God, The Constitution, The Supreme Court, and Roe v. Wade

 I'm going to begin this post by stating [very clearly] that I am not a Constitutional scholar.  I am a lover of American history and I try to look at all sides of our history from my Biblical worldview. That means that I've carefully considered the question, "Does the Bible have authority over the Constitution of the United States"? 

We know that Article 6 of the Constitution states that "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States ... shall be the supreme Law of the Land". So, what is our understanding of the origination of "Law"? From the foundations of the world, it is clear that a system of rules [called Law] was instituted to govern the actions of men. But who created Law? In the Declaration of Independence, our Founding Fathers gave credit to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" that endowed men with certain unalienable Rights -- Rights given to them by their Creator -- and among them are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. 

The Bible states that "the Lord is our lawgiver" (Isaiah 33:22); "the law is holy" (Romans 7:12); "the law of the Lord is perfect" (Psalm 19:7); and "the perfect law" is "the law of liberty" (James 1:25). At this point we can understand that Law is important to both God and to our system of government in this nation. In fact, just as God sits on His throne in the Heavenly Court as Supreme Judge over all Creation, we have a Supreme Court that plays a very important role in our Constitutional form of government. As the highest Court in this earthly realm, it is the last resort for those seeking justice. But what happens when our Supreme Court has been compromised by agreement with sin?

In light of the current volatile case before the Supreme Court, here's what I think the citizens of the United States need to consider: I don't think abortion advocates, the courts and judges of this land, and the Supreme Court of our nation have considered that abortion is the sacrifice of a baby for the benefit of the mother. The Creator God of the Universe has a legal entitlement to demand that we respect what He has created. And He has made His opinion well-known.  In Leviticus 20:2-5, He states,  “Say to the Israelites: 'Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molech is to be put to death.' "  Got it?  It is an act that the God who created me, you, and the baby has declared is abominable and worthy of death. Child sacrifice, in all its forms, is unacceptable to God. Period. 

And so, I refer you to 1 John 3:4, which says, Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness [ignoring God’s law by action or neglect or by tolerating wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will]. Isn't that exactly what we did in 1973 with Roe v. Wade, when the Court thought they could over-rule God? And isn't it what the Supreme Court did in 1992, when hearing Planned Parenthood v. Casey, they asserted that the right to an abortion was a liberty protected by the 14th Amendment? At the time, the Court stated, "[at] the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life." To me, it sure seems like the baby isn't allowed a voice to define it's existence.

 One of the core concepts of the 14th Amendment is the tenet that says, "nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Again, where is the protection of the baby's life or liberty, or right to choose? Where is the baby's equal protection under the law?  

This most recent resurrection of Roe v. Wade before the Supreme Court of the United States (and the subsequent leak of Justice Alito's draft opinion) have sparked a firestorm across this nation. Sadly, this does nothing more than cause further division between pro-life champions and abortion supporters. The question now becomes will the Supreme Court Justices be swayed by political persuasions? And even more consequential, it is plain to see that both God and the Bible have become more irrelevant in our society -- indeed, despised. 

We can see that both the Bible and the Constitution have lost their place in the governance of our nation. In fact, there is a third player in the game, and it is Government, with a capital "G". Since our society seems to want to eradicate the influence of both the Bible and the Constitution, does either have any remaining moral value?  Clearly, the Bible is being mocked, derided, and re-conceptualized to serve the needs of the ungodly. And, in its tattered state, is there enough of the Constitution left to warrant any real authority?  

Perhaps the more appropriate question is this: Is there enough of the Bible's influence in the Constitution to withstand its destruction by the Government?  Ultimately, as a faithful Christian, I have to go back to the one Truth that overrides all ... YHWH is Sovereign, Supreme, and the absolute Head of this State.  His Word is authority over everything man-made ... whether it is a governing document like the Constitution, or a governing body of men like the Supreme Court. That might not be the politically expedient answer to give in this time of division and rancor, but we are at the stage in this nation (and the world) where it is time to quit playing the political game, and recognize Who has the real Power in this world. We must pray that the highest Court in our land has enough courage and fear of God to uphold His righteous laws of Liberty and Justice. 

Even if Justice Alito's opinion represents the majority of the Court, it won't solve the abortion question in its entirety. Each state would have the ultimate decision whether to allow abortions to be performed as part of their governing laws. But I know that it says in God's Word that He appoints rulers over nations by His authority, and we are to be loyal to that government... as long as they are loyal to His laws. I truly believe that God was involved in the creation of our Constitution through the men that He put in authority. At that time, these men foresaw a nation of individuals who were generally governed by Biblical precepts -- checks and balances and a limited government were at the center of the Constitution, and would serve such a Biblically-minded society well. Then, as now, I believe that the Bible has authority over each of us as individuals, and the Constitution has authority over the government. That combination has worked for us for 246 years, and contributed to a generally balanced co-existence among individuals and government, as long as this nation continued to embrace Biblical morals and principles.

So, I pray for the nine Justices who are caught in this quagmire of deceit and subterfuge. I pray that they will be led by moral consciences and not persuaded to abandon their sacred duty to the people of this great land. We stand on the precipice of rule by lawlessness, and we know what the Bible says that leads to!

2 Chronicles 19:6    He told them, "Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict."

God and the World's Economies

 

More and more Americans are becoming aware that the world's economic systems are in a lot of trouble. Just in this country alone, we see headlines that report the crash of Netflix; Jeff Bezos loses $13 Billion in hours as Amazon takes a nose dive; and the Dow lost nearly 1,000 points on Friday! In fact, all U.S. stock indexes were in the negative category. The world's economy is still floundering post-pandemic and struggling to find out how to bring "economic equality" to the world's nations, and develop policies that curb inflation, interest rates, and debt [while creating financial stability]. Or so they say.

Perhaps for the first time, we Christians are asking, Is God involved in Economics? What does He say about economic systems in the world? And what should we be looking for? Just because we may all be Christians, it doesn't mean we agree on all the concepts of socioeconomic systems or their methods of operation. Where we stand politically has a lot to do with our view of different economic practices. If you lean towards less government involvement and favor more social and economic freedom, then you are likely to align yourself with capitalism. If you lean toward more government controlling more of your social and economic affairs, then you probably identify with socialism.

I think, as Christians, it is important for us to identify the various world economic systems [and their methodologies] and then compare them to how God commands (and desires) us to operate in His economy. So, let's briefly consider each of the three major economic systems of the 20th and 21st Centuries: Socialism, Communism, and Capitalism. I want to look at their definitions so we have a baseline to compare with what God's Word says. I'm also going to give a very simple example of each that was shared by a friend on Facebook.

Socialism: “A theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.” Example: You have two cows. Give one to your neighbor. 

Communism: “A system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.” Example: You have two cows. Give both cows to the government, and they might give you some of the milk.

Capitalism: “An economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations.” Example: You have two cows. Sell one cow, buy a bull, and raise more cows.

Because each of these economic systems are human-devised, there are inherent flaws and problems with each. Socialism doesn't agree with private property rights of the individual; favors redistribution of wealth through government coercion; discourages innovation and creativity; restricts individuals of determining their own future; and invites dictatorial rule by unrighteous men. Communism [in its pure form] is an atheistic system which cancels individual freedom; centers around secret government surveillance, propaganda, and censorship; whose economy is centrally controlled and ultimately does not meet the people's needs. Capitalism is often characterized [not without merit] of being a system of elitists with privilege and wealth that encourages greed and profit over people. Corruption and cronyism between individuals and governments have often become its trademark, along with currency manipulation -- all of which interferes with free enterprise and the ability of individuals to have control of their own destinies.

So, that's what man has been able to create as forms of producing, organizing, and distributing available resources among the nations of the world. But what is God's economic policy or policies? Remember that Jesus proclaimed that "His Kingdom was not of this world". God's ways of perfect government are different than man's ideas and systems for governing. And we often see Scripture twisted to align with our own ideas of what we think [or want] God to be declaring that He established. For instance, I'm sure you have heard that Matthew 19:21 is all about Jesus teaching a socialistic redistribution system:   (Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me”.) But that's not the message of the Bible at all! Jesus is showing us that the rich young ruler's sorrow [over the Lord's admonition to give his wealth away] is because the young man cherished his wealth over God; his wealth was more important than being willing to surrender his wealth and serve God. 

Those who believe in the socialism economic model will condemn wealth as being unbiblical, and misquote 1 Timothy 6:10, which says, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil", rendering it as "Money is the root of all evil". Pretty convenient mistranslation, isn't it? Notice how Satan has convinced mankind that money and wealth are the root of all evil, when the Bible clearly states that sin is the root that perpetuates evil in the world. In fact, it is not money that is evil, nor does God condemn wealth or the gaining of wealth. After all, Abram, King David, and his son, Solomon were all favored by God and they were extremely wealthy. It is the love of money that can lead to the sins of greed, corruption, and forms of unrighteousness.

Another example of wrongly identifying God's economic system with the world's is the tendency by some to state that Acts 4:32-35 advocates communism ... All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.  On the contrary, "the needy" in this passage were converts who had traveled to Jerusalem from foreign lands for the Passover feast days and after Jesus's death and resurrection, they decided to stay and learn more about Him and His Kingdom. They then found themselves in want, so those who had resources voluntarily shared what they had. Communism is an economic system that demands citizen participation and confiscates wealth from the producers. Additionally, nowhere in Scripture, do we find that this became the norm among Christian society. It was in response to a unique situation and displays a personal willingness to share with others out of the love of a consecrated heart for a fellow man.

And while the economic system of Capitalism can provide the wealth to serve others from our hearts, God will not bless this system if it is rooted in deception, greed, theft, special-interest influence or cronyism. Sadly, we, in the United States, have seen the effects of these sins upon our faltering economic system. But the tenets of Capitalism are evidenced in the Bible through freedom of choice in how we operate in our lives [including our businesses and means of financial support] when our enterprise is conducted with compassion, unselfishness and generosity. But since we still live in a sinful world, we won't see that model in its fullness until Christ returns and implements His Kingdom on earth in its fullness. Micah 4:4 gives us a hint of what that perfect world economy will look like ... Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!

Until that glorious Day when the Lord returns with His perfect economic governing system [in which the residents of Heaven on earth will espouse the virtues of work, tithing, and sharing the blessings of God], we have one more economic system to endure ... the Mark of the Beast. Revelation 13:16-17 says, He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark... 

How close are we to experiencing that system? Perhaps sooner than any of us want to think! All I know is that we desperately need the biblical social and economic policies of Heaven here on earth NOW! I don't know how much longer before the Lord gets the go-ahead from the Father to mount up with the Host of Heaven and ride to defeat Evil once and for all. I don't know about you, but I am ready to receive Him on earth! I am ready for the earth and mankind to reflect God's ordained system of government in all its manifestations! I will not be consumed by fear of what mankind is scheming out of corrupted hearts and minds, but stay focused on the glorious future that awaits us when we see Jesus coming on the clouds. I choose to glorify the Lord in all the ways He leads me and trust in His provision in this world. Seek first the Kingdom of God and righteousness, and all your needs will be met. That's the key to enjoying God's economic system for us!

 Philippians 4:19   And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.   

 

Why Does Paul Tell Us To Work Out Our Own Salvation? Didn't Jesus Take Care Of That?

Sometimes when studying a familiar passage in the Bible, I find that I have more questions than answers about something I thought I understood perfectly well. Such is the case with Philippians 2:12-13. Paul is writing to the Philippians to encourage them to be in unity as the Church; agreeing as servants of God for the sake of harmony and solidarity. The verses that are most widely associated with this Pauline letter are verses 12 and 13, in Chapter 2: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Now, if I was not a Christian, and was a critic of Christianity, I might wonder, "Why is Paul instructing Believers to work out their own salvation? I thought Christianity taught that Jesus was the Source and Power of man's salvation. And if He is the Son of God and full of love, why would Paul say to work it [salvation] out with "fear and trembling"? I always want to be prepared to defend why I believe the Bible, and so I often find myself anticipating these kinds of questions from those who are unfamiliar with the whole counsel of God, or doubt the importance of Scripture.

So, here's what I determined when researching these verses ... Paul is speaking to New Testament Christians who have 1) been faithful Jews and have come from their Old Testament understanding of what "salvation" means, OR ...  2) his audience is new Christians who have the same question that I posed in the title of this post: Why do I need to work out my own salvation, if I am to believe that Jesus paid the price for saving me from my sins? 

The first audience [steeped in Old Testament history and theology] would have understood the word salvation to be the Hebrew word, Yeshuw'ah, meaning "deliverance". Salvation to that audience would not have been understood as a salvation from sin, but rather as a broad-spectrum deliverance from things that came against mankind, such as distress, war, servitude, or enemies. This word, which denotes "deliverance", was generally used with God as the subject. He was the One who bestowed salvation [deliverance] upon someone. He was known as the salvation of His people; the One who came to their rescue and delivered them from their oppressors. [NOTE: Obviously, this was their view of the pre-incarnate and Old Testament God who would come as His Son, Jesus, to save the world from permanent separation from God]. To this audience, the worst reproach that could be made against a person was that God did not come to his rescue. 

The second audience of recently converted New Testament Christians would have understood the word salvation to be the Greek word, soteria, meaning "the spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately by God to those who accept His conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, in whom alone [salvation] is to be obtained". Since Paul has abandoned his Pharisaic persecution of Christians and is now preaching the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life that Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection provided for us, I think it is safe to say that this is the understanding of the word "salvation" that Paul would be teaching. He is preaching the Good News that Jesus's death and resurrection offers us the experience of God's power [in our lives] to deliver us from the bondage of sin! Furthermore, this understanding of salvation lets Believers be assured of being delivered from the wrath of God that is destined to be executed upon the ungodly at the end of this age; i.e., those who reject Jesus. 

We can comprehend the tension that would have existed over understanding that word, salvation. Religious Jews were being asked to accept a new paradigm of understanding God -- His rescue, deliverance, and protection had a greater meaning. It was no longer just a material/physical deliverance, but now extended to a covering of sin and the promise of an afterlife. Converted pagan believers were offered the same deliverance -- and both parties were eligible to be delivered from their sin (and the wrath of God) by believing that Jesus is Lord and the Son of God, and He was raised from the dead to Life Everlasting, making a way for us to follow.

So, that brings me back to the question that I'm sure has confused many people ... why does Paul tell us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling? Here is the simplest way I know to explain my understanding ... We must assume that all those Paul is talking to [including us] are those who have come to Christ. We know that Jesus, through obedience to the Father, has achieved the highest glory: Every spirit and knee will bow to His name, the Name above every name; Adonai, Master/Lord. And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father. 

Paul is now saying that Jesus has delivered/saved our spirits from the power of Satan; our spirits can live eternally in relationship with Jesus and the Father in Heaven. In this present age, with our power and authority of Christ in us, we must work out the deliverance/salvation of our bodies and soul [mind, free will, and emotions]. We must take hold of that power and authority [of Christ in us] to defeat all the evil ways in which the Enemy will try to destroy us in this world. Our spirits are saved for all eternity, but we still have physical lives to complete here on earth and the Enemy wants to convince us that what Jesus has done for us is a lie; that we must reject the false narrative of the Kingdom of God on earth and our identities as children of God.

We must understand the seriousness of what Satan intends to bring against this world to destroy the truth of God and to permanently establish his false and wicked design for mankind to worship him ... and with that realization, we know our spirits are secure with Jesus, but we recognize that our physical bodies and souls will be under attack; and that should make us aware [with fear and trembling] that we have a battle ahead of us. BUT, Paul doesn't leave us in that apprehensive state! 

He reminds us that because we are in Christ, we have God working in us; strengthening us, energizing us, creating supernatural abilities [and a longing in our souls] to fulfill the very purpose He sent our spirits to these earthly bodies. Satan wants to scare us and threaten us, but the power in us is greater than anything he can bring against us! Jesus has provided a way for our spirits to overcome this world and live eternally, and has left us with His power [in us] to defeat the tactics of the Enemy and achieve God's Master Plan for the Universe. So hold fast to these words of Life, and rejoice that you have been trusted to represent the Savior of this world and all worlds to come!  

1 Peter 5:8-10   Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.   Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

 

Our Future Depends On Our Understanding Of Covenant With God

 I believe that more and more Christians recognize that we are very near the Last Days, if we have not already entered them. Yet, I also perceive that many American Christians, are choosing to place their hope in what they understand to be a special covenant with God at the founding of our nation. This is largely based on the declaration of Reverend Robert Hunt, Chaplain of the expedition that founded Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. The expedition dedicated our country to the glory of God by planting a wooden cross in the sand, and praying: "We do hereby dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations, to take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, as long as this earth remains, and may this Land, [along with England], be Evangelist to the World. May all who see this cross remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled".

A most noble and God-honoring dedication it was, and like the covenant God made with Abraham, these first founders of our nation hoped for the same promises of a Land, descendants, and blessings. But I think it is important to understand that God's covenants are unilateral, not bilateral. In other words, covenants with God are not made between two equal parties, consisting of God and man. It is God who initiates a covenant, determines its elements [or components], and confirms His covenant with humanity. We are recipients of any covenant God might choose to make with us; we are not contributors or partners of the covenant. 

Man cannot simply declare a "Covenant of Dedication" with God and assume that God has established it. On the other hand, I do not doubt that God was pleased with such a Dedication and that as long as this nation remained faithful to such a declaration, that we might expect to retain the Land and receive His blessings. In that sense, we [the United States of America] must ask ourselves these questions regarding our self-proclaimed Covenant with God ... Does God ever abandon His covenants in the Bible? Does God provide for both blessings and curses within His covenants? And finally, is the current state of our nation because WE have abandoned our founding covenant? 

It is important to understand how the Bible presents covenant with God. In the Old Testament men "enter into" (Deuteronomy 29:12) or "join" (Jeremiah 50:5) God's covenant. They are to obey and "carefully observe" all the commandments of the covenant, and above all else "love the Lord thy God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and all their might". God's covenants were always a relationship of love and loyalty between the Lord and people He chose to represent Him. It is man's response to God's covenant grace and promises that contributes to the fulfillment of those covenants. We must understand that God not only makes/establishes and keeps the covenant, but man has responsibilities under that covenant.

So, what happens if we don't fulfill or carry out those responsibilities? If we don't follow His commands and principles; or if we follow after other gods; or we don't give Him all our love and loyalty? Does He simply forgive us and maintain the covenant? I maintain that this nation has failed Him on all those fronts. I am not condemning the faithful servants of the Lord who have remained in personal covenant with Him, but we must remember that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and what God has to say about the sin of a nation affects us all. 

In that vein, there are a couple of Old Testament Scriptures that we should keep in mind. We know that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments as precepts of blessing His covenant with the nation of Israel. But it didn't take long for them to break their vow to be obedient, which resulted in the curse of the covenant: And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you” (Exodus 32:9-10). Again, in Deuteronomy 28:58-64, God gives this stern warning: “If you are not careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord your God, then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting. And he will bring upon you again all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. Every sickness also and every affliction that is not recorded in the book of this law, the Lord will bring upon you, until you are destroyed. Whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God. And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it".

I know this is the God of the Old Testament, but it is the same God of the New Testament and I believe He views disloyalty and sin the same today as He always has. In Jeremiah 31, God announces that He will make a New Covenant “with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” Remember, it is important to recognize that this covenant is created directly with the people of Israel, not with people of all nations. Contrasted with the Mosaic covenant, this New Covenant will be “within them,” and God will write it “on their heart.” Therefore it is very significant for God's chosen people, Israel. Under this unconditional new covenant with Israel, there will not be a need to teach the Law, because each man will have the opportunity to know the Lord when he calls upon His Name, and He will forgive their sin.  

There are blessings and curses associated within the boundaries of His covenants. And we are "heirs" of the covenants God made with Abraham, Moses and David. We are partakers of this new covenant, with the opportunity to receive the blessings if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and the Messiah -- or we can expect judgment if we reject the conditions of the Covenant and the ways of the Lord. 

He hasn't changed how He views covenant, and whether we receive blessings or curses for being in covenant with Him, is dependent on us, not God. He is ALWAYS faithful to fulfill the promises of His covenant IF we remain in obedience. He never abandons the covenant, and we are only cursed if we abandon Him. It's been the same since the beginning of time and the Creation. He is a faithful God, but He is also a God of Judgment. He is willing to restore His covenant with us, if we are willing to repent and return to Him. Whether this nation remains under His protection and blessing depends on our renouncement of our sinful ways and a desire to return to the ways of the Lord. 

God has a plan for these Last Days. The plan has never changed. It is just as He stated in Jeremiah 29:11 ... He knows the plan He has for us -- all who have faith in His Son -- and it's a plan to see us in a state of peace and well-being -- and not in disaster. It's a plan to give us a future and hope. It's the covenant [agreement, contract, commitment, pledge, promise] He initiated when He created mankind. It's His desire to restore us to that dedication to glorify Him that was made on our shores 415 years ago. That's a very short time in the history of the world. I pray that we do not abandon the resolution of our ancestors to dedicate this Land to the Kingdom of God, for as long as the earth remains. Father, restore us to that solemn promise!

Psalm 105:8    He remembers His covenant forever, the word that He commanded, for a thousand generations

Jesus: Our Living Hope! Happy Resurrection Day!

I was saddened, but not surprised, to wake up this morning to the New York Times headline, "In This Time of War, I Propose We Give Up God". Of all mornings -- Resurrection Sunday -- this newspaper chooses to publish an op ed article disparaging the One who has never given up on us. 

Using the backdrop of the current war in Eastern Europe, the author [who self-identifies as a Jew] wants to blame the One True God of the Universe, and brand Him as hateful and brutal; even suggesting He should be labeled "a war criminal" for His part in allowing the suffering and oppression that is on display across the globe. The author states that we should stop trying to be like Him, and even goes so far as to suggest that we stop teaching our children about Him... they should "be as unlike him as possible". And then the article ends with this disgraceful statement, "Killing gods is an idea I can get behind".

First of all, I will pray for this person because I recognize the hopelessness that is in their heart, and the disillusionment they have experienced in their Jewish faith. I refuse to disparage anyone's faith -- unless it is rooted in Satan and his wickedness. But it grieves me when I see people express the emptiness they feel when they look upon Jesus. This day, of all days, speaks of the pain and agony He endured for our sake. It is a story of His horrific sacrificial death and His miraculous restoration to life, that He might sit at the right hand of Almighty God on His heavenly throne, interceding for us! And it is a gift to all who believe in Him; that we have the hope of eternal life with Him and the Father!

I am sorry that the writer and the paper chose today to publish this sad article. Today is so much more than a day spent in the midst of brightly colored eggs in foil-wrapped baskets, filled with chocolate bunny rabbits and stuffed animals. In fact, it is the one day that the entire foundation of our Christian faith rests upon. I would love to have a conversation with the disillusioned NYT writer. I would explain to Him that God has not "allowed" this war we are witnessing; or any other war in history. He does not use war to punish people, and this day does not honor Him as a warmonger. I would like to explain to the writer that humankind has an enemy that is not God. He name is Satan and it is he that comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  I want the writer to know and understand that it is Satan's actions that he [the writer] is attributing to God, who is the Most High among all the "little g" gods of the earth.

I would like the writer to know that, from the beginning of the Old Testament, the Godhead planned for Christ's birth, death, and resurrection. It was stated, "And I will put enmity (open hostility) between you and the woman, and between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, and you shall [only] bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15). I would instruct the writer that the word enmity means hostility, bad blood, hatred, malice, and is the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something... in other words, it describes WAR. 

Genesis 3:15 is the first prophecy about the Messiah (Christ), who through His death on the cross, and His resurrection, would ultimately defeat Satan, the power behind all that the writer hates in the brutality, oppression, brutality, and war that he wants to lay at the feet of God. So, I would like to invite him [or her] to do some research on the true oppressor of this conflict/war. For I will find my hope in my God; the One True God who chose to come to earth to save me from those who follow the Enemy. 

This won't be the last article calling for the death of the worship of God. Our Holy Book tells us so. And we, who celebrate the Resurrection of Yeshua Ha Mashiach today, know that hatred for Him will grow upon the earth. But we will endure and overcome as we weep over the wickedness in the world; struggle with our adversaries; minister to those who need hope in Him; and continue to find joy in the face of evil --- knowing that our Lord goes before us as we fulfill our assignments. Today is a day of eternal hope. No newspaper article will ever convince me to give up God. I pray that this writer has a supernatural encounter with Jesus which will find him writing an article of praise, reverence, and retraction. Let him see Your Truth, Lord! Happy Resurrection Day!

Romans 8:34   Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the One who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

The Importance Of Understanding Passover and Easter

 

As most of the Christian world prepares to celebrate Easter this weekend, I am excited to see more and more Christians in the Western Church acknowledge the Lord's Feast of Passover. According to the Messianic Sabbath website, the Feast of Passover begins at sundown this evening, April 14th. I would like to share with you why this Passover Festival should be important to you, as a Christian, and the significance the associated Feasts have with the crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord. Additionally, I want you to understand what YHWH says about these Feasts, and just how the Enemy has worked to corrupt the celebration by introducing pagan elements into the Christian religion.

We often hear the Spring Feasts of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits described as the "Feasts of the Jews". But these are not only Jewish Holy Days, but apply to all followers of YHWH. In fact, Leviticus 23 says, "These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies... they shall be a permanent statute, throughout your generations, wherever you shall be."  They are the Lord's Feasts! And they are to be celebrated for everyone who is the seed of Abraham. And if you are doubting that we are the seed of Abraham, then let me present Galatians 3:29 ... And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.

So, that is a very simple, but accurate, introduction to why Passover and the Lord's Spring Feasts have significance to Christians. Now, I'd like to quickly explain the meaning and sense of each of these Spring Feasts. and how they correspond with the Western Church's celebration of Easter.  

First of all, we need to comprehend how the dates of these feasts are determined. God calls the first day into existence in Genesis 1:5 ... And there was evening, and there was morning, the first day. So, on the Hebrew/Biblical calendar a day begins and ends at dusk. And God, instituted the new moon as appointed times to worship and make sacrifice for Him ... Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day (Psalm 81:3). So the Hebrew calendar is lunar-based and the dates for the Feasts are determined according to Leviticus 23, with the start of the Hebrew month on the new moon as it would be seen from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This year that date is at dusk on April 14th.

The eight days that make up the Festival of Passover are actually recorded in Exodus, Chapter 12. Here we find three separate Feasts, all under the umbrella of "the Feast of Passover". The first day of the Festival, and the first of the Feasts, is called Pesach, which means "spare" or "exempt" in Hebrew, and which our English Bibles translate as "pass over".  Therefore, it has become known as the Feast of Passover in our time. It is the foundation of all three Feasts, and commemorates the Lord's direction to the Israelites to sacrifice an unblemished and spotless lamb, applying it's blood to the side doorposts and top lentil of each home. [It is important to note, that this application made the motion of the Cross]. The Lord promised to pass over homes where the blood of the lamb had been applied.  The lambs were the substitutes for the people, sparing them [and saving them] from death and judgment by the Lord.

For us Christians, who are Abraham's seed of the New Covenant, the Feast of Passover is a call to remember the Redemption we have received through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.  He is our Passover who takes away the sin of the world.  We are redeemed with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Just as the first Passover proved to be the Power of God to release the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, Jesus is the Power of God to release us from the penalty of our sin into Repentance, His love, Life, Freedom, Liberty, AND into the Kingdom of God as Kingdom citizens. Jesus IS the manifestation of the Passover Lamb, and He was crucified on the Feast of Passover. 

The second feast of the Passover Festival is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts seven days, from the evening of April 15th until the evening of April 22nd.  Historically, it is a call to remember the quick exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites were instructed to make bread without leaven (yeast) because they didn't have time to wait for it to rise. In addition, yeast, or leaven, in the Bible always referred to any corrupting influence (sin) in the nation of Israel.  In this instance, God was telling them to leave behind the unholy influences of Egypt -- the worship of false Egyptian gods, and the rituals and traditions that had corrupted Israel's relationship with their God during their 430 years of captivity.  

For today's Christian, this time is a Call to Purity, to an "Unleavened" life.  Jesus knew no sin, nor was any deceit found in Him.  He was unblemished and spotless.  He was made sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him.  As we reflect on how Jesus has delivered us from sin, we can ask His help in removing any leaven from our life that is separating us from Him and ask Him to reconnect us back to our original relationship with God!

The third feast of this Holy Festival is the Feast of Firstfruits.  This feast occurs during the week of Unleavened Bread on the Sabbath after Passover.  In the Old Covenant, it acknowledged the Lord as the giver of the harvest, and commemorated Adam's son, Abel, bringing the first of his flock as an offering to the Lord. This Feast speaks volumes of Christ as the first of God's Harvest of souls and is a shadow of what Christ has done and the promises He has yet to do. And here is why it is important to Christians -- Jesus's resurrection occurred on the very day of the celebration of the Feast of First Fruits!  He is the offering presented to the Heavenly Father as the first fruit of the harvest of souls.  But just as important, He is the guarantee that more resurrections will follow.  In His first fruits offering, we see the blessing and the setting apart [or sanctifying] of the entire harvest to the Father, and a preview of what the resurrection will be like for every Believer.  Because He overcame death and lives today, every born-again follower of Christ is connected to Him and His power!

And now, I come to what may be the most difficult part of this post for you to understand... God did not appoint a celebration of a Holy Day called Easter! I know this will offend many religious Christians, but the only version of the Bible where I could find the word "Easter" mentioned is in Acts 12:1-5 of the King James Bible. Here is an important truth that the modern Church needs to understand ... the word Easter is never biblically associated with the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Read Matthew 26-28 and the account of the betrayal of Jesus, His death and resurrection, and you will find the references to the Passover week. He is crucified, buried, and raised from the dead during those Holy Feast days, and the Feasts are mentioned ... not Easter! 

So, how did the Western Church come to associate this unbiblical holiday with our Lord's death and resurrection?  Enter Roman Emperor Constantine, who sought to strengthen his empire by professing a conversion to Christianity. At the time, his empire was divided between Pagans and Believers. Before his supposed conversion, Emperor Constantine -- like many pagans -- celebrated various pagan gods.  These pagan religions often centered around moon goddesses and sun gods.  "Ishtar", which is another pagan name for  "Easter", was a day that commemorated the resurrection of one of their gods that they called "Tammuz", who was believed to be the only begotten son of the moon-goddess and the sun-god.    

In 325 A.D., Emperor Constantine, at the Nicean Council, ordered all Churches to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday, named for the Goddess of Spring [and moon] and his pagan Sun god. The early Church had celebrated the Resurrection during the Passover, beginning on the 14th day of the Hebrew month called Nisan, which could fall on any day of the week.  But the Churches near Rome had abandoned the practice because they hated the Jews, blaming them for the death of Jesus, so they fixed the date to the first Sunday after the first full moon of Spring, which coincided with the ancient Roman celebration called ‘Easter’, after the pagan goddess of Spring, Eostre, who was also known as Ishtar, Astarte, Ashtaroth, the Queen of Heaven, and Mother Nature. Constantine saw how his newfound faith could be united with his old pagan ways to unite his Empire. He couldn’t force pagans to believe in his new faith, but he could entice them by incorporating some familiar pagan themes, such as the goddess, Eostre/Easter, herself, seen as a goddess of fertility. [This is where we get Easter eggs from and the symbol of the Easter bunny, which is also a symbol of fertility].  He could replace the Feasts of the Lord, which were practiced by the Hebrew Believers, with familiar "sunrise" services and worship centered around the Spring Equinox.

As I said earlier, during the first couple hundred years of the Early Church, believers followed the Jewish traditions of the Lord's Feasts.  But Constantine's Satan-induced hatred of the Jews caused the Jewish influence (in the form of the Feasts) to be erased from the Church.  Here is a direct quote from Constantine himself:   “And truly, in the first place, it seems to everyone a most unworthy thing that we should follow the customs of the Jews in the celebration of this most holy solemnity, who, polluted wretches! having stained their hands with a nefarious crime, are justly blinded in their minds. It is fit, therefore, that rejecting the practice of this people, we should perpetuate to all future ages the celebration of this rite, in a more legitimate order, which we have kept from the first day of our "Lord's" passion even to the present times. Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews.” (Council of Nicea, pg. 52.)

 The consequences of this hostility towards the Jews has meant that nearly 2000 years after its establishment, the Church has lost the truth about God's commandments as to how we are to celebrate His Son's resurrection.  But, thankfully, in this dawning of the Last Days, we have received Divine revelation, and are returning to the roots of our faith; celebrating the First Coming of our Lord, by observing His Feasts according to His calendar; the same calendar He gave to Moses.

Nearly 1400 years after the Exodus, the Roman government crucified Jesus, or Yeshua, on God's commanded Feast of Passover, and He became our sacrificial Passover Lamb.  By His blood, that covers us, we are saved from Death.  For over a thousand years, families had selected Passover lambs on the 10th day of Nisan, and observed them for 4 days before Passover.  On Nisan 10, the day they selected their lambs, Yeshua entered Jerusalem to the shouts of the multitudes, as they cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9).  They saw Him as their conquering King of Israel; not as the Sacrificial Lamb. 

On the Morning of Nisan 14, which is Passover Preparation Day, Jews rushed their lambs to Jerusalem.  That same morning, the High Priest Caiaphas rushed to condemn Yeshua.  He was a Sadducee who denied the resurrection, and hated Jesus for teaching it.  He led other Sadducees in the Sanhedrin to convict Yeshua to death.  Yeshua was nailed to the cross at 9 a.m., at the time of the morning sacrifice and prayers at the Temple.

That afternoon, shortly before Yeshua died, priests blew the shofar, which signaled the opening of the Temple gates when men flooded into the courtyards to slaughter their Passover lambs.  As they hung their lambs on hooks with forearms spread for skinning and cleaning, Yeshua was hanging on the Cross in the same pose.  He died at 3 p.m., the time of the evening sacrifice and prayers.  

The blood of slaughtered lambs covered doorposts in ancient Egypt.  That was a picture of the Messiah ... He was a lamb led to slaughter ... He was the Lamb of God ... He was a Lamb without blemish (free of sin) ... He is the slain Lamb on the Throne ... He is the Lamb whose blood overcomes Satan and He died for the sins of the world. 

So, as you can see, through His commandments to observe His Feast Days, God gave us an exact picture of His plan to redeem mankind.  The Feast Days of Passover week point us to the First Coming of Christ in a very specific way that a holiday named Easter -- with its pagan roots -- can never do. And if you are saying to yourself, "But, that's not what Easter means to me ... I recognize the sacrifice that Jesus made for me". But what does it mean to God when He knows the origins and symbols of Easter?  I invite you to consider what the Lord says in Amos 5:21: I hate, I despise and reject your (sacred) feasts, and I do not take delight in your solemn assemblies.

 Just as the blood of Passover lambs in ancient Egypt covered the doorposts, the blood of the Messiah, our Passover Lamb, covers our hearts.  The Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt on these very days, just as we are delivered from slavery to sin! And Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected on these specific days.  That's why, beginning tonight at sundown, and for the next 8 days, I will be celebrating my freedom from sin's hold on me -- my victory in Yeshua -- and celebrating the hope that is my resurrection. 

1 Corinthians 5:7    Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

 

How Are We To Understand Biblical Revival?

I have written on the subject of "revival in the land" many times, and I will admit it is always a struggle. It is a struggle because I want to pray for it and receive it from God's perspective and not man's. And therefore lies the challenge in my spirit. Because Revival often has the appearance of being one of the "buzzwords" among this generation of Christians, -- Kingdom and Ekklesia being others -- my spirit is unsettled as whether the proclamations of today's prophets that "revival is here" is true or not.

How, as Christians, do we define "revival"? If we say our self-proclaimed revival is real, does it meet God's standards, and is it Biblically verifiable? Please understand -- these are very real questions that I have. I am not coming from a "religious" spirit or mindset. I am highly sensitive to how man has corrupted the teachings of the Bible, and history has proven that we Christians can supplant [supersede and replace] God's meaning with our own self-serving interpretation. I want nothing more than to see the world revived and restored to their first love for Christ; to see a spiritual reawakening and evidence of the fruit of righteousness and God's ways in the lives of believers. But my questions include these ... Who is the Source for revival -- God or man? How does the Bible portray true revival?

I want to begin by saying I don't have the definitive answer; I just know that I am seeking God's perspective on revival, and in light of our modern Christian decrees for such, I am experiencing a conflict in my spirit that I have yet to resolve. You see, if I understand it correctly, what I hear today's most vocal and recognized pastors and "prophets" saying is this: Revival happens when "the Church" awakens from a spiritual dormancy to a new and revived love of God and His Word; we are convicted of our sin and come before the Lord in repentance and with a zeal to spread the Gospel of Salvation to the world. We become active in declaring our victory over the Enemy by our faith in the Blood and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We preach and proclaim our hope in Eternal Life and our inheritance in Heaven, which will witness to the spiritually blind and deaf, creating a hunger for the joy and peace that are evidenced in our lives. The world will awaken to the truth of our testimony and Revival will sweep the land. Please forgive me if what I have described varies from your understanding, but this is what my spirit hears when Christian Revival is spoken about.

But what of Biblical Revival? Is it different? How does God define Revival? I want to be clear... much of what I describe above is also evidence of what the Bible shows as "revival" in the lives of God's people. The clearest example for me of Biblical restoration and revival is found in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Bible. Both men -- Nehemiah, as Governor of the exiles returning from Babylon, and Ezra, the scribe of Moses's Law from God -- confessed the unfaithfulness of the leaders and people of Judah, and the breaking of their covenant with YHWH. They confessed the sins of the nation and repented of their rebellion and wickedness. They recognized God's patience and forbearing, and His many warnings until He handed them over to their captors. They prayed for forgiveness and restoration/revival of their love for God and obedience to His ways. And Nehemiah professed the truth that God was just and righteous in everything He brought against them; that He had dealt with them faithfully, while they had acted wickedly (Nehemiah 9:33). The people wept for their abandonment of the Law and their covenant with their God.

So the people rededicated themselves to a new covenant with YHWH, committing to a signed document detailing their return to the ways of God; His commandments and statutes. They dedicated the Wall of Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple, restored the tithes and the Sabbath. And they were reconciled with God. There are many today who are praying fervently for that same reconciliation with God and revival of faith in our nation. But are we taking the concrete [tangible and visible] steps that signal a return to the ways of the Lord? Or has Revival become more of an emotional and often-times temporary experience, failing to yield any lasting long-term evidence of God's involvement?

I ask this question because there was one thing I noticed in re-reading the accounts of Nehemiah and Ezra. In the first chapter of Ezra, the Bible states that "the Lord stirred up (put in motion) the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia", to write a proclamation that allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, thereby launching the opportunity for the Jews to once more seek Him and His righteousness in how they lived their lives and conducted their government. In other words, the living God sovereignly and powerfully broke into human history with an action that resulted in people being convicted of their sin, and a recovery of Biblical truth that embraced His moral laws, and re-established His Word as the central and absolute authority over all of life's existence. Is that how we understand and promote Revival in the 21st Century? Or has that word become just another "feel good" general truth that we tell ourselves when we gather large groups of Christians together to praise and worship and speak "Revival" as a desired result of our fervor and zeal?

Are we demanding of our civil, as well as religious institutions, to establish the Word of God as the central tenet by which this nation will govern itself and our individual lives? Too many of our churches look like the world, instead of representing the holiness of God. It is also not enough to declare that America "made a covenant with God at the founding of this country", if like the ancient nation of Judah, we have torn that covenant asunder with our arrogance, wickedness, rebellion, and following after the desires of our own heart! God did not abandon us -- the nation of America abandoned God! We cannot expect our nation to be excused of the blasphemous and heinous corruption and abandonment of God's Word, if the same God did not excuse His chosen people, the nations of Israel and Judah. In fact, we resemble Babylon more than we do the repentant Jews who returned to Jerusalem from that adulterous nation. 

Believe me, I passionately desire Revival in the United States! But to be true and absolute Revival, it must be more than an emotional human response to the acknowledgement of our sin and rejection of God's authority in our lives. We cannot plan and orchestrate revival. It begins with an action from God! So, I will be praying for God to break into our world with a manifest [and physical] display of His Presence that convicts the hearts of people to genuine repentance; a turning away from their selfish ambition to show evidence that they are true and obedient followers of Christ. 

After all, the perfect example of God breaking into the world [and the greatest revival ever] was the coming of our Savior. And it happened in a manger in the backwater village of Bethlehem. It was also at a dark and hopeless time in history. I think we can agree that this time also qualifies for such an initiation of revival and God's sovereign action. Throughout the Bible's history, God has used a willing, righteous, and obedient remnant. I believe such a remnant exists today, and why I believe revival in the individual life is so important and necessary to defeat Evil in our day. Finally, I know this remnant has been set apart to God, filled with His Spirit, and preparing for the return of our Lord and Savior. Therefore, I am not expecting a raucous, explosive expression of worldwide revival, but rather a quiet, yet powerful fear of the Lord, experienced as the irresistible presence of God that sweeps through the faithful remnant, who will then carry it to the masses. May we all soon have that spiritual sense that God was in this place, and we have received a divine visitation!

Habakkuk 3:2     O Lord, I have heard the report of You, and Your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

 

The Importance of Hosting the Presence of The Holy Spirit In These Last Days

A very good friend reminded me of the excellent video by Bill Johnson, titled "The Holy Spirit Is In You". I heard this video when it first came out, about 6 years ago, and it was perfect timing then, and is still as relevant today. Mark and I had just been activated in our anointing to partner with Jesus in an Inner Healing Ministry, and it was so important that we understand how pivotal the role of the Holy Spirit would be in our ability to carry out our assignment from the Lord.

First of all, let me tell you that I had no prior grasp or comprehension of needing a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Throughout my conventional Church experience, I only heard about praying to Jesus or God; rarely hearing about seeking a relationship with them, let alone being taught that they desired it! What I heard from the pulpit [or Sunday School class] was usually all about asking for what God or Jesus could do for me. But when the Lord arranged for me to to have the opportunity to accept an assignment to work with Him to "set the captives free", I was introduced to the Person of the Holy Spirit, who enhanced my relationship with God [in all His fullness] and beyond measure!

And now, six years later, I am so glad to rediscover the important messages of that video. I want to share what I have learned about stewarding and manifesting the presence of the Holy Spirit, and I want to encourage everyone to pursue it. I will begin by saying that what I am going to write is my own understanding of Biblical precepts, and I do not expect everyone to agree with me. But I believe I have been shown a legitimate facet of God's Truth. I do not propose that I have complete knowledge on the subject, but I am willing to state that I believe this is what God has shown me and spoken to my spirit. 

So, let me begin by saying that, as Believers, my husband and I regard the stewardship and manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit as a sacred responsibility. In calling us to His service in His Inner Healing ministry, God has given us a special assignment to be good stewards of the power of the Holy Spirit in us by overseeing and dispensing that power in accordance with His desires for the lives of others. We are to be a picture of what it is to partner with the Father to see His love, mercy, compassion and grace to defeat the strategies of the devil to kill, steal and destroy lives -- just as Jesus did! 

And I'm going to borrow from that Bill Johnson video by agreeing that God loves to see "private victories in secret places". That is the perfect description of my experience during an Inner Sealing session with a person, as I see the presence of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit revealed in what can only be described as a supernatural encounter. There is a spiritual occurrence/experience of the Presence and the Power, which are openly evident [and visible] as the Beloved encounters the manifestation of the Savior and the Comforter in their life. And it is that much more precious when it is a "private victory in the secret places" of those lives. The power of the Presence of the Holy Spirit does not have to be "for the world". By that, I mean that it is not necessary that it be declared to all the world to prove that we are good stewards of what He has assigned us. We do not need to draw attention to our stewardship ... whether it be in giving to the needy, in demonstrating how fervently we pray or worship, or when partnering with Jesus to bring His victory and healing to a wounded soul or spirit. That is not to say that public worship and prayer are wrong! God loves to be glorified!

But I believe the Father knows the true intentions and motivations of our heart, and He is more pleased when we do what Jesus did. Yes, He spoke to thousands at the Sermon on the Mount, and to crowds in every city as He traveled throughout Galilee and Judea. But I believe we have lost the recognition that Jesus also focused on personal revival in the lives of individuals. And that is how I believe the "revival" the Church is prophesying in these Last Days will be accomplished. I am more interested in stewarding revival in individual lives, by introducing people to the saving power of Jesus Christ and the power of the presence of the Holy Spirit in them. Once they submit and surrender to that consuming fire, they are a force to be reckoned with on this earth, and God will equip them to share and spread that manifestation "as they go".

I do not believe Global Revival will happen by the Holy Spirit using His power to make it happen. It will be individuals stewarding His power [in them] by being willing to step into that power they possess and having an effect in the world. I do not believe it is the Holy Spirit's role to respond to our prayers by changing the world for us! That is not properly using our stewardship! 

I will admit that I spent many years in my faith not understanding [or stewarding] the importance of hosting the Holy Spirit. It wasn't until I surrendered to the fullness of the Godhead [Father, Son and Holy Spirit] that I understood what hosting the Spirit was all about. I had to learn how to express His power in me to affect personal revival in the lives of those who came to our ministry for Inner Healing. I knew it wasn't me who could impact a change in lives, but the power of the Holy Spirit in me who could touch and heal a broken heart, wounded soul, or tormented spirit. It is He who transforms a life; changes someone's perspective to what the Father desires; and creates in someone a new birth and a new heart. I am just a caretaker and steward of His ministry to God's beloved. 

But we MUST be willing to accept that stewardship and take its responsibilities seriously. We must not quench or grieve the Holy Spirit! In today's world, not quenching the Spirit takes boldness. Because of our inclination towards "political correctness" and the advent of the "cancel culture", many Christians are unwilling to stand up for Biblical principles or God's truth because of the backlash that comes with it. I remember the first time the Holy Spirit prompted me to say something in a Bible study that I knew would cause conflict. I tried to bargain with Him that He would not want me to be divisive, but I clearly heard in my spirit, "I want them to know this Truth! Do not quench the Truth"! And I believe that because I was bold enough to declare His message to the group, that God determined I could be trusted with His Word and He moved me further into my assignment.

And I have to say that I identify with what the Holy Spirit feels when He is grieved. When I see the sin in a person's life [whether self-inflicted or imposed upon them by the sins of another], I am saddened to see God's purpose in [and for] their life stifled. And now, more than ever, as we see the character of the world deteriorating, it is important that Christians understand the importance of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He is not to be put on display as a spectacle or a distraction; or for self-aggrandizement (promoting oneself as being powerful or important). We need the Holy Spirit in the world right now to counter the growing evil of the Enemy, and to comfort us; to counsel, convict, guide, and empower us to overcome and endure. And we must manifest [demonstrate] His Power in us to the rest of the world, so that as many as possible can be Saved, Empowered, and Transferred into the Kingdom of God! He makes possible what the world wants to convince us is impossible! Whatever it is that God has called you to in this life, you can not do it without the Holy Spirit. May His Presence be a growing reality in the lives of all who call themselves Christians! It's is time to host His power in our lives -- the rest of the world needs to see Him in us!

Acts 1:8    But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.

The Words of Jeremiah Are For The Ages

"For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you," says the Lord, "plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope... I will be found by you, "says the Lord, "and I will restore your fortunes and I will free you..".  This is the familiar Scripture, Jeremiah 29:11 and 14; favorites of mine. In context, Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites and telling them that the "plan" is that they are about to go into captivity for 70 years, but God will not abandon them.  There is hope for restoration. Jeremiah is calling out the false prophets who are proclaiming that everything is OK, and telling the Israelites they will not be taken to Babylon.  Through Jeremiah, God tells them "don't believe the lies." Jeremiah has the unpleasant task of warning the people of the coming judgment from the Lord due to their rebelliousness and wickedness. But the Lord also tells him to speak to the people, reassuring them that when the captivity is over, the Lord will restore them and bring them back to Jerusalem. They will seek Him with all their hearts and He will be found by them.

In the middle of sleepless nights, I hear my Lord and Savior encouraging me; telling me that whatever is going to happen in the coming difficulties; He has a plan.  He is sovereign in my circumstances, and if I seek Him with all my heart, He will listen and I will find Him.  My future abides in Him. 

I wrote the above in 2011, but I could have just as easily written it today. I know I have said it many times before, but there have been days in the intervening years that I have identified with Jeremiah. No, not as a prophet. I believe that only Jesus can assign that office. But I have cried out to Him, because my spirit has sensed that we have been lied to by our politicians and our own false prophets. EVERYTHING IS NOT OK! I do not believe God is pleased with the state of the world, the Church, or many people who call themselves Christians. At the same time, I know He has not abandoned us, and His covenant promises of victory in Christ remain intact. But I do not want to see my fellow believers fall prey to the false hope that is being delivered by self-appointed prophets, and become devastated when we enter into our own captivity.

Just as in Jeremiah's day, present-day believers proclaim, "The Lord has raised up prophets for us". And these modern "prophets" speak of "Kingdom" and "Revival" and "Restoration"; all praiseworthy tenets of God's promises. But are they speaking the whole truth of what  God is revealing to us in these days? How can one point the Body of Christ to Revival and Restoration without warning that both are in jeopardy because of our idolatry of [and seduction by] the false gods of ecumenicalism, self-promotion, and a counterfeit "feeling" religion? It's as if what the Bible tells us is going to happen before Christ returns is just a story written for another time; it doesn't really pertain to us. If we just keep using the buzzwords "Kingdom","Revival", and "Restoration", we can pretend that what the Word says is not meant for us, after all!

So, instead, we will choose to believe that Jeremiah 29:11 and God's promises of peace, hope, and a future are meant for us, but choose to ignore that what He says just six verses later could also be a warning meant for us ... "Behold (listen very carefully), I am sending the sword, famine, and virulent disease (pestilence) on them, and I will make them like rotten figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with virulent disease; and I will make them a terror (warning) to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, a horror, a hissing, and a disgrace among all the nations to which I have driven them, because they have not listened to and honored My words...".

Our God is the same God today as He was when He spoke those words to Jeremiah over 2500 years ago. His Nature, His Character, and His promises have not changed. Look around; really pay attention! The sword of war is upon the earth, and our nation is in the cross-hairs. We have already suffered through a traumatic season of virulent disease, and every prognosticator on the earth is warning of global famine. It is a very real possibility in the coming year! And lest you hear the lie that this Word from God was meant for ancient Judah in the Old Testament and was spoken under the old covenant, and it is said [again] that we are meant to experience Kingdom, Revival, and Restoration, I would ask that you hear the Word of Jesus in the New Testament and His foretelling of our future under the New Covenant ...

In response to the Disciples question of how we would know the time was near for Him to return, Jesus said, "Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error]. For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble]".

But people are frightened when they hear these warnings, and they do not want to receive them; rather, they prefer what tickles their ears and makes them feel better. Those that declare themselves to be modern-day prophets, speaking only words of Hope in the return of Jesus and our victory, may not call themselves Christ or the Messiah, but they will declare themselves anointed. By whom? By the Lord? ... Or other men? Jesus, Himself, says there will be wars, famines, pestilence and "intolerable anguish and unprecedented trouble" [including persecution] before He returns. Just this week, Newsweek reported that a member of Finland's Parliament, and a Finnish Lutheran Bishop were charged with a Hate Speech crime for quoting from Romans in their defense of Biblical marriage. But the Helsinki District Court dropped the charges and determined it wasn't their job to "interpret Biblical concepts". But that's how dangerously close we are to religious persecution becoming a global entitlement. And do not think that our Constitutional right to free speech will be a safeguard when that anti-Christian agenda is whipped into a frenzy. 

The times that we are living in are just as precarious as the times of Jeremiah. We have entered into a 21st Century version of captivity in Babylon that is no different than the ancient nation of Judah's experience. The question remains if God is going to turn this nation over to its captors for a time of judgment for abandoning Him and prostituting the blessings that He bestowed on this land. Make no mistake, I believe He has not abandoned us, nor will He turn His back on His remnant, anymore than He abandoned the exiles who would return to Jerusalem from their Babylonian captivity and restore the Temple of Jehovah. But, now WE ARE the temple! And God will restore His righteous remnant in these last days! That is our hope and our future! But WE MUST NOT BE UNPREPARED for God's judgment against those [in the nation and the Church] who misled, corrupted, and compromised His holy commandments. 

If we are truly His people, we see and understand His whole counsel. And we will be united and stand strong through both the judgment and the restoration. So, I encourage you to read the Book of Jeremiah. Let the words of long ago feed your soul and spirit with the horror of our offenses against the God of the Universe. But let the ancient words also encourage and comfort you as we await our redemption and our restoration to holiness. We have never been promised that we would escape troubles, persecution, or even death. What we have been promised is a glorious inheritance in Heaven where we will be united with Jesus, and we will rule and reign with Him after He has defeated Evil on the earth. That is the hope and the future that I look forward to! Whatever I have to endure until then will be done through His strength in me, and with praise of Him on my lips. I know that He loves His own with an everlasting love, and He will continue His faithfulness to us until the day we stand in His presence. That is the hope that we can all believe in!

1 Corinthians 14:3     On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.