changed the circumstances and made the world better. He was able to accomplish at age 41 what most people never do in a lifetime.
     Our job as people of faith and those who are from the community of Charleston is to keep moving forward. We must grieve and we must heal. We cannot allow the evil that crept into Emanuel A.M.E. church to infect our own hearts. Even though vengeance may be a tempting thought amidst so much agonizing pain, it is best left for the Lord to right this wrong... To some people of faith evil is merely an abstraction, something we read about in the Bible but don’t really see in our daily lives.  But evil does exist in this world, and it infects people with a spiritual sickness.  It is one thing to see these things on television – whether it was the mass murders at a Colorado movie theatre, or the murder of children at an elementary school in Sandy Hook.  It can sometimes seem like an abstraction.  But when it hits so close to home, it forces us to confront the reality that evil does exist in this world.
     All of our humanity was robbed yesterday. No matter what the stated motives of the gunman, whenever you murder so many innocent people it is a hate crime.  But it is not about the race of the victims or assailant.  This was an act of hatred against humanity.  And so no matter what the setting or what the origins of the victims, when events like this occur we are all affected.
     We cannot win against the onslaught of evil if we continue to be divided over things like race, class, gender, and nationality.  We cannot be so easily manipulated by the devil as to believe that there is a black humanity and a white humanity.  If anything this tragic event should be a warning to us all of the ultimate problem of teaching our children to hate another person based on their race.  That goes for black and white parents, educators, and law enforcement alike. Teaching inferiority is just as bad as teaching superiority.  Either allows one to view someone else as less than human and undeserving of being treated with human dignity. You cannot win a war against evil with a divisive strategy that destroys us from within. That is precisely what the devil wants.
     In the absence of courage, fear and hatred lurk and fester.  Hatred is the opiate which emboldens the fearful to commit acts of true horror... These times call for courage.  Let all of us come together and honor the courage and sacrifice of those brave and innocent souls who were called to God.  Let us put on the armor of the Lord and sally forth as one nation, indivisible, upholding the banner of liberty and justice. For only then will we be able to defeat the moral enemy in our midst.

     I thank Mr. Armstrong for his wise words and for his call to courage.  Courage takes strength and commitment, and I think it is quite apparent that it is going to take courage on the part of all of us to keep those with unscrupulous and immoral agendas from seizing this opportunity to spread more hate.  Hate is not what Pastor Pinckney and his church exhibited in their hour of tribulation.  And it is not what family members of the dead have shown, as they have voiced their willingness to forgive the killer.  
     Satan is the Father of Lies, and a Deceiver.  He wants nothing more than to convince us that hate is the proper response in this hour of grief.  But we should follow the lead of the victims' family members, who responded as Jesus has taught us.  One by one, during Dylann Roof's initial court appearance, they offered him the opportunity to repent, and they expressed their forgiveness. In the words of the grandson of 74-year-old victim Daniel Simmons, hate is not an option: “Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof; everyone’s plea for your soul is proof they lived in love and their legacies will live in love... So hate won't win.”

Psalm 16:8      "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken."

It's The Devil, People!

   

     The heart of the nation is reeling in grief at the violence against God's people in a church in South Carolina.  Nine saints were targeted and persecuted as they communed with Jesus in prayer.  Yes, you read that correctly ... I do not see this evil in terms of race or politics or social issues.  I am not like those who wish to lay this crime at the feet of racial prejudice; or who want to point to the fact that the perpetrator used a gun, or that his front license plate sported a Confederate flag --- all convenient charges for those who view this tragedy through a narrow lens.
     No, I see it through a spiritual lens; and that means it is bigger than our small earthly minds can see.  I will agree that it is a crime of "hate", but the hatred is at the behest of the Prince of this World.    You see, the Devil hates God and His plan for the world, and it is his goal to oppose God, Jesus, and those who belong to them; and he will use whatever method makes it easy to lead people into rebellion against God's chosen people.
     As God reveals more to me about spiritual warfare, I am learning that so much in our daily lives opens us to spiritual wickedness.  Our spirits may be sealed with the Holy Spirit, but our souls (our minds, emotions, and wills) and flesh can still be subject to influence by Satan.  On a benign level, I know that there have been times that my mind reels with doubt and fear, and I know those are not from God, but from the Enemy.  Or what about the times my mouth has gotten me into trouble, when I clearly knew that I was disobeying God?  So, just contemplate how easily it would be for someone who doesn't know Christ to be "hijacked", so to speak, to do the bidding of the Devil?
     There are things that we do, or that happen to us, that open up opportunities for Satan to tempt us into evil.  Among them are adultery, abortion, abuse, depression, poverty, addiction to drugs or alcohol, divorce, the occult ... and on and on.  All these situations (and more) can open the door for the Enemy to enter our lives.  These experiences give him legal right to be there, because he is the Prince of this World and these are experiences that occur in this realm.  But, as Christians, we have the authority to deny him access to our souls; we are filled with the Holy Spirit and can shut those doors!

     I do not see any evidence that Dylann Roof, the murderer in Charleston, South Carolina, knew Jesus or the Holy Spirit.  His presence in that Bible study at the Emanuel AME Church simply shows me that he was there on assignment for the Devil.  And from the early reports on his background, Satan certainly had open doors to influence this young man.  To begin with, Dylann was caught in the middle of a divisive child custody case during his parents' divorce.  There is Satan's opportunity to introduce spirits of rejection, fear of rejection, and self-rejection.
     Secondly, Dylann has an arrest record involving possession of suboxone, a narcotic painkiller.  In the aftermath of this tragedy, people are now coming out with their own stories of the side-effects of this opiate drug.  A user on one website relates how her husband “became violent, smashing things and threatening me,” after just a few days of coming off suboxone.  Another person who posted relates the story of how his personality completely changed as a result of taking suboxone.  "Nasty", "Violent", "Self-Destruct Mode" are just some of the other descriptions associated with this drug.
     It is important to understand that drugs are one of the open doors through which Satan can influence us.  Did you know that there is actually a spirit of Pharmakeia mentioned in the Bible?  The English translations often use the word "sorcery"; whereas the Greek translation is "pharmakeia", from which we get "pharmaceuticals".  Just consider this relevant passage in Revelation 18:23: “The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.”
     Big Pharma can certainly be classified as a great merchant in the 21st century, and the prodigious use of drugs in this country (and the world) cannot be denied.  How convenient for Satan to use both the spirits of rejection and pharmakeia to seduce and deceive Dylann Roof into snuffing out the light of God's lamp (the Emanual AME Church)!
     It will be interesting to see how much comes out about this young man's life in the coming days.  While the media, and the race-baiters, and the gun-control advocates will point us all to the obvious differences in skin color between the murderer and his victims, as well as the need to "stop the gun violence", I refuse to reduce this tragedy to a convenient agenda that some of our leaders wish to take advantage of.
     Just like the troubled young men of Columbine, Aurora, Tucson, and Sandy Hook, Dylann Roof is just the latest in a group of glassy-eyed, vulnerable youth whose empty souls were easily occupied and exploited for Satan's gain.
     While my heart is saddened at the loss of such faithful followers of Christ, I rejoice that they were in prayer with their Savior when their tragic deaths came.  Now it is time for us all to pray that Satan will be restrained by the Holy Spirit from gaining anymore success from his latest attack.  Let's pray that the hatred, discord, and selfish ambition that Satan will attempt to reap from this tragedy will be covered over by the Love, Faithfulness, and Self-Control that radiates from Jesus Christ.
     It is so important that we Christians come to realize that our thoughts and actions can give legal authority to Satan to wage his battle against God and the Saints.  Don't keep your focus on what appears to be happening here on earth; but look towards the spiritual realm and the war that is really taking place.  We must recognize what is truly going on and not give the Devil any more ground or territory, and get in the spiritual battle!

2 Corinthians 2:11   "... that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes."

What Has Been Will Be Again

     Wow!  Has the world gone mad, or what?  I am totally blown away by some of the things I have read and heard in the last 24 hours.  To begin with, I read a fascinating article by Benjamin Soloway on the ForeignPolicy.com website.  First of all, the title is enough to make you want to hide under the covers ... "You Don't Have to Watch 'Jurassic World' To See Bioengineered Animal Weapons."
     Mr. Soloway, in a compelling and informative article, relates how -- once again -- Hollywood forecasts what is going on behind the scenes of the real world.  In the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series of films, we see how far the storyline has progressed.  (Don't worry, I'm not going to give away all the details of the plot).

Jurassic World's hybrid dinosaur, D-Rex

     In the first movie, scientists bring dinosaurs back to life by filling in the gaps in recovered dinosaur DNA with genetic material from frogs. But in Jurassic World, scientists take these experiments a step further, when they realize they can create dinosaurs more to their liking through genetic manipulation — and that the newly engineered dinosaurs might be put to use by the military-industrial complex.  It's always about the money, isn't it?
     No one is making the assertion that scientists are about to figure out a way to bring the dinosaurs back; at least not yet.  But Soloway points out the film is not far off in its assumptions about the militarization of genetic science.  Are you willing to consider that the United States’ military is already experimenting with genetically engineered animals for war?  Why not?
     In her 2013 book, titled Frankenstein’s Cat: Cuddling Up to Biotech’s Brave New Beasts, author Emily Anthes related that in 2006, DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) asked scientists “to develop technology to create insect-cyborgs” capable of carrying surveillance equipment or weapons.  (That has been documented by current "insect drones").  In the past decade, the agency has encouraged and funded research into methods that can let humans control insects and mammals through electronic impulses to the brain, and through genetic modifications to the nervous systems of insects to make them easier to manipulate.  Why is it so outlandish to consider the possibility that animals could be genetically modified to do the military's bidding?  Makes you think differently about the rider of the Pale Horse and the Fourth Seal in the Book of Revelation, doesn't it?   They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.  Could this prophecy be describing a military power using conventional weapons, biological weapons, and genetically-engineered "beasts" as weapons?  It's enough to give me pause.
     Now, switch gears with me and consider an odd little segment on Fox News, in which psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow was commenting on the ongoing controversy regarding Rachel Dolezal's self-identificaton as a black woman.  Dr. Ablow warned that we are entering dangerous territory when we allow people to identify with whatever they "feel" closely associated with, instead of using their genetic and biological identities.  We have to ask the question, "How far is society willing to go?"  Dr. Ablow pointed out that the culture has quickly embraced "transgender", thanks to Bruce Jenner; and now with the uproar over the Dolezal affair, "transracial" has entered the public conversation.  What's next -- "transpecies"?  I'm paraphrasing here, but he actually suggested that someone could identify with an animal, and in this moment's cultural climate, it would be acceptable to genetically modify that person in order to produce a tail!
     I almost fell off my chair when he presented that possibility!  How many of us Christians have been ridiculed for believing that the Bible reveals the existence of hybrids through genetic manipulation?  How many times have we been scorned for suggesting that the cave drawings and reliefs and statues at ancient historical sites were actually depictions of real creatures, and not just some mythological fable?
     What concerns me most is that all these conversations are lacking an important element ... God!!!  Frankly, I am tired of hearing all the commentators and their "politically correct" assessment of these troubled people.  I'm waiting for one ... just one! ... person to stand up and ask, "But what do you think God, their Creator, thinks of their confused identity?"  And I think that is the crux of the situation ... they have been "confused" by Satan, whom Jesus called "the prince of this world".  And how have they become so easily fooled and deluded?  It is exactly for the reasons that Jesus tell us ... "because they cannot bear to hear My word."  And because our culture has rejected God, they desire all the things that the devil is whispering in their ears.  The sad thing is that the devil has nothing to do with the truth.  They are simply adopting his nature, which is a lie ... and that fits right in with their mistaken identities.  It's all a lie.  And it's all been done before.  Too bad they won't hear the Word and know how God dealt with the corrupted DNA in the past, and how He plans on dispensing His judgment this time!

Ecclesiastes 3:15   "Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account."
   

Which Battle Are You Prepared To Fight?

     I was having a discussion with my husband, Peace-Loving Warrior, the other day, and it went something like this ...

ME:  With all these crazy headlines -- meteors slamming into the earth; financial collapse coming; EMP possibilities; threats from Russia; domestic race wars; the encroaching police state, etc., etc. -- is there anything specific we need to turn our attention to?
PLW:  At this point, nothing much more is going to matter.
ME:  We will just go with what we have, put on our armor, and rely on God, right?
PLW:  That's our best plan.

     There was a time; 2008 to be exact, when we would have spent anxious hours planning every detail of our "prepper" plan.  We wanted to escape the "expendable" and "throw-away" mindset of our American generation, and return to the sustainable lifestyle of our grandparents.  We wanted to embrace the lost traditions and skills that allowed past generations to perpetuate and preserve things of value.  We didn't want to take anything for granted -- and that included our ability to provide food, shelter, and protection in any storm that threatened our lives.

     But it is now 7 years later, and I feel comfortable in my ability to think critically and solve problems.  I know how to garden, can my own food, start a wood fire, defend myself, and most importantly, do without.  I know I can withstand hardships and I am prepared to live a simpler, less complicated life.  In regard to the above conversation with my husband, this is what "we have to go with", and it's going to be enough.  And that's because I've also discovered in these last few years that it won't be the "things" I have or can do, but my faith that will be my most important asset.  And that's a subject that has been a new revelation to me, as well.
    You see, I want to make it clear that we are not among those Christians who said, "I don't need to do any planning or learn any new skills.  I'm just going to rely on God, because He says He will take care of us."  No, we used the brains He gave us, listened to the Holy Spirit, and completed the instructions we were given.  But we also heard the message that saving this life is not our ultimate goal; that we are to do all we can to help people, tell them about Jesus, and stand tall during our coming trials.
     That doesn't mean that we are to put all our efforts into the fight to keep this life, but we are to live what remains of it to the glory of God.  And to that point, I am sensing a growing split among the Christian community. There are those who are staunchly in the Prepper camp; who are relying on God and their physical efforts to deliver them from this world's troubles.  While believing that God is Sovereign, they are buying as much gold and silver as they can, stocking up on food and ammo, while they plan their exit strategy to a "safe place" out of the country... because God told them that's how they were to prepare.
     Then there are those who are discerning that the real battle that must be won is spiritual.  It's not that they aren't physically prepared, but they see the bigger picture; and what we need to be preparing to fight are the spiritual enemies of God's chosen.  These Christians are preparing to win the coming battles by putting on the armor of God, rather than relying on all their tactical gear and maneuvering abilities.
     In fact, those in the Christian Prepper camp don't want to hear about the Christian Spiritual Warfare camp ... it's too scary and bad for business, so to speak. Christians, generally speaking, don't have a clue that there is even a spiritual battle to be fought.  Satan has fooled them into keeping their eyes downcast and focused on their fellow man and his tactics.  That leaves us all -- Believers and Unbelievers, alike -- completely vulnerable to the real Enemy's attacks.
     As you've heard it said so often, Satan's time is short and he is ready to take as many of us out of the fight as he can, NOW!  And that means attacking us in ways we don't see coming ... through the loss of spouses, parents, children, pets, jobs, health ... and in ways we aren't prepared to defend ourselves.
     So, while I have not abandoned my new skill sets, and still look for bargains on life's necessities at the grocery store, both PLW and I have studied the ways to fight back in the spiritual war that is clearly being waged.  Our armor is not anything that can be seen with the naked eye; our physical enemies will not find us intimidating.  But we plan on being on the front lines of the spiritual battle, and it is that victory we confidently seek.  You see, we know there is a war coming, and there will be many horrendous battles to fight.  But the war in which we are being prepared to fight is in the spiritual realms, and our power will come from the throne room of God, and in the name of His Son, Yeshua.  So, I agree with PLW ... we'll go with what we've got.  It's a plan I can live with ... eternally.

2 Corinthians 10:4    "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds."

 

Everywhere You Look, It's Double-Mindedness

   

     Does anyone really know who they are anymore?  Is there anyone who is confident in their identity; or who is committed and unwavering in their individual selfhood?  Or has the whole society decided to let themselves be blown about by whatever the culture is fixated on?
     I mean, just look at all the people who are now doubting their gender, and don't want to identify as the one they were born with (preferring to be called transgender) ... or they don't want to be labeled with any gender, for that matter!  We have a whole new lexicon that just appeared out of nowhere; did you know that you were not simply born a man or a woman?  Now you're referred to as "cis-gender".  The official definition is "denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity conforms with the gender that corresponds to their biological sex."  But the important qualifier to that translation is the addition of the phrase "not transgender" -- as if THAT is either the norm, or equal to it!
     In fact, in our increasingly perverted culture, the word cis-gender actually exists to serve as an equal to transgender. Think of it as a parallel to the use of the words homosexual and heterosexual.  It used to be that people were single-minded in their identities.  They were uncompromising and sure about who they were.  But now it is permissible -- no, even encouraged -- to doubt oneself, or to adopt multiple identities.  So much so, that there are now over 10 ways to identify yourself on Facebook, gender-wise that is.  I kid you not!  Among these designations are the following:  you can either be bigender (identifying as two different genders); cis-gender (which I would label normal); FTM (Female to Male) indicating you were assigned female at birth, but are transitioning to male; gender fluid (flowing between gender identities; however you feel that day); non-binary (meaning you don't want to assign either femaleness or maleness to yourself, indicating there might even be another gender assignment out there); and two-spirit (describing someone who embodies both the spirits of a man and a woman) -- that is truly frightening!  These are just a few; you can check out all the various options here, if you dare.
     But don't think that the "trans" or "cis" identifiers are just for the question of gender.  Now, it seems that you can be transracial or cis-racial.  Take the incredibly bizarre story of Rachel Dolezal, the Spokane, Washington, NAACP president, who claimed to be Black, but whose parents outed her as a white woman.  Does it seem to you that there should be no question as to her true identity?  Not so, to MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry, who wondered aloud on her show, if Dolezal “might actually be black.”  According to Harris-Perry,  "There is a useful language in "trans" and "cis", which is just to say [that] some of us are born cis-gendered, some of us are born trans-gendered.  But I wonder ... can it be that one would be cis-black and trans-black; that there is actually a different category of blackness, about the achievement of blackness, despite one’s parentage?”
     But listen to the authenticity of Dolezel's parents statement:  “Rachel has wanted to be somebody she’s not,” Ruthanne Dolezal, Rachel’s mother, told a local TV station. “She’s chosen not to just be herself, but to represent herself as an African-American woman or a biracial person. And that’s simply not true.”

      And there you have it ... our culture is becoming one that is not interested in the Truth.  Whether that truth lies in who they are racially or who they were born to be -- they don't want to be held to any standards and want to be free to follow their base inclinations and desires.  Little do they know that it leads to a life of profound instability, and what the Bible calls Double-mindedness.
     A double-minded person is restless and confused in his thoughts, his actions, and his behavior. Such a person is always in conflict with himself. One torn by such inner conflict can never lean with confidence on God and His gracious promises, which is where the real Truth lies.  Take for instance, those teachers in Pennsylvania who spent a one-day tax-payer funded workshop attending a mosque and learning the ins and outs of Islamism, including the call to prayer and bowing to Allah.  (Can you imagine the screams of "separation of church and state" if the teachers had attended a workshop on Christianity and participated in a baptism?!?)
     All of this compromise and doubting and acceptance of multiple choices leads to instability and a half-hearted commitment.  As the website GotQuestions.org points out, "We cannot be both certain and doubting, as is the double-minded person. One part of his mind is sure of something, while the other part doubts. It brings to mind the “pushmi-pullyu” of the Dr. Doolittle stories, an animal with a head at either end of its body and which was constantly trying to walk in two directions at once. Such is the double-minded man."
     Mankind needs to come to the rapid realization that God will not grant His blessings upon those who are double-minded. As Jesus pointedly declared, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”  That applies to the current issues of gender, race, and faith.  We would do well to remember that God is a jealous God.  He is single-minded in His demand for loyalty and obedience.  He will not accept a mind and heart that He has to share with Satan.

James 1:8    "[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]."







   
   

A Shared and Committed Faith

     I am deeply saddened to read in The Christian Post that Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini has been “viciously beaten” by other prisoners, and punched in the face in what appears to be an unprovoked attack in the Iranian prison where he is being held.  The suffering and persecution he has received for his Christian faith seems as if it will never end.

   According to his wife, Pastor Abedini's "life is continuously threatened not only because he is an American, but also because he is a convert from Islam to Christianity."  A brief review of his history, shows that Saeed Abedini is a former Muslim who converted to Christianity in 2000 in his native Iran.  In 2002, he met and married his wife Naghmeh, an American citizen. In the early 2000s, the Abedinis became prominent in the house church movement in Iran, at a time when the movement was tolerated by the Iranian government.  With the election of Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in 2005, however, the house church movement was subjected to a crackdown by Iranian authorities and the Abedinis moved back to the United States. In 2009, during a visit back to Iran to visit his family, he was briefly detained, interrogated about his conversion to Christianity, and threatened with death.  He was ultimately released after signing an agreement to discontinue any association with the house church movement in Iran.
     After becoming an ordained minister in the U.S. in 2008, and gaining his U.S. citizenship in 2010, Pastor Abedini continued humanitarian work in Iran, in which he was permitted to freely work, as long as it was not related to religious doctrine.  In July 2012, Abedini made his ninth trip to Iran since 2009 to visit his family and continue his work to build an orphanage in the city of Rasht. While in the country, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confiscated his passports and placed him under house arrest. He was later transferred to Evin Prison, where he has been incarcerated since.
     In a way, Abedini has become the face of Christian persecution in the Middle East, as well as a symbol of the West's lack of pressure in demanding that prisoners of religious persecution be released.  And perhaps because I am about to begin a personal study with my home church group on the Acts of the Apostles, I can't help but compare the good Pastor's journey with that of a previous Christian prisoner and enemy of the State, the Apostle Paul.
     Like Paul, who founded numerous churches first-hand, and is indirectly responsible for countless others through his apprentices, Saeed Abedini is credited with establishing about 100 house churches in 30 Iranian cities with more than 2,000 members.
     Iran, much like ancient Rome, seeks to suppress any movement that 1) threatens the tyranny of the  State government, and 2) contradicts the worship of their State religion, Islam.  In Rome's case, they objected to the growing Christian movement because it was in opposition to their pagan deities; in Iran, it is illegal for Christians to proselytize or evangelize to Muslims.  In both Empires, Christianity is a threat to oppression, despotic injustice, and the State cult.

    Yet, the Apostle Paul and Pastor Saeed Abedini were unable to stop sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ ... even on threat of their deaths.  Whether in the year 64 A.D. or 2015 A.D., it is still true that a simple confession of Christian faith is enough to condemn someone to prison and persecution.  Our faith is seen as a subversive act; a rebellion against the established institution.
     In a letter to his wife, Abedini describes a similar prison experience to Paul's:  "This is the process in my life today: one day I am told I will be freed and allowed to see my kids on Christmas (which was a lie) and the next day I am told I will hang for my faith in Jesus ... One day there are intense pains after beatings in interrogations, the next day they are nice to you and offer you candy."  Too often, Saeed's visitations with Iranian family members were abruptly ended, and a cover was put over his eyes and he was returned to the dark room of his prison cell, void of any natural sunlight.
     Paul was, at times, kept under a fairly relaxed house arrest; while at other times it is believed that he spent a cold winter in the Mamertine prison in Rome; a location that was originally created as a cistern for a spring, and access was through the floor of the second lower level. Prisoners were lowered through an opening into the lower dungeon, where he was kept in total darkness.
     Pastor Abedini has been imprisoned for over two years, and just like Paul, it appears that “justice delayed is justice denied.”  Both the Pastor and the noble Apostle's fate lay in the hands of a government hostile to the growing influence of their faith.
     Like Paul, fellow Believers in the Faith are praying for Saeed Abedini and his deliverance from persecution.  But, also like Paul, Saeed is on record as being a single-minded soldier of the Faith:  "I forgave the prison doctor who did not listen to me and did not give me the medication that I needed. I forgave the interrogator who beat me,” he wrote in a letter to his family. “Every day when I would see the interrogator and for the last time when I saw him, I forgave him. I smiled at him and with respect shook his hand and I said my goodbye."  Even in captivity and imprisonment, he lives his life by the example Christ showed us.  Like the Apostle Paul and all the persecuted Christians throughout history, Pastor Abedini is not afraid to die; and it is because of his hope in the resurrection.
     And like the growing number of Christian martyrs in the Middle East who accept death rather than renounce their faith in Jesus, hell is more frightening than their killers.  Can you say the same?  Would you be able to say, as Pastor Abedini has said:  "When we forgive, we become free and we become messengers of peace and reconciliation and goodness. And whoever stings us, we can take into our embrace and love them. And in this dark and evil time, we can live full of love and full of peace and full of joy and shine like the stars! So, forgive them and use the antidote of love and be Victorious! Glory be to His Name."
     So, please, at some point during this day, take a moment and speak to the Lord on behalf of this courageous and obedient Pastor and his family.  As the American Center for Law and Justice has reported, Pastor Saeed Abedini was sentenced by Judge Pir-Abassi – known as the “hanging judge” — for “threatening the national security of Iran through his leadership in Christian house churches.”  It's a charge as old as the Church, and still as threatening to Satan and his minions in this world.  Pray that this committed man of God will continue to find his strength in the Lord and that God will send an army of angels to surround his prison cell and protect him.  Better yet, let's pray that like the other imprisoned Apostles in Acts, Chapter 5, "the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them forth...".
     
Psalm 107:14   "He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains."