Celebrating Both Our Unity AND Our Differences

If we, as the Body of Christ, are bound together by His love for us all, then we abide in perfect harmony; both together and individually. At least, that's how it should be, and certainly what God desires. And wrapped up in that harmony is the idea of unity. Yet I also know that God gives different callings, assignments and desires of the heart to those who are willing to co-partner and co-create with Him. That's an awful lot of opportunities for the devil to try to disrupt and corrupt our work in the world as followers of Jesus.

Throw in the fiery darts of religion, pride, and fear of man, and our mission as ambassadors of Heaven can go awry. I celebrate that "the Church" is beginning to come out of old paradigms that defined "the work" of the faithful as identical and as serving only each other. I also don't think God is primarily interested in getting church members more involved in what churches are doing inside the church buildings, but rather to encourage church members to get more involved in what God wants done out in the world. And He wants a lot done! And it all looks different! So, I also celebrate that He has made us all dissimilar and called us to different assignments and work for the purpose of transforming lives and the world.

It is my heart's desire that we could be unified in acknowledging and honoring the different work that we do. The worst thing to cause disharmony and disunity is to think that someone isn't executing their assignment the way we think they should! Or that they aren't doing enough, or performing their work often enough -- whatever words of conflict that define what the devil is whispering.

I don't pay too much attention to the "rules" or templates that men have declared as "about to happen", "are imminent, or "absolutely essential" to doing God's work. Instead, I try to always keep Jesus as my model, because He only did what He heard or saw the Father doing. So, I keep my spirit on alert, discerning when a prominent follower of Christ has heard from the Holy Spirit and is carrying out his or her instructions by informing the rest of us what the Lord desires done. And to me, this is the highest form of worship; to understand that we have been given particular gifts in order to undertake a particular calling; in order to fulfill a particular assignment that God needs accomplished; and in order to see His will done in the earth. That's how I want to glorify my Father in Heaven. 

It is our job to concentrate on what the Father and Jesus are revealing to us about our assignment, while encouraging others who are receiving their own assignments. We are not going to all look alike, nor should we. We must be diligent to not "eat our own"! There is much to be done here on earth to transform and restore this place to its original design and purpose! And I know that is sometimes difficult to do... our humanness gets in the way, and we judge and compare ourselves to each other; or we analyze how we would complete that assignment differently. But we need to remember the chastisement Peter received in John 21:21-22 ... So when Peter saw him [the man that Jesus loved], he asked Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?”  Jesus said to him, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!”  

Of course, this was in reference to the way that the disciples would be persecuted and executed for following Jesus, but the same principle holds true for ministry, no matter how it affects our calling. We are to follow Him! To stay focused on the One who calls us, and on fulfilling our assignment; using the gifts and the wisdom, skills, intelligence, and knowledge we are provided by our Creator to complete our task.

 I recently read a motto for a Kingdom entrepreneurial company [that seeks to help Kingdom disciples use the skills they've been given by God to succeed in the business world]. This motto works just as well in the scenario of staying focused on following Jesus in co-creating and partnering with God's purpose for our lives and assignments: "In the natural, your credentials may not be too impressive, but when God adds His super to your natural, you will be able to co-create with the Creator of the universe. God makes the wheat, man makes the cakes. God makes the trees, man makes the chairs". 

So, if we each have our own unique and individual skills, talents, gifts and assignments, then, as Jesus said, "What is it to you?", how someone else makes his assignment happen? Or even what his assignment is! We cannot possibly expect to accomplish all the things God has designed or planned! I just want to do my task well and please the Father. And someone else may be given the same [or similar] assignment, but the Holy Spirit can give them different knowledge and skills to effect a different outcome that the Father wants to expand upon. That is not for me to question or to ask, "What about that person? What do You have planned for them?"

So, as we see the Enemy attempting to sow disunity and disharmony among God's workers in the world, let us be cognizant of his strategies. Let us not be like the religious Pharisees, who demanded that Jesus follow their strict and numerous regulations and governing principles of how to follow YHWH. Rather, let us be like Jesus, who sought reconciliation between man and God; not religion. Let us love and encourage as He did. Let us celebrate the particular gifts and skills that each of the disciples brought to the table of managing the earth as the Father desired. Let us celebrate our individuality, even as we join together to respect and encourage our mutual purpose of edifying the world of the Gospels of Salvation and the Kingdom. Let us celebrate the various ways we innovate and disrupt the status quo of the world! We are different but we are unified in our purpose... to see thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven! Amen!

Romans 12:4-5    For just as in one [physical] body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use, so we, who are many, are [nevertheless just] one body in Christ, and individually [we are] parts one of another [mutually dependent on each other].

Why The Old Testament's History Speaks To Us Today

 

This week as our Home Church/Ekklesia meets, we will be diving into the Bible's Genesis, Chapter 11, which features a short exposé on Nimrod and the Tower of Babel on the plains of Shinar. We have also asked our group to read chapters 7-9 in the Book of Jasher, a book in the Apocrypha, which is a group of texts that aren't in the Canon, but have a thread related to the canonical biblical writings. Plus this ancient Book of Jasher is referenced in Joshua 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18, and 2 Timothy 3:8. 

I subscribe to the suggestion of Proverbs 25:2, which says, "It is the Glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out". Since we are called priests and kings in Revelation 5:10, it makes sense to me that God references this ancient Book so that we will search out more of what God wants us to know. Also, it fills in a lot of historical gaps in the Bible and, for me, actually helps me to better understand the lives of the Biblical characters, and see how it relates to modern man.

But the focus of this blog post is not extra-biblical and apocrypha books. It is about connecting what God is showing us at the beginning of the Bible to help us understand and see what is happening in what I believe are the rapidly approaching Last Days. I know the skeptical will say, "Why do you spend so much time delving into the Old Testament? We have a New Covenant with Jesus, and everything that happened before Him is obsolete for us." I have a different viewpoint.

The God of Genesis is the same God of the Book of Revelation. He hasn't changed, and everything about Him should be important to us. The entire Bible is meant for us to learn from; to learn His Nature and Character; to learn the strategies of the Enemy; to see how God has worked throughout history to reconcile Himself to His creation and restore us to our original purpose in Genesis -- to manage this earth as a colony of Heaven; to rule with the authority and dominion He gave us; and to make Earth look and act like Heaven. I find it extremely helpful to see the ways in which the Enemy tempted men to rebel, and then to go further and learn from the mistakes that men made out of their pride, arrogance, and lust for power and wealth. And we must not forget Jesus's warning, As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man!

From the Bible we only get the hints of what it was like in the days of Noah. But when you add the historical background that the Book of Jasher provides, you see that the lives of Noah, Nimrod, and Abraham all overlap. For instance, did you know that Abraham studied at the feet of Noah? Abraham was the eight times great-grandson of Noah, and was sent to live with Noah when his life was threatened by Nimrod, who was the tyrant of ancient Babylonia, and his reign was wicked and brutal. He was the most powerful king of the ancient world, and Abram's father, Terah, served him as "the prince of Nimrod's host [army]". On the night that Abram was born, Nimrod's wise men and conjurers saw a very large star in the East sweep across the sky and swallow up the stars of the four corners of heaven. They said to each other, "This only betokens the child that has been born to Terah this night, who will grow up and be fruitful, and multiply, and will possess the whole earth, he and his children forever; and he and his seed will slay great kings, and inherit their lands" (Jasher 8:4).

Just like King Herod at the birth of Jesus, King Nimrod demands the death of the child, Abram. His father, Terah, secrets him away to live in a cave for 10 years, and then "when Abram came out from the cave, he went to live with Noah and his son Shem, and he remained with them to learn the instruction of the Lord and His ways, and no man knew where Abram was, and Abram served Noah and Shem, his son, for a long time" (Jasher 9:5). That's a lot of information that explains a lot of unanswered questions in the Bible. And for me, it explains why Abram listened to the Lord when He said, "Go away from your country, and your relatives, and from your father's house to the land which I will show you" (Genesis 12:1) and verse four that says, "So Abram departed [in faithful obedience] as the Lord had directed him". 

Keeping in mind that in the culture of the time, "your father's house" could mean your ancestor's home (such as your eight times great-grandfather, Noah), and why Abram recognized God's voice. He was raised to know the Lord by Noah and Shem! And Abram would certainly have known of the wicked reign of Nimrod, who not only built the city of Babel, but other cities as well, and Jasher 11:4 says Nimrod "vexed the Lord, and rebelled and transgressed against Him". Verse 7 says he "continued in wickedness and teaching wickedness to the sons of men; and Mardon, his son, was worse than his father, and continued to add to the abominations of his father."

But it is not only the ancient books that give us additional information that supplements the Bible, but the writings of Josephus, a Jewish historian who was born just a few years after Jesus's crucifixion, and who provides a treasure load of cultural significance to the history of the Bible. Of Nimrod, Josephus writes, "Now it was Nimrod who excited [the residents of Shinar] to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, who was the son of Noah -- a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded [the people] not to ascribe [their prosperity and plentiful condition] to God, as if they could believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny -- seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence upon his power" (Chapter 4, Josephus's Antiquities of the Jews). Sound familiar?

Josephus goes on to write of Nimrod's arrogance and attempt to take revenge on God for what He had done to their forefathers; by building a tower to conquer God for sending the Flood and destroying mankind. These events that took place at the Tower of Babel have had a devastating effect on mankind ever since. Nimrod was the first to attempt to establish a totalitarian world government and religious system that discredits God and ruthlessly dominates the world. It resulted in the Kingdom of God versus the Rule of Man (sponsored by the kingdom of darkness). It has been the objective of Satan since the Garden of Eden -- a one world order that governs the earth through tyrants that he places in power. From Genesis to Revelation, it is a book of rebellion against God. 

Throughout Biblical history [and the history of the world], it has been a story of man's attempt to thwart God's Sovereignty over His Creation. But, at every turn, we see the power of the Lord to stop the events that attempt to glorify mankind instead of Himself. And, so, it should not surprise us that we see it continuing in our own time here on earth. But we, who believe and trust in Jesus Christ, know how fruitless those attempts will be. We know the present plans, and all future plans, to dethrone God from the earth are futile and in vain. We know the truth of the Word and the historical testimony the Bible gives to the Divine Will of the Creator, and eventually, there will be a last rebellion of man against God, and every knee will bow and all mankind will be brought into submission to the Lord. We must pray that the growing rebellion we see across the globe will be quelled by the appearance of the Lord with His Heavenly Host! We will sing and shout praises of His Glory as we witness the defeat of Satan's influence in the earth, once and for all!

Philippians 2:9-11   For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.

A Word of Encouragement For These Times

 

In writing my last few blog posts, I have been prompted to sound the warning bells of the precipice the world faces as a result of pride, selfishness, and moral relativism that permeates the state of man. Because of the free will choices of those who reject God, any chance of the world's reconciliation with the Father seem remote, at best. Those who stand in positions of authority and power [whether placed there by God or their own evil schemes] have wasted the grace given by our Creator to make the world a better place for all. 

I do not want to be misinterpreted ... all is not lost; reconciliation is most certainly possible on a personal and individual level, when one seeks to spiritually connect with God. And it is to that person that I wish to offer hope and assurance in the midst of what might look like a condemned world. I want to affirm how God sees you, and just how valuable you are to Him. And this cannot be confirmed by any philosophical theory, or ritual laws of religion, or denominational code of conduct. As old-fashioned as it might seem, the most accurate way to know how God perceives you today, in this off-the-rails 21st Century, is to read the Bible. BUT ... I want you to read it from what may be a different and unfamiliar perspective.

Can you receive the idea that God orchestrated what was written in Scripture for your sake? That He wanted His particular thoughts written down in a way that would instruct and benefit you personally? That may sound trivial but it is really quite profound when you consider that most of us think of Scripture as a recording of the entirety of God's knowledge; the sum total of all He is about. [However, it is my opinion, that God is SO big, that the Bible barely scratches the surface of His nature and character]. So what if the purpose of Scripture is to reveal to you what God thinks of you, and how He wants to love you; help you; rescue you and set you free; heal you and make you whole; to show you how to get out of the mess in which you find yourself? What if He wants to "re-create" you into the unique being He designed you to be in the first place? 

Any teaching from Scripture, whether it be religious "activity", or religious theology, that does not have those goals in mind, is going to be counter-productive to God's purpose for making the Bible available to us. And sadly, the Holy Book has been used far too often to show us how far we have fallen short from the image of Christ. But the Messiah did not come to make us feel small and insufficient. His goal was to destroy the power of the devil, to forgive our sins, and to point the way to restoring His Kingdom on earth! So God instructed the writers of His Word to strengthen your faith in who He is, and in who you are -- how to accomplish those providential goals for your benefit. That's how much He loves you!

I love this quote by Asher Intrater, a Messianic leader in Israel, whom I have come to greatly admire for his wisdom and his connection to God's heart... "God cares about you. He does not care about church pews other than to give people a place to sit. He does not care about economic theory other than how it affects your receiving of His provisions. He does not care about denominational organizations other than the well-being of the people in them." God's focused on caring about us! And any use of Scripture to edify us about God [and our relationship with Him] should have that theme as its foundation. 

The Word is not written to be restrictive, as some would say, but so that you might receive the life force of God [Holy Spirit] and prosper in His ways. The commandments of the Law of Moses were not instructed by God in order to make you follow a strict code of conduct, but to bless you when you choose to obey them. The proverbs of Solomon were recorded to instruct you so that you might avoid your own foolish and self-destructive ways. Every verse of Scripture was ordained by God for you! It was written to you, for you -- to show you that He loves you, is concerned about you, and to guide you as you maneuver through these evil times that are out of our control. 

Don't let anyone use Scripture to condemn you! True, it is written to show you the difference between right and wrong; between walking in righteousness or sin. But God instructed His Word to be written to you to convict you of how He cares about you and wants to protect you from temptation -- not to condemn you. The latter is the devil's role. He is a liar and a deceiver; an accuser and a condemner. His primary purpose is to cause you to sin. First, he tempts you, and then he condemns you as a prosecuting attorney in the Courts of Heaven. God's desire, in His Word, is to edify you of how Satan works his deception, even as He gives you the knowledge of how to avoid it. I want you to hear me clearly: there is a difference between conviction of sin and condemnation. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin so that God's goodness and grace can lead you to repentance, and you can stop sinning. 

Remember this: any Christian religious doctrine that condemns you is misrepresenting God's heart for you. God will never condemn you as long as you choose to obey and trust in Him. Jesus does not condemn you, as stated in Romans 8:1 ... Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. The only way you receive condemnation from God is to rebel against Him, and by leaving the guidance of His grace and love. Condemnation is not, nor has ever been, His intention towards you! 

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Religious condemnation is not from God. Again, from the wisdom of Asher Intrater: "Religion is the ministry of condemnation. Redemption is the ministry of God's grace". I'm sorry if that offends, but Jesus came to represent God's intentions for you, not to bring Religion to the earth. He came to bring God's personal perspective of how He regards you, and to invite you to walk in the Light of His love and grace. 

If you choose to walk out of His Light, then you have entered Satan's darkness, and that's on you -- it's not God's fault you chose to leave His Light. If you choose to leave His presence, then the only other option is to be in the darkness. There is no light other than that which is in God. Period! Scripture reveals to us that mankind is defiled because of what happened in the Garden; mankind has defiled and condemned themselves. But Scripture also reveals that we aren't locked into that state of condemnation. Godly preaching and teaching convicts us of our sin, and then edifies us as to the truth of receiving grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Yeshua. Any attempt to justify ourselves through our own self-righteousness is humanism. The answer to man's condemnation is to ask for forgiveness and believe in the power of God's grace to redeem us. 

So, in these detestable times we find ourselves, let us not lose God's perspective on who we are. We, who believe and have faith in Jesus's saving grace, are recognized and beloved as long, lost children who have returned to our spiritual home. God sees us, as He looks upon our Savior. Though we might find ourselves in the time when the world has condemned itself in the eyes of God, you must not fear that God has abandoned you. Because He cares about you, and loves you, He has an assignment for you, on His behalf. There is no need for fear nor hesitancy. He will send the Holy Spirit with wisdom, understanding, might, counsel and knowledge of His heavenly strategies. You will receive dreams and visions of how you are to remain in the Light. And because you have the Fear of the Lord [both the reverence and awe of the Lord, and the recognition of what He says about His intense hatred of sin], you will be a mighty spiritual force to be reckoned with in the spiritual battles that have come upon the earth. 

Bottom line: let Scripture reveal who God is; His extraordinary love for you; His ways to walk in His Light; and how He can use you to reveal His glory on the earth. Yes, Evil pervades the earth, but you do not belong to the darkness. The truth is that the darkness fears you and your knowledge of the power and authority you possess in the Kingdom of God. Let the Light of God in you shine bright as a testimony of His Goodness and Might!

I want to acknowledge the inspiration I have received of the whole truth of my God through teaching and edification from Mr. Intrater. He truly has a heart to see all believers in Yeshua be all they can be in YHWH. That is my desire for you, as well.

1 John 5:13    These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God [which represents all that Jesus Christ is and does], so that you will know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have eternal life.  

Warning! The Roller Coaster Is Fast Approaching Its Pinnacle!

 

I had so many alternative titles for this blog post today and it was hard to pick the right one. I first typed, How To Survive in A World Gone Crazy! And then it was going to be, The Time For Fence-Sitting Has Come and Gone! I finally settled on the one you read now. Any of them would have been appropriate, so I'm just going to try to get my thoughts [that are coming rapid-fire] typed out, before they are gone. 

By this time in the Spring of 2022, I would venture that most people in the nation [and the world] are aware that our lives as we've known them are coming under attack -- both in the physical and the spiritual. Everything that we've built our physical lives upon, and trusted in before, is under suspicion. We can now no longer trust our government to tell us the truth. Who is playing whom in the Russia/Ukraine conflict? Who is using whom, and who is really benefiting? Which leads us to the fact that we can't trust our media; propaganda is reported as truth, and the truth is labeled fake news. We can no longer trust our economic system. The dollar as the world's global currency is hanging on by a thread; the elite bankers' option to just keep printing money as a solution to our debt is about to come to an end; and there seems to be no check on inflation. There's all kinds of warnings in which we can't trust that our food supply is sufficient. What we're buying in the stores is last years harvest. Prices of gas and fertilizer are making it nearly impossible for farmers to afford to plant this year. Famine is a very real possibility. And speaking of gasoline, we can't trust that we will have enough energy resources to meet our needs, even though we have been naturally blessed with an abundant supply. Then there is our education system. We can't trust that our children are being taught the values that we, as parents and a nation, hold dear. We can't trust our medical care system. News stories abound of the ways we've been lied to and manipulated, and millions of people died for it. And perhaps the biggest threat in our physical world is that we can no longer trust in the reputation and status of the United States. As a nation, we have fallen from grace and we are no longer respected. 

So, my title reflects this image that I have of a train of roller coaster cars climbing to reach the pinnacle of the ride before it drops suddenly into a steep decline and the riders experience the full force of gravity, and the twists, turns, and drops of a ride from hell. I want to shout a warning because if you are just now realizing that maybe you should have taken your prepper neighbors a little more seriously; or tried a little harder to get out of debt; or maybe even come out of that normalcy bias bubble a little earlier, then I hope you're ready for that sharp curve on the ride that I'm afraid is just ahead of us. The time for preparation has almost expired. The surplus of goods we are used to is quickly disappearing. And all the world's "systems" we've relied on may soon come to an end, so the soft landing we've come to expect may not happen.

But we must also look at the spiritual side of this ride called life. As I've so often said through the pages of this blog, I'm not sure the American Church is ready for the speed and direction that this roller coaster is going to take in the spiritual realms. Yes, if you are a true believer in the power of Jesus Christ [through your faith in Him] to give you Eternal Life, you have no fear of what we may experience in this world until that glorious day of Jesus's return! And, likewise, if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, then you know what His Word says about about what we will undergo during that time before His appearance. 

You should be able to discern that the kingdom of darkness is working in tremendous power in these last days. As we approach the apex of the roller coaster ride [in the spiritual realms], we feel the coming pressure of all that the Dark Side has brought to bear on the human race: the corruption of our bodies through confusion over gender identity; genetic alteration of our DNA; the exploration of artificial intelligence and human hybridization. And those with heightened spiritual discernment recognize that the darkness is permeating every spiritual realm and is intensifying. The final showdown between God and Satan is approaching and the change that is coming upon the earth is a time for both trepidation AND rejoicing.

The change will bring trepidation and apprehension to those who have sat the fence; those who have not been willing to surrender the temporary promise of their worldliness and its benefits in favor of an eternal lifetime of blessings in the Presence of their Creator. But there is still time before the roller coaster descends into a darkness spent in the continuous dismay of loops of evil! The time for sitting the fence is past! It is time to choose Jesus, His Salvation, and His Kingdom! Not to choose, is a choice. You must make a declaration of faith in the only One who can deliver you from the consequences of mankind's rejection of the Redeemer! Those consequences are real and clearly spelled out in the Bible (see this link to a previous post).

While this post may seem as if I am speaking only of disaster, darkness, and destruction, those states of being will be reserved for those who reject Christ; those who "reviled and blasphemed the Name of God, refusing to repent of their sin, loving their wickedness, and refusing to glorify Him" (Revelation 16-9-11). The purpose of this post is to proclaim that there is still time and there is still hope! But that roller coaster train is approaching the critical moment when a decision must be made! And I acknowledge that we don't know for sure the hour or day of Christ's return. This hour of perilous uncertainty may yet pass away [through God's grace and mercy] and there may actually be more time for the human race before God decides to send Jesus to destroy Evil.

So, there is rejoicing for all those who have made the decision to pick up their cross and follow Christ. They are secure in their faith; they know whom they serve, and they eagerly share the Gospels of Salvation and the Kingdom, knowing an eternal inheritance awaits them. No matter what the future brings, they will remain steadfast in their purpose and the reason that they are here on the earth. The dizzying heights and depths of this ride on earth will not move them from their position as a child of God, and they will not fear any man or evil spirit! They know their power and authority in Christ and they are unwavering in the face of evil!

But I am concerned about those who call themselves Believers, yet their faith is pushed to the limits. I am speaking of those that Paul describes in 2 Timothy 3:5, as "holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power". In other words, they do not recognize the power and authority Jesus has given us to overcome evil in our lives. They look the part of a Christian; they say the right words; they have the head knowledge of Scripture, but not the heart knowledge. Sadly, many are imposters and hypocrites, even to the point of doubting that they are saved! Many times in our Inner Healing sessions people will say they believe they would go to Heaven if they were to die, and they believe they are saved, yet they also say they doubt their salvation. How can that be? This uncertainty tells me "the Church" has failed in teaching the truth of Scripture and left a lot of doors open for Christians to fall away, or at the very least, to become insincere and hollow in their faith. The fact that there is so much Biblical illiteracy in our nation, yet we call ourselves a "Christian nation", is one of the reasons I am warning that we are approaching the pinnacle; that time when the consequences will come to bear for those morally corrupt and hypocritical "Believers" who have grown lax in guarding the Kingdom of God from the wolves in sheep's clothing. 

Corrupt and counterfeit faith which seeks to imitate the righteousness of our Savior, but falls short of genuine holiness, is exactly what Jesus is referring to when He states, "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]." Many proclaiming faith may have been able to deceive the world, but Jesus will not be fooled.

So, if you are solid in your faith, and you know Jesus as your Rock, your Fortress, and your Deliverer, then you're prepared for this roller coaster ride we're on. But if you are clinging to the rail car and in fear of being thrown overboard, then I plead with you to step out of the world and seek Jesus! You won't find your confidence or security in politics, in your wealth, or in any of your "stuff"; not even in your religion. The answers to feeling free from danger or threats (in both the physical and spiritual) lie in a genuine and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Do not waste another moment looking for it elsewhere. As simple as it sounds, open your Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into true revelation of the only One who loved you enough to endure an excruciating death to cover your sins and make a way for you to live eternally with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven. I speak from experience ... you will be blessed beyond measure as you pursue Him and He turns to welcome you into His embrace. The dazzling temptations of this world fade in comparison to the Light of His encompassing Love! We are still climbing towards that pinnacle ... choose Him before it's too late!

2 Corinthians 4:4  ... among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 

Sow and Reap A Bountiful Harvest For The Lord!

 

If you know me well, then you know that I often quote Matthew 9:37 ... The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. And verse 38 is what my soul and spirit cry out for ... So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Do we fully understand the implications of these important verses? I ask because I discern that it is vitally important [in these days] that we be diligent workers in the Lord's vineyard for an abundant harvest.

The Bible has a lot to say about harvests, and John 15 makes it very clear that Jesus is the true Vine and the Father is the Vinedresser. What does that mean for us as followers of Christ? First, we need to understand the principles of growing vines and the duties of the vinedresser. Here's what I've discovered about the responsibilities of this important role: the vinedresser takes hold of the vine and entwines it on a trellis to keep the air flowing underneath the vine so it can bear healthy fruit. This technique improves the flavor and color of the crop. He also removes individual leaves to increase the amount of sunlight on the grapes. The vinedresser must determine which leaves to remove and the right number of them. His goal is to produce a healthy and bountiful harvest. 

But there's even more work to be done -- sometimes it's necessary to prune the branches of the vine in order that it bear more fruit. We know that Jesus says if we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit. But He also cautions us that if we discontinue being fruitful, we will be pruned [lovingly disciplined] so that we may bear even more fruit for His Kingdom. What does that mean, exactly? There is no clear-cut Scripture that describes what bearing fruit looks like, but it is my opinion that we bear fruit for Jesus and the Kingdom of God when we look like Him; when we live a righteous life; when we put the needs of others before ourselves; when we point people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and our role as citizen ambassadors of Heaven on earth. There is evidence of fruitful lives when the love and strength of Jesus shines forth from us. 

You see, we are made to have a harvest of righteousness! That includes both sowing and reaping! And the righteous seed is sown from a heart that puts God first. When we make God [and His purpose for our lives] the top priority, we will find that we are given everything we need in all things at all times -- both for the good works we will produce [for the Kingdom], and the seed we will produce to sow into another's works. Righteous seed  that is sown, begets more seed to sow. When you are generous in sowing, you will reap a bountiful harvest!

And all this talk of sowing, reaping, and harvesting leads to the most urgent need of mankind on earth ... to be set free from the bondage of the kingdom of darkness so that they can step into their true identity in the Kingdom of God. And that Kingdom is present on the earth today. It has not been fully realized yet; that will happen when Jesus returns and rids the world of evil. But the Kingdom is here, NOW! And when Jesus began His ministry, He announced that He was bringing His Father's Kingdom with Him, and had restored and returned our God-given dominion over the earth. Furthermore, He is sharing His power and authority to defeat wickedness, sorrow, and the lies of Satan [in our lives] so that we might do the same for others. 

It is my greatest honor to partner with Jesus in continuing the work He did to diminish the kingdom of darkness on the earth, and to grow the Kingdom of God. When we are able to help one person have a spiritual encounter with Jesus, and the false and dirty veil [that Satan has kept secure] is removed from their spiritual eyes, they see the truth of who they really are to Jesus and what He has planned for them to sow and reap. And I promise you all of Heaven rejoices! The power of Jesus [in me] supplies all that is needed to set up that encounter for the person, and there is a harvest of joy, peace, and renewal that is reaped in the life of a beloved child of God. It truly is a matter of "Once I was lost, but now I am found; was blind, but now I see"!

It is so clear that Satan has been sowing his discord, torment, lies, and afflictions into the world for over 2000 years. He has reaped a harvest of misery, suffering, false identity, and trauma -- in the lives of Believers and nonbelievers alike! The evil that is growing in the world seeks to overcome all who stand in its way. But God is seeking a spiritual harvest in the hearts of men! But our hearts must be cleansed and plowed for the Lord. Our hearts must be tended, weeded and pruned of inferior growth. They must be fertilized and watered with the Word. And from our sanctified hearts, we are able to sow the knowledge of the Lord into the lives of people who desperately need Him. With hearts that mimic His, Jesus is able to work through us to sow encouragement, hope, and the promise of Eternity; reaping a harvest that will ultimately change the world into Heaven on Earth. Until that triumphant day, I want to continue to sow righteousness in my life; producing fruit for the Kingdom and yielding a harvest of immeasurable souls for the glory of the Lord! 

Hosea 10:12    Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Now, More Than Ever, We Must Understand The Truth Of The Bible!

 

I know to many of you, these days look dark. I know you are facing fears that you haven't experienced before. I know, because I see it all around me. One of my dearest friends has received a serious cancer diagnosis; her nephew was killed in a car accident last night; my closest cousin died from a stroke that appears to be vaccine-related; our national and world economy is teetering; war threatens the entire globe; and "the nuclear option" is not just a slogan anymore. Many of you may be enduring far worse situations, or fearing the possibilities that you may soon face. But I am not writing from a position of fomenting fear, or "calling out" anyone's inability to accept what is coming upon the earth.

Instead, what I want to shout to everyone [especially people who proclaim their faith in Jesus] is that "Now is the time to see the truth of God in the world! Now is the time to come out from under the delusion that none of this should be happening! Now is the time to step into the unconquerable faith that we claim to possess!" That means we don't focus on the bad news, but we don't deny it, either. I don't understand why people are confused over troubling and painful events in their lives or the world. I have said it over and over, but people just look at me like it's not computing ... Why do we 21st Century American Christians think we deserve uncomplicated and trouble-free lives? Why are we convinced that somehow God has blessed us above all other nations, and that good fortune and security are our national and personal destiny?  

I find myself thinking of those favored by the Father and the Son in the Bible ... the Israelites, who were the apple of God's eye, yet found themselves being subjected to slavery in Egypt; of Moses, whom God used to deliver them from their bondage, yet was denied entrance to the Promised Land; of David and Abraham, who were both highly favored by God, yet experienced suffering in their personal lives, found themselves fighting in wars, and saw their sons become embittered foes. And can you imagine what it must have been like for the Disciples? These were men hand-picked by Jesus, Himself, and tasked with traveling to places like Turkey and India to spread the news that the Son of the Most High God, [whom these foreign people didn't even know] had come to earth to save them from eternal death. And they were willing to go, even though Jesus pretty much assured them they would endure tribulation and trials, and be killed by those who hated Him. Why would we think that we could [or should] make it through this world unscathed and untouched?

People throughout the world and throughout history have understood that we live in a fallen world, and suffering [in all its forms] is "normal". But somehow, we, who find ourselves modern citizens of the Western culture and mindset, have somehow come to expect a life of ease, convenience and constant safety. How many times have I heard people say, "That would never happen here"! We seem to have forgotten Paul's exhortation to the young church in Thessalonica "not to become unsettled by difficulties", for he had warned them in advance that they were going to experience persecution, and sure enough, it had come to pass. It was to be expected! Yet, when we look upon the tremendous suffering that is happening in our world today -- from disease, violence and crime, war, the trading of human souls, and the consequences of our individual sin -- we still cry out, "How could this be happening to me? I've been a good Christian [or at least a good person]"!

But God's Word never promises a guaranteed escape plan from the suffering in the world. In fact, Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:12, Indeed, all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be hunted and persecuted [because of their faith]. He couldn't have said it any plainer. But it is also apparent that God has given much favor to those of us born in the United States. No other nation has been created with personal liberty and freedom such as we've been blessed with. And up until now, we have been able to pursue our faith, free from persecution. Although faith in Jesus in other countries around the world can be met with loss of employment, estrangement from family, imprisonment, beatings, or even death, we in America have so far been allowed to experience [and share] our faith without such repercussions. What would you do if that suddenly changes? Would you pick up your cross and follow Jesus, being willing to suffer for Him? Even unto death? Others have. 

Perhaps it's time to accept the truth of the Bible; that suffering is a natural part of the Christian life. Jesus tells us it is so. Just because we haven't experienced it here yet, doesn't mean we won't. It's time we examine our hearts and rid them of any form of entitlement or "right to be exempt". We must come to the realization that knowing Christ surpasses all else in this world -- including personal security, safety, prosperity, and health. We must recognize the cost of discipleship and offer nothing less to those we share the Gospel with. We must present the whole picture of the Christians life! Yes, we have our reunion with Jesus to look forward to, and to see His glory as He comes to redeem all who believe in Him. But we must be prepared to endure and persevere through tribulation until that glorious moment! Until that moment, we are to offer Jesus to others, and all that comes with that choice -- not just a cozy, easy life. 

A 2017 article by Zane Pratt provides wisdom about how to approach the subject of the trials, tribulations, and sufferings of the Christian life. I'd like to share that knowledge, with a bit of personal insight added... We should not be caught off-guard or surprised by the realities of the world; suffering is a given. We can experience and endure through suffering without losing our integrity [and moral righteousness]. As hard as it may be to do, we are to love our persecutors and pray for them. We are not to seek revenge; that is the Lord's prerogative. As faithful Christians, we must trust in God through the midst of our suffering and look for opportunities to do good for others. We can identify with others who are suffering, and can therefore offer encouragement. We must stay focused on Jesus. And this is always a difficult thing to understand, but we can rejoice when we suffer because our hearts find Him so worthy to be identified with. We must believe and know that our suffering will be temporary and cannot compare to the glory and joy that we will find in the Presence of the Father and Son!

So, my final thought is this ... If you are finding the chaos in the world to be frighteningly unsettling, and you haven't been prepared for it by the Church, or you are unfamiliar with what the Bible reveals as Truth, then I want you to know this ... The story of Jesus is more than the joy of the Virgin Birth or the Resurrection of the Savior of the World. Our faith is founded upon more than our culture's celebrations of Christmas and Easter. There are a lot of pages before and after those stories [in the Bible] that speak of the heart-break that accompanies our faith; of the cost of following Jesus; and of His power in us to endure against the Anti-Christ spirit that has invaded the earth. The story and evidence of our lives as Christians must be our ability to stand strong, established in a faith so deep in Christ that no amount of suffering or persecution can uproot us. We will sing of our love for Jesus in the midst of both trials and triumph! And at the end of our journey on this earth, we will celebrate IT ALL as a dedicated offering of our unshakeable faith in the One who redeemed us!

 
2 Corinthians 6:4-10   We commend ourselves in every way as servants of God: in great endurance, in sufferings, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in sleepless nights, in hunger, in purity and sincerity, in knowledge and spiritual insight, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [like holding the sword to attack] and for the left [like holding the shield to defend], amid glory and dishonor; by evil report and good report; branded as deceivers and yet [vindicated as] truthful; as unknown [to the world], yet well-known [by God and His people]; as dying, yet we live; as punished, yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet bestowing riches on many; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.

 

The Sea is Stirred Up, And The Waves Are Roaring!

 

I cannot imagine that there is anyone on earth who is not aware of how close the world is to the brink of a global war. Not only are all the talking heads spewing their propagandized versions of the Russia--Ukraine warfare, but for the first time, we have first-person accounts from ordinary citizens who are engaged in this conflict. Technology allows innocent citizens to share their testimony of the horrors of war. No longer will the reflections of heads-of-state be our only witness to this war. The human toll will be center stage as the terror, panic and atrocities of war are recorded by those personally experiencing it. 

Which makes it all that much more tragic. Who can turn away from the sights and sounds of men putting their families on trains, then turning back to pick up a weapon to defend their homeland? Or wives kissing husbands good-bye, not knowing whether it is the last time they will be together? And then there are the children, crying out for their fathers as they struggle to comprehend the heart-wrenching separation. You don't need to understand the language -- the human suffering is unmistakable; the pain understood by the language of our hearts... and it is the same as it has always been throughout the centuries of war on the earth. Only now we are eye-witnesses to it, and we share in that intimate pain and sorrow. 

If you are like me, you might find yourself lying in the early morning darkness, praying for God to step into this conflict before it draws the whole world into a conflagration from which no one survives. I repent for all the things mankind has done to grieve our Creator; for the selfishness and greed that leads powerful men to seek more power, no matter the cost. I lament that we have allowed our hearts to grow cold to the needs of others, and that we have become so short-sighted that we seek the temporary treasures of this world, rather than our inheritance in eternity. And I pray for God's justice towards the men who embrace the Anti-Christ spirit and have joined forces with Satan's kingdom of darkness. 

As I have been contemplating what our future might look like, I am reminded of a dream I had around 2008. It was so specific and disturbing that, at the time, I didn't know what to make of it. But I knew it came from God, and it's significance has become clearer in the intervening years. This dream was unlike any other;  it was so intense and so real, that I knew it was spiritual in purpose.  In this dream, I was on a beautiful beach with nearly pure white sand, and the beach was situated in a cove.  The best way I can describe it is if you took a map of the Gulf Coast of the United States, and flopped it, so that Florida was on your left. So, on one side of this cove, the land formed a peninsula that jutted out into the ocean, but I was protected from the roaring sea in this quiet cove. Then I became aware of a strange object in the water of this cove, and as only seems logical in dreams, I recognized it as a Ferris wheel. 

At this point, I must tell you that I am not really comfortable in deep water, so it is understandable that  as I approached the Ferris wheel in my dream, I was filled with some trepidation.  But I finally climbed into one of the buckets and it began its climb towards the sky, where I could see the beauty of the calm water before me.  But as it descended, I knew I was going to have to brace for an entrance into the deep water of the cove, before the rotation of the Ferris wheel continued its circular motion upward. So, I experienced several rounds of relaxed enjoyment, followed by the anticipation and fear of going underwater. Looking back at this dream, I believe this was representative of what I have faced over the last years as God has awakened me to the knowledge that we are in the Last Days... periods of calm, serenity, and confidence, followed by times of fear, anticipation and dread as He revealed more of how He wants me to spiritually prepare. It also could be symbolic of the ups and downs of our economy for the last decade-and-a-half -- periods of prosperity and growth, followed by shortages, recessions, and inflation. 

But then the dream took a different turn.  I exited the Ferris wheel, and ventured to walk from the cove and around to the other side of the peninsula. I felt drawn to the open sea, even though the sheer size and mass of the ocean frightened me. I stood looking at the ocean, mesmerized by its power, and then I noticed far-off in the distance, a small wave approaching. I stood there, almost hypnotized, watching this wave growing as it approached me until, shaken from my stupor, I realized that the swelling waves were going to swamp the shore on which I stood. 

Despite being fearful of the ocean and deep water, I knew that I had to try to escape and swim to safety. The next thing I became aware of in my dream was swimming as hard as I could and looking back over my shoulder to see that wave coming ever closer with such speed and height. At last it reached me and came crashing down on top of me, tumbling me over and over, and dragging me into the depths of the ocean. I was so scared, and fought to hold my breath, finally resigning myself to the fact that I was going to drown. 

Even in my dream state, I could feel my heart beating wildly and could sense my acceptance of death. Then I felt strong arms scooping me up in those deep waters, and of being cradled.  I heard a voice say, "It's all right.  There's no need to be afraid. I have you."  Then I had a fleeting moment of such profound peace, freedom from fear, and of being completely loved before waking up. I know, without a doubt, that this dream was confirming that, yes, there is a wave building across the globe, and it will come crashing down upon the world. There will be moments of panic and terror, but I am to rest in the knowledge that this fear will be fleeting. I will be secure in the arms of my Lord, who will literally save me from drowning in the chaos and evil of these days.

Nothing has changed in the intervening years, since I had the dream, to give me a different insight into the prophetic meaning of it.  Before our very eyes we are witnessing upheaval in our monetary systems, the erosion of independent sovereign nation states; and our social institutions and international relations are decaying.  The institution of marriage, that began in the Garden of Eden, has been redefined.  And the sanctity of life is sold for corporate profit.  As Paul McGuire, a prophecy expert, described the world in 2008, "It’s as if the world has been set on fire by chaos or crisis of every kind; financial crisis, terrorist crisis, racial crisis, moral crisis, religious crisis and even a crisis in our weather patterns." And we are 13 years further down that road!

So I know that many of you are feeling the effects of what we are witnessing in world events. But I'm here to tell you we don't have to succumb to fear or paranoia.  The love that I felt in that dream is real, and there is power and deliverance in it!  I can still feel the peace of being in the Presence of Jesus! We have been called by God, before the creation of the world, for a time such as this.  And the years since that dream have shown me that I have work to do in the spiritual war that is waging in, and around, and above this world. That's part of my purpose for being here, at this time and in this place. And I know for certain that God and Jesus will see us through whatever is coming, and we have been promised that the gates of Hell will not overcome us!  Just remember this: that wave may have come crashing down on me, but I landed in the strong arms of my Savior and He assured me that He would not let go. If you belong to Him, His promise is the same for you!

Luke 21:26-26   And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
  

 

For A Time Such As This: A Look At Biblical Prophecy

Sometimes, as I begin to write, the Holy Spirit reminds me that I am treading familiar ground -- that He has counseled me on a particular subject in the past, and suggests I revisit what I received to see if I need to renew my mind. I was amazed! I wrote in 2014-15 about the world in crisis and what I wrote seemed almost like déja vu.

Here is how the Holy Spirit informed me in 2014, and what I wrote.... "What appears to be happening before our very eyes is an alarming coalition between Russia and China.  In reaction to strong embargoes on the part of the U.S. against Russia, China appears to be positioning itself as Russia's new strategic partner.  In fact, over the last several months, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party have repeatedly exhorted the People’s Liberation Army to “be ready to win a war.” Xi has repeatedly called for greater military modernization, increased training, and enhanced overall readiness of the Chinese army, navy, and air force. And, if we think Russia and President Putin are just going to sit idly by while we attempt to destroy their economy, then we're more naive than I've thought".  

So, just as in 2014, we now see Russia's currency destabilizing, following the ruble's precipitous decline. And it is in China's best interest to prop up Russia because of their dependency on Russia's energy supply. In fact, if you will remember, Russia and China were communist allies throughout the Cultural Revolution and Cold War. And as neighbors, their financial and strategic interests overlap. China is a huge buyer of Russia's natural resources, and Russia is a great consumer of Chinese exports.  They are natural allies when it comes to destroying the power of the West, especially the U.S, and it's only logical that they would like nothing better than to crush our fragile financial system. There's so much in play right now, and it sure seems like it is aligning with Biblical prophecy. 

Which brings me to what I wrote in 2015 as I realized that oil (especially the oil reserves discovered in the Golan Heights of Israel) could certainly be the "hook" that draws the nations into the Biblically prophesied Gog-Magog war. Additionally, Christians, for centuries, have tried to make sense of Ezekiel 38:15....  And you [Gog] shall come from out of your place in the north parts...".  However, "the north" or "the north parts" has often been understood to be the heavens, and in this case, the second heaven, where satan and his fallen angels and demons live.  But that hasn't stopped people from trying to relate specific humans and geographic locations on the earth when dissecting Ezekiel 38.  But in taking counsel from the Holy Spirit in regards to the spiritual war in the heavens, I am beginning to see a different picture.  

Let's consider Ezekiel 38:1-2, which says, And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief ruler of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief ruler of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them magnificently clothed in full armor, a great horde with buckler (small shield) and [large] shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia), and Put (Libya, N. Africa) with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer (modern Ukraine and Russia) and all its troops; Beth-togarmah (Turkey) from the remote parts of the north and all its troops—many peoples with you.

OK, now I'm going to ask you to follow my train of thought and perhaps connect the dots; try to consider this possible interpretation... Let's start with Genesis, Chapter 10, in which Magog is listed as a son of Japheth, who, himself, was a son of Noah.  Genesis 10:5 tells us that from these men, "the nations were separated and spread into their lands, every one according to his own language, according to their constituent groups (families), and into their nations"...  so the fact that Magog is usually understood to be a nation or country makes sense; having been named for the descendant of Noah who was given that land.  Just think of Washington, D.C. named for George Washington, or America, named for the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.  Naming a land after a specific person makes sense to me.

But then who is this Gog that our God is prophesying against?  In Ezekiel 38:3, he is called "the chief ruler of Meschech and Tubal".  In other versions of the Bible, this verse reads "O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal".  Before we try to identify Gog, let's clear up the discrepancy in the use (or lack of) the word Rosh in that verse.  Some versions of the Bible translate the Hebrew word ‘rosh’ in verse 3 as a noun referring to a place in Russia. The least credible support for this view is that Rosh sounds like the modern-day name Russia and Meshech sounds like Moscow. In this translation they treat rosh as a proper name. Other versions of the Bible translate ‘rosh’ as an adjective, a disjunctive form of grammar, that indicates a pause.  So, verse three would read: “Behold, I am against thee, o Gog, the prince, {pause} chief of Meshech and Tubal”, rather than “Behold, I am against thee, o Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.”

It is not as important to me to understand where Gog is chief ruler or prince, as it is to know the identity of who Gog is.  I can accept that he rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and I can agree, without any problem, that those nations may comprise parts of modern-day Turkey, southern Russia and Iran.  It is important to know who this Gog is, and why the Lord God is against him.  

So, now I'm going to finally tell you the understanding that I have come to, after much study and prayer.  I believe that Gog is one of the demonic rulers (or princes) that satan has assigned to particular nations to carry out his evil directives.  Once again, I feel that's why Paul made such an effort in Ephesians, Chapter 6, to spell out for us that we do not fight against flesh and blood!  (Could he have been telling us to not try to identify flesh and blood men as these enemies?) These rulers and princes are the spiritual commanders of the forces of spiritual wickedness that coordinate the game plan and align demonic forces on the battlefield of each nation. 

And I do not believe they are constrained by time or place.  Gog has obviously been assigned to govern and administer the nations of Meshech and Tubal at a time when they will be unleashing their armies on Israel [remember those all-important and valuable oil reserves in Israel that are tempting to today's world powers].  Since I often find that the Bible expresses overlapping and dual prophecies -- a word from the Lord that is specific to an ancient historic event, but that also applies to an End Times scenario.  In this case, the Old Testament prophet Amos says, Thus the Lord showed me, and behold a swarm of locusts were coming, and, behold, one of the young devastating locusts was Gog, the king.  

Then in the New Testament, in Revelation, Chapter 9, the Apostle John is given a vision of the Fifth trumpet being sounded, the bottomless pit opening, and the power of the locusts descending upon man to torture him.  In verse 11, John says, And [the locusts] had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.  It is well understood in the 21st Century that this king will be the Anti-Christ.  So, it is certainly possible, and it is my opinion, that the "devastating king of the locusts", that the prophet Amos saw is the same king of the locusts that John saw.  "Gog" could just be the designation of his title or position, [Prince]; and at the End Times he will be known by his proper name, Abaddon. 

Nonetheless, I think we must consider that Gog is a demonic spiritual king [chief ruler or prince] who isn’t limited in the length of time he lives or functions.  He can rule over many nations at different times; simultaneously or throughout the centuries.  But I think it is clear that he is an agent of the devil; with specific duties to battle against God's plan of reconciliation.  I believe that when God commanded Ezekiel to set his face against Gog and prophesy against him, the prophet was being instructed to battle in the spiritual realm against this demonic ruler, and to tell him the Lord God was against him and would defeat him.  That was in the Old Testament.  In this New Testament Age, I contend that we can do the same thing ... in our power and authority in Christ, we can declare to the demonic forces in the spiritual realm, in the Name of Jesus, that God is against them and they are defeated.  

I'm sure that this may be a new and very difficult concept for you to accept, since it is virtually never discussed in the Church today.  And maybe, you are one of those Christians who doesn't feel it is necessary to understand Old Testament prophecy.  But the God who spoke to, and instructed, Ezekiel is the same God who wants to speak to us today through His Word ... all of His Word!  For me, it is a matter of knowing that His character never changes.  So if God was against the demonic rulers in the spiritual realm in Ezekiel's time, He is against them today.  

And if He asked Ezekiel to set his face against that demonic ruler in that spiritual realm, I believe he wanted the prophet to take a stand, with God by his side, and announce the defeat of the evil entities.  I believe His command and His desire is for us to do the same. We need to change our focus from trying to identify a flesh and blood man as the source of power coming against Ukraine and the world, and instead, look up and partner with the Heavenly Host in a battle to conquer the Prince of Magog. Just as we understand that the prince of the kingdom of Persia [i.e., a high-level evil angel representing the interests of Satan in the nation Persia] was defeated by the Archangel Michael in Daniel, Chapter 10, we must understand that Gog is a prince of darkness, assigned by Satan to spiritually rule the land of Magog, which includes the nations of Meschach and Tubal (portions of modern Turkey, Russia, the "Stans", and Iran). He is bigger than any man, but his defeat is prophesied and certain! Hallelujah! May the God above all gods rule this time in history!Amen!

Habakkuk 2:3    For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time. It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, because it will certainly come; it will not delay.

Biblical Prophecy of the Seals and Trumpets: How Close Are We?

It's always interesting to see how these kinds of posts are received. When I first began writing this blog in 2011, the Lord began showing me the deeper levels of His Word as I immersed myself in studying the One True God that was, is, and will be. He is still the same God of the Bible today! I saw all the levels on which He wanted to communicate with me ... from the historical aspect; in the cultural context of what was happening at the time; and how His Word was timeless, speaking of His Nature, Character, and Will for all mankind in all the ages. From that perspective, it became obvious that the Bible was also a deeply prophetic Book. What was revealed to the prophets of old also held great consequences for us in the 21st Century. And Jesus, Himself, was a divine prophet; giving us clues of what it will look like prior to His return to earth to judge Evil, and to rule for 1,000 years.

So, in 2012, I found myself leading a small group of believers from various religious backgrounds and denominations in a study of the Book of Revelation. Looking back, I was certainly naive at how difficult it would be to teach to a group that had very little common theological ground to start from. That became immediately clear as the attendees began expressing their views of this controversial Book. Some expressed that their denomination recommended not reading the Book of Revelation at all! Others stated they had been taught that the events in the apocalyptic book had already occurred in 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and crushed the Jewish revolt. But all agreed that they knew nothing about the Book and it was time that we discerned its value. After all, God would not have inspired it to be included in the Holy Bible, if He had not intended us to try to understand its message.

The reason I am approaching this subject today is that I recently ran across my notes and became curious to see if I still had the same convictions 10 years later about the prophecies contained in this mysterious book of the Bible. I wanted to see if it speaks any differently to me today. For the sake of this article, there are two prophecies that my spirit highlighted as I reviewed what I studied a decade ago... portions of Revelation 6 and 9, which contain the Seal and Trumpet judgments against the kingdom of darkness and the Antichrist's empire. And I'm going to zero in on the verses that appear to have direct relevance for us at this very time. So, whether you are particularly interested in Biblical prophecy or not, I hope you will find my musings of some significance.

First, let's look at Revelation 6:5-6, which is the Third Seal opened by Jesus and pertains to Famine and Economic Crisis. Scripture reads: When He (the Lamb) broke open the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse [of famine]; and the rider had in his hand a pair of scales (a balance). And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius (a day’s wages), and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

I should point out that this third Seal of judgment follows the second seal, which heralds bloodshed and a world-wide war that "takes peace from the earth". These verses forecast famine and economic crisis which follows war. It only makes sense because there is always a disruption in agricultural operations and serious shortages of food after war. Famine will necessarily bring extreme hunger and death, accompanied by sadness, sorrow, and mourning. The pair of scales in the rider's hand speaks of a severe economic downturn where buying power is dramatically reduced; food supplies will be weighed [and limited] and available at extremely high prices. This is exemplified by the voice that declares a quart of wheat will sell for a denarius, which was equal to a day's wages, and three quarts of barley will cost the same day's wages. [Although barley is considered inferior to wheat, it will still sell for an exorbitant amount]. It's not too difficult to see the economic consequences of inflation in this passage of Scripture, and unfortunately, it's something that we are beginning to experience at a rapid rate. With the world sitting on the tipping point of war between Russia and Ukraine, [which will involve all the nations of NATO], and inflation and food/supply chain shortages, we find that famine is a distinct possibility.

"Don't damage the oil and wine" can be understood on two levels ... first, in revealing this vision to the Disciple John, Jesus could have been providing context to the vision in terms of the culture that John would have understood. This could be a warning to be extra careful in the use of oil and wine, which were basic and essential commodities in John's time, and famine is going to make them very expensive. This portion of John's vision shows just how devastating famine and inflation will be on the general population living on the earth.  But, there is another level that has been suggested, and you can decide for yourselves, whether it has relevance to our time. Could it be that Jesus is revealing that the famine/inflation crisis will not touch the ruling class or the elite, who will still enjoy these luxuries while the rest of the world suffers? If so, then the inequity between the Global Elite and the masses will only result in civil strife, and ensure that the righteous judgment of Christ will rapidly descend upon the Anti-Christ agenda. Understandably, one could ask what is the purpose for God would wanting to protect the oil and wine for the Elite and the wealthy?

I will admit that I am see this prophecy less clearl, but it was  highlighted to my spirit for a reason, so I will present my incomplete and still-developing understanding. It seems that God is pointing to a method by which He will reveal the false authority, false teachings, and wicked and perverse activities of men who are deluded into believing that Satan and his agents will give them favor for their loyal service to the kingdom of darkness. I do not know the identity of the demonic locusts mentioned in Revelation 9:5, but the Bible seems to indicate that God gives permission for the locusts to torment the men who are evil perpetrators of this wickedness; their actions resulting in death, perversion, and depravity upon innocent victims.

God's goal in giving permission for them to be tormented could be that He wants them to see the truth about Satan so they can renounce the devil and be saved. The demonic army that God releases as judgment will kill one-third of the earth, and as hard as it is for the modern Church that sees only God's character of Grace  -- and struggles to contemplate His righteous wrath -- it is crucial that they see this event as His Mercy to wake up unbelievers who will soon go to eternal hell if they don't repent. I simply cannot imagine the depth of the wickedness of idolatry that these evil men have embraced for their own power, status and wealth; and how deceived they are, causing them to refuse to repent. They are blinded to God's displeasure of them and His coming wrath!

When I think of all the evil in the world today -- over 6 million people dead of a mysterious virus and all its after-effects; over 63 million babies sacrificed on the altar of abortion; millions of people trafficked into sexual slavery; burgeoning death statistics of Fentanyl and opiod deaths from drug overdose -- I can understand how God's cup of wrath could be filled to overflowing, and He decides its high time Jesus comes to cleanse the world of these spiritual strongholds of evil: murder, sorcery, pharmakeia, immorality, and theft. In fact, the Bible prophecies that these sadistic and evil followers of Satan will continue their evil ways, "and they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts" (Revelation 9:21). 

But, I give praise to my All-Powerful God because He is revealing these evil agents of Satan and their demonic agendas. He will tolerate such blasphemous forms of idolatry and evil for only so long, until He releases Jesus to return to the earth. I do not know if these particular prophecies in the Book of Revelation point to our current situations or time-frame. But I do know that this is a time of great confusion among men and women; both believers and unbelievers. There is a vast amount of deception being sowed in the earth, and the human race is asking for answers. 

One of the answers that gives me hope is that God will provide a way to understand what He wants us to know from this last book in His Holy Scriptures. In Revelation 10, John is given a little book and told to eat it. He is told it will make his stomach bitter, but it will as sweet as honey in his mouth. I believe God will raise up forerunners who will receive and  "digest" the same message that John devoured. They will taste the sweetness of the revelations of salvation, victory, and justice for the oppressed. But they must be prepared that it will be bitter to their souls because of the worldwide judgment of the wicked, and the persecution of the saints. Powerful and true prophets will arise and lead the righteous to pray and prophesy under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. They will reveal the fullness of God: His character traits of Love and Mercy as well as His intense wrath and righteous judgment.

So, whether we are on the precipice of seeing these prophecies being fulfilled or not, I do believe we are suffering the contractions of their imminent birth. Please join me in praying for discernment for all men before its too late. Pray that they will see the error of believing Satan's lies that he can give them the power and riches to control the world. Pray that God's truth will be unveiled and they will repent of their wicked ways and reject the kingdom of darkness. Pray for the innocent and the blameless! And pray that Evil's reign on the earth is short-lived... Come, King Jesus, Come!

2 Peter 2:9     If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the Godly from trials and hold the unrighteous for punishment on the Day of Judgement.