The World On Edge

     It took only a matter of hours after his speech at the United Nations for Russian President Vladimir Putin to act.  It was a speech that argued that "certain" nations had circumvented the U.N. charter and acted selfishly, resulting in a power vacuum in the Middle East that has been filled by Islamic terrorists.  It was a speech that charged "it is hypocritical and irresponsible to make loud declarations about the threat of international terrorism while turning a blind eye to the channels of financing and supporting terrorists, including the process of trafficking and illicit trade in oil and arms."  He went on to say, "It would be equally irresponsible to try to manipulate extremist groups and place them at one's service in order to achieve one's own political goals in the hope of later dealing with them or, in other words, liquidating them."
     To sum up his speech, it was one that seemed to indicate not only veiled accusations against the U.S., but also proposed that the UN had out-lived its original purpose, and nations must come together and build a coalition against global terrorism.  But he also stressed that state sovereignty must be recognized, and seemed to indicate that where this sovereignty came into conflict with the UN charter, that a nation's autonomy and dominion ruled.
   

     So, as I said at the beginning of this blog post, it took a very short time for him to act on the latter proposition.  On Wednesday, Russia, without U.N. authorization, began airstrikes in Syria, and have since conscripted a reported 150,000 troops to begin a ground offensive.  Depending on whether you listen to U.S. spokesmen, or Russian, these attacks are designed to prolong the sectarian strife in the Middle East, or to begin a campaign for wiping out ISIS, which Russia says other world leaders have let go far too long.
     I certainly cannot offer an informed analysis on what is really behind the actions of global powers.  Since when has any government been truthful to its people during wartime?  All I know is that my Biblical worldview is becoming clearer.   In the battle of Ezekiel 38-39, the armies come primarily from the north and involve only a few nations of the earth.  I am not ready to declare that this is what we are seeing at the moment, but it certainly feels like we are headed in that direction.  Russia and Iran are definitely combining their efforts, supposedly to join forces to fight ISIS.  But has anyone given any thought to how this might eventually effect Israel?
     We must not forget the following statements from the leading military and religious leaders of Iran...  the major general of Iran’s army proclaimed this, "We will annihilate Israel for sure. We are glad that we are in the forefront of executing the supreme leader’s order to destroy Israel." And as for the Supreme Ayatollah, himself—a few days after the US/Iran nuclear deal was announced, he released his latest book.  It is a 400-page creed planning to destroy the state of Israel.  Last month, Khomeini once again made the genocidal intentions clear before Iran’s top clerical body, the Assembly of Experts.  He spoke about Israel—home to over 6 million Jews. He pledged, "There will be no Israel in 25 years."
     Therefore, I submit to you the words of Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, as he spoke before the United Nations General Assembly.  Netanyahu said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have long said that the greatest danger facing our world is the coupling of militant Islam with nuclear weapons. I am gravely concerned that the nuclear deal with Iran will prove to be the marriage certificate of that holy union. I know that well-intentioned people sincerely believe that this is the best way to block Iran’s path to the bomb, but one of history’s most important, yet least learned lessons is this, the best intentions don’t prevent the worst outcomes. The vast majority of Israelis believe that this nuclear deal with Iran is a very bad deal. What makes matters even worse is that we see a world celebrating this bad deal ... Seventy years after the murder of 6 million Jews, Iran’s rulers promised to destroy my country, murder my people, and the response from this body, the response from nearly every one of the governments represented here has been absolutely nothing. Utter silence. Deafening silence.”
     Then Netanyahu made his point in a most dramatic way --- he stood silent for almost a minute.  And then he continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is not easy to oppose something that is embraced by the greatest powers in the world.  Believe me, it would be far easier to remain silent. But throughout our history, the Jewish people have learned the heavy price of silence. And as the Prime Minister of the Jewish state—as someone who knows that history, I refuse to be silent. I’ll say it again—the days when the Jewish people remain passive in the face of genocidal enemies, those days are over...  For in every generation, there were those who rose up to destroy our people. In antiquity we faced destruction from the ancient empires of Babylon and Rome, and in the Middle Ages we faced inquisition and expulsion, and in modern times we faced the Holocaust, and yet the Jewish people have persevered, and now another regime has surfaced swearing to destroy Israel. That the regime would be wise to consider this, I stand here today representing Israel, a country 67 years young, but the nation state of the people nearly 4,000 years old. Yet, the empires of Babylon and Rome are not represented in this hall of nations, and neither is the thousand year Reich, those seemingly invisible empires are long gone, but Israel lives. The people of Israel live.”
     So, I ask you, what is the significance of Russia and Iran uniting to fight in Syria?  After all, these very nations are the ancient nations of Old Testament prophecies.  Gog, Magog (Russia), Persia (Iran) and the city of Damascus in Syria all play important parts in End Times eschatology.  And we must not ignore that Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and China are players to be considered, too.  So, has God begun to implement His judgment upon the earth?  Are these the first stirrings of the Tribulation?  No one can say.  But this much I do know ... if it is the beginning, it is all for God's glory and to call His nation Israel back to Him.  Just like America, the people of Israel [largely] do not recognize or worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The Talmud and Kabbalah are methods, Rabbinic teachings, and doctrines that originated in Judaism but often distort God's original Word, just as the Emerging Church and New Age religion have twisted the Church.
     We must not be surprised if war is a Divine factor in their awakening and redemption.  Whether it happens tomorrow, next week, next month, or several years from now, He will save His remnant ... He always has.  May that day come soon.

Isaiah 37:29    "Because you rage against Me and because your insolence has reached My ears, I will put my hook in your nose and My bit in your mouth, and I will make you return by the way you came."
   

Is There A Connection Between Abortion and Satanism?

     This week the national spotlight is on the Congressional hearings on Planned Parenthood and their alleged negotiations to sell baby body parts to medical researchers.  By now, you have at least heard about (if not seen) the videos produced by the Center for Medical Progress.  They are disgusting and show not only the greed of the abortion industry, but the blatant disregard for the life of an unborn fetus.
     As Breitbart.com reported, Congressional Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz opened the hearings by explaining that Planned Parenthood is a rich and wasteful organization of limited value to the women it serves, and that it wastes American tax dollars. He said they make $1.3 billion a year in revenue, spent $5 million a year on travel, pay their top executives lavishly — $600,000 for CEO Cecile Richards alone — and throw fancy parties, one of them called “Champagne Chocolate”.
     But the main thrust of Congress's questioning was something I would also like to know ... why should the American taxpayer fund an organization that had a $127 million profit last year?  Take away whether you agree with a woman's right to an abortion, or whether you think it is immoral or not; and it then becomes a question of pure economics.  And they obviously don't need the funding.  
     But there is something else we need to consider about Planned Parenthood and abortion clinics.  We need to go beyond the stall tactics of Ms. Richards; her misrepresentation of PP's revenues from abortions; the ridiculous claims of sexism and a "war on women" made against Representative Chaffetz; and finally, the most absurd of all: that the videos were a result of false editing by abortion "extremists".  There is a far more sinister and evil underbelly that exists.  It is almost incomprehensible, but those with discerning minds will be able to detect the fingerprints of satan.

     If you are old enough to remember the movie "Rosemary's Baby", then you have a glimpse of what I am about to share.  But before I give you some of the details of what I have found, I must tell you that I at first resisted the story I'm about to tell you; it was just so fantastical that I could not comprehend such evil.  But the story kept coming back into focus, and being confirmed by sources that I considered credible.  I finally decided that perhaps this was the final piece of evidence that would convict the American public that abortion is ultimately the child sacrifice of this century, and something that God has hated since His chosen people followed the Ammonite practice of child sacrifice to their false god Molech.  And so, I bring you the testimony of Zachary King, an imposing figure, and an ex-Satanist and former High Wizard of a satanic coven.
     His testimony is riveting ... and chilling.  It can be summed up in this short summary:  Zachary  was an average boy from an American neighborhood who grew up in a Baptist home. He began practicing magick at 10, joined a satanic coven at 13, and had broken all 10 Commandments by the time he was 15 years old. From his teen years to adulthood he worked his way up to High Wizard in the coven and actively pushed satan’s agenda including ritualistic abortions.
     Abortions as a ritual for satan?  What does that mean?!?  And how do you get from playing games of magick to killing babies for satan?  (NOTE:  "Magic" is what a magician does on stage; slight of hand and parlor tricks.  "Magick" is a term that designates witchery, wizardry, and black magic.) As Zachary tells it, it was a natural progression ... from childhood games like "Bloody Mary" (chanting while looking into a bathroom mirror, which summoned a demon); to Dungeons and Dragons; to experimenting with casting real spells through magick; to an introduction to a coven, and an eventual rise to the top spot of High Wizard.
     “[It all started when] I turned 14, and they told me there was going to be a sex party in someone’s house and all the males in the coven were going to sleep with this woman,” recalls King, now 47 and a pro-life activist living in Florida.  Too young to understand what "abortion" meant, he asked an older member of the coven, "What is an abortion?"  The answer: "“He said ‘we say a spell and there is a baby in its mother’s womb and we kill it.’”
     Zachary might have been young, but he was old enough to wonder if that was legal or not.  The answer was short and to the point:  "As long as it's inside the woman, it's legal."  That was the beginning of a dark road within the occult that would lead to Zachary overseeing more than 140 "ritualistic abortions".
     “Knowing a spell could kill someone inside a woman, and that’s legal, and five minutes later it’s illegal, I said, ‘This is awesome. I can do this all day long.’ You step through this door and you can kill, and you step through this other door and you go to prison. That in itself should tell you how satanic it is,” King said. “The coven leader called it a baby ... not a lump of cells ... and he said, ‘You kill it.’ They didn’t call it a lump of cells.”
     But here's where King's story becomes pure evil.  He said he performed many of the sacrificial abortion rituals at the clinics of “a large abortion provider,” but he would not identify the provider for fear of lawsuits.  King said he was hired to be there, casting his spells, by the abortionists.  “They have hired you to perform a satanic spell and, in order for that to happen, your hands have to get bloody.”
     Now rip your mind away from the horror of that statement and contemplate just how satan is counterfeiting God's blood sacrifice.  From the Garden of Eden (where animals were slain for skins to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness and sin); to the animal sacrifices in the Temple; to Christ's death on the Cross, God has demanded a blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin.  But here is satan demanding a blood sacrifice for his own glorification!  It is the blood that is at the center of this satanic ritual.
     “In satanism, killing something, or the death of something, is the most effective way of getting your spell accomplished,” Zachary said. “As far as trying to get satan’s approval, to give you something that you want, killing something is the best way to go. Killing something is the ultimate offering to Satan, and if you can kill an unborn, that is his ultimate goal.”  I can't help but wonder if abortion is some sort of payback, or revenge killing proposed by satan because he was unable to stop the birth of Jesus, whom he knows will crush his head.  (If he couldn't stop Jesus's birth, then he will see that millions of other babies are destroyed).
     But here's the truly wicked dynamic of this ritual ... He said the women whose abortions he attended would get pregnant with the intent of killing their unborn baby as a sacrifice to Satan.  “So the women knew why I was there,” King said. “They know there’s a satanic ritual going on."
    Zachary King's life story took a different turn in 2008, when he says he was miraculously rescued from satanism and has since become a warrior for Jesus Christ.  I have no reason to doubt his conversion or his testimony of his past life.  For none other than Alveda King, a pro-life activist with Priests for Life, and the niece of slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said she believes King’s story, because she’s heard others like it over the years.  Still, she has no idea how prevalent such practices may be.
     But Zachary King's testimony is not the only one I came across.  In the same article on World Net Daily, it was mentioned that Life Site News, a pro-life website, published a 2010 profile of Abigail Seidman, who from the age of 10 was working in an abortion clinic managed by her mother, a nurse.  Seidman told Life Site her mother’s descent into the abortion culture was not motivated by the usual talking points – to save women from dangerous back-alley abortions, or to “help” women in difficult situations, or even for the money. It was a religion – literally.
      Seidman described the abortion clinic where her mother worked as “pervaded with occult imagery and practices.” The employees considered abortion “a form of sacrifice,” and would perform the procedure as a sort of ritual. They worshiped pagan deities embodying death, which is why Seidman thinks it is incumbent upon Pro-Life activists to know what they are truly fighting.
     The occult is at the root of the abortion industry, and "The occult believers are the ‘core’ of the pro-abortion movement, just as the born-again Christians are the ‘core’ of the pro-life movement...  I see no harm in striking at its heart, and informing ‘pro-choice’ people (particularly the well-meaning but misguided Christians) of who and what they are truly associating themselves with."
    As proof of the satanic overtones to pro-abortion protests, consider the 2013 protests at the Capitol building in Austin, Texas.  A video of a pro-life advocate speaking reveals that at the 5 minute 15 second mark, you can hear pro-abortion activists clearly chanting, "Hail, Satan".   And then you have Mark Crutcher, founder of Life Dynamics, a pro-life advocacy group based in Denton, Texas, who said he has been aware "since day one" that there is a darker spiritual side to the abortion industry that goes unseen.  "We've interviewed a few people here. It was about 1992 or 93, and we had a girl who came from Missouri and she claimed to be involved in the same sort of thing (that Zachary King talks about)," he said. "Women getting pregnant with the intent to kill their babies and women being told they could make themselves holy by offering up their baby as a sacrifice."
     This woman described situations where they would extract babies and do spells and satanic rituals.
The woman also told Crutcher that one of the things they tell women in the counseling sessions is, "You make your baby holy like Jesus, because he shed his blood for you to make your life better, and your baby can shed his blood for you, too."  More of the counterfeit blood atonement!
     The WND article is a litany of some of the most bizarre and evil rituals and sacraments to satan that I have ever read.  It's hard to imagine that women could be tempted to be involved in such savage sacrifices of their own children, or could become so deceived and separated from God.  But those, like Zachary King, who have come out of the occult and into the Light that is Jesus Christ, have a warning for us.
     Just as the abortion and homosexuality agendas have become incrementally acceptable in our society, so will satanism ... if we don't shout it from the rooftops!  Consider King's reasoning when he says, "At Yale last year, we had an attempted black mass. Then in Oklahoma we had an actual black mass... Now they're talking about establishing actual satanic churches out in the open... Everything satanic is coming out in the open, they're not denying it anymore. They're not hiding it in the basement and out in the woods anymore," King said. "It's just out in the open like everything else."
     And if you doubt that it is as pervasive as King alleges, or that satanism is a vital and growing religion, or that when we fight against abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood, we are fighting a spiritual war, just listen to what Father Pavone of Priests for Life says:  "Abortion has never been merely, or even primarily, a political issue. It is a false religion," he writes. "When pro-life Christians, for example, pray in front of an abortion mill, it is not simply a matter of pro-life people opposing false medicine. It is the True Church in conflict with a false Church. One former clinic security guard, after being converted, admitted why he was angry at pro-life sidewalk counselors: 'You were coming to protest in front of our church. That clinic was where we conducted our worship.'"
      If you have made it through this article, then I am assuming you are at least open to the idea that satan is heavily involved in the abortion agenda.  This blog post is hard to get through, and there is more detailed testimony from Zachary King, on this website, should you desire to investigate.  But the thing I want us all to take away from this monstrous and evil situation is that we must get in the spiritual battle.  I don't know if it is too late for God to forgive us ... we have let over 55 million babies serve as blood sacrifices to satan -- whether it was an overt ritual or under the pretense of "healthcare for women", as PP CEO Richards likes to assert.
     But I cannot deny the truth.  We failed those babies.  We failed to stand in the gap for them; and we let abortion become tolerated and allowed in our Christian nation.  Now the curtain has been pulled aside.  Whether it is the "parts for profit" agenda of Planned Parenthood, or the blood ritual sacrifices of satanists, we can no longer contradict what is before us.  We must defeat satan in his plan to destroy God's creations -- both in the spiritual realm and in this physical sphere.  Pray that abortion clinics will be shut down; lobby your elected officials to de-fund Planned Parenthood; ask Heaven's army of angels to surround and protect the unborn in the womb; and be bold in speaking out about the destructive and evil practices of abortion.  Let evil no longer hide behind socially acceptable labels.  Abortion is not healthcare for women; and as creations of God, we do not have the right to kill what He has created within us.  It is time to get in this spiritual battle, before anymore unborn babies are sacrificed.

Leviticus 20:3    "I myself will set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make My sanctuary unclean and to profane My holy name."











   




     

The Millennial Generation: Is Their Narcissism Good For the Workplace?

Today's blog post was generated after watching "CBS Sunday Morning" this week, and a segment on the Millennial generation.  I guess I'm no different than my parents before me, or their parents before them ... but I find myself asking "What's going on with this generation of kids"? 

     Every generation must face the fears about their future.  A common concern is the question, "What is the state of the U.S. economy, and will I be able to establish a firm foundation for the rest of my life?"  None have been more apprehensive than what we call "The Millennial Generation".  Of course, the natural tendency for us older Americans is to compare this generation with our own.
     My parent's generation was "The Greatest Generation", which gave birth to my generation, "The Baby-Boomers".  The offspring of my generation is called "The Millennials," because they will come of age during the new millennium.  
     Born between the years of 1981 and 2000, they now constitute 75,000,000 in numbers, and one out of every three workers in the U.S.  So how is this generation affecting the American workplace?  I think you will get a clear picture when I give you this quote from Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University:  "We know from looking at narcissism scores among college students from the 1980s to recent surveys, this generation does score higher on narcissism... from 1 out of 8, [it has grown] to 1 out of 3."

     That should concern us because the definition of narcissism is self-love, self-admiration, self-absorption, self-obsession, conceit, self-centeredness, self-regard, egotism, egoism.  Let's just say modesty is not a part of their vocabulary.  In fact, after decades of studying self-assessments by millions of the Millennialists in which they reported how accomplished, how motivated, and how special they consider themselves, Professor Twenge wrote a book on them entitled, Generation Me.
     That seems to say it all, doesn't it?  Furthermore, one of her research papers reveals that "Millennials in the workplace are defined by... the combination of not wanting to work hard, but still wanting more money and status...".  As Twenge explains, this latest generation is seeing and facing a more competitive and challenging job market than previous generations.  The problem is they haven't been prepared, perhaps because they received so much praise growing up and they got a trophy just for showing up at sporting events.  As Twenge accurately comments, "Unfortunately, the workplace doesn't work that way.  You have to do so much more than just show up."
     The scary thing is that the question now becomes, "Are they going to adapt to the workforce, or is the workforce going to adapt to them?"  Professor Twenge says the answer to that question will shape the future of the U.S. economy.  And sadly, I'm afraid that the forecast for our future may not be as bright as it should be.
     Mind you, I am not seeking to condemn all Millennials, but from what I have seen, far too many of them have an "entitlement" attitude.  If the work gets a little too hard, or they get bored, or it just isn't something they "want" to do ... they quit.  Or I have also seen that they will do the job assigned to them, but no more or no less -- and then they want a raise and a promotion.  One member of the Millennial generation was at least honest in her assessment of her peer group:  "The need for praise is absolute.  That is a big issue in our generation.  We don't particularly respond well to criticism, and we absolutely want praise immediately."  Do the words spoiled, overindulged, and bratty come to mind?
     Yet her honesty was also right on target when she said that the explosion of internet technology had done her generation no favors.  "The internet culture is part of the problem... you put a picture up on Facebook, you want to be in double, triple "Likes" within the hour.  If you put a picture up on Facebook, and no one likes it, you feel as though you failed.  This instant-gratification cycle that we've gotten into has developed into a bit of a problem in the workforce."  But she also credits a certain amount of "delusional narcissism" as necessary if you want to be a successful and creative entrepreneur.
     While I will admit that confidence in yourself is a great trait in the workplace, what happened to those workers who are willing to be the first one on the job, and the last one to go home?  Those who do more than is asked of them? Or those who are grateful to have a job, instead of always expecting more to be handed to them, or to be accommodated and catered to?
     I especially find it interesting that of those Millennial workers that seemed super-motivated during the CBS program, they all seemed to be children of immigrants.  The workers of Asian or Middle Eastern ethnicity had a different attitude about them; as though they thrived on the competition and challenges of proving themselves --- instead of workers who are multi-generational Americans and are the products of easier, more comfortable, and less demanding life-styles.   
     In the end, what does this mean for the American workplace and the future of the U.S. economy?  Does our DNA still contain the elements of motivation, single-handed determination, and the drive to succeed?  Or have we spawned a generation of pampered, spoon-fed kids with their hand out and no will to go beyond the minimal effort?  If so, I'm afraid that we will continue to see our economy surpassed by those countries who are willing to put their nose to the grindstone and give more than expected of them, and who are willing to be patient for their gratification and rewards.  Unless they can find it within themselves to put their employer first, in hopes that their hard work will pay off in the future, I'm afraid Millennials will find themselves living in their parents' basements, dreaming of the next job and their instant reward.  I know I'm going to sound old-fashioned, but narcissism is no replacement for a good work ethic.  I can hear my father now....

Proverbs 27:18    "Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who guards his master will be honored."


     
       

The Constitution and Sharia Law

     Over the past week, much has made in the media about comments by GOP Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson concerning a Muslim running for President of the United States.  So that we are clear on exactly what he said, I would like to reprint the exchange between Carson and Meet The Press host, Chuck Todd...

TODD: Let me wrap this up by finally dealing with what's been going on [with] Donald Trump, and a deal with a questioner that claimed that the president was Muslim. Let me ask you the question this way: Should a president's faith matter? Should your faith matter to voters?

CARSON: Well, I guess it depends on what that faith is. If it's inconsistent with the values and principles of America, then of course it should matter. But if it fits within the realm of America and consistent with the Constitution, no problem.

CHUCK TODD: So do you believe that Islam is consistent with the Constitution?

DR. BEN CARSON: No, I don't, I do not.

CHUCK TODD: So you--

DR. BEN CARSON: I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.

      Now, I'm sure if Dr. Carson could have that moment back, he would have elaborated on his answer, or explained it in more depth, as he has attempted to do in ensuing interviews.  As he has spelled out in the last few days, he would have no problem with a Muslim President, as long as the candidate denounces Sharia law.  And, I for one, believe that is what he meant by a potential candidate's faith being consistent with the values and principles of America.
     But that is precisely why he is still under fire ... and I have to agree with him.  From everything I have read about Sharia Law, it is not compatible with the fundamental principles of ruling our behavior in this country -- let alone being in harmony with the Constitution.  And I think that a lot of the backlash Dr. Carson has suffered is because either the Elite and the Media don't comprehend the consequences of Sharia Law in this nation -- or they understand it quite well, but are adhering to the same old tolerant, politically correct playbook.  Either way, I fear that they are misguided.
     But you don't have to take my word for it.  You can read the words of Dr. Tawfik Hamid, a Doctor of Internal Medicine with a master's degree in cognitive psychology and educational techniques.  According to his own biography, Hamid was a member of a radical Islamic organization, Jamaa Islameia JI (of Egypt), with Dr. Ayman Al-Zawaherri, who later became the second in command of Al-Qaeda. After being radicalized in the JI (approximately thirty-five years ago), he had an awakening of his human conscience, recognized the threat of Radical Islam, and started to teach modern peaceful interpretations of classical Islamic core texts.
     Make no mistake, Hamid is still a Muslim, but he wrote this in an article regarding Dr. Ben Carson's warning about Sharia Law:  “I can state unequivocally that Dr. Carson is correct. Without a single exception, the approved Islamic literature teaches violent principles such as killing apostates, beating women, killing gays, and enslaving female war prisoners for sexual purposes.”

     So does Sharia Law look like, sound like, or resemble the Constitution in any form or matter?  I think not.  Our Constitution was written with specific goals in mind:  to form a more perfect union of the peoples of this nation; to establish justice for all;  to ensure domestic tranquility; to provide for the common defense; to promote the general welfare; and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and future generations.
     From all I can ascertain, Islamic (Shariah) Law was made to protect five things: (religion, self, mind, offspring, and property), which the Koran says are the main rights of humans in this life.  But it  is the "violent principles" of Sharia Law that Dr. Hamid says are taught in order to protect these rights that are not only "necessary rules of the religion" [of Islam], but "fly in the face of the Constitution".
     And besides considering both Hamid and Dr. Carson's comments, one must examine the facts in a  World Net Daily article:  There are now an estimated 3 million Muslims residing in the United States as citizens or with permanent legal status, and more than 250,000 new Muslim residents enter the U.S. per year as refugees, on work visas and student-based visas, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. (And that doesn't include the recent push for additional Middle Eastern refugees urged by the President and the UN).  
    The WND article also included a May 2015 poll by The Center For Security Policy that revealed the following:  a majority (51%) agreed that “Muslims in America should have the choice of being governed according to shariah.”  When that question was put to the broader U.S. population, the overwhelming majority held that shariah should not displace the U.S. Constitution (86% to 2%).
     In addition, the article showed that more than half (51%) of U.S. Muslims polled also believe either that they should have the choice of American or shariah courts, or that they should have their own tribunals to apply shariah. Only 39% of those polled said that Muslims in the U.S. should be subject to American courts.  Even more troubling, is the fact that nearly a quarter of the Muslims polled believed that, “It is legitimate to use violence to punish those who give offense to Islam by, for example, portraying the prophet Mohammed.”
     So, why all the outrage and condemnation over Dr. Carson's comments?  You may not agree with him, or like his non-political and honest answer.  But can anyone legitimately say that there is no foundation for his concerns?  Where are the ardent feminists and those who celebrate the Supreme Court's recent ruling on gay marriage -- especially, when sharia law in Yemen, Saudia Arabia, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Somalia, Iraq and Iran approve the death penalty for homosexuals, and women are subjugated citizens? Do they really think they will get an "Americanized" version of Sharia Law in this country?
     And why aren't those who always scream about "separation of Church and State" agreeing with Dr. Carson?  If they are being intellectually honest, it seems to me they must admit that Sharia Law would be a far more oppressive influence on our culture and society than Christianity.  Would these folks protest the restrictions that Sharia Law wants to impose on our society as much as they object to a nativity scene on the public square?
     During a Fox News video poll regarding the Constitution and Sharia Law, the most common answer given by American Muslims was the following:  “The Sharia law is made by God — by Allah; the Constitution was made by people.”  In case you don't get the implications of that statement, I believe those that wish Sharia Law to be above our Constitution would like to see it not only supersede our founding document, but replace it.
     Now, I happen to believe that our founding documents were greatly influenced by Christian-Judeo beliefs and principles, and Sharia Law is in direct conflict with the freedoms of both my faith and my country’s governing laws.  Apparently Dr. Ben Carson feels the same way, and it is refreshing and crucial that men like him have the courage to stand up and defend Christianity and the Constitution.
     All we have to do is look at Europe to see what the metamorphosis of our nation might look like.  Now is not the time for political correctness and compromise.  I say, "Bravo" to Dr. Carson for single-handedly standing for the uniqueness and sovereignty of our nation.  May God continue to give him the courage to be bold and speak the truth!

1 Timothy 2:16   "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God."

   
   

Pieces Are Being Moved On The Cosmic Chess Board

     Having trouble making sense of the players in the Middle East and how it all might align with End Times prophecy?  Don't worry ... I am, too.  To be honest, I have never felt that I needed to position everything I was seeing with the puzzling timeline offered by Scripture.  It's not that I think I will be raptured and it will be of no consequence to me -- (I happen to think that we Christians will be needed on earth, for a time, to offer words of hope, encouragement, and endurance during the battles leading up to God's wrath against the wicked) --- it's just that I have always figured that God will clearly reveal those times and His instructions for His people, when it is necessary.
     That being said, it's hard to ignore some of the major world events we are seeing before our eyes.  And it's really hard to look at them through Western eyes.  We, in America, tend to forget that the Bible's inspired writers and prophets were Middle Eastern, and we try to translate and understand their epistles and letters through the lens of today's Western experience.  So, I'm not here to say that I have any unique insight into what's happening around the globe; and I probably have more questions than answers.  But I thought we should at least look at what's in the news and be aware of how events can impact us in the present, as well as their End Times implications.

      For me, right now, it's all about Russia and what is really going on between the world's superpowers in the Middle East.  It's all over the news that Russia has deployed a small, but consequential military force into Syria, which may have the potential of changing the dynamic in that war-torn country.  It has been four years since the start of the Syrian civil war, with U.S.-backed rebel forces fighting against Syrian President Bashar Assad and his faithful Syrian army.  The sectarian war has created a breakdown in authority, providing the opportunity for ISIS to get a foothold and begin building their caliphate.  Russia has said that they want to assist Syria in fighting ISIS, and that is their primary objective in coming to Syria's aid.
     But, as always, when global powers begin making military moves, there is more to the story.  From what I can gather, there is a history of a Russia/Syrian alliance, back to the 1970s when Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad, aligned with Moscow.  In fact, Syria is among the last proxies, or representatives, of the Russian political influence in the Middle East.  Interestingly enough, that puts Russia on the same side as Iran, who also provides military aid and guidance to Assad through their proxy, Hezbollah.  Apparently, Vladimir Putin was getting a little concerned that Iran was having too much influence in Syria, hence the show of military force.
     There are also those who surmise that Russia's escalating presence in the Middle East might forecast a threat to Western interests; or on the other hand, provide valuable intelligence and military aid in fighting Islamic jihad.  Either way, Russia gives themselves a way to bargain for Western and European concessions in regards to Ukraine and economic sanctions.
     But what I find even more interesting than the Russia/Assad vs. US/Syrian rebels chess match, is that Russia appears to be partnering with China in forming a coalition to take the fight to ISIS in the Middle East.  One news source reported, "according to a senior officer in the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) that is stationed inside the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, Chinese military personnel and aerial assets are scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks (6 weeks) to the port-city of Tartous."

     Add to this news the suggestion that Turkey was waiting in the wings to take advantage of Syria's civil war, (before Russia and China showed up), and you have the makings of the major players in both the Ezekiel 38 war and "the army of the Kings of the East" mentioned in Revelation, Chapters 9 and 16.
     Can I make all the puzzle pieces fit nicely to form a clear picture of End Times events?  No.  But there is enough going on that my spiritual radar is up.  And it just seems as if the world is careening towards, if not an apocalyptic alignment of a one-world government, economic, and religious system, then at least an Armageddon-style conflict that will result in the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies of an emerging New World Order and Anti-Christ kingdom.
     Of course no one, least of all me, has any proof that any of this will happen, or that it is Biblical.  But, as we are called to watch and stay awake, I think it is incumbent upon us to pay attention to these events that are quickening our spirits.  So, listen carefully to the words of Vladimir Putin, as he appears before the UN General Assembly today.  See if you can hear the prophetic words of Scripture in his speech.  And then remember --- all these world powers are jockeying for position; for winner-take-all in the sweepstakes that is the Middle East.  But we know that there are really only two players in the game ... the devil and God.  We are living out a cosmic chess match that has already been won in the spiritual realm.  All that remains is for our KING to be crowned!

Luke 21:36    "But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."




   

Psalm 78: What We Need To Learn

Listen, O my people, to my law [teaching];

Incline your ears to the words of my mouth [and be willing to learn]... tell to the generation to come the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, And [tell of] His great might and power and the wonderful works that He has done... 

And not be like their fathers—A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart to know and follow God, And whose spirit was not faithful to God...

Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouths

And lied to Him with their tongues...

For they provoked Him to [righteous] anger with their high places [devoted to idol worship]

And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images [by denying Him the love, worship, and obedience that is rightfully and uniquely His]... 

     A couple Sundays ago, my husband and I attended a new Sunday School class at a new church a few miles from our home.  We weren't interested in joining a church or necessarily wanting to hear a sermon, but we are always interested in meeting with new groups of Christians who are desiring to gain more knowledge about the God we serve through deep dives into the Bible.  So, we thought we'd see if we could add another group to our growing circle of committed Christians.  

     This group was beginning a new year-long commitment to studying the entire Bible in depth and were just beginning Exodus, so we thought maybe we could integrate easily into the discussion.  The first week went great; there were members of the class who, like us, are interested in knowing more about the Hebrew roots of our faith, and were open to new and diverse opinions on Scripture, as long as we all stayed aligned with God's Truth.  

     I say everything went fine until the second week we attended.  The teacher brought in Jonathan Cahn's presentation on The Harbingers: Isaiah 9:10, admitting that it might be controversial to some in the class, but he felt it was worthy of discussion.  The class was attentive, and when the film finished, we began our discussion.  Naturally, coincidences were noted between what the prophet Isaiah foretold about the decline/judgment of ancient Israel [due to their arrogance] and what has befallen this country after 9/11 and our leaders speaking the very same arrogant words.  

     One class member boldly and angrily denounced not only the film, but our interest in anything that had to do with Israel.  He exclaimed, "We are not Israel!  The Church and Israel have nothing in common, and we should not be concerned with Israel or the Old Testament!"  Of course, being a Peace-Loving Warrior (which is the literal meaning of his name), my husband gently, but firmly, disagreed with the gentleman.  He pointed out that we are not only grafted into Israel, but our futures are inextricably tied together, as anyone who has read Romans, Chapters 9-11 will understand.  

    But the gentleman refused to listen, becoming ever more angry.  I recount this incident to you because it came to mind as I began reading the next section of my own walk through the Bible.  I am now in the middle of Psalms, and as I read Psalm 78, my heart was saddened to realize that this man from the Sunday School class would probably never read this prophetic Scripture: and therefore never consider how it speaks to us, the Church, and the nation today.

     I have chosen just a few verses out of the 72 verses of Psalm 78, and I would highly recommend that you read the entire rendition of this important psalm.  In it, you will see the heart and character of God.  It is both a historic depiction of Israel's relationship with YHWH, but also a great testimony of God's continued guidance in spite of unbelief --- something that gives me hope in the midst of our own national sins.  

    It speaks of the works of God:  His protection during the crossing of the Red Sea; His leadership in the wilderness by cloud and pillar of fire; His provision of life-saving water and the giving of manna, the bread of life; He cast out the pagans before them in the Promised Land and gave them the land as their inheritance; His choice of the tribe of Judah to be pre-eminent, and Jerusalem as His Holy city and sanctuary.  

     But Psalm 78 also speaks of the disobedience and unbelief of His chosen people and the consequences of their sins:  they were stubborn and rebellious, and their spirits were not steadfast with God; they forgot His works and the wonders He had shown them; they did not forsake their lust for foreign idols and gods; they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and built altars to these foreign gods.  So God delivered His people into captivity, and yielded His glory into the enemy's hand. 

     But the Psalm does not record the destruction of Israel.  It also speaks of God's integrity and character, and how He always provides a path for His people to return.  How I pray He will show us the path back to Him!

     So, I have to ask ... how can anyone read this entire Psalm and not see that it speaks to both ancient Israel and to us today?  How can anyone discount the Old Testament, which is God's covenant with the roots of our faith?  Besides, Jesus appears on every page of the first half of the Bible -- not just in the New Testament!

     Psalm 78 speaks of so many things:  God's mercy and the unfaithfulness of Israel; God's provision and the Israelite's ungratefulness; God's anger and Israel's redemption; God's Sovereignty and His discipline.  In 72 short verses we see His wonders and miracles on behalf of His people; His strength and glory; His ability to send them into captivity, and His power to deliver them from the hand's of the enemy.  We see His ultimate redemption through the tribe of Judah and the establishment of His sanctuary on Mount Zion, in Jerusalem.  And like I said, the presence of Yeshua, the Messiah, runs throughout this amazing Psalm!

    So, I would say this to the angry gentleman in the Sunday School class:  I think it is important for us to study ancient Israel and to acknowledge their importance to our Christian faith.  It is through their history, and how God deals with them, that we get a real good picture of who He is --- His character; His righteousness; His Sovereignty; and His Truth.  He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  So don't you think we can learn something from how God and Israel [with whom we are grafted in] interacted?  

     Because, you see, I sorrow over how my nation has followed the same path as Israel, and forgotten the ways of the Lord.  He has every right to discipline us as He did His chosen people.  But I trust in Him, and have hope that we may yet turn from our wicked ways and embrace Him once more.  Oh, how I pray that He will have mercy on us, and yet deliver us, and redeem us!

The Lord's Feasts: Feast of Tabernacles

     Monday evening at sundown will begin the Lord's Feast of Tabernacles.  This is the final Fall Feast of the Lord's prophetic appointed times, and it designates the Lord's appearance when He tabernacles with us in the Millennial Kingdom.  To begin, let's take a look at how God instituted this Feast.

     Five days after the Day of Atonement, and for seven days, the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, as established in Leviticus 23:33-36.  For ancient Israel, it was a time of rejoicing at the end of the fall harvest.  We are commanded to rejoice and celebrate during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) for the blessing of God’s provision and care in our lives.  For the ancient Israelites, it was one of the three Feasts in which they were commanded to come to the Temple in Jerusalem, so they traveled from near and far, living in tents (or booths) during the seven days of the Feast.  We will see that the commandment to come up to Jerusalem has prophetic significance for us, as well.  Today, modern Jews still erect temporary shelters and reside in them for seven days, as they look forward to the appearance of their Messiah.
    The Old Testament significance is that God wanted the Israelites to celebrate the fact that He was in their presence.  He had dwelt among them in the tabernacle in the wilderness, and He had been their shelter, their refuge for them in the wilderness. For us Christians, the New Testament significance is that the Feast of Tabernacles represents the Lord’s shelter in the world to come, when He will dwell with us during His Millennial Reign.
    I just love the history and tradition of the Lord's Feasts, and the Feast of Tabernacles is full of spiritual import.  It was a time of great rejoicing following the mourning and repenting of The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The Rabbis of old referred to it as “the holiday”. It was one of the three holidays in which all Jewish males were required to go to Jerusalem and appear before the Temple of God; therefore streams of people would come from surrounding cities and foreign countries to celebrate. The goal was to arrive by the afternoon of Tishri 14 (according to the Hebrew calendar), allowing enough time to build a booth to celebrate the feast. During Tabernacles the people brought their tithes and offerings to the Temple because you were not to appear empty-handed.  Three ceremonies marked the next seven days of joy and celebration, and they all point to Jesus as the Messiah and our Savior.
     The first ceremony was called the Water Libation Ceremony.  Remember that Israel was an agricultural community and depended heavily on their harvests to survive.  Therefore, rainfall was extremely important.  The rainfall in Israel and Jerusalem is about 20 inches per year, with most of it falling in November – March.  (On average, we get about 38 inches per year in my part of Texas).  Without a sufficient amount of rain, the crops would not survive and the nation of Israel would be in dire straits.
     And here is where the spiritual aspect begins to overlay the physical reality ... The people were very much aware of their dependence on God for the rains (and water) that were so vital for the preservation of life.  Each morning of the Feast, the High Priest would take a golden pitcher and exit the Water-Gate, making his way to the Pool of Siloam and fill up the pitcher.  There would be a great procession of music and worshippers that accompanied him.  He would return, via the Water-gate, to the Court of Priests where the Altar was located.  As he entered, three blasts of the silver trumpets sounded from the Temple.  The priest would then say, “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).
     Keeping in mind that water represented life, in terms of an abundant harvest, consider the meaning of what Jesus said, when after his entry into Jerusalem, He taught in the Temple:  “Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).  Here is the continual pouring out of Living Water that was so important to Israel’s survival … physically and spiritually!

    The next ceremony that was celebrated is the Temple Lighting Ceremony.  This ceremony was held on the evening of the first day of the Feast, when the people would crowd into the Court of Women; a barrier separating men from women being raised. In the center of the Court of Women stood four huge menorahs to light the courtyard.  The wicks for these menorahs were old priestly garments.  (It would be a Holy Fire!) Young men would climb ladders 50 feet tall to light the bowls filled with olive oil.  This celebration was repeated each night for the next six nights, as the lighting of the Temple reminded people of how God's Shekinah glory had once filled His Temple. 

     On the last night of the Fire Ceremony in the Temple, the people recall the manifestation of God's physical presence with them as He led them in the Pillar of Fire through the wilderness.   They also remembered the promise that He would send the "Anointed One", the Messiah, who will be a "Light" to His people, and who will lead them to be a "light" to the nations of the world.

     And here's what the Israelites did not understand (and where God is so amazing in His revelations):  Jesus was in Jerusalem, celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, and teaching in the Temple.  The people did not understand that, in the person of Jesus, God's glory was once again present in that Temple! And Jesus used this celebration to announce that very fact. 

     He was teaching in the Court of Women just after the Feast of Tabernacles, perhaps standing right next to those magnificent candelabras when He declared to all who were gathered there, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).

     The final ceremony of the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles is called the Hoshanah Rabbah Ceremony; also known as "The Great Salvation".  This ceremony occurred on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  It represented the final day of the Fall harvest for the Israelites.  Today, the significance for the Jews is that it will represent the time when Israel, as a nation, has repented and Yeshua returns to the earth.  They will have declared, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!”  For the world, it is also a picture of the celebration of the gathering in of the final harvest of souls in God’s Plan.  

     If the Feast of Tabernacles represents the Millennial Reign of Christ (when He dwells on earth for 1,000 years), then this final day of the Feast is the end of that reign -- when the final harvest of souls is celebrated, and final judgment will be delivered at the Great White Throne.  There is much rejoicing on this last day, as the harvest of souls is completed.

     As our home church gathers together to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, I am in awe of God as He reveals His Sovereignty throughout the ages.  He established external and physical significance to this Feast for the ancient Israelites, and offers internal and spiritual meaning and hope for all those looking for the presence of the Messiah in their lives. 

      We will come together for a joyous meal and review both the historical and eschatological implications of the Feast of Trumpets.  We will read Scripture, and recite a prayer, honoring God's Feasts, His Holy Days:  Blessed art You, LORD our God, Master of the universe, who has given to us holidays, customs, and seasons of happiness for the glory of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, the Light of the world. 

      We will hold up a glass of wine, reciting together:  Blessed art You, LORD our God, Master of the universe, Creator of the true fruit of the vine.  You have prepared a table for me in the midst of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.   We will then eat of the unleavened bread, declaring together:  Blessed art You, LORD our God, Master of the universe, who gives us the Living Bread from Heaven.

     We will then eat, rejoice, and commune together as we celebrate the time when the Lord returns, and the survivors from all the nations will go up, year after year, to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and God dwelling with us (Zechariah 14:16).  My spirit is telling me that this day is in the not so distant future.  Until then, let us declare together, Next Year in Jerusalem!

There is so much history, tradition, and spiritual significance to this Holy Feast Day, that it is impossible to contain it all in one blog posting.  But I hope this has given you enough insight that you will want to research it yourself, and gain the blessings that come from celebrating the Lord's Feasts.

John 1:14    "And the Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

#ShoutYourAbortion Campaign

   

     Twitter's latest social media craze has been launched in protest of the US House of Representatives vote to cut funding for Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest women's health care services provider.  Apparently there are tens of thousands of women who wish to publicly disclaim the stigma and shame that is associated with abortion.
     They cite various reasons -- convenience, immaturity, being too young, not being in a "good place", no support system -- as to why they have no regrets over ending the lives of the babies growing inside them.  They want those of us who are Pro-Life and view abortion as a sin and murder to know that they are comfortable with their decisions and feel it is a woman's right to choose what she does to her body.  But is it her right to take that choice away from her unborn child?
     Obviously, the Planned Parenthood videos have sparked a controversy that finds women taking sides on this emotional issue.  For perhaps the first time since Roe v. Wade, the facade of the abortion industry (and that's what it is -- a lucrative business) have been unveiled.  The Gosnell trial revealed the horror behind late-term abortions and nightmarish "abortion mills", but that was looked upon as an anomaly.  Organizations like Planned Parenthood were still seen as providing necessary "services" to the modern woman.  Until those videos, that is.  All of a sudden, it became clear that it wasn't just tissue being vacuumed out of 55 million wombs, it was babies!
      The tide of public opinion was beginning to affect the national dialogue about abortion, and some women decided they needed to encourage women to reclaim that conversation.  Amelia Bonow shared her own story on Facebook along with the hashtag, ShoutYourAbortion, and since then, thousands of women across the globe have detailed their experience(s).   Another of the organizers of this campaign, Lindy West, stated that she was tired of whispering about her abortion; that she realised that, even among her pro-choice friends, she never, ever talked about her abortion. She joined Bonow in launching the #ShoutYourAbortion campaign because, "We need to chip away at stigma, at lies, at the climate of shame."
     Apparently others felt the same, as the campaign's Twitter and Facebook pages went viral.  Comments included the following:  "Honestly, my abortion at 20 was one of the first responsible, non-self-destructive, grown-a** choices I ever made" ... "I was 20, in school and my birth control failed. I did not want a child. It was the right choice and I've never regretted it" ... "To say choosing to have an abortion was the hardest decision I've made would be to lie. It was easy. Tears but no regrets" ...  and what I think is the most narcissistic comment I've ever read:  "I've had 2 abortions. I don't have to justify or explain them to anybody. My life is more valuable than a potential life."  Some commenters even remarked that they were sobbing over being shed of the guilt and shame, and were so grateful that they could "come out of the closet", so to speak, and were so happy that they could finally "shout about their abortions".
     It's all summed up in this evil comment from an article in an alleged medical ethics journal:  "… Although fetuses and newborns are not persons, they are potential persons … If a potential person, like a fetus or a newborn, does not become an actual person, like you and us, then … there is no harm at all … The alleged right of (fetuses and newborns) to develop their potentiality … is over-ridden by the interests of actual people (parents, family, society) to pursue their own well-being."

     But, as always, there are two sides to every conversation, and there is some sobbing going on among those women who have a different view of the abortions they experienced.  #ShoutYourAbortion-Regret gave women who mourned their abortions the opportunity to tell their side of the issue.  They, too, have spent many years in silence, not even daring to whisper of the physical pain and emotional trauma that abortion heaped upon them.
      Their stories are eerily similar;  the screaming of their consciences that the procedure was wrong, but they listened to the lies of the nurses and doctors that told them they would soon be rid of "it" and back to their old selves.  It makes me wonder how many of the 55 million moms who aborted their babies share the feelings of this woman:  February 19th, 1994 will be a day I will never forget … the day I had my abortion and selfishly took my child’s life. I was not ready to be a mother and I thought I would disappoint my family, so I chose to end my child's life.
     This was the day that chained me to silence, and began a LONG and PAINFUL road of emotional roller-coasters, ‪self-destruction‬, alcohol use to numb the emotional pain, shame, guilt, and anger, just to mention a few of the “side-effects” of my abortion. The abortion clinic workers never warned me about the certain destruction of ‪Post-Abortive‬ ‪Trauma‬.
     I remember being emotionally numb, stuffing my fears and doubts as far away in my mind as I could, so I could get through the “procedure”.
     The workers at the clinic told me: “It’s just a mass of tissue, nothing to worry about” (LIE #1); “This will be a fairly quick procedure, you will feel a little bit of discomfort, but when it’s done, you won’t have to worry about “IT” anymore” (LIE #2); “It’s OK! You’re almost all back to normal now” (LIE #3). A decision made, based all on a woman’s right to choose and masked by a series of LIES! I left the clinic that day with a sense of relief “it” was done, not knowing the pain that lie ahead.
     There you have it --- For the first time since I can remember, the issue of abortion is being put under a glaring spotlight.  The layers are being peeled away and the mask has come off.  It is so much more that the "right" of a woman.  It is destroying a life, and just because there are women that want to shout it from the rooftops so they can develop a sisterhood and feel vindicated, it doesn't wash away the sin and its effects.  This #ShoutYourAbortion campaign has only served to spotlight the self-absorbed, egocentric personalities of women who are celebrating killing their child as a false sense of emancipation.  There will come a day when they must face the truth about what they've done, and I pray that they will repent and seek forgiveness from the One who Created them.  But to flaunt their deed as if it was some sort of badge of self-empowerment is to diminish the eternal consequences of their actions.

Deuteronomy 27:25      Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.  And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
     
   

What Is The Purpose Of The Pope's Visit?

     I need to begin this blog by making it clear that it is not my intention to offend or wound those of the Catholic faith.  Indeed, I am not questioning your faith or belief in God... that is something that we share.  But if you read this blog with any amount of regularity, then you know that I am disparaged of the shape that Jesus's Church is in ... and that includes all churches, including the Catholic Church.  And not being a Catholic, I do not invest allegiance or loyalty to the Pope as my intercessor.  I do not judge those who do; I simply follow a different path.  I choose to adhere to the commands and voice of my Lord through His Holy Word in the Bible.

     Now, that I've made my position clear, I want to address my initial opinion of this Pope's historic visit to the U.S.  Pope Francis, perhaps far more than any of his predecessors, is seen as "the people's Pope".  He seems to have a foot in both worlds; gently admonishing the Church to not be silent in the face of humanity's issues, such as hunger, poverty, terrorism, abortion, and the immigrants that he refers to as "pilgrims".  In fact, he has made economic justice and social equality a hallmark of his Papacy, as well as climate change.  He has also stood strong for the institutions of family and marriage, along with calls for tolerance and non-discrimination.
     But here is what concerns me... Those throughout our cultural and social fabric are looking to him to help solidify their political agendas.  Forgive me for being so bold but, to me, it cheapens one's declared faith in God.  While announcing that Francis's visit is calling attention to, and unifying the faithful throughout this nation and the world, from what I've seen so far, the Elite are using the Pope's visit to further their own political and social motives.
    It was quite obvious in the President's welcoming address; he correctly lavished praise on the Pope for the excitement that 70 million Catholics in this nation are experiencing due to his visit.  But if you read the transcript of his speech, you can see religious homilies like mercy, grace and compassion used to subtly inject his political agenda on immigration; racial discrimination; diplomacy versus war; Christians versus Muslims; saving our planet; and of course, his ever-present campaign slogan of hope.
     The Pope, himself, did not shy away from interjecting his own worldly motives for this trip; among them "building a just and vastly ordered society" and "sustainable and integrated development".  He also found it encouraging that the President is proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution.  Isn't this a rather odd testimony for a Pope?  Does anyone else think that the Pope sounds like a representative for the United Nations and Agenda 21?
     But perhaps it was the political pundits on the news outlets that were the most astonishing, among them, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who best exemplified the real and underlying message from this historic visit.  RFK was particularly proud that he shares the name of Francis with the Pope (as did his father), because the historic Saint Francis broke with the Church hierarchy over their fixation on orthodoxy and ideology.  He was quick to point out that this resulted in a creed that "all of us have access to God, particularly the poor".
     He went on to say, "This Pope has taken the focus away from the orthodoxy and ideology, and from the narrow concern of personal morality, and opened it up to say the Church must become more concerned with these larger issues -- war and peace, poverty, inequalities in our economic order and above all, with pollution -- and that is the sin that we need to focus on today."
     WOW!  Did you get that?  Pollution is now a sin?!? Have you read that anywhere in the Bible?  Oh, I forgot ... It is quite obvious to me that it is the "orthodoxy and ideology" of the Bible that RFK wishes this Francis to break.  But to me and millions of Christians worldwide, that "orthodoxy" is God's Truth.
      It is also apparent that the Elite find those who look to the "orthodoxy" of the Bible for their moral views to be narrow-minded and intolerant.  All I can think of is Jesus's admonition in Matthew 7:13-14:  Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.
     So, now personal morality is to be seen as narrow-minded and of less concern than climate change?  Apparently so, if you consider RFK's next statement:  "I hope that the Pope will emphasize global climate change as a moral issue; as a sin.  It is our obligation to future generations, and to put moral parameters on our behavior [regarding how we treat the planet]".  Excuse me?!?  Climate change as a moral issue?  Moral parameters on how we treat the planet?  How about abortion and transgenderism and pedophilia among the priesthood as moral issues; and shouldn't we be setting moral parameters on that behavior???
     It is obvious from comments by Kennedy and others that there is hope the Pope will influence public policy in our country during his visit.  Here's one statement to prove this point:  "Should the Pope influence policy -- after all, he speaks for 70 million Catholics in this country -- he will be a good role model.  The U.S. is the most powerful nation in the world, and we have a special obligation to the rest of the world to treat people fairly and model behaviors that are moral behaviors, like forcing the economy to serve humanity."  (Oops! There's re-distribution of wealth!) Once again I'd like to point out that our behavior regarding abortion, the destruction of the Biblical family, the criticism of Biblical marriage, and the promotion of transgenderism have been far from moral, although these Elite have championed them all.
     I heard statements such as this, regarding the Pope's visit and his address to Congress: that we should "focus on global warming to the welfare of all human beings on the planet."  What about the welfare of the 55 million babies we are responsible for aborting?  Shouldn't we address that issue before tackling global warming?  And, then there is the controversial decision by the Pope to give priests the discretion to grant absolution to women who have had an abortion.   I realize that this is an issue that will naturally put me at odds with Catholics... but I believe that a woman will have to go to God to receive forgiveness for the murder of God's creation; no man can do that in His place.  So I sincerely believe that any attempt to connect this Papal decision to God's Jubilee Year and the forgiveness of debts is misguided; and me and my faithful Catholic friends will just have to agree to disagree.
    Finally, I think it was Robert F. Kennedy's final words that struck me as so paradoxical.  He said we should "quit looking at those things that divide us and look at what unifies us".  I suspect that he was suggesting that we should just compromise on the moral issues that are dividing the Church and society in America --- issues like same-sex marriage; and the ability to choose your own sexual identity; and even the issue of whether radical Islam is a threat to humanity -- give up the narrow way and get on the bandwagon with a global and ecumenical movement.  Except, this is how I see it:  it is precisely because we did quit looking at these things [that divided us and separated us from God] that we are in the mess we're in.
       I'm sorry, but I am not looking to any man -- and that includes the Pope -- to give me counsel or hope in my eternal future.  And when I see religious world leaders aligning themselves with political world leaders and organizations, it only confirms what the Holy Spirit reveals to me [in my spirit] and through the Bible... the time is nearing when men's hearts will fail them because false prophets and leaders have deceived them and led the world astray.  Now is the time to know what you believe and in Whom you believe.  Be careful to choose your path wisely ... do not enter the wide gate of worldly tolerance and compromise.  Yes, it's true that the narrow path and gate are more difficult to enter -- and the world will condemn you for the stand you take -- but your eternal rewards will surpass any and all benefits that the New World Order promises from unity with their "ordered society".  It will be interesting to see what transpires from this historic Papal visit, and how it aligns with a Biblical worldview.  May God continue to stand with the faithful and give us courage and strength to endure!

1 John 5:4    "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."

     

The Slender Man Trial: What We're Missing

     It may not be the media's Top Story, but the trial of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, two 12-year-olds from Waukesha, Wisconsin, should be a warning for every parent.  If you will remember, they are the two adolescent girls accused of luring their friend into the woods and stabbing her 19 times, in their admitted attempts to please Slender Man, the latest dark entity to take possession of the imaginations (and deeds) of our youth.  The victim, thankfully, survived and crawled out of those dark woods to be rescued by a passing bicyclist.

     The reason this trial has received attention from the press is not because it is a question of innocence or guilt -- the girls have admitted doing the crime, and show no remorse.  The attention comes from an appeal to have the case tried in juvenile court, where the girls could receive a maximum sentence of 5 years for the crime; or in adult court, where the trial is currently scheduled, and the girls could receive a maximum sentence of 65 years.

    Of course, the question of a plea of insanity seems the natural path for the defense attorneys, although apparently the evidence points to a "well planned-out and thought-out crime."  But here's what I think everyone is missing ... the primary focus should not be on the trial and the change of venue or court.  Why is no one taking a good, hard look at who these girls were trying to please, and why?  I think the Police Chief of Waukesha got it right when he said, "This should be a wake-up call for all parents.  The Internet has changed the way we live. It is full of information and wonderful sites that teach and entertain. The Internet can also be full of dark and wicked things."  And that brings us to Slender Man.

    Who is he?  Slender Man appears to have been introduced to the internet world on an online forum contest asking for "fake" supernatural photographs—images so convincing that they would pass as the real thing in other online paranormal forums. Eric Knudsen submitted two black-and-white photos of an impossibly tall, thin and faceless creature stalking children.  

     The legend of Slender Man morphed and grew as people contributed to his story, writing fan fiction and creating their own forged photos in a kind of modern-day, tech-fueled folklore. Dressed in a black suit, Slender Man has black tentacles protruding from his back. He can stretch his arms to inhuman lengths and is often pictured lurking in leafless forests or behind unsuspecting children. Legend says he can cause memory loss, coughing fits (referred to as “slendersickness) and a litany of paranoid behaviors. He can remove your organs, impale you on a tree or stalk you slowly and drive you to madness. Slender Man is now a facsimile of the Puritan devil: He is everywhere, every day, a specter of our anxieties about raising children in a world where technology reigns and the lines between reality and fantasy grow dimmer.

     But is he fantasy?  News sources such as ABC News, The Christian Science Monitor, and legal experts on Fox News, all refer to him as "a fictional character".  In fact, the Fox News TV host suggested that Geyser and Weier were hypnotized by this "strange fictional character that we know has produced this strange weird following (among young adults)."  She then went on to report that one doctor who examined them said one of the girls had a very early form of schizophrenia.  And as I have studied spiritual warfare over the last year, I have come to understand that as being a demonic spirit of "double-mindedness".  

    People who suffer from schizophrenia, or double-mindedness, will be unstable in nearly every area of their lives, never having any peace about who they are or what they can (or have to) accomplish.  For those who say that Christians need not be worried about this, let me remind you that James said that a double-minded person is unstable in all his ways -- and he was speaking to the saints (James 1:8)! 

     So what does this have to do with two 12-year-old girls in Wisconsin and their abnormal obsession with Slender Man?  Apparently the girls found him on the internet and believed he was real, offering themselves as "proxies", or representatives, thereby proving to skeptics their dedication to him and his existence.  They wanted to prove themselves worthy to him, and to do that, they would have to kill someone.  Naturally, this makes everyone from the news media, to the legal profession, to the average citizen question the mental state of these girls.  It should!

     But why is no one willing to accept the possibility that Slender Man could be a clever innovation of the devil to invite our impressionable young people into a world of delusion, mind control, and absolute evil?  Do you doubt that the Enemy can infiltrate our technology, or that the internet is a viable and practical tool for him?  When these young girls -- or anyone, for that matter -- open themselves to the suggestions of evil entities, they invite the devil in.  And that's exactly where I think Slender Man gained his foothold.  Remember the online forum contest that invited people to submit their creepy paranormal inventions?  That was an open door invitation for Satan to enter the internet sphere and begin to lure young and impressionable minds.  

     But he doesn't just send a spirit of double-mindedness on its own.  He couples it with spirits of rejection and rebellion to attract young people who are misfits or particularly subject to such emotions.  At the core of the rebellious personality is the root of bitterness and repressed anger and stubbornness. 

     Still doubt that the girls could have invited demonic spirits into their subconscious?  When questioned by police, the girls expressed regret mixed with cold-blooded intent. “I believe it’s ending a life, and I regret it,” Weier said about the attack. “The bad part of me wanted her to die; the good part of me wanted her to live.”  Sounds like double-mindedness to me.  

     When Geyser was asked what she was trying to do when she stabbed [the victim] Geyser stated, ‘I may as well just say it. Kill her.’”  She then told police she was sorry, adding, “It was weird that I didn’t feel remorse.”  When you are controlled by the devil, remorse isn't exactly a character trait.  Unfortunately, I'm afraid that our inability to identify this crime, and many others, as the result of demonic influence will cripple our understanding of who and what we are fighting.  To prove my point, here is a statement by Frank Ochberg, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Michigan State University and leading expert on violence and trauma:  “We are intrigued by the oddity, the horror, the irony of little girls doing terrible things. It doesn’t go with the age or gender."  That's because it is not of this world, or anything that our human brains can comprehend!  Trying to understand demonic oppression and influence through the lens of childhood and adolescent development will never help us deter these kinds of wicked events.

     Until we wake up to the overwhelming opportunities we have given the devil to insinuate himself into our lives --- to pervade, penetrate, and permeate our minds and emotions, if you will -- then we will never recognize the truth of the threat we are placing ourselves and our children under.  You may think Slender Man doesn't exist; that he's not flesh and bone, and that he is simply make-believe.  But he may very well be the manifestation of a demonic force from the spiritual realm, and when your child stumbles upon him on the internet, you better pray that they don't click that mouse and invite him in.

Thanks to a Newsweek article that provided the concise and explicit facts of this crime.

1 John 4:1   "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."