Appeasement Will Be Our Ruin

     Whether in politics, in our culture, or in our religion, appeasement has become the byword of this generation.  Webster's dictionary defines the word as "To pacify; to dispel anger or hatred; to make quiet; to calm; as to appease hunger or thirst; to reduce to a state of peace; to still; as, to appease the tumult of the ocean, or of the passions."  In other words, to appease is to use diplomacy and compromise to forestall a confrontation.
     We are seeing appeasement today, almost everywhere we turn... on the world stage, our government seeks to placate potential enemies by surrendering our national sovereignty and defense; culturally, we have yielded moral ground to segments of society that threaten to disrupt the foundations of our character and conduct; and religiously, we are allowing other gods to usurp the supremacy of YHWH, and diminish the Authority and Victory of Jesus.
    This infection of appeasement has now reached a stage I never thought possible.  The Southern Baptist Convention, the US’s largest Protestant denomination, is now helping to build mosques.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Don't believe me?  Here is a direct quote from BaptistNews.com: ... a legal dispute between a Muslim community and a New Jersey township is showing a different side of inter-Christian relationships. Baptist and other Christian organizations accustomed to cultural and legal sparring have joined the fight for the construction of a new mosque.  “It’s good when we can join hands with … folks we are sometimes on the other side of,” said Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.  Those folks include the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and the International Mission Board, both agencies of the Southern Baptist Convention. The National Association of Evangelicals is also supporting the mosque-building case.
     Apparently, it is in the name of religious liberty that the Southern Baptists (along with other evangelical groups, Jews, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas and Sikhs) have determined that it is a Constitutionally-guaranteed right to build mosques -- even though there is the potential that American legal institutions are beginning to come under threat from Islamic codes and sharia law.
     So, here is something I think we better consider:  Have our denominations and churches become "American" first, and "Christian", secondly?  As Bud Ahlheim, a writer at Pulpit and Pen, recently wrote, "Proclaiming there is no other name under heaven by which men may be saved seems uncannily hollow when you’ve just joined hands to help build a Christ-denying mosque. Once again, Christianity becomes just another flavor of religion to an onlooking world and our witness as Southern Baptists diluted by our religious liberty defenses."  Sadly, one has to ask, "Are these Christians still willing to make that proclamation?  Or has the Church decided that the way to peace is to appease the Islamic faith -- and thereby attempt to pacify and calm their anti-Christian rhetoric and beliefs -- by declaring that we all worship the same God?"
     The most recent example of appeasement in history led to genocide and world war.  Less than 80 years ago, the world attempted to appease Hitler and we know that was a mistake.  The 1938 Munich Agreement was a settlement permitting Nazi Germany's annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia, and it started Hitler on the road toward the extermination of over 6,000,000 Jews.  I fear that the American Church may be traveling that same road.  By choosing appeasement towards a faith whose radical elements have sworn death to our nation, and who have demonstrated their willingness to generate their own genocide of Christians and Jews, the Church is treading on dangerous ground.  They may think they are exemplifying American Christian justice and grace, but I have to wonder if any of the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have stopped to seek God's will in this matter.
     What has God told us in His Word?  Pastor John Rothra, a Baptist preacher himself, has written an excellent article concerning this subject.  He points to the Book of Judges as a guide to what God thinks when we choose our own path, rather than the one He has commanded.
     Joshua had just died. There was no single military leader, but instead each tribe was responsible for conquering their respective regions. God was to be their king and they were to be God’s people.  You will remember that God instructed them to destroy all the native inhabitants and to completely conquer the lands God promised them through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  But Israel decided on its own, that this was too harsh an action.  Rather than conquer the enemy, some tribes chose accommodation, peace treaties, enslavement, or mutual cohabitation.... in other words, appeasement.  That might have seemed more humane to the ancient Israelites (and to us today), but it was not God's will.

     As Pastor Rothra points out, in order to appease and cohabitate with her enemies, Israel adopted false gods, heretical practices, and abandoned God’s righteousness for a righteousness of their own. This was not an accident. They did not fall into sin. Rather, the Israelites chose this sinful path.  The Israelites did not maintain the Supremacy of the One True God, and began accepting other gods and beliefs as equal to their own.  To put it simply: the people did whatever they deemed was right in their own minds.  Isn't that what the Southern Baptist Convention is doing?
     There will be those who will concentrate on the fact that this is a problem of the American Church, and I cannot deny that.  But as my wise husband pointed out to me, satan has been trying to destroy the relationship between YHWH and those whom He calls His own since the beginning.  We see that in the ancient Book of Judges.  And it only took a century after the Church was founded for the Enemy to infiltrate it and try to utterly destroy it.  But the seeds were planted and it was the will of God that faith in Jesus should spread to the ends of the globe.  The devil is still trying to destroy the Church by any means he can.  Today, when people (and the Church) seek to mirror the world, we see that we will do whatever we must to ease the conflict among us; to pacify our enemies; and to obtain peace and conciliation.
     But I have to add another aspect of this apostasy, from my spiritual warfare perspective.  You will recall that in Ephesians 6, Paul warns us that we are fighting against various ranks of the Enemy's army.  They are spiritual and not made of flesh and blood; they have specific assignments, such as the Prince of Persia in Daniel, Chapter 10.  Among the Rulers, Powers, World Forces, and Spiritual Forces are the retinue of satan's false gods who are assigned to battle against God's people on earth.  Allah is a very real entity, and just one of those Rulers who is in dedicated conflict with the Most High God.  We must not lose sight of that fact!
     We must face the reality that we can't have it all -- we can't profess faith in YHWH, the One True God, and yet help to build houses of worship to a false god.  We can't let political correctness and religious liberty supersede the position of YHWH.  We can't profess to be part of God's Church, yet put our own desires to be magnanimous and inclusive before God's will.  That is merely a form of self-idolization, and results in the lukewarm Laodicean Church.   And what does Jesus say He will do with that Church?  He will spew them out!
     That is the warning that I think all Christians must take seriously!  Is appeasement of our faith pleasing to God?  What is He more interested in ... His Church gaining political power, influence, and unity among all religions and false gods -- or seeing that we are committing ourselves to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  The last time I checked, Islam rejects the deity of Christ.  How can appeasing that religious philosophy be, in any way, pleasing to my God?

Galatians 1:10    "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."

   
       
   

Hebrews 10:30-31

 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”  

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

     I write this post with profound sadness.  More than anything else, I love being in the company of dedicated and committed Christians; men and women who truly love God and His Word, and seek to honor and glorify Him in this fallen world.  That is becoming more and more difficult as the established Church turns toward compromise and concession with the world, instead of standing for God's Truth and being willing to endure persecution for His sake.

     I have shared with you that my husband and myself are not members of any chartered church, but rather worship and study the Bible as a part of a "home church".  But we also commune with a small number of members of a local church, and we are united with them in our shared faith and commitment to God; often praying together, sharing Bible studies, and engaging in long discussions and examinations of the Word.  We rely on each other and are brothers and sisters in the Faith, even though we are not joined by church membership.

     Now these beloved Christians are faced with a crisis in their church that threatens to tear it asunder.  Without going into all the details, it has been revealed that certain members in the church are involved in an organization that diminishes the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus Christ.  This organization is a secret society that presents itself as a doer of charitable causes, but at the heart of it are secret oaths and worship of a universal, ecumenical deity.  If you call yourself a Christian, this is in direct conflict with your faith.

     And this shows the devious design of the Enemy.  What better way to infiltrate and influence the Church than to deceive self-avowed Christians into believing they are still serving God, while also serving in an organization that allows any god or "supreme being" to be equal to Jesus?  Remember, our Lord told us, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other."  The Enemy has now subtly and calculatedly wormed his way into the church through these members, and no one is the wiser.  The question then becomes, "What will true and faithful Christians do once that influence is discovered?"  

     As the writer of Hebrews expresses throughout Chapter 10, it is Jesus Christ, and Him alone, that provides our salvation through His sacrifice.  When Christians, through their own fleshly pride, are willing to compromise on this issue, and with a determined will and selfish resolution, despise and reject Christ as the only Savior -- or allow that influence from another member to remain in their Church -- then I have a problem with being associated with them.  That is why the established Church is in such decline today, and I am in fervent prayer for my faithful friends.

     Too many times, the Church has turned a blind eye towards apostasy and abandoned God's principles and commandments in order to find favor in the world.  How have we fallen so far, that to suffer the slings and arrows of a sinful world is too much to bear for our faith?  How is it, that we would rather renounce the gospel's teachings in order to ingratiate ourselves with Babylon?  Does the horrific sacrifice of our Lord for the sake of our eternal salvation mean so little to us?

     Throughout the Bible, God has shown us what happens to those He has called when they choose to give in to their rebellious nature, or ignore that of others.  The judgment may be swift or drawn out, but it is always deliberate.  He will not be mocked!  He says it plainly in these two verses in Hebrews, Chapter 10:  Vengeance is mine.  I will repay!  The Lord will judge His people"  And that last sentence should grip our hearts ... It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God.  God's anger will be felt by a perverse and unfaithful generation.  It happened to the ancient Israelites over and over.  And it can, and will, happen to us, if we do not repent and turn from our rebellion.

     The Church's destruction is self-generated, and it is only delayed because God is retraining His hand of judgment.  God's power to judge should be terrifying to the Christian, yet too many today shrug Him off, relying on His grace and mercy.  But the Bible tells us that His wrath burns hot against the wicked; and that the wicked stand condemned by God's law which is written on the heart, and they are deserving of hell.  Nothing will save them from eternal punishment except a saving faith in Christ.

     Yet Christians and the Church seem to have forgotten this Truth, and perhaps relegate it to a theological doctrine more attuned to Jonathan Edwards' sermon, Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God.  It is said that his powerful sermon "left people in the pews trembling and weeping".  Oh, how I wish Christians today could be moved to work out their salvation with such fear and trembling.

     And that brings me back to my faithful Christian brothers and sisters, who I pray will receive strength and courage and wisdom from the Holy Spirit as they attempt to root out unGodly influence within their church.  They will most likely be a small remnant within the body of that church; those who truly understand that compromise is not acceptable to a true Christian, nor to a Righteous God.  We must never take the wrath of our holy and infinite God lightly.  At the same time, we must simultaneously remember and embrace the knowledge of how excellent His love is and how terrible His wrath is; the God whose hand of wrath will destroy the wicked is the same God whose hand of mercy will save the repentant.  I pray that repentance and mercy and salvation will come to this little local church, and they will stand as an example of true Faith and commitment to the Lord.

     

     

What Are We Missing?

     As I have shifted my focus towards sharing my knowledge about spiritual warfare, I am encouraged by the number of people and readers who have responded favorably.  Even more than that, I am reassured by the honesty and courage of those who have told me they know this is where the Holy Spirit is taking them, but they're not quite sure what to make of it, or where to start in gaining a Biblical foundation on the subject.  I'm so happy that they are willing to take that first step and to be honest about their need for more wisdom and experience!

     First of all, I am seeing that there is a remnant within the Church who are waking up. It's as if they are receiving a wake-up call after a long slumber, and are becoming alert to an unsatisfactory situation and they want to take action to remedy it.   It's as if someone has just unlocked a secret door that promises a whole new level of understanding of the Word... and they are curious and eager to explore it within Scriptural boundaries.  And what is exciting to me is that these are the same people who a year or two ago were resistant to my own emerging awareness that we Christians are in a spiritual battle on this physical earth.
     Once that truth is realized, I think it is important to take a good look at why Christians have been reluctant to accept this premise and what has been missing from the Church's message to believers.   Frankly, I'm pretty much convinced that the dispensationalist teaching of the Age of Grace has convinced Christians if we have faith in Jesus as our Savior then we live in kind of a bubble of security.  This man-made philosophy is a religious interpretation of time periods, fostered by a 19th Century Bible teacher, John Nelson Darby, and then popularized by Cyrus Scofield's Reference Bible (another 19th Century theologian).
     I could write an entire post on Dispensationalism and why I do not subscribe to it, but I want to just briefly mention it here as a means of explaining why we have been unable to focus on the reality of the spiritual realm's interaction with the physical world, and why our own power and authority have been unrecognizable.  In short, Wikipedia gives a well-informed definition of Dispensationalism:  this philosophy considers Biblical history as divided deliberately by God into defined periods (or ages), to each of which God has allotted distinctive administrative principles.  The typical seven-dispensation scheme lists the periods as follows:  the "Ages" of Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Law, Grace, and the Millennial Kingdom.  As you can guess, those who believe that God has divided history into specific time periods, see the Age of Grace as existing from  the cross to the Second Coming.  It will end with the wrath of God, culminating in the Great Tribulation. Some use the terms Age of Grace or the Church Age for this dispensation.
     The reason that I do not subscribe to this philosophy is because nowhere do I find evidence of God deliberately stating that He will act a certain way within a determined time period or age.  He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  Now, if a man wants to say he can see some distinctions about God's attributes throughout history, that's one thing.  But I point out this philosophy to you because it greatly colors how we Christians view our relationship with God, and our position and purpose within His Kingdom.
     We modern Christians tend to think that Grace is ours because it has come by salvation through faith in Jesus.  But Salvation has always been by the grace of God, received by faith.  Abraham experienced it:  And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.  The people in the Old Testament, before Jesus’ death and resurrection still had to trust in the Lord—a trust they showed in offering the sacrifices. The Old Testament worshiper, by sacrificing an animal, was saying, “I trust God will save me despite the fact that I am sinful.” Christians take the same approach today, spiritually, but the practice is different. Instead of offering repeated sacrifices for sins, we trust in the one-time sacrifice of Christ.  But because we have been convinced of a man-made philosophy that we live in the Age of Grace, we are just waiting here on earth for the Second Coming.  Any difficulties in our lives or our relationship with the Lord are explained away as "times of testing" or "God growing our faith by teaching us perseverance and reliance on Him".  Sadly, this leaves many Christians in a perpetual state of defeat; beaten down by the Enemy who takes advantage of our spiritual ignorance.

     Another by-product of the Dispensationalist viewpoint is the doctrine of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.  The thinking goes something like this ... If we have received Grace by our faith in Jesus, then we have found special favor in the eyes of God.  Our acceptance of Him as our Savior means we will be saved from God's wrath and we will be swept up into Heaven before God's Judgment and Wrath come upon the earth.  I do not intend to argue against this doctrine in this post.  I only bring it up to point out that those who subscribe to a Pre-Tribulation Rapture are likely to view the attacks of the Enemy as something they just have to endure until Jesus comes to rescue them.  And I believe that is a strategy of the devil that keeps us from leading spirit-filled lives and renders us as ineffective partners and co-heirs with Christ.
     If we think that our only way to deal with destructive issues is to rely on God's grace (which is very real and available), then we attribute the attacks upon our lives as coming from the visible and physical world -- our boss, our lack of money, family members ... anything and anyone, but the real perpetrator.  If we could come to know and understand that there is something we can't see; powers and forces working in the spiritual realm that are manipulating and controlling our physical existence, we might come to the truth of who the real enemy is!
     The truth is, we not only underestimate the power of our spiritual enemies, but our own God-given power found in God who lives in us, the Holy Spirit.  And we have been given authority by Jesus to use that power to live in victory!  What is especially sad to me is that we don't really know how to believe in God for our deliverance and healing, even though Scripture repeatedly tells us that Jesus is our Deliverer and one of the names of God is Jehovah Rapha, "the God who heals".  It is because the Church, itself, doesn't teach this reality in any kind of definitive or tangible instruction.  Have you ever heard your pastor preach that you can be physically healed through the power of Jesus, just as Jairus' daughter was?
     Because we don't know how to embrace this Biblical truth the devil spins a doctrinal lie that convinces us we are being faithful when we continue to stay in our suffering, relying on God's grace to get us through.   We come to believe that our endurance and perseverance begets character and faith.  But I do not believe that it is God's desire to have us live this way!  He takes no pleasure in watching us suffer through unwarranted guilt, or unforgiveness, or bitterness, or pride.  He wants us living in the victory that His Son died for!
     If we Christians could only understand that it is within our power and authority to bind those attacks from the Enemy; that through prayer and petition, we can partner with heavenly forces to take the fight directly to the source of our sufferings.  Instead of letting the devil whisper his lies of deception and blame, which point to earthly foes and take our eyes off our spiritual power, we need to re-focus our spirits on trusting God to pull back the curtain so we can see what is really attacking us.  And then by asking Him to re-create in us a new mind, we can "see" in our spirits the way He is able to take all those hindrances of pride, unforgiveness, anger, etc. and destroy them, placing the Cross between us and the spiritual forces of evil that come to steal, kill, and destroy.

     I know this sounds surreal and supernatural to you.  But guess what?  We serve a supernatural God!  And this scenario is exactly what happens in the deliverance ministry God has brought to me and my husband.  I don't know any other way to describe it ... people are able to picture Jesus in their minds as He hugs them and tells them He has been with them through every sorrow in their life, and He is able to heal the wounds to their spirits and souls, removing the fiery darts the Enemy has used to derail their lives.  As they forgive those who have harmed them (just as Jesus has forgiven us), they are set free from the bondage that kept them enslaved, and their spirit is released to live in the freedom that Jesus's death bought them.
      But the most important thing is that they now know that the Enemy has no power or control over them.  We each have authority to approach Jesus in our spirits and to partner with Him to use His power to defeat any demon or spiritual force of wickedness that attempts to put a barrier between us and God.
     God's Kingdom is anywhere God is, so that means it is on this earth.  We are His children, designed to rule and reign in the righteousness wrought by Jesus.   As co-heirs of the Kingdom, God can use us to rule with Him and Jesus.  BUT, the Enemy will rule with man, too, if he can.  Our existence on this earth is a partnership, whether for good or evil.  But we can't do it alone, and we can't do it under our own power.  Church, it is time to understand the truth about who we are, and what we can accomplish for our Father's Kingdom.  Let's deny the devil the weapons of Doubt and Unbelief; let us join with Jesus to get ourselves free and then combine forces with Him and the power of God to free our fellow Christians.  Let's be bold and trust God for who He says He is ... our Deliverer, our Healer, our Shield, and the Horn (Strength, Power) of our Salvation.  Let's live like we truly believe Him!

2 Corinthians 10:4-5     "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the [true] knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,"


   

   
   

When Will We Take Back Our Dominion?

     This topic of dominion is not only a contested subject matter, but a confusing one for most Christians.  By definition, Dominion means sovereignty or control.  And in today's post I want to discuss the dominion of the earth, and who owns it?  Who controls the earth -- God, man, or the devil?
     The Bible addresses this question from the very beginning.  In Genesis 1:26, we read Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (ESV).  Other translations of the Bible substitute the words complete authority or rule for the word dominion.  But you get the idea -- God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, during the creation process, transferred their authority or dominionship of what They created over to man.

     We have further affirmation of this understanding from Psalm 115:16, which says The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the children of men.  Seems pretty cut and dried to me!  Adam and Eve had dominion of the world until Satan convinced them to hand it over to him through his clever deception.  But here's the thing ... Psalm 115:16 says that God HAS given the earth to the children of men; it does not say God HAD given the earth to the children of men.  I believe Dominionship of the earth is a right we can take back, and we can cancel that agreement made way back in the Garden of Eden.  Follow my thoughts for just a moment ...
    Remember how satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness and took Him up on the high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in one moment of time?  And what did the devil say to Him?  All this authority (dominion; sovereignty; control) I will give You, and their glory, for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.  It wasn't God who delivered the authority or dominion of the earth to the devil, it was Man!
     And since that time, there has been a long battle for authority over the earth.  But here is what Christians need to understand:  that battle, which began in the Garden was finished at the empty tomb.  Jesus, as God in the flesh, came to take that authority back and fulfilled His purpose with His death on the Cross!  And with the victory of His resurrection, our Lord assigned His authority back over to us!  Doesn't Scripture record Jesus saying,  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."  And doesn't Scripture further say, For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority?  In other words, Jesus, having received all authority and power, in turn, delegates that authority to His Believers.  It is part of our "fullness" in Him!  And that authority is not to be used at our own will or for our own pleasure.  We are to submit ourselves to the authority of Jesus and be used by Him as He wills.  So having the authority of Jesus within us in the form of the Holy Spirit, we are to model ourselves after Jesus and do as He did -- obey the will of the Father in all things, knowing that we are exercising His authority and power.
     But can you discern that even to this day, the Enemy actually gets the children of men to continue to give up their authority -- even though Jesus took that authority back and fulfilled His purpose (and the will of the Father) with His death on the Cross, and then passed that authority on to us, His Believers.  Why is it so hard for us to understand that as co-heirs with Christ, the devil has no authority over us?  Why do we continue to let him whisper lies to us and render us powerless?
     Yes, man surrendered his dominion through Adam, but Jesus took it back by restoring our relationship with God through faith in Him.  In that process, our dominion on earth was also restored. We don't have to bow down to satan and suffer his slings and arrows.  After Christ's victory on the Cross, we regained our authority on earth (through Him) and we were designed to rule and reign right now -- not wait until the Millennial Kingdom or the new Heaven and Earth.  Reigning with Christ now requires acknowledging Jesus's authority in our life and His transference of that authority and power to those who follow and obey Him.  Sadly, most Christians have been deceived by the devil into thinking he still has authority over them.  It is those who don't know Jesus as their Savior who don't have the power or knowledge to dispute his lying tongue.  Those who know our Lord should know their position in God's Kingdom and be able to effectively battle the enemy and call his bluff.  We need to start exercising the authority and dominion that are rightfully ours.  Yeshua paid a heavy price to regain them and return them to us.  Let us honor and glorify Him by fulfilling our identity in Christ.

Revelation 5:10     And You have made us to be a kingdom [of royal subjects] and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.

In Their Own Words: War Has Been Declared!

   

     This is a very difficult post to write.  My heartbreak over the terrorist attack in Florida comes from the depth of my human faculties.  And I will admit that my flesh and my spirit discern this tragedy from different perspectives.  I want to try to describe to you what is going through my mind, as well as what is being revealed to my spirit.  This is a convoluted and divisive situation, and my opinion is full of twists and turns.  I fully expect that my viewpoint will not be universally accepted, whether one is secular or Christian.  But this is an exercise of trying to figure out exactly where I stand on multiple issues, and I hope it will give you pause to think about your own faith and our shared humanity.
     I had a heartfelt discussion this weekend with a very dear friend who happens to be gay, and who came to this country from Israel as a teenager.  He told me that "it was the Constitution and Bill of Rights that inspired him to become a US citizen."  His maternal grandparents survived the Holocaust camps, and his father fought in the Israeli War for Independence in 1948.  Both his parents served in the Israeli military, fighting in the Six Day War in 1967 and the 1973 Yom Kippur War.  The spiritual war against God's chosen people has been imprinted on his DNA.
     My friend told me that his grandparents' experiences in the camps, along with their survival and the tenacity and sacrifice of his parents (to give him a better life) has given him both strength and conviction regarding his faith and our freedoms.  He told me that having survived Hitler's murderous regime, his grandfather "continuously warned that what happened with the policy of appeasement by governments, and that [the] hatred of Jews and Christians would happen again during my lifetime."  And now, we see evidence of that in Orlando, Florida.
     Coincidentally, you may have easily dismissed the killing of singer Christina Grimme in Orlando just one day prior to the travesty at the Pulse Club.  Allegedly, police now suspect that her murderer traveled from St. Petersburg to Orlando, a distance of some 107 miles, with the specific intent to kill the contestant from NBC's 'The Voice" -- possibly because of her outspoken Christian views.  Here is an excerpt from her webpage:   In the western world, especially American civilization, when asking for a person's religious standing, the most common response you will encounter is simply "I'm a Christian." Most people subtly just think to themselves "Oh, okay good. I was worried for second." But as I have traveled to Israel recently, fervently prayed and studied Scripture, and examined the culture around me, I have found that when someone says "I'm a Christian," I should be more worried for their soul than if they said "I'm an atheist."
     Before you stone me to death with your subconscious judgment, let me explain. If you will, come explore with me what it should look like when a person claims Christianity. Come with me, and let's take a look at the most overused word in the English language. What is this "Christian" stuff all about anyway? 
     Here was a young woman who obviously took her faith seriously, and was beginning to ask serious questions about what it means to be a Christian.  I suspect that she was becoming outspoken and challenging her generation to start recognizing their position in the Kingdom of God.  And the Enemy needed her silenced.  So can her untimely death be associated in anyway with a jihadist terrorist who slaughtered so many of the gay community in Orlando?  I think it can, and here is why.  It is time that we Christians understand the reality of a single Bible verse.  It is Revelation 12:7 and here is what it says:  Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back.  

     We must see the events of the past few days for what they are ... part of the devil's strategy in the ongoing spiritual war.  And this war is being conducted on multiple levels.  If we try to limit the scope of Christina's murder and the murders at the Pulse Club  by calling them hate crimes or a terrorist attack; or by calling for more gun control, then we fail to see the "bigger picture", if you will.  They must be seen from the viewpoint of the war being waged in heaven.  The men who committed these atrocities -- one who hated a young woman's Christian faith, and one who pledged allegiance to ISIS -- are both soldiers in that war, infected with the ideology of a false god, doing that god's will.
     I have heard news commentators saying that the nightclub murderer was "inspired by a foreign terrorist organization".  The truth is that he was inspired by a spirit commanded by the devil -- one of the ranks of the Enemy's army that Paul refers to in Ephesians, Chapter 6.  And being the Father of Lies, satan can use his influence to convince our leaders that this is a hate crime; or because of the easy availability of guns.  There are those who will say that we are losing this war because of political correctness.  That is only partially true.  We are losing this war because of our spiritual ignorance!
     As a nation, we are failing to connect the dots.  We need to see that these active shooters -- the one who attacked at the Gay Center in Tel Aviv, Israel; or the two in Orlando; or the one who attempted to attack the Gay Pride Parade in Los Angeles yesterday -- are soldiers in the army of satan.  They are demonized followers of a false god.  To get sidetracked with how to accurately "label" the atrocity is a distraction and part of the devil's strategy to keep us chasing our tails.  When a shooter shouts "Allahu Akbar" before beginning his deadly rampage, then it is crystal clear that he is glorifying his satanic master, and worshipping a false god in his holy war.
     As I said earlier, this spiritual war is attacking our faith on different levels.  I would be insincere if I did not address the facts that these attacks are coming against the gay community.  I'm sure there are those Christians who will determine that this is an act of God's judgment against the LGBTQ community.  That is a verdict that I, personally, cannot make.  God loves His creation, and desires that no one be lost. He "is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).  I have no doubt that He is grieved over the loss of those men and women in Florida.  And, as a Christian who has gay friends whom I love with a heart like Jesus's, I mourn those who have died because a false god is promoting "a month of conquest and jihad".
     That being said, hear me clearly ... I am not saying that I approve of a sinful lifestyle -- anymore than I excuse the sinful lifestyle choices that I have made in my past.  There is a common saying:  Love the sinner; hate the sin.  I know that the Bible does not say that in those precise words.  But it does say: And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.  I know that whoever does not love, does not know God, and I believe cannot show God to others.  So it is my belief that I am to show mercy for the sinner, while maintaining a healthy hatred of sin and its effects on a person.
     God, on the other hand, can perfectly love and hate a person at the same time. This means He can love him as someone He created and can redeem, as well as hate him for his unbelief and sinful lifestyle.  Therefore, I leave it up to Him to work that out, while I try to continue to show others the benefit of my salvation and redemption.
     But because our actions in this physical world (and the battles in the spiritual world) affect and influence each other, I am left wondering just how the flagrant defiance of those involved in the Gay Pride parade in LA will effect satan's allies in this world.  Make no mistake!  I do not believe God approves this rebellion against Him.  But I also believe that this month of Ramadan has special significance for those wishing to sacrifice their lives to their false god.  And demonic orders are being given in the spiritual realm to those responsible for carrying them out on the earth. Homosexuality is "illegal" in sharia law and according to Islamic law, homosexuals are subject to being thrown off the top of a building, then stoned.  It has been reported that anti-gay messages, attributed to ISIS followers, are now appearing on Twitter and other social media sites.
     So, as a final summation, my thoughts and emotions are still in turmoil.  I deplore the loss of human life, and I believe God grieves for all His creation.  But I see this heinous act from my spiritual consciousness.  This is part of something much bigger than what we see before our eyes.  It stretches beyond a single gunman in a nightclub in Florida.  It extends all the way to the heavenly realms where a war is being waged between God's angels and satan's demonic followers.  Jesus has defeated the devil, but the conquered enemy hates the presence of God, and will use his influence to command his generals and his soldiers to kill and destroy.  In history, Christian warriors used their weapons of faith in God's Truth, and perseverance in battle to overcome the power of pagan idolatry. We must do the same today.  But we must realize that we have access to the power that raised Jesus from the dead; and the Enemy's demonized soldiers are no match.  There is a war being waged -- and we better recognize the purpose and goals of our enemy; those both in this physical world and in the spiritual realm!  The war in heaven is being manifested on earth.  Our enemy has declared his intentions and, as Christians, we can no longer ignore him or neglect our responsibilities in God's Kingdom on earth.  Be courageous and stalwart!

Revelation 13:7     "The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them.  He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation,"

1 John 2:12-14

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus’ name.  I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who is from the beginning.  I am writing to you, young men, because you have had victory over the evil one.

I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father.  I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know 

the One who is from the beginning.  I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, 

and you have had victory over the evil one.

     This may seem to be both a simple verse to understand, and a complex one.  But, here, John is writing a comprehensive letter to all believers, no matter their physical age, their status in the Church, or their position of authority in God's Kingdom.  In the previous chapter and verses, he is reminding his readers to be on guard against the deceptive ideas of false teachers.  Even at this early stage in the Church, the Enemy was infiltrating the Church with his messengers who brought lies and distortion of the Gospel message.

     John is reminding his ancient readers, and us, that if we belong to God, then we know Him.  He is writing to assure Christians down through the centuries to stay strong in their faith and acknowledge their spiritual journey, readying themselves to defend the Faith.  And in writing to them, he addresses particular groups of believers:  Little Children, Children, Fathers, and Young Men.  

     The first thing we need to understand is why he chose to address these groups in his letter.  I believe that they represent the various ranks, if you will, within the Body of Christ.  In order for the Body to be edified in the knowledge of God, it must be recognized by pastors and fellow Christians, alike, exactly where they stand in their spiritual relationship with the Father.  And by addressing the groups individually, yet simultaneously, it is good for all to hear the foundation of our Faith.

     Scholars usually agree that Little Children refers to a little child; an infant; a new convert; baby Christians.  These are people who are novices in their faith.  But notice that John reminds them of the primary, yet essential, truth of faith in Christ ... that their sins are forgiven for His name's sake.  But what does that mean?  We read "for His name's sake" throughout Scripture, but do we really grasp the full consequences of that phrase.  It means that the act of forgiving our sins rests on God's reputation; on the revelation of His full character; the forgiveness of our sins reflects the glory of God and His Name.  As little children in the faith, this must be what we stand on; and knowing that this act of forgiving our sins displays God's reputation, character, and glory are not to be taken lightly.

     John then addresses the most advanced in the faith, or the fathers.  This is understood to be those Christians advanced in years; the senior members; and presumably, the most spiritually mature believers.  The historical theologian Matthew Henry refers to them as "the old disciples".   Even though they might be the most spiritually mature, they are still in need of further advice and instruction.  They still need to be addressed, preached to, and are never too old to learn.  Although they have knowledge and experience in their faith, they, too, must be admonished to never give in to the lies and deception propagated by the devil and this world.

     Next John addresses the young men in the Church, those spiritually maturing individuals who have the strength of their maturing faith, have good sense, and having the ability to discern between good and evil, have experienced victory over the evil one.  This verse also tells us that they have been in battle with the devil.  Keeping to the sense that John is addressing the Church to be on guard against false teachers and apostasy, I think he is telling these vigorous young Christians that the same strength they exerted in battling (and defeating) the evil one, must be exerted in overcoming the world and its influence within the Church through false teachings and distortion of the Gospel. 

     John then continues his letter by reiterating to each of these groups of Christians -- children, fathers, and young men -- that they know the Father and His Word remains in them.  John is saying whether you a new Christian, still sipping on milk, or a mature Christian, able to chew on the meat of the Word, it is going to take everyone to defend against the attacks that are going to come against God's Church.  

     The devil is the god of this world, and the Body of Christ, who make up Jesus's Church, must be reminded who we are -- sinners who have been pardoned and released from spiritual debt through His name because we have confessed His name, believing in Him as Savior.  We know our Father and have experienced His presence in our lives, and we have experienced victory over the enemy.  Our knowledge of our Savior, whether we are young or old in our faith journey, must come to bear as the enemy mounts an attack against those who stand in his way of conquering this world.

     John's letter may have been written to First Century Christians, but it is just as applicable to Twenty-First Century believers! Just as the Church was weak and vulnerable in John's Day, I believe we can describe it the same way today.  False teachers, or messengers from satan, have invaded God's sanctuary and successfully pulled us off track.  They have distorted God's Truth and are preaching blasphemy and profaning His Name.  John was admonishing the believers of his day to strengthen and protect their love of God because the love of this world was being preached by representatives of the evil one.  Is it no less true today?

The Devil's Game Plan: Conflicting and Contradictory Messages

     No wonder the Church is so ineffective today, and Christians cannot seem to "unite with one mind".  We no longer seem to be "of one heart and soul".  Those terms are how the Early Church was described in Acts, Chapter Four.  And when I say "early" Church, that's exactly what I mean.  These terms were used to describe the body of believers shortly after the Day of Pentecost when the Church was born.  In the midst of their tumultuous beginning, the new believers were unified in their faith and commitment to the teachings and deity of Christ.
     The Sanhedrin were agitated and frustrated at the preaching of Peter and John about this man Jesus, whom they had recently crucified.  They thought they had quelled His grassroots movement and silenced His influence, and here were these men continuing to spread His seditious message.  So the Book of Acts tells us that the ruling class delivers their own message to the followers of Christ:  "We have the power. If you are allowed to preach, as you have been preaching, it is because we have permitted you to do it.  Anytime we want, we can arrest you and carry you off to jail.  We demand that you be silent about your disruptive faith"!

      Kind of feels like we're headed towards that same scenario ourselves, doesn't it?  When we cast a discerning eye upon our culture it is easy to see the discrimination and growing persecution of our faith.  And it is not always blatant. The Enemy is very crafty and subtle ... it begins with the suggestion that we should become more tolerant towards the sins that the Bible renounces and condemns, while slowly and gradually, we end up with the month of June being declared as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month -- by Presidential proclamation, no less.
     But that doesn't sow near enough confusion among the faithful.  We also have an Episcopal priest writing articles for a liberal-leaning website in which she argues for the power of “queer virtue” to combat “heteronormativity” and revitalize a Christianity that is too wedded to traditional ideas of human sexuality and marriage.  In her article, the Reverend Elizabeth M. Edman asserts that "Pride" is central to the LGBT movement and integral to an authentically Christian life. 
     Excuse me, I'm no theologian and have never been trained by a certified School of Divinity.  In fact, my only instruction has come strictly from the Bible and the Holy Spirit, but if I recall correctly, Pride in the Bible always seems to be about self-worship.  God abhors pride because it hinders an individual from seeking Him.  In fact, it seems to be that those who hang their hat on Pride are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God and they think they have no need of Him or, worse, that God should accept them as they are because they deserve His acceptance. After all, it was pride that captivated Lucifer, who is the picture of self-worship, seeking to become like God.  And can you see the confusion and contradictory message he is spreading in this denomination of the Church?
     Edman goes on to extol Pride as a virtue, claiming that it should be redeemed and embraced (regardless of what the Bible says) and that "Christians must become aware of and resist the impulse, conscious or subconscious, to deny the existence of LGBTQ people".  I don't believe that there is anyone I know in the Christian Church who wishes to deny the existence of LGBTQ people.  We just wish to stand by the commandments of God on how a Christian is to live their life.  Everyone must make their own life choices, and certainly has the free will to do so.  But, as a Christian, I cannot abandon the dictates of my Savior.  Edman makes it clear that her objective is "to proclaim a more authentic gospel" and to dismantle (within Church doctrine) what she calls "heteronormative impulses", and what I call disobedience and rebellion against God.  She wants to "strip the Bible of its “heteronormativity” and remake Christianity in the image of a society that glorifies gender fluidity and pansexualism."  With that philosophical doctrine, I would say she has successfully embraced Pride.  And I'm going to be bold enough to declare it a lie from the devil.  Pride is not a Biblical virtue, nor will God exalt it.
     But that is not the only misguided notion and deception being perpetrated by the Enemy upon the Church.  The leading mega-Pastor in the country, Joel Osteen, is also spreading a misleading message.  In one of his latest sermons, he is quoted as saying, "God will fight your battles if you'll stay at rest. If you'll quit worrying about the medical report, if you'll quit being upset over the contract you didn't get, if you'll quit being stressed by those people who are talking about you. If you'll remain at rest, God will fight your battles."  This is akin to what Osteen and fellow evangelist Joyce Meyers say is the key to peace in our lives ... keeping a positive attitude.  But I do not believe that is enough to ward off the attacks of our Adversary.
     And that philosophy goes against the Bible telling us to put on the full armor of God.  If He is going to fight all our battles for us, why do we need any armor?  We must get in the fight and we can do that in a number of ways: by sending our prayers directly to the throne room of God; and declaring our testimonies to the spiritual realm; by binding and rebuking, in the Holy Name of Jesus, those demons and spirits that come against us; and participating in the healing powers of the Holy Spirit to set people free -- that is the way you defeat the spirits of worry, anger, stress and depression.  Because that is what Pastor Osteen fails to tell you; those are very real spirits that are attacking you and causing all those emotional reactions.  Your real rest comes when you stand steadfast, confident in your authority and the power of Christ to work with you in victory.  That's when you find real rest and peace in your spirit.
     But the devil is doing a darn good job of tossing grenades behind our lines.... deceiving us with messages [from within the Church] that Pride is a virtue; and that we just have to stay positive and wait for God to deliver us from our troubles.  And there is a false message that is becoming increasingly louder, in both the Church and our culture:  we must reduce or diminish the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it might offend others.  The whisper has grown into a shout: that we must become more inclusive and less intolerant; that there is more than one way to Heaven and we can get there through faith in more than one god.
     I say that it is imperative that we recognize this message as heresy and unacceptable.  We have already allowed God's enemy to infiltrate His Church and gain too much ground.  Just reading back over these various viewpoints produces so many emotions:  sadness, anger, exasperation, and a heavy spirit.  How have we fallen so far, so fast?  Where are the warriors for the faith; those who are willing to stand and declare God's Truth against this apostasy?  Where will the Church be in another decade?  And will those of us who declare the truth of God's Word even be allowed to speak in defense of our faith?  Yes, the devil has done a good job; Christianity is under clear and organized assault.  It's time to fight back for ourselves and the generations to come.  It's time to glorify God, His Word, His Character, and His Church.

2 Corinthians 10:5    "We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,"    

The Portals Are Opening

     The boldness with which satan is showing himself on the world stage is blatant and unrestrained.  By now, you may have heard about the bizarre and strange "celebration" commemorating the opening of the Gotthard Train Tunnel, which is billed as the longest and deepest train tunnel in the world.  It is a feat of engineering, stretching beneath the Swiss Alps, and its completion is being hailed by world leaders this past week as unifying Europe.  This feat was observed at a ceremony that has been characterized as nothing less than a satanic ritual.  I have to agree.
     You can view it for yourself by clicking  here, but I want to warn you it is a disturbing video, and you will be left with no doubt that the godless of the world are summoning Lucifer from the abyss.  In an avant-garde, theatrical production world leaders, dignitaries, and common people are introduced to what Russia Today called a spectacle of "naked torsos and horned beasts".  The production begins with a military formation of "zombie-fied" miners, marching towards a large screen featuring the rocky formation of the Swiss Alps.  As the miners perform a near tribalistic act of breaking through the rock, they simulate climbing and falling off the mountain as the hole in the mountain is dug.

     It's not long before you get the sense that the workers are getting more and more animated, soon disrobing  and engaging in orgiastic and riotous movements.  Incorporated within this display of digging the tunnel is the Swiss folktale about the Devil's Bridge.  According to historian Meinrad Lienert, the tale tells how the people of Uri, Switzerland recruited the Devil for the difficult task of building a bridge across the pass of the Schöllenen gorge, a critical point above the Gotthard Train Tunnel route.  The devil requested to receive the soul of the first thing to pass the bridge in exchange for his help.  To trick the devil, who expected to receive the soul of the first man to pass the bridge, the people of Uri sent across a goat by throwing a piece of bread, and the goat was promptly torn to pieces by the devil.
     Enraged at having been tricked, the devil went to fetch a large rock to smash the bridge. While taking a break from exhaustion from the task of carrying the rock back to the bridge, a Christian woman secretly marked the rock with a cross. The devil was then unable to pick up the rock, and was forced to abandon it and flee. This 12 metres tall, 220 ton rock was named “The Devil’s Stone”,  and in 1972, the stone was moved 127 metres and is now situated at the entrance of Gotthard Road Tunnel.  The folktale represents a defeat for the devil.

     But the ceremonial celebration on stage this past week was obviously meant to represent a victory for satan.  As the actors portraying miners continue with digging the tunnel, an image of the devil appears on the screen, as if coming out of a portal (the tunnel) with fire surrounding him, and an actor takes to the stage as a goat with rams horns.  Simultaneously, Egyptian scarab beetles were suspended in front of the screen upon which satan had appeared.  The symbolism of these scarab beetles was obvious:  It seemed to the ancient Egyptians that young scarab beetles emerged spontaneously from the burrow where they were born. Therefore they were worshipped as "Khepera", which means "he was brought forth."  At this point in the ceremonial production, the devil has been summoned out of the abyss; and dances on stage with trumpets blowing.  The message is clear ... Lucifer is coming out of the abyss.  The orgy of dancing and debauchery tells us that people are proclaiming him and inviting him to come out of the tunnel.
     This is spiritual warfare front and center!  This is an in-your-face satanic ritual, with powerful leaders of the Western World in attendance and endorsing his appearance.  Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Switzerland’s President Johann Schneider-Ammann, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and France’s President Francois Hollande stood and applauded the ceremony which showed satan's involvement in this world throughout history ... from ancient paganism and druidism, to the Industrial and Technology Ages, as the dancers portrayed bestiality, trangenderism, and transhumanism.

     A ticking clock appeared on the giant screen, as the dancers groveled before the goat-ram devil, bringing him offerings and bowing down at his feet.  This was not so much a dedication to the opening of the historic tunnel, as it was a worship service for the devil.  It's not being disguised or hidden.  As I said, world leaders were openly applauding the opening of the tunnel to the abyss and the appearance of the devil.  It was a ritualistic ceremony in which they took part; it was a summoning of the devil.
     Where is God's Church, and are we expending as much time, energy, and initiative to call forth our Savior?  This event in Switzerland may seem like bizarre, crazy European-style performance art, but I guarantee it has satan's hand all over it!  I believe he is instructing his followers to come out into the open because he is nearly ready to make his appearance.  So we see the Satanic Temple getting bolder in performing their rituals in public.  We see the unveiling of a Baphomet statue with people cheering "Hail Satan," as they rush up to pose with the scultpture of a winged Baphomet with a human body and a goat’s head, and a little boy and girl gazing upon it with devotion.  We see the "nation's first state-sanctioned Satanic Ceremony in history" being carried out on the steps of the Michigan state capitol.  We see TV shows glorifying a suave and debonair character named Lucifer, and we are seeing increased satanic performances at the Super Bowl, Grammy's and even Country Music awards shows!
     If all this has not come up on your radar, it should!  We need to start paying attention to the rise of satanic rituals in our entertainment venues, in world events, and in our public squares.  We need to be preparing ourselves for the spiritual battle of our lives.  I believe that the deception in the Church [that there will be a Pre-Tribulation rapture of the saints] will leave many Christians vulnerable and victims of the devil's evil plans.  We must become as diligent and tireless as our enemy in this spiritual battle.  We need to be on our knees asking Jesus to come quickly with His heavenly host to defeat satan and his army of demonic soldiers.  As evidenced by the satanic worship ceremony in Switzerland this past week, the sounds of the battle are within earshot, and the spectacle of the war between Jesus and Lucifer is in view.  The devil's troops are openly preparing and shouting for his appearance.  Are you raising your voice to the heavens for Christ's return?  Are you seeing the approaching battle, and are you readying for it?  Pray for endurance, strength, and wisdom to stand on that day ... it's not far away.

John 14:30   "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me..."





   

The Battle Is Right Before Our Eyes

     For those who think spiritual warfare is simply a theological concept, with no real-world application, then I invite you to open your eyes and ears to what is going on around us; it's in the headlines nearly every day.  Have we become so blinded that we merely blow off or ignore the implications of what is being reported?

     Take today for instance.  It is June 6th ... or 6-6-16, if you will ... and the day that Satanists have claimed as a day of celebration to their god.  Simply put, it is a sacred day to them for worshipping satan.  And it is a salvo in their spiritual battle plan; an aggressive act in satan's campaign to win the spiritual war here on earth.
     But how many of our countrymen -- or fellow Christians, for that matter -- will even take notice?  Who will understand what this means and act appropriately to defend against this vigorous attempt to defame and defeat YHWH?  In case you don't know the details, here they are:  The religious sect which calls itself The Satanic Temple plans on placing the five points of a Pentagram star around the city of Lancaster, California, located in northern Los Angeles County.  Spokesmen for the group claim that "drawing this symbol around the city represents a solemn promise from the Satanic Temple of Los Angeles to stand with the good people of the City of Lancaster and struggle for their constitutional right to individual liberty, freedom of expression and the separation of church and state in the community".
     Here's what we all need to understand ... this display of rebellion against God is no different than the Enemy's plans that have been revealed and recorded in the Bible.  I just finished reading the Book of Jeremiah, and I could not help but identify with the ancient prophet's frustration over the blatant disobedience and defiance of God's commandments to those who professed to follow Him.  Just like in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the people of our nation have followed after, and are worshipping, false gods.  But do we understand that these gods are not just names of "things" we idolize like celebrities, houses, and cars, or carnal pursuits such as wealth, fame and power?  Do we realize that behind these idols are spiritual entities that are very real and their desire is to influence and control you to win the war?

Bel, aka Marduk

     In Jeremiah, the prophet records numerous warnings from YHWH about the destruction coming against nations and the gods they worship; the spiritual entities that satan has placed over them in governing positions.  Jeremiah 48:42 says, Moab will be destroyed as a people because he has exalted himself against the Lord.  Jeremiah 50:2 records these words from YHWH: Announce to the nations; proclaim and raise up a signal flag; proclaim and hide nothing.  Say: Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is devastated; her idols are put to shame; her false gods, devastated.  Again, Jeremiah 51:44 says, I will punish Bel in Babylon.  I will make him vomit what he has swallowed.  The nations will no longer stream to him; even Babylon's wail will fail. 
     It is important that we get this!  Bel and Marduk are not just some wooden statues that the nations bow down to.  And Babylon is more than a city and a nation. They are real spiritual entities -- gods, although false -- who involve themselves in the lives of real people and in the existence and actions of nations.   They were able to influence God's chosen people and induce them to rebel against God and turn aside from their covenant with Him.  It is no different today.
     As noted prophecy expert Paul McGuire tells us, "Currently in America there is intense competition among various belief systems, religions, philosophies, and ideologies. This competition is expressed openly as different groups and faiths seek to promote their belief systems and win converts to their religion or cause."  That is what happened as the Israelites entered the Land of Canaan and became exposed to the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites; and later when they were taken into captivity in Assyria and Babylon.  They were introduced to the gods of these other nations, who are every bit as real as YHWH.  But they are not the One True God and they are under the guidance and supervision of Lucifer, the fallen angel who proclaimed himself the god called Satan.
     So, now in 21st Century America we find ourselves inundated with all kinds of false gods vying for our attention and our worship -- Islam, Mormonism, Scientology, Hinduism, Buddhism, Satanism, Wicca, and Paganism to name just a few.   As Mr. McGuire points out, "Wicca, along with witchcraft and paganism, is currently the fastest growing religion in America. Islam is also a fast growing religion. Christianity, and specifically Evangelical Christianity, is declining faster than most people realize."  Do you get that?  Can you see that the battle lines have been drawn and these other gods have their troops engaged in battle plans like encompassing entire cities within a Pentagram and dedicating the people and land to the devil?
     What are God's people doing?  What is our battle plan?  Are we actively praying against the influence of these other gods?  Are we asking YHWH how He wants us to execute against His enemies?  Do we know how to defend against the enemy's attacks?  This generation of Christ-followers have been lulled into "Christianity Light" for too long, and are woefully unprepared, as the Body of Christ, to take on the Enemy forces who have centuries of plans and victories under their belts.  Our world is going to be shaken like we've never seen, and the self-centered gospel that has been the center of the Modern Church will offer little defense.
     It is time we fight back, putting on the full armor of God, and seek the help of His heavenly host as we stand our ground against the onslaught of evil coming our way.  Take a moment to pray against the Satanists around this nation who will be performing their evil rituals today.  Ask God to send an army of angels to surround any areas claimed for this false god.  Picture the battle in the spiritual realm, and know that it is real!  We must start seeing with spiritual eyes and get in the fight!  We need to recognize when the Enemy is advancing, call on the Lord, and engage in the battle with Him!  Are you willing to join me in this mission?

Isaiah 54:17   "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me,” says the Lord." 

1 John 4:18

 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].

 

     How many of us live in fear?  Or live in dread, knowing that our Christian walk is not what it should be?  If you are like me, I suffer from times where I feel my passion for Christ has grown luke-warm, and I long to regain that burning desire for Him, and to feel His presence so close that I know He is just beyond the veil that separates this world from the spiritual realm.  And I am fearful about feeling separated from Him.  

     What does our Scripture tell us is the antidote to this poisonous fear? If we are experiencing fear, how does the Word tell us to conquer that emotion?  It's the word most closely associated with our Savior ... LOVE!  But, I must admit that I can't always wrap my head around that solution.  God Is Love has become nearly a cliché in Church doctrine, and I'm not sure that we Christians know how to apply it or how it works; or even what it means.  Just as the last words of this verse say ... "the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]" ... we don't truly understand God's love, or how to express our love towards Him.

     Jesus clearly tells us that love is at the heart of being a disciple for Him ... it is our mission, our ministry, and our purpose.  He makes it obvious by telling us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind; and to love others as we love ourselves.  Those are the commandments we are to obey, and they result in godly living! Combined with obedience to the Truth in Scripture, we should find unity with God, Jesus, and our fellow brethren in the Body of Christ.

     That is the oneness that Jesus desired for His Church -- to be able to share in the love and obedience to the Father that He had experienced.  But what I think we tend to dismiss is the "obedience" part of that statement.  The Church has been very good at disseminating the message that "we love because God first loved us", and that by loving others, we are imitating the pattern and example that Jesus exemplified by laying down His life for us.

     But what of the instances of His obedience that showed the power of God?  For instance in John 9:1-6, Jesus healed a man who had been blind since birth.  Did He do this out of strict compassion and love for this man?  Scripture tells us that Jesus revealed to His disciples that the blind man must be healed in obedience to the Father in order to show the power of God to do such work.  Yes, it is out of the love of God for us that He wants us to know He has the power to heal.  There are many other examples in the Bible of Christ's obedience through the miracles and signs He performed at the Father's request.  He did not do them of His own volition, but because it was His Father's will.

     And clearly, Christ's ultimate act of obedience was to go to the Cross so that the lost of the world could be saved from God's justified wrath.  Again, God's love for us is the reason that Christ was obedient.  I think we Christians have an elementary understanding of what that love is and how we are to show it to others.  But do we know that we are to show it to our Father in Heaven by obeying Him, which means to seek His will in all instances, just as Jesus did?  Our Savior trusted the commandments of His Father and never doubted; He unquestioningly obeyed.  

     I honestly think we fear because we do not trust that God will fulfill His end of the bargain.  "What if I decide to believe the Bible [that we have the authority and power of Jesus to heal as He did] and step out to lay hands on my sister to heal her migraine headache?  What if it doesn't work"?  Could it possibly be that you are not loving [confidently trusting] the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind?  Remember, our Scripture today tells us that perfect love -- that which is complete and full-grown --  is what drives out fear.  We cannot expect to jump to the head of the class and become like Jesus on our first step outside the box.

     But we can be obedient, and trust that God's love never finds Him enacting divine punishment when we step out in obedience.   In fact, could it be that our obedience is in response to the knowledge of God's love for us; that knowledge that comes from a heart and mind and soul that seeks Him?  We have all heard the familiar Scripture "perfect love casts out fear", and may have understood that the perfect love belonged to God or Jesus.  That is certainly one way to interpret this passage.  But what if that perfect love was the growth and maturation of our love for God, so that we come to a full and thorough understanding of Him and the realization that through continued obedience we have nothing to fear -- that like Jesus, obedience to the Authority and Power of God, the Father, drives out all fear... no fear of God's divine punishment; no fear that we can disappoint Him; no fear that the Enemy can defeat us or enslave us.  Through the interactive relationship between us and God and Jesus, there is no room for fear... but there is the freedom to grow and nurture a life founded on love and obedience.  And that's a life that fulfills our mission and purpose as a Christian.