A Clear Misunderstanding Of Biblical Charity

     You know that I don't like to engage in partisan politics, and prefer to look at our current political situation through the larger lens of Biblical significance.  But when a particular candidate chooses to misuse the Bible and its teachings to further his political agenda, then I feel warranted to point out where he is mistaken.
     Such is the case of Republican candidate and Ohio Governor John Kasich.   I'm not here to debate his conservative credentials, but to point out that he is wrong in equating Government entitlement programs to Biblical charity, or caring for the poor.
     In recent weeks, Kasich has been coming under fire for defending the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare in his state.  Here's how that works:  Medicaid was originally enacted as a safety net to provide health coverage for poor mothers and children.  But the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Obamacare allowing individual states -- at their discretion -- to expand that coverage to cover able-bodied, working-age adults.  Federal funds will cover the costs of new enrollees, but that funding will start scaling back in 2017.  Moreover, states are on the hook for administrative costs for signing up the new enrollees, whose numbers have far exceeded estimates.  And that's not taking into account all the illegal immigrants we are expecting in the coming months and years!  So, just where do you think these federal funds and administrative costs are going to come from?  You guessed it!  We, the working American people, will be taxed into forced charity!
     But here is how Kasich personally justifies that it is our Biblical duty to accept the expansion of Medicaid and other entitlement programs for the poor (and the not-so-poor that take advantage of the system):  “When I get to the pearly gates, I’m going to have an answer for what I’ve done for the poor.”  And he wants you to be forced  to do your charitable part.

    But is that the way the Bible tells us to take care of the poor?  I submit to you that it is not.  The Greek word in the Bible for charity, or alms-giving, is eleémosuné, and it means "compassion, as exercised towards the poor; beneficence."  Jesus is referring to this form of charity in His parable of the sheep and goats (in Matthew 25), where He teaches us that when we see someone hungry, and we give food to that person; or see someone thirsty, and we offer them water, then we are doing the will of God, and caring for the poor and needy as God desires us to do.
     Also, the Apostle John asks what good is it if a man claims to have faith, but has no deeds.  The way in which we care for the needy is a reflection of our love for Christ and is evidence of our salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.
     But John Kasich says we have it all wrong!  In fact, he offered to buy Bibles for those of us who might disagree with his position that expanding Medicaid is how we should care for the poor.  He seems to intimate that being a Christian means that you should support the government forcibly confiscating the tax money of other people to help the poor.  I would like to ask Mr. Kasich to consider that perhaps he is the one who misunderstands the teachings of the Bible.
     Doesn't the Good Book tell us that it is the individual person’s responsibility to help the poor?  Aren't we encouraged to give, not only out of our own pocket, put as our hearts lead us -- not as the government mandates? As Jesus noted in Matthew 25, it is one of the Christian’s highest responsibilities to give freely and voluntarily out of our own means -- and spirits -- to help the poor.
     I mean, for goodness's sake, if Mr. Kasich would take the time to really read his Bible, he would see that Paul gave Timothy detailed instructions for caring for widows in the church, complete with what type of women should be included on the list and warnings about what could happen if charity was given improperly (1 Timothy 5:3-16).  Paul warns against those widows who would take advantage of charity by being self-indulgent and undeserving.  If they had family that could help support them, then the church was not obligated to automatically supply charity; or if they were under 60 years of age, they weren't necessarily entitled to receiving charity because younger widows could easily "learn to be idlers" under an indiscriminate charity program.
     Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that, if we are to call ourselves Christian, we are called to help the poor, the widows, and the orphans.  My disagreement with Kasich's definition of charity in no way is to be taken as an excuse for abdicating our responsibilities as followers of Christ.  We are to give to those who are truly in need of our assistance, according to our means; and that is something that you need to discern with the help of the Holy Spirit.
     But for politicians to be condescending towards us, and have the audacity to lecture us on our Christian duties, is nothing less than insulting.  To try to shame us into accepting un-Biblical political positions is offensive.  They are no less guilty of being like the Pharisees, who twisted the Scriptures to propagate their political party, to promote a social movement, and to disseminate a particular school of thought in order to rule the people.
     In that vein, John Kasich tells us he wants to buy Bibles for his critics in order to silence them.  Perhaps he should read just what the Bible says about the Pharisees in Matthew 23:1-4:  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.  They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger."  Enough said!

2 Timothy 2:15    "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth."
   
 

2 Timothy 2:3-4

You therefore must endure hardship 

as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  

No one engaged in warfare entangles himself 

with the affairs of this life, [so] that he may please Him 

who enlisted him as a soldier.     

In the vein of previous blogs on Spiritual Warfare, I would like to present you with a sample of correspondence between a Christian soldier and his Commander-in-Chief.  Whenever you think you are too weak, or not equipped to be in the battle, or are unproductive, read this.  There are none of us too small in God's army to take the fight to the Enemy!  And when the battle becomes heated and we are exhausted and ready to fall, remember that we serve a King with inexhaustible power to sustain us.  

TO:  Jesus Christ, Commander-in-Chief, Spiritual Armed Forces

RE:  Request for Transfer

Dear Lord:

I am writing this to You to request a transfer to a desk job. I herewith present my reasons:

I began my career as a private, but because of the intensity of the battle, You have quickly moved me up in the ranks. You have made me an officer and given me a tremendous amount of responsibility. 

There are many soldiers and recruits under my charge. I am constantly being called upon to dispense wisdom, make judgments, and find solutions to complex problems. You have placed me in a position to function as an officer, when in my heart I know I have only the skills of a private. I realize that you have promised to supply all I would need for the battle. But Sir, I must present You a realistic picture of my equipment.

My uniform, once so crisp and starched, is now stained with the tears and blood of those I have tried to assist. The soles of my boots are cracked and worn from the miles I have walked trying to enlist and encourage the instructed troops. My weapons are marred, tarnished and chipped from constant battle against the enemy. Even the Book of Regulations I was issued has been torn and tattered from endlessuse. The words are now smeared.

You have promised You would be with me throughout, but when the noise of the battle is so loud and the confusion is so great, I can neither see nor hear You. I feel so alone. I'm tired. I'm discouraged. I have Battle Fatigue. I would never ask you for a discharge. I love being in Your service. But I humbly request a demotion and transfer. I'll file papers or clean latrines.

Just get me out of the battle -- please, Sir.

Your Faithful, but tired soldier.

Shortly thereafter, the soldier received this letter from his High Command:

TO:                  Faithful, but Tired Soldier, Spiritual Armed Forces

LOCATION:  The Battlefield

RE:                  The Transfer

Dear Soldier:

Your request for transfer has been denied. I herewith present My reasons:

You are needed in this battle. I have selected you, and I will keep My Word to supply your need. You do not need a demotion and transfer. (You'd never cut it on latrine duty.) You need a period of "R and R" -- Renewal and Rekindling. I am setting aside a place on the battlefield that is insulated from all sound and fully protected from the enemy. I will meet you there and I will give you rest. I will remove your old equipment and "make all things new."

You have been wounded in the battle, My soldier. Your wounds are not visible, but you have received grave internal injuries. You need to be healed. I will heal you. You have been weakened in the battle. You need to be strengthened. I will strengthen you and be your strength. I will instill in you confidence and ability. My Words will rekindle within you a renewed love, zeal and enthusiasm. Report to Me tattered and empty. I will refill you.

Compassionately,

Your Commander-in-Chief,

Jesus Christ

'My People Perish For Lack of Knowledge'

     There has certainly been enough news across the airwaves lately to keep us all excited and stimulated ... Russian airstrikes in Syria; the Russian/Iran/China partnership; upheaval in our political process; warnings of a global economic collapse, just to name a few.
     Yet, the conversations I am hearing from people around me, and through this blog, are not as concerned about these admittedly frightening prospects.  Instead of concentrating on praying for our nation and world leaders, I am receiving requests to pray for individuals who are being overwhelmed with confusing and distressing spiritual attacks.  Let me rephrase that ... Christians are in much need of spiritual knowledge because they have been ineffective in fighting the Enemy.  In fact, they often don't recognize the true nature of their burdens and why they feel under siege.
     So, what comes to my mind, is a word that the Lord spoke to the prophet Hosea... My people perish for lack of knowledge.  For a long time, I felt that this Scripture referred to the absence of genuine Bible study among avowed Christians; that we lacked understanding and comprehension of the Bible as a whole.  But I now think that this verse is directing us to a specific knowledge that we lack, and therefore it is contributing to our perishing.

     So what is this particular, or specific, knowledge that we don't have, but desperately need to possess?  Does it have anything to do with the countless number of Christians who are suffering psychologically and emotionally?  Is there something lacking in our understanding of how the Kingdom of God works, and how we are to practice our faith?
     First, let's start with this question:  what is your understanding of the Kingdom of God?  Christians have a hard time expressing the meaning of this important theological term.  One of the best explanations I have seen is the following:  The Kingdom of God embraces all created intelligence, both in heaven and earth that are willingly subject to the Lord and are in fellowship with Him. The Kingdom of God is, therefore, universal in that it includes created angels and men. It is eternal, as God is eternal, and it is spiritual—found within all born-again believers. We enter the Kingdom of God when we are born again, and we are then part of that kingdom for eternity. It is a relationship "born of the spirit" (John 3:5), and we have confident assurance that it is so because the Spirit bears witness with our spirits (Romans 8:16).
     Now, consider the Scripture where Jesus is opposed by the Pharisees because He has cast out demons from a blind and mute man (Matthew 12).  The Lord is accused of using the power of Satan to deliver the man of his demons.  And what does Jesus say?  "If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you."  It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that the demons were defeated!  And if we, as born-again Believers, are part of that same Kingdom of God, and are co-heirs with Christ, then we, too, can call on the power of the Holy Spirit to defeat the Enemy.
     But we are perishing because we do not possess, nor act, on that knowledge!  Instead, we fall victim to the demons, who are servants in Satan's kingdom here on earth.  The devil has given them his authority over our human activities; over cities, places and territories; over social organizations and groups; and they influence sinful behavior -- even in Christians.  But the faithful followers of Christ have no knowledge that by invoking the Name of Jesus, they've been given a greater authority in the Kingdom of God (by Jesus, Himself); and that they have the power of the Holy Spirit to command Satan's demons to leave them alone.
     I can't tell you how many young women I know who are suffering from long-ago and unspoken child molestation, which opened the door for Satan to assign a demon to harass them.  Through years of being silent and unaware of the authority and power they have in Jesus's Name, they have succumbed to Satan's temptations and attacks involving lustful activity, addictions to alcohol and drugs, attraction to the occult, and harmful self-inflicted wounds.... all to mask the pain and chaos that keeps them under the authority of Satan's demons.
     Other people have experienced bewildering bouts of depression and anxiety, or are subjected to debilitating attacks of worry and unfounded fear.  Still others have actually undergone physical attacks by nameless, faceless entities who keep them from operating in their full capacity as Christians.  If these Christians only possessed the knowledge that there is a war between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan -- and that we are participants, living in enemy territory --   they might seek ways to equip themselves for the fight.
     Jesus said, "As the Father sent me, so I send you" (John 20:21).  He then enlisted those of us who follow Him to join in His commitment to "proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed" (Luke 4:18).   Did you get that?  I am proclaiming that Christians DO NOT have to be held captive by Satanic attacks!  Just like Jesus did when He walked the earth, we need to fight Satan's kingdom, in the power of the Holy Spirit.  He has given us His Authority ("I send you"), and we are to fight, in obedience to Him and our Father.
     If all the afflicted persons I have mentioned had this knowledge, they would not be perishing.  That is why I feel it is so important for Christians to become educated on this topic.  Of course, one must be careful to seek out educational tools and ministers who practice deliverance in a Biblical manner.  There are always false teachers ready to lead us down an unScriptural path.
     Books by Derek Prince, John Eckhardt and Charles Kraft are all superior in their teachings on spiritual deliverance.  Those who are suffering intense attacks should seek out a minister who is well-versed in Biblical deliverance ministry.  Pastor Jimmy Low of Harvest Church in Temple, TX; Pastor William Lau of the Elijah Challenge Ministry; and Dr. Erica Shepherd of the Integrated Healing Prayer Ministry come to mind.  I am sure there are other competent ministers, but I am hesitant to recommend anyone that I am not familiar with.
     But, for me, the bottom line is this, and the reason I wrote this blog today.... It is unnecessary for Christians to be living their lives in defeat.  Look around you.  How many Believers do you know who are suffering?  Maybe you are one of them.  Please educate yourself!  Learn what you need to know so that you can stop perishing, and become a vital, active part of the Kingdom of God.  I read a quote once, and it makes so much sense... "The fight is real.  The victory of Christ on the Cross and His resurrection is final, but not yet fully realized.  Evil continues to exercise its limited, yet significant power until Christ returns in His glory."  And so we must stay in the fight, freeing people from the Enemy's attacks, in the power of Jesus.  We are Christians.  We have been chosen and blessed to be on the winning side.  It's time to fight back!

Luke 10:17     The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”


     

A House Divided

     I recently ran across an archived article from Hillsdale College, written by its President, Larry P. Arnn.  Hillsdale is a Liberal Arts College, founded on two principles: academic excellence and institutional independence. The College does not accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies for any of its operations.
     Hillsdale is an exceptional institution of learning as one can attest by reading its mission statement:  Founded in 1844 by men and women “grateful to God for the inestimable blessings” resulting from civil and religious liberty and “believing that the diffusion of learning is essential to the perpetuity of these blessings", it pursues the stated object of the founders: “to furnish all persons who wish, irrespective of nation, color, or sex, a literary and scientific education” [that is] outstanding among American colleges “and to combine with this such moral and social instruction as will best develop the minds and improve the hearts of its pupils.”
     The College considers itself a trustee of modern man’s intellectual and spiritual inheritance from the Judeo-Christian faith and Greco-Roman culture, a heritage finding its clearest expression in the American experiment of self-government under law.  Hillsdale College prepares students to become leaders worthy of that legacy, and by publicly defending that legacy, it enlists the aid of other friends of free civilization and thus secures the conditions of its own survival and independence.
     As you can see, this College seeks to teach this nation's founding principles of freedom, self-government, and the pursuit of virtuous leadership -- without relying on partisan funding.  Needless to say, its goals are not shared by too many other college across the land.
     But it was the December 2012 interview with Hillsdale's President Arnn that sparked some interesting historical comparisons of our nation's history.  The title of the article was Time To Give Up, Or Time To Fight On?  It was written right as the nation was coming to terms with the results of the 2012 Presidential election.  At the time, it was quite clear that the nation was becoming divided; especially in terms of political ideologies.  The gap between Conservative and Liberal, Right and Left, Socialist and Capitalist, Big-Government entitlement programs and Small-Government policies  never seemed greater.  The ensuing years have done nothing to alleviate that chasm.  (And now the latest news is that there seems to be a real fight within the Republican party to determine if the House of Representatives is going to really represent the people of America, or continue with "business as usual".)  Is it possible that we might actually be seeing the dawn of a new era, and a return to our true national roots as a republic?
     Yet the warning that President Arnn issued back in 2012 against those who might be looking to retreat from the political arena still holds true today.  He cautioned against those who might think we have passed the point of no return.  He pointed out then -- and it is ever more vital today -- "that the cost of [retreating] is overwhelming. If you don’t live under good laws, life becomes shortened and less happy, injustice becomes customary, civilization is compromised. And one cannot acquiesce to that. One has to be involved. And since politics is natural to us—man is essentially political, as Aristotle says—and since we do live in the greatest modern country—founded that way at least—we owe it a lot. And many of the people who have seen the republic through to where we are today have gone through things that are worse than this."
     Of course, we in modern Babylon -- we spoiled, soft, and selfish Americans in the 21st Century -- are likely to think that no one has had it as tough as us.  But if we could quit thinking about ourselves for just a moment and focus on the future of our nation, we might realize that we need to stay in the fight.
     Because it was what he said just a few short paragraphs later that has got me to thinking:  "The country is still a house divided against itself, and that’s dangerous. But it doesn’t mean that there’s been a resolution. It means, in fact, the opposite: there is not a resolution. That resolution still has to be made, and the making of it lies ahead of us, and not behind us."  He said that in 2012!  How much more relevant is it today, just three short years later?  We have seen new divisions that were merely hinted at when the last election was decided... division between the races; a division between the faithful and the secular; between Christians and Muslims; between the rich and poor; and a widening gap between the middle class and the elites.  But does it spell the end of the republic?  Are we past the point of no return?

     Surely, at the founding of this nation, the division between the independence-minded colonists and the ruling class in Britain spelled sure defeat for the growing American spirit.  And as Dr. Arnn points out, the crisis that President Lincoln faced definitely threatened to divide the nation and destroy it.  The nation had to decide between two polar opposite philosophies ... either slavery was the right direction to take the nation, or complete freedom for all men was the right path.  Lincoln clearly understood the Bible's warning that a house divided against itself, will be unable to stand.  So, which of these conflicting ideologies was violating America's principles?  A devastating war was fought to resolve that issue.  As Dr. Arnn writes, "There’s almost an exact parallel today, because the people who founded our country believed and wrote—and established a Constitution to provide—that there must never be unlimited rule by any man or group of men over other men. And our government is getting to a place where it threatens to become limitless."  Remember, that was written three years ago.
     So, I guess the question becomes this: will this generation of Americans [who face this century's threat against our inherent belief in individual rights and limited government], be up to the challenge or not?  Will we retreat and submit to what looks like an insurmountable opponent, or will we remember that this nation has survived other attempts by enemies, both physical and spiritual, to conquer and divide us?  And, perhaps an equally relevant question is, will our leadership rise to the occasion and the growing demand for change and accountability?  Will they even give us a reason to vote?
     I think we would do well to consider what Dr. Arnn proffers as a valuable historic lesson from Winston Churchill.  When Great Britain appeared to stand alone against the onslaught of Hitler's evil Nazi regime, Prime Minister Churchill still believed he could win.  In fact, he believed free men were morally obliged to believe they could defeat evil, and to go down fighting, if necessary.  Do we still "hold that truth to be self-evident" within our American DNA?  They did at Bunker Hill and Concord; and on the battlefields at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Shiloh, and Antietam.  Those Americans felt this republic was worth fighting for.  Now, we find ourselves on the world stage in our hour of crisis.  What will it be?  Retreat and let this nation further divide -- or fight to maintain our original purpose, and rely on the Providence of Almighty God to bring forth a worthy leader to keep this land a little longer for His Glory?  It's time to make your decision.
   

Psalm 77:11   "But then I recall all you have done, O LORD;  I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago."
   
   

Global Government Headed Your Way

     How many of you have heard of the "Strong Cities Network"?  Have any idea what it might be?  It sounds like something rather benign, doesn't it -- like a supportive group of interconnected towns for the greater benefit of all?  Well, let's step away from our normalcy bias and take a look at this program and how it might possibly lead to further loss of our God-given freedoms.
     As an excellent article on World Net Daily discloses, this signature program of the Obama administrative was unveiled at the United Nations at the end of last month.  The implied target of the Strong Cities Network is "violent extremism".
     Just one day before the mass murder in Roseburg, Oregon, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced to world leaders at the UN that the time has come for a more globalized and comprehensive effort to combat violent extremism. She said: “Until now, we have lacked that mechanism. We haven’t had the benefit of sustained or coordinated cooperation among the growing number of cities and municipalities that are confronting this ongoing challenge. Communities have too often been left isolated and alone. But through the Strong Cities Network that we have unveiled today, we are making the first systematic effort in history to bring together cities around the world to share experiences, to pool resources and to forge partnerships in order to build local cohesion and resilience on a global scale. Today we tell every city, every town and every community that has lost the flower of its youth to a sea of hatred – you are not alone. We stand together and we stand with you.”

     With New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio by Lynch's side, the pair were careful to stress that such "a global coalition of cities seeking to combat extremism and terrorism in all of its many forms would not profile Muslims."  But as the WND article pointed out, then who do they have in mind?  Shadram Hadian, a former Muslim and now a Christian Pastor, says it’s no coincidence that the project was launched at the United Nations.  "So who are they going to target when they talk about violent extremism?" asked Hadian, who grew up in Iran and now travels nationwide teaching churches and law enforcement about the dangers of Shariah law. “Well, if you look at their track record, it always seems to be that your violent extremists are your Christians, your veterans and your Second Amendment advocates.”  Wow!  That's a bold and courageous statement!
     Yet, the lack of media coverage in the U.S., and the obvious choice of the UN to unveil this program, certainly calls into question the explicit and precise motives of this global policing initiative.  As Paul McGuire, (a minister, author, and World News & End Times events expert) pointedly asks, "The question is Why?  This is massive because it’s such a contradiction to the Constitution, and there was no consultation with Congress, and they did a complete end-run around everything that our Constitution stands for."
     So we have to ask ourselves... are we seeing any signs of an agenda that seeks to identify other groups (besides Islamic jihadists) as extremists?  Both Hadian and McGuire suggest that the use of the term "violent extremism" is intended to "draw a moral equivalency among all religions, even though 99 percent of all religious-based violence in the world today involves Muslims killing non-Muslims."
     What concerns them (and should concern everyone of us) is the apparent attempt to 1)  negate Muslim radicals with violence in the U.S. and world;  2)  paint conservative, religious people as perpetrators of discriminatory violence,  and 3) at the same time ignore (or at least whitewash) the fact that Christians are increasingly becoming the targets of such violence.  We see any or all of these efforts in the "official" narratives of Roseburg, Oregon; Garland, Texas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Oklahoma City; Fort Hood, Texas; and the Boston Marathon.  In each of those attacks, Muslims or Muslim sympathizers were identified as the attackers, with their targets being innocent Christians, civilians or the military.  And we mustn't forget that it was black Christians who were the targets of the racist, anti-Christian Dylan Roof in Charleston, South Carolina.
      So, why push the narrative that "violent extremism" covers a broad spectrum of people?  According to John Whitehead, a constitutional lawyer, it serves a purpose .... global government.  Now, with the Strong Cities Network, U.S. cities will be cooperating and “sharing resources” with foreign governments around the world. Local police are already training with FBI, DHS and even the military.  This administration's new program lays the groundwork for them to train with foreign police units under the banner of the U.N.
     Among the first steps taken will be to merge some of the law-enforcement capacities within regions, with U.S. cops cooperating more closely with those of Mexico and Canada, Whitehead said. He warns, “They’re working to fuse them together, so local autonomy, local authority, will be diluted and eventually eliminated.  They’re already globalizing; technology demands it."

     And what should be a lightbulb moment for every American is the use of the terminology "U.S. and international standards".  McGuire points out that the U.N. will always pick a “politically correct” situation in which to intervene.  It will not intervene to stop the slaughter of Christians in the Middle East, but it will intervene to protect transgenders, Islam or perceived racial bias by police, as when U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for the protection of civil rights during the Ferguson uprising in August 2014 even as rioters were looting, turning over police cars and burning buildings.
     But it is McGuire's next words that should be the lightbulb moment for every Christian in America:  “I believe we are now reaching a tipping point that is going to happen very soon,” he said. “It could happen overnight and most likely after a crisis event. The U.N. is already in control of a great deal, but we are going to see the U.N. come out of the shadows and openly exercise its authority over the United States. They will still have some kind of illusion of the United States for the masses, but I believe the elites are ready to bring global government out of the closet, and we’re going to see a very radical, aggressive change. They want to do this by 2030, and in Paris they’re going to announce another round of sweeping changes (in November) and then you look at all the trigger points, the Syrian war, the international debt crisis, etcetera.”  To underscore this point, the WND article revealed that two dozen cities have signed up including Paris, London, Mumbai, Montreal, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver, Tunis, Oslo, Beirut and Palermo, among others.
     So, is McGuire alluding to the opening of the beginning Seals in Revelation 6?  It certainly seems as if he is describing a Conqueror, conflict on the earth, and crises that could cause massive famine and death.  And all we have to do is look at the chaos in Europe from the mass immigration and refugee crisis.  World leaders, along with the Pope, seem to be taking us to that tipping point that McGuire warns about.
     Perhaps you think that my concern regarding the Strong Cities Network is overblown and mischaracterized.  In response, I would like you to consider these words by global elitist Henry Kissinger in an address at a Bilderberg meeting in Evian, France, May 21, 1991, (as transcribed from a tape-recording made by one of the Swiss delegates):  “Today Americans would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if they were told there was an outside threat from beyond whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It is then that all peoples of the world will pledge with world leaders to deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well being granted to them by their world government.”
     In my Biblical worldview, this statement certainly seems to suggest what we are told in Revelation Chapters 6-11 --- that the disasters and wars and civil unrest described in this portentous Book of the Bible will be so devastating, and create such a monumental global crisis, that people will embrace anything and anyone who promises to give them relief.  Once entrenched in power, the beast (Antichrist) and the power behind him (Satan) will move to establish absolute control over all peoples of the earth to accomplish their true end, the worship Satan has been seeking ever since being thrown out of heaven.  And as national and world events are showing us, the devil knows his time is short.
     But this is not the time for us to give in to fear and despair.  We have a part to play in this End Times scenario ... and that is to endure and spread the Word that there is power in the saving blood of Christ; and to use our Authority in His Name to cast down Satan's evil plans.  Our natural state is to live in the freedom that was bought by our Savior's sacrifice.  Let us reveal our true identity to the world and point the path to deliverance from this chaotic world... the path to Jesus!

Revelation 13:7    "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."

Martyrs For Christ = Defeat For Satan

     I will be completely honest.  I pray for the strength to stand in opposition to Satan.  I do not want to love this life or this host body so much that I am willing to choose either over my testimony for Christ.  I'm sure every Christian in this country put themselves in the place of those faithful souls in Oregon who did not deny their Savior in favor of saving themselves.  I ask myself, "Could I have proclaimed my allegiance to Him when faced with certain death"?  Could you?

     And would I have had the courage to exercise my newfound discernment regarding spiritual warfare, and demanded, "In the Name of Jesus, [that the shooter] put down the gun and leave this room!"  Do I have the faith that I so boldly proclaim; and do I wholeheartedly believe in the Authority of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit to defeat such evil actions of God's enemy?  I do not want to be an empty vessel of false bravado.  I want my faith to be REAL and an AUTHENTIC weapon against the threats of the devil!
     But when I look in the mirror, is my profession of faith as sincere and genuine as that of the saints in the Middle East who are being martyred for refusing to convert to Islam?  Their stories are almost too difficult to read.  We hear of torture and beheadings and rapes and crucifixions... all because they are Christians who will not deny their faith.  The brutality seems unreal to our Western minds; as if we are reading some ancient text of uncivilized barbarians.  Yet, we must not turn away or refuse to acknowledge that 21st Century Christians are facing such opposition from Satan and his earthly soldiers.  We must prepare ourselves to share our "testimony" in our hour of need, because I fear it is coming faster than we think.
     We must not take lightly that the Oregon shooter was obsessed with Satan; or that he wished to "serve the darkness"; or that he stated that he "would be welcomed in hell and embraced by the devil."  He is no different than satan's workers in Syria who recently cut off the fingertips of a boy and severely beat him, telling his father they would stop the torture only if he, the father, returned to Islam."  The father was a ministry leader who had planted nine churches near their Syrian village, and when he refused, militants also tortured and beat him, and two other ministry workers. The three men and the boy then met their deaths in crucifixion.
    But their martyrdom is not an isolated case.  There are reports that nearly 11,000 people have been executed since June 2014.  And their stories are far too common ... villagers praying in the name of Jesus; others praying the Lord’s Prayer; others lifting their heads to commend their spirits to Jesus.  Many of the women are sold into sex slave markets, while the men are slaughtered in front of their families.  I know that sounds too diabolical to happen on our soil, but before last week could you have imagined a demon-filled man asking students in a classroom if they were Christian before shooting them in the head?
     I am not writing this blog post to sensationalize these atrocities. It is essential that we realize that Christianity is very near to being wiped out in Syria, and we must not be so naive as to think that satan will be satisfied with that single accomplishment.  He has many instruments at his disposal. Those who adhere to radical Islam and Shariah law are threatening not only the Middle East, but Europe, and our own country.   But he has also managed to infiltrate the minds of delusional people through drugs, music, and the occult.  And sadly, our culture chooses to remove the Ten Commandments from the public square, while allowing Satanic Temples equal access to "believers".
     So, while I am warning you that persecution is on the rise, and very likely coming to a neighborhood near you -- and sooner than you'd like to admit -- we are not to cower in a corner and hope it passes by us.   We have examples before us; not only the martyrs of the Bible, but modern-day saints who suffered so that they might glorify the name of Jesus.  There is power in their personal sacrifice and testimony ... Power to testify to the grace of God; the power of Christ that is made perfect in our weakness; and the power of Christ's blood that was shed for us that we, too, might rise again --- all signifying utter and complete and absolute defeat for Satan!
     Never for a moment think that he is winning.  We must look upon all opposition as an opportunity to stand and to glorify our Lord.  Satan may come to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ has come to give us eternal life and it is abundantly superior to anything that satan offers.  Now is the time for us to build a strong foundation of faith on which to stand in our hour of trial, knowing that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.  I have a feeling that when the moment comes, He will be holding our mortal bodies up and we will feel His arms around us, as our spirit returns Home.  That is not a day to fear.  Rather, we are to strain forward for what lies ahead, pressing towards our goal of eternal life with our Savior.  If martyrdom is the path I am to take, let me approach it with utter devotion to Christ and with the knowledge that Satan has met defeat.

Acts 7:55, 59:      But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God .... And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 
   

20th Century Genocide and Gun Control

     Once again, Americans who support our Second Amendment rights are getting a little nervous over recent comments by the President after the Oregon college murders.  Just what did he mean when he said that "other countries [like Great Britain and Australia] being able to craft laws that almost eliminate mass shootings."  I guess the "almost" was quite appropriate since one day after the Oregon shooting, an alleged 15-year-old gunman in Australia, described as “a radicalized youth of Middle Eastern decent,” shot and killed a New South Wales police civilian.  Once again, we see that strict gun control laws will never eliminate all gun deaths.
     But that wasn't the only warning we're receiving.  At a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirmed that President Obama is preparing a series of executive actions on gun control to match the stronger tone and passion of his post-Oregon news conference.  Earnest emphasized that gun control measures are a "high priority" for the White House, and “I can tell you that they’re not stumped, they’re continuing to review the law that’s on the books and continuing to consult with legal authorities, but also others, who may have ideas about what steps that can be taken to keep guns out of the hands of criminals."
     But we all know what that means ... stricter measures and steps to keep guns out of the hands of all citizens.  Yet I cannot understand why it is so difficult for those citizens who applaud more gun control to see where it inevitably leads.  Without the ability to defend ourselves against terrorists, criminals, or an out-of-control government, we are all potential victims of not only chaos and death, but full-blown genocide.  In case you think that I'm blowing things way out of proportion, I'd like you to consider the facts as presented by an organization called Jews For the Preservation of Firearm Ownership (JPFO).  As perhaps the most well-known victims of gun control measures that resulted in genocide, I think they have a salient argument.
     Their message is simple: "Disarmed people are neither free nor safe - they become the criminals' prey and the tyrants' playthings." When the civilians are defenseless and their government goes bad, however, thousands and millions of innocent people die.  In other words, when political power becomes too focused on control, the individual rights of a nation's citizens are endangered.  For that power to ultimately control the citizenry, the people must be disarmed.  To prove that point, here is a quick history lesson...

      •  From 1915-1917, the Ottoman Empire killed approximately 1 to 1.5 million Armenians (mostly Christians).  To accomplish this genocide Turkey enacted laws that required permits for gun ownership, which resulted in a Government list of owners, and an eventual ban on possessing firearms.
     •  From 1929-1945, the Soviet Union killed 20 million people; among them political opponents and whole farming communities.  Their gun laws included licensing of owners, a ban on possession, and severe penalties for disobeying gun laws.
     •  From 1933-1945, Nazi Germany killed political opponents, Jews, Gypsies, critics and those deemed "unsuitable" -- totaling nearly 20 million people.  Again, gun laws required registration and licensing; stricter handgun regulations; and finally, a ban on gun possession altogether.
     •  From 1927-1949, Nationalist China killed 10 million people, including political opponents and Army conscripts that defied them.  Their methods of gun control included a Government permit system and a ban on private ownership.
     •  From 1949-1976, Communist China was responsible for the deaths of 20-35 million people (the figure is hard to define due to the level of atrocities and inability to document missing persons -- they just simply disappeared).  Political opponents, enemies of the State, and complete rural populations were destroyed.  Red China instituted laws that resulted in prison or death to "counter-revolutionary criminals" and anyone resisting any government program.  There was also a death penalty for supplying guns to such "criminals".
     •  There was a purge in Guatemala from 1960-1981 of Mayan Indians and political enemies of the State.  Between 100-200,000 people were killed.  The government implemented a registration of guns and owners; high licensing fees for owning guns; a prohibition on carrying guns; a ban on guns and sharp tools; and ultimately, a confiscation of all guns.
     •  From 1971-1979 there were 300,000 people killed in Uganda -- mostly Christians and political enemies.  Through Firearms Ordinances and Acts, the government began a program to register all guns and owners; require licenses for transactions; issued warrantless searches; and you guessed it ... confiscated guns.
     •  From 1975-1979 the diabolical Khmer Rouge in Cambodia decimated 2,000,000 lives!  They wiped out educated people and their political enemies.  They accomplished this through requiring licenses for guns, owners, ammunition & transactions; requiring a photo ID with fingerprints on all citizens who owned guns; and requiring that licenses be inspected quarterly.
     •  And in 1994, 800,000 Tutsis were murdered in Rwanda.  Owners of guns had to register their weapons and ammunition.  They needed to provide a justifiable reason for owning a gun.  Concealable guns were outlawed; and of course, eventually all guns were confiscated.
     This is not, by any means, the complete list of genocide during the 20th Century.  There have been 7-10 million Ukrainians killed, and let's not forget the million or more in Bosnia and Serbia throughout the 20th Century.  But I believe that this approximate number of 90 million people gives ample reason to be concerned when governments begin talking about limiting gun ownership or "executing" stricter laws regarding the purchase and manufacture of guns.
     It is irrefutable in the above statistics -- these totalitarian governments murdered their own citizens; far more people were killed than by wars or common criminals.  And how could this happen?  Because the people were disarmed and unable to protect themselves.  The history is there, and is hard to ignore.
     I want to be clear ... I am not prepared to say that this is what our own government has in mind.  But when coupled with the above historical facts; the rush to global "gun control policies" by the United Nations; the soaring crime rates in other countries, such as Britain, after gun prohibition (sorry, Piers Morgan, but it is true!); and the increase in racist and religious attacks on citizens around the world.... well, it just seems downright foolish to think that more gun laws are going to inhibit violence.
     Personal self-defense is every single person's right.  I believe it is a God-given right.  Yes, we are told, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."  But, the Word also says there is a time to battle and defend yourself, a time to "Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior." (Joel 3:10)  Unfortunately, there is evil in this world, and we must be allowed to defend ourselves against it.  History has shown us that an unarmed citizenry is overrun by the evil, and restrictive gun laws were the overriding factor in Evil's victory.  I pray we do not become history's next victims.

Psalm 94:16    "Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers?"

 
   

When Morals Override Policy

     Let me give you a quote from our first President, George Washington.  It is a single sentence from his first Inaugural Address, given on April 30, 1789.  He said, "The foundations of our national policy will be laid in the pure and immutable (unchanging) principles of private morality, and the preeminence (superiority) of free government be exemplified by all the attributes which can win the affections of its citizens, and command the respect of the world."

SFC Charles Martland

     This quote is the basis on which I am declaring my support for Charles Martland. In case you do not know who he is, Sergeant 1st Class Charles Martland, is a member of the Green Beret Special Forces, who is being separated involuntarily from the U.S. Army for kicking and body slamming an Afghan police commander he describes as a “brutal child rapist.”
     According to Martland and other members of our U.S. forces, the apparent culture of [sexual] abuse has caused the Afghan population to view the Afghan Local Police (ALP) and the U.S. soldiers who back and train them, as worse than the Taliban – offering serious blowback to the already challenged U.S. mission in Afghanistan.
     According to an article in The New York Times, rampant sexual abuse of children by Afghan officers — otherwise known as “bacha bazi” or “boy play” — isn’t new. While some U.S. soldiers and Marines have specifically been told not to intervene, they have chosen to do so anyway in the face of potential disciplinary action.  Hence, we have the story of SFC Martland and former Captain Daniel Quinn, who were disciplined by the Army after they beat a powerful local police official who they concluded had been raping a small boy.  Such discipline is allegedly part of the unspoken requirement from the Chain of Command to ignore such activities among the local Afghan allies; you know .... "just look the other way because it’s their culture.”
     But let me quote SFC Martland's side of the story, and then you tell me if you could turn a blind eye and ear to such immoral acts.  Quinn and Martland were told by a young Afghan boy and his mother, through an Afghan interpreter, that the boy had been tied to a post at the home of Afghan Local Police commander Abdul Rahman and raped repeatedly for up to two weeks. When his mother tried to stop the attacks, they told the soldiers, Rahman’s brother beat her. Quinn says he verified the story with other ALP commanders from neighboring villages. Then they invited Rahman to the camp to discuss the allegations.
     “After the child rapist laughed it off and referenced that it was only a boy, Captain Quinn picked him up and threw him,” Martland writes. Martland then proceeded to “body slam him multiple times,” kick him in the rib cage, and put his foot on his neck. “I continued to body slam him and throw him for fifty meters until he was outside the camp,” Martland writes. “He was never knocked out, and he ran away from our camp.” The incident lasted no more than five minutes, he says.
     Quinn told CNN that they took the action they took because otherwise nothing would be done by the Army or local authorities. “The reason we weren’t able to step in with these local rape cases was we didn’t want to undermine the authority of the local government,” he said. “We were trying to build up the local government. Us acting after the local government fails to can certainly undermine their credibility.... Even when we patiently explained how serious the charge was, he kept laughing. As a man, as a father of a young boy myself at the time, I felt obliged to step in to prevent further repeat occurrences.”  And you must understand that these rapes are oftentimes occurring at U.S. military installations, making the locals look upon our troops as complicit.  It is not exactly the best way to develop an atmosphere of trust among the Afghani people.
     But it is the words of Marine Lance Cpl. Gregory Buckley Jr. in that New York Times article that are especially haunting.  Before he was gunned down in Helmland Province in 2012 by a 17-year-old Afghan ‘tea boy’ for a local police chief, Buckley told his father that at night he could hear Afghan officers sexually abusing young boys, but there was nothing he could do about it.  "At night we can hear them screaming... it made me sick to my stomach."
     Naturally, officials at the Pentagon deny that there are explicit orders to ignore the rape of children.  But they will also admit that policing the local population is not "the priority of their mission".  But I ask you, what are our soldiers expected to do?  In a written statement requested by House Armed Services Committee member, Representative Duncan Hunter, Martland stated, "While I understand that a military lawyer can say that I was legally wrong, we felt a moral obligation to act."
     And should that not be this man's primary duty?  A military without the "private morality" that this nation's first Commander-in-Chief extolled will become nothing less than a cold, heartless machine designed to wage war.  Obviously, by ignoring the abuse of these Afghan boys, we were not commanding the respect of the Afghan people --- and our soldiers could not respect themselves.
     I applaud the courage and the boldness of Sergeant 1st Class Charles Martland and Captain Daniel Quinn.  While the official military position is that they took the law into their own hands in the form of vigilantism, I prefer to look upon their actions as those of moral, righteous men.  The words of Anglo-Irish statesman and political theorist Edmund Burke have never been more appropriate ... "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."  Thank God that there are men like Martland and Quinn who exemplify this truth.

3 John 1:11    "Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God."

John 1:5

The light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness has not overcome it.

    I chose this Scripture today after having a long and detailed discussion with a Godly woman that I admire and trust.  She initially approached me after a Bible study I attended in which we are studying spiritual warfare.  The subject of deliverance has occasionally permeated our discussion group and several women had shared overcoming spiritual and demonic oppression through biblical deliverance sessions, and she wanted to know my opinion and about my experience in this sphere. 

     Our discussion covered a wide range of topics... from our personal testimonies; my experience with deliverance; to our shared frustration with what she called "Churchiology" and the limitations of denominational doctrine and religiosity; to our different opinions on the contributions of the heroes of the Reformation (she is a staunch Calvinist; I find such man-made doctrine to be stifling).  But after digesting our nearly four-hour conversation, I am left a little confused about one of the areas we covered.

     First let me say, that the bolder I get about discussing spiritual warfare and the ability of Satan and his demons to afflict the minds, emotions, will, and flesh of Christians, the more astonished I am at the response I get.  Most Christians have had it drummed into their heads that "Christians cannot be __________ by a demon."  

     So how did you fill in that blank?  Did you say "afflicted" or "oppressed"; what about "possessed"?  Let me make my position perfectly clear.  I believe that the spirit of a saved Christian cannot be possessed by a demon.  When you receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, then "God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6).  Our spirit resides with Jesus and we cannot be harmed by Satan.  However, while on earth, we still have a soul, which is our flesh, mind, emotions and will.  These areas of our life can be tormented and afflicted and oppressed by Satan and his demons.  That's why we are warned that Satan "prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8), and that he comes like "a thief to steal, kill and destroy" (John 10:10).

     So, back to what I started to say ... the bolder I get about proclaiming these truths, the more I hear from Christians who have experienced demonic attacks ... real physical attacks (a heavy presence on their chests keeping them down) or severe attacks of anxiety or depression; even to the point of hearing thoughts in their heads telling them that God's Word is a lie.  My friend was no exception.  She had suffered several times in her life as a Christian from what she knew were attacks from the dark side.  So let me just say that I have been astonished at the number of Christians who have come out of the shadows, so to speak and -- perhaps for the first time -- dared to speak up about their spiritual battles. 

     YET, (and this is what continues to amaze me) they still cannot see the merits of engaging in spiritual warfare, claiming their authority in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, and defeating those entities that are crippling their Christian walk.  I spent nearly four hours in deep discourse on our Christian sanctification and the process of living in victory in Christ; hearing about her personal struggles against the forces of Satan, and yet she insisted that we must not engage the darkness ... she insisted that we defeat the darkness by turning on the Light [that is Jesus].  Her premise (if my assumption is correct) rested on our need to persevere and endure until God relieves or delivers us from the darkness; that in this process (however long it takes) and by fervent prayer, He will lift us up out of our season of torment into the Light, and our relationship with Him is strengthened.

     I can agree with her on one fundamental principle ... it is not by our power or authority that we are delivered, but Christ's!  But I cannot agree that we are to take no action other than to pray and persevere; to wait on the Lord to deliver us.  I do not believe that we are to be passive Christians when attacked.  Christ instructed His Apostles and 70 other faceless, nameless Disciples to go out and in HIS NAME to preach the Gospel, cast out demons and heal the sick.  They were men, just like you and me, and He gave them the Authority and Power to defeat the Enemy's attacks.  

     Obviously, by their own admission, Christians are still under demonic attack.  Why are we not implementing the strategy given to us directly by Jesus?  He did not tell the Apostles and Disciples to pray away the demons; or to just hunker down and persevere and after a season, He would take away the torment.  He showed them, through His own actions, how to fight the spiritual war and then sent them out to do it!  Yes, He told them that sometimes they needed to accompany their spiritual strategy with prayer and fasting, but I do not believe He ever intended us to be silent in our suffering.  

     If I look at only my own small sphere of believing friends, the number of people who confess to demonic attacks has been astounding!  So what must the number be among Christians nationwide?  But if none of them know how to actively fight the Enemy in the name of Jesus, then no wonder the Church is so ineffective in living victorious lives or being able to witness to unbelievers and bring them into the Light of Jesus's saving grace!  Why would any suffering unbeliever turn to the Church for deliverance and freedom from satan's demonic attacks?  We can't even deliver ourselves!

     And in case you haven't noticed, the darkness is growing across our land.  But, at the same time, a remnant of God's chosen are discovering that through Jesus's Name, we have power and authority to battle the Enemy.  We are actively in the fight and reclaiming territory.  The darkness is not only being engaged in the spiritual realms, but it is being turned back to let the Light shine into lives that were once defeated and lost.  When we can show unbelievers the authority and power of Christ to fight and defeat their enemies, they are more open to the Light of the Gospel message.  Go back and read the Scriptures ... isn't that exactly what Jesus was doing?  

When Will We Face The Truth?

     First of all, let me say, that I grieve over the deaths of the students who were tragically killed on that college campus in Oregon.  No loss of life is ever justified in this manner, and we are just at the beginning of all the theories, conjectures, speculations and accusations.  The internet is abuzz with "information" on the shooter.  What is the real truth, and will we ever know all the facts surrounding the perpetrator, or why he did what he did.  Was it his seeming isolation coupled with his alleged involvement with magick and the occult?  Was it his purported interest in paramilitary groups like the IRA or ISIS?  Was he really a Christian-hater and/or a proponent of the Black Lives Matter group?  Or just like all the latest murderers who use a gun as their weapon, are we simply willing to lay his actions at the feet of "mental illness"?  I'm sorry, but all of these questions and suppositions just aren't lining up to give us a clear picture of who this killer was.
     Yet instead of trying to solve the mystery of how all these similar shootings committed by disgruntled, alienated malcontents are connected, we get another lecture chastising the American people and Congress for not pursuing stricter gun control laws.  Frankly, I am tired of this argument, and exhausted by the political posturing.  Guns, in this case (and the other mass shootings), are the choice of weapon that evil uses to create mayhem, chaos, and death.  In fact, the definition of a weapon is "a thing designed or used for inflicting bodily harm or physical damage; [and in this instance] a means of gaining an advantage in a conflict."  Why can't we ever get beyond the instrument of violence to focus on the slayer?
     And I'm not talking about the particular shooter or gunmen; I'm talking about the murderer who "has been since the beginning" (John 8:44), and who is behind every deluded person who picks up a gun thinking it will settle a score, give him notoriety, eliminate his enemies, or just because he hears "the voices in his head."  This murderer is the devil, and he is actually a thief ... the one who robs the shooter of the truth -- which is that the devil/murderer has only one objective: to steal, kill, and destroy humans.  And the shooter is simply his instrument.  The truth is that the shooter's murderous rampage will not silence his demons nor fill the emptiness inside.  It only serves to feed the devil's lust for power and his insatiable appetite to devour.
      As I have pointed out time and again, we must decide to quit looking at surface issues as a way of explaining away the growing evil that is coming upon the earth.  None of the things that the media or pop psychologists wish to suggest as the reasons why mass shootings are occurring is the root of this epidemic.  Yes, being a loner; social media; anger; feeling marginalized -- these are all elements that feed into a profile of a mass shooter.  But these men have listened to the lies of the Tempter; lies that suggest the world will appreciate their violent deeds and their names will be celebrated.
    The very fact that this shooter asked his victims to state whether they identified as Christians or not leaves no doubt in my mind that the devil is ramping up his agenda.  He is no longer being subtle or hiding his motives.  The shooter -- the devil's instrument of murder -- targeted, as his victims, those who believe in Jesus Christ.  They were shot point-blank in the head.  Those who didn't answer or said, "No" were shot in the leg.  What could be more apparent?  God's enemy destroys those who are loyal to Him.  Yet, that narrative is already beginning to fade from the media reports -- if it has been mentioned at all!  We can't have that piece of the puzzle out there front and center, now can we?  But a note left behind by the shooter clearly states his purpose: he would be "welcomed in Hell and embraced by the devil."  I hope he is enjoying his eternal damnation.
    In the meantime the news media and politicians will spend the next days, weeks, and months discussing how and why [or why not] stricter gun laws, or more regulations regarding the mentally ill will eliminate the next mass shooter.  But this should be a big warning flag for those of us who recognize Jesus as our Savior; we should be spiritually discerning that the devil is getting bolder and more confident in his attacks.  We should be spiritually preparing to resist the coming attacks, and above all else, be ready to declare our allegiance to God --- even unto death.  What courage it took for that second, third, fourth ... ninth student to identify themselves as belonging to Christ; to stand for Him in what was a certain and unavoidable death at the hands of the devil's proxy.  If there is any comfort at all in this tragedy, it is the steadfastness of faith displayed by these saints.  When my time comes, may I be as bold and unflinching as they.

1 John 3:8    "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."