Silence in the Face of Evil

The title for this blog post came from a conversation I recently had with my husband concerning our ongoing frustration with who I can best describe as "cultural Christians". These would be people who believe in the atoning death of Jesus Christ and tend to play it safe in their faith. The reality of the cost of discipleship does not seem to factor into their faith. They love Jesus, go to church on Sundays, attend every social event with their "church family", and self-identify as a follower of Christ. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that! But when we, as human beings, find ourselves in the midst of growing evil and lawlessness, we cannot remain silent in the face of such obvious sin.

The truth is, the American Church has remained silent for far too long. And that is not the role, the purpose, nor the function for which it was designed. We represent God in our culture and in our nation! When we don't recognize [and call out] evil; or choose to ignore it because it makes us uncomfortable or doesn't fit the paradigm we've adopted; or we fear reprisal by our fellow man, then we allow evil to continue and flourish. And before we know it, our moral culture has changed and we find ourselves asking the question, "How did we get here?"

But we have no excuse. As the representatives for God and His standards in the world, it is our duty and responsibility to respond to evil in the manner that God desires and instructs. But for some in this current culture, evil has become entertainment, and therefore tolerated. Just turn on the TV or scroll the internet -- it's on the nightly news and in our movie theaters -- evil is everywhere! So much so, that we have become numb to it and accepting of it [especially among our younger generations]. As Christians, we are to have nothing to do with evil, and that means being intolerant of it. But far too many people interpret that as meaning we try to be righteous and live sinless lives as much as possible. Add to that the reality that in this Age the Church preaches grace and love, so our response to evil is tepid at best. Talk of God's victory in defeating Evil overrides any discussion of His righteous judgment against the Christian who remains silent in the face of it.  Plus, we are told that the Church shouldn't "get political", so we are discouraged from directing any criticism towards those who govern over us. But is that God's way? 

Remember, evil is not new. It has existed since the Garden. It has occurred throughout history and in our own nation. Our land has known attacks from foreign enemies [which has led to war], as well as seeing brother fighting against brother a century and a half ago. Our nation has seen how the Enemy convinces man to enslave his fellow man. And the world has seen what keeping silent looks like in the concentration camps of Europe. In this modern era in America, we have more than enough sin to repent for ... the bondage of the poverty-stricken to a welfare system that has kept them enslaved for generations; the sacrifice of millions of babies on the altar of abortion; the profiteering by politicians who get wealthy on the backs of their constituents; and the consignment of our children's minds and futures to an education system becoming increasingly consumed by indoctrination that goes against Christian principles and encourages alienation against parents. What would it look like if the Church warned our fellow countrymen of the consequences of those sins? Has the fact that the Church has tolerated these sins contributed to their proliferation?

Notice that I highlighted the word "repent" in the previous paragraph. It is my hope that I am able to convey my deepest thoughts here. What I want to try and express is this: Yes, God wants us to know how much He loves us and to know our ultimate victory in this life against Death. But His focus is also on Sin. And He wants us to be aware of not only our sin, but the sins of the people and our nation. When Jesus says in Mark 1:15, The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Good News of the Kingdom, He is not only announcing that the Kingdom of God is now available on the earth, but He is preparing the elect for their spiritual responsibilities now [and in the future] and the final fulfillment of the Kingdom at the end of the Age. 

And repentance is more than just "to change" or "to turn", but to see the state of the world from God's perspective. God is concerned with Sin and seeing mankind transformed from a life of sin to a life that represents His standards in Heaven. Repentance is being so stricken by the sin we see in the world that we are willing to take action to rectify it and call it out. Has the Church done that? If you can say yes, then I would suggest that we haven't done a very good job of it. And are we aware that God will judge us for our lack of "follow through" in our responsibilities? We have been blessed to live in a nation that has been prosperous and free. But that prosperity and freedom does not absolve us of our instructions from God to rid ourselves of sin. We must not continue to reside in our own inordinate pride and achievements at the cost of watching our nation slide into the increasing sin to which we have become numb. 

I'd like to conclude with a quote from Elizabeth Schmitz, a theologian in Nazi Germany, who confronted the passivity of the German Church during that nation's most sinful crimes. Schmitz's theology was simple and practical: "For the church, this is not about a tragedy taking place, but rather about our nation’s sin and, since we are members of this nation and accountable before God for this nation of ours, [it is] about our sin." Yes, we ARE accountable before God for our nation's sin. And the Church must now make a decision... is it going to continue to remain silent in the face of sin and evil while continuing to sing forth in jubilant praise of Jesus's return and victory? Or are we, the Church, going to speak out in our authority and purpose to warn the nation that God will not hesitate to judge us for squandering the favor and blessings He has bestowed upon us? Do we understand that God will not hold us guiltless? 

It's hard to look at ourselves in the mirror, but perhaps it's time to lift that false mask we've been presenting to the world and each other and face the cold, hard truth of that word we don't like to acknowledge ... our SIN!

#Evil #ChristianResponsibility #Sin #Silenceinthefaceofevil

James 4:17     As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, IS evil.     

 

What Is The Level of Your Faithfulness?

 

I have previously shared my testimony of walking in the wilderness and what it was like to have my faith tested. So, it was with much interest that I ran across an article from Open Doors USA about the testimony of a Christian pastor held in a Turkish prison and experiencing the silence of God. In case you are unfamiliar with this organization, Open Doors USA seeks to strengthen and encourage Christians throughout the world who find themselves in danger because of their faith in Jesus. Pastor Andrew Brunson had been a pastor of a small Christian Church in Turkey for 25 years when he found himself serving a sentence for espionage and terrorism, which would result in him spending two years in a Turkish prison cell -- 735 days to be exact.

 Pastor Brunson is candid in his admission that those two years were difficult because he did not feel the presence of God, and it resulted in a season of testing for his faith. In his interview, he reveals, "I was the only Christian in prison, and the only Christian I had any contact with throughout my two years was Norine [his wife]. So I was very alone, isolated in my faith. I prayed for peace so much. I did not feel much peace. Grace was taking me through, but finding strength, determination, peace and joy was actually much more difficult than I expected. So I didn’t feel people praying for me. I had grace, but it was an unfelt grace. My first year in prison, I broke repeatedly."

Many of us can identify with what it looks like and feels like when we've been broken before God. And many times, we, too, experience the silence and what we think is the absence of God. When asked what he learned through this season, Pastor Brunson responded, "There are actually a number of things that came out of my imprisonment in my own heart. Even though it was two years of the silence of God, I came out with a different intimacy, more confidence in my relationship with Him, which comes from having been tested and proving myself. It’s the difference between a soldier who has been trained and has skills, and one who has the same training and skills but has also been in battle."

That last thought, my friends, is at the heart of this post. As my husband and I enter into another year of our unique ministry of Inner Healing, I am increasingly aware of the difference in the faith of a Christian after they have received Inner Healing from Christ. Each one comes to our table, where they have an opportunity to meet with Christ; where He prepares a table [meal] for them in the presence of their enemies, just as David states in Psalm 23. And when they feast on His power to overcome the strategies of the Enemy in their lives; feast on His authority, love and righteousness, they leave a different kind of Christian -- one that truly knows what deep level faith is and how to walk in it. It's as if everything before was experienced through the doctrines and teachings of the Church, but when they experience what Jesus did while on assignment on earth -- hearing and seeing what the Father's will was for them -- those doctrines and teachings pale in comparison to a new level of real spiritual knowledge and awareness, gained through witnessing Jesus's presence [in the spirit] throughout their lives. No one can remain the same after that upgrade in your faith!

Pastor Brunson stated that his time in that prison was a test of his faith and he believes it is stronger today because his faith was tested and he learned what true perseverance was. Before prison, he knew his faith was strong, but until it was tested in the midst of God's silence, he had no proof of the strength of his faithfulness. He hadn't proven it to himself. For my husband and myself, we see that the Beloved's that come for ministry are also able to understand how they've been tested when we can show them the strategies of the devil to keep them from their purpose in this life. They can understand things about their relationship with God that they weren't able to recognize before. They can see that God hasn't abandoned them or forgotten about them; they can finally see that God didn't "allow" the bad things to happen, but that they have an enemy that comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and that when free will is exercised by themselves [or others against them], that IT IS NOT GOD'S WILL FOR THEM! 

Like Pastor Brunson, we can move into a more intimate, strengthened faith with God when we see the truth that God sent us to this earth with an assignment to advance His Kingdom on the planet, and it has been the devil's plan to keep us from that assignment by bringing sin into our lives. And that sin has kept us in bondage to the lies of the devil until the very moment when we have the opportunity to receive the truth from Jesus's own lips! We can cast away the shame, guilt, rejection, anger, unworthiness and whatever other demon spirit the devil has attached to us, and step into a new identity, washed in the blood of Jesus! 

As I've so often said, this life is a journey to become more like Jesus. Each of us has a purpose and an assignment, and we should expect the enemy of God to try to detour us from the path God has written in our Book of Life. After all, didn't Satan do the same thing to Jesus? Our journey is an opportunity to persevere and overcome the attacks from our adversary, and when the testing of our faith comes -- and it will come -- we can choose to rebuild and restore our faith to new levels; and we can form new perspectives about who we are from God's point of view... trading false images for truth.

So, because the Bible tells us that persecution will be on the rise in the End Times, we should take this time to not only get ourselves free from bondage and false identities, but prepare ourselves for the testing of our faith. It will be a time of proving to ourselves that our faith is authentic and that God will be faithful to us, even as we are faithful to Him. As Pastor Brunson reflected on his imprisonment, his words struck my heart: "... there’s already more of a cost to follow Jesus now than there was when I got out of college, and it’s about to very quickly accelerate... One of the things I think God was doing in me was having me go through this breaking and rebuilding so that I would learn and practice certain things that would strengthen me to be an encouragement and resource to others who are also going to face difficulty." May we all commit our hearts to do the same.

#Faith #EndTimesFaith #ChristianPersecution

Romans 8:35   Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

 

The Meaning of Words Matters!

 

By now, it should be clear to anyone paying attention to our world, that things are changing. As a Christian with a Biblical worldview, I can see that there is a new ideology growing in our Western culture that threatens to destroy what we have believed for centuries. And I'm not just talking about our faith, but what we have adhered to in our family structures, our form of government, our history -- and it threatens to destroy the culture itself.

This new ideology is not dissimilar to the theme of George Orwell's famous novel, 1984. If you are of a certain age or generation, you probably read it in a high school English class. Long described as a "dystopian novel", the book warned society of the dangers of a totalitarian government that ruled through fear, surveillance, propaganda, and mind control. The not-so-funny thing is that "dystopian" means "an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one." I don't know about you, but that description doesn't seem so imaginary anymore, and our culture and society are increasingly looking like the super-state Oceania in 1984.

I say that because there are certain similarities between the novel and where we find ourselves today. I don't want to spend this post rehashing the plot of this book, other than to say there is one aspect that I think we need to understand because it plays into the threat of eradicating some of God's most important Biblical principles. Let me explain ... as part of the plot in 1984, one of the political parties of the imaginary totalitarian government wants to get rid of certain troubling words; without the words no one can conceive of their concepts and it will be easy to destroy the reality of what they mean and inspire.

Today, that translates into not only getting rid of words, but changing them to mean something entirely different. For instance, there are certain politicians that are re-writing laws that omit "women" or "mothers" from the text, and replace them with "Birthing people". Other activists want to get rid of the word "equality" and change it to "equity"; and "affirmative action" becomes "diversity". Furthermore, how some words make people feel is now being termed as "violent". There is no longer any room for discussion or debate. And as Tim Sandefur of the Goldwater Institute says, "That is dangerous"... if we are going to label language and words violent, "then the only way we can relate to each other is through power". I think we can agree that that is not a good standard.

You may recognize this idea as comparable to terms like "wokeism", "political correctness" or "cancel culture". But the damage this ideology does goes much deeper than any theory of how our culture is changing in a political or societal sense. It is leaning towards dismantling the very foundation of believing in God and His standards. If activists can change the idea of Biblical precepts by removing God's part in them, then they can be reformatted to remove Him altogether. Another way to say it is this: if we can remove the God connection to a word, then rather than the word being defined by God's perspective, it becomes the opinion of the person who is experiencing or feeling it. God no longer has a place in our language.

For instance, let's take a look at the word Guilt. As a Christian, I know that guilt is a noun; it is a state or condition as a result of violating one of God's moral laws. And there is the idea of repayment and restitution to the offended party. But if you remove God from the definition, then guilt can be simply defined as "guilty feelings", and there is no payment or consequence associated with the violation. Indeed, the violation itself, is subjective [based on personal feelings, tastes, or opinions]. Any shame that is felt is lessened to a loss of face before your peers because there is no God before whom one is ashamed.

Now, consider the word Freedom. As Christians, we know that there is a weight to that word. Our ultimate freedom in this world comes from Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross for us. There is no greater freedom on this earth than the freedom from eternal death. And freedom is also deliverance from the bondage to sin. It is a gift from our God to us. But when you remove God from the concept of freedom then it becomes a word that means permission to do whatever feels good to us. Doesn't have quite the same weight to it, does it?

Finally, let's think about the word Tolerance. I think the original meaning of tolerance, in regards to Christians, was to acknowledge that other people had different belief systems and to believe that it was their right to do so. But when you remove God from the Christian principle of tolerance the word comes to mean that you have to agree with all belief systems; to fully approve of them -- all are equal in their value and significance. As a Christian, I know that is not true. Furthermore, without God, tolerance ends up being an incoherent ideology, or nothing more than a request to be nice and get along.

So, do you get the idea I'm trying to convey? The meaning of words is important, and if God's perspective is lost in that meaning, then there is no standard by which the world understands each other. Taking it a step further, if words can be eliminated or changed, then so can our history, which is chronicled in words. Words may seem like such a small component of the troubles we face in this world, but let me share what a secular writer wrote about the importance of words. Esther Lombardi wrote, "Words can incite anger or invoke passion. They can bring people together or tear them apart. Words can uphold the truth or nurture a lie. We use words to encompass history, to describe the natural universe, and even to conjure realistic visions of things that exist only in fantasy." 

I can agree with that sentiment. And here are the rest of her words in that description "In fact, in some mythology, spoken words are thought to be so powerful that they can create worlds, creatures, and human beings." Note how the truth of God is removed from those words, and compare it this concept in John 1:1-5 ... "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it".

Words matter! And their meanings matter! The Enemy of this dark world is all about distortion and corruption. It's been his game plan since the Garden of Eden. It is up to us to preserve and uphold the truth of words as they pertain to the Goodness of God. I fear the tactics of those who wish to remove God from the knowledge of the foundation of this world and societies and cultures. The next generation is in danger of being robbed of all that God has intended for us. Let us defend the importance and accuracy of our words, lest they be lost forever. And I want to end this post by quoting the latter part of The Message's version of Matthew 12:37 ... "Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation". Serious words for thought.

#wordshavepower #godsword #cancelculture #wordsmatter #biblicalworldview

Matthew 12:37   By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

It's Always Been About A "Seed War" ... And It Still Is!

The title of this blog is an often spoken concept of my husband's as we meet with a faithful remnant in our Home. "Seed War" may be a familiar term to you, or it may be a new theory that I will attempt to explain as part of my Biblical worldview. 

As I see God moving among His remnant, and see the Gospel of the Kingdom being rediscovered among Christ's followers, I hear the Holy Spirit and our Lord warning me not to become so immersed in teaching the Good News of the Kingdom that I am unaware of what the Enemy is doing in response to our obedience. They are saying "Don't stay focused on the world, but be mindful of [and informed about] what is going on. That is the duty of a 'watcher on the wall'. And when necessary, give My Sheep the knowledge to overcome". And that is the purpose of today's post.

Those of us who have ears to hear, and eyes to see will know what I am implying by the title of this post. It's as if, in recent years, God has removed the mystery of Genesis 6:4 to modern-day Christians. Where once, we just read this passage ("there were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them") as meaning earthly kings married women against their will and produced giants, we are now open to receiving this Scripture in Spirit and Truth.

But as our desire to understand the Hebrew origins and words of the Bible has intensified, we have come to understand that the Hebrew word translated as "giants" in the King James Bible, is actually the word "Nephilim", which in the Hebrew means "to fall; fallen; cast down." So are you beginning to see where I'm headed? These "men" who bore children with  earthly women were part of Satan's contingent of fallen angels, and part of the spiritual battle to corrupt the DNA of God's creation.  If Satan could pollute man's holy genetic code, (which produces a body worthy of housing a spirit made in the image of God), then he could prevent God's Son (who is perfect) from being born and becoming King of this world; which in turn made it possible for the Kingdom of God to be reinstated upon the earth, thereby defeating Satan's kingdom of darkness.  

And if you need more proof that this "Seed War" is real, consider Genesis 3:15 ... And I will put enmity (open hostility/war) 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.  This verse makes it very clear that the Messiah (Christ), through His death on the cross and resurrection, will ultimately defeat Satan, the power behind the serpent, with a death blow. But until then, Satan has always sought ways to infiltrate or invade our sacred genetic code in order to destroy our ability to belong to God as His children; to change the way Jesus created us and to impede our ability to connect to Him through the Holy Spirit. He knows he has limited time to accomplish this, and wants to prohibit as many people on earth as he can from being adopted into the family of God. The bottom line is this: we are made in the image of Christ. Satan seeks to replicate beings that are made in his image. Sadly, those that belong to Satan will not be able to be redeemed by the Blood of the Cross. 

Satan failed in that original Genesis 6 plot, and throughout the centuries of trying to pollute the human race. King Jesus was not only born, but He has commissioned us as His ambassadors to overcome the ruler [and god] of this dark world, and to reclaim our dominion over the earth on behalf of our Creator, restoring His will "on earth, as it is in Heaven". But Satan has never abandoned the "Seed War" strategy. History has recorded that he attempted it through his human agents as recently as the last 90 years or so. In fact, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Adolph Hitler was interested in the occult, magic, and the paganism of his Germanic roots.  He is said to have marked extensive passages in a 1923 book, titled Magic: History, Theory, and Practice, including one that reads, "He who does not have the demonic seed within himself will never give birth to a magical world". Can you see the same ideology as Genesis 6:4 and beyond? And in case you've forgotten, a sensational headline from just three years ago read, Jeffrey Epstein Hoped To Seed The Human Race With His DNA. Is there any doubt that Satan's agents on earth are still trying to carry out his plan?

Put simply, our DNA is a highly prized target of the Enemy. It plays a critical role in controlling how cells, organs and other tissues behave. When writing this blog eight years ago, I ran across an article in which scientists claimed that beginning 5 to 20 years ago, our DNA began changing. Supposedly, the scientific explanation was this: "It is a mutation of our species into something for which the end result is not yet known."  One doctor reported that "people are changing at the cellular level." And now we have spent the last two plus years with our bodies fighting a spike protein that has killed millions of people worldwide. Our children are being indoctrinated to question their bodies at the chromosomal level and to freely change the very essence of who Jesus created them to be. At every stage of our existence, Satan is trying to find a way to make us unrecognizable to our Lord and Creator. From the Garden of Eden to this very day in 2022, he is attempting to destroy God's plan of reconciliation with mankind. 

New technology, such as Elon Musk's Neurolink, has as its goal to "begin outfitting human brains with faster input and output", all done with a chip to "achieve a sort of symbiosis with artificial intelligence". But Satan isn't only relying on new technology to change our DNA. He is still willing to engage in his old plan of a "seed war", as exemplified by the above reference to Jeffrey Epstein's diabolical story. As The New York Times article alleges, "Mr. Epstein, over the years, confided to scientist and others about his scheme ... [his] vision reflected his longstanding fascination with what has become known as transhumanism: the science of improving the human population through technologies like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. Critics likened transhumanism to a modern-day version of eugenics; the discredited field of improving the human race through controled breeding." But breeding with whom? Or what? Certainly, Genesis 6:4 shows us one view of demonic breeders; Hitler had another plan with his perversion of eugenics; and apparently science now has ways to alter or mutate our DNA through genetic engineering, possibly with artificial intelligence or how about through a vaccine?

All these efforts to defeat man's design are part of Satan's schemes, and they are all in vain.  All the answers to life are found in God. Those in opposition to the Holy Spirit and spiritual men will only find that which is futile and temporary; all this has been tried before -- there is truly nothing new under the sun. What has been tried in ages past, will be tried again ... and God will always be Sovereign. But it is incumbent upon us to remember, and watch, and warn. Keep your spiritual eyes open!

#spiritualwarfare #seedwar #markofthebeast #genesis6-4 #geneticengineering

Revelation 12:17   So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went off to wage war on the rest of her children (seed), those who keep and obey the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus [holding firmly to it and bearing witness to Him]. 

Balancing Compassion and Frustration For The Sinful World

In the midst of this world's troubles, my goal is to make my faith the focus of my existence. It is what keeps me centered. And maybe it's just a consequence of the aging process, but I am just no longer interested in how the world perceives me; although I know that how I appear to others reflects who the Lord is to me ... I represent Him, and I try to be always conscious of that. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it grieves me to see how so many people [both followers of Christ and unbelievers] are seeking identities that are validated by the world. The number of "likes" and followers on social media seems to increasingly determine how people feel about themselves, and their efforts to see those numbers climb consumes their waking hours. 

As a human, and in my own sinful nature, I find myself being both compassionate and frustrated. I know there is so much tumult in the world that people are shaken to their core; I know because our Inner Healing Ministry is receiving an ever growing number of calls. I understand the desire to escape the anxiety and worry into anything that takes their eyes and minds off the world. And that evokes compassion in me because I so desperately want them to know who they are -- not only IN Christ, but TO Christ! 

We, in the Body of Christ, are familiar with proclaiming that we are "in Christ", but do we really know all that this encompasses? Let me share my perspective. To be in Christ, means we are placed by God in our position to walk out God's purpose for us. Our life consists of dwelling in that place where Christ is. We "live in Him!" That means we have access to all the spiritual blessings, the power and authority, and the heavenly inheritance that He possesses. 

When I contemplate who we are "to Christ", I see how much we mean to Him; how He feels about us! We are the passion of His heart; His joy in this world is complete in us because He created us. He desires that everyone of us be where He is. He prays for us and roots for us; interceding on our behalf when the world tries to defeat us. I once read an article that said if Jesus has a refrigerator in Heaven, our picture is on it. If He carries a wallet, our picture is in it. He is nothing less than crazy about us! 

And that's where my compassion rises up. I want everyone to understand the fullness of those two concepts regarding our relationship with Christ -- both those who proclaim they know Him, and those who still reject or run away from Him. In our ministry, we see many people who come to us to learn about how Jesus can set them free from their torment, but who have no understanding of all He has for them, or how much He really loves them. Many have experienced years of Church doctrine and rituals, and still are unable to accept the Truth of who they are in and to Christ. And so they remain locked away in regions of captivity that Satan controls. It is out of our compassion and mercy for each precious soul that our spirit seeks the counsel of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to open those prison doors and free them from the sin that has enslaved them.

But there are also times that my spirit experiences frustration. I know that frustration is a human response, and while I recognize it, I always try to discern the root of it and how would Jesus like me to deal with it. And it helps to know that Jesus also encountered frustration while on earth. I mean, it could not have been easy to spend day after day for three years, modeling God's grace and miracles, while teaching God's spiritual truths to the masses and His closest Disciples, only to have them question Him again or display doubt and unbelief. There are plenty of examples of Jesus showing exasperation, anger, frustration and disappointment in people. Most of his anger seems to be directed at the overly religious and/or phony practitioners of their so-called "faith"; or for the ungodly who clearly dishonored His Father. So, I am honest with myself when I feel frustration, and then quickly turn to Jesus before it progresses into something that opens a door for the devil to exploit it, thereby defeating my purpose for God.

My main motivation to bring this to you today is because this world is full of reasons to experience both compassion and frustration. Sinfulness and lawlessness abound, and we must remain focused on Jesus in the midst of it and seek Him for appropriate responses. Whenever Jesus responded in compassion or frustration, it was an action that produced positive results. Our compassion must never result in making excuses for ungodly behavior, but rather provide guidance and counsel to walk a righteous path. Likewise, our frustrations must never be designed to punish, but to seek answers from Jesus to instruct us how to correct wrong theology, to forgive, and to eliminate hypocrisy. I'm not saying it will be easy; our flesh is always tempted to react from the soul (our own mind, will, and emotions). But it is the Spirit that will lead us into all Truth and action. It's a balancing act ... but when you are centered with Christ, He will show you how to walk that spiritual tightrope. 

John 17:20-21    I’m praying not only for them but also for those who will believe in Me because of them and their witness about Me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—just as you, Father, are in Me and I in You, so they might be one heart and mind with Us. Then the world might believe that You, in fact, sent Me.

 

 

"Christian Nationalism": What Does God Say?

The night before He was crucified, Jesus prayed for His followers. In His conversation with the Father, He lamented that the world hated them because they were not of the world anymore than He was. He asked that we be protected from the Evil one, set apart by His Truth. And so, we Christians who seek both His Spirit and Truth, have found that our position in the world is not easily or readily accepted, or understood. The world tries to classify us or categorize us by any number of different and rigid standards; pigeonhole us if you will -- and usually in opposition to whatever the current cultural ideology that is prevalent. And before you know it, the world has determined they know what our beliefs are and proclaims that there is a new Christian "movement".

I feel compelled to comment on the latest extremist label we've all been assigned to, which is "Christian Nationalism". What exactly is that? If you ask 10 different opinion-makers, you will get 10 different answers ... everything from Christianity.com who defines it as "fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ", to the Encyclopedia Britannica's definition of "the Christian whose devotion and loyalty to the nation-state surpasses other individual or group interests", to The Atlantic opinion editor who labeled Christian Nationalists as "religious radicals". In other words, if we are a Christian, love this country, and believe we are better when we follow God's principles, we stand in danger of being labeled extremist. So, not knowing any Believer who identified as a Nationalist, I was curious to see if there was actually an organization for proclaimed Christian Nationalists. Sure enough, there was!

ChristianNationalism.com is the official media outlet of the Christian National Alliance and gives their mission statement as follows: "We believe in the principle of America First and advocate the Three C’s: Christianity, Culture and Capitalism." The ten tenets of their Alliance are founded on various social, political, religious, and cultural beliefs. In fact, the Alliance openly states that a Christian Nationalist "adheres to a political platform that advocates for Christian principles in government and law." This of course naturally leads to the argument of "Separation of Church and State". It also leads to the consistently controversial Romans 13:1-2 minefield ... Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Naturally, there's a lot of room for disparity and misunderstanding in what exactly a Christian Nationalist is.

I find that whenever there is a new adjective or descriptive phrase that the culture bandies about, there's lots of room for distortion and confusion. I mean, there will be factions within the so-called "movement" that don't even agree on what they stand for, let alone those on the outside that want to throw shade to discredit the movement with their sneering expressions of contempt or disgust. And what do you get? Division, discord, lies, and alienation ... just what Satan delights in!

So how should we Christians approach this ideology? Is it Biblical? Would Jesus approve or support Christian Nationalism? I will be honest and tell you that considering the state of our nation today, I was concerned that the passion with which I've seen Christians pursuing political answers to our national problems would outweigh what I clearly see as spiritual issues. I really had to step back and see what God had to say about nations in His Word. Was nation-building part of His plan? I found a fascinating article on tomorrowsworld.org that made me pause and seriously deliberate these questions in light of our own situation. Let me share what I discovered for your own contemplation ...

First of all, I knew that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God that Jesus brought with Him was all about what a moral and righteous government looked like. I knew He was bringing a new system of lawfulness and fraternity to a world deeply in need of a new way to govern itself. And I fully understood that God knew what He was doing when He chose Abraham to be a part of His world governing plan: I’ll make you a great nation and bless you ... All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you. So, it looks like God is in favor of nations, per se. 

Then God got down to business with building the nation of Israel when He ordained Moses to bring them out of slavery in Egypt. He fully intended them to be the role model for other nations to follow. And this is what He instructed Moses to tell them: I’m teaching you the rules and regulations that God commanded me, so that you may live by them in the land you are entering to take up ownership. Keep them. Practice them. You’ll become wise and understanding. When people hear and see what’s going on, they’ll say, “What a great nation! So wise, so understanding! We’ve never seen anything like it” (Deuteronomy 4:5-6).

After establishing a model of government, what was God's next step in building the nation of Israel? He put them on a solid religious footing with correct religious beliefs [taking them out of the idol worship of their 400 years in Egypt] and establishing foundational values for the new nation. These laws would make them stand out from the other nations of the world, and the laws were free to be used by any other developing nation. God next trained and instructed good Godly leaders for the nation of Israel. As the article points out, "God told Moses to staff his government with "able men, such as [those who] fear God; men of truth, hating covetousness" (Exodus 18:21). God indicated that He would choose the king, that foreigners were not to lead the nation of Israel and that a leader should not use his office to enrich himself (Deuteronomy 17:14–20)." How far have we strayed from that principle?

This advice would lead to God's standards and keys to good government; not today's criteria by which we choose our political leaders: popularity, voter appeal, good television presence, excellence in repartee and skill at fundraising. So we must ask this question: How far have we strayed from God's principles, and where does Christian Nationalism stand on this issue? Are Nationalists concerned with how candidates for national office fare according to God's standards, or the current criteria for office-holders?

The next step in God's process of Nation building was to establish a model for education. God's instructions always emphasized the parents' role in teaching children the fundamental truths and values of God... to grow in wisdom, to gain knowledge of how to serve others, and to develop the mind and character of God. Unless Christian Nationalism endorses a change from the current education system that gives more power to educational leaders than to parents, and unless they propose a return to a Biblical foundation of learning versus modern political philosophies and systems of government, then "America First" will never re-establish our greatness or prosperity. 

So, now we come down to the crux of our dilemma regarding "Christian Nationalism". It clearly means different things to different people. To the writer of The Atlantic op-ed, even Catholic rosary beads have become a symbol of radical Christian Nationalism. He writes, "Just as the AR-15 rifle has become a sacred object for Christian nationalists in general, the rosary has acquired a militaristic meaning for radical-traditional (or ‘rad trad’) Catholics ...
On this extremist fringe, rosary beads have been woven into a conspiratorial politics and absolutist gun culture. These armed radical traditionalists have taken up a spiritual notion that the rosary can be a weapon in the fight against evil and turned it into something dangerously literal." Really?!?! Spiritual warfare through prayer is a spiritual weapon that God authorizes to defeat Satan and his demons. It is hardly comparable to a weapon of metal made by man.

On the other end of the spectrum, to the Christian National Alliance, political power is at the center of their "God and Country" philosophy. They seem to believe that the solutions to our national problems lie in rebuilding our national structure according to strict and rigid religious and government philosophies. But, I always have to ask myself if this is what Jesus preached. Taken too far, we can easily see the Pharisees and how they used religion and political power to limit the freedom of people to see God. I agree that this nation has deteriorated into a dysfunctional system of crime, violence, greed, sexual perversion, lawlessness, and selfish ambition. And yes, we need to return to Biblical principles, but Jesus never taught us that we could build Godly nations through our human efforts. We would always need to be willing to hear from Him, the Father, and Holy Spirit, and act on their instruction.

In fact, He tells us that conditions in the world will grow worse and "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom", until Jesus, Himself, will have to intervene to prevent us from destroying each other and ourselves. Jesus will restore this earth to the dominion of God and establish God's Kingdom on earth, "as it is in Heaven'. It is Jesus who will take over the government of the earth and appoint qualified saints to positions of authority and leadership in civil and religious roles. It is Jesus and His saints that will institute true nation building and only then will the nations of the world come into alignment with His righteous religion, righteous government, and righteous education.

I don't like attaching labels or movements to Christians. Through right relationship with Him, and acting in our callings and appointments, we should be able to walk in unity to see His holy and righteous government instituted. I honor and revere the Christians in our national history who stood for their beliefs and hopes that this nation would adhere to God's Biblical tenets of nation building. And I would like nothing more than to see Godly men rise to the challenge of making this country fit the role model God outlined for us in the Bible. To be honest, I'm not sure we can achieve it at the rate we're going. Remember, it was God who built the nation of Israel, and they were only as successful as the men who walked in obedience to His plan. BUT THIS I KNOW! There is a day soon to come, when the government of this world will rest on the shoulders of our Lord, and all nations will walk in peace, comfort, and joy. Nations and families will be rebuilt; wars will be no more; and the environment will be restored. The Prince of Peace will reign and the glory and the honor of the Lord will be on full display! That's the future I believe in! 

#ChristianNationalism #BiblicalTruth #GodsPlansForTheNations #ChristianMovements

Isaiah 14:26-27   This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

   

We May Not Understand Until Later

I have received many personal inquiries regarding how I feel about the state of our country and the world. Whenever I discern evil, lawlessness, and the Anti-Christ spirit on the rise, I understand that the faithful are shaken and wonder what is to follow. I hear comments like, "How could this be happening to us?", "This is not what I expected my life to be!", "What is the future going to look like?", and "Where is Jesus in all this?"

I can't help but think what it must have been like for the 12 Disciples who followed Jesus. They were with Him from the beginning of His ministry and had spent the last three years watching His popularity grow among the people. He had spoken of the possibilities of His Kingdom on earth and of His glorious throne in that Kingdom. And He had promised that they, His Disciples, would sit on twelve thrones of their own, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). They had begun to believe that He would be a warrior King who would overthrow the Roman Empire and return their native land to them. They began to believe that they would live in comfort, prosperity and hope forever.

But then "He began to teach them that the Son of Man must [of necessity] suffer many things and be rejected [as the Messiah] by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and must be put to death, and after three days rise [from death to life]" (Mark 8:31). How could this be? It's not what they were expecting and certainly not what they had anticipated! This scenario did not fit their vision of the future; they struggled to accept the picture Jesus painted for them, and they turned a blind eye to the persecution that was increasing as the religious leaders and Roman government conspired to get rid of Him. Their world was about to dramatically change and they were unwilling to accept it.

I see the same struggles among our citizenry today [including Christians]. For so long we have believed that the United States of America was impervious to destruction. We have believed that nothing could limit our prosperity or our freedoms. Our Constitution guaranteed that, right? And many 21st Century Christians have followed the same pattern of thinking. We have believed in the promises of the Bible that we are overcomers; that we have victory in Christ; and that since we have proclaimed that our country was founded on Christian principles, we are guaranteed that freedom in Christ is our inheritance. All that is true -- but like the Disciples, we have turned a blind eye to the danger signs that pointed to possible disaster and dissolution of the paradise we have thought would exist forever.

The Disciples refused to consider that chaos and darkness would soon consume the land. They couldn't contemplate what it would be like to lose Him. And I'm wondering how many of us are experiencing that same apprehension of what it will be like if we lose our country, our livelihoods, our way of life, our freedoms? Is God finished with the United States of America? Has the evil perpetrated by the wickedness of human traffickers, abortionists, murderers, lawlessness, corruption, greed, and immorality overshadowed those who have been praying repentance and seeking the face of the Lord? Are there not enough righteous and holy people to exceed the Babylon-like sins of this nation? 

Have you taken the time to read Revelation 18 lately? Tell me that this doesn't describe who we have become ... "the kings and political leaders of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth and economic power of her sensuous luxury ... And merchants of the earth will weep and grieve over her, because no one buys their cargo (goods, merchandise) anymore ... the sound of harpists and musicians and flutists and trumpeters will never again be heard in you, and no skilled artisan of any craft will ever again be found in you, and the sound of the millstone [grinding grain] will never again be heard in you [for commerce will no longer flourish, and normal life will cease]. And never again will the light of a lamp shine in you, and never again will the voice of the bridegroom and bride be heard in you; for your merchants were the great and prominent men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived and misled by your sorcery."

It's a pretty frightening picture that those verses paint. And like the Disciples, our future may look completely different than we expected. After their loss of the Lord, the Disciples were being readied to go into another level of their physical and spiritual maturation in order to serve the Kingdom of God on earth. Might we be facing the same situation? Might it be that we are being prepared to ascend into a higher level of service? And it can only come when we lose what was given to us by God's grace and favor?

To be honest with you, the Church has become too comfortable in what they perceive to be their role in advancing the Gospel. The Body of Christ has taken it for granted that God would overlook our complaisance in compromising with the world. We did not uphold His standards for the marriage covenant, the sanctity of life in the womb, or protect the indoctrination of our children from ungodly ideologies. And now we may be facing judgment for the wickedness that pervades the land. BUT, just as with the Disciples, Jesus will leave us with an Advocate -- the Holy Spirit -- who will guide us and encourage us as we move into a new power and level of maturation and restoration. There will continue to be lots of questions and struggles. We may not see the plan that is being orchestrated from Heaven on high. But our God is ever faithful to those who humble themselves and seek His will. We may not understand until later, but this I do know ... the battle is the Lord's and whatever the outcome of our nation, there will be victory in the Lord for those who love and obey Him! He has promised to make all things new! So don't hang your head in despair or fear. Look up -- for our Redemption is drawing near!

John 16:33    I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

Is Satan "Beguiling" Our Children?

 

I hope that you will take the title of this post seriously, and continue to read what I have to say. Before I get to my point about our children, I want to take a little detour. I need to explain why I deliberately used the word beguiled in the title of this post. It is the word that Eve used to describe to God what the serpent did to her when she sinned in the Garden. According to Strong's Concordance, that word means either "to mentally delude" or "[morally] to seduce". Now, if you grew up going to Sunday School, you know the story of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, and you were most likely taught that the serpent tempted Eve to eat the apple off the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. I am not denying that there was temptation going on, but I do not believe it was about eating an apple.

What if the temptation was of a sexual nature? What if "the fruit" was a pregnancy resulting in the birth of Cain [who would have been the fruit of Eve's womb]? Remember, the punishment from God was that the serpent would be cursed and "crawl on his belly and eat dust all the days of his life"; that there would "be enmity between the serpent's seed and the woman's seed" [again suggesting sex]; that Eve would suffer pain during childbirth [as a direct result of her specific sin]; and that Adam would be kicked out of the Garden where everything was provided for him, and would now endure painful toil, by the sweat of his brow, to produce the food he would eat... 

This interpretation is so far off base of normal Christian understanding, but when you do a deep dive study, it's not out of the realm of possibility. And in consideration of this alternative understanding, I want to now explain why I think Satan is beguiling our children. Here in Texas, I personally know of two separate counties where Christian citizens are standing up and protesting children's books that are in their local libraries; books of a highly sexual nature. In fact, their protest before their town's County Commissioner's Court has become a lightning rod for people who view the challenge to the books as an attempt to indiscriminately ban books. The outcry has been loud and has surprisingly brought factions of the community together that are usually politically divided. And all it took was for the media to highlight the words "censorship" and "banning books", and the flames were fanned for misinformation.

But here is what I want you to understand, because I have no doubt that the same concerns that parents and members of the community have here in Texas about our public libraries, is the same issue you should be investigating in your own community. The concerned citizens are not targeting books that represent a different opinion about lifestyles, but rather the sexually explicit and pornographic material in the books that is not suitable for the age groups the books are targeting. If we, as adults, don't protect the innocence of our children, we are going to have to answer to God for failing to safeguard them against suggestive material that makes them more available to pedophiles, perverts, and ungodly behavior.

When this debate surfaced here locally, I had to carefully explain to mothers who are strong Christian women, that their fears about undue censorship were being distorted and unfounded. Some expressed worry about where the line would be drawn. After all, classic books like Huckleberry Finn and To Kill A Mockingbird have been on "banned books" lists. And allowing any governmental body to decide what books can be allowed in a public library might even one day lead to the Bible being removed. I understand those fears and I agree -- it is a tightrope that we walk. But there are controversial books like "Black Flamingo" by Dean Atta, a coming-of-age novel about a mixed-race gay teen who becomes a drag artist. This wouldn't be my suggestion for a middle school-aged child, or early teens. And it is the concern of those who protested that there are openly pornographic books aimed at under-age children, in an attempt to indoctrinate them into various sexual lifestyles before they are mature enough to decide for themselves. These books are entirely inappropriate for the Juvenile section of the library (ages 7 to 10), nor the Young Adult Fiction section (ages 12 and up). Not to mention the fact that they would not be approved by God.

I want to give you a link where you can check it out for yourself. I'll give you a couple of examples of the books that the concerned parents felt would be robbing children of their innocence, and I warn you... they are salacious and suggestive. You can go to http://booklooks.org and look up the title Red Hood. It was rated 4 out of 5 for its obscene sexual activities, violence, and profanity. Yet the book appeared in the Young Adult Fiction (ages 12 and up) section. I know I grew up in a different era, but there is no redeeming value for a 12-year-old to be allowed to read a book which is so sexually graphic. To say that this book is rated R, is an understatement. Then there's Sex is A Funny Word, which was found in the Juvenile section of the library (ages 7-10) which was so obviously written to mold and instruct children in sexuality and alternate gender ideologies; containing graphic illustrations involving sexual nudity and sexual activities. 

The book includes many illustrations of exposed male and female genitalia, along with "how to" illustrations regarding masturbation. And then there is this bit of encouragement: "But having a penis isn't what makes you a boy. Having a vulva isn't what makes you a girl. The truth is much more interesting than that! When we are born, a doctor or midwife calls us boy or girl because of what we look like on the outside. They choose a word or label (usually boy or girl, or male or female) to describe our bodies. But that's based on our outside, our cover, or who they think we are. What about our whole body, inside and out? What about who we think we are?" 

Can you imagine how confusing or scary that would be for a 7 year-old? I'm all for different opinions, and adults have free will to do or think whatever they want [and there are consequences for those decisions], but our children should not be subjected to such deceptive and duplicitous methods of indoctrination. Reading books was one of the great joys of my childhood; a time when my innocent mind could imagine myself in the stories I was reading. And I learned what it looked like to be courageous and overcome challenges; to travel to interesting places; the thrill of solving mysteries and the joys of new discoveries. But it is the sad state of this world that we must now stand guard over our children's minds and their innocence. Just as Satan beguiled Eve to sin and transgress God's commandments, so is the devil trying to lead our children down paths that God does not approve of and which they are not equipped to travel. Jesus is not far from returning to deal with the evil in this world, and we know what He has in store for those who would harm children. 

So, this is what we are dealing with here in Texas. I suggest you make a point of finding out what books are in your local libraries. Because if these books are not on your shelves yet, they are coming to a library near you soon.

Matthew 18:6      Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Baal Worship in 2022! God Will Not Tolerate This For Much Longer!

By now, you may have seen the blasphemous images coming from the 2022 Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham, England. In case you are unfamiliar with this multi-sport event, it is held every four years and attended by countries who have been part of the British Empire, with England, Canada, Australia, Scotland, Wales, and New Zealand taking the lead in attendance among the participating 72 nations. But this year, it was the opening ceremonies that left anyone with an understanding of Biblical history in total shock.

Taking center stage was a 30-foot, 2.5 ton metal bull, built to symbolize one of the oldest pagan gods in the Bible, Baal. According to the editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica, Baal was one of the major gods of the Canaanite pantheon. In Hebrew, the word ba 'al means "owner" or "lord".  So, in the early stages of Israel's history, the use of Baal in names didn't necessarily indicate apostasy or idolatry. The judge Gideon was also known as Jerubbaal, and King Saul named his son, Ishbaal. In fact, for those early Hebrews, "Baal" was the appointed name for the Lord of Israel. What eventually made the very name Baal an abomination to the Israelites was the plan of Jezebel, wife of King Ahab, in the 9th century BCE, to introduce her Phoenician cult of Baal to the Israelites in opposition to the official worship of Yahweh (I Kings 18).

Baal was designated the universal god of fertility, and in that capacity his title was Prince, Lord of the Earth. It is not too difficult to connect the idea of fertility with the Bible and the knowledge that Satan has been in a "seed war" [think DNA] with God since Genesis 3:15 ("I will put enmity [open hostility] between you and the woman, and between your seed [offspring] and her Seed [Jesus]") and Genesis 6, when fallen angels mated with human women to spawn the birth of Nephilim [half fallen angel/half human] -- all in an attempt by Satan to corrupt the pure Jewish bloodline so Jesus could not be born. Furthermore Baal's title of Prince, Lord of the Earth also designates him as Lucifer, or Satan.

We also need to understand that the worship of Baal existed in Egypt when the Israelites were in bondage as slaves. They were in captivity for 400+ years and some of the pagan idolatry began to seep into their religion. So much so that when Moses was on Mount Sinai meeting with God over the Ten Commandments, the Israelites began doubting that the Exodus from Egypt was a good idea, and they reverted to some familiar Baal worship; they built "a golden calf" and they celebrated "shamefully and without moral restraint". We can see this action for what it was when we know that as the god of life and fertility, Baal was believed to have sired a divine bull calf, whose birth meant an abundance of crops and fertility for animals and man.

Because the land of Canaan had been influenced by Egyptian invasion, Baal worship was prevalent among the inhabitants of the Promised Land. And this is why YHWH warned the Israelites to steer clear of the native tribes and remain true to Him and His commandments ... with good reason! The website heavennet describes the rituals of Baal worship like this: adults would gather around the altar of Baal. Infants would then be burned alive as a sacrificial offering to the deity. Amid horrific screams and the stench of charred human flesh, congregants – men and women alike – would engage in bisexual orgies. The ritual of convenience was intended to produce economic prosperity by prompting Baal to bring rain for the fertility of "mother earth." The principal pillars of Baalism were child sacrifice, sexual immorality (both heterosexual and homosexual) and pantheism (reverence of creation over the Creator)."

And that is precisely why the opening ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games of 2022 were so disturbing. The National Times of Australia shared the commentary from the BBC announcers as the idolatrous and blasphemous Baal Bull was brought into the stadium ... "The presenter of the Games is announcing that the Bull will be revealed as the iconic symbol of light... Ladies and gentlemen, anyone with any Biblical understanding knows they are referring to Lucifer! This is worship of fallen angels going on right in front of your face. If people don't believe we're coming into the End Times ... are you seeing what I'm seeing?!? ... This bull is clearly Satanic ... they will fall down and worship the bull! Do you see where they are leading you?" The BBC announcer had no problem in discerning the message the opening ceremony was conveying. I wonder how many others who witnessed it were as perceptive?

That is why it is so important that we take note of these kinds of spectacles and make them known. The world is rapidly sliding into idolatry, and much of it is rooted in paganism and the worship of the ancient god, Baal, whether we acknowledge his connection or not. Stop and take a close look at where the world is headed ... abortion is equivalent to child sacrifice; the culture openly pushes homosexual, heterosexual, and transsexual promiscuity just like the orgies performed during the rituals of Baal worship; the worship of "mother earth" is still alive and well and transforming into radical environmentalism. Nothing has changed! Satan is running his same old program that began in Genesis and we are coming very near to the later chapters of Revelation. Please don't turn a blind eye to what is right in our faces ... stand as a united Body of Christ and declare that we will not bow down to any other God but the Most High! Do not let the Lord find us as He found Israel in the following verse from Hosea...

Hosea 9:10    I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame, and they became as detestable as that which they loved.

#baalworship #paganworship #motherearth #endtimes #commonwealthgames

"The Council For Inclusive Capitalism" & Why It Is a Prophetic Picture of the Beast System in Revelation 17!

 

Once again I am hearing from the Lord to give a warning about the End Times scenario the world is approaching. He has shown me this for several years; my husband and I have taught seminars on this topic; and we have shouted from the rooftops that people need to see where we are headed. Now, the prompting from Heaven is once again heavy on my spirit to show what the Bible has prophesied, and it is time to share it. 

For the last decade or more, in the midst of educating me on the responsibilities of Christians to advance the Kingdom of God, my Lord has shone His Light on information regarding topics such as Agenda 21, the New World Order, Agenda 2030, the Great Reset, and now "The Council on Inclusive Capitalism". You will see that I have included links to quite a few articles on this subject, and that's because there are people smarter than me who can explain what we're facing better than me. I hope you will take the time to read them. This may all sound like complicated and confusing plans to control the world's population, but at their core they are all designed to deliver us into the Beast System of the Book of Revelation.

What is this Beast System? It is a reference to a system of world government mentioned in both Revelation 13 and 17, and is a coalition of nations that seeks to subdue the population of the earth under Satan's orders. Eventually "the system" will become answerable to "the Beast", Himself, who is the Anti-Christ, the "Man of Lawlessness". But we are not quite there yet; first his Beast System must be implemented, as described in Revelation 17:12-13 ... "The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but [together] they receive authority as kings for a single hour [for a common purpose] along with the beast. These [kings] have one purpose [one mind, one common goal], and they give their power and authority to the beast." In other words, nations of the world will give up their sovereignty to develop a one-world alliance (or New World Order), until they ultimately surrender their authority to the Anti-Christ. The Good News for us is found in verse 14: They will join forces with the Anti-Christ, and "They will wage war against the Lamb (Christ), and the Lamb will triumph and conquer them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him and on His side are the called and chosen (elect) and faithful.”

But before we get to that point, we're going to have to go through some bad stuff. And rather than write some long, drawn-out explanations of the different strategies for population control that are [even now] underway, I recommend you read these excellent articles to understand how Satan's plans have progressed: The Truth About The UN's Agenda 2030 ... Pope Francis Calls For Global Government and the End of National Sovereignty ... and The "GREAT Narrative" of the New World Order Exposed and Revealed.

They all detail the various strategies to subjugate the people of the world to an elite cabal of world politicians, business leaders, and cultural philosophers in order to make the world "a better place" or to "save the planet". But there's one big problem with their ideas ... it means individual freedom is sacrificed for "the good of all". And how do they accomplish this noble goal? Well, two years ago, my husband and I presented a seminar called "The Great Reset Meets The Kingdom of God", in which we quoted Klaus Schwab, the "man of the hour" and head of the World Economic Forum (WEF). This is what he said: "The world must act swiftly and jointly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. In short, we need a "Great Reset" of capitalism."

Sounds pretty much like he wants to set Revelation 17 in motion, doesn't it? That's where "The Council for Inclusive Capitalism" comes in. And of course, they want you to believe their goal is "to make the world more inclusive and sustainable"... for instance, energy companies must act for a "just" transition. And they announce that they have 607 actions for inclusive capitalism and 296 member organizations. Who are some of these organizations who have signed on to this global inclusiveness? Fortis Lux Financial, who will promote employee diversity and inclusion; BP who aims to protect the environment by increasing "biodiversity by implementing enhancement plans by 2030" [climate control]; Bank of America who will commit to hire 10,000 individuals from low and moderate income neighborhoods ["equity"] and provide them with skills training; and Johnson & Johnson, who "will leverage digital technologies to combat pandemics and epidemics by enabling global/open access to a vaccination monitoring platform by 2025". 

Does any of this sound like it's good for individual freedom? Brandon Smith wrote an excellent article for Alt-Market.us that lays out the agenda for this Council and their plans for the one-world government that the Book of Revelation prophesies. He cites one of the most chilling quotes I've ever heard regarding this global agenda. It comes from
Clinton Administration Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbot, who stated in Time magazine that: “In the next century, nations as we know it will be obsolete; all states will recognize a single, global authority… National sovereignty wasn’t such a great idea after all.”

Smith's article goes into great detail to lay out the plans and strategies for The Council, and although he doesn't tie this alarming agenda directly to the Bible, he does make note that the Pope has been increasingly promoting "woke ideology, climate alarmism and one world religion rhetoric in conflict with traditional Christian doctrine." What we Christians, with eyes to see and ears to hear, must understand is that the political, economic, and religious power centers of this world are coming together to form "the Beast" of Revelation 13:7-8, who is given permission to wage war against the saints (God’s people) and to overcome them, and [is given] authority and power over every tribe and people and language and nation. All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the Book of Life.

We are on the precipice of entering this dark prophecy of the Bible. All the dominoes are set in place. The question is whether they are set to fall in our lifetime. With each step the global elite take with their "agendas and councils", we begin to see the ending Book of the Bible come into view. That old serpent/dragon Satan is coming closer to unveiling the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet, ushering in the termination of national sovereignty and the forced worship of an Anti-Christ system. We can continue to refute the idea that we might see such evil in our world because "we win in the end and Jesus is our victory" [which is true, by the way], OR we can answer God's call in Revelation 13:10 for patient endurance and the faithfulness of the saints [which is seen in the response of God’s people to difficult times]. The choice is ours, and in the meantime, we have work to do ... there are people who need to know the Saving Grace of Christ so that they may enter and partake of the Kingdom of God on earth; they need to be equipped and trained to endure and persevere until the return of the Lord, who will conquer and defeat the alliance of Satan and evil men. For a short time they will succeed in their plans, but I celebrate that it is our Lord who gets to write the end of the story!

Revelation 22:12-13      Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.