How Do We Reconcile the World's Struggle With Refugees and Migrants?

   

     The nations of the world are grappling with the "problem" of refugees emigrating from the dangers of the expanding Caliphate in the Middle East.  Leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel maintains that no limits should be placed on the number of people allowed to enter her country; that European values of humanity and compassion in the face of terror need to be upheld.
     But the newly-elected government of Poland has announced their country won't accept migrant quotas imposed by the European Union.  And Dutch anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders says, "The only way to deal with it (the refugee crisis) is to regain our national sovereignty and close our national borders... We close our borders to migrants, not refugees."
     So, what does that mean?  What is the difference?  Actually, as The New York Times points out, there is a legal difference.    Briefly, a refugee is person who has fled his or her country to escape war or persecution, and can prove it.  More specifically, The 1951 Refugee Convention, negotiated after World War II, defines a refugee as a person who, “owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.”
     On the other hand, anyone moving from one country to another is considered a migrant unless he or she is specifically fleeing war or persecution. Migrants may be fleeing dire poverty, or may be well-off and merely seeking better opportunities, or may be migrating to join relatives who have gone before them.  So, in the face of the crisis in the Middle East and the onslaught of Isis's atrocities, you can imagine the political and social implications of these distinctions -- and the ensuing confusion.
     Under the 1951 convention, countries are free to deport migrants who arrive without legal papers, which they cannot do with refugees.  But complicating the immigration of refugees is what is known as "the Schengen policy".  Again, according to The New York Times, this is an agreement to abolish border controls among the European nations that have joined. For the most part, people in any Schengen country can travel freely to any other without stopping to show a passport or visa, just as travelers can between American states or Canadian provinces. Only when entering from outside the Schengen area are a traveler’s credentials regularly checked.
     So, once an emigrant from the Middle East arrives in Greece, and is registered, he is pretty much free to travel throughout Europe under this policy.  So can you see, in the wake of the Paris terror attack, just how significant it is that Greece is swamped with those seeking admittance into Europe.  In fact, the latest United Nations estimates show over 800,000 migrants have passed through the Mediterranean on their way to Europe this year, with 660,700 landing in Greece and 142,400 in Italy. Based on these numbers, it is not surprising that the Greek minister for Citizen Protection, Nikos Tosca, has announced that one of the Paris terrorists with a Syrian passport was "masquerading as a refugee".  And it just as understandable that leaders in countries like Hungary and Austria and Poland feel that the Greeks are not doing their job properly in securing Europe’s borders, but simply processing all that come, and sending them on into Europe.
     So don't you think that as a nation, the US should be very careful how we handle this thorny and dangerous issue of Middle Eastern refugees?  And do you see just how difficult a situation this is?  Naturally, the Middle Eastern Christians, who are being brutally persecuted for their religious beliefs come to mind when considering who should be allowed to enter our country.  But what exactly is the vetting process for all others?  If, as the news agency Reuters reports, our government is moving to increase and accelerate the number of Syrian refugees who might be admitted into the United States by opening new screening outposts in Iraq and Lebanon... shouldn't this be a major concern and raise some red flags?  In the wake of Paris, doesn't this qualify as a national security issue?
     As always, I try to see any situation from my Biblical worldview, and the Bible clearly tells us that, as Christians, we are to accept aliens into our land and help them to conform to our laws and our traditions.  In fact, the law of the Old Testament was that aliens were to be treated with respect and given aid. If things were so desperate in their home land that people would rather move to Israel and live under Israel's strict judicial and ceremonial law, the Israelites were to honor that desire.
     However, this does not apply to those aliens who enter a country for the purpose of crime or violence. The caveat God gave the Israelites regarding aliens is that they needed to obey the laws of the land (Leviticus 24:22), and the Israelites needed to make it possible for them to obey the laws of the land by giving them opportunities for sustenance (Leviticus 23:22). Aliens who came in to steal, fight, or draw the Israelites to other gods were to be disposed of quickly.
     You see, these same laws should be applied and followed today.  Careful investigation and evaluation is absolutely necessary!  But we can all recognize that the world is in crisis, and the sheer mayhem and chaos created by Isis and the schemes of Satan threaten to overwhelm our human abilities.  So, it is in humility and meekness that I approach God, asking Him to show us the way through His righteous and loving nature.  Let us welcome and give aid to those who truly desire it, and repel the wicked plots of our enemies who wish to destroy us.

Nahum 1:7    "The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him."

Deuteronomy 32:35

‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution,

In due time their foot will slip;

For the day of their disaster is at hand,

And their doom hurries to meet them.’

     The world is still reeling from the horror of the Parisian terror attacks.  We Christians join the inhabitants of earth as we mourn the overt display of Evil that occurred two evenings ago; even as we struggle with what our response should be.  We look to Scripture for comfort and understanding, and one message comes through loud and clear… our God is a God of Justice, and He will repay those who choose to align themselves with the Enemy.  

     As today's verse instructs us, we see that God proclaims that Vengeance is His.  We are not to take that task and burden upon ourselves.  In other words, He will avenge the injured and the innocent; He will bring a full and complete punishment upon those who dare to follow Satan so boldly. 

     Their idolatry of a false god, and their rebellion against the One True God will be rooted out and exposed for what it is.  I like what Matthew Henry has to say on this subject:  "The Lord will never disgrace the throne of his glory by allowing this transgression to go unanswered.  But notice that the retribution will happen "in due time"; when they least expect it.  When sinners deem themselves most secure, they will suddenly fall into destruction.  That is when "their foot will slip."

     And in case the minions of Satan think they will escape God's payback, they need to understand that His hatred of sin, His strict justice, and His faithfulness to His threatenings as well as His promises, demands that He carry out His vengeance… in His timing and in His way.

     They need to remember God's vengeance against Sodom and Gomorrah, and against Edom, and even against His chosen people, Israel, when they rebelled against Him.  The one thing He always made sure of… that they would know that He was Lord!  Nothing has changed.  The enemies of God may think that their reign is ascending, and that the kingdom of the beast is perpetuating his darkness and confusion, but the Lord has declared that "the day of their disaster is at hand, and their doom hurries to meet them."
    We must not forget that there are other Saints who also have been slain by those influenced by the AntiChrist spirit, and they are crying out from beneath God's altar; they are the souls of those who have been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they maintained.  There are new Saints being added to that number each day, as Christians across the Middle East give up their lives, rather than deny their Savior.
     Once again, we should consider the words of Matthew Henry:  "They commit their cause to Him to whom vengeance belongs. The Lord is the comforter of his afflicted servants, and precious is their blood in his sight. As the measure of the sin of persecutors is filling up, so is the number of the persecuted, martyred servants of Christ. When this is fulfilled, God will send tribulation to those who trouble them, and unbroken happiness and rest to those that are troubled."
     It is not for us to understand how or when God will exact His vengeance.  It is enough to know that there will be a reckoning one day soon... and those who have been deceived by Satan will receive their due.  Lord, have mercy on all those who loved you unto death.
     

Please, Father ... Help Us To Understand!

It's still too early to make any kind of sense of the terror attacks in Paris, France, other than to say that with each new hour, the news is more devastating.   At this moment in time, all I want to do is plead for God's mercy on His people... and to pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

     How it must grieve You to see how Man, made in Your image, can be so cruel and evil to each other.  In these first hours after the horrendous attacks upon the innocent people of France, my heart is shattered in pain, imagining the fear and the panic that must have been a part of all those people's last minutes on earth.
      Father, I pray that each one of those people had a personal encounter with Jesus before they breathed their last.  I know that is illogical and unreasonable to expect, but it just makes me realize how quickly lost are the chances of those who don't know Him ... and how much bigger will that burden of pain be for their families.

     And, Father, I have to be honest.  I admit that I don't know if I can ask forgiveness for those who perpetrated this evil.  Your Word says "they know not what they do".  I know they have been so blinded by hate, which does not come from You.  And I believe that their souls are full of demons.  How else can you explain the atrocities they committed against another human being; a person they did not even know?  And I am aware that our Enemy roams the earth, seeking whomever he can devour.  And it sure feels like he has consumed every ounce of You that might have remained in the monsters that robbed Paris of their peace last night.   But I know I must forgive, so I have to ask the Holy Spirit for the power to be able to do that, because I am unable to do so on my own.
     Most of all, I know my words sound weak in asking for comfort for those people left behind -- for the family members who are in shock and pain; for those who witnessed the carnage and survived; for those first responders who could not have been prepared for what they saw; and for law enforcement and the nation's leaders, who have to wonder if there was more that could have been done.  But, Father, I know that only You and Your Spirit can commune with our spirits; no human words or actions can heal the wounds and the damage done to our inner being.
     We were not made to experience such pain; that wasn't Your plan for us.  But from the first moment that Man listened to the lies of Satan, we have had to pay the consequences for our disobedience.  And the acceleration of lies, sin, and Evil that Your Word has prophesied was on display last night.  And, if there is one thing we know for sure, Father... it is not over.
     My spirit discerns the Apostle Paul's message to us in Ephesians 6, and that Satan has appointed a dark ruler to preside over France.  And I know assignments have been given to those who have pledged their allegiance to the Enemy's false promise of conquest.  So, Father, I intercede in prayer on behalf of all those who belong to You, and on behalf of those who still have a chance to know You... I ask you to send Your army of Heavenly Angels to battle against these rulers, against the powers, and against the world forces of this darkness -- both on this earth and in the spiritual realm.  I pray this in the Name of Jesus, knowing that it has supernatural power to effect the future.
     Because we are not intimidated; nor are we conceding defeat.  Because we believe in Your Sovereignty and Your Justice, Hope is what will soothe our pain and heal these ghastly wounds.  Jesus is our balm and our Physician, as well as the Sword of Your Vengeance.  While suffering the pain of those lost to Him, He will remain steadfastly in our presence and we will overcome this Evil.  Father, I pray that His tears will touch the heart of every person across the globe, and our spirits will unite in recognition of Your love for us and what Jesus's blood, shed on the Cross, has accomplished for each person who seeks to know Him.
     Father, accept these humble words on behalf of all those who love You.  We ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to help us forgive, and we thank You for the gift of Your Son, that we might know how to love each other... Father God, help us to love each other!  Amen.

John 11:35         "Jesus wept."
 
   

What's Up With The Ring Of Fire? Are We Paying Attention?

   

     It's always interesting to see how the public reacts when a scientific-style article comes out on natural disasters.  The latest concern of both the U.S. Geological Survey and the average citizen, is the increased activity along the area of the Pacific Ocean, known as the "Ring of Fire".
     In case you're unfamiliar with that term, here is how Wikipedia defines it:  "The Ring of Fire is an area where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean. In a 40,000 km (25,000 mi) horseshoe shape, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and/or plate movements.  It has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes."
     Didn't know it existed?  I did, but don't usually think too much about it --- until I start seeing a proliferation of articles on it and a rise in concern over its activity.  A website called The Truth reports that during late 2013, ten major volcanoes erupted along the Ring of Fire, and while the mainstream media in the United States was strangely silent about this event, it was a very big deal.  They say that during that time period, scientists saw eruptions at some volcanoes that have been dormant for decades.
     To see one or two simultaneously active volcanoes is not unusual.  But ten is nothing to sneeze at! And since approximately 90% of all earthquakes and approximately 80% of all volcanic eruptions occur along the Ring of Fire, don't you think it makes sense to pay attention to this highly unusual activity?  Especially since the Ring of Fire runs directly up the west coast of the United States?  And although we haven't yet seen major activity in our region, the Ring of Fire has certainly been active in other parts of the Pacific Ocean, as witnessed by these news stories in foreign countries:
     Volcano creates new island off the coast of Japan.  A dramatic volcanic eruption in the Pacific Ocean has created a tiny new islet in Japan’s territorial waters, the first time in decades the nation has seen the phenomenon.
     Mount Sinabung in Indonesia.  During that same time period, a volcano in western Indonesia erupted eight times in just a few hours, “raining down rocks” over a large area and forcing thousands to flee their homes.
     But it wasn't just the Far East that experienced a higher rate of activity.  A series of eruptions occurred in Mexico, Guatamala, and the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia.  And do you see that the West Coast of the U.S. lies between those pinpoints on the map?  Alright, so maybe we didn't see anything to report about back in the fall of 2013... but does the same hold true today?  What's the latest on the Ring of Fire?
     According to the latest U.S. Geological Survey updates, A total of 583 small earthquakes have shaken San Ramon, California, in the last three weeks or so – more than five times the record set 12 years ago.  Could this be the prelude to "The Big One" that everyone in California is waiting for?  Everyone knows that a major earthquake and/or tsunami off the coast of California, or in Alaska, may well be enough to destroy everything in its path.
     And is the American public prepared for such an event?  An estimated 750,000 people would need to be evacuated from Los Angeles alone, with comparable numbers in other large metropolitan areas, according to experts. Even a relatively mild event could be sobering.  It's been over a year since a 6.0 earthquake rocked the Napa Valley in California; and over 20 years since the 6.7 quake in Northridge, California.  Have Californians, and Americans in general, become lulled to sleep?
     The truth of the matter is that California hasn’t dealt with a serious tsunami wave or earthquake in the recent and short memory of the public, and hence the general population remains clueless on what to do. Most will follow instinct and head for higher ground or flee the city, but are the highways and routes capable of facilitating a quick exodus from the most danger-prone areas?
     Let's face it, for years, we have watched as the rest of the Ring of Fire has been absolutely ravaged by major seismic events.  We all remember the earthquakes that caused the Indonesian tsunami of 2004 and the Japanese tsunami of 2011. And the world mourned when major earthquakes devastated New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Japan and the Philippines.  Don't you think it is only a matter of time before the San Andreas fault is affected by whatever appears to be happening to the earth's crust?
     I don't want to come off as "doom and gloom", but I think it is time to begin paying attention to the signs that the earth is giving us.  Huge, unexplainable sinkholes; rumblings and strange noises coming from deep inside the earth; and an increase in activity along the Ring of Fire are nothing to ignore or blow off.  I just think it is prudent to be prayed up and prepped up for what my spirit is telling me could be a major event in our near future.  Yes, the Lord is in control, but He gave us a brain and an innate instinct to survive. Are you listening to that instinct?

Revelation 16:18   "And there were flashes of lightning and loud rumblings and peals of thunder; and there was a massive earthquake—nothing like it has ever occurred since mankind originated on the earth, so severe and far-reaching was that earthquake."
   

   

The Danger of Video Games: Satan's Playground

     What do the names Adam Lanza, James Holmes, Jared Lee Loughner, Elliott Rodger, Dylan Roof,  and Chris Harper-Mercer have in common?  Besides being among a growing number of mass murderers, they were all fanatic video gamers.  I have been criticized in the past for making that connection, but I do not think that anyone can deny that there are some people who simply have a warped sense of what's real and what's not, thinking that real life is just like a video game.
     And what is even more alarming is the number of people who may not be capable of following through on their own distorted sense of reality, will nevertheless glory in the acting out of these killers.  Think this is an over-the-top representation of a popular pastime in America?  Just read this bit of information printed by Charisma News:  Chris Harper-Mercer killed 10 people, including himself, and left seven more injured in the massacre that took place on the Umpqua campus in Oregon.  Harper-Mercer was known as a recluse who was obsessed with violent gaming and the digital world, even finding supporters on those sites. On an anonymous chat room website, he left messages about what he was planning to do.  One of his comments was,  "Some of you guys are alright. Don't go to school tomorrow if you are in the northwest. So long space robots." The responses he got back to this were terrifying to say the least:

"DO IT" 

"You might want to target a girl's school which is safer because there are no beta males throwing themselves for their rescue."

"I am so excited for this. If this comes true then thank you for my late birthday gift anon."

"I suggest you enter a classroom and tell people that you will take them as hostages. Make everyone get in one corner and then open fire. Make sure that there is no way that someone can disarm you as it possible. I suggest you carry a knife on your belt as last resort if someone is holding your gun,"

Then, here are some of the responses after the shooting:

"That score, ouch. Not even double digits on current reports."

"THE MADMAN ACTUALLY DID IT"

How can people actually gloat over someone killing another person, or refer to the death count as a "score"?  It is beyond my comprehension!  Yet, the killers themselves leave us clues that the fantasy violence they become addicted to leads to their murderous actions.  Harper-Mercer is reported to have said, "I've been waiting for years to do this" before he opened fire on his victims.
     Yet there are mothers who will tell me that they have let their sons play video games their entire lives and they know the difference between make-believe and reality... their sons would never act out a video game.  Yet the afore-mentioned mass murderers are sons of other mothers, and they did just that.
     But why is it not conceivable that such violence in video games -- especially the first-person shooter variety -- could lead to a destabilization in a young person's mind?  Whether you believe the devil takes advantage of the spiritual aspect of a kid's life or not, surely our society should be able to recognize that, overall, violent video games may not be suitable for children and their impressionable minds.
     And it's not only the pliable minds of children that we have to worry about.  Recently, researchers at Ohio State University conducted a study and concluded that, "People who have a steady diet of playing these violent video games may come to see the world as a hostile and violent place." Brad Bushman, professor of communication and psychology at OSU, continues, "These results suggest there could be a cumulative effect in making video game players more aggressive and violent over the long term as well as over the short term."  In other words, a steady diet of depersonalizing and dehumanizing violence just might numb the brain to a zombie-like state.
     In fact, Evan Ramsey, who snuck a shot gun into his high school and shot a student and the principal and wounded two others, was clearly deprived of his power of reasoning. He claims that a video game, Doom, distorted his version of reality: "I did not understand that if I pull out a gun and shoot you ... you're not getting back up. You shoot a guy in Doom, and he gets back up. You have got to shoot the things in Doom eight or nine times before it dies."
     Michael Carneal shot girls as they prayed in a prayer group. Carneal never moved his feet during his shootings, and never fired far to the left or right, but instead fired only once at each target that appeared, just as a player of video games maximizes his game score by shooting only once at each victim, in order to hit as many targets as possible.
     And I'm sure you remember Anders Behring Breivik, who shot 68 people dead at a youth camp of the Norwegian Labor party, and another nine in a bombing of government buildings.  According to the judgment rendered against him, he liked playing violent games. He actually used the video game Call of Duty to train for his shooting massacre.
     By now, I'm sure you're getting the picture.  Whether you want to give credit to Satan and his use of technology, or merely lay these horrendous crimes at the feet of unstable people; it should be clear that realistic and violent video games are doing something to our cognitive behavior.  Too many people (primarily male) are developing negative patterns of thought about the world, and are unable to distinguish their fellow human beings from created video characters.  And in turn, they have a distorted view of themselves in the role of avenger, victim, hero, or any other number of disturbed roles.
     This is not an indictment of all children who play video games, anymore than it is of all video games, themselves.  However, when will we, as a society, realize that the most dangerous weapon a person yields is their mind?  And yield is the key word.  The way Satan gains control of a person's mind is when their mind is passive, idle, and not occupied with God's will.  The more we allow our children's minds to be consumed with images of violence and killing (even if it is represented as coming from a moral authority), the more Satan will pull them into his web of deception and lies.  And the more minds are corrupted with death and violence, the more dangerous society becomes.  How much longer will we deny this truth?

Psalm 11:5   "The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence."

Thoughts On This Veteran's Day ...

   

     As I contemplate the ongoing service of our nation's military veterans, I am nearly overcome with emotion.  This nation has been at war for over 14 years, and the continued dedication of most of our military personnel -- in the face of exhaustion, dismantlement, disrespect, and dishonor from the likes of the Veterans Administration -- amazes and astonishes me.
     We have fought in big wars under a Republican President (Afghanistan and Iraq), and small wars under a Democratic President (Libya and Yemen, for the obvious ones), and it has cost us nearly 7,000 lives and billions of dollars.   Unlike the last World War, there doesn't seem to be an end goal in sight, and the path to victory seems blurred.  Yet the men and women who fight in our armed forces remain steadfast and unwavering in their commitment to defend this nation from enemies foreign and domestic.  And in that, they share the legacy of all those who have come before them.
     Would it astound you to know that the total number of Americans killed in U.S. Wars is more than 1.1 million?  And that doesn't take into account the veterans who fought in the French & Indian War before this nation officially existed.  And would it further amaze you to know that America has been at war -- in one form or another -- for 222 out of its 239 years?  That's 93% of its existence!!  That leaves us with the fact that we have only been at peace for 21 years since the birth of this nation! (For a year-by-year timeline of America's major wars from 1776-2011, click here.)  Whether these statistics mirror the experience of all mankind is a subject for another day; today I want to focus on those who have served our nation in armed combat.
     Along with those facts come the statistics of our fallen veterans ... Nearly half a million died in our Civil War, and over 400,000 in World War II; and, as I mentioned, we have lost nearly 7,000 veterans in the Global War on Terror.  These are the statistics coming from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
     As exemplified by the numbers, about 12% of the population served during WW II, resulting in the fact that most Americans were likely to know or be connected to someone in the military.  Today, less than 1% serve, and there is the danger that our society is suffering from a disconnect -- we are less likely to know what is going on, someone who has served, or what they have experienced.
     Gala True, a medical anthropologist and folklorist with the Department of Veterans Affairs and contributor to the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, says, “So few have served, that it’s very easy for people to say that ‘I didn’t want these wars,’ but that doesn’t mean that we aren’t all part of this [experience of war]".  So that is one aspect that is different for this generation of veterans.
      Author James Fallows, of The Atlantic, writes, "When I was a kid in the ’50s and ’60s and then older in the ’70s, American pop culture reflected a country familiar enough with its military to make fun of it at times. You had shows like “Gomer Pyle,” or “Hogan’s Heroes,” or “”McHale’s Navy.”  You had works of art like “South Pacific” or novels like “Catch 22″ and even movies like “MASH.” {These films] respected the importance of the military and the important things it did that were heroic in the large scale, like World War II, but it was still made of real people with their real foibles.  But now we have started to have this artificially reverent view of the military that’s also distant and disengaged."
    There is another important distinction that separates this generation of Americans from those of the past.  During World War II, even if you didn't actively serve, you participated, through rationing, scrap drives, blood drives, and so on.  Everyone was connected to the war effort.  And everyone believed in our mission.
     Can we agree that this is no longer the case?  Or that it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify our mission?  There are those who will point to our astounding statistics of war since WW I -- the cost in treasure and lives -- and say that it points to our lust for war, and supports a 2014 International Gallup poll that America is the #1 threat to peace in the world.  I dispute that.  But I must admit that I no longer have a clear vision of our national leaders and their perspective or objectives concerning this nation's involvement in world conflicts.
     That being said, my support for our nation's veterans will never waver.  I am in awe of their continued sacrifice and willingness to put the safety and security of this nation before themselves and their families.  It is an unselfish act to step into the gap between their fellow countrymen and an enemy that desires to defeat us -- and it is both honorable and righteous.
     So I salute all this nation's veterans; from the first colonial farmer who grabbed his musket and joined the ragtag Continental Army, to the millions who have served over the last 239 years; from the 18-year-old recruit at boot camp to the elite fighting forces of our special operations units.  This salute is not about the morality of wars we have fought, or the policies of Presidents.  It is about the veterans.  They have served so that others might live their lives free.  Such service by an individual towards his fellow man deserves our absolute respect.  May God Bless you all for your sacrifice and your commitment to our nation.

Isaiah 6:8    And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."


   
   

Ready For Some Good News?

     With the sad state of the world, I know that I'm ready for a feel-good story, and I'm pretty sure you are, too.  It's not an earth-shattering, jump up and down, fist-pump-the-sky kind of story, but one of simple love and charity for our fellow man... the best kind.
    Tanya Prewitt-White, a sports and health psychology professor at Adler University, and her husband, Courtney White, who is the Physical Education department chair at Downer's Grove, were returning from the funeral of Courtney's grandmother.  They were taking the train home from Chicago O'Hare when they spied a homeless man sleeping in a wheelchair.
     “We were getting off at Irving Park, and I had grabbed some money to give him,” Prewitt-White, said.  “My husband had the same idea, so he already had money out to give him. I handed my additional money to my husband, and he just slipped it all into the gentleman’s bag, and we walked off.”
     “We were just trying to pay it forward,” she continued. “My husband and I talk about this all the time — about our own self-righteousness, about how it’s easier to become hardened and not make eye contact, or smile at people who appear homeless, because then you don’t have to look pain and suffering in the face. It’s definitely been a journey for the two of us.”

Courtney White and his wife, Tanya Prewitt-White

     So, although the couple thought they were committing an anonymous act of charity, another passenger was so moved that he snapped a quick photo of them before they exited the train, and posted it on his Facebook page.  Jack Stankovic said, "I posted the picture because, at the time, everyone on the train was heads-down on their phones,” he told the Chicago Tribune. “We see so much negativity on a daily basis on social media. If we only took the time to look at our surroundings, we would see the positive things happening around us. We, as a society, talk about change, but rarely do we act on it. The picture symbolizes action.”  The last time I checked, his post had over 91,000 shares.  It seems as if people love to share the good news as much as they flock to the sensationalized.
     And to be honest, I think we're tired of all the explicit, lurid, shocking and scandalous news that pervades our media and social conscience.  I don't know about you but they leave me feeling contaminated, in a way; almost as if I am looking at the world through a dirty and soiled veil.  So, I find that the smiles I receive from strangers, in return to the ones I give, are the highlights of my day. A smile and a hello, while looking someone in the eye, can validate that they were worth your attention; especially since like Jack Stankovic said, we are increasingly becoming zombie-like, detached, and aloof as we stare at our electronic entrapments.
     It doesn't take much to change a person's entire outlook on life.  We all need to feel connected; that we matter, and that we are not alone and won't go unnoticed.  There is nothing that could make a human being feel more lonely or without worth.  And that's why Courtney White and his wife, Tanya, obeyed their spiritual prompting.  That simple act of kindness and charity shines forth as an example for us all.
     Although they did not do it for the attention it has garnered, their fellow passenger Jack Stankovic felt that their act should be honored.  And he recorded the reaction of the homeless man in the wheel chair -- because he woke him up to tell him.  “I didn’t want him to pull his water bottle out and drop [the money],” he said. “I stepped off and stood on the platform and watched through the window. He had this look on his face like, ‘Why?’ Confused why anyone would do that. You can’t put into words the feeling I had that day. It’s like everything was right in the world for a brief moment.”
     You're exactly right, Jack.  Things on earth were perfect for a moment; two people shared their heart and soul with another, and at that exact point of time there was peace and good will between men ... just as our Lord intended.

Thank you to The Blaze for this story, and I hope it blesses you and inspires you today to do your own small gesture of love towards another human being.

Luke 6:38    "Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."


   

The President of Hollywood

     Sometimes there is an advantage to being connected to social media, because I think we all know that if you are paying attention, the Enemy is giving us plenty of clues as to how he operates.  So, that's why I am grateful to a young friend of mine who pointed me to a short YouTube video that she came across in her daily examination of the online culture.
     It's a quick little cartoon featuring the long-time cartoon characters Tom and Jerry.  In this little snippet, we see the cartoon cat and his mouse buddy auditioning for a TV show.  But the short, one minute video reveals a forbidding, though not surprising, truth... our title characters are allowed to see who the President of Hollywood is, and it is none other than Satan.  What is interesting is that the TV executives interviewing Tom and Jerry receive a phone call from the Hollywood President ... not from a regular phone on their desk, but from a pyramid-shaped instrument with the all-seeing eye that summons the demonic overlord of Hollywood.
     When he is summoned, he swirls around in a serpent-like pattern until he manifests into a simpler cartoon version of Chernabog, the Satanic Disney character from Fantasia that I referred to in this blog post.  There is also a longer version of the video (nearly 4 minutes), in which we are allowed to see just how the President of Hollywood uses his Illuminati underlings to maintain control of the entertainment industry.  When Tom and Jerry beat up the TV exec after realizing the contract they have signed is unethical and immoral, the stunned exec announces that maybe it's time to start developing moral, family-style entertainment -- at which point the Illuminati administrators destroy him and offer the prestige of the position, and the perks of beautiful women, to a more easily manipulated schmuck.
      I know this won't surprise you; anyone with any kind of discernment can see that the entertainment industry is serving the prince of this world.  And if you are disinclined to receive the hints of a cartoon, then it should be plain to you in the recent vitriolic display coming from Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino.  In his poisonous anti-cop rants, I wonder if Tarantino is not doing the bidding of his Illuminati handlers.  Because you see, it is not just that Satan's servants wish to control the entertainment industry; I believe they see it as a vehicle to bring about the complete destruction of our culture, society, and yes, even our country.

     Do you not find it interesting that Tarantino's sudden appearance on the culture stage, is aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement and its subordinate element, RiseUpOctober?  Would it surprise you to know that one event at which Tarantino was invited to voice his angry criticism of police was one organized by Carl Dix, one of the founding members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, a group that has held anti-police events in October for nearly two decades, and that openly advocates for an armed overthrow of the United States of America?  Do you think it is coincidental that these two have suddenly teamed up (seemingly out of nowhere) to promote an agenda caused to wreak havoc in our society?
     So what does all this mean?  Can we believe the not-so-subtle message of a cartoon video?  Should we take seriously the active participation of Hollywood in the conjuring of social discord and conflict?  Is Communism still a major threat to this country, and are we still suffering from an "anti-McCarthyism" backlash from the 1950's?  Is that why the media and politicians are hesitant to point out the connections between Mr. Dix and Revolutionary Communist Party chairman, Bob Avakian?
     It's all right there for the discerning and wise to see...  From the clever cartoon, to the schemes and conspiracies of duped filmmakers and revolutionaries.  They are all convenient tools for the devil to accomplish his goal of world domination.  But he is missing one little subplot from Tom and Jerry... that pyramid with the all-seeing eye that summoned the President of Hollywood is a false idol.  There is only One Being that is All-Knowing and All-Seeing, and the machinations of the Evil one cannot destroy God's Sovereignty or His Will.  Let them think that they are carrying out their sneaky little plan.  We already know the outcome, and the Day of the Lord is at hand.

Hebrews 4:13    "And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.

     The Bible has a lot to say about curses and blessings.  It's always interesting to me that Christians are anxious to discuss and learn about the blessings that can be bestowed upon us as Believers, but don't seem to be too knowledgeable on the subject of curses.  Granted, it is a complex issue, but I want to try to make it relevant to the world in which we live today.

     First of all, I guess we need to agree that there are actually two kinds of curses:  the one we would call "swearing"; or the use of curse words; and the second being an authoritative declaration, considered to possess an inherent power of carrying itself into effect.  We all know the Third Commandment, right?  "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain" is pretty self-explanatory.  We recognize the power of God in that statement.  The fact that He will not hold us guiltless, demonstrates that judgment will be pronounced.

     But what about the other kind of curse?  Does it have any power over us?  Our Scripture today certainly says, "No!"  Our "vindication" will be that God will clear us of any blame or suspicion, and prove that we were in the right --- but notice that this pronouncement is for the servants of the Lord.

     I see it this way... in this day and age, witchcraft and demonic activity is more out in the open than it has been at any other time in my lifetime.  But we need to rely on Scripture ... God does not allow His children to be cursed. God is sovereign. No one has the power to curse one whom God has decided to bless. God is the only One able to pronounce judgment.  Yet I believe that there are plenty of people who believe in casting spells and hexes and incantations against others.  And there are those who will testify that they work!

     But the Bible is very clear that if you belong to God, those spells will have no effect upon you.  But, here is the thing:  the number of people who are being deceived by Satan and his followers; those people who reject God and refuse to believe in His Saving Grace, is growing.  They have listened to the lies and believe in their own dark powers, as granted by the Evil One, himself.  So, they see some success in their casting of spells and dark magic against those who are not Believers, and they think that the one they serve is greater than the Christian God.

      Here is my warning to them:  Micah 5:12 very clearly says that God will destroy witchcraft and those who cast spells.  But I also have a warning for those "lukewarm" Christians and unbelievers.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 24:24 that "false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."  So, we must be on guard to give no credence to those who claim that they have been given supernatural powers by any other than Yeshua.  Even then, if you are a Believer, you better be praying and using your Holy Spirit-led discernment to reveal God's Truth.  

     As we consider today's Scripture, I want to assure you that we need not be afraid of coming in contact with such people.  As Christians, we have been born again as a new person in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and we are in the constant presence of the Holy Spirit who lives within us and under whose protection we exist.  I will, however, concede that a curse upon an ancestor can affect you as a descendent in the generational line.  But it is important we realize that, if you are a Believer, that curse was covered by the blood of Jesus the moment you accepted Him as your Savior.  

     Remember that Romans 8:2 tells us, "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."  Any generational curse is certainly part of sin and death, and Christ has set you free.  When we apply God's Word and the Authority of Jesus combined with the Power of the Holy Spirit to our lives, nothing of Satan is allowed to transform us.  Just as our verse today says, "No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed...".

     Doesn't that give you such peace of mind?  It should!  So Christians who live in fear should see that there is no need to be afraid!  We know that “the one who is in you [Christ] is greater than the one [Satan] who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).  So are you living that Truth out in your daily life?  Are you living in God's Peace and in the knowledge that we have been set free?  The best way to avoid cursing, or those who curse us is to be obedient to God and walk in the ways of His Son.  That is the heritage of the servants of the Lord!

      

Disney And Its Demons

     Have you ever had the thought, or commented on, how much our childhoods as Baby Boomers were more cheerful and light-hearted and full of joyous memories?  We were entertained by seemingly harmless and innocent TV shows and movies -- things like I Love Lucy, Leave It To Beaver, Charlie Brown, Andy Griffith, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and who can forget gathering the family around the TV for Walt Disney on Sunday nights?
     There were none of the "heavier" kinds of kid's entertainment like today's Xiaolin Chronicles, Young Dracula, Transformers Prime Beast Hunters, Every Witch Way, and The Haunted Hathaways.  To be sure, the old trusted Disney franchise is still pumping out The Mickey Mouse Club, and Sesame Street is still around.  But, about that Disney franchise....
     We've all seen what the Disney studios have created in Miley Cyrus, and we tend to think that modern-day Disney no longer resembles the Disney of our youth.  That Disney is seen in our memories as harmless and nontoxic; definitely not dangerous or evil.  But let me share something with you that just may show how faulty that reasoning is.
     I recently discovered that Disney is planning a live-action adaptation from a segment of their 1940 animation masterpiece, Fantasia.  You may recall the recent movie Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie as the iconic witch from the Sleeping Beauty animated film, known as "The Mistress of All Evil".  Now, Disney is planning a 2016 release of the Fantasia segment titled "A Night On Bald Mountain", which Hollywood Reporter characterizes as a live-action film "centered on a dark winged creature who raised spirits from the dead. They dance, fly through the air and enjoy a night of mayhem until they fade away as the night ends and the sun begins to rise."  I'm sorry, but that is far too demure of a portrayal of this film.  (Click on the above link to see the Fantasia segment).

Chernabog

     When the original animated version of Fantasia hit theaters in 1940-41, this segment openly glorified Chernabog, a giant evil demon, who appears as the only main character in the "Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria" segment.  He has been praised as Disney's best representation of pure evil, and as animator Vladimir Tytla's greatest triumph. As a very "raw" representation of evil, he, in his original appearance, is not placed in the context of any real story, and he and his minions' actions are not committed in pursuit of any discernible goal other than general havoc–wreaking and tyranny on all... in other words, "to steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10).
     Chernabog is one of the most powerful villains Walt Disney has ever created because he is depicted as a ruthless monster, feared by all who encounter him.  Walt Disney, himself, said another name for Chernabog was Satan.  Many of his appearances also show him to be somewhat comedic, as seen in The Wonderful World of Disney, and House of Mouse.  But I promise you, he is anything but funny.  His power is shown to be incredibly demonic, being able to unleash hellish realms and spirits. While immensely dark, he has managed to become a trademark Disney villain.
     The reason that I am alerting you to the existence of this character and want you to focus on his re-emergence in this new animated film, is because I believe that there is real demonic power and forces behind such creations as this.  In fact, Thornton Hee, another Disney animator who worked on Fantasia, recalled wanting to ask Vladimir Tytla (the creator of the character Chernabog) about something, but when he entered the animator's room, he found it was in complete darkness save for the fluorescent light under Tytla's drawing, which lit his face in an eerie way as he worked. This unnerved Hee enough to compel him to leave without alerting Tytla to his presence at all.
     And Thornton Hee was not the only one frightened by this depiction of Chernabog.  At the time of its release in 1940, many parents criticized the film for frightening their children in the "Night on Bald Mountain" segment.  One film critic,  Dorothy Thompson of The New York Herald Tribune, wrote that she "left the theater in a condition bordering on nervous breakdown," because the film was a "remarkable nightmare."  And no wonder... when you read of Chernabog's descriptions on a website dedicated to his creation as an animated character, you read things like "Gigantic, slender, muscular, scary-looking face, black skin and horns, yellow glowing eyes, jagged fangs, giant black wings with purple undersides".  You read that his "occupation" is Demon Lord.  The things he likes are "Evil, darkness, war, chaos, night, fire, shadows, sins, hate, fear, despair, death".  And he dislikes "all that is good, and the light".
    And if you are interested in Disney trivia, you might find the following bits of information interesting in regards to this animated demon:

Yen Sid

•  The words in his name, "cherna" and "bog", mean "black" and "god" in Slavic languages (his animator, Vladimir Tytla was Ukrainian).
•  Chernabog was referred to as "Yen Sid" in the pencil tests for Fantasia. But "Yen Sid" was used as the name of Mickey's magic master in The Sorcerer's Apprentice scene in the film, and the animation of both characters were supervised by Tytla.  (Further evidence that Disney knew exactly what was being created in this film).
•  Chernabog is unusual in that he has no other purpose other than to be evil. He is not interested in conquest.  (Remember:  "Steal, kill, and destroy" -- he knows he can't win).
•  Walt Disney called Chernabog the devil himself.
     My point in recounting all this information is this: I do not believe that the inclusion of Chernabog in the original animated film, nor his appearances in the current Kingdom of Hearts video game series, or his new starring role in the forthcoming live-action film adaptation, is a coincidence.  It is my conjecture that people influenced by the demonic presence of Satan on this earth know exactly what they are doing.  It is no coincidence that several people I know have expressed harassment by a "dark entity", sometime in their life, that just happens to resemble this animated character.
     So what do you think is the purpose of re-introducing Chernabog to a new generation?  Could it be the same as Maleficient?  (See my thoughts on this film at this blog post). I firmly believe that children who are subjected to horror movies or TV shows -- everything from Fantasia, to Dark Shadows, to The Shining, to Halloween and Freddie Krueger, to the Twilight series -- are being not only influenced by the demonic realm, but are being subtly persuaded, if you will, to accept this as normal and nothing to fear -- sort of a "soft sell" approach to accepting the reality of Evil.  Except that there is nothing "soft" or "subtle" about Satan and his demons.  And, for what it's worth, even as an adult, to watch "A Night On Bald Mountain" is deeply disturbing to my spirit.  Guard your children!  Walt Disney and his funny little mouse buddy are not your friends!

Ephesians 5:11    "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."