Acts 4:18

So they sent for them, and commanded them not to speak 

[as His representatives] or teach at all in the name of Jesus [using Him as their authority].

    The other day I heard Russ Dizdar, ordained to the ministry by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1978, and now an outspoken advocate for Spiritual Warfare and Deliverance Ministry (among many other disciplines) say that the most powerful aspect of the Church (found in Acts, Chapter 4) has not been realized.  First of all, that's a pretty strong statement; and knowing his honest and direct appraisal of the modern Church, I just had to see exactly what he was talking about.

     The chapter begins with the arrest of Peter and John because they have been openly "teaching the people and proclaiming in [the case of] Jesus the resurrection of the dead."  You see, they were declaring the power of God to resurrect men from the dead, and had been exercising the authority given to them by Jesus (the Son of God) through the power of the Holy Spirit, and had healed a lame beggar.  And because of this attesting miracle of the power of the ascended Jesus, 5,000 men heard the message of salvation and accepted Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).  You can imagine how that upset the conventional religion of the day.  So, the Sanhedrin (the High Jewish Court) had them arrested, and on the next day, they convened the high priests of the Jewish people to interrogate Peter and John.

     Scripture says, "they repeatedly asked, "By what sort of power, or in what name [that is, by what kind of authority], did you do this [healing]?”  Peter wasted no time in making it very clear to the Church leaders exactly what happened:  "let it be known and clearly understood by all of you, and by all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you [demanded be] crucified [by the Romans and], whom God raised from the dead—in this name [that is, by the authority and power of Jesus] this man stands here before you in good health." (Acts 4:10).

     Now, the members of the Sanhedrin recognized that this miracle had been seen by thousands of people, so there was no denying it.  But they were unsettled about the threat this posed to their own authority.  So they asked, "What are we to do with these men?"  And they decided " to keep it from spreading further among the people and the nation, let us [sternly] warn them not to speak again to anyone in this name."  Acts 4:18 gives us their charge to Peter and John:  "So they sent for them, and commanded them not to speak [as His representatives] or teach at all in the name of Jesus [using Him as their authority]."

     But Peter and John knew that God had a purpose in these miracles, and that the power and authority of Jesus had been predestined to be passed on to mankind through the Holy Spirit, and they could not deny His will.  So they prayed, "And now, Lord, observe their threats [take them into account] and grant that Your bond-servants may declare Your message [of salvation] with great confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders (attesting miracles) take place through the name [and the authority and power] of Your holy Servant and Son Jesus.”  

     After reading this entire Chapter, I get what Russ Dizdar is saying.  The very same Church leadership that opposed Peter and John teaching the authority and power in the name of Jesus is at work today.  Church leaders, whom I respect and admire, are saying the same things that Annas and Caiaphas, the high priests, were saying in the First Century... "I don't think it's a good idea that you pursue this line of teaching."  But just like the high priests of old, instead of studying it themselves and praying about it, they are quick to pass judgment that it doesn't fit the accepted or mainstream religion of our day.  

     The religious leaders of yesterday (and today) should have listened to Peter and John!  Never did they claim that their actions and their results were by their own power.... it was ALWAYS in the name of Jesus Christ!  And so it is today.  Those of us who read the Scripture and take Jesus at His Word ... whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father... realize that the authority and power given to Peter and John, has also been given to us.  

     Jesus didn't say, "You Twelve who believe in me", or "You 70 that believe in me".  He said "Whoever believes in Me...".  If, as some are of the opinion, this power and authority was only meant for the Apostles, wouldn't He have made that distinction?  And to think well, that doesn't apply to us because we have Jesus now, doesn't make sense to me.  He was telling the Apostles that He would convey His power and authority to them (through the Holy Spirit) so they could do the works He had been doing because He was going to the Father.  We are in the exact same condition as those humble, simple men who followed Him.  He was no longer in their presence, and it was their faith in Him that precluded the transference of His Authority and Power to them through the Holy Spirit --the authority to pray to the Father, seeking His will; and the power to carry out His Divine purpose.  Just like those normal men, who became Apostles, we have heard the message of salvation, accepted Jesus as our Savior, received the Holy Spirit as our Guide and Counselor, and have access to that same power and authority they did after He went to the Father.  

     You see, nothing has really changed, except that we are not doing the works He did, and have therefore not done greater things.  In fact, we have allowed Satan and his minions to exercise their power and authority, and done nothing to stop them!  And, in my mind, Jesus must be frustrated to know that we have been given the Authority and the Power of the Father, just as He was, to carry out the Father's will, yet we don't use it!  Could Jesus step in and save every abused child or damaged marriage or evil intentions of man?  Absolutely!  But He gave us the authority and power to defeat the Enemy In His Name -- because it glorifies Him!!

     What has remained the same is the reluctance of religious leaders to examine His Word, and to realize that we have relinquished that power and authority He meant for us to use.  Russ Dizdar is right --- the most powerful aspect of the Church has not been fulfilled, and Satan has taken full advantage of it, as he operates unopposed and unchallenged.  It's time to take back our power and glorify our Savior!!

Halloween: The Veil Grows Thin

   

     So tonight is the controversial holiday, known as Halloween.  One can go online to search out whether Halloween is an acceptable holiday for Christians, or if it is really an evil day, celebrated by Satanists and occultists.  For each site you visit, I suspect you will find a different answer.
     There will be those sites who declare it to be a benign evening of "tricks and treats" for the youngsters, while others will warn of its demonic undertones.  There will be attempts to "Christianize" the holiday by offering Trunk-or-Treat events (popular among churches) to bring Halloween to parking lots where kids go from car to car and get candy.  There will be countless Fall Festivals innocently celebrated, and there will be people who simply don't care, accurately saying that all holidays have pagan roots and it is what you make of it today that matters.
     And that's exactly why we should care about this controversial holiday.  Whether a devout Christian or a non-religious secularist, most people believe that Halloween is a night of candy and costumes and autumn celebrations/festivals that ALL people can share.  But what about the satanists and witches?  Shouldn't we care what it is to them?
     Known as "Samhein" to this latter group, Halloween is a transitional time, and an initial stage of a process in which the veil between life and death grows thin.  I found a Christian website (Logos Resource Pages) that featured an article by Pastor David Phillips that seemed to offer some straightforward information on the holiday.  Consider what the following self-declared witches had to say about the holiday... "Halloween is one of the four Great Sabbats of the witches that everyone has heard about. To witches, Halloween is a serious occasion, however merrily celebrated. It is the old Celtic Eve of Samhain. With the coming of Christianity, the Church tried to Christianize the old festival by naming November 1st as All Saints Day, or All Hallows as the old term was. Thus Samhain Eve became All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. But attempts to discourage the pagan celebrations were so unavailing that the festival was eventually banned from the Church calendar. It was not until 1928 that the Church of England formally restored All Hallows to its calendar, on the assumption that the old pagan associations of Halloween were at last really dead and forgotten; a supposition that was certainly premature." 
     Another witch's testimony:  "All the Great Festivals of Paganism, wherever they may be found, correspond in common with the Solstices, Equinoxes, and other natural annual cycles of life. Most of these remain with us today, in more or less disguised form, as the so-called Christian holidays of Christmas (Yule), Easter (Ostara), May Day (Beltane), Thanksgiving (Harvest Home), Halloween (Samhain) and even Groundhogs day (Oimelc)."
     Still, another confirmation of Halloween's importance to occultists:  "Salem (Massachusetts) is a mecca, especially around Samhain. It is our holiday, our new year, and a lot of witches come here from all over the world".
     As Pastor Phillips concluded, Witches and Satanists love Halloween. They get a lot of media coverage around this time of year. It's good P.R. for them because the coverage, as a rule, portrays them in a favorable light.  In addition, Halloween generates interest in "the craft" and is good for recruitment purposes. As Craig Hawkins, Founder and President of Apologetics Information Ministries, put it: "With increasing vigor, witchcraft is coming out of the broom closet. Many witches are actively seeking public understanding and acceptance."
     And they are receiving it!  In 2009, a federal judge ruled that a federal correctional facility in Jefferson County, Colorado must allow a prisoner to perform a Satanic ritual on Halloween.  At the time, Judge Edward Nottingham issued a preliminary injunction allowing the ritual, even though the prisoner admitted it included a destruction ritual, in which he visualized the death of his enemies.
     In 1987, the Maine State Prison allowed members of a witch coven (the Coven of Dawn) to hold a two-hour service on the feast day they call Samhain (Halloween), after the Druidic festival of year's end.  "This is our time to give praise to our lord and lady for the bountiful harvest", said the founder of the goddess-oriented coven. He said that 75 inmates have been initiated into the religion since its start in 1981.  That was 28 years ago -- imagine how many prisoners have become part of the coven since then.
     But it is not only the prison system that has let these occult and satanic movements begin to thrive.  Our military now recognizes Wiccans as a legitimate religious group, and I have personally seen that evidenced at Fort Sam Houston and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
     Although there is an obvious attempt to mainstream these "religions", we must never lose sight of the fact that modern day witches and satanists still worship demon gods and goddesses, cast spells, practice bizarre and immoral sexual rituals, and certain individuals and groups offer animal and human sacrifices.
     Texe Marrs, a controversial New Age researcher, nevertheless offers advice that is hard to ignore:  "Our own research confirms that on this unholy night [Halloween], witches' covens meet, drink, dance, spit out curses and spells, conjure up spirits, engage in sexual orgies, induct new members, and offer up animal and human sacrifices. (Witches have become expert at covering up these sacrifices by use of cremation ovens and the use of privately owned land preserves for disposal of bodies in deeply dug graves.)"

     And can you really ignore the boast of Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, when he said, "I'm glad that Christian parents let their children worship the devil at least one night out of the year."  Have you ever considered the proliferation of movies such as "Nightmare on Elm Street", "Halloween", the "Friday the 13th" series, the "Saw" franchise, or the glamorization of vampires in the "Twilight" series and "True Blood"?  Have you ever wondered if they were pure fiction -- or if they were created by someone with real knowledge of such horrors?  Are you concerned at all that these kinds of spectacles are desensitizing our kids by their glorification of violence, death, mutilation and gore; and setting them up for the acceptance of real-life satanic rituals?
     I know there are some people who will dismiss the warnings about the possible demonic implications of Halloween.  But I think that we do that at the risk of our children.  The celebration of Halloween can be an effective tool to lure them into the occult and/or to become victims of satanic rituals.  Current headlines have certainly shown us that evil and wickedness are on the rise; with more and more lurid stories of bizarre and sadistic rituals happening almost every day.  It will be interesting to see what the headlines reveal in the coming days, as to the unholy celebrations that will be taking place tonight.
     In the end, it is up to you to decide what you think about this commonly accepted holiday.  But for me, I know the power that the Enemy wishes to use against us, and I will not only be on guard tonight, but will be praying for protection and authority to thwart his attacks.  Let me leave you with these frightening words from a high priestess of the Church of Satan:  "As a child drawn to darker passions from birth, I always delighted in the fear and fantasies of Halloween. It gives even the most mundane people the opportunity to taste wickedness for one night. They have a chance to dance with the Devil, either stumbling, tittering and nervous in the arms of the Black Prince, or boldly, ravenously sharing in the sensual excesses and fright of others on this magical, unholy night. Now, birth and death have, for me, become inextricably interwoven into this day."  

1 Corinthians 10:21   "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons."

From Their Own Mouths: The Diabolical Delusion of Abortion

     Let's be clear about something.  I can no longer abide all the "politically correct" nuances surrounding abortion.  To define this horrific practice as simply a termination or miscarriage (as the Apple Dictionary does on my computer), is not giving the true meaning to the underlying motives of those who practice it, nor the truth about the actual procedure that takes place.  Even the word termination is too mild.  The dictionary definition of termination is "the action of bringing something, or coming to an end."  In the case of a fetus, we are talking about a baby... or let me express it more clearly... bringing someone to an end.
     The reason that I feel so moved to be explicit on this terminology is because of two recent stories I ran across.  The first was an article on Breitbart.com that reported on Planned Parenthood retweeting a statement from abortionist Dr. David A. Grimes, who said, in response to the state of Kansas banning D&E abortion, “D and E abortion is not a problem any more than a mastectomy is a problem. Both are solutions to a problem.”

     OK, my first thought was how amazingly bold Planned Parenthood has become in the wake of the video revelations by their officials and business partners.  The second thought, was what a monster this Dr. Grimes is.  Who draws a comparison between a healthy unborn human baby and a malignant cancerous breast that requires removal?  Who else looks upon a healthy human fetus as a diseased organ that must be destroyed?
     So let's be clear about exactly what Dr. Grimes is referring to.  D & E abortion (Dilation and Evacuation) involves inserting a Sopher clamp—a sharp-toothed instrument designed for “grasping and crushing tissue”—into a pregnant woman’s womb and feeling around blindly for anything to grab hold of, and then tearing it from the woman’s body.  That's not my definition.  That is a description by Dr. Tony Levatino, a former abortionist, who gives a step-by-step description of a second trimester abortion:  "Reach in again and again with that clamp and tear out the spine, intestines, heart and lungs... The toughest part of a D&E abortion is extracting the baby’s head. The head of a baby that age is about the size of a plum and is now free floating inside the uterine cavity. You can be pretty sure you have hold of it if the Sopher clamp is spread about as far as your fingers will allow. You will know you have it right when you crush down on the clamp and see a pure white gelatinous material issue from the cervix. That was the baby’s brains. You can then extract the skull pieces. If you have a really bad day like I often did, a little face may come out and stare back at you... Congratulations! You have just successfully performed a Suction D&E abortion. You just affirmed her right to choose. You just made $600 cash in fifteen minutes."
      Remember that I said Dr. Levatino is a former abortionist, and I can only pray that he has confessed and repented of his sins.  I'm pretty sure that Dr. Grimes has not.  A practicing abortionist from 1972 to 2014, Grimes makes the incredible claim that the legalization of abortion resulted in “prompt and dramatic health improvements” for children, a declaration that only a demonically influenced person could make.  How can killing over 55,000,000 babies result in better care for those babies who manage to be born and survive in this culture of death?
      To show you the complete delusion and deception of this man, just consider these following statements:  It was Grimes who famously wrote that there is no such thing as a third-trimester abortion, and that the elimination of a fetus during the third trimester of gestation is a “pregnancy termination, but not an abortion.”  There he goes with that impersonal, PC denial again!  And earlier this month, Dr. Grimes raged against new North Carolina legislation banning the sale of fetal tissue from aborted fetuses.  “The North Carolina General Assembly has been voting in further restrictions to abortion practice. There’s no need for that. There hasn’t been a death from abortion in this state in decades.”  As Thomas Williams, the author of the Breitbart article wrote, "Nope.  [No deaths] except for all those babies."
     But Dr. Grimes isn't the only beloved abortionist at Planned Parenthood.   The website Shoebat.com published an article on Dr. Uta Landy, the former Director of Planned Parenthood-California, and current National Director of a Residency training program in Abortion and Family Planning at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health in San Francisco.  First, let me say, that I take great offense at the use of the word "health" when it involves Abortion.  The word health indicates the "well-being" of a person; and abortion is anything but that for the fetus/baby.  Now that I've got that off my chest, let me tell you a little more about the good Doctor Landy.
     As an abortion doctor and major Planned Parenthood leader, Dr. Landy spoke at a 2014 conference and boasted about how she murdered a child, and that during the abortion the child’s eye fell off.  In the talk Landy sadistically said, “An eyeball just fell down into my lap and that’s gross, and I say to myself, ‘This abortion is going well; it’s going safely' ”.
     Landy’s comments were accompanied by laughter and applause.  My words in that last sentence do not do justice to the sick feeling in my stomach as I listened to the reaction in the video.   "I feel like any time you enter the body, it’s grotesque," Landy declared to laughter. “I just want to honor that we have different feelings about this — we need to be prepared [for those feelings].”  This latter comment was in response to a fellow abortionist who said that she, personally, finds late-term abortions disturbing, but it is the responsibility to the patients that is primary.  But she was able to clear her conscious by stating, "I don’t like saying I am dismembering a fetus. … It makes me feel bad." Others soothed their misgivings by telling themselves they had to stay strong and fight for the women; while Dr. Landy, herself, said her coping mechanism was to focus on the fetus/baby by realizing that it was "something that was once alive, and now it's not."  Of course it's not, after you have killed it!!  She further states that she has a hard time reconciling the patient's pain.  We can translate that as the mother's pain -- disregard the pain of that fetus as its skull is crushed!  And we're expected to have sympathy for these monsters?!?
     These are the same people who would probably cheer if we found "life" on another planet!  Yet they do not see the part they play in Satan's goals to "steal, kill and destroy".  And can you see how bold the Enemy has become?  Even in the wake of the release of the Planned Parenthood videos, their leaders and supporters have become fearless in presenting their culture of fetal murder.  How much longer will God listen to the cries of those babies before He tells His Son, "It's time for Judgment.  Go!"?  His Word tells me that those who belong to Him will not be subject to that vengeful wrath, but God, forgive me, I wouldn't mind being here to see these fiends punished.  But it is enough to know that their destiny is certain and painful, unless they turn from their wicked ways and repent.  In the meantime, I pray for all of God's babies and look forward to the day they receive their glorified bodies.  Let that day come soon!

Isaiah 26:21    "For behold, the Lord is coming out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain."

Seventh-Grader Stands For God

     I know I shouldn't be surprised; but I am still in shock after reading a story printed on the Education Action Group website.  Before I relate the story, I want you to understand exactly who EAG is, and their perspective.  They are a foundation based on the desire to "shine a spotlight on the leftist agenda and activists and their mission to “fundamentally transform” the United States of America through the government education system."
     The perspective of EAG is very well-stated in this mission statement:  When the government took upon itself the obligation of educating America’s youth, it undertook a serious responsibility that demanded results. In far too many communities across America, the government is woefully failing in that responsibility.  Dismal test scores, out-of-control unsustainable spending, and the ardent defense of adults’ rights have all pushed the government education system to the brink of irrelevance. And worse yet, it’s all having a direct impact on our future ability to compete in the world.
     EAG believes the one-size-fits-all, assembly line government school system requires serious reform.  It is their desire to see that 1) the needs of the students are put first;  2) the needs of adults are second;  3) Parents are empowered to seek the best education options for their children;  and 4)  State governments should enact reforms to give schools more control over their budgets and personnel decisions.

     OK, now that you know who EAG is and why they felt it was important to report this story, let's get to the facts of what happened to seventh-grader, Jordan Wooley, of Katy, Texas.  Jordan took the brave step of appearing before a school board meeting to testify about her allegations that a teacher was attempting to force atheist indoctrination upon her classroom.  “Today I was given an assignment in school that questioned my faith and told me that God was not real. Our teacher had started off saying that the assignment had been giving problems all day. We were asked to take a poll to say whether God is fact, opinion or a myth; and she told anyone who said fact or opinion was wrong and God was only a myth,” Wooley told board members.  (See YouTube video of her presentation here).
     The teacher, “started telling kids they were completely wrong and that when kids argued we were told we would get in trouble. When I tried to argue, she told me to prove it, and I tried to reference things such as the Bible and stories I have read before from people who have died and went to heaven but came back and told their stories, and she told me both were just things people were doing to get attention."

     Here is where I can get personally involved.  If you have been reading my blog from the beginning post in December, 2011, then you know my personal history with a young man named Ben Breedlove.  Ben only lived for 18 years, but he left a legacy that will impact his generation for years to come.  You see, Ben had a heavenly experience just weeks before his final death from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.  You can read my post about the night he died here, and click on the links to the 2-part video he left behind to attest to his faith and intimate knowledge of God and Heaven.
     Although no one in his family knew he had recorded his experience in heaven, Ben knew what he was doing.  Somehow, with his vast knowledge of the internet and social media, he planned for the videos to be released after his death.  To this date, nearly 4 years later, it is impossible to know the exact number who have witnessed Ben's videos. Two years ago YouTube reported over 12 million people had received Ben's testimony of his heavenly experience, and you can read my post on his sister's 2013 book about the incredible influence Ben has had on people, both young and old, as he shared his hope that is Heaven.  I can only imagine that millions more have heard his story.
     So, I can personally tell that 7th-grade teacher that Ben's experience in Heaven had nothing to do with getting attention.  The attention didn't come until after he died.  And it was real.  Just as real as the God in whom Ben and Jordan Wooley have faith.  But here is what really worries me.... Jordan explained [to the School Board] that she spoke with other students in the class who were marked down because they believe God is real, as well as [hearing] compromises proposed by students to avoid rejecting their faith.
     Did you get that?  While some students were unwilling to say that God was a myth, others were already trying to figure out how to "compromise" their faith -- trying to figure out ways in which they didn't outright reject their faith, but would still enable them to pass the class.  That is dangerous ground upon which to tread!
     But Jordan remained steadfast.  “Another student asked the teacher if we could put what we believe in the paper, and she said we could … but you would fail the paper if you do,” Wooley told the board. “I had known before that our schools aren’t really supposed to teach us much about religion or question religion. When I asked my teacher about it she said it doesn’t have anything to do with religion because the problem is just saying there is no God.”  But Jordan could not deny her faith.  When texting her mother about the assignment, she said, "We had to deny God is real. Yeah, we had to say he was just a myth... I said he is real and she said that can’t be proven; I still put fact on my paper."
     So this brave seventh-grade student appeared at the podium alone as she faced the Katy Independent School District Board.  When asked how the exchange with the teacher made her feel, Jordan replied, "Like she was taking away my religion, what I believe is true."  And that, sadly, is exactly what I fear that teacher, and the government education system, is trying to do.  It wasn't enough to take God out of the classroom in the manner of prayer; now they want to destroy each individual child's choice to believe that He is real.
     While this may be an isolated incident in Texas, you better believe that it will soon be an issue in every classroom across this nation.  As Texas education activist Alice Linahan told EAG News, the incident, and how district officials respond, could be an especially important indicator of things to come in the Lone Star state.  “Will Texas students get a good job when they grow up because they can read well, write well, do math and know history?” Linahan questioned. “Or, will they get a good job, without strong academics, but an emotional attachment and classroom experience to save the world on a global level from a humanist viewpoint, without a belief in God?"
     What do you think?  I think we all see the handwriting on the wall, and what the intentions are; but I pray that God will raise up a generation of Ben Breedloves and Jordan Wooleys to stand in the gap and declare His authenticity and His glory.  We adults have not done a good job of it, but with the faith of a child, mountains can be moved.

Matthew 21:16     And they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “ ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’? ”
   

A Sign Of The Times

     I am an unabashed fan of Joel Rosenberg.  He is a best-selling author of fiction, and has been a communications advisor for U.S. and Israeli leaders on world issues.  He is also the founder of The Joshua Fund, a nonprofit educational and charitable organization to mobilize Christians to "bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus" with food, clothing, medical supplies, and other humanitarian relief.  In short, he is a man after my own heart.
     On his blog, he recently revealed a series of amazing facts.  Since September, we have seen the celebration of the Fall Feasts of the Lord, and from Yom Kippur of 2014 until this year's Feast, millions of Jews have begun a quest to find the Messiah.  According to Rosenberg, "For reasons I cannot fully explain, Jews are suddenly searching for answers to the deepest and most important questions concerning life and death and God and atonement and eternity; in numbers unprecedented in history. Some are searching through the Hebrew Scriptures for answers. A stunning number are actually reading the New Testament, most for the first time. They are searching on Google for information about the Messiah."  And he should know, since he and his family immigrated to Israel in September of last year.
     Rosenberg's family history is actually quite interesting.  The son of a Jewish father, and a Gentile mother, he grew up in Brooklyn.  According to Joel, when his father discovered in 1973 — after a careful study of the Gospel According to Luke — that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, and received the Messiah by faith, there were fewer than 2,000 Jewish people on the planet who were followers of Jesus.

     But today, Rosenberg asserts that some 300,000 Jews around the world are followers of Jesus. And millions of Jews are searching for the Messiah and thus reading the Hebrew prophecies, and comparing them with the writings of the New Testament, and trying to decide whether Jesus really is the Messiah they have desperately longed for over so many centuries.
     Making a claim that "millions" of Jews are searching for answers about the Messiah is quite an assertion.  But apparently there is a website that has recorded the testimonies of Jews from around the world who have made that life-changing and eternal discovery.  Called, I MET MESSIAH, each video tells the story of that personal "something" which happened in their lives; something that changed each of them and caused them to rethink the usual Jewish views about Jesus.
     It was interesting to me to discover that most of them did not realize that Yeshua was born a Jew, or that the first believers of Yeshua were all Jews and the first messianic communities were all Jewish -- such are the efforts of the orthodox rabbinical system to keep the truth suppressed, and most Christians are simply ignorant of that knowledge.  But these Messianic Jews are still Jews in every way.  They observe the Jewish holidays and support the state of Israel.  But they believe that the Messiah has come and His name is Yeshua.  According to both Rosenberg and the website, more than 10 million people have watched these videos just in the past few months.
     Do you understand what an amazing fulfillment of prophecy that is?  To begin with, there are several Hebrew prophetic pronouncements about the coming Messiah, all of which Jesus fulfills.  Some of them are that 1) the Messiah will be born in Judea, near Jerusalem, in Bethlehem Ephratah (Micah 5:2);  2) the Messiah will live and minister in the Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2);  3) the Messiah will teach in parables (Psalm 78:2);  4) the Messiah will enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9); and 5) the Messiah will be the Savior of the Jews but also a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 49:5-6).
     But it is the Hebrew Prophet Isaiah who gave us still more details about this coming Messiah. He explained that the Messiah would serve as King of the world eventually -- but first the Messiah would be our “Suffering Servant.” That is, He would be rejected by the people, would suffer, and then die as our atoning sacrifice.  Isaiah Chapter 53 paints the clearest picture that Jesus is the Messiah, so it is understandable that those who wish to cling to Jewish Law and the Rabbinical teachings would forbid Jews to read it.   Who does this describe?  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
     Perhaps most importantly, do you see how important this is, and how close we are coming to the return of Christ?  The Bible records Peter literally telling the Jews to repent and turn to God so their sins can be wiped out and God will send the Messiah, the one appointed for them, which was Jesus (Acts 3:19-20).  Jesus, Himself, says they will see Him when they declare, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord", revealing that He is their Messiah.  And, as the videos show, Jews are beginning to declare just that!
     I watched several of the videos, and I must say that their testimonies are as varied as the individuals themselves.  Jesus revealed Himself to them in the midst of their pain and their isolation and their confusion.  One particular video gave what I feel is probably a common experience amongst these Messianic Jews ... They fought to overcome the objections of their rabbis and oftentimes the hate and ridicule of their Christian neighbors.  But in each instance, God led them to seek the face of the Jewish Messiah and it soon became apparent... it was Jesus!
     And as End Times Christians, this news should excite us and give us hope and encouragement.  Jews are being unblinded and coming to know their Messiah, which tells me that we are getting close to the full number of Gentiles ordained by God; both of which are events that must happen before Christ returns.  The two are connected and prophesied in Romans, and now we have physical proof in the testimonies of these saved Jews.  Maranatha!  Come, O Lord!

Romans 11:25-26    I do not want you, believers, to be unaware of this mystery [God’s previously hidden plan]—so that you will not be wise in your own opinion—that a partial hardening has [temporarily] happened to Israel [to last] until the full number of the Gentiles has come in; and so [at that time] all Israel [that is, all Jews who have a personal faith in Jesus as Messiah] will be saved;

This Is Not Your Mother's "Dear Abby"

     Every once in awhile, I just have to address the depth of confusion in this world due to the lack of understanding of God's true character and the validity of His Word.  And oftentimes that confusion is evidenced in the trivial and insignificant aspects of our social culture.  Such is the case in a recent posting on the popular advice column, "Dear Abby".  I present it for your consideration:
   

DEAR ABBY: My daughter has been in a lesbian relationship for 14 years. They recently took me to lunch and informed me that her partner, "Nicole," is in the process of transitioning to a male.
     Nicole has now legally changed her name to "Nick" and has begun hormone treatments. They have been going to counseling for the past six months. Since Nick began the transition, I have seen him three times. Last week when I was visiting, I accidentally called Nick by the wrong pronoun, "she" instead of "he" a couple of times. I was either immediately corrected or ignored until I realized I had used the wrong word. It hurt my feelings.
     After I got home I sent Nick a text to apologize and explain that it would take time for me to get used to saying "Nick" and referring to him as a he. I told them their correcting me bothered me. All weekend I could tell they were irritated with me, and I felt it was uncalled for.
     What do you say? Am I wrong to feel hurt that they haven't given me a chance to get used to the new name? -- MARGARET IN MISSISSIPPI
     
     DEAR MARGARET: Adjusting to gender reassignment takes time for all concerned. As your letter illustrates, there are often more people involved than the individual making the change.
     It seems only natural that you would need some time to adjust. However, it also seems to me that you are being overly sensitive about what happened. Your daughter and her partner were right to correct you for your slip of the tongue, and it wasn't rude for them to do so. How else is a person to learn that a mistake was made if it isn't pointed out?

     What must our Holy God be thinking about the state of the world He created?  It is not my purpose in this post to discuss the legality or acceptability of homosexuality or transgenderism.  As a Christian, my thoughts on these subjects will not conform to man's laws or the admissible conventions of society.  Rather, it is to cast a light on the utter confusion in which mankind finds itself.
     It is obvious in this "Dear Abby" letter that Nicole, or Nick, is confused about who she/he really is meant to be.  The daughter has to be confused about what her role is in the relationship.  And, it's only natural that the mother is confused about the whole situation.  But do we stop to think why there is all this confusion?
     All I kept thinking as I read the letter, was that, in His Sovereignty, I think God just might be judging us by confusing us.  All kinds of Scripture kept coming to mind ... So I gave them up to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in [the path of] their own counsel (Psalm 81:12); Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done (Romans 1:28); But your wickedness has separated you from your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear (Isaiah 59:2).
     In this age of "Reason", we try to explain away our sins with rational thought, instead of seeing how we are being deceived by Satan's lies.  We think we are so enlightened that we try to deny our own sexuality (or insert your personal sin) in which God created us.  We can change our physicality in regards to how we see ourselves or the world sees us, but we can never change it in God's eyes.  Our rebellion leads to our confusion, and a desire to worship a god of our own making in order to perpetuate our sins.
     But here is the deal... I believe that God is Truth; and because He is Truth, He will not let us despise Him or His truth without judging us in kind.  When we choose to disregard Him and disobey Him, He will perplex and confound our understanding, giving us up to our own desires and pleasures --- which will never satisfy or fulfill us.
     And that is what is so ultimately sad to me about this "Dear Abby" column.  That no one in the whole scenario -- not the lesbian couple, not the mother; not even Abby, herself -- sees the state of confusion that exists.  They, like so many of the billions of people in the world who are involved in pagan religions that worship ancestors, cows, a crescent moon, totem poles, man, nature, etc, are blinded because they have rejected the opportunity to know the Truth and to have a relationship with the One True God who created them.
     Our desire to live our lives as we see fit, or in whatever manner gives us pleasure, will only lead to  uncertainty in this life, and disorder and turmoil.  The more we insist on denying God and defying His instruction, the more confused we get.  Just look around at the chaos and lawlessness in the world, and you can see what a mess we make without Him.  I am continually amazed at just how blinded the world has become.
     Yet I am not so arrogant as to think that I have full understanding of God and His mysteries.  So much of His wisdom is still hidden from us.  But I am thankful for what He has revealed to me thus far, and I pray for continued understanding and wisdom; all under the guidance of His Holy Spirit.  And I greatly fear for those who continue to listen to the lies of Satan, as he attempts to destroy God's Truth.  If only Abby had pointed out to all involved that a bigger mistake is being made than a slip of the tongue in using a wrong pronoun.

2 Timothy 3:1-2    "But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane..."
   

The Dangerous Hypocrisy!

     I want you to quickly revisit my blog post of Saturday.  I told the story of a Washington State football coach, Joe Kennedy, whose school denied him the right to pray with his players after each football game; in his words, "To thank God for each of them."  He was, in essence, accused of proselytizing students without their permission and told that religious expression at a public school is not allowed by the Constitution.  That's a cursory summation, but it comes pretty close to representing the facts.

      So, now juxtapose that story with the following one I'm about to tell you.  This time, the narrative  takes place in the state of Tennessee.  It seems that in dozens of Tennessee public school districts, the kids are required to memorize the five pillars of Islam and are instructed to write “Allah is the only God."  One parent said more than 20 pages of her child’s social studies textbook is devoted to studying Islam.  I'm sure it won't surprise you to learn that this amounts to three weeks of classroom instruction; more time than is spent teaching the seventh-graders about Christianity.  “In all of the homework my children have ever brought home, I have never seen the level of detail about other religions,” said one mother, Laura Jones. “I was completely speechless.”
     In this instance, the parents' Congresswoman has their backs.  Representative Marsha Blackburn said, “There is a big difference between education and indoctrination.  It is reprehensible that our school system has exhibited this double-standard; more concerned with teaching the practices of Islam than the history of Christianity. Tennessee parents have a right to be outraged and I stand by them in this fight.”
     Tennessee State Representative Andy Holt had this to say, “This ‘teaching’ also occurs while Tennessee students are simultaneously being told they cannot fly American flags and are being discouraged from praying while at school.  Many of our children are not being taught the Ten Commandments in school, but instead the Five Pillars of Islam and the ‘Prophet’ Muhammad as a sovereign to Jesus Christ.”
     Of course, those who are proponents of this indoctrination, such as Paul Galloway, the executive director of the American Center for Outreach, say that parents just don't understand; the middle-school kids being taught about Islam are simply repeating the tenets of the Islamic religion, and that won’t turn anyone into a Muslim.  Really?
     So, why is the same argument not allowed to stand for Coach Kennedy?   He simply wants to thank God for his players and the privilege of teaching them leadership and good sportsmanship.  Can't they see that his simple prayer won't turn anyone into a Christian?  And why we're scrutinizing the false reasons for teaching Islam in the public schools, I want to take offense at Mr. Galloway's next justification.  He says the word “Allah” in Arabic means “God.”
     “So, Christians who speak Arabic use the word Allah to talk about God all the time,” Galloway explained. “There is a basic level of misunderstanding driving this fear and outrage.”  Ummm, I don't think so, Mr. Galloway.  Parents know exactly what is going on when their children are instructed to stand and recite "Allah is God" every day.  And they are very aware that Allah is not the One True God.  "Allah" and "God" are not the same, and they are not interchangeable.
     But the parents in Tennessee are not the only ones who are facing this dangerous situation in their children's classrooms.  Jay Sekulow, of the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) says this is not an isolated problem.  “Earlier this year, we reported that public school students in Madison, Wisconsin were given an assignment to ‘pretend you are Muslim,’ while public school students in Florida were instructed to recite the Five Pillars of Islam as a prayer, make Islamic prayer rugs, and perform other Muslim rituals,” Sekulow wrote on the ACLJ blog. “Suspiciously, the textbook discussing Islam had chapters missing. Which chapters? Those on Christianity and Judaism.”
     As Sekulow correctly pointed out, imagine the outcry of atheist groups, if students were instructed in a lesson plan that ‘Jesus is the Son of God,’ or if children were told to recite the Lord’s Prayer.”  The hypocrisy is not only obvious and maddening, it is deliberate and dangerous.  It is incumbent upon all parents to know what their children are being taught in school.  Ask to see their homework. Many schools these days give parents online access to class assignments.  Take the time to check them out.  We know there is an agenda pushing this, and we know it is coming hard and fast.  Satan does not have much time left, and our children are a vulnerable target.  Be in the know and get in the fight!

Thanks to Rod Kackley at PJ Media for his reporting on this issue.

John 17:3    "And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent."
   

Job 1:12

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that Job has is in your power, only do not put your hand on the man himself.”

     Job has been called the oldest Book in the Bible.  Yet, in many ways, it is the most difficult to understand.  Christians have a hard time comprehending that Satan was allowed access to the Throne of God in order to accuse Job, who the Bible says was "blameless and upright, and one who feared God [with reverence] and abstained from and turned away from evil [because he honored God]."  He is also called "the greatest of all the men of the East."  So why would God allow Satan to torment this righteous man, and what are we to understand from this famous Book of the Bible?

     First of all, let me say that I have a rather unorthodox understanding of the purpose of the Book of Job.  Unlike most Christians, I do not think God's inspiration for this book is to teach us how to endure like Job did.  Although, Job's constant faith is certainly a model we should follow, I firmly believe that the Book of Job was written to show us how Satan operates and how God controls Satan. It is ultimately a book all about Authority.

     The Apostle John tells us in 1 John 5:19, "The whole world is under the rule of the Evil One".  So the questions that arise from that statement are the same ones that we ask regarding Job.  How much authority does Satan have?  Can he do anything he wants to, or are there restrictions placed on him by God?  

     We know what Satan wants to do ... steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).  But the fact that millions of human beings are alive on the planet today, tells us that most of the time, he doesn't get his way.  So, it's apparent to me that we, who are alive, are existing because a greater power (God) is protecting us.   And that is exactly what our verse today is telling us.  It is a very valuable piece of information to have and it is this: Satan's authority is limited by God.  And in the case of Job, I think God set very strict limits for Satan; the Enemy was not allowed to take Job's life.

     But we also see something else in this verse and the entire Book of Job.  Sometimes God grants greater authority to Satan than is ordinarily his.  In this instance, Satan requested permission to launch a special attack on Job and it was granted to him.  Not only was he allowed to take all of Job's possessions and cause the deaths of all his children, but Satan was given permission to attack Job's health as well.  The majority of the Book of Job is an account of the suffering Job endures because of Satan's attacks.  But there is one very important fact we need to keep in mind.... God was the One who gave permission for Satan to attack.

     So, by now, many people might be asking, "Then does that mean that God has given Satan permission to attack me?"  Here's what we need to understand... Satan has been given real authority to harass and, yes, even attack us.  But he is only successful when we give him permission to do so.  Job didn't have that choice.  God, in His sovereignty, chose to allow Job to suffer, without Job doing anything to prompt the attacks. 

      If Satan is going to be able to exercise the authority he wants to exercise, he needs human cooperation, a human partner.  That's what he was trying to accomplish when he tempted Jesus in the desert.  Remember, at the time, Jesus was in his human state, and Jesus resisted him.  

     We need to understand that in reality, the devil has very little, if any, power or authority other than that given to him by us.  That's what happened in the Garden of Eden... he was only able to bring about the fall of man because Adam and Eve obeyed his request to partake of the apple.  He had no authority to make them do it!  They cooperated!  That is why James can confidently tell us to "Resist the devil, and he will flee."  

     We must begin to understand that we have authority from our Father, just as Jesus was a man under authority.  We have the power of God's Holy Spirit, which is transferred to us at baptism, just as it was to Jesus when he was baptized in the Jordan River.  And Jesus made it clear before His ascension that when He left, He would send the Apostles (and all who would follow in their footsteps) the Holy Spirit -- the One who had empowered Him.  They would be able to resist Satan and all his powers to steal, kill, and destroy.  

     You see, the problem that Job had is not the same as our problem.  His particular circumstances were controlled by God, and to show us that Satan's authority is limited by God.  He did not have the authority of the Holy Spirit because Christ had not come.  

     Our problem is that we don't exercise the authority we have been given; or worse yet, we ignore or deny the presence and power that Satan has been given.  We need to understand that, just like Jesus, we have been given the right to use our authority to bring about whatever is in accord with the Father's will.  In Job's case, it was God's will to allow Satan to attack him.  We may never completely understand that Sovereign decision, but we know that Job did not contribute or cooperate with Satan. Now it is time for us to recognize that we are entrusted with Divine Authority passed from the Father to His Son, who conferred it to us.  

     As noted by Dr. Charles Kraft, president of Deep Healing Ministries, "If we are Christians, we have no choice as to whether or not we possess this authority.  It is part of the package given to us with the Holy Spirit.  Our only choice is whether we learn how to use this authority and whether we actually make use of it."   Job didn't have a choice.  Will you exercise yours?  

    

     

Good News: He Didn't Back Down!

     His story is becoming far too common.  In the state of Washington, Bremerton High School Assistant Football Coach Joseph Kennedy was ordered to halt his on-field, post-game prayers.  The Blaze has covered this story for the past couple of weeks, ever since Kennedy came under fire last month and was investigated by the school district for routinely praying on the 50-yard line after every game, where he regularly thanks God for each and every one of his players.
     While he typically goes on the field to pray alone, students and players often voluntarily join him — and that is what has sparked controversy and concerns over the separation of church and state.
     A subsequent letter from the school district informed Coach Kennedy that while they supported his motivational and inspirational talks with his players, he must limit them to themes such as unity, teamwork, responsibility, safety, endeavor “and the like”.  AND, his talks could not include religious expression, including prayer.  His words of encouragement had to remain secular at all times, in order not to alienate any player.
     But the school district didn’t count on the unshakable faith of Coach Kennedy.  “I never asked anyone [to pray]. They just all showed up one day and the next thing I know, the other team was showing up with us,” Kennedy said.  ”I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, and it’s been about protecting the freedom of other people. It’s about the freedom, and people can believe whatever they want. I’m just exercising my right.”
     But apparently exercising that right could conflict with his job description, and there were veiled threats that an investigation was being conducted and it would be prudent for him to discontinue such religious sentiment.
     Kennedy didn’t back down.  “I love my players. It’s an honor to work with them and teach them about good sportsmanship and teamwork,” the coach said in a statement. “I hope the school district will allow me to continue working with these kids – and thanking God for them.”  And he joined forces with the Liberty Institute, the conservative law firm firing off a letter to officials at Bremerton High School that calls it unconstitutional for the district to order Kennedy to stop praying after games.
     As you might suspect, there was a showdown looming.  Regardless of the imposed ban on prayer, Coach Kennedy wanted to pray after the Homecoming Game on October 16th, and he made it clear that he would exercise his constitutional right to pray privately, regardless of the school’s response.  He reasoned that since player attendance isn’t mandatory during his post-game prayers, they are protected free speech.  “I’m going to do what I’ve always done and I will do my prayer,” he said.

Kennedy is surrounded by the opposing team as he prays

     So after the game ended, just as Kennedy promised, he defied the ban and walked to the center of the football field and took a knee to pray.  But he was not alone. Kennedy found himself completely surrounded by football players —  from the opposing team he just coached against.  An emotional Kennedy talked about the experience: “All of a sudden I feel all these bodies around me and I’m hoping they’re not kids.”
     Although the Bremerton school district has not made an official statement about his actions, and the Coach awaits a possible lawsuit and termination of his contract, his deed has attracted a great deal of attention from not only ordinary Americans, but the controversial ladies of The View.  Actress Candace Buré, an avowed Christian, defended Kennedy’s right to pray publicly.  She pointed out that his post-game prayer session was not mandatory and is therefore protected free speech under the First Amendment.  “The separation of church and state does not mean that we cannot pray publicly,” she said. “It actually guarantees our free exercise of religion so that if it is voluntary, we are allowed to pray wherever we would like to.”
    But her co-host of the show, actress Raven-Symone, immediately confronted Buré, asking, “So why did they take prayer out of the beginning of school, and now it’s just silence?”  And here is where we Christians need to know our history… “I don’t know, I wish they wouldn’t have,” Buré shot back.
     In the future, the Faithful need to have an answer for that question.  And here it is:  The conflict started when Steven Engel, a Jewish New Yorker, came together with other parents in 1958 to sue New York State over state-endorsed prayer that was being recited in schools. The Supreme Court inevitably sided with Engel and the decision was issued on June 25, 1962 — a day that lives in infamy in the minds of many religious individuals and free-speech advocates.
     What was the offensive language that altered the condition of our education system forever?  The prayer, which read, “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country,” was relatively benign in nature. Still, the parents were adamant that it shouldn’t be uttered in the public sphere.  The plaintiffs claimed that the prayer violated their religious beliefs and practices. Requiring that children utter it, they argued, violated their First Amendment rights, as the government, in their view, was establishing and promoting religion.
     The lone dissent on the Supreme Court came from Potter Stewart, who argued that the majority had “misapplied a great constitutional principle” and could not understand “how an ‘official religion’ is established by letting those who want to say a prayer say it. On the contrary, I think to deny the wish of these school children to join in reciting this prayer is to deny them the opportunity of sharing in the spiritual heritage of our Nation.”
     How sad that this argument has disappeared from our national dialogue!  And this, of course, was only the beginning. It was in 1963 — one year later — when Madelyn Murray O’Hair, an atheist activist, was successful in getting the Supreme Court to ban Bible reading and overturn a state law banning the teaching of evolution.   And it’s been downhill ever since.
     Now, over 50 years later, the battle is still being waged.  While many charge that the public school system has taken the ruling and subsequent Supreme Court decisions too far, others maintain that restrictions haven’t gone far enough.  But at least there are people like Joe Kennedy who are starting to fight back; people who understand what has been taken away from us and our children.  God Bless him and those who were willing to kneel on the 50-yard line with him!

1 Timothy 2:8    "Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and disputing or quarreling or doubt [in their mind]."

The Apocalypse 101

     Oftentimes, readers of this blog will contact me with issues they feel are important to address.  Such is the case with this post.  A reader’s 16-year-old daughter informed her mother that this was the new course she was taking.  What are your thoughts?  Here are mine:  

     What do you think of when you hear the word “Apocalypse”?  If you’re a Bible-believing Christian, you’re likely to define the word as the complete and final destruction of the world, especially as described in the Book of Revelation.  If you’re of a secular nature, then the word most likely indicates an event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale.  And if you’re a member of the Millennial Generation then you probably go straight to Zombies.  So, it should come as no surprise that colleges are now offering various courses such as Social Work 290: Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse — Disasters, Catastrophes, and Human Behavior.
     This course is the brainchild of Glenn Stutzky, a Senior Clinical Instructor of Social Work at Michigan State University.  While he was devising his course on disaster management and human behaviors in catastrophes, Stutzky’s college-age grandson had a piece of advice for him…. “Just don’t be boring.”

     Now, it is only natural that if you’re a professor seeking to teach students how to respond in disasters and catastrophes, that you might turn to the Center for Disease Control’s website to see what information they might have to support your course.  “There, looking back at me was a girl behind some blinds — she was a zombie,” he says.  And that’s when his creative juices started flowing.
     He and his creative team developed a new approach to online education they’re calling MOLIE. It stands for a Multimedia Online Learning Immersive Experience, and while it appears to be doing wonders for student involvement, it is leaving me unsettled.
     I applaud the instructor’s creative way of teaching his students to explore how society reacts in the midst of devastating circumstances.  And I love the idea of using video and interactive technology to gather information for their research.  And, yes, Stutzky has developed an innovative approach to get his students to work together in specific “real-life” scenarios; by engaging them in the video scenario they discover how they would react.  Some of the information they are provided is encoded. Some of it is garbled and incomplete. But through making decisions, exploring their environment, and solving puzzles, they are supposed to gradually learn more about the unfolding catastrophe and realize that they often have very different responses to it.  All that sounds good, right?
     But here is what concerns me about the material in the course.  Imagine you are a student, and there is the information you are presented …. In the Michigan woods, a group of students finds a bloody, unconscious young woman. They go through her backpack and discover a two-way radio but stay well away from her body.  Her arm is wounded and looks badly infected. Maybe she fell and cut herself. Or maybe she’s been bitten. After some debate they decide to tie her to a tree. They want to know if she has information, but some fear she could be carrying a deadly virus.  Most groups restrained her until she regained her health. But fearing her reanimation as a zombie, one group decided to decapitate her.
     Does that shock you?  It did Glenn Stutzky because he and his team had been sure to include personal items in the girl's backpack to humanize her. In another incident, the team was surprised when groups refused to help a man pounding desperately on the door of their hideout asking for help. “About half the groups didn’t let the person in."
    I realize that Zombies have been the craze for several years now, along with vampires and wizards.  But, at the risk of sounding out of touch, is this really good for our kids?  I am not a supporter of the whole video game industry, due to the violence and dehumanization that it renders in our kids.  This college course seems to mimic that response.  And is it blurring the line of the true significance of the word “Apocalypse”?  Are we diminishing the seriousness of the subject? What is it that these students are really learning from courses such as this?

     Yes, American's fears of the Ebola virus and the ISIS terror group are similar to those of a zombie apocalypse, but in Social Work 290, Stutzky is learning that those fears could be just as dangerous as the threats themselves.  “With Ebola and ISIS, they represent fears of the unknown and evil,” Stutzky told Business Insider. “It feels like we’re moving into apocalyptic times.”
     But are they going far enough with what "apocalyptic times" really means?  While doing a little research on apocalyptic literature, I expected to find references to such Biblical books as Revelation, Daniel, Isaiah and Ezekiel, and their use of symbols, images, and numbers to depict future events.
     But I also found it interesting that apocalyptic literature is described as writing to disguise the message in images and symbolism, rather than to give the message in plain language.  Further, the symbolism is created to provide an element of mystery about the details of time and place of the future event.
     So, maybe it’s just my conspiratorial mind, but doesn’t this information make you stop and wonder why there has been such an excess of zombie apocalypse movies, TV shows, video games, and books – all generated to capture the fascinated attention of our kids?  And now we have high school and college courses to make it seem even more relevant!
     If this whole genre is being created under the apocalyptic theme to “disguise the message” and to keep the future time and place a mystery, should we be reading between the lines?  What are they really trying to tell us?  And even more importantly, how are our kids being conditioned for such a future?
     In the Bible, the purpose of such symbolism was not to cause confusion, but rather to instruct and encourage followers of God in difficult times.  But we all know that our students are not given that piece of the puzzle as part of their problem-solving equipment.  They are not taught that The Apocalypse will be the ultimate revealing of God, His wrath, His justice, and, ultimately, His love.  Instead, they appear to be part of a study collecting information on how humans will treat each other .
     Does it creep anyone else out, that the Instructor for a college class on Human Behavior during Disasters and Catastrophes would make the following statement:  “We know the science, we know how to [treat Ebola], but my biggest fear is managing the reactions, managing the people, and managing the consequences which will come out of that,” he said.
     Am I reading too much into it, or is “managing” the operative word in that statement?  The Bible tells us that there will be massive pestilence and death during the apocalyptic End Times.  And we certainly get that message in the proliferation of zombie “entertainment”.  But don’t we have to ask ourselves where is the message of encouragement and reliance on God in any of these “instructive” endeavors?  And does anyone else find the use of the Zombie theme at the Center for Disease Control just a little disturbing?  I mean, they are supposed to be the leading national public health institute of the United States.  And this is what they choose to represent them?  Seems to me, that the hidden message is that evil will abound and death will reign…. so the only question is, how soon before fiction becomes reality?  Maybe they know something we don’t.

Psalm 78:50   He leveled a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave over their life to the plague...