What's The End Game?

     This is another one of those days when everywhere I look, and everything I read, leaves me in a state of distrust and suspicion.  The Bowe Bergdahl scandal continues to grow as those who served with him directly contradict the "official" dialogue about his time with the Taliban.
     The emaciated bodies of babies and children found in an Irish convent's septic tank is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the implications of the Catholic Church and child mass graves.  And who can forget the tens of thousands of American veterans who have been denied the health benefits they were promised through the Veterans Administration hospitals?  Some days it is just too hard to figure out what was behind the original decisions that sent us down these roads.  What was the true intention of these acts?

     I guess the most perplexing to me at this moment is the continual flood of hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens across our southern border.  Yes, I have posted the human side of this surge, and it is a legitimate one.  Many of these people are children escaping revolutions and tyranny in their homelands; or they are a product of the truly evil sex slave trade that is inundating our country.  I get it.  And I truly have empathy for them wanting a better life.  I, too, would do everything I could to escape the evil they have lived.
     But it is not just about innocent children trying to make it to a family member somewhere in America.  Our border security is being intentionally "softened"; our federal government is deliberately allowing thousands of people to enter the country -- people that include criminals and terrorists.  Besides the threat to our physical safety, there is the issue of disease and viruses.  Already, cases of measles, chicken pox, MRSA and various staph infections are present in those streaming across the border.  How long before we have an out of control epidemic?
     The worst part of this situation is that it is all being done without a nod to the Constitution.  In fact, there are those in Washington D.C. who hint that the Constitutional process is too slow, too complicated, and too burdensome.  I just can't figure out if this is the end result they're after.  Are they trying to deliberately create this humanitarian crisis in order to prove that the U.S. Constitution is a hindrance in dealing with it?  In other words, create the crisis first, then use the panic to show the public that our existing laws (and the foundation for those laws -- the Constitution) are inadequate and must be "fundamentally changed".  If so, this is a classic Cloward & Piven strategy.
     But is that the only game being played?  I am just a simple woman.  But I am smart enough to know that some kind of game plan has been put into effect.  And it seems to me that it is designed to crash the system of the United States.  Why else ignore the laws of the land and spit in the eye of our elected officials who, by the way, seem as if they are stupefied and mummified in the face of this onslaught.  Our laws are being defied at every turn, yet Congress has done nothing to defend the Constitution.  There is a process to be followed in changing federal immigration laws.  Unfortunately, it is being ignored as if the laws do not exist.
     Yet, on the other hand, as reported by the Washington Times, Attorney General Holder announced a program late last week that would provide attorneys for young illegal immigrant children, saying they want to make sure the unaccompanied minors are getting fair legal representation.  How much is that going to cost American tax-payers?  Consider the fact that the government admits it is expecting over a quarter million children in the next 24 months, and you can see how the system will be tremendously burdened.  It is a clearly unsustainable situation.
     But like everything else in this deteriorating world, nothing seems to make any sense.  In my post relating my friend Betty's Christian perspective of caring for these children, she suggested that if one's priority is to fix the problem, rather than tending to these souls in need, one should run for office.  As I stare at the immensity of this issue, I realize that there is no answer in politics.  In fact, it is not even a political question.  This is a spiritual battle between Good and Evil.  These are the circumstances in which we fight the wiles of the Devil.  As Paul warned us in Ephesians, we are battling "against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
     What seems to us like a battle between ideologies and social agendas is, in reality, the age-old war for dominion over the earth.  We are not in control, and the sooner we realize that, perhaps the quicker we will look up for our deliverance.  The "end game" is not more votes in future elections, and it is not even a true humanitarian cause --- it is all about creating chaos and disruption; it is about sowing the seeds of rebellion against God and our fellow man.
     You know, as I followed my argument to its logical conclusion, the one thought that sprang to my mind was "God help us."  And in that moment, I realized that it is the only option we really have.  I'm sad to say that I do not think there is a human solution to this contest for ownership of the world.  So, as the headlines over the coming weeks, months and few years will continue to cast a shadow upon our land, I am going to take great delight in knowing the outcome of the battle.  All these controversies before us will soon be settled.  I can hardly wait!

John 16:33     "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."




   
   

The New World Order In Your Pocket

     This is a follow-up to Saturday's post on George Washington and the Illuminati.  Regardless of whether you believe this conspiracy theory is real or not, there is certainly enough evidence to make this an interesting subject.
     The website Now The End Begins, asks us to consider the following quote from James Paul Warburg, on the floor of the U.S. Senate in 1950:  “We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.”  Why should we care what this Mr. Warburg says?  Well, he was a German-born American banker.  He was well known for being the financial adviser to Franklin D. Roosevelt.  His father was banker Paul Warburg, member of the Warburg family and "father" of the Federal Reserve system.  Starting to see the connection?
     And in case you're not, just pull out one of those Federal Reserve Notes that you have in your wallet.  Take a good close look at this dollar bill, the currency of our nation and the world's primary reserve currency.  Have you ever stopped to wonder what all those signs and symbols refer to?

     1). Novus Ordo Seclorum: A Latin phrase which means “a new order of the ages” is born. Literally, it is calling for a New World Order. – (Dictionary.com)

     2). Annuit Coeptis: A Latin phrase which means “he has favored our undertakings”. – (Dictionary.com).  The question remains ... who is the "he"?

     3). The Egyptian Pyramid: One of the great Illuminati symbols, the triangle, representing the ancient wisdom of Egypt. In the Bible, Egypt is always a type of the unsaved world rebelling against God.

     4). The All-Seeing Eye Of Horus: Horus was worshipped in the ancient world as a god of protection, and was often depicted as a falcon swooping in to catch it’s prey. Horus was the child of Isis and Osiris, conceived through witchcraft in Egyptian mythology. The symbol of America – the swooping Bald Eagle – was patterned after the falcon of Horus.  The All-seeing-Eye is taken from the left eye, the “moon” or “sound” eye of Horus. Horus is a detestable pagan god, the son of Osiris and Isis. There is much pagan Egyptian mythology in the roots of Masonry. So why is it on our dollar bill?

     5). 13 Levels: The pyramid has 13 steps, or levels leading up to the capstone. In the bible, 13 is the number for rebellion. America was created when our founding fathers rebelled against King George.

     6). MDCCLXXVI: These Roman numerals refer to the founding of the Illuminati as an organization on May 1, 1776. This is not a reference to our Independence Day of July 4th, 1776.

     7). 13 Stars: Again, the biblical number for rebellion – 13 – forms the basis of the Great Seal. The number 13 is all over the dollar bill.

     8). E Pluribus Unum: Another Latin phrase which means “from many, one”. You will note that this phrase contains exactly 13 letters. Amazing coincidence.  (A possible reference to from "many" nations, comes "one" world government?)

     9). A Spiders Web: When you look at the background pattern of the dollar bill, you will clearly see that it is a spider’s web. The spider and the spider web in ancient cultures represented death, treachery and conquest.

     10). Olive Leaves and Berries: You will note that the eagle is holding 13 olives leaves with 13 olive berries. The olive leaf is a sign of peace, but the eagle’s claws are closed to represent that these things are being taken away, and not being offered.

     Maybe all this is a coincidence.  I am certainly not qualified to declare it Truth.  But I do know this:  Satan has used imagery and symbols throughout his reign to signify his battle with God and His saints.  And those signs and symbols have remained consistent and predictable.  Beware of anyone or any group, elite or not, who boldly display the icons of Satan and his diabolic followers.  Their time is short and they know it!

2 Corinthians 2:11    "So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs."

Matthew 13:31-32

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

     This parable has such immense depth to it.  Yeshua obviously was trying to give us an understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven.  And the parable hints at a "process" that must be undertaken to experience this Kingdom.  The fact that He likened it to a mustard seed must be for a specific reason.  

     Those of us who know Jesus as our Savior, know that the Gospel Message is at the heart of our Salvation.  Believing that Jesus died to bear the punishment for our sins, was buried, and was resurrected to sit at the right hand of God is the prerequisite for that Salvation, and our Salvation is merely the entry point to the Kingdom.

     I may have shared with you an analogy that a friend once gave me ... If the Kingdom of Heaven is like a huge mansion with lots of rooms, then Salvation gets you in the door and gets you as far as the entry hall.  To receive the fullest extent of the Kingdom, one must "advance" through the process that Salvation begins.  

     So what does this have to do with the Parable of the Mustard Seed?  I believe the kingdom is like a tiny mustard seed that eventually fills the earth.  Salvation is the planting of the seed; the Kingdom is the process of it filling the earth.  We know that all the elements of becoming a tree are present inside that smallest of seeds.  When we accept the gift of Salvation, all we need to inherit the Kingdom is inside of us, in the form of the Holy Spirit.  Just as the seed grows in stages to become a tree, so does the Kingdom grow in us until its fullness at Yeshua’s return.

     But what are the stages we must grow through to receive that fullness of the Kingdom?  My friends at Revive Israel have summarized these stages and given us a complete sense of how we must participate in order to experience all that the Kingdom of Heaven has to offer.  The seven stages are:

Salvation - forgiveness of sins and eternal life through repentance and faith in the crucifixion and resurrection of Yeshua.

Holy Spirit Baptism - filled with the power and presence of God, producing fruit of character and gifts of influence in the life of the believer.

Sanctified Life - setting yourself apart from the world and living as a dedicated disciple of Yeshua, including obedience to the Scriptures.

Social Justice - changing the world and society around us for better through the influence of godly values and spiritual power; it is not changing the world through political and social agendas.

The Church and Israel - witnessing and working for the historic fullness, restoration and unity of both the Church and Israel, leading up to the coming of Yeshua.

The Second Coming - preparing all the people of God to stand in the End Times, declaring the soon coming of Yeshua in glory and judgment.

The Millennial Kingdom - the kingdom of the Messiah will be established on earth with peace among the nations and Yeshua ruling from Jerusalem.

     Can you see that our Salvation is the seed that is planted in us, and that through spiritual growth and maturation, we can progress to the full realization and experience that is the Kingdom of Heaven?  There are multiple dimensions of the kingdom of God, starting with repentance and salvation, yet ending up with Yeshua ruling and reigning on this planet.  Please don't think that Salvation is the only goal!  The importance of growing that small seed into a full-blown tree will have more and more significance as we approach Yeshua’s return.  

Did George Washington Wear A Tin Foil Hat?

     For months now, the monetary gurus across the web have been warning about the state of our economy and the attempts by global leaders to crash the dollar.  If you are halfway paying attention, then you know that the World Bankers pretty much control everything -- and have for a few hundred years.  Take that one step further and you enter "Conspiracy Land" and rumors of an organization called The Illuminati.
     Just who are these folks and how are they connected to our Founding Father?  I found one of the more concise explanations of who they are on the website GotQuestions.org.  This is a Christian, Protestant, conservative, evangelical, fundamental, and non-denominational site which attempts to help people find answers to their spiritual questions using the Bible as their source.
     I am being upfront about their bias because I think it is important to consider this conspiracy from a Biblical perspective.  According to this site, if you believe the conspiracy about the Illuminati, then you would have to summarize their existence in this way:  The Illuminati began as a secret society under the direction of Jesuit priests. Later, a council of five men, one for each of the points on the pentagram, formed what was called “The Ancient and Illuminated Seers of Bavaria.” They were high order Luciferian Freemasons, thoroughly immersed in mysticism and Eastern mental disciplines, seeking to develop the super powers of the mind.
     Their alleged plan and purpose is world domination for their lord (who precisely this lord is varies widely -- but any group that identifies themselves with Lucifer should give us a pretty good idea who they worship).
     The Illuminati are alleged to be the primary motivational forces encouraging global governance, a one-world religious ethic, and centralized control of the world’s economic systems.  (See the consistencies with the Book of Revelation?)  Organizations such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the International Criminal Court are seen as tentacles of the Illuminati. According to the Illuminati conspiracy, the Illuminati are the driving force behind efforts to brainwash the gullible masses through thought control and manipulation of beliefs, through the press, the educational curriculum, and the political leadership of the nations.
     Does the Illuminati conspiracy have any basis from a Christian/biblical perspective? Perhaps. There are many end-times prophecies in the Bible that are interpreted by most to point to an end times one-world government, a one-world monetary system, and a one-world religion. Many Bible prophecy interpreters see this New World Order as being controlled by the Antichrist, the end-times false messiah. If the Illuminati conspiracy and the New World Order has any validity and is indeed occurring, for the Christian, there is one fact that must be remembered: God has sovereignly allowed all these developments, and they are not outside of His overall plan. God is in control, not the Illuminati. No plan or scheme the Illuminati develop could in any way prevent, or even hinder, God's sovereign plan for the world.
     There will likely be those who dismiss all this as just another tin foil hat delusion.  But when one considers all the purported Illuminati symbols on our dollar bill, and the warning from our First President, it's not so easy to dismiss this theory as "crazy".  Tune in on Monday, when I will give you more details than you want to know that tie our dollar to this organization, the, ancient pagan world and the occult.
     For now, I will leave you with this quote from George Washington.  He made the following statement after receiving from a preacher friend, a book entitled Proofs of a Conspiracy  by John Robison.  President Washington expressed to that preacher that he believed the designs of the Illuminati were infecting our country.  Here are his prophetic words:
     “It was not my intention to doubt that, the Doctrines of the Illuminati, and principles of Jacobinism had not spread in the United States. On the contrary, no one is more truly satisfied of this fact than I am. The idea that I meant to convey, was, that I did not believe that the Lodges of Free Masons in this Country had, as Societies, endeavoured to propagate the diabolical tenets of the first, or pernicious principles of the latter (if they are susceptible of separation). That Individuals of them may have done it, or that the founder, or instrument employed to found, the Democratic Societies in the United States, may have had these objects; and actually had a separation of the People from their Government in view, is too evident to be questioned.” 
     Notice that he is not willing to condemn the Freemasons in America as a whole.  But he seems to admit the possibility that individuals within this secret society might be influenced.  Nevertheless, he is adamant that the goal is to "separate the People from their Government", and it "is too evident to be questioned."
     I am not writing this post in an effort to convince anyone.  I simply find it intriguing that this conspiracy has lasted for centuries and generations, and seems to be stronger than ever.  As a Christian, it certainly compares to Biblical prophecy, and recent world events seem to give it some validity.   The way things are going, I don't think it will be long before we see the culmination of "the conspiracy".  And I have news for the cabal ... they lose!

1 John 4:4    "Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

   

Have We Lost The Legacy of D-Day?

     It has been 70 years since Allied forces stepped foot on the beaches of Normandy and changed the course of history.  Known as D-Day, this is a generic military term for the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated.  As detailed in The Atlantic, June 6, 1944 is one of the most famous D-Days, and saw the largest amphibious invasion in history take place. Nearly 200,000 Allied troops boarded 7,000 ships and more than 3,000 aircraft and headed toward Normandy, France.  Some 156,000 troops landed on the French beaches; 24,000 by air and the rest by sea, where they met stiff resistance from well-defended German positions across 50 miles of French coastline.
     Frankly, I was amazed to discover that there are no exact figures for casualties on that momentous day.  The numbers vary and are taken from the rough and approximate estimates made on the ground during the battle.  Conservative calculations have put the total figure at 9,000 casualties, with U.S. forces suffering over half of the casualties; the British, nearly a third; and the Canadians experiencing the balance.  British statistics quote a figure closer to 11,000 dead.
      As this historic day begins to fade in the memory of the American experience, it is my fear that this, and future, generations will lose sight of the significance of the great accomplishments by our brave men on those foreign shores.  For those of us who have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan, we have a taste of what it must have been like to storm the beaches under heavy enemy fire.  I have read about survivors who describe the seas that day as "blood-red and full of floating bodies".

     When you read the first-hand accounts of those who assaulted Utah and Omaha Beaches, you are hard-pressed to see how anyone could have survived.  One narrative described it this way:  "As soldiers struggled, one leader told his men that two types of people would stay on the beach--the dead and those going to die."  They had to storm those beaches and push on --- so they did.  And because of their actions that day, brave American soldiers persisted in their mission to halt Nazi Germany's drive for world domination; and the invasion at Normandy was their first step towards victory in Europe.  Without their participation, a free Europe would no longer have been possible.
     Little did these men know that, in essence, they were part of something even bigger.  The part they played in the war would eventually serve to catapult America on her historical path toward an enduring role in global affairs, a prominent presence in post-war Europe, and its first major alliance with world powers.  Their sacrifice on that historic and devastating day was symbolic of the impact America would have on the world for decades.  It was and is an honorable legacy.
     But, as sad as it makes me, I must ask this question .... Have we squandered that glorious legacy? Are we that same America that embodied freedom to millions of Europeans?  History records that one week shy of her 15th birthday, an excited Jewish girl in Amsterdam named Anne Frank described in the June 6th, 1944 entry to her diary how she and her family huddled around a radio in their attic hideaway to hear details of the invasion.  "This is the day," she wrote. " . . . I have the feeling friends are approaching."
     Are we still seen as "friends" by those who believe in freedom and sovereign nations?  Yes, the legacy still existed when this country helped secure the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe a mere 45 years later.  We were still seen as the bastion of hope and promise.  But do our allies still look upon us with that same optimism and trust?  Have we continued the Greatest Generation's legacy of "exceptionalism" over these last 25 years?

     Those white crosses in the American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, are a picture of the real meaning of American "exceptionalism".  Don't be fooled ... It is not what was spoken of recently at West Point:  our willingness to affirm international norms.  Americans do not fit a conventional mold .  We never have and it is my sincere hope that we never will.
     And we must never forget that what those men accomplished on those beaches 70 years ago was not "normal"; it was truly exceptional.  And I am afraid that as the last of them leaves this earth, we will lose another signpost of our remarkable and unparalleled American character.  I pray that we can maintain a remnant of their bequest to us; that as long as we nurture their memory, we stand a chance to reproduce the hope they offered the world.  In many ways, 70 years seems so long ago; literally, a lifetime.  But look how quickly we have wasted what cost them so much.  They deserve our efforts to preserve their legacy, and only with God's help can we repay the price.

Psalm 33:12    "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!"
 

It's The Children Who Suffer

   

     Today, I shift from commentary on the blessed prospects of our nation's high school graduates to the uncertain hope of thousands of immigrant children sent across our borders.  If you live in Texas, you are aware of the reports by the Border Patrol of the rapidly rising influx of unaccompanied immigrant children arriving at the border in the Rio Grande Valley.  Some are as young as 2 or 3, and they are often traveling without any parent or custodian; just trying to escape the tyranny, death, slavery and starvation occurring in their homelands.  It is not only Mexicans attempting to illegally enter the United States, but large numbers of children from Central American countries.  
     I would like to offer you a first-hand account from a friend of mine.  Betty is one of the most obedient Christian women I know.  She is in her late 70s and has served as my friend and mentor.  She is always an inspiration, and as she tells her story of Christian service to these immigrant children, I want us all to let go of our political and social biases and see them as God sees them ... His children.  Here is Betty's story:

     I am sending you this because of what I saw and did this past week on my deployment for Texas Baptist Men Disaster Team.  Let me say that during the more than 40+ years God has used TBM to relieve suffering and bring in His harvest, it is because we have not been a political organization.  We have very capable people at the top who work with FEMA, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and governments around the world.  We never go anywhere without an invitation, and when our leaders decide what they want us to do, and that we are willing to do what they ask, then the word is passed down to people called "White Caps", who then pass it on to "Blue caps" who supervise the many different teams and units who are staffed by "Yellow caps".
     Now having given you that information let me simply say, unless you are a White cap, you do not have an opinion.  You do the job, in a fashion that glorifies the Father, or you turn in your cap and go home.  Otherwise we would not have been able to get in the many places we go, for each place has their own agenda.  As long as we stick to ours, which in my case is to wash and dry clothes, and show the love of Christ, and sometimes in word, we do great things and God blesses.   But we do not give interviews, violate anyone's dignity or privacy, nor speak our minds where it is not asked.  So now please do not reply telling me what America should be doing, or how you would solve the problem.  If that is your wish, run for office.
     A bit over a week ago I received word from TBM that we were going to the [Rio Grande] Valley ... a total of six people headed out, not knowing what we were facing ... We worked most days until 11:30 pm before our tired bodies were put to bed; but still under His grace they continued to work.
     But let me tell you that we cleaned the dirtiest clothes I have ever seen, worn by the most precious children I have ever seen.  Their estimated ages were from infants to 14.  At first we did not have close communication or interaction with them, but like each deployment when the officials know they can trust us, God opens doors.  So by the time we left we were touching them, helping them, playing with them through those who could speak the language, and they responded. They were just children, much like yours and mine.

     I would not disclose the following information, except the press already has.  These minor, unaccompanied children have walked -- some over 1000 miles -- to get to freedom; many with addresses of legal family members in the US where they were cleaned up and flown out.  Some will be later adopted by families in this country.   These were not law breakers.  These were babies, caught up in evil plans by adults to "sell" these precious ones into slavery, and they were intercepted by people to save their lives.   I believe that is what the God we serve would have us do.
     For one shining moment we had the opportunity to touch them with loving hands, good food, clean clothes, and smiles.  Some of the children could speak English and helped us to translate so that we could speak with the others.  They helped me say, with a word of love, that I had come to tell them Jesus loved them, had died to give them a relationship with Him, and He had sent me to tell them that.  As I finished with each child,  I would say to the one translating for me, "Tell them my prayers will go with them that God's love and protection will go before them", and one little girl said to the translator, "Is this America?"  I wept.
     It is not a perfect world.  We can't save them all.  But we can do whatever God allows us to, and work hard to honor Him.  And it should not surprise you that the unsaved powers in our government learned to trust us, get out of our way, and let us do the jobs we are well trained to do.  Even hardened Border guards lightened up.   If even for a few days, they could relax a bit because we are there helping them.  And in this atmosphere, God brings in the harvest both from the children, and from officials, who never thought they needed to seek God in the first place.  By showing them the love of Christ, they want what we have.

     Betty's email to me ended with these few encouraging thoughts:  How you can make a difference is to pray, to give, and to go.  This work is not for everyone, but it happens to be my journey of joy.  If you can't go, you can pray; and when God provides you can give.
     Secondly, you can seek the Father as to what you can do.  The Scripture we lovingly call the great commission is simply our marching orders:  As you go, teach them all you know of the Christ....that is a Betty translation.
     In my more than 75 years of serving the Lord, and much of that in ministry, I have learned three words that stand me in a good place:
1.  Sovereign:  God does have the whole world in His hand.  He knows what is going on and I can trust Him with my life.  Sure, I work as safely as I know how, but ultimately His protection goes with me.  Twenty-five years of working in infectious disease taught me that.
2.  Holy:  God cannot use me if my vessel is dirty.  His love only seeps through when my life is broken, and given in service.  In all the broken places, His love and grace flow out.
3.  Relax:  That means if He is trust worthy, and I am living my holy life, I can relax.  Taking one day at a time. When I follow the first two, the rest of the way is a piece of cake.  I simply do today, the job He gives me, in the way He provides.  I take one step at a time, in the light, as He provides.  I have learned when I get up and follow Him, the light always proceeds where I need to step.
     Many thanks to the God we serve, and may all we do collectively, honor Him.

     As you can see by this testimony, my friend Betty is a Godly woman.  We all know that our immigrant "problem" will not be easily solved.  But, through this experience, she has shown us that it is more important to carry out Christ's commission to teach the world about Him.  Betty refers to herself as "a planter of the seed."  She relies on God's higher power to water that seed and make it grow.  But she knows if she doesn't plant, there will be no harvest.  May we all have the grace to view all of God's children in this merciful light.  Thank you, Betty, for sharing your experience and showing us the human and spiritual side of this crisis.  At the end of the day, that's what counts.

Matthew 18:14   "So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." 
   

A Message to 2014 Graduates

   

     This last weekend I attended the high school graduation of my niece.  As the graduates filed into the auditorium in their caps and gowns, I made a few frivolous observations and a couple of serious ones.  Depending on which list you consult, they are the last ones born to the Millennial Generation, or the first ones born to Generation Z.  Titles such as these don't make much sense to me... yes, they were born close to the turn of the century, but what does that mean otherwise?  How does that characterize them?  For us Baby Boomers, we know we were born during America's explosive growth and prosperity after WW II.   We represented new hope and freedom from tyranny.  I'm not quite sure what Millennials or Zs are supposed to have going for them.  Nonetheless, I wanted to see if I could come up with an honest appraisal of them.
     First of all, what were all these young women thinking when they decided to wear 6-inch spike heels to this ceremony?  I had to stifle a laugh as more than one of them tried to smile through the pain as they struggled to walk in style.  When they get to be my age, they will discover the axiom of "comfort over fashion".  And those shapeless gowns and awkward-fitting caps don't really warrant such a dramatic fashion accessory, do they?  In their rush to adulthood, some of these young ladies just learned their first painful lesson... it doesn't always pay to follow the crowd.
     Most of them looked happy and eager to step out of the last of their childhood years and into what they think will be the exciting and fun college years.  I wanted to shout at them, "Be very careful what path you choose over the next 4 years.  Your future, and whether you sink or swim, depends on the choices you make."
     It is a trend these days to decorate the tops of the graduation caps, and many graduates sported their choice of college.  I shuddered to think of the cost of a minimum four years at some of these state schools; especially if they make a mistake in their choice of degree plan.  Is there really going to be a return on that $80,000+ Psychology or Social Work degree?
     It did not surprise me that the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the Class of 2014 were of Asian descent.  That trend has been apparent for over a decade.  And in their speeches, these honored students acknowledged that hard work and being the best was expected of them by their families.  Notice I said, "being the best", and not "being the best that they could be".  There is a difference.  "Being the Best" means you stop at nothing to be the last one standing.  "Being the Best you can be" somehow gives one an escape hatch when things get too hard; it grants you an acceptable level of achievement... and that is most definitely unacceptable in the Asian culture.
     Perhaps the most obvious element of this graduation class was their total dependence on, and the homage they paid, to technology.  In her speech, the President of the Student Council said she wanted to quote a man who had greatly influenced her life:  Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple.  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but somehow I was expecting maybe her father or grandfather, a teacher who had made an impact on her life, or (dare I hope?) even Jesus!
     But I should have known. This generation has successfully defined their lives by a handful of impersonal phrases, and a look-at-me attitude; both encouraged by social media and the inventions of Mr. Jobs.  And the #1 and #2 ranked students of the Class of 2014 closed out their opening speeches by turning their backs to their classmates, holding their cell phones aloft, and taking a "selfie" of themselves -- all to the roaring approval of their fellow students.
     Why did I not anticipate this?  They've known nothing else their whole lives.  But isn't it all brief and short-lived?  Don't those digital photos just get replaced by the next "event" in their digitally recorded lives?  They will never know the joy of looking at old yearbooks and reading what old friends had to write on the pages of your high school memories.  Today, the Facebook post or Instagram message is quickly forgotten when the next text crosses the screen.
     Then there was the absence of any "spiritual" element to this graduation ceremony.  While it was held in Texas, and we did say the Pledge of Allegiance (including the "one nation under God" component) and sang the Star-Spangled Banner, there was no opening invocation or blessing upon the students.  The Valedictorian thanked God for her achievements in high school and the Salutatorian thanked his Guru.  That's about as close as we got.
     I know I am showing my age and my biases.  But I'm also expressing the wisdom from my life experiences.  And although the Class of 2014 may know more about computers and technology than I ever will (or want to know), I am sad that their lives will be engulfed in the fast-paced sphere of technology and immediate gratification.  If they would listen, I would tell them to slow down; give their fingers a rest and unplug every once in awhile; and listen to a human voice and have a conversation with a "real" person at least once a day.
     I would tell them that not everything they watch, listen to, and follow through technology outlets is even real.  Real women don't look perfect every minute and aren't a size 2.  Not everyone works at a glamorous job with a six-figure salary, wears the latest clothes, drives a $60,000 car, or lives in fancy apartments.  Real people committed to real marriages don't cheat or have affairs; they often give more than they receive, and happy homes are achieved by hard work ... real, hard work.  Last of all on this topic, they should know that those "reality TV shows" aren't even real ... they are invented and created; it's all about creating a false image.  And I would warn them that Deception and False Realities could be a very dangerous trap for this generation.
     I would tell them that not everyone is cut out for college and learning a trade is a real smart path in this day and age.  A plumber, air conditioning repairman, welder, electrician, or mechanic will always be able to get a job.  And if you really want to work hard, you can own your own business and hire employees to do the labor while you make that high six-figure salary.  Not everyone can be a civil engineer.
     Finally, above all else, I would advise them to develop a relationship with the Creator of this Universe... because their world is bigger than themselves.  They may have been born at the turn of the century, but I strongly feel that they may live to see His return and the reality of the true Millennial.  Before that happens, their world is going to be traumatic and chaotic; full of that deception and false reality I warned them about.  The only schooling that will prepare them for that is what they can learn from the Holy Bible.  I can't over-emphasize how important it will be to know their Savior.
     As I looked out over the sea of shining, innocent faces I knew they were all waiting for that next momentous step in their lives.  I prayed that each would walk the path that God purposed for them, and that when the time comes to choose their allegiance, they will put down the cell phones and look up for their deliverance.  If they do, their future will never be brighter.

Luke 12:32    "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Suspicious Activity?

     Yesterday afternoon I tried to make a phone call and kept getting a busy signal.  When it happened on several other numbers I tried to call, I started paying attention to exactly what was happening.  Before I finished dialing, the busy signal went into effect, so then I knew something must be wrong with AT&T's system.  No calls in, no calls out.  Great!
     I called on my cell to report the incident and, of course, only got the robo-call, which said it would be the end of the week before it was repaired.  Unbelievable!  There wasn't much I could do about it.  I at least had my cell phone ... at least I thought I did.  Before long, I was unable to get cell coverage unless I walked across my acreage to the old barn, the highest point on the property.  Now I really started wondering what was going on!

     Fortunately, our wifi service is not through AT&T, so at least we had internet access.  I decided to check and see if there was any kind of notification on the web.  The only thing I found was a detection map on a remote AT&T page that showed significant outage in several areas... first signs seemed to show it extended across Texas, across California, Atlanta and Chicago.  One site was flooded with unhappy AT&T customers.  They had been given conflicting excuses by phone reps, and they were angry.  Apparently, one customer got ahold of a rep with a conscience, who told them that it was nationwide, but AT&T was keeping it hush-hush.
     But does anyone find it just a little suspicious that it only seems to be Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and New York that are out, including areas that range out from these hubs -- and there is no mention of it from the major news sources or anywhere on the web, except for comments and discussions in chat rooms?
     Is it a glitch in their system, or is it a major computer hack?  Is it a solar flare, or something more sinister?  All I know is it is highly suspect and I'm wondering if we will be told the truth.  This was no ordinary outage!

UPDATE:  Phone service came back on at 9:36 pm.  Let's see if there is any mention from any creditable news source.  It will be interesting to see if there is an attempt to explain this incident, or if it is merely ignored.  Inquiring minds want to know!

Proverbs 18:17   "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him."


   

Embattled Over Bowe

     Although it is way too early to know the full story of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release by the Taliban -- if we will ever know the full story or the truth -- I have some immediate and conflicting thoughts.  I am aware that what I think has no real value in this dialogue, other than mentioning some inconsistencies and concerns over this development.
     Bergdahl was the only American POW held by the Taliban.  He was held prisoner for five years, and I cannot imagine the joy of his family to know that he will soon be back on U.S. soil.  And we can all share the jubilation felt by his hometown of Hailey, Idaho as they are finally able to remove the public display of yellow ribbons.
      Images that crept out through the years were highly emotional, and patriotic Americans prayed and petitioned for his release.  After all, it has long been the position of the US military that "we leave no man behind."
     Yet was the price too high for Bowe to come home?  In exchange for Bergdah's freedom, The Weekly Standard has reported that our nation has released "five of the most dangerous Taliban commanders in U.S. custody."  Furthermore, all five are among the Taliban’s top commanders and are still revered in jihadist circles.  Known as the "Gitmo 5", they became pawns in the White House's strategy to coerce the Taliban to break from their Al Qaeda counterparts.  Although, the administration is offering assurances that they do not pose a threat to American national security, are you willing to take that bet?
     There's a part of me that celebrates this picture of a lone American soldier being worth five evil Taliban.... that our culture would value the life of one innocent man, and that God would honor our intentions and protect us from any further injury by the Gitmo 5.  But is it a picture that's even real?
     Ever since Sgt. Bergdahl disappeared in Afghanistan, there have been rumors that, at the worst, he was a defector; and at the least, he was disillusioned with the Army and "ashamed to be an American."  The military is abuzz in various chat rooms with theories put forth by his comrades-in-arms.   The problem is that I am hard-pressed to trust any report on this situation.  Information can be placed anywhere by anybody, and all of it can be false.
     There have been recent reports that Bowe may struggle with the ability to speak English, after years of speaking Pashtun.  And there are sincere concerns that he could have been programmed to become a Taliban sympathizer, and this is all a plot to return him to wreak havoc on the homeland.  Granted, this sounds seriously conspiratorial --  and is even the plot of a major TV show -- but one has to consider his state of mind when he was captured.  Whether willingly, or not, we cannot dismiss the possibility that Sgt. Bergdahl might feel empathy or sympathy with his captors after these five long years.  The "Stockholm Syndrome" is a proven psychological effect of prolonged imprisonment.
     But now, let's take our eyes off the freed prisoner for a moment and consider the consequences of his release.  Several members of Congress are now questioning if the President broke the law in securing Bergdahl's freedom.  To be exact, he failed to notify Congress 30 days before the deal was made, as the President is required to do.  Further, no less than former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton has questioned the move as raising the value for future American prisoners.  He points out that it is not only our military at risk, but others such as missionaries, aid workers, and tourists. And in a joint statement, House Armed Services Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., and Senate Armed Services Ranking Member James Inhofe, R-Okla., told ABC News, “Trading five senior Taliban leaders from detention in Guantanamo Bay for Berghdal’s release may have consequences for the rest of our forces and all Americans. Our terrorist adversaries now have a strong incentive to capture Americans. That incentive will put our forces in Afghanistan and around the world at even greater risk.”
     So, while I celebrate the release of Bowe Bergdahl from his Taliban imprisonment, I want to know that there won't be serious repercussions and further lives lost.  I realize that this is an irrational and unrealistic expectation.  And I don't like thinking that this one man's life is disposable for the greater good of the country.  I believe that God views every life as valuable; every life as redeemable ... and no matter what Bowe's truth is, I pray that the fact of his release will bless him greatly and bless his family, his hometown and his country.

2 Timothy 2:25-26    "God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

     Next Sunday is the Day of Pentecost.  I plan on spending this next week contemplating on the giving of the Holy Spirit to all who believe in the risen Christ.  It is the promise expressed by Yeshua in the above passage, and was a momentous day in the history of the Church.

     We all know the Scripture in Acts 2, in which the devout among the Jews had gathered in Jerusalem,  and the Bible tells us, "there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

     But just one verse prior to this, the Bible says, "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."  You see, Pentecost is one of God's Holy Feasts that He divulged to Moses on Mount Sinai.  It was also known as The Feast of Weeks because Yahweh instructed Moses to tell the people to count 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits, and to bring an offering of two loaves of leavened bread and roasted lamb before the Lord for the remission of their sins.

     For thousands of years, religious Jews from all over the world, had traveled to Jerusalem to bring their offerings, as instructed by the Lord.  It was no different on this particular Feast of Weeks.  That's why the multitudes were in Jerusalem.  When the Bible says they "began to speak with other tongues", I do not believe that it means gibberish, as many have assumed.  In Acts 2:6, it says, "everyone heard them speak in his own language."  It is clear to me that this refers to languages foreign to their native tongue; that these men would not have possessed the ability to speak a foreign language.  Yet, each heard their own language spoken by someone from a distant and alien land. 

     The Apostle Peter is quick to stand and explain that this phenomenon is a partial fulfillment of a prophecy in Joel ….  And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,  That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.  Until this day, the Holy Spirit had only been given to specific people, according to God's will and purpose.  God chose this special day, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) to pour out His Spirit on all mankind.  BUT, there were conditions to this gift of the Holy Spirit.

     Peter explains what those present that day in Jerusalem were to do:  “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”  And so the promise is to us, as well.

     I have been incredibly blessed to receive the understanding that the Lord's Feasts were instituted not only as holy convocations, or gatherings, to the ancient Israelites, but they have continued significance to us Christians, as the children of God.

     As I have pointed out to you in the past, the four Spring feasts are a mirror of Christ's reality here on earth.  He was crucified on Passover, buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, raised on the Feast of Firstfruits, and sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks (Shavu'ot in Hebrew).

      Yes, this day has extraordinary meaning to the Church.  God made good on His promise to send us a Counselor in the absence of our Lord and Savior.  But He showed us His promise as far back as Mount Sinai.  I see that the two loaves of leavened bread are mirrors of God's plan for redemption for both Jews and Gentiles; both of whom God calls to repentance and belief.  The lamb is an obvious mirror of Christ, the sacrificial lamb.  

     Throughout the Old and New Testaments, which in reality are one continuous covenant with His own, God has given us Holy days upon which we are to reflect and glorify His sovereignty.  For the next few days I will meditate what the Holy Spirit has done in my life, and next Sunday, I will celebrate this Day of Pentecost with friends as we enjoy our leavened bread and roasted lamb.  We will express our gratitude for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for there revelation of the importance of this Feast.  And I will renew my dedication to be a witness to Jesus Christ, as he commanded in today's featured Scripture.  To God be the Glory!