Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you
 to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, 
holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
  Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed 
by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what
 is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

     Although this Scripture is not usually connected to the celebration of Christ's birth, I thought it was wholly appropriate for this season of celebration.  For who else than the Christ Child would grow into the One who would offer His body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God?  Who else refused to be conformed to this world, resisting all temptation, in order to perform the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God?  

     And, yet, we must not lose sight of the fact that these verses are directed to us, too.  Each of us must be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we, too, might live holy lives; sacrificing what this world has to offer for a life that is in agreement and harmony with the will of God.  But what does that really mean, and how are we to achieve it?

     What does it mean to present our bodies as a living sacrifice and that this would become our spiritual worship?  Well, the word "sacrifice" is defined as "an act of giving up something valued, for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy."  That seems to suggest that our worship is going to cost us something.  But what?  If the act of "presenting our bodies" implies that we are dedicating all of ourselves, or setting ourselves apart from something, then it must be in contrast to what others in the world accept and embrace.  And how would this result in a life that is holy and pleasing to God?

     A very wise friend of mine recently told me that a pastor had presented a theory how we could change the moral culture of this nation in two generations; three at the most.  The pastor said there were three things the citizens of this nation could do to begin to turn our country around.  We could: 1) decide not to engage in premarital sex, waiting until we were married;  2) when we get married, to stay married; and 3) teach our kids to do the same.  If we could commit to do those three things through two or three generations, we could eventually rid our society of orphanages, broken families, fatherless kids, sexually transmitted diseases, divorce, abortion, adultery, sexual experimentation and confused gender identities, and all the disease and sickness that comes from loneliness and degenerate lifestyles.  

     Don't you think it would be a lot easier to mature spiritually -- to be transformed -- if we would focus on Godly values and ethical/moral attitudes?  Wouldn't that make it easier to discern the will of God; of what it is He wishes us to do and not to do?  We know that it is His will that we love our enemies; that we repent of our sins; and that we be holy as He is holy.  If we truly presented our bodies as a living sacrifice -- giving up the ways of the world for a life committed to pleasing Him -- wouldn't it not only be easier to traverse our years on this planet, but make us much happier and more content?

     I know that sounds simplistic and doesn't take into account our sinful nature.  But we were not made to disobey God.  That comes from our free will decisions.  He has given us the power and the ability to sin and disobey, but if we truly renewed our minds and focused on Him, we would be progressively transformed into the image of our Savior.  

     So, as you celebrate Christmas in a few days, and you worship the Son of God and picture Him lying in a lowly manger, keep in mind that this child is our role model.  He came to live a life that was Holy; separate from the world, and He did not conform to it.  He was willing to sacrifice His mortal body in order to accomplish our Father's plan and purpose for Him.  Nothing less is expected from us.  And that is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God!  May your focus be on our Lord and Savior this season, and living a life that is pleasing to God.  Merry Christmas!

       

What Is The True Meaning of the Brotherhood of Christ?

     I find as we are coming closer to the return of Christ, that the Body of Christ is actually in danger of becoming fractured.  Just as in the first century, when the birth of the Church presented new and unfamiliar ways of viewing God working in the world, I see Christians being separated by what they perceive as being "acceptable" ways to glorify and honor Him.
     Of course, there are the differences among Christians based on the changing cultural "morals".  Issues like gay marriage, abortion, social justice, and civil disobedience are addressed in the Bible, yet we find that people who call themselves Christians differ on how their faith instructs them on these matters.  How can that be?  God doesn't offer compromises or concessions in His commandments, does He?  So how are we to contend with these varying opinions?

      I think we need to take another look at our understanding of what it means to be the "Brotherhood of Christ".  If we truly understand the concept of God as our Father, it seems to me that being part of a brotherhood would encompass brotherly union and a joining with Jesus Christ in a unity of Grace.  Yet, I fear that we sometimes get caught up in our own definitions of what God finds satisfactory, or allowable, or just plain "good enough".  And I have to ask myself if we haven't let "religion" cloud our judgment, just a little.
     I am as guilty as the next Christian.  I know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit have been doing mighty works in my life; and showing me how to help others experience the joy of their Presence.  My experience has not been the norm; it is outside what the Church in America has known and promoted for at least the last century.  Yet I know it is real and from God!  But I have to fight the temptation to reject the traditional and "safe" message of the Church, because who am I to know the mind of God, or how He might reach just one person sitting in a pew on a Sunday morning?  I do not want to become my own god!
     At the same time, there are highly controversial people who call themselves Christians, and who appear to have borne fruit for His Kingdom through decidedly non-Church methods.  Are we to discount that their message or testimony is not real?  I think all of us can agree that we are to know our fellow Christians by the fruit that they bear.  But Jesus taught in John 15 that the primary purpose of a fruit tree is to bear fruit, and it is therefore judged by what it produces and not by how it looks.  We are instructed to be careful and not to be deceived by false prophets who look like beautiful fruit trees, whose fruit is pleasant to look at, tastes good, and is easy to digest; but produce nothing for the Kingdom.  At the same time, we must not forget that a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.  So while a fruit tree might look unorthodox and strange, if we discern that it is producing good fruit, then does it have credibility?
     It is easy for us Christians to establish the rules and determine what looks like Holy Spirit-produced fruit.  But I caution us that we must not fall into the trap of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who simply could not fathom that this rabble-rousing son of a carpenter could be a representative of Yahweh.  I am not saying that we should accept every new and dynamic conversion as the real thing, just because they say they have "found Jesus."  But neither do I think we should rush to condemn someone if they aren't miraculously changed on the spot.  Jesus told the woman caught in the act of adultery, and the man healed at the Pool of Bethsaida, to both "go and sin no more."
     They didn't instantly become a sinless, perfect human being.  None of us will ever be that.  But the power of the Holy Spirit broke the power that sin once had over them, and a process was begun towards conforming them into the likeness of Christ.  We are all on that path.  Some of us get there quicker than others.  Some have to stumble and fall many times over before we can shake the depravity and lies of our sinful past.  But if we have accepted Christ as our Savior, and surrender to Him, He will do the work... no matter how long it takes.
     I have seen evidence of that long path in a good friend of mine this week.  I never doubted his faith, but his actions did not show that He was walking with the Lord.  But God is now using him, while in a still imperfect state, to witness to people who need to hear of the Grace, Mercy, and Healing Power of Jesus.  His has been a very personalized, and different path to Christ.  He embraced the path to Christ easily, but he didn't walk the usual and normal path.  I have always felt that it was my duty as a Christian to embrace him and where he started, but also to encourage him and pray that he would not finish there.
     Should not the same thing be said for all of us in relationship to each other?  We are not all going to look alike or produce the same fruit from a cookie cutter template.  We must test the spirits and the message of those who look and sound different from us.  But we must also be open to the power of the Holy Spirit to be working in unique and unusual ways.  He is smarter than all of us, and can use just the right person to reach the unreachable.  We have entered an Age in which nothing resembles the ordinary, and nothing looks like it did in the past.  Jesus and the Holy Spirit worked outside the realm of conventional religion in the first century.  They can do the same today.  And through discernment, we must evaluate the good fruit from the bad, and support our brothers and sisters in Christ as we all strive to share the Good News.  We may not all look alike or follow the same path to Christ, but if we converge at the Cross, then the path forward will be in true brotherhood and unity.

John 15:44    "How can you believe [in Me], when you [seek and] receive glory and approval from one another, and yet you do not seek the glory and approval which comes from the One and Only God?"

Do You Need Any More Proof?

     I have often explained my position that there is no real difference in the political parties; each is not really in Washington to serve the people.  The idea that we have a representative government of the people, by the people, and for the people, has not been evident for a very long time -- at least not in my lifetime, and most likely not during the last century.  

      Those who are inclined to believe in conspiracy theories will point to the existence of organizations like the Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bilderberg Group, and the Illuminati as confirmation that an Elite group of men, all members of these secret societies, are really ruling the world.  They just let us peons think we have a say in our government to keep the masses satisfied.  But, the conspiracists will say, the curtain has been pulled back and those in power in D.C. all work for the same side; and it is against us, not for us.

     How can one argue with that premise when the supposedly conservative Republican Party controls both the House and the Senate, yet did nothing to stop the advancement of budgetary legislation that seems to be destroying the country?  Paul Ryan may be trying to disguise his true colors behind his new facial hair, but do you need any more proof that we, the people, are insignificant in the affairs of this nation?  

     Breitbart.com provides a clear and concise summary of just how the men and women who were elected to represent us have sold us out.  But, we saw it coming, didn't we?  Although House Republicans put on a good show by pushing John Boehner out and electing Paul Ryan as the new Speaker, the negotiations under the new Party leadership were, as The Washington Post expressed, "the same high-stakes, closed-door give-and-take involving only a handful of congressional leaders that has closed out virtually every fiscal deal in recent memory."  Why did we think anything would change?  So, in case you don't have the stomach to wade through all the hype, let me just spell it out for you:

     1)  This latest appropriations bill funds entirely the 2012 executive amnesty for “DREAMers”—or illegal immigrants who came to the country as minors.  The President's executive action, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), has granted around 700,000 illegal aliens with work permits, as well as the ability to receive tax credits and federal entitlement programs. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report documented how this illegal amnesty program for alien youth is, in large part, responsible for the illegal alien minor surge on our southern border.

     2)  Five months after Kate Steinle died in her father's harms -- murdered by an illegal alien in San Francisco, a sanctuary city -- Ryan’s omnibus rewards these lawless Sanctuary Cities with federal grants. To be specific, Division B Title II of Ryan’s omnibus funds various grant programs for the Department of Justice (pages 167, 168, and 169) and contains no language that would restrict the provision of such grants to sanctuary jurisdictions.

     3)  This appropriations bill will fund President Obama’s refugee resettlement operation and will allow for the admission of tens of thousands of refugees with access to federal benefits. Division H Title II of Ryan’s bill contains appropriations of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and contains no language that would restrict the program. Nor are there any restrictions for the program in Division K of Ryan’s bill, which provides funding for the Department of State, which oversees refugee admissions.  In addition, Ryan’s proposal does nothing to limit admissions from jihadist-prone regions and funds all of the Mideast immigration programs that have been exploited by terrorists in recent years.

     4)  It seems to be all about the refugees and illegal aliens in this bill.  The inflated legislation funds not only illegal alien resettlement, but funds the release of criminal aliens; quadruples H-2B visas for unskilled guest workers; and preserves the expansion of the President’s expiring child tax credits without any accompanying language to prevent illegal aliens from receiving those tax credits.

     5)  Here's an important fact for us American tax-payers:  The bill funds the Obama-Boehner budget deal, which eliminated spending caps, and will increase both defense and non-defense spending next year by $25 billion more each.  Think that is going to effect our wallets?

     6)  And finally, the American people were promised a 700-mile double-layer border fence with the passage of the 2006 Secure Fence Act.  Guess what?  It ain't gonna happen.  It should not surprise us that this bill does not require that funds be allocated to finish the construction of the 700-mile double-layer fence.

     Granted, all this is bad news.  But here's the real damage that's been done according to the folks at Breitbart ... By locking in the President’s refugee, immigration, and spending priorities, Ryan’s bill is designed to keep these fights out of Congress by getting them off the table for good. Delivering Obama these wins–and pushing these issues beyond the purview of Congress–will suppress public attention to the issues and, in so doing, will boost the candidacy of the Republican establishment’s preferred presidential contenders, who favor President Obama’s immigration agenda.

     So that brings us right back to the question of whether we really have any say in the governing of this nation.  But it is time that we quit putting our faith in men.  As Christians, we know that Satan is the prince and ruler of this world.  We know that God is Sovereign, but we also know that, in His infinite wisdom, He has allowed Satan to operate in this world within the boundaries God has set for him.  That means that Satan has domain over all unbelievers, and it is not hard to see that those who seek power and wealth for themselves, over and above serving their fellow man, will fall prey to the Deceiver's influence.  In essence, they have believed the lie that they are all "little g" gods unto themselves, and have been caught in the snare of the devil.

     But so have the ordinary citizens of this world.  2 Corinthians 4:4 says, Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe.  That is plain to see as I scan the nearly 11,000 comments on the Breitbart article.  People continue to think that there is a political answer to our dilemma and the decline of this nation.  They argue back and forth, calling each other names, claiming that one Party or another is to blame.  They truly are blinded to the "glorious light of the Good News."  They don’t understand that only our confession, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ can stop the hemorrhage.  It has to happen among the Elite of the world, the leaders of our nation, and all the way down to the common man.  We just don't get it that the Enemy has assigned rulers and principalities to each nation, and it is these spiritual entities that truly have authority and control over us.  Until each individual surrenders to Christ, no future election or change of political parties will effect our destiny.  And if the passage of this appropriations bill is any indication, there is no soul searching in sight.

John 16:8    "And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment..."

A Threat To Mankind Of Its Own Making

   

     I found it rather amusing, yet chillingly scary, that Elon Musk and his tech giant buddies have pledged $1 billion to save humanity from destruction by artificial intelligence.  That's right, they just came right out and said it... they believe that there is a very real danger that human-level AI might one day decide that we are no longer necessary, and commit to destroy us.
     That may sound like the oft-repeated storyline of science fiction movies, but apparently they feel it is a real enough threat that they are sounding the alarm and hope to keep big companies like Google or Facebook — both of which have huge artificial intelligence operations — from getting too much power from “super-intelligence systems”.  Of course, there are the really fringe conspiracy theorists who worry that governments may also use the power of AI to oppress their citizens.
     So, that you get a clear picture of this situation, Elon Musk, who made his fortune from PayPal, is joining forces with other tech entrepreneurs to establish a $1 billion investment fund for researchers to pursue applications with a positive social impact and to try to stay one step ahead of the technology.  It is their fear that AI systems communicating among themselves could eventually control entire transport networks and national economies.  So, along with Indian tech giant Infosys and Amazon Web Services, he has set up OpenAI, a nonprofit company that will back research into novel uses of AI and share the findings.
     Their stated goal is to ensure that someone is looking at the pros and cons – free from the financial constraints of research and development departments at the likes of Google or IBM that have spent billions of dollars on research.  But I find it rather ironic that Elon Musk and his collaborators will share the data that their companies generate with the AI firms. That will mean, for instance, that everything on Reddit could be given to the robots to help them learn.  Musk will also hand over data from his projects, including Tesla’s self-driving cars and SpaceX’s rockets.
     So, am I missing something?  Why would you hand over mountains of data to fight a takeover by robots --- to other robot companies?  Doesn't that defeat your objective?  Why give them more technology information?  I mean, Stephen Hawking is on record for warning that we may face an “intelligence explosion”, as machines develop the ability to engineer themselves to be far more intelligent.
     Then there is Dr. Stuart Armstrong, of the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University,  who has predicted a future where machines run by artificial intelligence become so indispensable in human lives they eventually make us redundant and take over.  And he says his alarming vision could happen as soon as the next few decades.
     Here is a pretty good analogy that Dr. Armstrong uses to get his point across:  "[For now] humans steer the future not because we're the strongest or the fastest, but because we're the smartest.  When machines become smarter than humans, we'll be handing them the steering wheel."  And because we think we're so smart, Armstrong envisages machines capable of harnessing such large amounts of computing power, and at speeds inconceivable to the human brain, that they will eventually create global networks with each other - communicating without human interference.
     In other words, machines, computers, and robots now carry out specific tasks designed for them by humans.  But when they can operate without human interference, and at speeds that we cannot fathom or understand, then that is when they will be able to take over those entire transport systems and national economies that were mentioned previously, along with financial markets, healthcare systems and product distribution.  It won't just be that they will eliminate our jobs.  They might quite possibly decide to eliminate us!
      Dr. Armstrong warns that the seemingly benign instruction to an AI to "prevent human suffering", could logically be interpreted by a super computer as "kill all humans", thereby ending suffering all together.  Furthermore, an instruction such as "keep humans safe and happy", could be translated by the remorseless digital logic of a machine as "entomb everyone in concrete coffins on heroin drips".
     An even scarier scenario is that as we develop these super computers, it will be impossible to determine whether a machine is developing in a benign or deadly direction.  Just think of the movie franchise Terminator.  And if you think it is as simple as writing a moral code by which machines could operate, just stop for a second and think about that.  The human race has debated for centuries on what constitutes acceptable moral boundaries, and we haven't agreed yet.  What makes us think that we can come up with a universally accepted set of instructions by which all machines will operate?  We can't even decide what is right and wrong!
     So while the Elite and the scientists and the technology giants debate the pros and cons of advancing the interaction between artificial intelligence and human beings, we are inching towards what all the writers of fiction that was based on imagined future scientific or technological advances have portrayed ... the cataclysmic moment when the human race is faced with its own distinction at the hands of the very devices we have created.  That's what happens when you become your own god and forget that you, too, have been made to serve a Creator.  Conspiracy or not; fiction or not --- it is real enough that the Elite of the world are willing to give up a portion of their fortunes to stop it. That should tell you something.

Isaiah 47:10    You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray. You said to yourself, ‘I exist, and there is no one else.’

   

New Definitions of "Church"

     It's been ten years since we've seen such glorification of the Star Wars movie franchise.  Apparently, the latest episode of the movie epic has broken all kinds of records for advance ticket sales.  You might be asking, "Why should this be of any interest to us?  Aren't there more important things that should occupy our minds?"  Well, did you know that there is actually a religion inspired by the fictional warriors who battle the Dark Side?  It is called the Church of Jediism.  I kid you not!
     Although Jediism started as a joke when people listed it as their religion during the 2001 census, the organization (which takes itself seriously) now lists 250,000 members, with an alleged 1,000 members signing up daily as excitement built toward the release of the latest movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

     So, what exactly does the Church of Jediism promote?  Its followers say that it is “a set of philosophies based on focusing, learning and becoming one with the Force”.  Of course, my first question is what do they define as "the Force"?  Apparently, it is “a unifying energy, which everything exists within, around and always returns to.”  That sounds harmless enough -- until it isn't.  In other words, anytime a person opens themselves up to worshipping anything, there is danger of it becoming a false idol, or god, and it becoming "charged" by the real Dark Side.
     The founders of the Church of Jediism claim that they do not believe the Star Wars films to be real, and say, “Although Jediism was inspired by the beliefs of the fictional Jedi, we do not believe the Star Wars films – they are entirely fictional.“  Be that as it may, you better believe that those who are deluded enough to actually sign up as members of this "Church" believe they are following an actual "faith", and the Enemy is only too happy to step through that open door that has been opened.
     You see, there is a ten-week training course involved in becoming a member of the organization, and meditation is a key tenet.  The "Church" actually says, “Our minds are like sponges which soak up information daily.  In order to keep our minds 'clean', we must 'rinse' them of negative Force.”  But anytime there is a vacuum, something will fill that space, so what is replacing the "negative Force"?
     The first clue that following this philosophy is a false religion is that a belief in God is optional. The group says: “There are no strict rules in Jediism, as we believe in freedom and so joining the Church of Jediism would not pose any restrictions on your life. “  Oh, I get it ... you can believe in anything!  And things like morality and righteousness and holiness are all subject to interpretation.  This may all seem like silliness to you, but I guarantee that there are those who will see themselves as "disciples" of this "Church", and there are spiritual entities that are only too happy to lead them down a false path.
     While the Church of Jediism may never gain a strong foothold in the American conscious, we better be paying attention to the legitimacy being given to the Church of Satan.  Lisa Ling, an actress and self-appointed reporter, appeared on an episode of CNN's This is Life to present her analysis of a story where a woman viewed Satanists as defenders of "civil rights" and joined their group because, as a mother, she blamed the "imposition of Christian values" at school for her gay son committing suicide.

The True Church

Ling actually had the audacity to say that she visited a Satanic temple and they do not literally worship Satan.  Rather, according to her "wisdom", "More than anything, they really are kind of a political action group, and they exist to protest the imposition of what they say are Judeo-Christian values on our political system, in our politics, and in public life."  And here's where she is an exceptionally useful tool for that very Satan she says isn't being worshipped:  "And, interestingly enough, even though this group has chosen Satan as the head of it, a lot of these issues right now, the idea of respecting people of other faiths, especially during this time, a lot of these issues are relevant right now because there's a lot of scrutinization of people who espouse different beliefs, if you know what I'm talking about. So, even though this group is trying to use one symbol, really they're trying to get people in this country to recognize and appreciate people of all different faiths."
     CNN then gives more legitimacy to Ling and her ridiculous claims by allowing her to report on a Satanic temple member named Michael, who had constructed a "Snake-tivity" symbol using a snake to represent Lucifer.  Michael had sought to display it next to a Nativity Scene outside the Michigan state capitol.  The degree to which Ling is being deceived can be recognized in this statement:  "As a skilled artist, Michael is now using his craft to stand with the temple and their fight for religious freedom. When the Michigan state capitol put up a Nativity scene during Christmas time, the Satanic temple placed their own symbol of faith on the state capitol lawn. And Michael helped design it."  Then, Michael, the self-proclaimed Satanist, shows the audience what he believes as truth:  "The snake itself is to be representative of Lucifer when he chose to lead man to knowledge in the Garden of Eden. We support the idea of Lucifer as a metaphorical figure and his influence on man."  (If you want to see Michael's heretical work of art, you can click here.  I do not want to promote it on my blog).
      But here is the real tragedy of this ridiculous story... Michigan state lawmakers approved a request by Christians who wanted to erect a Nativity scene at the Capitol. The caveat? Because no permanent displays are allowed on Capitol grounds someone would have to set up and tear down the Nativity scene each day. That person never came forward!  The Satanic Temple, on the other hand, did have people willing to put in the work each day.  And therefore, the profane image of a snake wrapped around the Satanic cross, and presenting a book as a holiday gift, will appear on the lawn of the state capitol during this holiday season.
     Furthermore, the false church of Satan promotes this sacrilegious display by declaring, "Just as the Nativity represents a mythology of the birth of Christ, the Snake is symbolic of the birth of human enlightenment and liberation. Happy Holidays from The Satanic Temple of Detroit!"
     So, as you can see, the idea of "Church" has been corrupted in our modern culture.  Its original context was clearly defined by Christ as a group of people called out by Him for a special purpose; a new society of which Jesus was the founder and which was knit together by the closest spiritual bonds.  To be called His "Church" means that we have received the Divine call to partake of the blessings of the redemption and salvation offered by His sacrifice on the Cross.
     But as Michael, the Satanist, spoke on CNN, now the idea of "Church" can be defined anyway one desires:  "Other religions can be accepted as well, and have their own displays. There can't be one dominating voice to all the voices (my emphasis)."  Lisa Ling then goes on to exploit the whole litany of "tolerance" and "acceptance" of all religions, and espouses that this group is just "trying to use one symbol, really they're trying to get people in this country to recognize and appreciate people of all different faiths."   She says this politically correct garbage, while at the same time, she promotes her special The Belief of Satanists, in which she is only too happy to promote the Satanic Temple as a new religious movement, where followers believe devoutly in the seven tenets of the Satanic Temple. "But they don't actually believe in the Devil or Satan or any other deity."  Sure, Lisa!
     But before I leave this sad and tragic topic, I would like to point out to Michael, the Satanic "artist", and Lisa Ling, the deceived "reporter", that there IS one dominating voice among all the voices.  And it is not the god of Jediism, or the deceitful snake who offers his false gift of knowledge.  It is the voice of Yahweh, the One True God.  His sheep hear His voice.  He knows them and we follow Him.  All those other voices that you want to let in and give equal time to will just lead you astray.  Take my word for it.  Better yet, take His Word and hear it!

John 8:47    "Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."

Let's Look At The Bigger Picture

   

     It didn't surprise me at all.  In the wake of recent terrorist actions and threats, three malls across the country were evacuated this weekend due to bomb threats.  An empty suitcase caused the evacuation of some 500 people Saturday morning at a handful of stores at the Largo Mall, an outdoor outlet mall near Tampa, Florida.  Then, a two-story shopping mall in Hackensack, New Jersey, was evacuated after authorities learned of a bomb threat scrawled on the wall of a bathroom.  In Farmington, New Mexico, the Animas Valley Mall was cleared out and closed while police searched the shopping center after a threat was found on a women’s restroom wall.
     But malls weren't the only target.  Police in San Francisco cleared a suspicious and unattended backpack, which was left on the Embarcadero, a tourist-heavy attraction near the city’s financial district.  At the end of the day, all suspicious articles were cleared and shoppers were allowed to continue with their purchases.  Were they serious threats, or just further attempts to keep this nation unbalanced and on edge?  The fact that similar messages and threats were left on bathroom walls in local New Mexico schools would suggest the latter.
     We need to ask ourselves... what is the goal here?  Were these part of a plan by ISIS and its sympathizers to create a hyper-vigilant state here in the US; to keep us nervous, anxious and insecure?  And then after repeated "all clears", to create a false sense of safety, before carrying out another deadly attack? That certainly makes sense to me.  But at the same time, I do not doubt that one aspect of such schemes is to disrupt the economy of this nation, and convince shoppers to stay home during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year.  After all, an already weak economy would definitely suffer more if retailers failed to have a successful Christmas.
     Of course, all this is something that needs to be considered.  But we must not forget the bigger picture; that there is a real design and strategy being carried out by the Enemy to bring the final battle of this world to fruition.  Will the stated objectives of ISIS become a useful tool to precipitate that battle?  Jessica Stern, a Research Professor at Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies presents a pretty convincing argument in her article, What Does ISIS Really Want Now?  Although there is no mention of God, Satan, Battle of Armageddon or End of the World in her piece, those of us who believe in Jesus will see the parallels.
     Professor Stern cites Dabiq, ISIS’s on-line magazine, in which the terrorist state sets forth two principal but contradictory goals, which it labels “options.” The first is to spread a totalitarian caliphate throughout the region and, ultimately, the world. The second is to polarize Muslims against one another, to incite internal divisions within the West, and to turn the West against Islam, with the ultimate goal of “goad[ing] the West into launching an all-out ground attack, thereby setting the scene for the final battle between Muslims and the crusaders prophesized to be held at Dabiq in Syria.”  Sounds like End Times to me!
     The first goal is evident in the Middle East, as Iraq and Syria are engulfed in battles with the self-proclaimed caliphate.  We are now beginning to see the strategy for accomplishing the second goal.  With the attacks in Europe, it has been easier to accomplish.  The Muslim populations there are far more radicalized and willing to push the envelope, so to speak.  But with the recent attack in San Bernardino, we can no longer deny that our homeland is subject to such blatant terrorism on behalf of ISIS.  So the second option is coming into view and being put into action.
     We are only now seeing "moderate" Muslims begin to speak up and out against the radicalization of their faith, polarizing them against each other.  And our societal discussion regarding "Islamaphobia" and discrimination versus tolerance is certainly causing internal division among our citizens.  All it will take is another undisguised attack or two by ISIS supporters, and the West will turn against Islam, and their goal will be complete.... the final battle between the Muslims and "crusaders".
     Within the article, I found Professor Stern's explanation of ISIS's narrative to would-be jihadists quite fascinating.  She states, "The narrative of victory most appeals to those who feel they have lost something. And ISIS deliberately appeals to disenfranchised Muslims, as well as to potential converts,  around the world; to those—as ISIS puts it—“drowning in oceans of disgrace, being nursed on the milk of humiliation, and being ruled by the vilest of all people.”   In one of the essays in its online magazine, ISIS urges its followers "to remove the garments of dishonor, and shake off the dust of humiliation and disgrace, for the era of lamenting and moaning has gone and the dawn of honor has emerged anew ... the sun of jihad has risen.”  The author of that essay maintains that ISIS has established a true caliphate, with “honor and pride for the Muslim and humiliation and degradation for the kaffir.”  The victory ISIS speaks of is the victory of the formerly oppressed.
     We might think that this would be an ineffective recruiting tool here in the U.S.  After all, Sayed Farook of San Bernardino was born here in the U.S. and lived a comfortable American life.  Yet he was still radicalized and poisoned by false ideologies fomented through his faith.  Obviously, he was somehow convinced that he had been humiliated, and in order to find redemption and reclaim his self-respect, he needed to rise up against his oppressors in this country.  That is an ideology that will be difficult for us to root out and eradicate because it has its foundation in a false belief as old as time.
     The Enemy of this world loves to whisper the lie that we humans are subject to unjust treatment; that there is no hope other than to follow his strategy to steal, kill, and destroy.  It's the plan that he has worked since the moment he decided he could overthrow God.  And he will use whatever, and whomever, he can recruit to cause as much damage to this world and God's kingdom as he can.  His time is short -- that we know because the evidence is before us.  The players of the Bible's End Times prophecies are coming into view and the battle plan has been publicly announced.
     Will we be able to delay it with fervent prayer and repentance?  That remains to be seen.  But this I do know ... I see, very plainly, the opposing sides forming for this coming conflict.  Satan and his army are lining up against Christ and His remnant.  It is inevitable, and there will be victories and losses on both sides before the Final Battle.  Now is the time for the peoples of the world to decide which side they are on, because believe me, they will be forced to choose.  So all their preoccupation with the things of this world needs to take second place to their eternal future.
     I began this post by highlighting the largely unreported scares and potential terrorist attacks appearing around the country this last weekend.  It was not my attention to create a buzzkill over the joyous atmosphere of this holiday season.  But I strongly feel that we must all be alert to the Time in which we live; the prophetical Time forecast by our Savior, Himself.  Recognize the signs and hear the clues being given by the enemies of Christ.  Be vigilant and keep your eyes open as you keep them focused heavenward.  ISIS is correct in one aspect of their goals ... Redemption is important ... but it is the redemption offered by the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ that will be our ultimate reward for following His true and righteous path.  And make no mistake; Victory will be His!

Deuteronomy 20:4     "For the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory." 

Climate Aid ... Are We Seeing The Rise of The Global System?

   

   

     Global warming is a topic that usually finds people falling on one side of the argument or the other.  Even if you aren't all that interested in it, that tells me that it is not a subject that you find particularly alarming, and therefore probably aren't buying into it.  Personally, I would probably be categorized as part of the "conspiracy" group that thinks much of the anxiety and warnings about it are manufactured, along with the strange developments such as chemtrails, extreme drought, and those freakish out-of-season snow storms.  Call me crazy!
     Yet there is a Global Summit, which culminated over the weekend in France, with nearly 200 countries agreeing to transform the world's dependability on fossil fuels within a decade.  This global climate accord will determine how the nations will "share the burdens of reducing carbon pollution and helping vulnerable nations cope with the rising seas and extreme weather that comes with global warming."  Uh, Huh.
     So just what are the lofty goals of the UN-sponsored climates talks (more popularly known as COP21)?  CNN describes what the French Foreign Minister called a "legally binding document" for the world's nations:  "When adopted, the agreement would set an ambitious goal of halting average warming at no more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures -- and of striving for a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius if possible."  The draft went to government ministers and delegates from 196 parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change voted to adopt the proposal.
     To my largely uneducated eye, it looks as if political pressure was mounted for nations to sign the accord, thereby setting that 2 degrees Celsisus cap, and achieving the COP21 organizer's goal.  According to the "experts", failure to set a cap would have resulted in superdroughts, deadlier heat waves, mass extinctions of plants and animals, megafloods and rising seas that could wipe some island countries off the map.  (Doesn't this sound eerily like some of the Bowls of Wrath, found in Revelation 16?) And the only way to reach the goal, scientists say, is to eliminate fossil fuels.
     So maybe I'm way off base here, but I'm beginning to see a convergence of End Times Biblical prophecies and the means for huge profits to be made from Climate Aid.  But what would be the purpose of this theory?  Could it be that because Satan knows Scripture, and he knows his time his short, that he is ready to take advantage of this deception because the Anti-Christ he is about to place in position will need acquisition of the wealth of the world to accomplish his work before Christ returns?  Whew!  I know that sounds absolutely crazy, and I'm not even sure that I can wrap my head around that hypothesis.  But, what if....?
     What if, all these climate conferences and "scientific" theories are just a ruse to enrich the Elite by giving credibility to all their sustainability, ecology, and conservation biology companies?  What if, this is really a battle between the nation's superpowers over cheap energy (from fossil fuels), versus expensive, unreliable renewable energy, which is only viable with government subsidy?  (Think China's industrialization plans in opposition to the U.S. agenda to move towards renewable energy, and ask yourself, who profits?)
     So, you have the profit end of these accords, but what about the chaos that the end of fossil fuels would cause to the oil-rich Middle East, not to mention our own economy?  After all, it doesn't take a genius to see that the oil industry in this country is what has kept Wall Street afloat over the last several years.  How much would the move towards renewable energy add to our nearly $19 Trillion national debt?  Remember, it is only viable with the help of government subsidies, and do you really think we, the American people, will not be burdened with that?
     And where does that leave the future of our economy?  We can't afford to abandon fossil fuels to engage in expensive transitions to "green energy".  The economy, no matter what we are told, is not recovering sufficiently enough to sustain families, let alone a new and expensive industry.  After all, there are many surveys and reports that tell us the middle class in America is disappearing, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain an acceptable standard of living.  How long before Revelation 6:6 comes into play, and famine and inflation will take such a toll that a worker will earn only enough to feed himself with wheat, or to provide barley for a small family.  He will have almost nothing left for clothing, shelter, and incidentals?
     Again, I do not claim that I have a crystal ball, nor that my thoughts are any more than a half-baked theory.  I ask in the title of this blog post if this Climate Accord is another aspect of the coming Global System talked about in the Bible.  I honestly do not know.  And believe me, I am not blind to the fact, that as stewards of God's earth, our greed and sin have contributed to its degradation.  As Christians, we must face the facts that much of God's green earth has been transformed to urban areas that it would be difficult to reclaim.  We must also admit that we have degraded the land by the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers; and hazardous chemicals and nuclear waste is destroying the land.  We cannot deny that the expansion of civilization has added pollution to the planet's problems.  In short, as caretakers of this earth, we were given responsibilities to care for and protect the earth -- not exploit it.
     And if we are to be truly honest with ourselves, and put the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 into effect, the planet has been given to us to hold in trust until its Creator, Jesus Christ, returns.  Sadly, He will find it in much poorer shape than when He left it to us.
     But I still contend that the actions of the world's leaders and Elite do not seem designed to benefit the planet; nor are their motives designed to please the planet's Creator.  I am not convinced that what they tell us does not have a bigger agenda.  And I am also not convinced that the Rulers and Principalities of the Dark Side are not behind moving this agenda forward.
     As Christians, we understand that the heavens and the earth, as we know it, will eventually be destroyed to make way for the New Creation.  But for now, it sure seems as if those who honor and glorify the original creation and Creator are at odds with those who wish to control the earth and its environment for their own selfish motives and gains.  It remains to be seen if their program moves us further along the prophetic timeline.

2 Peter 3:10     "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed."


   

Matthew 28:16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He]. Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”

     These five verses are known, collectively, as The Great Commission.  And I think it is especially relevant to talk about them in relation to my post yesterday, as well as the Christmas season, which is the season of Hope.  The Great Commission is the evangelizing instructions given to the Apostles after Jesus's crucifixion and before His ascension.  It is also the holy agenda we, as Believers in Him, are to follow in each generation until His return.

     Jesus has just defeated Death, and it was done by supernatural means and outside the spectrum of time, as we know it.   And He announces that all Authority and Power have been given to Him, and it is by faith in Him that we too, can defeat Death.  But it is important that all people learn of Him, believe in Him, and obey His words.  The Apostles were given the initial commission to spread that message, and it is now our appointment to continue it.

     There are many in the Christian community who have taken the words, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations", to mean a calling to institute international missions.  But I think the more exact meaning is to share the Gospel message, wherever you go.  In other words, our mission field is literally every inch of ground that our feet touch; every opportunity that presents itself to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

     And what better, or more fertile ground, than this Christmas season?  Now I realize that there are also those in the Christian community that object to the celebration of Christmas because of its pagan roots.  I must admit that I am a Believer that sees those pagan influences in our modern celebration of Christmas and mourn the fact that they are associated with our Savior.  I also deplore the history of the commercialization of Christmas for profit, and feel that aspect also diminishes the Holiness of Christ.  And I am quite aware that Jesus was not born on December 25th.

     HOWEVER, all that being said, there is still something unique, expectant, and anticipatory about this special holiday in our culture.  Most people associate Christmas with the idea of Jesus's birth -- even if, like the atheists and humanists -- they object to it.  For most people it is a season of giving and kindness; hearts are softened and people are more open to each other.  What better time to evangelize and plant the seeds of the Gospel in a person's soul?  And we must recognize that Christmas is also a season in which people are hurting and in pain.  We can be about our work of evangelizing as we share the love of God during Christmas; the Love that sacrificed His own beloved Son so that we might win our own victory over Death.

     My point is that we cannot cherry pick the seasons in which we evangelize or share the news about what Jesus has done for us.  If we allow our varying opinions about Christmas to divide us, or to go so far as to move us to shun the holiday, then we are missing a golden opportunity to carry out our great commission.  And we all know that part of our commission is to be prepared to answer the tough questions about God and who He is.  But we also know that the hearts of people must be prepared and softened, as well, in order to receive the Good News we are prepared to share.  Softened hearts and the celebration of Christmas go hand in hand.

     So what better time than Christmas to properly introduce people to the true Jesus, who is so much more than the baby in the manger?  We should seize the moment and take advantage of this cultural situation to tell them He is more than the "peace and goodwill towards men" that has been commercialized in the history of our cultural holiday.  

     Some of the hard questions we get from non-believers concern God's unfairness -- how unfair it is that whole nations are slaughtered in His Name; and what an unfair God He is to allow poor people to starve while others grow richer.  But we can take the opportunity that Christmas affords us to share the fact that God's amazing unfairness is the picture of Christ; a picture put on display for all the world to see.  We can share that God's unfairness is to their advantage, because God is actually being unfair to Himself!

     You see, in God's Sovereignty, He has every right to punish us and banish us for our disobedience to Him, but because of the life and sacrifice of Jesus, we are given His Grace and Mercy.  Christmas is not just about the birth of the Christ child in the manger.  It is about God loving us so much that He is willing to sacrifice Himself, rather than see one of us perish.  

     So this Christmas season, if you are a Christian that has trouble celebrating Christmas as you did as a child, try this:  Don't focus on the paganism of the holiday, or the cultural worship, and the consumerism.  Let the Birth (and Death) of Christ be the reason to share the Gospel.  Let Him be your focus, and let this Joyous Season be the catapult for your evangelism efforts and the undertaking of your Great Commission.  For, it matters not that the world celebrates December 25th -- because the Master, Himself, said He is constantly with us, regardless of circumstance and on every occasion.  Let Him, and the Power of the Holy Spirit, flow through you this Christmas season as you share the Good News of His birth, so that He could die for us and provide a way for us to receive everlasting life.  What could be more important than that?   

     As Christians, we have free will to celebrate Christmas (or not) in a manner that we feel pleases God, and it is not necessary that we all agree.  Your decision is between you and God, and should not divide or separate us.  But it should also not supersede our Great Commission and our directive from our Lord -- that should take priority over all the lights, decorations, and gifts, shouldn't it?  So, I invite you to step outside yourself and the culture this Christmas, and consider making it all about Him!

Now For The Good News....

     I know it without a doubt.  Although yesterday's post may have left us with a sense of foreboding and angst, I can tell you with absolute certainty that we are about to enter a period of profound Hope and Expectation.
     Yesterday, I asked the question, "Why is it important to recognize the signs Jesus gives us that the 'Beginning of Sorrows' is about to take place?"  My answer was so that we may prepare to endure what is coming; be able to witness to those who may fall for the deception; and to speak God's Truth into the Satanic coordination and strategy for End Times events.  But that answer was incomplete.  There is one more reason to be aware of the signs.
      As I mentioned, Jesus tells us in John 13:19 that He is going to reveal the signs before they occur, so that when we do see them happening, we will know that He is who He says He is; and that He is the Christ; the Anointed One; the Messiah.  When we see all this misery coming upon the earth -- the spiritual and moral deception; the endless wars; the famine, persecution, and anguish precipitated against men; and the poisoning of our seas, the increase in earthquakes, and geo-engineering of our weather -- then we should remember what He told us.  These are all signs that He is coming back soon!  And He will return as God's Anointed One, with a special, God-ordained purpose to set things right according to God's will. And that purpose is to return as the Messiah; the coming Deliverer, chosen by God to redeem Israel and the world.
     If we are Bible-believing Christians -- and I mean the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments --  then that should give us great Joy and Hope!  If all these signs we see are indicating His Second Coming, then we know that our mission as representatives of God's Kingdom on earth is about to reap a great harvest!  And I can honestly tell you that I feel the stirrings of a great movement amongst His followers; even in the midst of what seems like continual and overwhelming bad news!

     Just within the last few weeks, since I took my break at Thanksgiving, the Holy Spirit has shown me evidence of a spiritual awakening within the Christian community, and it is extending beyond our church buildings to reach those who are turned off by the traditional religious experience.
     I have shared with you the direction that God is moving my husband and me... into the profound realization that Christians need spiritual healing.  People are literally coming forth in our lives with a desire to be set free from emotional, physical, and spiritual garbage that has plagued and prohibited a personal relationship with God.  And through His grace, He has shown us a path in which we work with the Holy Spirit and Jesus to "set the captives free."  We did not ask for this ministry, nor did we seek it.  He brought it to us, and we are seeing miraculous transformations in people who would never have approached the Church for help.  But now they feel confident in their relationship with God and can seek a church or group of Christians in which they can grow and mature their faith.
     Then there is the power of the Divine Appointments that God has set for our lives.  For instance, in the 20-year career my husband has had as a professional artist, we have met many interesting people, and those that have shared our faith have been extra-special.  During his career, he has traveled the American West in search of that dying breed, a real working cowboy.  There is no way we would ever have come into contact with them, had it not been for the Holy Spirit guiding my husband to trust in his God-given talent.  One such cowboy was an early and significant friend.  Although he was years younger than us, I knew we shared faith, which added to our special friendship.  But time and distance intervened in our relationship, and he had some issues he needed to work out, and demons he needed to cast out.  And my husband and I were, by no means, at the place we are now in our relationship with Christ.  We all had a lot of growing to do.
     After more than a 5-year lapse in our contact, we received a phone call that he was in Texas on business and would like to see us.  Of course we said, yes!  So he came to dinner with his business associate.  At the same time, my newly-found nephew, who has greatly blessed our lives, was coming for a day before he flew home to California for his college's Christmas break.  So here we were going to have the convergence of a Cowboy from Idaho with a Millennial from the LA area.  How was that going to work out?
     Well, let me tell you that when God decides He wants to connect His people, it is a match made in Heaven!  To begin with, everybody at the table was a Believer... it was obvious that something radical had transformed our cowboy friend, and my nephew has astounded me with his inquisitive mind and keen desire to understand and know God.  So after sharing fajitas and escapades from the cowboy world around an outdoor fire, we all retired to our living room for some intimate conversation.
     All I can tell you was that it felt like a mini-revival in that room!  The cowboy shared his testimony about how Jesus had healed him of his afflictions, restored his broken marriage and given him a beautiful family (two young sons being raised in the cowboy code of God, family & country -- with a third on the way), and set him on a path of trust and confidence in His Savior.  It was powerful and moving!  What was amazing, was that even though our years apart had taken us in different directions, this cowboy shared some of the same revelations that have come to my husband and me... that spiritual healing is what Christians need; that this is something the Church is not pursuing, and does not seem interested in exploring.  We also discovered that we both believe God is raising up a remnant who are all receiving Divine or supernatural disclosures from the Holy Spirit.  We may not all be receiving the same instruction or assignment, but it is all part of a plan to glorify the Lord and bring about His ordained purpose and return.  But one thing was for sure: we see the beginnings of holy fire sweeping across this nation!
     Let me just tell you that we stayed up til midnight sharing testimonies and glorying in the work that God was doing in our lives, as well as the work He has set before us.  But most of all we shared the hope that we have.  And it was not lost on me that this meeting of such diverse individuals was supposed to happen.  It restored a lost friendship; it encouraged us that we could see God moving in the world in consistent and dynamic ways; and perhaps, most of all, I witnessed God's Truth being spoken into the life of my nephew, who was fascinated with our friend's testimony and later told me it was all good.  The two of them -- the Cowboy and the Millennial -- were as different as they could be, but were joined in faith that night by the Holy Spirit.  It wasn't a heavy or burdensome gathering; but, rather a joyous celebration of fellow believers reveling in the Goodness of God in our lives.  There was plenty of laughter and story-telling, along with a few tears shed for His Greatness.
     So, I want to leave you with this final thought... yes, the news of this world is bad, and I am afraid it is not going to get better.  But I actually remain calm in the midst of this coming storm.  Because I know what these signs are showing me.  I know, and see, that the Holy Spirit is doing mighty works among God's remnant, and that remnant includes those of us advancing in years; those who are in the midst of raising young families; and those of us who are being shaped to become God-fearing adults in these Last Days.  I have much reason to hope, and my spirit is glad as I eagerly await each new day and what God will bring me.  Do not fear and do not despair... these are Glorious Days in which we live!

1 Corinthians 2:9     But as it is written: "What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind — God prepared this for those who love Him." 
 

Despair, Then Hope

     These next two posts are kind of my one-two punch; a sort of Good News/Bad News approach.  I have such strong feelings about both topics that I know it is coming from God.  So, today, let's just get the Bad News out of the way...
     Each day the news headlines seem to grow more chaotic, and lawlessness seems to be pervading the earth.  But those of us who are aware of the hour on the prophetic clock recognize this as the "beginning of sorrows" that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 when He describes to the Apostles the events that will take place before his return.  

     Also known as the "birth pangs", He is referring to the time just preceding the “great tribulation”, which will be a time of revealing wickedness in preparation for the coming of the Lord Jesus as He ushers in His Millennium reign.  This 1,000 year reign will find Christ restoring the earth.  All wars and sorrows will cease, and it will be a time of rest for the earth as it returns to the state that God originally created in the Garden of Eden.
     But first, the inhabitants of the earth must endure the schemes of Satan to keep that restoration and reign from happening.  Jesus told His apostles (and us) that there would be significant signs that those birth pangs, or sorrows, were beginning.  We are to watch for them, so that we will know His return is imminent and we can earnestly be about our business to help the Holy Spirit save as many souls as possible.
     The first thing Jesus tells them (us) is, "Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]."  I don't know about you, but I feel as though we are seeing Deception on Steroids!  There is cultural deception in sexual identity issues; economic deception in the manipulation of markets, etc.; political deception on all levels by both parties; and spiritual deception in the growth of cult religions and demonic possessions.
     Secondly, the Lord says that there will be "wars and rumors of wars".  Does anyone else see that there seems to be a growing global development of war with no end in sight?  Trillions of dollars are being spent by the nations of the world on war.  It's as if we are seeing a militarization of the End of Days!
     Jesus also tells us that there will be extreme famine over the earth before His expected return.  Published 2014 statistics by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations tell us that nearly 842 million people in the world do not eat enough to be healthy.  That means that one in every eight  people on Earth goes to bed hungry each night.  Of course, we must take into consideration the source of these statistics, but we all know it is a fact that people are starving in the modern world.  And how could this be happening with all of our modern science and technological advances?  It is easy for me to see the hand of Satan in creating the famines which are afflicting mankind.
     Our Lord also mentions Pestilence as a sign of His nearness.  How much of that have we seen in the news lately?  Ebola may have retreated from the headlines, but I promise you it has not disappeared, and biological terrorism is high on our national security list of dangers.  New viruses are cropping up each day, and I can't tell you how many routine surgeries of friends have resulted in infections that require massive doses of antibiotics to treat.  We must ask ourselves, how close are we to the plagues of Revelation, Chapter 6?
     And, lastly, Jesus mentions earthquakes.  You might think that this sign is rather vague -- there have been earthquakes throughout history.  But livescience.com says if you think there were more earthquakes than usual last year into this year, you're right. And a new study finds there were more than twice as many big earthquakes in the first quarter of 2014 as compared with the average since 1979.  "We have recently experienced a period that has had one of the highest rates of great earthquakes ever recorded," said lead study author Tom Parsons, a research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Menlo Park, California.
     So why is it important for us to be able to recognize these signs?  If we believe that God is sovereign and there will truly be tribulation before Christ's return, what is the purpose for us to have this knowledge?  I believe it is as Jesus says in John 13:19... From now on I am telling you [what will happen] before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may believe that I am He [who I say I am—the Christ, the Anointed, the Messiah].
     I believe it is so that we may prepare to endure what is coming; be able to witness to those who may fall for the deception; and to speak God's Truth into the Satanic coordination and strategy for End Times events.  What does that look like militarily, politically, and economically -- especially if we think that we are at the beginning of those "sorrows"?
     Let me say that Russ Dizdar, an ordained minister who came out of Satanic cults, is able to dissect Satan's strategy from a unique perspective.  He lays out what he calls The Six Points of Satanic Synchronization, or the ways in which Satan is setting the stage for the appearance of the Anti-Christ.  You may or may not agree with his ministry or his theory, but you can not deny that the following points make a whole lot of sense.
     Point One - Destablization of the World.  Chaos seems to happen no matter how hard we humans try to stop it; it just keeps coming.  Race relations in this country do not have to keep being pushed and prodded.  What is the purpose of releasing the latest video of the police shooting in Chicago one year after the crime?  Situations keep arising, as if bidden from some controlling dark force, and our society continues to fall apart, no matter how much we throw at it.  We see it happening in our own communities and throughout the nations.
     Point Two - Instigation.  This is an extension of Point One.  The purpose is to create chaos, disharmony, friction, division, and war.  If it is not happening in the natural world, then spiritual forces will initiate and launch an attack on behalf of the Enemy.
     Point Three - Dismantle.  The goal is to dismantle current systems -- militarily, politically and economically; to tear them apart; to tear them down; and to replace them with satanically-influenced substitutes.
     Point Four - Crisis upon Crisis.  This tactic is like chopping down a tree... continually striking until the world system comes down; defeating it blow by blow until Point Five occurs.
     Point Five - Weaken.  After the world suffers continual destabilization, instigation, dismantling, crisis upon crisis, it will become weakened.  The will and resolve of the peoples of the world will be devastated and they will turn to drugs, alcohol, and any other method to numb the pain.  Hopelessness is the ultimate goal.
     Point Six - The Final Result is Diminished Capacity.  Mankind will be unable to resist the onslaught of the Anti-Christ and his forces.  We must come to the conclusion that we cannot think or build our way out of this mess.  The Savior and The Cross are the only way out.
    And that is the ultimate message we must take away from this understanding and knowledge.  The Anti-Christ will be the visible manifestation of the dark side and he will need to utilize all the strategy that Satan can show him.  But we must remember that the power of Christ in us is greater than all that Satan and the Anti-Christ can throw at us.  And we have a visible manifestation of His authority and power available to us, and that will give us the Hope that I will speak about tomorrow.  Do not despair!  We are not defeated!

2 Corinthians 4:8-9    "We are pressured in every way [hedged in], but not crushed; perplexed [unsure of finding a way out], but not driven to despair; hunted down and persecuted, but not deserted [to stand alone]; struck down, but never destroyed;"