Satan Knows Us Better Than We Know Ourselves.

     I ran across an article in The Washington Post which took me on a bit of a crazy ride... from the After School Satan Club to Dr. Charles Kraft, the evangelical Christian apologist, anthropologist and linguist, with whom I received my first training in the work of inner healing and spiritual warfare.  Let me show you how I got from point A to point B...
     The article, titled An After-School Satan Club Could Be Coming To Your Kid’s Elementary School, was certainly alarming enough to catch my eye.  The article seemed to center around the conflict between the leaders of the Satanic Temple and those who they see as their primary foe, an evangelical Christian after-school program known as The Good News Club.  While I obviously knew that I didn't support the activities of the Satanic Temple's after-school program, I expected that I would naturally be drawn to the Christian-oriented curriculum.  But not so fast....

     At the foundation of the conflict is the First Amendment, which the Satanic Temple (ST) has used to their great advantage in recent years.  They point out that Christian evangelical groups already have infiltrated the lives of America’s children through after-school religious programming in public schools, and they appear determined to give young students a choice: Jesus or Satan.
     The current approach by the ST to introduce Satan as an after-school choice is the result of the 2001 Supreme Court case where The Good News Club was the plaintiff in Good News Club v. Milford Central School, 533 U.S. 98 (2001).  The plaintiff, represented by powerful legal advocacy groups on the religious right, including the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Liberty Counsel, held that the club was entitled to the same access as other groups, like the Boy Scouts, to provide after-school programs designed to promote "moral and character development" to Milford School's elementary children.
     Over the ensuing years, the ST has successfully fought for their First Amendment Rights, and in 2014, after the Supreme Court ruled that the regular recitation of prayers before town meetings did not violate the First Amendment (provided that towns do not discriminate among religions), the Temple decided to test just how much religious liberty towns would allow. They volunteered to perform a Satanic benediction in an Arizona town where the board had regularly opened with a Christian prayer. In that case, the town preferred to abolish the practice of opening prayers.
     That is how we got to the present conflict.  The ST maintains that if public schools can offer after-school programs in what they see as "indoctrination, [and] instilling children with a fear of hell and God’s wrath", then they are free to offer after-school programs that "focus on free inquiry and rationalism."  You see, here is what they want you to believe:  "the group’s plan for public schoolchildren isn’t actually about promoting worship of the devil. The Satanic Temple doesn’t espouse a belief in the existence of a supernatural being that other religions identify solemnly as Satan, or Lucifer, or Beelzebub. The Temple rejects all forms of supernaturalism and is committed to the view that scientific rationality provides the best measure of reality".
     So, that's what they say they believe.  But I am here to tell you that whether they believe in the devil or satan or Lucifer is not the primary point; there is a very real dark and demonic and powerful spirit behind the formation of such groups as The Satanic Temple.  They can say that  “Satan” is just a “metaphorical construct” intended to represent the rejection of all forms of tyranny over the human mind, and all they want is to promote the belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response... scientific rationalism and "free inquiry".
     But all you have to do is watch this video at their website, and you will see the image and statue of Baphomet prominently displayed; (Baphomet is the goat-headed pagan deity most closely associated with occultism, ritual magic, witchcraft, Satanism and esoterica).  Appropriately enough for the After-School Satan Club, the video promotes the image of adoring children looking upon the goat god as he entices them to come under his influence.

     Also, I noticed that the video contained several frames of children and people running and walking backwards.  My spirit was not content to dismiss this as just a technique to enhance the video, so I did a little research.  It seems that this was a practice called The Law of Reversal, promoted by Aliester Crowley, the master occultist who lived from 1875-1947.  Crowley taught his students that those who want fame, power, spell-casting abilities, demons at their beck and call, and [the ability] to recognize the godhead within; as well as to know the past, present, and future, must consistently, with intensity, practice talking (reverse speech), walking, thinking, and playing phonograph records, backwards.  (Anybody of my generation remember the Beatles using this technique, or trying to play records backwards)? This is a form of divination, and we are warned against this in the Holy Bible.  So, so much for this not being about belief in satan.
     But I want to get back to their claim that this after-school program's agenda is all about rationalism instead of religion.  It is apparent to me that satan is after the next generation of kids.  My generation, and the one right after us, are quite possibly the last generations to be really schooled about Jesus.  The Millennials don't seem interested in Him, and seem to be buying into the devil's mantra of "Do as thy will", instead of "Do as God wills".  This ties right into the trend of our educational system and our growing cultural bias -- an aversion to critical thinking, or another way to put it: they object to a factual analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment... it's all about the freedom of the individual to decide for themselves.  This all comes as a result of the breakdown in the family.  Our children should never have to stay after school to learn about Jesus.  It should be an important part of instruction received at home from their parents!
     That brings the After-School Satan Club in direct opposition to the Good News Club, which like I said, I thought would provide children with an age-appropriate education through their Bible lessons, songs, Scripture memory and discipleship training to build character and strengthen moral and spiritual growth.  All that sounds good and much more preferable to what the Satan Club is offering.  But then I began reading reviews and some concerns arose ... it is possible that the message is a little harsh for small children and children who are otherwise unschooled in the Bible; messages that promote ideas such as, "You deserve to die and be separated from Him forever because of your sin".  For example, in one of the books called Esther which is used as part of the lesson plan in The Good News Club, the teacher discusses that anytime the child disobeys their mom or dad, they are sinning; just having a bad attitude about something they have asked you to do is sinning ... this is followed up with the admonishment that "The punishment you and I deserve for our sin is destruction—separation from God forever in a terrible place called Hell... many people are on the road to destruction".  That's a little bit strong for an elementary student, don't you think?
     Then there's even another alternative called The Young Skeptics, which is sponsored by The Better News Club (BNC), which is in opposition to The Good News Clubs.  The BNC/Young Skeptics calls the Good News Club a form of child abuse, using fear tactics and Christian extremist tactics to get across their theology.  The goal of the Young Skeptics is to provide children with an alternative, and scientifically based, view of the natural world around them.  Religion is not discussed in Young Skeptics sessions, nor is atheism.  Young Skeptics' curriculum is based on scientific discovery and evidence-based decision-making.  
     So, while I am definitely against the Satan Club, I'm not enthusiastic about the Good News Club, and see the Young Skeptics as falling far short of Biblical knowledge and training.  They are all flawed systems, in my opinion.  So, here's the way I see it:  as rampant as rationalism and the occult is becoming in our culture, the Church is actually defeating itself.  By rejecting the supernatural aspects of God and the Bible, groups like The Satanic Temple are taking advantage of our ignorance; projecting rationalism in the natural world, and focusing on the universe and science.  And all the while, in the background they are applying principles "on earth as it is in Hell", and promoting spirit-led and supernatural rituals and exercises like those espoused by Aleister Crowley.

     If the Church doesn't learn how to fight in the spirit, and in the spiritual realm, then "on earth as it is in Heaven" becomes just "as it is on earth".  We see evidence of this in pastors who don't believe in the gift of healing or spiritual warfare because it's "too uncomfortable" for people.  And groups like the Young Skeptics are just adapting to become "of this world". The result: satan wins.
     This finally brings me to the thoughts and opinions of the venerable Dr. Charles Kraft.  He says that the Church is promoting a form of "Naturalistic Christianity" ... most of the answers to our questions are secular, and the Church promotes it's particular denominational doctrine and if a few people get saved along the way, that's OK.  Evangelical Christianity offers little discussion or practice of the miraculous dimensions that lead to a rediscovery of the ministry of Jesus.  Therefore, we have a knowledge-oriented Christianity in this country, but we don't know anything about the power of our faith.  We only have approval from society if we stay within the realm of providing knowledge and information... because society is knowledge/science oriented.  We are under pressure from society to conform to this position and to stay in line with the world.
     So, satan is working through groups like The Satanic Temple and programs like the After-School Satan Club because they feed into society's belief system about itself; i.e., that we are a science-oriented, knowledge-based society.  Where is the power of the Church?  And when will we learn who we really are ... created to display the power and authority of the Son of the One True God?  I, for one, am claiming my true identity!

1 Corinthians 1:18          "For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God."

Acts 5:3-4

But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart

to lie to the Holy Spirit ... Why is it that you have conceived

this act [of hypocrisy and deceit] in your heart?

     Most likely, you are familiar with the story of Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, in the Book of Acts. This post will complete my discourse on how important the state of our heart is in our salvation journey.  I hope to show you how our thoughts can be infected by the Enemy, pass through the filter (or gateway) of our hearts, and ultimately affect our spirits. (If you have not read the previous post, I think it will help you to see the Biblical support of this hypothesis).  And I want you to notice how many times the topic of "our heart" is mentioned in this concept and in Scripture.

     First, let's take a look at the backdrop of the story ... We have millions of Jews in Jerusalem.  They originally arrived in celebration of the Spring Feasts; and the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth had taken place during these Feasts of the Lord.  So, there would have been some buzz going on among the multitudes about the rumors that this resurrected Jesus had been seen by 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6).  Then came the Feast of Pentecost, on which the nation of Israel, for over 1300 years, had celebrated the giving of the Law (Torah) to Moses.  On that very day, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to write His Law (commandments) on the tablets of our heart.  

     This was the event for which Jesus had told the Apostles to go to Jerusalem and wait ... He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak.  For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized and empowered and united with the Holy Spirit, not long from now" (Acts 1:4-5).  So you can imagine the uproar and enthusiasm among the crowds when those tongues of fire came down upon the Apostles.  And how I wish I could have heard the supernatural sermon that Peter preached; one in which the Amplified version of the Bible says "cut to the heart" of those who heard it.  Peter shared that the promise of the Holy Spirit was extended to them, too, if they would repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.  "You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" was a powerful incentive to answer this invitation.  

     Of course the ruling class of the Jews were confounded by this event and by the response of the people.  Here, they thought they were done with the rabble-rouser Jesus, and then His disciples not only begin healing in His Name, but they are stirring up the people again ... will the influence of this man, Jesus, never end?  After being arrested, questioned about the miracle of healing the man who had been lame for 40 years, and then released, the new followers of the teachings of Jesus were once again moved by Peter, and thanked God in a powerful prayer that resulted in them being of one heart and soul, and full of boldness and courage for their new faith.

     They were so moved by the presence of God through the Holy Spirit, that they were willing to help support those Jews who were "staying over" after Pentecost in order to hear and learn more about the Gospel Message.  So the Bible tells us that people began selling land and property as the needs of the people were identified.  One such man, Barnabas, received particular accolades, as he laid the proceeds from the sale of his land at the apostles feet -- a humble and generous act.

     Now, the very next thing the Bible tells us happens at the beginning of Chapter 5.  We read that a man named Ananias, and his wife, Sapphira, sell a piece of their property, but rather than giving the full proceeds, they decide to hold back a little for themselves --- and we need to understand that there is nothing wrong with that.  The problem is that with his wife’s full knowledge and complicity he lied about keeping back some of the money.  Clearly, both husband and wife were partners in the deception. They both wanted the image of great generosity (like Barnabas), without actually being remarkably generous.

     But Peter confronts Ananias about his lie.  Once again, God apparently gave Peter supernatural knowledge of what Ananias had done, through the spiritual gift called the word of knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8).  Peter asks, Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?  Peter did not accuse Ananias of lying to the church or to the apostles, but to the Holy Spirit Himself.  Peter then asks Ananias, Why have YOU conceived this thing in your heart?  Peter acknowledged that Satan had filled the heart of Ananias, yet Peter still needed to ask why Ananias, himself, had conceived this thing in his heart. 

     Various versions of the Bible have Peter asking why Ananias "contrived" or "planned" this thing in his heart.  Are you beginning to see the importance that our heart plays in deciding who we will follow in this world?  Satan can influence the life of a believer, even a spirit-filled believer like Ananais, but he can’t do your sinning for you.  He can plant the thought in your mind (which is a powerful component of your soul, which remember is made up of your mind, emotions, and will).  If your spirit is home to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, then the condition of your heart determines whether you listen to your mind or your spirit.  Ananias had a decision to make and his heart ruled in favor of his mind, rather than the spirit within him.  And the consequences were dire -- He dropped dead in an instant!

     Remember that the parable of the Sower is about the condition of the ground in which the seed is sown.  The ground represents our hearts, and the seed is the Word of God.  Satan tries to mix rocks and thorns among the good soil, to stifle the growth of the seed.  That's exactly what he did in the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira.  Ananias had been saved after Peter’s supernatural preaching and the Word had been sown in his heart, but Peter correctly pronounces that Satan filled Ananias’s heart with Pride, and Ananias did not root that out and, instead, embraced the Pride and decided to lie (of his own free will; another part of his soul) – not only publicly to the apostles and the people, but more importantly to the Holy Spirit within him, who knew the Truth.  

     So here you have the complete picture ... THE SOUL  -- the mind which can become corrupted by the lies of Satan (You, Ananias, can receive the same praise as Barnabas, just don't admit to keeping back part of it for yourself), along with our emotions (I want to feel the glow of praise from the Apostles) and our free will (I can keep part of the profit and reap the honors)  -- coming into conflict with THE SPIRIT  (which if you are Saved, is full of truth and grace).  This conflict takes place in the heart, where both the soul and spirit battle for our allegiance.  

     That is why it is so imperative that we recognize what it means to "take Scripture to heart".  I think 2 Corinthians 10:5 explains it best:  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.  The arguments and lofty opinions are Satan's lies that come into our minds as thoughts and reasons why we shouldn't listen to the Spirit's voice, which ministers to us and gives us "the knowledge of God".  And can you see how important it is to keep your heart clean and pure; cleansed of any pride or doubt and unbelief?  If the heart is the filter between our flesh (the soul) and our God-filled spirits, then I want to stack the deck in favor of the Holy Spirit.  If my heart is the seat of determination for who I will follow, then I need to guard it and protect it from everything other than God.  

     After all, isn't God seeking men and women after His own heart?  He wants our hearts to be like HIS!  Sadly, I am far from that saintly goal.  But, hopefully, this little study has been able to help you pay more attention to the state of your own heart.  I now see how important it is to God, and how easily the Enemy can infiltrate my thoughts and emotions, causing me to poison my heart and drown out the Spirit.  We all need to pay attention to the lesson of Ananias and Sapphira, which clearly shows us what can happen when our hearts become deceitful.

How Are You Programmed?

     I hope you agree with me that we live in a very blessed time.  As bleak and unpromising as the future of this world and its cultures appear, I am extremely excited to see God increasingly unveiling His knowledge in more and more rapid surges of revelation.  I mean, we have access to podcasts and books and in-depth studies of Scripture by men and women who are making it their life's work to cast aside man-made religious doctrines in order to fully understand what God says and wants from His people.

     For instance, the truly discerning believers of Christ know that the Bible is a supernatural book; that it is, at its foundation, a book about the Hebrew people and their relationship with YHWH.  We have the benefit of learning from scholars who are studying the Hebrew language to give us a much broader and fuller understanding of Scripture than the Greek-to-English translations have afforded us.  We have the opportunity to learn and question the research of scholars and teachers who are not willing to accept man's traditions as superior to the Word, and are seeking to come closer to God and to possess the facts of His Truth.  That is called KNOWLEDGE.  And the interpretation of that Truth is what we know as UNDERSTANDING.  The application of that Truth is called WISDOM.
     Now, before you go and give me any kind of praise for this explanation, I must give credit where credit is due.  I am going to present a new understanding that I have been gleaning and formulating about our spirituality from one of those young men who is truly a blessing to this generation.  Dan Duval is among a group of young and bold and faithful disciples of Christ (including Justen Faull, Russ Dizdar, Michael Heiser) who have not only immersed themselves in studying the Greek and Hebrew Bibles for greater insight into God, but have gone where the Church is either too afraid or too unenlightened to venture -- spiritual warfare, deliverance and healing, satanic ritual abuse, and the application of Jesus's Power and Authority through us, His commissioned followers.  But they have also taken advantage of the internet, social media, and technology -- tools that satan has successfully used to lure our younger generation and society into spiritual bondage -- and they all have ministries whose goals are to bring more souls into the Kingdom of God.  They have successful podcasts, blogs, books, videos, and even online church services that are reaching multitudes for Christ.  And their work is all done to glorify God from a Scriptural foundation and according to the dictates of His Word!
     All that being said, Dan Duval has written a couple of books that incorporate an idea that is opening up a new understanding of Scripture for me everyday.  It concerns the matters of our heart, and I literally have a more expansive vision of the Word, and am seeing the application of this new understanding as I read old, familiar verses.  I know I can't express all of it in one blog post, so I hope you will continue to follow me as I try to explain how Scripture has opened up to me.
     To begin with, I approached this subject of the heart in a post on the Parable of the Sower, and that is really where I began to see how central our hearts are to the application of our faith, and how important it was to Jesus that we understand that.  I also wrote about how the conditions of our hearts affect everything we think, say, and do in this post.  But Dan Duval has pointed me to further examples in Scripture and I am beginning to see how I have glossed over these verses, without seeing how fundamental they are to my Christian walk.  So, I am going to try to lay out the process I am undergoing and share with you these new facts of God's Truth.
     First, we need to gain an understanding of just how the heart plays into God's creation of Man.  I am not a scholarly person, so please excuse me if this seems elementary, but it is the steps I have taken to enter into the higher and deeper dimensions of God...  We all know that the completion of His creation is evidenced in our spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).  We're pretty clear on what constitutes our spirit and our body, but we need to understand that our soul consists of our mind, will, and emotions.  So where does the heart fit into all this?
     If we understand that the heart is kind of a gateway, or entry point, from our soul to our spirit, then we can see that it plays a very important part in how we act out our faith.  Think of it as a processing plant between our soul and spirit -- the spirit feeds spiritual information into the heart, and the soul feeds carnal information into our hearts (from our minds, our emotions, and our life experiences, or will).  The heart then processes all that information, and sends information out that shapes the activity of both the soul and spirit based on the belief system that is operating in us.  In this way, whatever the heart is convinced of, shapes the person's reality.  This is what is meant when Scripture tells us, "as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).  (Join me on Sunday as I show how this played out in the life of Ananais and his wife Sapphira in the Book of Acts).
     As we contemplate the heart, it is vital that we understand that the collection of all the information coming from our soul and our spirit into our heart, is what makes up, or forms, our worldview.  So, if you have no relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, you will not have much spiritual knowledge flowing into your heart; only the carnal knowledge coming from your thoughts and how the world affects you through your experiences ... so you will likely have a secular, humanist worldview.  On the other hand, if you are saved, and have a personal relationship with Jesus, then that knowledge will mix with your fleshly thoughts, your feelings and what the world throws at you, to bring you into some form of spiritual or Biblical worldview.  If you are of the latter persuasion, then how you respond to this life on earth will be determined by how your heart processes that mixture of information.  In other words, what are the "thoughts of your heart"?  And can they be changed  or programmed to respond in one direction or another?
     Dan Duval exposits that there are three main ways to program the heart.  The programming is dependent on which kingdom has created the program (or, as I understand it, who wields the most influence in your heart).  Who sits on the throne of the kingdom of your heart -- God, man, or the Prince of Darkness?  Although we have three kinds of kingdoms in operation here, there are really only two agendas -- the Christ agenda for the redemption of mankind and the antichrist agenda that denies Jesus is Lord.  There is no middle ground, and no other alternative.  The kingdoms that we set up for ourselves (both in the heart and in the world) either further the Christ agenda by submitting to it, or stand in its way by resisting it.
     So how are our hearts programmed by each of these kingdom sources?  Again, Mr. Duval presents an interesting paradigm.... In the Kingdom of God, our hearts are programmed through revelation.  God's revelations of Himself yield a love-based paradigm, in which we think and act like God thinks and acts.  In the Kingdom of Men, our hearts are programmed through repetition, which becomes tradition.  This is the difference between religion and relationship.  We will think and act like our forefathers thought and acted.  We see that in the centuries old doctrines of our churches.  And in the Kingdom of Darkness, our hearts are programmed through trauma, which opens doors for bondage and satan's lies, which generates fear.  We begin to think and act according to the lies he whispers and the way he acts.
     I don't want to overwhelm you with a difficult concept, but I hope you can see that there is a war for our hearts.  The spirit and the soul are in a perpetual battle for the thoughts of our hearts.  For us Christians, while the spirit is attempting to program the heart according to the truths of God and His kingdom, the soul is attempting to program the heart according to the experiences of our lives.  That is why the Bible tells us that we must continually renew our minds with the Word of God.  Our minds are such a strong component of our soul that we will serve what we yield ourselves to, and what we yield to will become the primary influence upon our hearts.  So what we think greatly affects our hearts and how we ultimately act.  That's why the Bible tells us to take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.
     I think the best example I can show you of how we, as humans, must program our hearts is found in the first chapter of the Book of Daniel.  I have read and studied this inspiring book with my Home Church group, but am reading it again as I make my way through the Bible ... one more time.  In Daniel 1:8, the King James version reads, But Daniel purposed in his heart, that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank...  The Amplified version reads, But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile (taint, dishonor) himself with the [a]king’s finest food or with the wine which the king drank...
     Can you see this concept of programming our hearts played out in Daniel's faithful act?  Can you see the struggle within his heart -- how he had to process the information coming from his spirit with the information coming from his mind, emotions, and will?  Daniel knew that the king's food would have been sacrificed to pagan gods; and he knows that because his name has been changed from Daniel ("God is my Judge") to Belteshazzar ("The pagan god Bel will protect my life"), if he participates in eating the king's food, he will be giving the impression that he agreed to follow the pagan practices.  This is where Daniel "purposed his heart" according to the belief system of the Kingdom that lived within his heart.  Daniel's heart was programmed by the Kingdom of God, so he acted and thought like God, and out of his love for God, he chose not to compromise.  He made up his mind; "for as he thinks, so in his heart, is he".  Do you see just how powerful our minds can be in overwhelming our hearts?
     I challenge you to look up all the verses in the Bible about the heart.  I believe that, like me, you will find new inspiration and revelation as to how important the state of our heart is to our faith and our salvation journey.  And I think you will discover just how important renewing our mind is to programming our hearts.  Also, I believe that you will find new meaning in verses like this:  "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me"  (Psalm 51:10); and this one:  "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart"  (Hebrews 4:12).
     Finally, I will be showing you with my Scripture choice on Sunday, how the Enemy targets the heart to influence us and take us captive, filling it with his deception and wickedness.   But when our heart is circumcised with the love and commands of the Lord, everything that flows out of it is for the glory of God's Kingdom.  Stay tuned!

Proverbs 4:23    "Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life."
   
   

   
 

The Only "Cover" I Need Is Jesus

     As I related to you in the previous post, my husband and I attended a Deliverance Ministry training session this past weekend, and continue to be encouraged by the Holy Spirit that we are doing the will of God.  We were heartened, motivated, and validated by the team of deliverance ministers from Luke 4:18 Ministries, and enjoyed sharing experiences with other attendees.
     But I have to say that I was surprised by one question that we received.  But first, I must disclose that most of the people in attendance were there to learn on behalf of their churches.  The interesting thing is that it appears to be a common occurrence that the church leadership doesn't necessarily buy into spiritual warfare -- and definitely not deliverance ministry -- but is willing to give their permission for someone within the church to learn what they can about it.  In fact, when I attended Dr. Charles Kraft's Defeating Dark Angels conference last winter I assumed that everyone was there because they had established ministries within their churches, and they were the assigned leader for that ministry.  Imagine my surprise, when one woman sitting at my table informed me, "Oh, honey, we're all here in spite of our churches"!
     My husband and I are always the exception to the rule whenever we gather with church or ministry-led conferences because God has pulled us out of the established Church and we are part of a small home church.  I'm always a little saddened by some of the reactions that news receives, as if somehow we are less qualified to be doing a ministry.  I say "a little" saddened, because my spirit has no doubt that we have been called by God to partner with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to help set people free.  What "church people" think about that has no bearing on our service to the Lord.  And that leads me back to the sincere question that we were asked at the recent training session we attended.

     A young woman from Bangladesh approached the table where my husband and I were sitting.  She had been involved with a deliverance ministry under the auspices of her church in her home country, but since moving to the United States, she could find no church that had such a ministry, nor any church leadership that encouraged the pursuit of a deliverance ministry.  So her question to us was, "How are you able to do this deliverance ministry without "the covering" of a church"?  That question struck such a chord with me, because it represents so much of the resistance and opposition that I have felt from the church in recent years.
     In fact, some of the more negative or unfavorable responses I have received in regards to spiritual warfare have come from pastors and church leaders who do not believe it exists!  But God has shown me that so much of the struggles and pain that Christians experience is due to oppression by demonic forces.  But because they hide behind the "Christian culture" in their church -- the culture that has been blinded to the bondage that so many are under -- they will never see, nor admit, that they are hurting.  And sadly, they have discouraged members of their churches from seeking any knowledge or experience on waging spiritual warfare.  Therefore, without "the covering" of their pastor, Christians continue to be unenlightened about defeating the Enemy in their own lives.
     For the life of me, I cannot discover where the idea originated that believers need to be "covered" in order to serve God and minister within Christ's Body.  How many people are living Christian lives under the shadow of this fear that without "covering" you dare not minister, preach, teach, pray, or do a myriad of other things you're called to do by the Spirit of God, because you will somehow be ministering without protection?
     (NOTE:  This same kind of argument is used to discourage women from teaching because they are supposed to "be submissive" or "under the authority" of a man.  Unfortunately, this incorrect understanding has applied Scriptures such as 2 Timothy 2:12, and 1 Corinthians 11:1-16, and taken them out of context.  Then the last 1600 years of social and cultural influence have somehow cemented these ideas in the Church.  For a different take on this interpretation of Scripture, check out my blog post here, and the source of my suggestive theory, here.)
     Now back to how I feel about having to be "covered" to do deliverance ministry.  I truly feel that this doctrine places the authority of man over the authority of my God.  If the Holy Spirit convicts me that Deliverance is something He wants me to do -- and that Jesus wants people healed and wants me to facilitate that healing -- then why do I need to seek any further approval from men?  And why would I turn down that calling just because a pastor or church leader does not recognize the need for it? Are we not instructed by Scripture to submit ourselves to God?  As born-again believers, we daily make a choice to submit ourselves to God for the work that the Holy Spirit does in us to "conform us to the image of Christ." That image of Christ is one of servanthood, as He sought to do what God instructed Him to do.  That included healing, and casting out demons, and spreading the Word about God's mercy unto salvation.  Can we have no higher calling than to imitate Christ in this manner?

     Please understand that I am not advocating disrespect or rebellion (out of pride) towards God's Church or the Pastors and Shepherds He has placed in positions of authority.  But when confronted with a choice to follow a clear commission from the Holy Spirit, and the will of my Father, or an opinion from a man (no matter how well-intentioned) then I have no choice.  When my spirit is told that I have been sanctified to do this work for the Kingdom of God, then I know that my "covering" -- my defense, my protection -- will come from the Lord Himself.  I go forth to do this ministry in full confidence because I am covered by the Blood of Jesus!
     1 John 2:20 speaks so strongly to my conviction on this matter:  But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error].  Just before we were introduced to this concept of spiritual warfare and deliverance, my husband had a recurring dream in which God told him that He wanted us to sanctify our property, our home, and each other with holy oil.  Then, in the dream, there was a clear message that YHWH, Himself, was going to sanctify us.  It took him several days to tell me this, but after consecutive nights of receiving the same divinely-inspired communication, he knew he had affirmation that it was from the Lord, and he shared the message with me.  At the time, we didn't know what that meant, or why He was anointing us and sanctifying us.
     Since then, we know that the anointing was so that He could impart the knowledge of His truth regarding spiritual warfare to us; and we were going to be sanctified, or set apart for God, to do deliverance ministry under the Authority of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit.  We wanted, so desperately, to share this Good News with the Church and let them know that God wants us to partner with Him in these Last Days ... but they didn't want to hear it.  In effect, we could not, and would not, receive any approval of "covering" from The Church.  And that's when it became crystal clear that we were not to seek it; that God would be our covering -- He will go before us and protect the work that He has assigned us to do.  He will be our shield and our shelter as we continue the work that His Son came to do, namely to set free those who are in bondage to satan and his forces of wickedness.
     I guess, in a way, the Apostle Philip is kind of a model for what happened to us.  He was personally reached by Jesus himself. While Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, and Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, no one brought Philip to Jesus. Instead, Jesus came right to him.  And Philip went where God told him to go, reaching people that would never be drawn to the newly developing church.  And that is our similar experience ... God personally revealed His purpose for our lives and is bringing people in bondage directly to our door; people who do not feel comfortable approaching the Church.  All they know is that they want to be free, and we have the answer ... it's to experience Jesus healing their spiritual wounds!
     So, if you find yourself in a situation similar to the young woman from Bangladesh, and you feel called to a deliverance ministry, but find no support from the establishment of the Body of Christ, then ask the Holy Spirit for confirmation that this is how you are to serve the Kingdom of God.  If this is to be the purpose of your life, then God will open doors for you that men cannot close.  Trust Him to be your "covering", believing that if He is for you, no one can be against you.  The freedom you will feel in setting others free will inspire you, stir your spirit, and clear the way for unprecedented fruit in the lives of others.  Don't be afraid to step out!

Psalm 91:14   Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My name.
   

A Legacy For The Kingdom

     For some reason, today my spirit is wishing to share some personal thoughts and revelations... I don't receive a lot of comments or feedback from my blog posts, but that's OK.  I don't need accolades for me; I'd rather read and hear God being praised, but when I do, they are often times humbling and give me more credit that I deserve.  Readers are too quick to praise me for knowledge and inspiration that, quite frankly, I don't feel worthy of.  The truth is, there have been people who have been instrumental in shepherding my foray into spiritual warfare, and who have validated the direction that the Holy Spirit is leading me.
     I am no different than any of you ... My experiences and knowledge can be obtained by anyone wishing to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit and to earnestly serve the Kingdom of God. Perhaps I am just a tad more bold or daring; in fact, I have had other Christians tell me that I should be more cautious and less passionate.   But I have confidence in my discernment, and I am not one to waste time if I hear the Holy Spirit counseling me to step out in faith.  So, today, I'd like to inspire you by introducing you to a woman who has inspired a growing army of spiritual warriors for this Time and Place.

     First, let me say that I have been tremendously blessed to have a husband who has been an aggressive warrior in his own right.  If you've been reading this blog for quite some time, then you know that his first and middle names literally mean "Peace-Loving Warrior", and he exemplifies that strong and commanding image.  Together, the Lord showed us a couple of years ago where He wants us to stand, and the important work He needs done in His Kingdom here on earth.  By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we were led to study the spiritual realm and its influence on Christians.  Through encounters with entities from this realm, we have both been exposed to satan's attempts to discourage the followers of Jesus from claiming their power and authority in the Name of our Savior.  And then, by Divine Appointment we came into contact with the woman who would become our mentor, our advisor, and our trainer in our Deliverance Ministry.
     Her name is Barbara Bucklin, and she is a tireless champion and advocate of Jesus as our Healer, our Deliverer, and our Savior.  She has more energy and passion than people decades younger than herself.  We first met Barb when we attended a conference she arranged, and which was taught by Dr. Charles Kraft, entitled Defeating Dark Angels.  At the time we knew, and were seeing, that Christians were being attacked and oppressed by demonic forces, but knew nothing other than praying for protection as a means of defeating them.  Dr. Kraft changed all that ... He revealed that through his many years of missionary work and the thousands of Christians he had counseled, that most problems are spiritual, resulting in emotional difficulties that keep us from the freedom and intimacy with Christ that we (and He) desire.  And we learned that deep-level healing is the answer.  What exactly is this deep-level healing?  It is a Deliverance ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit that is aimed at bringing healing to the whole person:  spirit, body, mind, emotions, and will.  It is about hearts being set free.  And we, as the servants of Christ, are fully capable (through partnering with Him and the Holy Spirit) of continuing His work to "set the captives free".
     The valuable information I received from a subsequent training season with Dr. Kraft was orchestrated by Barb, and in the months that have followed, she has been there to advise and instruct my husband and me as we enter into this new frontier of Christian spiritual warfare.  In fact, we just returned from a Healing and Deliverance training session with Barb this past weekend.  Thirty-five people signed up to hear Barb share her experiences in seeing hurting, scared, damaged Christians -- people who have been subjected to the wiles and schemes of our Adversary -- but who were transformed by a very real experience with Jesus as their Healer and Deliverer.  She conducted this seminar to encourage and instruct us in Deliverance Ministry; to give us a roadmap in which to work with Jesus to help those being oppressed by the Enemy.
    Now, 35 people may seem like a small number, but it is momentous when you consider that, very likely, each of these individuals represent 35 churches or communities who are in desperate need of receiving evidence that Jesus still heals and delivers His people.  If each of these people are fulfilling their commission to continue the work of Jesus, just think of the numbers they can impact.

     And impact is what Barbara Bucklin is all about.  She is an active supporter and vibrant part of what some call the "Texas Prayer Movement".  She is a fervent believer that through Prayer and Intercession which is led by the Holy Spirit, Christians can chip away at the darkness that envelops the world, and let the Light of God shine through.  She is believing and trusting God for a revival in the Texas capitol city of Austin; that prayerful Christians can provide firm support for what God is working on to accomplish in that city, in its businesses, ministries, families, personal lives, and government. She is believing God that He will transform the City of Austin ... and believe me, you don't want to doubt her.
     She is also the President of Luke 4:18 Minstries.  That verse is the foundation of her belief in Jesus’ mission statement as He picked up that scroll in Isaiah 61 – out of all those other scrolls -- and read it when He went into the temple. He said that the scripture was fulfilled that day. And what exactly was fulfilled?

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; too set at liberty those who are oppressed [downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy]..."

     Her testimony, I believe, is similar to what God is doing throughout His remnant.  He is showing us that, if we are ready to listen, and use the tools He has given us to see people transformed and restored, He has a mission for us.  Barb listened, and beginning in 1999, she set about fulfilling her mission... and just like what has begun happening to my husband and myself, people began showing up at her doorstep.  They were people that could not be reached inside the four walls of a church building, because they were never going to approach the Church for the healing they needed.  They are people, as in the case of Barb's ministry, who were homeless and living under the bridges in Austin; or people the Church had failed to help, because the church was blind to the message of Luke 4:18.  And they were simply people on the margins of society, who were not even in view of the Church, because Church members were focused inward instead of outward towards the lost and hurting ... the very people Jesus came to Save, Heal and Deliver.

     Listen to Barb, and see why she is such an inspiration and motivator for God's spiritual army ... "I believe that as we pray for people and see Jesus set them free, they are able to move into their gifts more fully and our city is being transformed one person at a time.  We see His Body move forward and unite in a different way, because it’s easy to unite when hearts are healed.  It’s difficult to work together when you're suffering from pain, unhealed abuse and other hurts. Wounded people find it difficult to work together. But, once you have healing and joy restored, you have a new resiliency and vision and then you move into a Kingdom perspective and a desire to see His 'Kingdom come and will be done' … [Through our ministry], we want people prepared and equipped in ministry, that is why the gifts have been given to us — to equip the Body for ministry and to advance the Kingdom. We need to be walking in freedom and maturity so we can do the good works prepared for us ... We also need to be alert, having our minds transformed to align with His words, increase our faith, and understand the prophetic nature of these days."
     Perhaps most importantly, this faithful woman of Christ believes that God's restructuring the Church. A while back, she says she got a word that He was rewiring, realigning, restructuring, and then re-anointing His Body.  She admits that this transition of the Church currently involves only a small number of the Body.  Most Christians are satisfied where they are; being comfortable and not liking any sort of challenge.  But she believes that the stirring within the Body towards ministries like hers [and that of my husband and myself] is actually God causing this discomfort; drawing us back to the basics, talking about the Cross and the Blood of Christ.  And she has done all that for me.
     She came into my life at a time when God was continuously trying to show me that He had work for me to do outside the walls of any Church.  Make no mistake, He didn't tell me that the work of those inside the Church was necessarily unproductive -- just that He was anointing me and my husband to do His work in a new "old way", if that makes sense.  And then He pointed me to models that were according to His will ... and that were working!  And that's how I ended up being a part of the Healing and Deliverance Training Session this past weekend. I sat among 35 brave people who have been willing to go where the Lord is leading them, and to be mentored by a willing servant and her team;  all of us followers of Jesus who desire to see our fellow Christians walking in physical and spiritual freedom and restoration.  I am truly blessed to be a part of this faithful group.
     I want to leave you with one final thought ... we all stand on the shoulders of others God puts in our lives.  I have heard from many of you that you are hearing from God, and know that the struggles in your life are spiritual; that you recognize that Jesus is the answer.  I urge you to seek a credible deliverance ministry, and then once you are healed and restored, then please help another person attain the freedom that Jesus has given you!  This is the structure of God's Kingdom that has been shown to me by the Holy Spirit, and modeled so well by men and women like Dr. Charles Kraft and Barbara Bucklin.  There is no need to fear the unknown.
     As we ended our conference this weekend, Barbara circled the classroom, anointing each of the participants with Valor.  Our modern English definition of this word is "bravery, courage, boldness".  But knowing Barb, I'm pretty sure that she anointed us with Valor, under the Hebrew interpretation, which indicates "the physical strength, power, and ability to perform in the battle that is in view".  She knows, and has seen, [as we have] that we are engaged in a spiritual battle for the souls of men, both lost and saved.  She knows that we do not fight alone, but under the Authority of Jesus and through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
     In this one classroom, in one city of the United States, there were 35 people joined in fulfilling the mission we have been given ... the mission that All are invited to partake in.  Just think what we can accomplish for the Kingdom of God, one person at a time; one community at a time; one nation at a time.  Let it begin with you!

Mark 13:34    "For the Son of Man is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper [guardian] to watch."

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. 

In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; 

I have overcome the world.

     The world is fast falling into lawlessness.  Just in the past few weeks, the incidents of violence around the globe certainly have all of us on edge.  We sense that evil has influenced the hearts of men and these are dangerous times in which we live.

     I wonder how many Christians are unsettled about these events, but think evil will never touch them.  And how many are unaware that their Bible tells them to expect such chaos and bloodshed.  Of course, the Bible also tells us in Psalm 27 that the Lord is the protector and defender of our lives; and if you read the Good News Translation, "God protects me from all danger.  I will never be afraid."

     But if we are honest with ourselves, we are afraid.  And we know it's not that simple.  Good people -- faithful people who trust Jesus as their Savior -- are victims of evil and violence every day.   And careful inspection of today's verse has Jesus telling us, Himself, that in this world, we will have tribulation. 

     It is interesting to note that these words from our Lord appear to be the last advice He gave to His disciples before going to the Cross.  Therefore, they should have great significance to us.   It is important to discern that, even as Jesus knew that Judas was meeting to betray Him -- He knew the humiliation, torture, and execution that awaited Him -- He was able to offer peace to His disciples ... because He had peace.

     Also, note that Jesus did not promise peace, but He offered it. He said, "you may have peace. " A person can follow Jesus, yet deny themselves that peace.  How do you get that Peace?  It's only available by faith in Jesus.  

     Notice, however, that He promises tribulation ... In the world, you WILL have tribulation.  Peace is offered to us, but tribulation is promised!  So how are we to handle that information?  As Christians, we must not get caught up in the false hope that we will live trouble-free lives.  That leaves us totally defenseless when the devil assigns a spiritual force of wickedness to our life.  And it renders us as deniers of demonic oppression in a Christian's life, and totally unprepared to fight the spiritual battles that will be ours.   Of this, I can assure you:  if we belong to God, times of calmness and serenity will be disrupted by seasons of struggle, because if we are bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God, there will always be new territory to conquer for Him.

     To uplift us, Jesus tells us to "take heart" or "be of good cheer" because He has overcome the world.  I wish to share with you commentary about this verse by Bible scholar Leon Morris:  "This statement, spoken as it is in the shadow of the cross, is audacious … He goes to the cross not in fear or in gloom, but as a conqueror. " 

     But now we come to the reason that we can take heart ... Jesus has overcome the world!  It's very important that we understand what that word "overcome" means.  It is translated in the Greek as nikao, and means "to subdue; conquer; prevail; or get the victory".  In effect, Jesus is telling us that, "I am warning you that you will have great troubles while you are here on earth, but I don't want you to give up, and I want you to be encouraged.  I want you to not dread or fear what the world will bring upon you, because you can have the same peace I am experiencing now.  The peace I have now, knowing that I am going to My death, is the same peace that is yours, because the ultimate victory will be Mine.  I am going to conquer Death ... and so will you, if you believe in Me."

     That is the essence of what Jesus is saying in this verse.  But I would like to take it one step further... to get the full picture of what Jesus is trying to communicate here, we must continue reading.  This is the last verse in John, Chapter 16; but in Chapter 17, Jesus shares an intimate conversation with His Father.  The purpose is to let us in on the real purpose of His time on earth, and our subsequent purpose in the Father's Plan.  

     Jesus lets us in on these important facts:  "While I was with them [the Disciples], I was keeping them in Your [the Father's] name which You have given Me ... They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world. For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth."

     Here's what we really need to take away from this entire passage of Scripture:  Yes, Jesus will never leave us, and in fact we are to be at peace during the coming tribulation, knowing that His victory affords us our own victory (eternal life).  BUT, we are not to sit here idly and passively, waiting for the Rapture, safe in the knowledge that this life will soon be over and we will join Him in Heaven.  No!  We have a purpose!  Either until He returns, or until the day we die, we are to spend our remaining time on earth fulfilling the commission that we have been given.  It is the same assignment the Father gave Jesus... to tell the world the Truth of God.

     I fear that too many Christians have selective comprehension of John 16:33.  They read the part about peace, thinking they will have it, instead of correctly understanding that they may receive it.  And secondly, they focus on Jesus's (and our) victory over Death.  They fail to see that we have a commission and a purpose to fulfill in claiming that victory; we need to be committed and devoted and actively in pursuit of accomplishing our goal for God ... we need to be as dedicated as Jesus was about winning souls for our Father's Kingdom!

How Seriously Do You Take Your Citizenship?

   

     I think it's safe to say that every American is aware that we are in the midst of a heated political season.  The upcoming Presidential election is not only one of the most interesting contests we've seen in awhile, but it appears to me, at least, that Americans are taking their citizenship seriously.  But what does it exactly mean to be a United States Citizen?  Besides being a legal inhabitant of our nation, what are our responsibilities and duties?  How do we show our allegiance to our country?  On a simple level, our duties can be separated into two groups:  mandatory responsibilities, such as paying taxes; and duties not demanded by law, such as voting.  On a civil and public level, we are called upon to respect the rights, beliefs and opinions of others — even if we think they're "extreme," "outrageous" or "morally wrong."  We are to stay informed of the issues that affect our community.  We are to serve on a jury if called to do so.  We are to participate in the democratic process.  And, finally, we are to defend our country, if the need arises, both from foreign and domestic enemies.
     That identifies our duties and obligations as citizens of this country.  But are you aware, that if you call yourself a Christian, you are first and foremost, a citizen of Heaven?  But how does that compare and contrast with our citizenship in this country?  First of all, as an earthly citizen, we know that if we are born in the U.S., we legally belong to this country and we have the rights and protection of this country.  But guess what?  When we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ, we are born into the Kingdom of Heaven, and our real citizenship is in Heaven.  We are, in effect, a colony of people living at an outpost of the Kingdom.  We are living at some distance from the residence of our King, and we are a branch of His Kingdom.  So, how do the two "citizenships" differ, and how do they affect each other?  It's really very simple ... how you live your life as a citizen of this country must reflect your citizenship in the Kingdom of God.
     If we are reborn in Christ, we also legally belong to the Kingdom of God, and we have the rights and protection that belong to citizens of that Kingdom.  The problem is that we have to decide how we are going to live while we are temporarily existing in this remote location.  If we are a true citizen of Heaven, then similar to the responsibilities of citizens in this country, we must respect and follow the belief system of our Father; we must stay informed about Scripture and the issues that affect God's Kingdom on earth, represented by us; we must be willing to participate and serve as our King's servant -- even if it generates a hostile environment; and finally, we must defend His kingdom, both from spiritual and human enemies.
     But, we must also admit that every human being is born into the kingdom of this world, in which Satan rules.  And because citizens tend to adopt the culture and practices of the nation or kingdom in which they reside, we too often grow up adopting the culture and the practices and values that characterize satan's kingdom.   (Just look at how easily the Jews, who had a covenant with their God, abandoned their connection to YHWH -- and adopted the culture and values of Babylon -- during the relatively short period of 70 years in captivity).  Like those ancient Jews, we can easily become citizen-slaves to satan and this world, and live by his rules and value system.  

     When God grants us citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven, through faith in Jesus, we become “new creatures”.  We no longer desire to be citizens of this world and we become citizens of an eternal kingdom where our Father is the King.  We are given the power and privileges of citizens of that kingdom and we are adopted into the family of God.   Our focus then turns toward eternal things,  storing up treasure in heaven, and receiving our inheritance and rewards.
     Now, I know that those last words -- "inheritance" and "rewards" -- will scare many Christians; mainly because they incorrectly associate them with doing good works to get into heaven.  That's not what Scripture says!  Receiving our inheritance and rewards as citizens in the Kingdom of God is separate from receiving eternal life, and is something above and beyond that gift of amazing grace.
     The website redeeming god.com explains this concept very well:  "Eternal life is a free gift of God to all who simply (and only) believe in Jesus for it. When we believe, we are adopted into God’s family and become His children.  Honor, privilege, and recognition is our Inheritance at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and is reserved for those children who live as Jesus lived and follow God’s will and ways for our lives.  Just as rebellious and unfaithful children are sometimes written out of their parent’s inheritance in this world, so also, (while God will never abandon or forsake His children), we can lose some of our inheritance if we fail to follow Him."
     Rewards, on the other hand, are added bonuses or additional incentives God offers as a way to encourage faithful living and self-sacrificial love for others.  Careful examination of Scripture reveals that there are crowns that will be given as a special token by our Lord to honor and reward all of those who have faithfully served Him in this life – way above and beyond what the average Christian would have considered doing for Him.  These rewards are the 1) the imperishable crown, 2) the crown of rejoicing, 3) the crown of righteousness, 4) the crown of glory, and 5) the crown of life.   These crowns, or rewards, are what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he said, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize (reward)? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."  

     But here is the irony of the honor and recognition that will be ours at receiving those rewards ... On that day, when we relinquish our citizenship on this earth, and enter into our eternal citizenship in Heaven, and stand in the presence of the Lord Jesus Himself, all good deeds we have done will pale in comparison.  At that moment, we will lay those crowns at His feet, because we know that despite what we may have done on earth to earn these rewards, only Jesus is truly worthy of glory and honor.
     And that marks the character of someone whose citizenship in Heaven is more valuable to him/her than their citizenship here on earth.  I know that, at the moment, our future seems all tied up in the next election for the Presidency of the United States.  But the reality is that we live for a short time in these physical bodies, and we should be anticipating our future in our real home.  We should consider ourselves as only ambassadors to this earth; our actual citizenship is in Heaven, and we are only here until our Father sends for us and we go home.  Until then, I will endeavor to live my life as a citizen of Heaven, first, and a mere resident in this foreign land I temporarily call "home".

Philippians 1:22-23      "If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice].  But I am hard-pressed between the two.  I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better;" 

What Is Wrong With This Picture?

     I am currently preparing a study on the Fifth Chapter of Acts, which I will be leading with our Home Church group.  We are a small group of people who have become increasingly "dissatisfied" after years spent in the Church building.   For some of us that means that following the traditional picture of Church life has left us lacking the sustenance necessary to live fruitful lives for the Kingdom of God.
     My husband and I, for instance, aren't satisfied with feeling comfortable in our faith.  By that, I mean that we were beginning to see that too many within the confines of Western Christianity were not being challenged to seek harder after Christ.  Ultimately, we discerned that we were hungering for meat, but weren't even being fed milk -- in effect, we were starving for a morsel of real association with our God.

      And so I find myself jealous of the new Church that I found in the Book of Acts.  In Chapter 4, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit filled and controlled Peter, as he gave a powerful sermon on the Day of Pentecost, bringing 3,000 people to the saving grace of Jesus.  Later, Peter was once again filled with the Spirit as he faced the Sanhedrin and proclaimed his authority through the power of Jesus to heal a man who had been lame for 40 years.  The boldness to stand up to the rulers of the Jewish people could only have come under the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit!
     But here is what made me jealous ... after relating that the Sanhedrin had let Peter and John go, (although they could have been arrested and even executed as Jesus had been) ... the members of this new First Century Church all lifted their voices together, with one united mind, and prayed that they, too, might receive the same kind of Spirit-filled courage and confidence.  Then in verse 31 of Acts 4, the Word says, "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage."
     Do you see that happening in the Churches of America today?  Where is the boldness and the courage to stand up to rulers who would deny the power of Christ to perform miracles through us, just as He did through those who believed in Him in the First Century?  Where is the Church who has been physically shaken by the presence of the Holy Spirit in its midst?  I'm not seeing it, are you?  And don't tell me that God only showed Himself at the establishment of the Church because He needed to make an impact and "get the ball rolling"!  God wants to see us express the same freedom to declare the miracles He has done in our lives; and He wants to fill more "Peters" with the Holy Spirit so that they will be bold in proclaiming that the very power that resurrected Jesus is the same power He can give us to bring about His Kingdom; and last, but not least, He wants to shake our Church buildings with His presence!

     Instead, what do I see?  Churches that embrace some new digital version of the old Pokemon game in order to pathetically attempt to make themselves relevant to an increasingly immoral and corrupt culture.  Obviously, participating Churches don't believe in the sufficiency of Scripture to relate to this sinful world.  Unlike the early Church, which was perceived as weak due to a lack in numbers, a lack of experienced leadership, and being opposed by institutions that had existed for hundreds of years (Sanhedrin, Rome), today's Church should be a strong and formidable opponent to an immoral society.  After all, our mega-Churches seat over 5,000 people every Sunday, and there are Pastors whose names are known world-wide and who have formed lucrative businesses through their ministries --- yet these culture-craving Churches feel the need to partner with Pokemon, on the chance that some might be saved.  And the Church justifies this collaboration by promoting a campaign of "Chase Pokemon and find Jesus".  Somehow they believe that the Word is not enough to save souls; Jesus needs a little help from Pokemon.  Disgusting!
    But I don't know which is more offensive to me ... the Pokemon collusion, or a statement made by Pastor Larry G. Mills of the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church at the #LoveOrlando Citywide ecumenical prayer-fest, hosted by Southern Baptist Megachurch, FBC Orlando.  Pastor Mills made reference to a passage in Ephesians, Chapter 2:  Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the saints and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.…
     But he twisted the Word of God, because you see, Scripture is not quite sufficient to meet the needs of today's diverse and immoral culture.  Here's how he explained the meaning of that verse:  We’re not peculiar because of race or gender or creed. But in Orlando we are peculiar because of E. Pluribus Unum. Out of many come one. We are peculiar because we have leadership that knows how to fight….We are peculiar because we know how to let theological differences and disputes and factions not get in the way of love and Christ. We are peculiar… because we believe in the Word, and what others would have against us, what others would show as a stumbling stone, we’ve elevated to be the head of the corner, and right now, no matter what people might think, that LGBTQ area is the head cornerstone, and we are here to lift up and magnify, and allow them to know, that regardless of people’s opinion, regardless of where we are, love triumphs over evil.
     Anyway you look at it, that's Blasphemy!  So how many pulpits have been turned over to the goats?  How many offer an accomodating, though damnable, counterfeit gospel?  This is nothing less than the trampling of the Word of God!  As Bud Alheim wrote at the Pulpit&Pen website: The New Testament is replete with warnings to protect that Gospel, defend it, contend for it. We are warned that many will come, diabolically motivated, who will twist it, conceal it, augment it, or outright deny it. False messiahs, false teachers, false prophets will be employed by the enemy of our God to keep the masses traveling on the wide path that “leads to destruction".  That my friends is called the Apostasy of the Church.  You may have wondered exactly what that meant or what it would look like.  Well, there it is!  It is a falling away from what the Church was designed to be and do.
     These examples I've given you are just two of the many ways in which the Western Church has veered off the narrow path of Life.   And sadly, it doesn't even come close to matching that First Century Church in the Book of Acts in the scope of their desire to glorify our Lord Jesus.  Instead, these are the churches and the pastors who will one day stand before Him and plead, “Lord, Lord, did we not …?”

Titus 1:15-16     "To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.  They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work."
   

Connecting More Dots

     Chaotic events in the world are beginning to happen at breakneck speed; like contractions during a birth.  Dallas ... Nice, France ... Turkey ... Baton Rouge ... all in less than two weeks.  And we are facing the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week; God help us!  I fear that the New Living Translation of Matthew 24:8 is playing out: "But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come."  

     Saturday evening into Sunday morning I wrote the following post and think it is important enough to still run it this morning.  But I wanted all to know that I am not impervious to the tragedy that happened in Baton Rouge yesterday.  Sadly, it is a continuation of the rage that I believe is being orchestrated against all of us in the country, regardless of our race.  It is spiritual in nature, and regrettably, there are far too many people with hearts of stone who are only willing to listen to the devil's lies, and those of his collaborators.  If you know nothing else to do, just get on your knees and pray.  (Click here for my suggestion, if you're not sure how to pray). Ask the Creator of all men to change the hearts of wicked men.   Recognize Him as Jehovah Nissi, our banner or battle standard.  He is our forward Guard and our rear Guard.  As long as we are under his banner, our victory is always assured.  If we ever depart from it, our defeat is a certainty.  
     We need to face it --- this Christian life is a picture of warfare.  Just as in ancient battles, we are to obey every command of our King, and run to His banner, which is the Cross, when the fight becomes too much for our flesh.  But we also need to realize that the battle is won in the spiritual realm, and we are to put on our full armor of God and get to the battlefront!  No matter what the news says today, or tomorrow, next week, or next year ... trust in our Lord and Savior!  These birth pangs will soon give way to His justice and righteousness.  We are in the heat of the battle at the moment, and we need to keep drinking the Living Water that is Christ!

     Over the weekend, as I followed the events in Turkey, I couldn't help but discern that God gave me a huge download of knowledge that connected more dots in the evolution of His cosmic chess match with the devil.  I'm still trying to fit all the pieces together, so I hope you'll be patient with me, as I try to write this down as fast as I'm receiving it.  Hopefully, it will make some sense to you, or one of you can expand on what I'm presenting.
     My journey over the last few days began with receiving a book that my Spiritual Warfare mentor suggested I read, called Rulers of Evil, by F. Tupper Saussy.  At the expense of offending faithful Catholics, I must recommend this book as a fascinating book of the history of the Catholic Church and its influence on the world empires, as well as the founding of America.  Moreover, the author gives an intriguing account of the history of Biblical knowledge and how it interacts with the Roman Catholic papacy.  PLEASE, I am not recommending this book under the pretense of Catholic-bashing!  I am a lover of history and the author is able take a vast amount of historical information and present it in a chronological and coherent manner.  I had barely begun reading (page 24 to be exact) when I saw a link between what happened in history to what is unfolding in Turkey and here in the United States.  Let me start with the historical impetus for my "aha" moment....

     As a student of history, I have been aware that the reading of the Bible was largely limited to Kings and Church leaders until the invention of the Guttenberg Press made it accessible to the masses.  The control and domination by these rulers could be undermined if the general population ever learned that they had direct access to the Bible and God's Word.  (That's an over-simplification of all the intrigue that surrounds the maintaining of power among history's ruling class, but it gives you a general view of how things work).
     As I was reading this fascinating book, it was inevitable that the conflict between Martin Luther and the Catholic Church would surface.  In case you're unfamiliar with the background of this story, Luther was a Catholic monk who defied the edict of the Archbishop of Mainz against unauthorized Bible reading, and began reading the first edition of the Greek New Testament, printed by Renaissance theologian Desiderius Erasmus.  That led to Luther's explosive document, Ninety-five Theses Upon Indulgences, which he promptly nailed to the door of the castle church of Wittenburg. (The historic idea of Indulgences was centered upon a grant by the pope of the remission of punishment in purgatory that was still due for sins, even after absolution. The unrestricted sale of indulgences by pardoners was a widespread abuse during the later Middle Ages ... as an example, for the payment of four ducats, one could be forgiven for murdering one's father; or Sorcery was pardoned for six ducats --- you get the picture).  You can see how the ability for the common man to begin reading and understanding the Truth within the pages of the Bible could seriously erode the authority of those who claimed divine power.
     But it was more than these familiar historical facts that I was seeing; I suddenly saw the collusion between Pope Clement VII, Niccolo Machiavelli, the inventor of modern political science, and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Chancellor of England. These men determined that the printing press could now be used to their advantage --- they, themselves, could produce literature that would ultimately confuse, diminish, and marginalize the influence of the Bible. Cardinal Wolsey characterized this project as putting "learning against learning".  (Remember that phrase, because it is going to come back into focus as I connect the dots to what happened this weekend).  The result of this vast amount of printed material was the famed Medici Library-- which opposed the Bible's teaching that man could have eternal life simply by believing in Christ's death and resurrection on our behalf, in favor of Gnostic teachings that man could achieve eternal life by doing good works (Christ-centered learning versus man-centered learning).  So extensive was this Library's philosophical influence, that many scholars today consider it the cradle of Western civilization.
     Martin Luther, discerning that this learning against learning philosophy was the future of Christianity, prophetically wrote in 1520, "Though our children live in the midst of a Christian world, they faint and perish in misery because they lack the Gospel in which we should be training and exercising them all the time.  I advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount [my emphasis].  Schools will become wide-open gates of hell if they do not diligently engrave the Holy Scriptures on young hearts.  Every institution where men are not increasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt".  (While I also have huge problems with Luther's later opinions regarding the Jewish people, he hit a home run with this school of thought).

     So, now let me make a huge leap, by connecting this dot with one from this weekend.  As I awoke Saturday morning, I was curious to see what had happened in Turkey overnight.  As I often do, I took a look at what foreign news outlets were reporting; often finding them less restrained in their communication of facts.  The UK's Daily Mail was showing astonishing pictures of the citizens who backed President Erdogan confronting and attacking the members of the Turkish military who had dared to try to overthrow the President.  One particular sentence jumped out at me:  "Erdogan has blamed his old scapegoat, Fethullah Gulen for orchestrating the uprising. Muslim cleric Gulen, the president's rival who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, as the head of a billion dollar religious movement, has often been blamed for political unrest in Turkey."
     If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you might recognize the name of Fethullah Gulen.  I wrote posts here (2013) and here (earlier in 2016), regarding this imam's influence in our American educational system.  Yes, you read that correctly ... Trained as an imam, Fethullah Gulen gained notice in Turkey some 50 years ago, promoting a philosophy that blended a mystical form of Islam with staunch advocacy of democracy, education, science and interfaith dialogue.  Erdogan has long accused Gulen of plotting to overthrow the "officially secular government" from a gated 26-acre compound in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, which has a population of about 1,100. The President of Turkey is now asking for Gulen's extradition, but Secretary of State John Kerry says our government is unlikely to comply.
     Why should the internal politics and history of political rivalry in Turkey be of particular interest to us here in the United States?  Because, as I have made mention in past blog posts, Fethullah Gulen and his Gulen Movement (his liberal Islamic transnational religious and social movement) runs the largest charter school network in our nation - the list is at 146 to be exact, with sad to say, 45 schools in my state of Texas!  How could this be, you ask?  Well, he is very clever ... the name of these influential schools go by different names in each of the states.  In Texas, they are the Harmony Science Academy; in Ohio, the Horizon Science Academy; in California, the Magnolia Science Academy ... you see what he's doing, right?  Appealing to the ever-competitive nature of the American psyche, he promotes his schools as academies of higher learning to help Americans excel in math and science; so that students will get a higher level of education than they do at public schools.  And it is a multi-billion dollar business!
     And students get a higher "level" of learning alright!  While the schools are not overtly teaching Islamic philosophy and religion, I contend that Fethullah Gulen's influence is predicated on eliminating and destroying Christianity's influence among our nation's youth.  That's where the dots are connected!  Remember Luther's concern over learning against learning?  Well, we are seeing it in action before our very eyes, and we are blinded.  I say that because Gulen's influence has not only infiltrated our education system, but his tentacles reach into banks, newspapers, universities, charities, research institutes, and the halls of Congress, where according to an article by Ariel Cohen, and a USA TODAY investigation, over 200 trips for congressmen and congressional staff have been sponsored by Gülenist entities.
     All this being said, I have to admit that I sometimes feel like I'm shouting in the wilderness.  I have written several posts now on this man, and pointed to others who have done extensive research on him, and now the name of Fethullah Gulen pops up once again in the attempted coup in Turkey.  If you're tired of me harping on this subject, I apologize, but the chance that I would receive this fascinating book, and read of the anti-Bible reference to learning against learning, at the exact moment that an influential Islamic businessman (deeply ensconced in our educational system) is suggested as influencing the attempted downfall of a sovereign nation ... well, I could not ignore it.
     I will leave you by repeating the words of Martin Luther ...  I advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount.  Schools will become wide-open gates of hell if they do not diligently engrave the Holy Scriptures on young hearts.  Do you think that the mega-success of the Gulen Schools shows us that man-centered learning is surpassing Christ-centered learning in our culture?  And what happens when the Word of God is eliminated entirely, in favor of Islamic-flavored curriculum?  The fingerprints of satan have been on the knowledge of man from the beginning, and this is just another of his strategies.  We must be diligent in our discernment, and continue to connect the dots!

Colossians 2:8    "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."