The Earth Is Mourning Because of Our Sin ... Are You Listening?

I have long been fascinated with the verses of Scripture that speak of the earth as if it was alive -- because I believe it is, and it is warning us of what God has spoken about our connection to the land. Sadly, I think Christians have forgotten [if they ever knew] about the sacred duty and connection between man and the land. 

We read in Genesis 1 that God created the earth and everything in it -- vegetation and plants [yielding seed and bearing fruit]; waters swarming with living creatures, and the birds of the air; livestock, creeping things, and beasts of the earth -- and God saw that it was all good. Next, He created man in His image and gave him dominion over all the earth. And then God planted man in the Garden of Eden "to work it and tend it". So, from the beginning, there has been a connection and a relationship between man and the earth. 

And we find out in Genesis 4 that this relationship has profound consequences for both man and the land. Adam and Eve, through their disobedience to God's commandment [over how they were to tend the Garden and the sacred trees], cause the land to be cursed, and the earth manifested the judgment of God due to their sin. We must recognize that there is a very real cause-and-effect when man sins, and because of the earth's sensitivity to that sin, the earth rebels against man, and becomes an instrument of God's judgment.

NOTE: This post is not about all the "green movements" or the "climate change agenda" that have risen along political lines. Those philosophies are predicated on men who see themselves in a God-like role of protecting the earth from mankind's mishandling. The truth is they do not know the Creator God, nor do they acknowledge that it is mankind's sin that is the source of the land's defilement. Their cause is based on human greed and power. 

What I want us to realize is that we need to take notice of what the land is trying to tell us. And yes, I do mean to suggest that the earth is not only sentient, but intelligent. And I base this position -- not in agreement with the aforementioned secular earth worshippers -- but on the Word of God. Let me give you just a few examples: 

Job 12:7-8 ...  But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

Psalm 119:1-2 ...  The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. 

Psalm 55:12 [when Israel was set free from Egyptian captivity] ...  For you will go out [from exile] with joy and be led forth [by the Lord Himself] with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 

Having been created by the living God, all His creation possesses life, too. And because of that connection and sentient intelligence between man and the land [both created for that relationship], the land also mourns when man sins, because there is a direct connection between the two -- i.e., there is an effect upon the land because of man and his sin. Read what the Word of God says:

Hosea 4:1-3 ...  Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

Jeremiah 12:4 ... How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”

Deuteronomy 11:12 tells us that God cares for the land He created ... "The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year". And the land declares evidence of the continuation of man's sins in the earth. In fact, Jesus, tells us in Matthew 24:7 that the increase of sin and lawlessness will initiate "signs" or manifestations of how much God grieves the level of sin that will amass in the world before His Son's return... "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places". 

The rebellion of men [wars] will rise to a level that affects the whole earth, and it will result in consequences for the land [famine and earthquakes]. Just in the month of September 2023, earthquakes were experienced in Afghanistan, Nepal, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Slovakia, Argentia, Australia, Iran, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Chili. Currently, Iceland is awaiting a massive volcanic eruption, and CBS News reported that on November 15, 2023, the country experienced 800 earthquakes overnight, with the residents calling it "apocalyptic". And let us not forget that the volcanic activity in Yellowstone Park is overdue for an apocalypse of its own, while the New Madrid Fault line in the Midwest is also overdue for a massive earthquake.

But there are Biblical warnings that perhaps we are less aware of, but portend some serious consequences if we do not repent of our sins and seek God, asking for His merciful forgiveness. Consider God's judgment for the severing of the connection/relationship that sin brings between man and the land...

Leviticus 18:27-28 ...  (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.  

Leviticus 18:25 ... and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

Leviticus 10:22 ... You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.

You may think this applies only to the Old Testament Israelites, but read the following:

Romans 8:22 ... For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Revelation 3:16 ... So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

NOTE: The act of being "vomited out" means to be "rejected from", "displaced", "thrown out"; in other words, to be dispossessed. The Bible makes it clear in Leviticus that God judged those who caused the land to become unclean because of their sins -- whether it be idolatry, immorality, the shedding of innocent blood, or broken covenants. And the judgment He brought against them was the loss of their land; they were removed and another nation occupied the land. 

Don't think that this won't happen to us! God is the same God who holds to the same statues and commandments as He did then! Our greed and idolatry, sexual perversion, shedding of the innocent blood of our babies, and our own broken covenants will result in the earth "groaning" -- and God hears it! And because we have not been zealous to follow the ways of the Lord, we have produced generations of sin, transgressions, and iniquity that have defiled the land to the point that Jesus is ready to vomit us out of His mouth! You can see the nations circling us, waiting to inhabit our land should Jesus decide the cup of our sin is full. 

But there is good news! The land can be healed, cleansed and made whole again! But time is running out... The land is waiting for us to rise up in our true identities as the righteous sons and daughters of God. The earth longs to be set free from the corruption of the land caused by our generations who have chosen to be in agreement with the Deceiver, rather than with the Holy God who created us and all He gave us to tend. The warnings have been there all along, written in His Word for all to see and obey. We have no more excuses to ignore them; the decay in our nation and the world is obvious and increasing. The effects on the earth are plainly discerned, and we are on the verge of being "vomited out". But we can be set free from our own bondage and also set the creation free from its corruption and defilement. We can do this! It starts in my life, and I bow down before my God and humble myself, declaring my sins and disobedience, and my shame in all the ways I have defiled my life, which in turn has defiled the land. Lord God, I seek Your Face and Your Forgiveness! Restore me and all Your Creation. Bring us back to life! I ask this in the Holy Name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

#GodsCreation; #ManandSin; #DefilementoftheEarth #theearthcriesout #Godsjudgment #GodsSovereignty #theearthgroans #    

Romans 8:19-22.      For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

A Lesson To Be Learned... Be Careful Who You Make Covenants With!

In my Biblical worldview, I know the value of the Bible in revealing God's principles by which He governs His creation. I am always searching the Word for clues of why our country [and the world] are experiencing the struggles we face. And I also subscribe to the axiom that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". That has been true in Biblical history as well as down through the centuries.

It is easy to say this adage is just a consequence of our human flaws, but there is actually a correlation between God's commandments and the ability [or inability] of man's obedience to follow them. The rules, so to speak, by which God intends man to live have not changed just because we have technology the ancient Israelites did not possess. We may have convinced ourselves that we are above those commandments, and no longer need to follow them, but any fool can take a look at the degradation of our society and culture, and know that something is dreadfully wrong. So, is there a Biblical correlation to the destruction of America that we see today? Let me see if I can show you one parallel story that might point the way to our understanding. 

As I have said before, God's Word is multi-dimensional, and often I find the Holy Spirit directing me to connect the dots in Scripture. So, I'm going to start in Exodus 23, in order to lay the groundwork of how God's "spiritual mechanics" work in the lives of men; past, present, and future.

To begin, we need to understand that God always keeps His promises; and He never breaks them. In Exodus 23, God promises the Israelites conquest of the land of Canaan. "Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him". [NOTE: the angel is Jesus. And according to the website, wearehebrew, the name of God is Yahua, and the name of Jesus is Yahusha -- so we find that God's name is in Him, just as Scripture says]. 

God goes on to promise, "But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces".  Then comes the qualifier: "You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” 

Next, we jump to Joshua 9, and the conquest of Canaan and those pagan tribes. Notice that it is God who is going to execute the conquest of these Canaanites. And according to the rules of war for the cities inside the land of Canaan,  (Deuteronomy 20:16b-18), Joshua and the Israelites were to destroy all the people in the land because they worshiped false gods and would teach the people of Israel to follow their gods. Incidentally, there was also a rule of war for the cities who were outside the land of Canaan, and lived "far away" ... they were to be offered peace, and allowed to live as slaves to the conquering Israelites. If they refused, they would be killed, just as the citizens of Jericho and Ai.

And here's where we see an interesting, yet all-too-familiar circumstance in Joshua, Chapter 9. The Canaanite tribes heard of the victories of the Israelites and amassed together to go up against them. Joshua and his army are approaching the city of Gibeon, and the inhabitants knew that if the Israelites obeyed God's rules of war, they were doomed to be killed, so they plotted to deceive Joshua by approaching him and telling him,  “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us” (Joshua 9:3-6). Joshua was obedient to the commandments of the Lord to spare those cities who lived far away, and Scripture says, "Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them" (Joshua 9:15). But when he learned that the Gibeonites had deceived him and were actually their neighbors within the land of Canaan, he still honored the covenant with them, saying, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them”.   

Now, let's move on to the next dot we need to connect. We find King David in 2 Samuel 21 seeking to understand why there has been a three-year famine in the land. A famine that lasts one or two years might be contributed to punishment for sins of the people in the land, but when it lingered into the third year, David wisely sought the Lord's counsel to see if there was some spiritual authority that had been breached. And the answer from the Lord came to David: “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 

Now, this must have sent a chill down the back of King David! He knew that in the days of Joshua -- some 400 years before David's time! -- Israel had sworn not to harm the Gibeonites. God expected Israel to keep its promise, even though the Gibeonites tricked Israel into making the agreement. Saul’s crime was not only in killing the Gibeonites but also in breaking this ancient and important oath. In his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah, Saul had sinned and brought calamity upon the nation. 

So, what was the result of this disobedience and how was it to be resolved so that God would release Israel from the famine? David needed to make atonement for the wrongs done to the Gibeonites and for dishonoring the covenant between them and Joshua. To the Gibeonites credit, they understood that the brutality against them was past sin from a past leader. They didn't demand money, or land, or to go to war. But they did want justice! To satisfy the bloodguilt of Saul, the Gibeonites demanded that David give up seven sons of Saul to be hanged on a mountaintop. [I think it is possible that these sons/descendants of Saul might have partaken in the slaughter of the Gibeonites, although that is not specifically stated]. And it must be mentioned that David spared Jonathon's son Miphiboseth because of a covenant of friendship and peace he made with Jonathan that was to last through their descendants forever [1 Samuel 20]. David was wise enough not to fix a broken covenant by breaking another.

In the end, David directed that justice be done on behalf of the Gibeonites so that the Lord might release them from the famine, which had been brought upon the land because of a broken covenant. There are so many principles that are important for us to see in this ancient story, which spanned over 400 years. And these principles are just as valid for us today, in the United States of America, as it was for ancient Israel. We must discern that God expects us to keep our promises, oaths made in His Name, and the covenants we make. He expects the same from nations. God does not excuse us from our obligations to keep those promises because of the passage of time. And it is possible that God's discipline and correction may come a long time after the offense -- but it will come!  

Furthermore, because of the importance God puts on honoring covenants and promises, we can be confident that He will honor those He makes with us. So, I think we have to ask ourselves if our nation has honored its promises and covenants with other nations as well as to us, its citizens. And I think we have to go all the way back to the founding of America, and examine where we have broken covenant -- especially with our God! Is it any wonder that our nation seems to be deteriorating before our eyes? That doesn't mean God hasn't [or won't] answer any of our prayers... I have certainly been blessed, as has our country. BUT there will come a time when He will deal with our [accumulated sin] -- that makes me shudder at the extent of it! -- and like Israel, He will discontinue answering our prayers until we deal with it and seek atonement and forgiveness. 

Is that time upon us? Are we on the verge of seeing unanswered prayers which will devastate our nation beyond anything we have yet experienced? If that is where we're at, we can learn from King David, and do what He did ... seek God's counsel to address and fix the broken promises. We don't need to seek counsel from Congress, politicians, and sadly, from most of the Churches, who don't have the answer because they don't see the spiritual mechanics of their own sins, nor their complicity with making a 50l(c)(3) covenant with a body of people who have sinned against God and His principles. Simply stated: God is the answer to our problems! He always has been! But time is running out, and we need to set aside our personal and national pride, humble ourselves and pray; seek His Face, and turn from our wicked ways. If we are not willing to do that, we cannot and will not see Him hear us, or forgive us, or heal our land. The choice is ours, just as it was Joshua's and King David's. We can learn from them. We need to learn from their examples, or we can expect God to deal with our sins.  

#makingcovenants; #breakingcovenants; #rightingwrongs; #consequencesofsin; #Exodus23; #Joshua9; #Deuteronomy20; #2Samuel21; #1Samuel20; #Gibeonitesrevenge; #KingDavid; #atonement; #seekingGod

Proverbs 3:5-7.    Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, but fear the Lord and shun evil.

    

 

Are You Spiritually Ready For These Times?

"Brace yourself" could be the watchword for what the world is experiencing these days. And I do mean "the world" -- it seems as if the entire globe is on the verge of imploding. Never has it seemed, at least in my lifetime, that humanity has been closer to the tension and pressure that must surely precede in the days before the Tribulation described in Matthew 24 commences. A warning is coming frequently in dreams and visions and prophetic words to the people of God. Christians at every level of service to the Body of Christ are spreading the alarm they are receiving in their spirits. If you are at all in harmony with your spirit, then you can discern that Evil is increasing on the earth.

Now, not all the prophecies are accurate, nor is God the source of them all. Our Lord warns us that false prophets and false teachers will multiply during the times leading up to His return. Therefore, our spiritual discernment needs to be accurate and in alignment with God's prophetic voice. But, without a doubt, Men's hearts have grown cold. Lawlessness and sin abound. Love for each other is diminishing; our differences fuel the hate this is increasingly evident. The Enemy of the children of God is getting ready to mount his final campaign against us as he plots to defeat Almighty God. 

This pretty much describes our relations with China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and countries around the globe. And if you are unable to see that it illustrates our national crisis, then I'm afraid you're being naive. I know there are counter voices in the Christian culture that promote the religious message that Revival is on the way. And we should most definitely pray and intercede that recognition of God will reawaken in our land, and impassioned worship will sweep the nation -- that we will actually humble ourselves, pray and seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways. Then He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land. Oh, Lord, how I pray that that becomes our reality. I know one thing for sure -- it is imperative that we do these things. But it is also wise to prepare for what Jesus most emphatically prophesies as our future. And I'm afraid "the Church" doesn't want to hear that message.  

And yes, no one knows what the future brings, or just how close we are to what the Bible calls the Tribulation. But I do believe this -- we cannot escape the tribulation and persecution that Jesus told us will be our experience as the time for His return approaches. Jesus tells us that we will not escape being hated for His Name's sake, and that we must stay awake and be prepared for the hour our faith will be tested. 

In fact, there is a Biblical phrase that is equivalent to our modern expression of Brace Yourself, and it is to Gird up your loins. The meaning of this language is to get ready for service; prepare for a challenge or battle; and in the sense of the Tribulation, to strengthen yourself by putting on the armor of God. And here is where my question posed in the title of this blog comes into focus ... Are you spiritually ready for these times? 

I am reminded of the posture of Job as he endures the persecution by the Devil. As trial after trial mounts against him, we see Job, in chapter 38, feeling abandoned by God. Job has ached for a comforting word from God; for an explanation of why this was happening to him. Job just doesn't understand why he has suffered so severely when he's done everything he could to be a good servant to the Lord. Scripture suggests that Job was struggling with understanding why God hadn't come to his defense, and he [Job] was, in effect, wrestling with his understanding and relationship with God. And what is God's response when Job questions what appears to be a lack of obligation on God's part? Now gird up your loins like a man  [dress for action]! I will question you, and you make it known to Me (Job 28:3).

"Gird up your loins" is an expression often found in the Bible that is an urgent call to get ready for immediate action, or it may be a call to prepare for a coming action or event. The phrase is related to the type of clothing worn in ancient times. To keep from impeding the wearer during any vigorous activity, e.g. battle, exercise, strenuous work, etc., the loose ends of garments (tunics, cloaks, mantles, etc.) had to be gathered up and tucked into the girdle. The girdle was a band about six inches wide that had fasteners in front. It was worn around the loins (the midsection of the body between the lower ribs and the hips). Gird up your mind or gird up your heart are variations of this phrase which call for mental or spiritual preparation for a coming challenge. 

In Job 28, we see what I think the Bible refers to as Christians "falling away" or stumbling in their faith when the tribulation and persecution begin. Like Job, they will begin to question God about His faithfulness, and begin to doubt what they have believed. Because they have been taught that they would somehow not be required to suffer as the Bible prophesies, they will become offended by what they perceive as God's lack of protection and His desertion in their time of need. But like, Job, these Christian believers won't appreciate that there will be aspects of these End Times that are known only to God, and are hidden from man. And I believe that God expects us to "man up", so to speak, and prepare spiritually for the battles ahead. 

I worry that far too many Christians will stumble and be unprepared to pay the cost of being a follower of Christ. We must strengthen our faith and prepare to carry our own cross, just as Jesus did. We must be prepared to lose everything, just as Job did! Sadly, the Church has given lip-service to this concept and shied away from confronting believers with the hard truth that suffering and tribulation will be our temporary circumstances before Jesus's return. We have fallen for the messages of false prophets such as Darby and Scofield, who wrote Bibles promoting a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. This doctrine has certainly led people astray, and it was never spoken of by Jesus. Yet, many in the Church choose to believe this false theology, which is only 200 years old, rather than the Word of God spoken by our Lord and Savior 2000 years ago! 

I am being honest when I say that I fear for my fellow Christians. I don't want them to be surprised or in shock when the promised persecution comes. And it will be far worse than anything we have witnessed to date. I want them to be strengthened to endure and persevere during what is coming, and to keep their eyes and hearts and spirits focused on the One who will ultimately deliver us. I want them to be able to reinforce the faith of our fellow Christians who will falter during the satanic oppression, and at the same time, be prepared to share the Good News of [both] Salvation and God's Kingdom on earth with those who have never heard it. I want them to be prepared to declare Jesus Christ even when the sword is at their breast. I want their spirit to rise up in their identity as warriors for the Kingdom, even when their flesh is weak. I want them to be sure of who they are, and just how great is their God, so that even in the midst of persecution like the world has never seen, they will be known for their faith. 

I desire all this for the Body of Christ, and I desire it for myself. I have no great illusions that all Christians will meet this test. But I pray that the Remnant, however large or small it is, is even now preparing itself in all these matters. I pray they see through the dirty veil that the Enemy has placed over the physical eyes of my fellow believers, and that they see clearly [with spiritual eyes] the truth of what Jesus spoke. May God Almighty strengthen us and fortify us to meet the coming tribulation, and may we serve Him with courage and spiritual might, knowing that because we will endure, we will be saved. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that You have given us Your Word of Truth so that we might not be caught unaware; so that we might train and equip ourselves to be ready when the Evil One comes against us at the end of this age. Lord, we gird up our loins, our minds, and our hearts as we make ourselves spiritually ready for whatever is to come! Amen.

#EndTimes #EndTimesProphecy #GirdYourLoins #BeSpirituallyReady #FallingAway #Apostasy #QuestioningGod #JustLikeJob #BraceYourself #Tribulation #ChristianPersecution

1 Peter 1:13      So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert -- [gird up your loins], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  

        

Our Western Mindset Questions Authority ... And Jesus Is Our Authority!

I have made it clear through the history of this blog that I live my life governed by a Biblical worldview. What exactly is that, you might ask? Here is what it means to me ... that I believe in God, the Creator of the world, who has established an absolute moral truth that we are to live by. This truth is available to us through His Word, the Holy Bible. Therefore, I try to live my life by the precepts and principles He has given us in the Bible, recognizing that He is a Sovereign God; a ruler over men, nations, and governments. He is our moral authority and He rules according to His wisdom and purpose, calling me to responsibility in safeguarding His kingdom here on earth. 

That's a mouthful, I know, but it lies at the heart of the theme of today's post. And I want to build a case for the topic I'm writing about today, which is our society and culture's problem with accepting the authority of Christ. I'll begin here: In 2019 I wrote a blog titled Is Your Biblical Worldview Hebrew or Greek? It Makes a Difference! In this article I pointed out that from the beginning of the Bible's existence, there has been a tension between the Hebrew mindset and the Greek mindset when it comes to interpreting it and understanding Scripture. Having a Biblical Worldview necessitates that we rightly view the world through the lens of God's Word. But if you study history, it is easy to see that the manner in which the Body of Christ/the Church has viewed God's Word has changed through the centuries. And I remember waking up to the reality that just because we believe certain things "according to the Bible" today, it may not necessarily be consistent with the original writings and intent of God's inspired Word. 

That means that we should be reading our Bible [and understanding it] from the perspective of who it was written to (the Hebrews), and not through our own Western lens, which is based on a Greek mindset. One of the best explanations I've heard about the difference between the two mindsets comes from Todd Weatherly, of Bride Ministries Church: "The Hebrew mindset says, "I will do it [through obedience], and then I'll understand it." He says the Greek mindset thinks like this: "I need to understand it first, and then I'll do it". Which one puts God first?

Here's another way to look at it ... The Hebrew mindset allows for varied interpretations, and a passage can have multiple meanings [both in the physical and the spiritual realms] -- all to be revealed to the reader [by the Holy Spirit] from God's perspective. On the other hand, Greek thinking is very black and white; laden with precise exegesis rather than being rich in possibilities. Greek thought nails the meaning down; it can mean one thing, and one thing only. When we consider that Socrates lived 400 years before the crucifixion of Christ, and is considered the father of Western philosophy, we can understand why the Greek mindset would have been in direct conflict with the Hebrew mindset at the time the Bible was written and translated. The Socratic method of learning can be summed up, thusly: learning through the use of critical thinking, reasoning, and logic. From there, one questions, analyzes, and simplifies to get the one correct answer. The physical world contains the answer; the spiritual influence isn't considered. Can you see that influence in our modern American Church, and why it would lead to a religious frame of mind?

All of this leads to a blog post I wrote earlier this year, titled Why the Western World is Confused About the Kingdom of God. Because we read the Bible with a Greek mindset, we tend to form a rigid [and religious] belief system based on single concepts we've deduced from logic and reasoning. For example ... for years I read my Bible, never grasping or receiving the idea of what Jesus meant by saying His primary purpose for coming to earth was to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the Jews (Matthew 15:24 and Luke 4:43). I had been taught throughout my Church experience that the primary message of Jesus was the one of Salvation, yet I only find that word used or referenced six times in the four Gospels, and only once by Jesus (He spoke of being "born again" [or Salvation] in John 3:1-5). Yet, the Kingdom of God is mentioned at least 62 times, and nearly every time by Jesus, Himself. 

So why didn't I ask the appropriate questions about the Kingdom, or seek more understanding of why my Lord and Savior spoke so much about it? Why didn't I hear the Gospel of the Kingdom of God taught from the pulpits of the churches I have attended? And although "Kingdom" has now become somewhat of a popular sermon theme these days [and a Christian buzzword, I think our Western mindset still is not in tune with the understanding of what Jesus meant. And as simple and absurd as it may sound, I believe our confusion lies in the fact that we in the Western world, and especially here in America, have no concept of what it means to live in a kingdom or under a King.  

And here is where I finally come to the heart of today's post ... Having been raised in our American identity of separation from a king in order to secure our God-given rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, we have what might be called a genetic bias towards authority; it's in our national DNA to be independent and to question any authority that threatens those rights. In fact, our culture has been bred to reject and question authority. So, when Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matthew 28:18), anyone who is a non-believer and doubts His kingship, is naturally going to question His authority in their life. But, here is something that astounds me ... Jesus proclaims His authority and then announces that He is going to give that authority to us so that we might defeat the Enemy in our lives, take back the dominion we were given in the earth, and re-establish the rule of the Kingdom of God. "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you" (Luke 10:19).

But the American Church has not done a good job of teaching us these concepts! Yes, we have power and authority to rule in His stead, but He is still the King and possesses All authority! Psalm 24:1 tells us, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it; the world and all who dwell in it". Then Psalm 115:16 says, "The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth He has given to the children of man". We Greek-minded, Western-thinking Americans must be reminded that these verses are not saying God gave us ownership of the land called earth. At any time, He could take it back; that would be His exclusive right as King of the Universe, and Creator of earth. When God "gave" us the earth, He did not relinquish His ownership or authority over it.

We possess the earth as a trust, or stewardship. In Genesis 1:26-28, He gave us dominion [authority; jurisdiction; the right to govern in His stead] over the earth in order to extend the government of Heaven to this earthly realm. He gave us rulership, but not ownership. It is a privilege to rule this earth, and we must not take it for granted; we will be held accountable to the King for how we manage His kingdom here on planet earth. We are subject to His authority! 

But again, I fear that the American Church is a result of the changes in interpretation of God's Word that have come down through the centuries and been influenced by our Greek mindset. Have we become men and women who hold to a form of religion of our own making (and according to our national identity) but denying its power? 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self .... rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid  such people". 

Once again, I suggest that our Greek/Western mindset is at odds with the true Biblical concept of God/Jesus's authority in our lives, and leads us to denial of His authority, which then leads to rejection [of] and rebellion [against] that authority. Luke 6:46 exemplifies how Jesus views this behavior: Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Remember, the Hebrew mindset says, "I will do it [through obedience], and then I'll understand it." The Greek mindset thinks like this: "I need to understand it first, and then I'll do it". Which one accepts the authority of God in their life? 

And here's where we need to take heed of 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons ...". Our national history reveals this in our decisions to throw God out of our schools and the halls of government. Furthermore, we see it in the tendency of our educational systems to teach atheistic curriculum, pointing to socialism and marxist philosophies as the better way. And Church leaders are guilty of teaching unBiblical social doctrine, leading many to mistakenly legitimize their sin through Church membership. But this seems so "upside down" to me!

Today, we find many of the inhabitants of our country rejecting the authority of Christ in their lives as too restrictive and limiting, yet they are embracing the authoritarian rule and ideology of oligarchies as a better way to administer a society. Little do they know that there is true Freedom in Jesus's authority in our lives. Somehow, we have gotten way off track. Because it is our national predilection, or bias, to "buck the system" and push back against authority, we have listened to the lies and wicked deception of those who renounce the power and authority of Jesus in favor of the false promises of Satan that self-indulgence and self-worship is where we will find our salvation. 

That's the same lie he sold to Adam and Eve in the Garden and the same false promise that they could be their own God! Lord, help us! Our nation has turned its back on You and we are in danger of calling Your righteous judgment down upon ourselves! For myself, I bow to Your power and authority in my life, and I do not question Your Sovereignty over the earth. I choose to have the Hebrew mindset and obey Your commandments in Your Word, trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal Your Truth. And there's no amount of logic or critical thinking of the Greek mindset that will convince me to reject Your authority in my life. The fact that our universities no longer teach critical thinking will only serve to further remove the understanding of Your authority. We are in great need of a spiritual reset. Come Lord Jesus!

#hebrewmindset #greekmindset #theauthorityofchrist #ourdominionintheearth #theauthorityofgodsword #biblicalworldview #ourculturaldna #ourpowerandauthority #satansdeception #satansfalsepromises #rejectingjesus'sauthority  

1 Corinthians 1:22-25     For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. [This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].

     

The Devil's In The Details -- Part Two

In Part One, we saw God speaking in Ezekiel 28, through His prophet, to the prince of Tyre, Satan's human proxy whose assignment is to represent Satan's rebellious spirit in the world. God accuses this prince of using the authority he has been given to elevate himself, even to the point of declaring himself a god, and sitting in the seat of gods. He further accuses him of increasing his riches and power by profiting from [and trading in] unrighteously trafficked merchandise. And I believe that includes people. 

Then God warns this human [but satanically inspired] prince that there will be a price to be paid for his pride and arrogance. Because he has squandered his God-given authority [see Romans 13:1], in favor of the riches and power Satan promised him, God then states His promise: to bring strangers into their land with swords drawn against the wisdom and splendor of Tyre. And then comes the final pronouncement against the prince of Tyre: "You are only a man and not God ... You will die the death of the uncircumcised [barbarian/pagans], by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, says the Lord". 

Now, we will turn to the remainder of Ezekiel, Chapter 28, where God addresses the fallen angel who is guiding, directing, and influencing the heart of this human prince.  In verse 11, God instructs the prophet Ezekiel to now speak to the king of Tyre, taking up a lamentation [a wailing and mourning, as in deep grief at a funeral]. Keep in mind, that a king would have authority over a prince, and his rule would take precedence. I think we can assume that the prince of Tyre took his orders from the king of Tyre. We will see that God is no longer talking about the sin of the human prince, but the fall of the spiritual power behind him. 

God says to this unholy king, "You had the full measure of perfection and the finishing touch [of completeness], full of wisdom and perfect in beauty". God goes on to tell him that every precious stone was his covering, placed there by God, Himself! Here, we get the clear picture of the pre-fallen Satan, the picture of perfection, wisdom, and beauty. And God had adorned him with honor and great glory and splendor. But by telling Satan that "You were in Eden, the garden of God", we know that he has fallen from his high position in Heaven, and he has become the adversary of God and humanity on the earth [Genesis 3].

But the chapter continues to describe the high position that Satan had once occupied in Heaven. God recounts that the timbrels [tamborines] and pipes had been prepared for him from the day he was created. Isaiah 14:11 makes mention of his stringed instruments, suggesting that Satan was involved with the music in Heaven; perhaps that used to worship the Lord. Makes you think about the influence he has had on the music industry here on earth, doesn't it? 

I want to point to the specific wording in verse 13; that God tells Satan that his gift of music had been prepared for him "on the day he was created". Although Satan's prideful heart showed him to be arrogant enough to think he could be "like God" -- or equal to the Son of God -- he cannot escape the fact that he was a "created being". He would never compare to the "only begotten Son of God", Jesus Christ. In the Hebrew sense, this indicates that, as the Son of God, Jesus was the sole representative of the Being and Character of God; possessing every attribute of pure Godhead. He did not "become" the Son of God; He just "is", and has been, eternally. 

I remember the first time I read Ezekiel 28 and was astounded to discover that Satan had been "the anointed cherub who covers and protects", signifying his position as one of the privileged angelic beings surrounding the throne of God [as mentioned in Ezekiel 1]. And the fact that he was "the anointed cherub", seems to indicate that he could have been the chief guardian of the throne of God, leading to his false [and arrogant] supposition that he could usurp that throne. But again, God reminds him, "I placed you there". 

God goes on to tell Satan just how far he has fallen: "you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked". This is in reference to the reality of the heavenly Zion, of which earth is a representative. And apparently Satan had freedom to move among the "fiery stones", which could represent the seraphim that surrounded God's throne, who were known as "the burning ones", or "the fiery ones". 

Then comes the full significance of God's condemnation of this once honored angelic being ... "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness and evil were found in you. Through the abundance of your trade/trafficking, you were internally filled with lawlessness and violence; and you sinned. Therefore I cast you out of the mountain of God, as an unholy and profane thing. I will destroy you, oh covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire".  

And then we learn what was found in Satan that caused God to cast him out of Heaven. And it is here that we find the ways in which this fallen angel corrupts mankind in his image ... God declares that his heart became proud and arrogant, and the same competitive spirit that showed in his desire to become equal with the Godhead, appears in his desire to be exalted above all created beings; both angelic and human. But that competitive spirit becomes a rebellious spirit and God indicts him by declaring, "You destroyed your wisdom for the sake of your splendor". And so God once again says that He cast Satan to the ground, exposing him for who he really is, so that all mankind might behold him and discern who he is. And I might add, "if they will".  

Then, it seems to me, that God changes His language to indicate what will be His final destruction of Satan and all who choose to follow him. He accuses him of profaning and defiling his temples and refuges [all that honor his sins, including people, places, and things] "by the great quantity of your sins and the enormity of your guilt, by the unrighteousness of your trade [commerce and trafficking]". God then declares that He will bring a fire to consume Satan, so that all the nations might see His power to reduce the fallen angel to ashes. The nations will become horrified at the judgment of Satan because, not only does it point to their own judgment, but the great degree to which Satan has deceived them. 

As you can see, Ezekiel 28 truly gives us an accurate picture of how mankind can become corrupted by the power and influence of Satan. It's in the details of Scripture! And it's all laid at the feet of the once proud and honored covering angel. Once you know his characteristics, it's not hard to see his influence and impact in the arrogance, corruption, sin, lawlessness, lies, perversion, and wickedness of men. We can identify the powerful spirit that is behind rebellious leaders. Yet we stand on the Word of God ... they will be destroyed and "come to a horrible and terrifying end, and will forever cease to be". We can trust that God is Sovereign and sitting on His throne. He will bring justice for the righteous and only condemnation and death for the wicked. He is a Holy and Just God. Amen!

#Ezekiel28 #thedevilisinthedetails #Satan #Sataninheaven #satancastout #Satanthecoveringcherub #Godsthrone #prideandarrogance #unrighteoustrade #characterofGod #destructionofsatan #judgmentofGod #Godsfire #Godsfieryjudgment #fallenangel #satanthefallenangel

Ezekiel 28:17       Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. Therefore, I have cast you down to the ground and exposed you helpless before the curious gaze of kings.

    

The Devil's In The Details -- Part One

I recently listened to a teaching on how Satan lost his position in the heavenly kingdom of God, and couldn't help but recognize how he has been able to tempt so many men and women to follow in his footsteps. That alone is a scary thought! Who me? I couldn't possibly be equated with Satan's rebellious sins ... could I??

So, I have been spending time in the Word [and in my heart] to see exactly what God has to say about His enemy, and to see if I need to go before Him seeking repentance and reconciliation. The first thing I needed to do was to find out what God thought about Satan, and there is no clearer picture than Ezekiel 28. The Book of Ezekiel begins with God telling the prophet to speak to "the prince of Tyre". 

Before we can begin to explore what God revealed through his prophet, Ezekiel, we  need to know about the city of Tyre, and to whom God was speaking. According to my research, the ancient city of Tyre is located along the coast of Phoenicia in what is now modern Lebanon. The site has been occupied since the Bronze Age. The city became a prominent Phoenician city-state between the 9th and 6th centuries BC, settling prestigious colonies around the Mediterranean Sea, such as Carthage and Leptis Magna. 

Furthermore, the biblical city of Tyre and the modern city of Tyre are the same. It is 50 miles south of Lebanon's capital city, Beirut. From a Biblical perspective, Tyre is about 105 miles north of Jerusalem. Tyre was known for their wickedness and idolatry and many prophets predicted doom upon the city-state. According to history, it was Alexander the Great who later conquered Tyre. In the New Testament, Jesus mentioned Tyre as an example of a city that refused to repent, as evidenced in Luke 10:13 ... Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented and changed their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes [to show deep regret for sin].  

But God wants Ezekiel to speak to the prince of Tyre. And here's where the Scripture makes the connection to Satan. Holy Spirit made it clear that God is not only speaking about a human prince, but also to a "spiritual prince" [as referenced by Paul in Ephesians 6:12... our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 

Remember when Daniel prayed to YHWH while in captivity in Babylon? The Bible tells us that it took 21 days for the Angel Gabriel to answer Daniel's call. Why so long? Gabriel tells him that he was held up for 21 days by "the prince of the kingdom of Persia". This prince was one of Satan's high-ranking angels from the kingdom of darkness, sent to work in this realm to stall Daniel's purpose for the Kingdom of God. We need to see that Satan can send his demonic messengers to influence human men in their roles on the earth, so that they identify with Satan, and then act in their human capabilities, representing his evil desires. So, the prince of Tyre is a human leader influenced by Satan's "princely" angel assigned to the city of Tyre. It is to this human leader [influenced by Satan] whom God begins to speak to [through Ezekiel] in verse 2.

The entire chapter of Ezekiel 28 identifies the beings to whom God is speaking. In Part One of this two-part post, we will take a look at the first being God addresses, the satanically influenced human leader of Tyre; the human being who is behind the wickedness and idolatry demonstrated by the city Tyre. It is my intent to identify him by God's own description of him and then to highlight the spiritual characteristics that not only identify him and his followers, but differentiate them from Christ's qualities, of which we should be equated. 

In verse two, God accuses this human leader of having a heart that elevates himself. He actually tells him, "You have said you're a god, sitting in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas". Here, the seas represent humanity; and this leader is declaring that he is centered in the midst of humanity; he is at the heart of humanity. Yet, what does God tell him? He is [only] a man [weak, feeble, made of the earth], and is most certainly not God. Furthermore, this human leader imagines himself to be more than mortal, and thinks himself as wise as God; to be wiser than Daniel; that no secret on the earth is hidden from him. Then God acknowledges that by his wisdom and understanding, this leader has acquired riches and power; bringing gold and silver into his treasuries.

Then God says something that struck my spirit deeply... By your great wisdom and by your trade, you have increased your riches and power, and your heart is proud and arrogant because of your wealth. The King James Version says by your traffic ... The Hebrew word for "traffic" is rekullah, meaning "trade as in peddled merchandise". Are you beginning to get the picture? Yes, God is speaking to the ancient leaders of the wicked and idolatrous city/kingdom of Tyre. But the Bible is the living Word of God and speaks to us in our time, too. Can you recognize the Pride of our nation and leaders in what God speaks to Tyre? Are our nation's leaders not operating in this same proud and arrogant spirit, trading in human lives through sex trafficking, child pornography, and drugs? None of this trade would exist if US leaders truly wanted it eradicated. By default, they are complicit in its existence.

God goes on to tell ancient Tyre that there is a price that will be paid for their Pride. He will bring strangers upon them; "the most ruthless and violent of the nations". He warns that they will draw their swords against the beauty of Tyre's wisdom and defile their splendor. We are seeing that today in our homeland! The beauty of our physical land and the once magnificent qualities of our national identity are being squandered. God further warns that ancient Tyre will be brought down to the pit of destruction by these invaders, unable to still claim to be a god. He reminds Tyre that they are only men (made of earth) and not God; unable to save themselves from those that wound and profane them. "You will die the death of the uncircumcised [barbarian/pagans], by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, says the Lord". 

I ask you, can you see that the Pride and Arrogance of our once grand nation is on the verge of bringing us down to destruction? That strangers have been brought upon us, even as our leaders proclaim that we are still the "Greatest Nation on Earth"? Can we, with true humility, still say that? Or has our pride so corrupted us that we think that God will allow us to continue in our wicked "trade and trafficking", without calling us to account? 

I believe God blessed this nation into existence; that we once represented everything good about men who followed the Lord -- the freedom to become who we were designed to be; to reap what we have righteously sown; to recognize, honor and worship the One who bestowed such riches upon this land. But I also believe that we have been guilty of taking it all for granted; that we thought we didn't need to protect those blessings because we began to think it would never end. Just like the human prince of Tyre, we began to worship ourselves and our abilities, thinking we were still honoring Him, even as we proclaimed that He was no longer needed in our schools or the halls of Congress. We began to become our own gods, thinking we were as wise as God, able to outthink Him and make our own plans. And now we are reaping what we have unrighteously sown.  

God warned ancient Tyre that He was taking away His protection from them and removing their position of authority in the land. We may soon experience that in our own land. But even in the midst of that kind of invasion, we must remain true to who God created us to be. We have not been promised a rich and prosperous nation forever; to live in comfort and wealth. We have been promised eternal life by walking humbly with Him; giving Him glory [rather than ourselves]; and steadfastly remaining in faith, even in the midst of sorrows and persecution. That is the message of the first half of Ezekiel. In Part Two, we will take a look at the "spiritual" king of Tyre; who that might be and how his pride and arrogance will be his downfall. 

#princeoftyre #kingoftyre #prideandarrogance #ezekiel28 #ephesians6:12 #satansinfluence #thedevilisinthedetails #prideandhumility #reapwhatyousow #godsrighteousjudgment #manversusgod #manswickedheart #iamgod #wickedandidolatrous #godofheavenandearth #pridegoesbeforeafall

Jeremiah 9:23-24     Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”    

  

     

Can There Be Victory Without War?

As a Christian, I know the messages of Matthew and the Book of Revelations ... there will be wars between the advocates of Evil and God's servants of Good. The Lord tells us so. But His revelations to the Apostle John also promise us Victory -- not only because of what He has done for us, but because we have served Him well through the tribulations and sorrows that come with warfare. And we know there will be a final war in which Evil will be defeated for a thousand years, before Satan is once again released to wage the final battle with Jesus. 

So, how are we, in this generation, to view the state of the world today? You have to be totally blind not to see that the world sits on the precipice of WW3. Once again, Israel is at the center of worldwide conflict which is being waged over possession of the land, as well as the prodigious oil fields, which the world powers covet. No matter how much you hear that other energy sources will eventually surpass our appetite for oil, don't you believe it -- the world operates on the production of oil. But lest we forget, or misunderstand, God is the ruler of the world; all its resources in both sea and earth are His. He owns the heavens and all their galaxies, and He will provide the benefits of those resources to whomever partners with Him in His Kingdom ministry.

So, what are we to make of the war in Israel today, and what does it signify for our future? There is a Latin phrase, by Roman author, Publius Flavius Vegetius Rentaus, which says #Si Pacem, para bellum, which translates "If you want peace, prepare for war". That was during the 4th or 5th century. In more recent decades, our own political leaders have voiced the #peace through strength motto; most notably proposed by Ronald Reagan in a 1980 campaign speech against Jimmy Carter. In that speech, Reagan said, "We know that peace is the condition under which mankind was meant to flourish. Yet peace does not exist of its own will. It depends on us, on our courage to build it and guard it and pass it on to future generations. George Washington's words may seem hard and cold today, but history has proven him right again and again. "To be prepared for war," he said, "is one of the most effective means of preserving peace." Well, to those who think strength provokes conflict, #Will Rogers had his own answer. He said of the world heavyweight champion of his day: "I've never seen anyone insult #Jack Dempsey". Since that campaign, the phrase and ideology has become a mainstay in the Republican Party platform.

But taking politics out of the argument, does this idea of peace through strength apply to our faith and the Church? Surely, we have seen that the Church has been much more comfortable operating in compromise and concessions, rather than consistently and purposely fighting for God's principles. I dare say that is why we have abortion, lawlessness, skewed ideas of marriage and gender, and so many other legal and social issues. It's simple ... We cannot say we are "for" good, if we are not "against" evil. That axiom applies to cultural standards, military codes of operation, and spiritual precepts. 

Unfortunately, we have gone through more than two generations since we, collectively, as a nation, agreed on "no compromise" when it comes to our standards. Here is a Biblical reference [made by #Pastor Asher Intrater, a Messianic Believer in Israel] of why we need to take a good hard look at our Belief System in these chaotic days. He asks the question, "Why did the Israelites spend 40 years wandering in the desert? The old “exodus” generation had to die out, and a new generation take over. What was their problem? The “Ex” generation was not willing to fight in the war against evil". 

Exodus 13:17 tells us the story ... So it happened, when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was nearer; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war [that is, that there will be war], and return to Egypt.” As Asher Intrater explains it, "They could have gone directly from Egypt into victory in Canaan-land. But they weren’t ready to fight. So, they were redirected into the wilderness to wander for a full generation, until the next generation could be raised up. There were three stages: salvation from slavery; then wandering in the wilderness; then fighting for victory".

I found it interesting that [in his writing] he also insinuated that Israeli society was struggling with this concept of war vs compromise. I believe our own nation, and especially the Church, must come to terms with it themselves. That leads me to asking you this question ... do you believe that God wants us to live in victory and His fulfilled promises? But if there is a battle between Good and Evil, doesn't war eventually become necessary for victory? Is it not true, that we can't enter into victory if we're not willing to fight? We can't compromise or concede our way to a complete and fulfilled victory! As much as we don't want to admit it, learning warfare is a necessary step to gaining faithfulness and moral character.

And there is a statement that the good Pastor made that will shake many Christians to the core; those who only see Jesus as #the Prince of Peace, and not in His full identity which includes a #Warrior King and #Commander of Heaven's armies ... "God wants you to know war. That is hard for some to grasp. Fighting in moral, spiritual, and military warfare is part of walking in faith. To fear God is to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13). If we haven’t been through war, we miss some basic aspects of faith: Fighting a war demands obedience, discipline, holiness, faithfulness, courage, sacrifice, a victorious spirit, punishment of evil, justice, and salvation. Messiah Yeshua is not only the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6): He is also the Commander of the Armies (Joshua 5:13, Revelation 19:11)".

This statement comes from a Believing and Confessing Jewish Pastor, whom I believe is part of the remnant of Israel that God is calling upon to restore His Name in His Holy Land. And I believe it is a statement that all Christians need to embrace as well! the Bible tells us there is a war that has been waging from the beginning of time between God and the devil; between Good and Evil. And the climax of this war is coming soon! It is time to regain the knowledge of what it means to have a fighting spirit. It's time to be victorious once again as God's army on earth. Let us leave this vapid and feeble wilderness, and raise up a generation that knows how to fight for the Lord! 

God had to send a generation of Israelites to wander in the desert because they didn't have a fighting spirit. Their years in captivity and slavery had robbed them of their true identity and their desire to war. But God had a mission for them to do, and it could not be done through compromise or concession. We have a decision to make -- are we ready to change our paradigm from #lukewarm Church to #warring Ekklesia? Do we recognize that there is a time for war and a time for peace, and for the sake of the lost, it is our time to fight? Are we ready to leave the wilderness behind and cross over to the victory that awaits us? Remember: it is Jesus Christ, the royal King and Warrior who leads us against our mutual foe, and we will be treading where the saints before us have gone. It's time to leave the wilderness!

NOTE: I ask that as you go to the links provided in this post, that you seek the wisdom of the Lord as you read these various opinions. I do not present myself as in agreement with them all, nor propose that you agree with them, but rather take them to the Lord and listen for His voice to direct you to His Truth. As always, I suggest that you "eat the meat and spit out the bones", trusting in the Lord and your own discernment. They are meant as a starting point for your own research. 

#peacethroughstrength; #AsherIntrater; #PrinceofPeace; #WarriorKing; #HeavensArmies; # LukewarmChurch; # Ekklesia; #WanderingintheWilderness; #Warvscompromise #EndTimestheology; #WarsandRumorsofWar; #EndTimesProphecy

Revelation 19:11.   And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations].   

The Cost of Being A Jew Today

Before I get to the point of this post, I want to share a particular testimony ... There are times I discern something in my spirit so strongly and unexpectedly, that I know without a doubt, that it is coming from God. Somehow, I know that the thoughts I am experiencing are not my thoughts, and their sudden emergence is either from God or Satan. This happened to me in 2015 during a visit to #Holocaust Museum Houston. My husband and I had visited the much larger national #Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. in 2012, and it was a specific story that drew us to its counterpart in Houston.

The pictures and possessions of the children and parents and grandparents who were incinerated in the ovens broke my heart, and my emotions were overwhelmed as I noticed how many of the photos [of those who survived] were donated by their descendants who were part of the huge Jewish population in Houston -- and I recognized some of the names of college friends from my days as a University of Texas student, making it even more personal. But it was the little known WWII story that had compelled Mark and me to make the trip to this honored Museum.

There was to be a rededication of a WWII Danish rescue boat, named #Hanne Frank, what the Houston Chronicle called "a rare World War II artifact that was part of an even rarer effort". The article when on to report ... "While the Nazis were marching across Europe, the Danes made a remarkable decision. They were going to make sure the German war machine did not take Danish Jews to concentration camps. Denmark was the only country to make a nationwide effort to save their Jewish population with fisherman ferrying more than 7,200 Jews to safety in Sweden.' They never considered themselves heroes,' said Consul Anna Thomsen Holliday of Denmark. 'They were just doing what was right.' " I invite you to read the entire #article for a detailed picture of what this boat meant to the community. 

It was this exhibit and its story that preceded the strong prompting that my spirit received. I found myself approaching the docent at the Museum. I told her, "This is going to sound strange to you, but if you would consider it, I would like to leave our name and phone number, because I believe there will soon come a time when we Christians will once again need to protect Jews -- only it will happen here in our own country". Well, you can imagine that she looked at me like I was a lunatic, and stammered some polite response, but took down our information. Once again, God had called us to be #Watchmen on the Wall; to warn of some impending event that He wanted His people to be made aware of.  As I look back at that moment 8 years ago, no events were in sight, yet like the Danish boatmen in WWII, Mark and I just wanted to make ourselves available to "do what is right".

Today, my prompting no longer seems so crazy or impossible. The rise in anti-Semitism around the world is climbing at an alarming rate. As the American Church, there are many Christians who automatically assumed that the nations of the world would rally around Israel in her time of need. And Christians assumed they knew who Israel was, but I invite you to read a couple of recent posts I've written about the #history of Israel in the Middle East, and the reality of #who Israel is today.  Above all, I urge you to read and study your Bible! I am amazed at how little Western Christians know the Biblical Truth about God's chosen people, and the near total lack of understanding [by Christians] of spiritual Israel versus worldly Israel.

Mark and I have been blessed that God has led us to people who have deep connections with #Messianic Jews and their faith organizations in Israel. So, we have been able to get their perspective on the war in Israel and how this minority population of Believers in Jesus [as the Messiah] are faring in the midst of rising persecution. I'd like to share the thoughts of one of the Messianic ministers in Israel [in his own words]. Rather than relying on the news media and social media to tell you what the reality is for a believing Jew in Israel, let Youval Yanay of #Revive Israel share his truth .... 

"The Word of God describes a great war that will break out in the last days, a war in which all nations will gather, lay siege, and attack Jerusalem and Judah. This war will be an intense and cruel war, the mountains will be filled with the bodies of the dead, and cruel acts will take place in the cities (Ezekiel 30-30, Zechariah 12, 14, Revelation 16:14-16, Revelation 19:19-21, and more).

Over the years, when I read these prophecies, such a war seemed unimaginable. After all, while we have many enemies, there are so many countries that would never attack Israel. Following World War II and the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, countries throughout the West became loyal friends of the State of Israel whom we believed would never turn against us.

Today, we see something different, a wave of anti-Semitism spreading like fire throughout the entire world, even in countries once considered loyal friends of Israel. 

In the well-known and esteemed Harvard University, where many world leaders are shaped and educated, the slogan #“From the river to the sea” has emerged as a prominent rallying cry in today’s protests against Israel. It is prominently displayed throughout this university campus. But what does this slogan signify? It refers to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. For anyone familiar with the map of the Middle East, this slogan implies Israel ceases to exist, conveying a message for the destruction of Israel.

Will this wave of anti-Semitism calm once the war ends as has happened in the past? Maybe this time something different is happening before our eyes. For every nation to engage in an attack against Israel, there must be widespread hatred toward Israel, compelling them to attack. It will include leaders from every nation, people of culture, intellectuals, and academics with educated and influential leaders leading their nations to war against Israel. The present circumstance doesn’t currently exist, but are we witnessing the initial stages of a process that could give rise to such a situation? Is this a seed of hate that, when cultivated and matured, may lead to decisions triggering the prophesied great war at the end of days?

Before World War II, anti-Semitism was widely tolerated in Western societies. While not everyone was anti-Semitic, there were varying degrees of anti-Semitism. Some wanted to see the destruction of Jews while others didn’t like them, or just found them unpleasant. 

World War II, and the shock of what happened during the Holocaust, delegitimized anti-Semitism. For several decades, it became much more difficult to publicly express anti-Semitic tendencies and be considered a member of culture. For several decades, anti-Semitism was marginalized. It didn’t disappear but was pushed to the margins. It was a golden age that allowed for the rapid growth of the American Jewish community, and its unprecedented prosperity, and an era that allowed some communities in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Argentina to exist with a sense of security.

A few years ago it became clear that this era was coming to an end. The Second World War, a vivid and recent memory for the preceding generation, has become in this generation a historical event that is far away. Demographic, ideological, and geopolitical changes allowed anti-Semitism to rise. First, hesitantly, and now suddenly in capital cities throughout Western Europe. You have to rub your eyes to really believe what you are seeing: Jewish homes in Paris marked with the Star of David and respected academics expressing satisfaction with the brutal murder of Jews.

Is this something that will pass until another time or is it here to stay—setting the anti-Semitism bar to a new and higher level? If so, how high will this bar be? Is it now, once again, possible to express anti-Semitic ideas and still be considered an educated person of culture, just as it was before World War II? Are we standing at the beginning of the great war at the end of time (Mark 13:33)?  

Maybe, maybe not. We need to be careful to make such predictions. Our part is to pray, study, read the Word, and be busy with what God has prepared for us:  Draw near to Him, long for His presence, listen to Him, and obey His commandments as we leave our old selves behind, conform to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29) and proclaim His Kingdom (Acts 1:8).

When we do these things, we prepare ourselves, our family, and our community for whatever is to come. In peace or war, we have nothing to fear, our strength is in the faithfulness and love of Jesus"....

You have just heard the heart of a faithful Messianic Jewish man, who is not even respected in his own nation of Israel. He is hated by the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community; despised by the majority of his fellow countrymen, who are secular; and discounted by the political non-religious leaders of his government. But he knows the Bible and the prophecies of the End Times, and he understands what is coming; he recognizes it because the warnings are in his DNA. 

I pray that we have not yet reached the level of Satan's hate that will come against the Jews and Christians. I pray that mankind might yet turn back from evil and seek the Most High God and His forgiveness. But, I'll be honest, I see the prophecies unfolding rather quickly and like Youval, I am trying to prepare family and friends for whatever may come, while remaining strong in obedience and faithfulness to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I pray that my prompting of 8 years ago -- to make ourselves available to harbor Jews during another holocaust and persecution --  will not be necessary. May the Lord protect His #Jewish remnant until all who will call upon His Name are identified and fall to their knees and worship Him.

 #Holocaustmuseumhouston #Holocaustmemorialmuseum #hannefrank #watchmanonthewall #historyofisrael #biblicalhistoryofisrael #messianicjews #reviveisrael #fromtherivertothesea #jewishremnant #godsisrael 

Zechariah 14:2-3    For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured and the houses plundered and the women ravished; and half of the city will be exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.