We're Being Played; And It's All There In The Playbook

     If you aren't familiar with Saul Alinksy's Rules For Radicals ... you should be.  Actually, there is more to the title.  A fuller understanding of the Rules is that it is A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals.  A true social radical, who wanted complete and thorough social reform, Alinsky was a community organizer from 1939-1971, and his followers are among the most prominent names in politics today.  (Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton viewed him as a mentor before his death in 1971).

     According to his own goals, Alinksy sought to create a guide for future community organizers to use in uniting low-income communities, or "Have-Nots", in order to empower them to gain social, political, and economic equality by challenging the current agencies that promoted their inequality.  The ultimate goal was to successfully unite people into an active organization with the power to effect change on a variety of issues.
     But, now we see that some of these rules have been successfully adapted to divide the nation.  At any one time during the last quarter of a century, some of the 12 rules in Mr. Alinsky's little volume of progressive edicts could be seen in operation.  But I just want to point out that a full onslaught of more than half of them are in plain sight today.

    RULE #5:  "Ridicule is man's most potent weapon."
•  There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions. (Pretty crude, rude and mean, huh? They want to create anger and fear.)  
     We have seen this tactic employed in the same-sex marriage debate, for instance.  Paint Christians as narrow-minded and exclusive; as denying love between two human beings.  By ridiculing the Church, urge change and acceptance within the rank and file members.  And to further taunt them, threaten their livelihoods by bringing lawsuits against businesses who refuse to compromise.
     RULE 6: “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.”
•  They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones. 
     Who doesn't enjoy the camera on them as they disrupt traffic, businesses, and law-abiding citizens?  Being part of a "cause" gives meaning to meaningless lives, and contributes to that 15 minutes of fame.
     RULE 8: “Keep the pressure on. Never let up.”
•  Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new. (Attack, attack, attack from all sides, never giving the reeling organization a chance to rest, regroup, recover and re-strategize.) 
     This has certainly been the strategy with the Affordable Health Care Act, Illegal Immigration, Gun  Control, and a number of other issues.  If you think these radical thinkers are responding with new directions and policy changes in "real time", think again; they have anticipated multiple reactions to their tactics, and their game plan was formulated long ago.
     RULE 9: “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.”  
•  Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist. (Perception is reality ... The possibilities can easily poison the mind and result in demoralization.)
     Again, we have seen that with the Obamacare and Illegal Immigration.  Threaten millions with the possibility of fines, no health insurance at all; or with families being split up and deported to Mexico, and you can convince the public that the lesser of two evils is acceptable.
      RULE 10: “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.” 
•  Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog. 
     Ferguson, Missouri and New York City are prime examples of how well this rule can work.  If you can make Michael Brown and Eric Garner the underdogs, and push the narrative that the Black race has played victim long enough, you can use the ensuing violence, hatred and division to further your own agenda -- keep the races alienated and isolated, and you can play them off each other to secure and increase your power base.
     RULE 11: “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.” 
•  Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem. 
     This rule is actually very similar to the Hegelian Dialectic; basically, you create the problem that you have a pre-formulated solution to, and you step in to save the day and solve the (artificial) problem.  Can you see that encouraging race violence might be a way to introduce the militarization of police (never mind that they vigorously deny it, or condemn the police for their actions).  Just a thought...
     Finally, RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”
•  Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)
     This strategy has been used against The Tea Party; political figures like Sarah Palin; and military leaders like General Petraeus.  Nothing is too underhanded, too harsh, or too unacceptable.  Whatever it takes to win and take the opposition out of the arena.
     So, as you look back over these rules for social radicals, you will see something they all have in common -- and it is more than their similarities to Socialism and Communism.  They all lack a moral defense.  When mankind seeks to change how a society functions through deceptive and immoral means, it results in corruption, godlessness and chaos... just the conditions the Devil loves (and, by the way, to whom Saul Alinsky dedicated his Rules for Radicals -- see above quote).
     The truly sad thing is that far too many of Mr. Alinsky's disciples are teaching on our college campuses, and too many of his graduate students are in positions of power.  We must regain a sense of who we are meant to be, and follow our own set of 10 rules; those carved on tablets of stone nearly 3500 years ago.  They are the solutions to all of society's woes.

Isaiah 64:6    "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."
   
   
   

Congressional Spending Bill: The Wins & Losses For The American People

     I've had a day or so to mull over the spending bill before Congress.  While being touted as a "Bipartisan Compromise", initial reports of the $1.01 Trillion boondoggle reveals where the focus of our elected officials lie.  Remember, these are the representatives that we send to Washington to rule the nation on our behalf -- not to vote for their own ideologies.  Based on an article in The Washington Post,  here is a brief summary of some of the dollars proposed; and it should give us a clear picture of how we will be governed.  Pay close attention to what agencies will be receiving more money, and ask yourselves, "Why"?

Increases In Spending: (You decide if it truly benefits the American people).
•  Campaign Finance:  Through some manipulations and "funny politics", donors can now give $324,000 in campaign donations -- that's a 10% increase over current limits.
•  Centers For Disease Control:  receives an additional $42.7 million, making their budget $6.98 Billion.
•  National Institute of Health:  plus $150 Million in funding.
•  FDA & Food Safety:  an additional $37 million, from last year's budget of $2.68 Billion.
•  Immigration:  There's lots of land mines in this section of the funding bill.  The Department of Homeland Security will only be funded until next February.  (But don't worry, this is probably to throw us off their trail).  Then there's the $80 Million increase for the Department of Health & Human Services for the "unaccompanied children's program" that sees to their health issues.  Add in the $14 Million to help schools absorb new immigrant students, and you can clearly see the priorities.  What about helping the inner city schools, which has been peddled as a contributing factor to the racial unrest in this country?
•  Overseas Military Operations: $1.3 Billion to combat ISIS, and $1.6 Billion to train Iraqi and Kurdish forces; plus an additional $500 Million to train and equip vetted Syrian forces, (who are complaining that they have stopped receiving arms and aid from the U.S.)

Decreases in Spending:
•  The Affordable Care Act (ACA) or ObamaCare:  Congress will try to pull the wool over our eyes by saying that they have decreased the budget by $10 Million for the Independent Advisory Board (so-called Death panels) within the Affordable Care Act; and that there is no new money allocated for ObamaCare.  But I guess they think of us the same way the ACA Architect, Jonathan Gruber, does ... stupid.  But it doesn't take a genius to see that we have been fooled once again.  ObamaCare is still funded, and still exists.  It remains to be seen what the new sworn-in Congress can do to fulfill their campaign promises of defunding it
•  Ebola:  Congress only funded $5.4 Billion, instead of the $6 Billion the President wanted to fight this modern-day plague.
•  Environmental Protection Agency:  Their budget is down to $8.1 Billion, $60 Million less than last year, plus 21% down since 2010.  This budget cut likely means staff reductions.
•  IRS:  Their budget is slashed by $345 Million, and they can't target organizations (such as the Tea Party), based on ideological beliefs.

Wins: (At least from my perspective):  We can take some satisfaction from the following cuts in the budget:
•  Abortion:  There will not be any Federal Funding for most abortions.  I see a Supreme Court case in our future, don't you?
•  Clean Water Act:  Congress has blocked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from applying restrictions to certain farm ponds and irrigation ditches; a definite win for farmers.
•  Palestinian Authority:  There will be no assistance to the PA if it becomes a member of the United Nations, or UN agencies, without an agreement with Israel.  The bill also prohibits funding for Hamas.
•  Common Core:  There is no funding for this Progressive agenda-driven Educational curriculum.
•  Department of Veterans Affairs:  This department will receive more money and more oversight; long overdue.  $209 Million added to address new costs related to additional medical staff and expanding dozens of facilities.  In addition, the VA's inspector general is getting a $5 million budget increase to continue investigating lapses in patient care.
•  Whistleblowers:  Whistleblowers will now be protected from prosecution should they report allegations of waste, fraud or abuse, even if they sign a confidentiality agreement

Losses For The American People:
•  Egypt:  We are still funding this Muslim Brotherhood-influenced nation with $1.3 Billion in military aid, and $150 Million in Economic aid.  How does this benefit us, again?
•  Guantanamo Bay:  Detainees will still allowed to transfer to other countries -- perhaps to fight again another day?
•  Military personnel vs Federal Employees:  Members of the military will see their pay increase cut from 1.8% to 1% (Generals and flag officers receive a pay freeze), while Federal Employees will see a 1% increase in their pay.  And after the embarrassing scandals regarding elaborate conferences and travel perks, Congress has agreed to ban, or at least "put limits on certain conferences, official travel and some employee awards."  Military personnel, on the other hand, are losing their 5% discount on tobacco-related products at military exchanges.

     I don't know if any of you even waded through all the facts and figures of this post -- or, if you even care.  And I can't say that I don't blame you.  Our government is so out of control with spending and their mismanagement of our trust.  There will be further manipulating of the bill, and there's a good possibility that we may never know all that is hidden in it, or even if it will be enacted as it is pronounced.  But one thing we know for sure ... as a nation, we are far from being fiscally sound or good stewards of all the largesse that God has bestowed on us.  It is readily apparent -- to me, at least -- that if we had to defend our management of all that He has given us, there would be a huge payment coming due.  It's time to reconcile the books and balance the budget.

Malachi 3:8-9   "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you."

We're Failing Our Military: The NDAA & Military Morale

     I'm just going to say it ... the failure of the lame duck Congress to give sufficient and appropriate attention to the state of our Military is appalling!  And, apparently, they aren't paying any attention to the mandate they have been given by voters in the latest election.  We can only hope that the new citizen servants coming to Washington after the first of the year will deliver on their promises to our men and women in uniform.

     In case you didn't know it, this Congress is attempting to rush through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is an ill-disguised effort to downsize our military forces, and to "fundamentally change" their objective.  Instead of making sure we maintain the finest fighting force in the world, the military is being hamstrung in an attempt to weaken it.  (I admit it is sometimes difficult to choose between supporting our Military and encouraging the Military-Industrial Complex).

     Besides affecting the national security of the country, Front Page Mag reports these items in the Bill:  "A scheduled pay raise of 1.8 percent will be reduced to one percent; there will be reduced growth in the troops’ Basic Housing Allowance (BHA) for those who cannot be accommodated on military bases; and a $3 copay will be added to the cost of prescription medication."  All these cuts will drastically affect the standard of living for our already strapped soldiers. 

     But never fear ... while the troops suffer forced reductions, there is always room to advance the social agenda of those in the White House and Pentagon.  The NDAA would establish Committees to address feminist-oriented issues, such as "Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces"; as well as to investigate "gender diversity metrics", which would allow the  more qualified personnel to be replaced by those meeting minimum standards -- laughably referred to as “lower but equal.”

     I just don't understand it.  Why is there this push to make the Military "politically correct" like the American culture?  It is easy to see that this will make our fighting forces less effective and substandard to those in the rest of the world.  Do you think it's time to put on my tin foil hat?

     And just what do you think all this is doing to the morale in the Military?  There is an in-depth article on the Military Times website, titled:  America's Military:  A Force Adrift.  I suggest you read it in its entirety, but for brevity's sake, I will highlight a few of the points that this well-written article makes.  

     I believe, that for the most part, the civilian population misunderstands the mindset of our Military.  Sure, there are those who enlist for the education opportunities and for the job security.  But you might be surprised to find out that the vast majority sign up because they see that going to war and fighting for their nation is a noble cause.  There is a true "warrior spirit" that resides in many of these men, and when their mission is unclear or contradictory, it leads to major morale shifts.

     According to a Military Times survey of 2,300 active-duty troops, morale indicators are on the decline in nearly every aspect of military life. Troops report significantly lower overall job satisfaction, diminished respect for their superiors, and a declining interest in re-enlistment now compared to just five years ago.  Service members say they feel underpaid, under-equipped and under-appreciated.  After 13 years of war, the all-volunteer military is entering an era fraught with uncertainty and a growing sense that the force has been left adrift.

     When speaking about their "Mission", troops seemed to indicate that there is a growing disconnect between the civilian population, who has been groomed to psychologically move on from the wars; to cut their losses, so to speak.  But to the troops, themselves, the mission still matters and is unfinished; and those losses have names and faces attached to them.  

     The Military Times Survey also revealed that morale is down due to the stress related to fiscal insecurity.  There is no longer the promise of long-term job stability, and the budget cuts due to Sequestration have affected more than just salaries.  A Navy aviation machinist's mate first class based in El Centro, California, said operational budget cuts left him and fellow sailors cannibalizing working parts from other aircraft entering phased maintenance so they could repair higher-priority broken jets.  How have we let the preeminence of the U.S. military fall so far?  And how could we expect morale to be anything but in the dumps?

    Furthermore, the potential for more Congressional budget cuts is always hanging over their heads.  A Navy fire controlman chief with 10 deployments said budget fears are contributing to a feeling of distrust and abandonment. "If sailors are worried about not getting paid, how am I supposed to do my job?" he said. And then came the bottom line, as far as I'm concerned ... he went on to say, "I'm not an effective warfighter if I don't have the backing of my government at home."

     And there you have it; that's the real heart of this matter.  In order to have confidence that our nation is secure from outside forces that wish to destroy us, we need to have confidence that our military are "effective war fighters"; and they need to have the confidence that their government is supporting and championing them.  Unfortunately, one of the most effective ways to secure peace at home, is to develop and maintain a strong, forceful and powerful Military.  From where I sit, that is no longer the objective of our elected officials, and it is cause for great alarm.  

For more information on the details and objectives of the NDAA, click here.  If you would like to read about the results of the Military Times Survey, then click here.  Both articles will provide you with a broad overview of the declining state of our Military.  

Psalm 108:12-13    "Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes."

Technology Targeting Children; From Tots to Teenagers

     I think only the foolish would deny that we encounter at least a modicum of threat from the advancing world of technology.  Take implantable RFID chips, Transhumanism (and the Singularity), and the integration of man and computer, and you have enough options to put the existence of the human race in jeopardy.
     But even if you think that those developments are unlikely or harmless, I would advise you to consider the following:  both Apple and Google have your children in their sights.  They are targeting children for either marketing purposes, data collection, or to promote cultural influence; and if I was guessing, probably all three at once!

     How many of your kids have cell phones or the latest craze in music, Beats headphones?  In case you are unfamiliar with this particular product, the Beats line is primarily focused on headphones and speakers, marketed under the brand Beats by hip hop songster Dr. Dre; in particular, its headphone line characteristically places a heavy emphasis on bass, which, in advertising material, Dr. Dre stated allows listeners to hear "all" of the music.
     Now, here is where I'm going to take you down a rabbit hole.  Researchers at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University recently conducted a study to see if music could transform the psychological state of the listener.  After watching athletes listening to music on headphones to pump themselves up before a big game, they wanted to know what effect music had on the players, and if they could identify a particular component of the music.  Essentially, they wanted to discover if there was a link between music and a sense of power; if so, they wanted to identify not only the consequences, but also a potential cause of this link.
     What they found out was fascinating.  Those who listened to music with heavy bass levels exhibited a higher sense of power, confidence and dominance.  There was a definite music-power link!  And if you want to descend a little deeper down that rabbit hole, there is the well-known story among fans of heavy metal music in which the members of Black Sabbath actually dabbled in the occult, conjuring up a demonic presence.  That not only affected many of their lyrics, but the actual sounds they made with their music.  They successfully used lower bass tones in conjunction with a musical effect called "the Devil's Interval" to create scary, evil-sounding music.  (In fact, "the Devil's Interval" has a long and troublesome history, even to the point of being banned by the medieval Church in Europe).
     So, what does all this riveting trivia have to do with your children, Apple, and Google?  Starting early next year, Apple plans on pushing its Beats music subscription app to every iPhone and iPad.  Apple will rebrand this music subscription under the familiar umbrella of iTunes, and your kids will have access all of the time, to all of the music, with its deep resonating bass.  Now, I'm not prepared to say that the Devil is in the music -- but I think there is enough evidence that power and dominance are associated with heavy bass undertones, and I do not underestimate the Devil's ability to influence our kids through music -- he has certainly been able to exhibit his control over Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Nikki Minaj.
     Apple's competitor in this market, Google, also has potential to influence your kids.  Not only does it have its own music streaming application (Google Play All Access), but it has announced that it is openly "developing products for the under-13s".  In fact, components such as YouTube, Google Plus and the Chrome browser will now be "child-friendly".  Remember, this is the same corporation whose company motto is "Don't be evil".  They want you, as parents, to have no worries -- they want you to believe that all their services will be "fun and safe".  Make you feel better?

     Here's the way Google looks at it ... kids already understand the technology better than we do; they are online multiple hours of the day, at home and at school.  Why not simply make it easier for the kids to use this technology?   After all, we need to face the fact that all those parental controls don't really stop the kids from accessing things on the net anyway.  Did you know that Facebook, which like other platforms does not allow minors to sign up, was used by 7.5 million under-13s who had concealed their age, according to a 2011 study?  And that's a platform that's not aimed at children!  You can imagine the Pandora's box that will be opened when these corporations actually target kids!!
     But here's the central argument for me -- not only do we need to worry about protecting children from online predators and explicit material, but since when do we want to allow our children to be exploited for gain?  Do you really want your 9-year-old to be marketed to as a consumer?  Why can't we just let them be kids, without exposing them to the preoccupation of adult society for the ever-increasing acquisition of "stuff"?
    And I would like to introduce you to just a few of the games being offered to the modern child:  Club Penguin - A multi-player game aimed at children aged six to 14. Players use penguin avatars and the game takes place in a wintery virtual world. Players buy the game’s currency and spend it on things like clothes for their penguin characters. Moshi Monsters - A website aimed at children aged six to 14 which allows them to choose one of six pet monsters. Children can customize their monster, earn virtual currency, play games and communicate with other users. It has expanded into a multimillion-pound business in Britain.  The Lego Club - A free club and website for children aged 4 to 11. They subscribe to a free magazine, play games and get invited to events. They can also get email newsletters with details of new Lego products.
     So let me close out this warning for the future, with this thought ... Do you really think that you will be able to monitor every minute your child is on one of these sites?  And will you know who will be lurking in that "virtual world" or what influence they will have on your child?  (I'm thinking of the girls who tried to kill a classmate to impress a fictional evil character on the Internet, known as Slender Man).  Will you read and censor all the content in those free magazines, or be aware of the events they are invited to? And will you be able to teach them to be responsible consumers, or will they see it as an entitlement, courtesy of companies that market specifically to them?
     I just can't help but repeat what my spirit discerns ... there have some good outcomes from our increased knowledge via technology; but I would give up a whole lot of our progress for a simpler life and less intrusion.   I fear for our children in the coming years; for their physical and mental safety, and their spiritual health.  God save us from ourselves!

For more information on Google's plans to target your children, click here.  

Proverbs 8:12    "I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions."

Last Minute Buying Tips: And It's Not About Christmas!

     This blog post comes to you courtesy of my husband, Peace-Loving Warrior.  Although his antennae are up and he is all about spiritual warnings, he is also alert to how we can better plan to ride out the storm in terms of worldly preparations.  So, put on your Prepper hats and consider the bargain basement prices on these precautionary essentials.
     In three words, you need to consider Silver, Firearms and Gasoline.  It has been years since all three were at rock-bottom prices, all at the same time.  And for those who are late to the game of preparing for a not-so-bright future; or those of you who think they missed the train and it's already pulled out of the station ... PLW wants you to know that the train has slowed down at a curve, and now's the time to jump on board.
     Even if you don't yet see yourself as a Prepper, you can't deny that the warnings are everywhere ... we no longer hold the Number One spot as the world's Economic Power; the Puppet Masters have done a good job at creating racial strife and civil unrest;  and the dramatic influx of millions of illegal immigrants who are suddenly made legal, threatens to overwhelm our infrastructure.
     Just ask yourself these oft-repeated questions:  Are you better off today than you were last year?  Five years ago?  Ten?  Do you trust our elected officials to do their job, and protect our civil liberties, national security, and Constitution?  Does your dollar buy more or less than it did one year ago?  It is this last question that I want you to concentrate on today.
     It is a matter of simple economics that low prices mean you can buy more for your dollar than higher prices can purchase, right?  So, if you are like millions of other Americans, and aren't quite as confident in our future as you were a decade ago, might it not be prudent to compare the cost of goods that might make the future a little easier to navigate?  And wouldn't it be smart to take advantage of these low prices ... since we all know that they could be gone tomorrow, due to the plots and schemes of the world's Elite.

     So, why does PLW want you to take a good hard look at Silver, Firearms and Gasoline?  First, Silver is currently trading at around $16.48 (with the price set to fluctuate at a moment's notice).  That price is far below the highest price of around $47 in April of 2011 and is close to the period of affordable pricing in the fall of 2010.  Will it fall to the ground floor prices of $9.36 that it exhibited during our national banking crisis in the fall of 2008?  No one knows, but it is significantly lower than around the $22 level this past summer.  There is no time to waste ... if you want to hedge your bets against the dire predictions of our failing economy, this is no time to hesitate or repeat your regrets of the past.  
     After all, for more than four thousand years, silver has been regarded as a form of money and a prized method of exchange for goods --- far longer than paper money; and it's more durable.  Very simply, it is a safeguard against financial stress; and like all precious metals, it survives in periods of inflation, deflation and devaluation.  If our government's $18 Trillion debt doesn't make you nervous, it should -- the exorbitant amount of printed money in our financial system is only serving to make our dollar less valuable, and eventually will cause precious metals to rise.  This may be your last chance to take advantage of that probability -- no more excuses.
      Then there is the price of firearms.  Our Second Amendment rights have never been more precious, as the events of the day point to our need to be able to protect ourselves and our families.  Even if the thought of owning a firearm is foreign to you; that you know nothing about safely operating them, it is time to get some professional training and become a responsible gun owner.
     You've heard the warnings, such as those from Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke:  "Calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option... You can beg for mercy or you can fight back.  Consider taking a safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend yourself until we get there."
     Both PLW and I would add that there is no better time than now to take advantage of this advice.  Prices for defensive weapons are at extremely affordable prices, and they are readily available.  I would remind you that at the beginning of this nation, every colonial household owned a musket to provide food for the table, and as a means of protection.  Those same needs are present today, and an automatic rifle is today's modern equivalent.  In addition, ammunition for these defense weapons is at pre-gun hysteria prices.  So, it's time to get over whatever pre-conceived ideas you have, or the inaccurate information conveyed by the media.  Protecting your family is your responsibility, and firearms ownership is a legal and effective way to accomplish that goal.
     Finally, Gasoline is as cheap as its been in 5 years.  I'm sure you are all enjoying the affordable fill-ups during this time of belt-tightening; both unleaded and diesel are enjoying low prices.  But try to think beyond the immediate timeframe.  Why not consider buying a storable fuel tank for your property and stock up on extra gasoline?
     If the financial analysts are correct, and OPEC's finagling with the price of a barrel of oil might mean the end of our energy boom, think how good you're going to feel knowing that you have stocked up on this precious commodity.  And that's not even considering that you will be able to affordably run a generator in a grid-down scenario.
     So, as you can see, in a way, things have never looked so good ... especially for those who have tarried or delayed in getting in the game.  I don't see how anyone could continue to deny that there have already been some drastic changes in our way of life, and that even more serious events are just over the horizon.
     And, yes, I know that what I have written today concerns our worldly existence.  And I also know that there will be Christians who proclaim that we should simply trust God in these matters; that He is our sanctuary, and we should not worry ourselves with taking steps to protect this earthly life.  But I maintain that the Bible obliges us to preserve Life -- our own lives, and those of others.  It teaches us that we have been bought with a price, and these human bodies belong to Him; they are not to be relinquished without an effort to preserve them for His Glory.
     Moreover, as the familiar verses in Ezekiel 33 warn us, if we know danger is coming to others, and we deliberately fail to warn them, we are guilty of causing harm to the victims.  That in itself is enough reason to bring these tips to your attention.  Whether you give them credence, or take advantage of the opportunities, is up to you.  But there's never been a better time to take stock of your future, or better prices to help you protect it.  I know that this earthly existence does not take precedence over the heavenly, but I'm equally sure that we are to protect and provide while we are here.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20     "Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought with a price [purchased with a [a]preciousness and paid for, [made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body."
   

Our Need To Connect

   

     I'm not sure what it is, but I am seeing people beginning to take their eyes off their cell phones and iPads, and showing signs that they want interpersonal connections.  I think it is more than just the nostalgia of the holidays; it is something from the deepest part of themselves that wants to make a significant difference in the lives of others.  There is a sense that they are to reach out to others and perhaps make life a little easier to understand; or to cope with; or to prepare for.
     Perhaps there is some inherent, spiritual factor that is at play.  For some, the recent racial tensions make everyone aware that we need to love and understand each other better.   For others, the world is a dangerous place, and they see a need to warn and protect.  And for others still, they are at a new stage in their life and want to ease the anxieties of the unfamiliar and unknown.  For whatever reason, all want to come out of the shadows of anonymity to share a part of themselves.
     For instance, our niece, Kaylee, surprised the family with the announcement that she has started a blog.  It is not some self-aggrandizing effort to promote every frivolous moment of her insular world.  What I mean is, this is not the usual pretentious ramblings of your average college freshman.  She has more to say than comments about the latest fashion fads, celebrity antics, or her friends' Facebook posts.
     She feels the need to share what God is putting on her heart as she begins this new stage of her life.  You can remember what that was like, right?  You're away from home, on your own, for the first time in your life, and facing new challenges and decisions that could have profound effects on how successful you are later in life.  There are moral and spiritual choices, as well as learning how to communicate and compromise with different kinds of people.  You are also beginning to develop your own path in life, and form your own value systems based on the foundational lessons you've acquired from your family ... and Kaylee wants to share that with the world.
     In her own words, she wants "to let it all out and release my thoughts and feelings that get bottled up inside me day to day, as I go about my college experience."  She has decided to write her very first post on the subject of LOVE.  But rather than some giddy adolescent discourse on the subject, Kaylee shares all the kinds of love she has known, and in the process, comes to this conclusion:  "Why am I explaining all these loves? Because in college that is what gets us through. We get sad or stressed or lonely ... and it’s loves and relationships we have that get us through. And in the end, it’s God love that got us to today and gets us to tomorrow."
     I'm sure that there are other college students who will identify with her thoughts, and it is my hope that she will write often and explore all the things she is experiencing with an eye towards how to encourage others and share her heart for God.  In this day when young adults can be immersed in the self-centered world of technology, Kaylee is using it to connect in a most personal and intimate way.  I'm sure many of all ages will be blessed by her reflections.  I am SO proud of her!

     But she's not the only one whom I've witnessed feeling the need to connect to others.  Recently, my husband and I had one of those God-incidences.  Through the common denominator of his artistic talent, he came into contact with a woman (Cecilia) interested in possibly commissioning a portrait.  But they soon realized that the reason their paths crossed was because their views of the world and spiritual matters were in complete harmony.  We agreed to meet for lunch, and were joined by her friend, Christine, who was clearly on the same spiritual path as the rest of us.
     What ensued was a three-hour conversation on everything from Prepper philosophies to firearms training to End Times theology.  Needless to say, we covered a lot of ground.  But it was the passion with which these two women wanted to connect with, and help, others that struck me as so encouraging.  They recognized that there are so many people in our nation that are beginning to exhibit signs of fear and apprehension about the future.  The forewarnings that we have been issuing for the last six years are finally being acknowledged.
     Cecilia and Christine are also wanting to start a blog, and their reasoning is so similar to what prompted me to begin this one.  They wanted to know why I didn't write more about becoming physically prepared in these increasingly difficult times.  I then explained that that was where my heart was when I began writing three years ago this week.  I, too, wanted women to see the importance of storing food; to exercise their Second Amendment rights; and to become skilled in sustainable living.  And I wrote extensively on that for the first year.
     But I think the Holy Spirit moves us in the direction in which we can best serve God at any particular moment.  My time to speak exclusively to those issues was done, and it was time to move on to other topics the Lord wanted me to communicate.  That being said, I encouraged them to pursue a blog along those lines ... I told them it is never too late to educate someone in order to help them endure hard times.  And I believe they will find some way that is unique to who God made them to be; that they will be successful in creating  a new way to speak to, and serve, their fellow man.

     Like I said at the beginning of this post, I am seeing people emerge out of our national stupor; feeling this immense need to connect with others -- and I truly believe it is heaven-sent.  Besides blogs, I see people volunteering to help the less fortunate; taking notice of the needs of the elderly; helping the unemployed to find jobs; and sacrificing their time and energy (not to mention many hours of prayer), to spiritually help someone who seems to be in the clutches of the Enemy.
     Is God's remnant in this country awakening to our responsibilities and fulfilling our purpose?  To some, that may seem as if I am depositing too "spiritual" of a connotation to what is happening.  But I am all to aware of the change I am seeing take place.  It is individual acts of kindness; it is a desire to share our humanness; and it is the desire to attend to the needs of others.  As my niece, Kaylee, so eloquently explained, ... at the end of the day, it’s "God love" we ultimately should strive for, and [we should] live to love him."  There's no better connection than that!

Galatians 6:9     "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
     
   

1 Timothy 1:16

However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

     I chose this Scripture today because it pertains to the mercy of Jesus Christ to a man who participated in one of the deadliest attacks on this nation ... Pearl Harbor.  This narrative begins 73 years ago today and is the incredible story of the lead pilot of the December 7, 1941, raid on Pearl Harbor.   It was Mitsuo Fuchida who was the one who shouted the war cry, "Tora, Tora, Tora!"  Fuchida fought the United States throughout WWII and was intimately involved in the planning and leadership of the Japanese war effort as flight commander and later as a senior operations officer. 

     But it is his story of redemption and mercy that I want to relate to you today.  Despite his involvement in the horrific attack on the U.S. Pacific fleet, God definitely had plans for this Japanese war hero.  Of the 70 officers who participated in the raid, he was the only one who returned alive.  He had another close call when he was shot down during the battle of Midway in 1942, but despite serious injuries, he survived again.

     By 1945 he had attained the position of the Imperial Navy’s Air Operations Officer. On August 6 he was eating breakfast in Nara, Japan, where a new military headquarters was under construction, when he heard about a bomb dropped on Hiroshima. He flew to investigate, then sent a grim report to the Imperial Command.

     On the same day, an American POW named Jacob DeShazer felt moved by the Holy Spirit to pray for peace. DeShazer had been in captivity since 1942, when, as a member of Doolittle’s Raiders, he dropped bombs near Tokyo and then was forced to parachute into a Japanese-controlled part of China.  During the next forty long months in confinement, DeShazer was cruelly treated. He recalls that his violent hatred for the maltreating Japanese guards almost drove him insane at one point. But after twenty-five months there in Nanking, China, the U.S. prisoners were given a Bible to read. DeShazer, not being an officer, had to let the others use it first. Finally, it came his turn -- for three weeks.  

     The dynamic power of Christ which Jake DeShazer accepted into his life changed his entire attitude toward his captors. His hatred turned to love and concern, and he resolved that should his country win the war and he be liberated, he would someday return to Japan to introduce others to this life-changing book.  After being liberated, DeShazer wrote a widely distributed essay, "I Was a Prisoner of the Japanese," detailing his experiences of capture, conversion, and forgiveness.

     After Japan's surrender, and the liberation of the POW camps, DeShazer returned to Japan in 1948 as a missionary.  His and Fuchida's paths crossed in 1950, when the latter read DeShazer’s testimony, bought a Bible, and converted from Buddhism to Christianity.  

     At this point in the story, I want you to read Mitsuo's own words as he describes his testimony of salvation.  He said that DeShazer's story, printed in pamphlet form, "was something I could not explain.  Neither could I forget it. The peaceful motivation I had read about was exactly what I was seeking. Since the American had found it in the Bible, I decided to purchase one myself, despite my traditionally Buddhist heritage.

     In the ensuing weeks, I read this book eagerly. I came to the climactic drama -- the Crucifixion. I read in Luke 23:34 the prayer of Jesus Christ at His death: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." I was impressed that I was certainly one of those for whom He had prayed. The many men I had killed had been slaughtered in the name of patriotism, for I did not understand the love which Christ wishes to implant within every heart.

    Right at that moment, I seemed to meet Jesus for the first time. I understood the meaning of His death as a substitute for my wickedness, and so in prayer, I requested Him to forgive my sins and change me from a bitter, disillusioned ex-pilot into a well-balanced Christian with purpose in living."

     Both DeShazer and Fuchida went on to live their lives for the Kingdom;  DeShazer planted churches throughout Japan and Fuchida became an evangelist in his native country.  He died in 1976, but wanted his legacy to be one of peace, rather than destruction.  In an article titled, From Pearl Harbor to Golgotha, Fuchida wrote, "I would give anything to retract my actions of twenty-nine years ago at Pearl Harbor, but it is impossible. Instead, I now work at striking the death-blow to the basic hatred which infests the human heart and causes such tragedies. And that hatred cannot be uprooted without assistance from Jesus Christ.  He is the only One Who was powerful enough to change my life and inspire it with His thoughts. He was the only answer to Jake DeShazer's tormented life. He is the only answer for young people today."  

    This powerful story of Grace and Redemption provides a powerful example of today's Scripture.  The youth of today will most likely not know the significance of this day.  The men, still alive, who fought in this Great World War are few in number.  But everyone would do well to hear the message of this real-life story, and to contemplate upon this featured Word.  

     We believe in and serve a God who is powerful; who is capable of changing even the most unlikely of lives.  We must never think that anyone is so far removed from receiving the mercy and grace of our Lord; that He cannot reach the Lost or the Long-suffering.  

     We must remember that “Faith comes from hearing; and hearing from the Word of God.”  The testimonies of these two men is ample witness of this truth.  Never underestimate what the Word can accomplish in one man's life.

     Finally, we must take action ... The winning of any person to the Lord begins when someone starts praying; especially if it is for your enemy.  Through our prayers, we can set something in motion in the Universe; lives can be changed for eternity, and all to the Glory of God and His Son.  Seventy-three years ago today, the world witnessed horrific hate and evil.  But, this story proves that love and mercy can survive; even out of that iniquity.  And it all starts with an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Much of this narrative comes from the autobiography of Mutsuo Fuchida, along with a 2001 sermon by Pastor Roger Thomas. 

The U.S. and Israel: The Curse Grows Nearer

     I know I sound like a broken record ... and there will be those who passionately disagree with me. But as someone who sees the world and its actions through a Biblical understanding, I fear that this nation's latest behavior towards Israel is bringing us perilously close to the curses cautioned in the Holy Bible.
     Whether you are a Believer in the Word, or not, you are most likely familiar with the quotes that foretell a blessing on those who bless God's favored nation; and a curse upon those who afflict Israel. Most people do not take that warning literally.  Even if you dismiss the veracity of the Bible, and don't believe in its prophecies, aren't you even interested to know what our nation's recent history shows us in regard to our conduct toward "the apple of God's eye"?

The prophetic clock is ticking:
Will we be blessed or cursed?

     After WWII, our liberation of the Nazi death camps, and our support of the creation of the nation state of Israel saw the United States experience an explosion of rapid growth in economic sectors and the standard of living for its citizens.  In essence, we became the world's SuperPower; and our level of success seemed destined to continue.  We remained a friend to Israel, with U.S. Presidents steadfastly supporting her through the attempts of surrounding nations to deny her right to the Holy Land.
     For several decades, the U.S. continued to prosper, with no apparent end in sight to what we could accomplish.  Then a chink began to develop in our armor.  In 1990, Communist Russia allowed a mass of Russian Jews to emigrate to Israel, causing severe economic stress on the tiny nation.  Israel went to the World Bank for a loan to help with the needs of the refugees, and were told that the $10 billion would only be available if the U.S. guaranteed it.  President George Prescott Bush would only concede if Israel began negotiating with the Palestinians, in effect giving their land away for peace.  That foreign policy concession continues to this day.
    Unfortunately, Bush did not heed God's proclamation about the Land.  Even a cursory reading of the Book of Genesis makes it clear that the world and its land belongs to God, who created it; and He apportions it as He sees fit.  He unequivocally declares the boundaries of the land He assigns to Israel .. as an everlasting possession.  Also, unfortunately, Israel's continued rebellion caused them to be removed from the land, but that doesn't change God's ultimate purpose for them or the intended occupation of their homeland.
     But Bush #1 was not the only President who led us away from blessing the nation of Israel.  Presidents Clinton and Bush #2 took us down that same path, with the Camp David summits and the "Roadmap to Peace" negotiations. Each of these brokered deals saw more of God's original boundaries for Israel disappear.  And we continued to slide toward that slippery slope of cursing Israel.
     Our current President has not only called for the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 lines (rendering Israel indefensible with only 9 to 11 miles of land in the Tel Aviv area); but unconfirmed reports, just this week, hint that the U.S. is considering economic sanctions against Israel for its continued settlement activity involving the building of homes in Jerusalem.  So, let me get this straight -- we would punish Israel for building homes in its own land, while refusing to initiate further sanctions on Iran and its nuclear program.  Can it be any clearer to God that we are no longer blessing Israel?
     For all those who will tell me that those residing in Israel are not the Israel that God will return to Him at the End of the Ages, I will agree.  They are not yet "the restored Israel" that God has purposed in His eternal plan.  But until then, we are still to honor them, support them, and encourage them to fulfill their prophetic position in God's Kingdom.
     I realize that Israel appears on the brink of destruction, from both within and without.  There is strife within her own government; her enemies conspire to destroy her; and her people don't appear close to  seeking their spiritual restoration.  (The same could be said of our nation!) And I can understand why the nations of the world would be skeptical of Israel's importance and her status.  But the Bible predicts all this -- there will be a time of great distress (Jacob's Trouble) right before God reveals Himself; first to Israel, and then to the surrounding nations, and all the world.  The Bible also makes clear that God will deal with those nations who conspire to divide up His Land and destroy His people (Joel 3:2).  You don't want to be on the wrong side of His judgment!
     That is why it is all the more significant that we consider the consequences of how this nation treats Israel.  You may not believe in the blessings or the curses of the Bible, but you can't deny the trajectory this nation has been on, as it relates to its treatment of Israel.  We are abandoning her to the nefarious plots of evil nations, and there will be a reckoning for our unfaithful decisions.

Isaiah 41:11    "Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish."

How Does It Feel To Be Number Two?

     For more than half of its lifespan, the United States of America has been considered the leading economic superpower of the World.  That's quite a run, and one that no other nation can lay claim to.  For nearly 140 years, America's economy has been the largest among the nations; but there's a new Power that holds that position.

     According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), China just surpassed the U.S. in economic output, producing $17.6 trillion in so-called “real” terms of goods and services. According to MarketWatch.com, as recently as 2000, we produced nearly three times as much as the Chinese.  So how did this happen, and what does it mean for the already shaky American economy?  And what does history tell us this development means for our future, moving forward?
     First of all, the United States has been in the forefront of prosperity and production for my entire lifetime.  So a fall in position in such a rapid timeframe deserves some explanation, don't you think?  I am also left wondering if this economic downturn somehow foretells a decline in other aspects of our nation.  Is it just me, or does this state of affairs seem to mirror our diminishing civil liberties, constitutional rights, and rule of law?  Are we seeing the permanent decline of the United States of America?
     When you look at it from China's perspective, this is just the evolution that sees them resuming their natural place in the global order.  After all, they have a history of dynasties that go back 3000 years, while the U.S. is not even 300 years old!  They just had a little 200 year blip on their radar screen, which explains our dominance during that time period.  Now, China thinks that things are back to being as they should; and perhaps we just got a little too big for our britches?
     The economic gurus will tell you that the bottom line is that China is able to export more than we do, and do it cheaper.  American manufacturing is on the ropes, and China is ready to deliver the knockout punch.  With global powers pushing for a global economy, we are all intertwined with each other ... how many Chinese components are included in "American-made" products?  The truth is that we need, and use, far more Chinese exports/products than they use of ours.  Even if we tried to ban some of our components in the Chinese marketplace, there are emerging economies that are waiting to step in and take our place.
     But here's a whole other paradigm to consider ... The IMF is a creation of the United Nations, and here is its official duty:  "to promote international financial stability and monetary cooperation. It also seeks to facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. Created in 1945, the IMF is governed by and accountable to the 188 countries that make up its near-global membership."  In other words, it was created to establish a global, or one-world, financial system.
     But here's the irony ... both China and the U.S. economies are fake; China has built "ghost cities" based on an inflated economy, while we have printed ourselves into a counterfeit recovery.  However, for whatever reason, the global elite leaders have decided that China should now be the nation out front of the world economy.

      Although this might all seem orchestrated, (and believe me, it is!) we must not forget the ideological changes our Number Two status could represent.  We can expect to see a major change in the psychological, cultural, and moral aspects of the world's nations; because whatever beacon of Freedom we have been to the world is shining just a little dimmer at the moment.  China has not exactly been a bastion of Liberty in the last three-quarters of a century ... Their "cultural revolution" resulted in the deaths of 30 million of their own people, and that's a conservative number.  They killed tens of thousands in Tibet and then invaded Vietnam and India. And does anyone think that their cozying up to Russia is a good thing?
     At the end of the day, I can't help but think of the Biblical prophesies that foretell Satan's political and economic systems that come into play close to the Second Coming of Christ.  In fact, Satan even proclaims (in Luke 4:6) that he has been given power over the earth, and he can distribute it to whomever he chooses.  The rulers of nations will be influenced by his evil machinations, and there will be a darkness imposed on the earth by Satan's rule through the governance of men.
     But we must not forget that it is the hand of God that is really in control of the rise and fall of great nations and empires.  Satan's influence is ultimately supervised by God.  History is full of the narratives of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome -- all nations that were used for His plan and purpose.  Each one of these nations played a part in the history of Israel and the Church.  We are no different, except that our rise was meteoric, and our fall may be just as spectacular.
     The real question becomes this:  is God through with us?  Can we still be used by Him to further His plan, or have we become so enamored by the temptations of Babylon's Harlot, that we no longer care about our purpose?  When, as a nation, we are focused on ourselves, and we ignore or deny God, it makes no difference if we are Number One -- the collapse is inevitable.  If our role as "defender of the free world" is reduced, and we no longer export faith in God to the nations of the world, then our role may well be finished.  When that happens, we will become a footnote in history.

Daniel 5:26-27     "This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;"
   
   

Was Tesla The Conduit Between Fallen Angels & Our Technology?

     I find it extremely ironic that Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk is escalating his warnings that our obsession with Artificial Intelligence technology (AI) is the biggest threat to our human existence.  "With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon," he is quoted as saying.
     To be honest, he is not the only pioneering whiz to sound the alarm.  Even the genius astrophysicist Stephen Hawking is on record as saying, “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”  He warns of the consequences of creating something that could potentially become smarter than its creator.  But hasn't that been the prideful sin of every enemy of God; from Lucifer to Nimrod, to all those throughout history who have followed in their footsteps and embraced their spirit of evil?
      “[AI] would take off on its own, and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate,” Hawking said.  “Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.”

Nikola Tesla

     But it is Musk's comments that I find the most fascinating; especially as chief executive of rocket-maker Space X.  He calls self-learning artificial intelligence “potentially more dangerous than nukes”.  And is it purely coincidental that he is the head of a company named after Nikola Tesla, the Serbian American inventor, engineer, and futurist who, by some accounts was a genius who wanted to illuminate the earth; the man who was "robbed" of the title of "Father of Electricity" by his rival, Thomas Edison.  (I really wish Glenn Beck would do his homework on this man whom he idolizes).
     To others, Nikola Tesla was a dangerous man; a man who believed that "In black holes, (what astronomers talk about), are the most powerful sources of energy and life."  He was a man who conducted experiments, trying to discover "what to do in the Universe, so [that] every being is born as Christ, Buddha or Zoroaster."  (Zoroastrianism is a pre-Islamic religion, revealed to man by a "god" named Ahura Mazda.  It is my contention that this was a fallen angel entity.)
     In an 1899 interview, from his Colorado Springs laboratory, Tesla opened up about his "other-world views": that the Light of the Universe filled his six senses; about building a machine, that by vibration, provokes a feeling of bliss; that humans once had real and visible wings.  He speaks of being aware, as a child, that there was an Energy in the Universe, and of trying to awake that energy, and figure out how it could influence people.  He told his interviewer,  "My eyesight and hearing are perfect and, I dare to say, stronger than other people. I hear the thunder from a hundred fifty miles away, and I see colors in the sky that others cannot see. This enlargement of vision and hearing, I had as a child. Later I consciously developed [it]."
     He speaks of being seriously ill during his youth, and of discovering that "The source of most disease is in the spirit. Therefore the spirit can cure most diseases ... I was cured because my father finally allowed me to study technology, which was my life. Illusion for me was not a disease, but the mind's ability to penetrate beyond the three dimensions of the earth."  Does anyone else think that perhaps this man had tapped into a force outside our human realm; and that perhaps it didn't  necessarily possess a benevolent spirit?
     In case you think I'm over-exaggerating, Tesla recounts this memory from his childhood: "Once, in childhood, I was walking along the river with Uncle and said: 'From the water will appear the trout, I'll throw a stone and it is cut.'  And, that's what happened. Frightened and amazed, his uncle cried: "Bade retro Satan’s!" ("Get back, Satan!") He was an educated man, and he spoke in Latin."  And -- if you need further proof -- later in the interview, Tesla finishes up a segment of his interview by declaring, "There are many fallen angels on Earth."
     At times, as I read his interview, his words seemed the farcical meanderings of an intellectual eccentric. But then there would be a passage that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck, such as this excerpt:  "Life is a rhythm that must be comprehended. I feel the rhythm, and direct on it, and pamper in it.  It was very grateful and gave me the knowledge I have."  (He speaks of "It" as if it was a person or entity!)  "Knowledge comes from space; our vision is its most perfect set. We have two eyes: the earthly and spiritual. It is recommended that it become one eye. The Universe is alive in all its manifestations, like a thinking animal."
     Does that creep you out like it does me?  Is he promoting the "all-seeing Eye"?  And does anyone else perceive the Prince of the Air prowling like a lion? And this Knowledge that comes from space --- could it be fallen angel technology that has been shared throughout history with mankind ... from the technology that allowed Nimrod to build the tower of Babel; to the branch of knowledge that resulted in the building of the ancient Sphinx; to the occultic knowledge possessed by Hitler and the Nazis; to the modern applications being employed in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism?  Was Tesla trying to tell us that this knowledge is supernatural and unhuman?  What could he have possibly meant by this statement?  "The Universe has only one substance and one supreme energy with an infinite number of manifestations of life. The best thing is that the discovery of a secret nature reveals the other. One cannot hide, they are around us, but we are blind and deaf to them. If we emotionally tie ourselves to them, they come to us themselves."

"Faust Conjures Up the Spirits"
by Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein (1788-1868)

     And listen to his rendition of how he discovered the rotating magnetic field and induction motor: "One summer evening in Budapest, I watched [the sunset] with my friend Sigetijem. Thousands of fire was turning around in thousands of flaming colors. I remembered Faust and recited his verses and then, as in a fog, I saw a spinning magnetic field, and induction motor. I saw them in the sun!"  And in case you are wondering what the significance of Faust was, and how that could have played a part, contemplate this fact:  Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend. He is a scholar who is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, so he makes a pact with the Devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited universal knowledge and worldly pleasures.
     So how many champions of Nikola Tesla are aware of this aspect of his genius and the influence behind his inventions?  Would Glenn Beck still shamelessly promote his exceptional creativity if he knew to whom Tesla gave credit?  There is no doubt that Tesla possessed great knowledge and produced great results from his experimentations; he is often called the Father of Radio, Television, Power Transmission, and the Induction Motor.  Less publicity is given to his mysterious inventions, including those that caused buildings to sway, earthquakes to materialize from his electro-magnetic oscillator; and a directed-energy weapon, called a death ray.  And would it surprise you to know that conspiracy theories swirl around his death and his legacy?  Some promote the idea that he was murdered by the Nazis for the work he did on electronic devices that would have been of great significance during WWII.  Then there is the rumor that soon after his death, the United States Government (with the help of the FBI) seized all of his research materials and writings, most of which never again reappeared -- (except perhaps as HAARP; the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program.)
     But here's the bottom line:  It is difficult to know the truth about this enigmatic genius; is he a hero or a villain?  One thing is clear:  Throughout his life, Tesla asserted that he had indeed discovered a limitless power supply from a source that no one else had knowledge of, but he never revealed the source.  In fact, I think this following quote, by Tesla himself, establishes that his genius was supernatural:  "Ideas came in an uninterrupted stream and the only difficulty I had was to hold them fast ... In less than two months I evolved virtually all the types of motors and modifications of the systems which are now identified with my name."
     And now, nearly 73 years after his death, Elon Musk, the Founder of a company that bears his name, and one of the foremost entrepreneurs that have benefitted from the genius and experimentations of Nikola Tesla is announcing that we may have gone too far ... that we may be "summoning the demon."
     To make his point perfectly clear, Musk gives us this analogy: "In all those stories where there's the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it's like, yeah, he's sure he can control the demon. [It] didn't work out."
    But who is able to stuff that genie (uh, I mean, demon) back in the bottle?  History has shown us that once man agrees to accept that Satanic power source, it becomes a race towards human destruction.  The only thing that has ever stopped the total ruination of man has been God.  But has mankind reached its full quota of evil upon the earth?  Is it nearing the time when God will no longer save us from ourselves, and finally pronounce His Judgment?  Maybe He's providing us clues; if we will only pay attention and recognize that all technology is not for our good, perhaps we stand a chance.  Tesla believed that there were certain truths we needed to learn in order to be healed in this human existence. But here's the deal ... Our survival, and our eternity, depends on whose Truth we seek.

You can read the entire 1899 interview with Nikola Tesla here, and make up your own mind.  He's a fascinating character study, and I truly believe his story is part of the spiritual battle in which we find ourselves today.

1 Timothy 4:1   "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,"