1 Corinthians 16:8-9

But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, because a wide door for effective ministry has opened for me — yet many oppose me.

     This particular Scripture appealed to me this week because of both its worldly and spiritual implications.  In these two simple verses. Paul is speaking to the Church at Corinth about the opportunities he has received to do great work for the Kingdom of God in Ephesus... the chance to do effective ministry, and he doesn't want to waste or lose the moment.  Yet, he admits that there are many adversaries, or opponents working against him.

     What we need to understand is that Paul desired to go to Ephesus, the greatest city of Asia Minor, long before he actually went there.  In fact, we read in the 16th chapter of Acts, that the Holy Spirit prevented Paul from entering the province of Asia during his second missionary journey.  At the time, Ephesus was a vital and booming commercial city and the capital of the Roman province of Asia (it would be located in modern Turkey today).  It was the home of the famous temple for the fertility goddess Diana, which was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  There was a vibrant business centered around making and selling idols associated with the Temple, as well as all sorts of superstitious religious practices, temple prostitution, and emperor worship.  

     So, when in God's own timing, Paul had the opportunity to preach and teach in Ephesus, he wasn't going to let that door close on him.  And he was quite successful in his ministry and outreach; not only in Ephesus, but in the rest of the province of Asia -- so much so, that when so many people in Ephesus turned to Christ and renounced their pagan ways, some of the craftsmen in the city started a riot because he threatened their livelihood.  So, it is important to understand that although Paul was seeing tremendous results from his Holy Spirit-filled teaching, Ephesus was still a pagan, superstitious, spiritually dark city.  Yes, there were men of the world who didn't much like his success, but you can bet that there were spiritual entities that were none too happy with how he was affecting their "business" as well!

     And that brings me to my personal testimony about why these two verses struck a chord with me this week.  I have shared before that I am part of a small, faithful ecclesia of people dedicated to studying the Word and growing in their knowledge of God and His Kingdom here on earth.  We have committed ourselves to tackling the tough books of the Bible.  These are the books that the modern Church tends to avoid because they are too difficult to understand -- or let's be honest; they are simply too scary to contemplate.  We have spent years together as a group, and have grown so much in our faith, and borne much fruit, through our studies of the Book of Revelation, Daniel, and Romans. We didn't shy away from the tough passages, and researched the Hebrew and Greek translations in order to discover what these Scriptures had to say to us modern-day Christians.  Now, we are beginning the study of the Book of Acts; or as I like to call it, The Book of the Continuous Work of our Ascended Savior Through the Apostles.  

     You see, I believe all the Bible is a supernatural Book, and as such, is full of examples of the supernatural power of our God being transferred to men through the Holy Spirit.  That is what the Book of Acts is about!  We will be studying the Authority and the Power of God that was first displayed in the miraculous acts of healing and casting out of demons that our Lord performed.  The opening chapter of Acts finds the resurrected Savior telling the apostles to prepare to do the same miracles through God's supernatural power that will soon be coming upon them. These supernatural acts will enhance the spread of the Gospel message.

     And, as I have stated before, I believe that this Authority and Power did not end with the Apostles.  We, too, are filled with that same Holy Spirit and can receive those same spiritual gifts that allowed them to teach, and preach, and heal, and deliver.  And that's where the words of 1 Corinthians 16:9 have special meaning to me.

     Just as Paul began receiving opposition when he was doing God's Kingdom work, so our little group can expect that we will receive resistance.  There will be those in this world who do not agree that we have the same spiritual authority and power that the apostles had; and that's fine.  We will continue to study and let God's Word dictate our position.  Man's objection doesn't bother me.  But it is the antagonism coming from the spiritual world that we are already beginning to face, and we are only on the first chapter of Acts!  

     As I shared recently in a post, nearly half of our home church has suffered the loss of a beloved pet in the last month from sudden or mysterious circumstances.  This may be hard to digest, but last week my husband suffered a physical injury after being slammed to the ground by an unseen entity that he felt on his back.  He didn't understand why, until the Lord revealed in a dream that we are under attack because we are studying how to claim our authority and power from God.  And now, one of our members -- a vibrant and knowledgable woman of faith -- is under an oppressive attack of severe depression.  The email I received from her about why she wouldn't be attending our gathering didn't even sound like her.  It contained the words of a defeated, insecure, and beaten down woman who was listening to what a demonic spirit was telling her.  It is obvious the spiritual world wants to take her out of the game and reduce her influence.

     You see, as a group we have begun an informative study that will result in an effective ministry as we learn how to fight and defeat those who oppose us in the spiritual realm --- and they are not happy about it.  We can expect to be tormented and harassed as we shake off the cobwebs from inspired Scripture.  If the demonic realm can scare us off this study, we will be unproductive and fruitless Christians.  We will still have our salvation, but we will not be reaching our full potential for the kingdom of God ... and that's just what they want.  

     But I know our faithful group.  We will persist and endure and grow and become effective ministers in this, the 21st century version of a pagan, superstitious and spiritually dark world.  And I fully expect to be inspired and encouraged and motivated as we follow the Apostles through their acts of obedience to God. We recognize that we are nothing, but through His Authority and Power we can do great things in His Name, and nothing can defeat us!

     

     

What Constitutes A "Link"?

   
     Once again our nation mourns the death of innocent citizens at the hands of someone with a radicalized agenda.  This time it seems as if our military was specifically targeted in Chattanooga, TN.  Yet, early statements by the FBI, which is investigating the attack, has stated that so far they had not established a link with terrorism.  Can someone explain that to me, please?  Because my understanding of a link is that it means there is some kind of connection, or an association, or a relationship between two things or situations or people; where one thing affects the other.
     So how is there not a "link" between the killer and terrorism in the wake of warnings that ISIS is calling for attacks against military personnel and installations?  And isn't there a link when the murderer blogs that life is a test "designed to separate the inhabitants of Paradise from the inhabitants of Hellfire"?  And, finally, isn't it reasonable to establish that there is some kind of connection when the Islamic State organization has publicly tweeted that we "American dogs will see wonders in Chattanooga"?
     I mean, look how little time it took the authorities to link the Charleston killer to the Confederate flag and label him a "domestic terrorist" motivated by his racist hate.  If the Charleston killer can be accused of being inspired by the "ideology of the Confederate South", why is it not reasonable to consider that the Chattanooga killer could have been "inspired" by the ideology of radical Islamists? If that is an acceptable explanation for the deaths in Charleston, how are the deaths in Chattanooga any different?  Until those who are elected to protect the nation are willing to face the truth of who our enemy is, then we are left defenseless against future attacks.  How can we defeat an enemy we are not willing to name?
     Already, there are hints of other possible "motives".  One profile of the killer paints him as a victim of "Islamophobia"; that somehow he was made keenly sensitive to the unfair slights against his religion and had become a victim of America's irrational fear of the Islamic faith.  These reports are now citing his sister's claim that she had faced discrimination and harassment at their high school because she wore a hijab.  She argues that "There’s this misconception that Islam is a violent religion. Muslims are actually peaceful."  Yes, some Muslims are peaceful.  But how can she deny that the Muslims and followers of Islam that have dominated the headlines over the last year with their endless beheadings and reign of terror are peaceful?  There has to be some honesty in this debate, and the truth is that many Muslims have radicalized their faith and are terrorists.  When you dance in the streets and call for "death to America", you are not peaceful.  Just because ALL Muslims have not taken the terrorist route, doesn't mean you can say NONE of them have!
     I find it so hypocritical that anytime an extremist Christian (and yes, extremists exist in all faiths) commits some abhorrent crime, the media and politicians are quick to rush to the microphone and point out how flawed, intolerant, hate-filled, and evil Christianity is.  But the only adjective that they want to apply to Islam is "peaceful".  When Islamic nations are labeled as "state sponsors of terror", then isn't it rational and logical to consider a "link" between these murderers and terrorism?
     As of yesterday afternoon, the narrative (at least on the ground in Tennessee) appeared to be changing.   Bill Killian, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, announced that, along with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, the "active shooter situation will continue to be investigated as a terrorist act, until the evidence proves otherwise.  We will let the facts take us where they lead us."  I pray they will be allowed to do just that, and that the truth will be shared with the American public.  That being said, I'm a little concerned that there is a verbal shell game being played.   I was a little puzzled with the attempts of the investigating team to mollify the public by insinuating a generic meaning to the word "terrorism", while warning that we not get "hung up" on getting specific as to what type of terrorism it is.  Is this the beginning of politically correct speech about the term "terrorism"?
     All we know for sure is that the investigation of this tragic situation is just beginning to unfold.  But as an American who emphatically supports our military personnel, I am heartbroken and weary of seeing our soldiers restricted from defending themselves by "gun-free zones".  How many Fort Hoods, and Washington Navy Yards, and Marine Recruitment Centers is it going to take before our military members are allowed to defend themselves?  It is unconscionable that they are made to act like sitting ducks!  As long as this insane policy continues, people will die.  Let there be an end to this madness and let the truth be declared!

Psalm 5:6    "You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man."
     

Let Me Make Myself Perfectly Clear ...

At first, this post might seem designed specifically for Christian Believers, but I think it is an important topic for secular readers, as well.  We all need to understand each other and our different opinions concerning the land of Israel.   

    This subject has been on my mind for some time, and I don't really have a long explanation of my position, but it is something that I think needs to be clarified.  Whenever I write about my Biblical view of Israel and my interpretation of their role in these End Times, I am often called a "Zionist Christian" and I am often typecast with labels like "your pro-Feast, Jewish flair" .... whatever that means.  So perhaps it is time to just give readers a short explanation of where I stand on Israel and how I view her.
     First of all, when I speak about Israel, most times I am referring to the land according to my Biblical worldview.  I see the nation of Israel as that land promised to God's Chosen People in the Bible.  And I recognize that there is a distinction between the future restoration of that land, and the existence of the current state of Israel.  I know that Jesus will not return again until God turns the focus of His saving mercies on Israel again, and Israel responds to God through Jesus Christ.  That hasn't yet happened in a national sense.
     In fact, there is not much about the modern state of Israel that coincides with the Biblical Israel.  And that's where the confusion over "Zionism" comes in.  Let me explain this term from my Biblical perspective first.  From an initial understanding of the word "Zion" in the Bible, it is synonymous with city of God, and it is a place that God loves.  (Psalm 87:2-3).  Zion is Jerusalem. Mount Zion is the high hill on which David built a citadel.  After King David's conquest of the ancient city, he built his royal palace there, and Zion/Jerusalem became the seat of power in Israel’s ancient kingdom.  When his son, Solomon, built the Lord's temple in Jerusalem, the word Zion expanded to include the temple area, what we call the Temple Mount today.

     As Biblical time marched on, Zion grew figuratively to mean Israel as the people of God in the Old Testament.   In the New Testament, Zion refers to God’s spiritual kingdom.  I admit it is confusing and covers a wide scope of understanding.
     And to make matters even more complicated, the word Zion and Zionist have taken on negative connotations among a wide variety of people.  There are those who see the reestablishment of a Jewish homeland as illegitimate.  And there are obviously those who do not know the history of the Bible, or what it says about the Jews and their ancestral land, and why it is so important to them.  For centuries the Jews had been exiled around the world from the land that God promised them, and there was a collective desire to return and resettle their ancestral lands and to revitalize and cultivate their native Hebrew culture.  They longed to return to the Biblical Zion.
     But after the atrocities of the Holocaust and with the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948, this love of Zion became a nationalistic and political movement, rather than a religious or cultural identity.  Zionism, today, continues primarily to advocate on behalf of Israel and address threats to its continued existence and security.  It has little to do with God's view of Zion.
     Let me be clear in explaining my sensitive position, and please read the next couple of paragraphs before you pass judgment ... the state of Israel, as it exists today in the Middle East, does not represent the Israel that will say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."  They are largely a secular and political state, with no religious connection to Yeshua, their Messiah at all.  They are true political Zionists.  However, the population also includes a sizable number of religious Orthodox Jews who remain blinded to their future, and most probably view themselves as Zionists from a historical, Old Testament perspective.
     This Israel has a long way to go to return to their Scriptural identity. They are still in rebellion and refuse to recognize their Creator and Messiah.  Tel Aviv has declared itself the "gay capital of the world", as proclaimed by this Israeli citizen:  "Israel isn’t a regressive Taliban state based on ancient scriptures. It is a modern, democratic and progressive society built on democratic values. The people of Israel have chosen to have a free, secular, democratic and pluralistic society whether gays are not only tolerated, but where gay culture is celebrated."  Does this sound like the Biblical Zion?
     Now, having said all this, when I look at modern Israel, I am focused on the small, but growing numbers of Messianic Jews who see the real reason they are "back in the land", and who recognize their calling and purpose.  When I say I love and support Israel, I am looking beyond the nationalistic, political reality of the current state of Israel and seeing them as God sees them... His beloved Zion; I see the devoted Jews who have surrendered their lives to their Savior Messiah and are faithfully awaiting His return.
     So, for you Christians who believe in Replacement Theology and accuse me of supporting a Zionist state, you need to understand that I do not share your doctrine.  I do not believe that the Church (and especially not the Western Church!) has replaced Israel as God's chosen people.  I read Romans 11 and do not try to corrupt it.  I accept it word for word ... Gods gifts and His call are irrevocable [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] ... And so all Israel will be saved. As it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob. And this will be My covenant (My agreement) with them when I shall take away their sins.
     And for the secularists and atheists who discount the Word of God, I will agree with you that the Zionist State of Israel is not perfect.  I do not blindly uphold it as the Israel of the Bible.  But you need to understand that it is not yet that Biblical nation of Israel with whom God established a covenant .... but one day it will be.  And it is the future Israel that I pray for and long to see come out of its rebellion and recognize its Messiah.  I have close friends who are the beginning of that true Biblical remnant in Israel, and they allow me to see the hope and the promise of Israel's restoration.
     I do not expect this post to change anyone's mind, and it probably won't even help those who disagree with me to understand my position better.  So, let me take one final stab at it ... I love Israel through a Biblical lens; I pray for her to come out of her rebellion and reclaim the covenant of her  ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I long to see her restored to the fullness of her power in God; restored to her true character; and her purpose restored in leading the world to Yeshua.  For all this, I make no apologies.

Isaiah 51:16     And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’

The Price of Evil

     I'm sorry if the photo enclosed in this post offends you, but I see no purpose in hiding the full impact of what this story reveals.  We've been hiding the extent of evil in our land too long!    

      I know that the foremost news on everyone's mind is the proposed "Iran deal", and I will have something to say about that in the coming days.  But today my heart is deeply saddened by the revelations from an undercover investigation of Planned Parenthood.  Breitbart.com has done an outstanding job on their extensive reporting on Planned Parenthood's sale of "intact fetal organs" harvested from abortions.
     Take a moment and grasp the full implications of that statement.  There is actually a market for body parts of babies murdered during partial-birth abortions.  Think that is too strong of a statement? Just watch this video released by the Center for Medical Progress, the undercover organization that broke this story.  In it, you will see and hear Planned Parenthood’s Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, discuss the aborted fetal parts which are harvested at their clinics (hearts, lungs, livers, lower extremities).  She also discloses the price range for such tissue, while admitting that both Planned Parenthood and the facilities purchasing the aborted fetal parts don't want to be perceived as selling and buying aborted babies.  Too late for that!

     She then goes on to discuss how the abortion procedures are conducted in order to cause the least damage to what she refers to as "the specimens".  Her exact words are, "So then you're just kind of cognizant where you put your graspers; you try to intentionally go above and below the thorax, so that, you know, we've been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I'm not gonna crush that part... I'm gonna basically crush below, I'm gonna crush above, and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact."  She then goes on to discuss how dilation effects the delivery of the calvarium (that's the baby's head), and how the goal of the last step of the procedure is to "evacuate an intact calvarium at the end".
     First, let me say, that it is disgusting to watch this monster feed her face and drink wine as she dispassionately describes the harvesting of God's creation for body parts.  Next, perhaps it helps her to sleep at night to refer to the clinical description of a precious baby's head as "the calvarium", but it does nothing to alleviate her evil intent.  She even seems to hint that although the Federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban is law, it can be circumvented because it is subject to interpretation, such as ... "If I say on day one, I do not intend to do this, what ultimately happens doesn't matter."  That's a perfect example of the moral relativism that is bringing about our national downfall.
     Unbelievably, she goes on to answer the question asked by the undercover reporter (posing as a buyer of fetal tissue):  "What did you procure during your procedures yesterday at the clinic?" She reveals that she calmly looked at her case-load and knew from the list that the buyers had presented what they were looking for, so she plans her day accordingly.
     Of course, Planned Parenthood has come out strongly denouncing the video, claiming it has been heavily edited, is taken out of context, is misleading, and blah, blah, blah.  And interestingly enough, PP has their affiliates across the country contract directly for the sale of body parts, so if the affiliate is exposed, they can take the fall for the parent organization.  Maybe it was the wine, but I couldn't believe how forthcoming she was with information; admitting that the ideal scenario would be to "find all the people who are doing this [buying fetal body parts] and present them with a menu." I can just imagine what that menu would look like .... a check-off list of how many hearts, livers, and lungs the procurement partner needs and by what date.  It's like a horror movie!  Only it is the reality of our world today.
     If you have been a faithful reader of this blog from the beginning then you will recall my May, 2012 post on the diabolical doctrines and beliefs of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger.  Hailed as a heroine, I marvel at the ignorance of today's ardent feminists who don't have a clue as to her true philosophies.  Her motives had nothing to do with liberating women or women’s rights, she was a eugenicist — someone who believed that through abortion, birth control, and forced sterilization society could “assist the [human] race in the elimination of the unfit.”  Many of her philosophies were at the heart of Hitler's extermination plan for the Jews.

     In a paper titled, Birth Control and Racial Betterment, Sanger made this comment, "We who advocate Birth Control, on the other hand, lay all our emphasis upon stopping not only the reproduction of the unfit but upon stopping all reproduction when there is not economic means of providing proper care for those who are born in health. The eugenist also believes that a woman should bear as many healthy children as possible as a duty to the state. We hold that the world is already over-populated. Eugenists imply or insist that a woman’s first duty is to the state; we contend that her duty to herself is her duty to the state."  Still think she was a champion of women's individual rights?
     Regardless of how loud and angry Planned Parenthood becomes in denying this damning video, it is plain for all to see that they foresee a future in which fetal body parts are harvested to supply a thriving new financial market.  And if you can somehow overcome the shock and distaste of what they're doing, you have to ask yourself, "Who is buying these parts and what are they using them for?"  There are all kinds of scenarios (and hold on to your tin foil hats for these) .... this article will tell you they are being used as "flavor enhancers" in our food!  Is it possible that Transhumanists are in the market for fetal stem cells and organs to advance the branch of their frankenstein science called Rejuvenation?  And, if you are a Christian who views these days as the Biblical End Times, then whose to say that these fetal body parts aren't being using in demonic practices and sacrifices in the world of the occult?
     The bottom line is this:  the very fact that this video exists is proof that partial birth abortion is not only endorsed by Planned Parenthood, but they see it as a marketable ancillary of their hellish organization.  And Dr. Deborah Nucatola talks on camera about the future of this new market as if it is the natural evolution of Planned Parenthood's agenda.  It is sometimes too difficult to look upon the sins of modern mankind.  I cannot think of a better reason for our Lord and Savior to leave His domain in Heaven and come forth to exact His Judgment.  Lord, do not allow one more precious baby to be sacrificed in this wicked generation!

If you would like to read the full complement of Breitbart's exposé on Planned Parenthood and Margaret Sanger, please click on the links to each. 

Nahum 1:3,6   "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty ... Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the heat of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by Him." 

Stop the Historical Revisionism

     I have watched with fascination over the past couple of weeks the frenzy that has erupted over removing monuments associated with the Civil War.  It began with an outcry over the Confederate flag, and quickly spread to statues and sculptures of Confederate generals that dot college campuses and public squares across the land.  But dissent has not been limited to the national protest against the pro-slavery South; it has grown to include our Founding Fathers and anyone who is associated with slavery, period.
     As I've said before, I cannot fathom any rational human being approving of slavery or the slave trade today.  But we must be careful when it comes to erasing our history.  Because a practice was culturally accepted does not make it right, and yes, it should have been condemned as immoral and repugnant.  But to expunge it from the national conscience (and everything and everyone associated with it), only serves to whitewash and misinterpret its historical value.

      The latest monument to be subjected to scrutiny is what is known as the Stone Mountain carvings. It is the largest bas relief sculpture in the world.  The Confederate Memorial Carving depicts three Confederate leaders of the Civil War, President Jefferson Davis and Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (and their favorite horses, "Blackjack", "Traveller", and "Little Sorrel", respectively). The entire carved surface measures 3 acres, about the size of two and a quarter football fields.
     But now the NAACP has suggested that the historical depiction might be sand-blasted off the face of the mountain, in an effort to either bury America’s past or remove it from the history books altogether.  But the efforts of this and other politically correct police are not stopping with the seditious South.  There is even talk of removing Presidents Jefferson and Washington from Mount Rushmore because they owned slaves; of renaming the capitol of the U.S.; and wiping every reference to these historical figures from every courthouse, federal building, and memorial in the nation.
     But we must ask ourselves why the headlong rush and fanaticism in accomplishing this goal?  Is it simply because of a tragic shooting in Charleston?  Or is there a larger agenda being met, and the powers that be can't lose this opportunity to rewrite history?
     I found an interesting reference to a phenomenon known as "negationism" on Wikipedia:  Negationism, also known as historical revisionism, is conducted to influence a target's ideology or politics for a particular purpose. Revisionists understand Plato's dictum that, "those who tell the stories also hold the power".   James M. McPherson, former president of the American Historical Association, wrote that some would want revisionist history understood as, "a consciously falsified or distorted interpretation of the past to serve partisan or ideological purposes in the present".  Broadly understood, there are two motivations behind revisionist history: the ability to control ideological influence and to control political influence.
    Either motive will do; it all comes down to power, as Plato prophesied.  But in the case of our nation's Founders, or the Civil War and its generals and heroes, we have current history books full of their exploits.  We also have courthouses and monuments and street names -- all reminders that these men existed and are part of our national identity.  But what if you wanted to eliminate that part of your identity; label it evil and dishonorable?  And by so doing, alienate and marginalize a portion of the populace in order to supplant their influence?
     "They" are not interested in civil discourse.  No, it is time to strike swiftly and totally.  Disparage the reputations and memories of that part of our history and a new alliance can be formed; one that will bring power and prestige and prominence, with an emphasis on power.

      It should come as no surprise.  Down through the ages, ancient kings and monarchs covered up or destroyed monuments and records of previous rulers. For instance, this pattern of expunging earlier historical evidence can be repeatedly seen in Egyptian monuments and historical records.  Case in point: after the Hyksos rulers were expelled from Egypt, the Egyptians erased the records of that humiliating period so thoroughly that some of the names and the order of the Hyksos kings remain uncertain.
     And so, it looks as if history is repeating itself.   We must also take into account that once we begin modifying history, it only takes one generation to permanently change the past.  Once all mention is removed from the school textbooks, and all evidence is wiped clean from our collective consciences, as far as contemporary archives prove, it all never existed.
     How far will this attempt to revise and rewrite history go?  It remains to be seen.  But if we stand a chance of preserving our history -- both the good and sorrowful parts of it -- then we better take a stand immediately.  It is obvious there are those who wish to erase the significance and importance of the South from our national experience.  If this happens, then we can expect further eradication of anything that expresses our individualism, our self-expression, and our freedoms.
     Our nation's past is a reminder of how far we've come; and it is strewn with litter and scars.  But it defines us as a people.  When we change our history or erase it, we lose a piece of our authentic self, and that is truly tragic.
     I want to leave you with this quote by author Marcia Lynn McClure:  "Scars are but evidence of life ... Evidence of choices to be learned from ... evidence of wounds ... wounds inflicted of mistakes ... wounds we choose to allow the healing of.  We likewise choose to see them, that we may not make the same mistakes again."  I can't think of a better reason to leave our history alone.

Job 8:8-10    "For inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out. For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow. Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?"

 

The Global Economy: How's That Working For You?

     I don't think we, here in America, really have a grasp on what is going on in Greece and China; let alone, what is going on in our own economy.  I know I don't.  Although I can sense that the world is being transformed through politics, social agendas, and economics, I can't quite connect the dots.  I know that we are being pushed towards a "global economy" ... we recognize that this term has been part of the political lexicon for some time now.  But what are the implications of a global economy?  What is the real agenda behind it?  All I know is that it is a complicated and perilous course we are on.
     I've been reading more and more about what the Greek situation forecasts, as well as the headline on Drudge Report that China's stock market is tracking our own 1929 crash.  That can't be good!  And from my limited understanding of the Greek financial disaster, they are virtually in default on their national loans, and are being forced into a severe austerity program by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Central Banks (ECB), which will result in pensions being cut (or lost altogether); welfare recipients suffering severe cutbacks; benefit packages for government workers will be sliced and diced ... all the programs that are the hallmark of Socialism.  This is what is coming to the global economic neighborhood near you.
     The bottom line is this:  Greece can no longer support fat pensions, growing welfare rolls, and living beyond their means.  They can't afford it!  Yet the Greek citizens want to continue this lifestyle and loudly decry any measures of austerity that would stop the hemorrhage.  As Steven Moore, a notable U.S. economist, wrote, "Greece is now sitting on $350 billion of debt. It’s unpayable and the international monetary experts are deluding themselves if they believe that by some magic stroke this nation of 11 million citizens will sometime in the future come up with the funds to repay it.  Greece is already overtaxed, and adding more taxes on the few businesses that are still functioning is only going to ensure their eventual demise too. Meanwhile the Greek citizens have come to the conclusion that fat pensions and cradle-to-grave welfare benefits are a human right that can never be taken away. That is what they declared in the [recent] referendum. But those benefits are going to be lost. Socialism has radically reduced the standard of living of the citizens."

     What I see is a fundamental flaw in not only Greece's financial situation, but that of every country and individual person who is living beyond their means and is in serious financial debt ... and that flaw is this:  Somehow they don't think they should be responsible for paying off their debt!  Moore makes a succinct point, when he says, "As part of the European Union, are the hard-working German citizens supposed to pay more taxes to pay for lavish benefits to Greek retirees?"  That's what can happen when you have a global economy!
     But the bottom line and run-away debt is not the only factor that plays into the global economic equation.  The other side of the coin is national sovereignty.  As Ambrose Evans-Pritchard (an international economist who has covered world politics and economics for over 30 years) wrote in the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph, "The [European] creditors have sought to nail down the new memorandum by transferring Greek assets to 'an independent fund that will monetize the assets through privatizations and other means'. It will be used in part to pay off debts.  This fund will be under EU 'supervision'. The cosmetic niceties of sovereignty will be preserved by letting the Greek authorities manage its day-to-day affairs. Nobody is fooled."
    He goes on to explain that there is no way that the Plan of Austerity can be successful; it will simply drive Greece further into spiraling debt as the country will be unable to meet its obligations.  And as Nobel Prize economist Paul Krugman points out, "What we’ve learned these past couple of weeks is that being a member of the Eurozone means that the creditors can destroy your economy if you step out of line. This has no bearing at all on the underlying economics of austerity... This goes beyond harsh, into pure vindictiveness, complete destruction of national sovereignty, and no hope of relief...".
     So which is it?  Is a global economy something to be desired, and inevitable, as we are constantly told by politicians and the media?  Or is it a threat to national sovereignty and economic independence?  Or ... is it designed to do both?  True, it is hailed by nearly all world leaders as the inevitable future.  So, is this the plan?  The world is destined to be "connected" to each other economically -- meaning if one fails, we all suffer the economic fallout -- which will eventually lead to being "controlled" by a central economic organization that destroys all national sovereignty and independent financial systems.  Sound like I'm a crazy conspiracy nut?  Then read this quote from David Rockefeller, an indisputable global economist:  "This present window of opportunity, during which a truly peaceful and interdependent world order might be built, will not be open for too long — We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis and the nations will accept the New World Order."  Just consider China's plummeting economy, Greece's tremendous debt, and the latest threats against the cyber-security of our financial institutions.  If they don't qualify as crises, they will do until the mega-one comes along.
     Here's my closing statement:  All of this is too complicated for the average citizen to figure out; and I believe that is on purpose.  Keep us confused; keep telling us globalization is the way to go; and continue with the secret back-room deals.  The one thing that seems clear to me is that the global economy is working for a select group of financiers that is controlling it --- they are getting richer while the common man keeps sliding down the economic ladder. The sovereignty of nations, and individual workers are all expendable.  Greece is in the vice now.  Who will be the next nation that feels the jaws of the global economy tightening around its throat?

Psalm 39:6   "Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!"

Which Kind Of Exile Are You?

     

     I've always been fascinated by ancient history; both that of our country and the world.  As a kid in school, History was one of my favorite subjects and I find it sad that kids today do not seem to understand the need to study it.  They are too conditioned by this technological world to only take interest in the immediate trends or current events.  Any history further back than last year does not concern them.  So, sadly they will not learn the important lessons that history can teach us.

     Right now, we are seeing our country undergoing a rapid cultural shift.  There are many who will tell us that this is a good thing, and it's about time.  But for many of us Christians, it is beginning to feel like we are living as exiles in our own land.  In fact, I'm sure you have heard our situation likened to the Jewish captives who were exiled in Babylon. 

     I can certainly relate to that analogy; especially when you compare the story of King Hezekiah, who played his part in causing the exile.  He paid tribute to Judah's enemy, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria; showing deference and submission, in the hope it would decrease the chances of attack.  Can you see the picture of our current negotiations with Iran?  In addition, Hezekiah opened the doors of the Temple treasury to show his enemy how great was the wealth that his people enjoyed; it only served to ensure the covetousness of an enemy that wished to capture that wealth and destroy the nation of Judah.  Have we not opened the economic doors to foreign investors through our trade policies, and left ourselves vulnerable to foreign takeover and ruination?  

     And just like the Jewish captives who were forcibly taken into captivity in Babylon, we Christians are now finding ourselves being forced to live in a strange and foreign culture that little resembles our Christian values.  We now have an activist Supreme Court who votes with the secular culture; a rush to erase our national history and traditions; and a growing movement to force the Church to ascribe to, and consent to, a secular moral relativism.  In other words, the culture is telling the Church to perform as the culture does (and ignore God's commandments); or be stripped of the protection from the State (by losing tax-exempt status).  This will result in forced assimilation.  Christians will no longer be allowed to separate themselves from the culture; we will have to resemble the culture, resulting in our faith becoming severely compromised.

     How is that any different from the choices given to the exiled Jews in Babylon?  We often think that their existence must have been horrific; after all, slavery is an institution that is abhorred by all rational men.  What must it have been like to be denied access to their Temple, which was at the center of Jewish everyday life?  The culture would have been different; as would be the customs; the religious practices; the loss of their homes and their unique language.  

      We have read the stories in the Bible of Daniel being thrown in the lion's den for refusing to abandon the practices of his faith.  And who can forget the fiery trial of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego for refusing to bow to the statue of the pagan god?  We know, that for the faithful, it was a difficult time.  Yet they never gave up their hope.

     But then let's not forget that when, through God's grace and mercies, King Cyrus granted the Jews permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their temple and re-establish their homes, that a good many of the Jews chose to stay in Babylon.  They had all but forgotten their native language, and now spoke Aramaic, which was a general language and understood by most everyone.  They had become comfortable and prosperous; so much so, that a Jewish community has lasted there continuously until modern times, a period of more than 2,500 years.  Remember, they had been in Babylon for 70 years.  The old generation of faithful Jewish believers had died off; a new generation only knows the current culture.  Sound familiar?  Only if the faith in YHWH had been faithfully taught, and they refused to bow to the culture, could we expect them not to lose their identity. 

     So, can you see how we are similar to those Jewish exiles?  If we want to maintain the true heart of Christianity, we better prepare ourselves to stand against the pressure like Daniel and his friends.  We better form a strategy to pass on God's Truth to the next generation if we don't want to lose them to the culture.  And we better keep our eyes on the future; never giving up hope that this exile will one day end and we can return to worshipping God as He deserves -- whether it be in this world or the eternal one.

     But can you also fathom that there will be Christians in our land that will make themselves quite comfortable in this land of exile?  That they will be willing to adopt this new reality as their home; agreeable to giving up some of the contentious aspects of their faith in order to blend in and be accepted?  Which kind of exile are you?  What about your family and friends?  Because I can guarantee you that how we answer that question will determine if the Enemy wins his battle to exterminate Christianity.  He is committed and unyielding.  Are you?

Psalm 137:1    "By the rivers of Babylon, there we [captives] sat down, yes, we wept when we [earnestly] remembered Zion [the city of our God imprinted on our hearts]."

      

Genesis 28:18-19

And Jacob rose early in the morning and took the stone 

he had put under his head, and he set it up for a pillar 

(a monument to the vision in his dream),

 and he poured oil on its top [in dedication].

 And he named that place Bethel [the house of God];

     I am so blessed to be in the Word with several groups of fellow Christians who all desire to know  God's Truth and are willing to spend the time in diligent study.  Along with my Home Church group, I am closely joined with a Ladies Bible Study that meets weekly, and a more sincere group of godly women, you will not find.  We are currently studying The Patriarchs, an older study by popular Bible teacher, Beth Moore.  

     But what I love about the Word is that God's mercies "are new every morning", as it is stated in Lamentations 3:22-23… the Word is able to inspire with new revelations each time we open it and read it.  I am always amazed when something I thought I fully understood takes on new meaning and I can apply it to what I am seeing in the world.

     Such was the case with the familiar verses I have chosen from Genesis.  At this particular juncture in Jacob's story we are usually fixated on the fascinating story of Jacob's dream of angels ascending and descending the ladder to Heaven.  Jacob rightfully discerns that the ladder is the gate to Heaven, and I just wish I could shout to him, "Jacob, turn the pages to John 1:51 and see just Who that ladder is!"  As Scripture shows us, Jesus reveals in John that when the gates of heaven are opened we will see "the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man".  Christ is Jacob's ladder; Jesus is the connection and access to God!
     Although Jacob might not have been able to put it into those exact words, he nevertheless, at the end of his dream, is overcome with the knowledge that the Lord had been in this place where he had lain his head upon a stone; and he instinctively knew how holy was this place.  

     As our Scripture tells us, Jacob got up the next morning and set up a stone as a pillar, or dedication, to the Lord, and called that place Bethel (the house of God).  At this time in Bible history, setting up pillars were memorials or symbols to momentous occasions when God presented Himself personally to individuals.  They were regarded as an honor towards God, as exemplified by the pouring of oil upon the top of the stone.
     I just love the pictures that God paints for us!  In the ancient Middle East, oil was poured on the head of one who was anointed; one who had received the grace of the Holy Spirit; who was set apart as holy and sanctified.  When Jacob gave the place where he anointed the stone the name of Bethel, or house of God, we are getting a picture of the Temple, the holy place were God would reside, or as we know it in this modern age, the Church.  You can also see the picture of Christ building His church upon the rock.
     But, in her teaching video, Beth Moore points out that this practice of dedicating pillars, or monuments, became corrupted when the Israelites followed the pagan practice of erecting memorials and pillars to their idols or false gods.  In fact, in Leviticus 26:1, God gives a direct command:  "You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God."  What Jacob had rightly honored as a holy pillar had lost its sacred meaning, and these pillars had taken on the nature of the godless pagan culture.
     In the simplest terms, what was once dedicated to God, had become, as the prophet Hosea renamed it, Beth Aven, meaning "House of Nothingness".  (Hosea 4:15 :  Though you, Israel, play the harlot and worship idols, let not Judah offend and become guilty; come not to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven [contemptuous reference to Bethel, then noted for idolatry], nor swear [in idolatrous service, saying], As the Lord lives.
     That revelation in the Beth Moore video stayed in my mind.  As I often do, I asked God in the early morning hours to reveal His truth to me; to show me more of who He is.  And perhaps because I was so interested in the concept of the corrupted house of God mentioned by Hosea, a sudden thought came into my consciousness.  Has today's house of God, the modern Church, become the "House of Nothingness"? Have we made the church building (like the ancient pillars) an idol that we worship?  In other words, has it become more important to say we are in church each Sunday, {i.e., in the building] than it is to experience the presence of God?  Sadly, I fear that this might be true; that God may no longer be in some of the church buildings across our land, as they strive to become one with the godless secular culture.
     Of course, not every church can be painted with that broad brush.  In fact, I have witnessed many of the members of the church where I attend the Ladies Bible Study fulfill their Christian duties with love.  They have taken children into their home who needed mentoring and guidance.  And they are particularly faithful to take care of the widows of the congregation.  By no means are they a "House of Nothingness".  But of how many other houses of God can that be said?  How many swear that they are worshipping God, when in reality they are, as Hosea said, performing "idolatrous services"?  Now is the time for all houses of God to rededicate not only the house of worship, but themselves to serving the living God!

Blessings On A New York Subway

This post is exactly what I think this world needs to hear.  It was written by Aryeh Ben David, an Israeli rabbi, who recently visited New York, and encountered a beggar on the subway.  It was published in The Times of Israel, and is just one of those stories that you know God had a hand in writing.  But let the good rabbi tell you himself ....

     I am taking the Broadway #1 train from Penn Station to Van Cortlandt Park in the late afternoon. Van Cortlandt Park is the last stop on the line.  About three stops from the end, everyone in my car exits. I’m left alone.
     The door opens from another car. Enters a 30-something year old guy, big, and obviously drunk. I’m at the other end of the car.  He calls out, “Hey, you got a match?”  I answer, “I don’t smoke.”
     He says, “I guess then you wouldn’t have any matches.” He stumbles over to me. I’m getting a bit nervous. He’s bigger than me, and I’m a worrying kind of guy.
     He leans over close to me, about 5 inches from my ear, and whispers: “Tzedaka. You know what tzedaka is?” Surprised and amused, I answer “yes.”

     He waits. I pause. Then I take a dollar out of my pocket and give it to him.  He begins to stumble away.  I don’t know what happened to me, but I call after him, “Hey. I gave you something. Now you give me something."
     He looks back at me, not understanding. I say it again, “Give me something.”  I call out, “I gave you tzedaka. You give me a blessing.”
     He looks puzzled.  I say, “I have a kid who just had 2 knee operations. Do you have a blessing?”  He stops. Looks straight at me, thinking what to say. “I guess you don’t believe in Jesus, huh?”  I shake my head.  He says, “I bless you that your kid will be healthy.”
     Then he takes a step to walk away and stops. Puts his hand on the subway pole, turns back to me and says, “And I give you a blessing, that whatever happens to your kid, God will give you the strength to handle whatever it is.”
    Wow. I was overcome with emotion.  I had given him a dollar from my pocket.  He gave me a blessing from his heart.
     The train stopped. We said goodbye to each other. “Goodbye friend, thank you.” “Goodbye friend, have a good day.”  At the moment, I didn’t know what propelled me to ask him for a blessing.  Looking back, I understand it like this:
     Asking for something – a cigarette or money – can be a very degrading and humiliating experience.  He had given me the chance to be a giving person – to give to him. Though I hesitated and didn’t give with a full, open heart or smile, after giving something to him – I actually felt good about myself.
     I wanted to offer him, too, the chance to give something and feel good about himself.  In the end, he gave me so much – a moment of netzach, of eternity – a moment that I will never forget.
     Our souls are wired to give. That’s how the Creator created us. Sometimes the kindest act we can do is to receive – to allow someone else to give to us.

     I dare you not to smile at this inspirational story, and I'm betting that you're feeling a soft glow around your heart, as well.  Although the rabbi doesn't believe in Jesus as his Messiah, or Savior, if I could speak to him for just a moment ... I would tell him that perhaps that beggar was an angel sent by Jesus to show him how little it costs to give the gift of love to another human being.  And for us Christians, it is a sweet story that reminds us of all it cost Jesus to show us His love for us.  I can't think of a better way to start our day!

Galatians 3:14   "So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."


     

How Do You Define Security?

     There are days I pray to God to reveal to me the mystery of a particular event in the world; and then there are days I'm not sure I want to know, or am even capable of understanding all the intricate paths it would lead me down.  Today is such a day.  The latest headline blasting from my computer is that the Office of Personnel Management has announced that over 21,000,000 federal employees have had their personal information hacked in the latest security breach.  Add that to the 4.2 million who were hacked just last month.

     Those much smarter than me want to follow the bread crumbs to China.  Coincidentally, if you listen to the conspiracies swirling in the blogosphere, China is also tied to the shutdown of the New York Stock Exchange earlier this week.  (Could the 4-hour halt at the NYSE have been a preventative measure against a cyber attack?)  Of course, government officials will tell you there's nothing to the rumors ... and, by the way, there was no connection to the computer "glitches" over at United Airlines and the Wall Street Journal, either.  Having trouble with cell phone outages?  Just look the other way; it was nothing.
     And, oh yeah, just ignore whatever the conspiracy nuts are telling you about a "space war" among China, Russia and the U.S.  There's no need to look at the possibilities that satellites can be utilized to become EMP weapons.  That's just some science fiction theory.  And there are still those who say it is all a buildup to that unexplainable date of July 15th for the equally perplexing "exercises" called Jade Helm.
    I'm sorry, but I have no explanations and no answers.  The world seems to be caught up in a spiraling vortex of economic catastrophes (think Greece) and threatening cyber-security issues, as we rush headlong towards a nuclear Iran.
     Do I really want God to show me the truth?  Because, to be honest with you, it looks a whole lot like the Book of Revelation is about to play out.  If the world's super powers are really playing chicken with satellite EMPs, then how long before one of them decides to take the big dare and we are plunged into a new reality that none of us want to see?  And how can we possibly feel secure in light of all these reports?
     For those of us who are followers of Christ, we know that there is no security in this world except that which is certain in our salvation.  But if we are looking for freedom from danger; or desiring stability; or hoping for safeguards against a world that is coming ever closer to the revealing of the Anti-Christ, then I'm afraid we need to face the facts.  And they are right in front of us ... it is happening nearly every day.

     We need to realize that what the world counts as security ... our jobs, our bank accounts, our comfortable lives ... could be gone in a flash; literally.  If you are a Christian, then get real with God and ask Him to be your fortress, your stronghold, and your shield.  Ask Him to help you reach others, so that they can shelter in the Lord.  It will be more important than ever that you are prepared to share why you have asked Jesus to be your Savior; why they need to know Him.  Don't sugar-coat it; this won't be the time for the passive Jesus speech.  Everyone needs to receive the full personification of our Lord.
     Yes, He loves you enough to have given His life for you and to have taken the punishment for your sins.  But what is about to come upon the earth will cause Him to leave Heaven and wage war against the wicked.  If your name has not been written in the Book of Life, He will not claim you as His own.  We all need to search our souls and cleanse them from any unrighteousness, and get prepared to get in the fight -- and to lead others to make the right choice.  Today, we are feeling a little less secure because of all the attacks against the world's infrastructure.  Tomorrow, we could feel the full force of the Enemy's attacks against our very existence in this world.  Now is the time to anchor ourselves to the Lord.  No one can snatch us out of His hand.  He is our firm foundation, and we can be secure in our position; both here on earth and in eternity.

Job 11:18    "And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security."