What God is Teaching Me in This Season of His Time

Normally, at this time of year, I would be extolling the miracle of Christ's birth which is the hope of the world. And as I sit down to write this post, I can see the expression of the Christmas season all around me. For a few short weeks, we are all transferred into an atmosphere of joy, where the sights and sounds of the holiday mask the deeper concerns of our lives. And I have to admit that my soul is experiencing emotions of both great hopefulness ... and a sense of impending change. While I much prefer to be filled with hope, optimism, and expectation, the reality of events in my life [and the world] have directed my soul to a more enlightened sense of reality. To be sure, I absolutely enjoy the sentimentalism that accompanies the Christmas holiday ... the memories of childhood encapsulated in images of bubble lights on the tree; lying awake to see if I could hear Santa sneaking in gifts; and being surrounded by feelings of love and joy as family members gathered together for a day of celebration. 

To be clear, that sense of anticipation has never left me. Christmas still produces a feeling of excitement, exhilaration, and expectancy, even as I enter that period of my life that recognizes and faces my mortality. But I now view Christmas beyond a childhood comprehension of Santa Claus, presents, and the magic of the season. I have been aware for some time now [with acute disappointment] that this holiday does not reflect Jesus's birthday [who was most likely born in September]. I am also aware that Christmas is a compilation of man-made traditions [both pagan and religious] as well as a product of pop culture, commercialization, mass marketing, and advertising campaigns. That doesn't mean I don't still experience all the warm feelings of joy and the thrill of this season; I do! It simply means I see it for what it truly is, including the truth that it is a manufactured holiday, borne from man's imagination. 

Before you think I am heartless and blasphemous, I steadfastly and purposefully honor Jesus's birth; I honor Him as my Savior, born in a lowly manger at the time ordained by the Father; and born to rescue me from God's judgment. But it is His Death that my God points me towards in His Word. It all bears witness of God's perfect timing. That being said, I am determined that my opinions about Christmas will not be a cause for judgment against others. Neither are they a hill I'm willing to die on. Rather, there are much more unsettling things I'm dealing with than worrying about the delusion of Christmas. 

To begin with, I have lost three very dear friends in the span of two months from sudden and unexpected deaths caused by aneurysms and compromised immune systems. They were healthy and flourishing one day; gone the next -- no warning signs or pre-existing conditions. I will not speculate on the origins or causes of these deaths, although I can see the agenda of Satan and his surrogates to carry out Lucifer's agenda to kill, steal, and destroy. And, yes, I know that Death is a natural consequence of our sinful state, but it is the unnecessary, unwarranted, and needless deaths that leave me in a state of heightened consciousness of the history, times, and seasons of God's perfect plan for the world and mankind.

It is up to each of us to determine what [and who] we will choose to believe and follow. In the midst of our culture's celebration of Christmas, the Holy Spirit is teaching both my husband and myself that there are much more important things we need to be paying attention to. The Spirit is leading us into higher levels of understanding regarding the deception that Satan and his proxies have fomented about our history, times, and seasons. I do not pretend to know why God is doing this at the present time, but when He continues to highlight certain thoughts and information, we pay attention. And this is where I am in the new revelations He is disclosing ...

In order to put it all into perspective, I have suddenly become cognizant of the stages of my journey with God. I can see my awakening to the attempts of Satan to hide his efforts to corrupt or prevent God's plan for the redemption of mankind. God has been so good to show my husband and myself the truth of His plan, as well as to shine His Light on Satan's attempts to pervert God's agenda. God has pulled back the veil, so to speak, to emphasize where Satan has hidden in plain sight [through Freemasonry, for instance], as well as to show us a new understanding of why Jesus came the first time. To our astonishment, the Church seemed to have lost the fact that Jesus came to re-establish God's sovereign domain of His Kingdom on earth through Saved men. This certainly sounds obvious to me now, but I see the blinders that we [and a lot of Christians] wore; that Salvation was to be the object of our Commission with Christ, instead of God's ultimate goal of "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven".  

I could rehash how our spiritual eyes have been opened to so many of God's important truths that have been lost or disguised due to Satan's deceptions to move man away from God's intentions for us ... and him. But I feel an intense need to come to the latest point the Lord is impressing upon us; that time is of the essence. In other words, He seems to be saying that this time, [or this season of time] is very important and urgent that we understand what is taking place according to His timeline. From Genesis to Revelation, God's Word has made it clear that He has a plan to redeem us from our broken covenant with Him, and ultimately to defeat Satan. Through Jesus's sacrifice on the Cross and His resurrection, Satan's power of Death was defeated, affording us Everlasting Life with our Lord and Savior. 

But, God has now made it clear to us that He wants us to consider two important prophetic passages in the Bible ... Daniel 2:21 and Daniel 7:25. But first, I need to point out that the Bible talks about both God and Satan changing times, seasons and laws. Daniel 2:21 tells us that it is God "who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise, and [greater] knowledge to those who have understanding!" Then in Daniel 7:25, the Bible speaks about the fourth beast who sets up a kingdom on earth, "which will be different from all other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down, and crush it " ... And the king of this kingdom "will speak words against the Most High God and wear down the saints of the Most High, and he will intend to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time". 

Now, I cannot say with any certainty, that God is moving our focus to what appears to be the time of the Great Tribulation. What I am sensing is that He wants us to understand that we must be alert to Satan's attempts to forestall his defeat. We must remember that God has announced since Genesis 3 that He has a plan to secure Satan's doom; Satan has known from that moment that he would ultimately be defeated. "I will put enmity [open hostility] between you and the woman, and between your seed [offspring] and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, and you will [only] bruise His heel"; this makes God's plan pretty clear and irrefutable. Therefore, it makes sense that Satan, knowing his demise is certain, sure, and indisputable would try to thwart God's timeline and do everything he could to deceive us [and gain man's help] in changing our definition and understanding of exactly where we are in history. 

To be honest, I am still working through all the implications of this new emphasis from the Lord. Frankly, He is giving us information regarding time that is blowing our minds -- both how it relates to His plans, as well as the attempts of Satan to change God's timeline, and how God will use that to serve His own purposes. We have been led to documents that allege a discrepancy between historical documents [from both Scriptural and pagan sources] that bring into question the true age of the world and Biblical events. Could Satan have intervened, with the compliance of misguided and deceived men, to undermine the reliability of the Biblical text? Perhaps this is why the Word of God says, Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you ... the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  

And should we be looking closer at the Risen Christ's words in Acts 1:7, when, in response to the Disciples question of "Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel, He answers, It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority. The timing of the fulfillment of God's plans is definitely something He does not want revealed to Satan, our adversary. And perhaps that is a reason Jesus tells us, But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. God is going to protect Time, which He created, and over which He has complete authority and power, so that no man can interfere with His ordained schedule for the world.   

Maybe I have it all wrong; maybe I haven't heard correctly from the Lord. But there are things I know for sure: Satan may be cunning, but he is not omniscient. He may have an extensive network of demonic partners, who [like him] serve from hearts filled with pride and arrogance, but he cannot and will not hinder God's plan. I do not know God's mind and He has not revealed where we are on that timeline of Satan's defeat and our ultimate victory. But I know that we can trust Him to be Sovereign in His rule of this world; using not only men, but even Satan, himself, to accomplish and achieve His plan. It is only a matter of time ... His time.

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

    

 

Feeling Burdened By the World? God's Kingdom is the Answer!

The Holiday Season has begun, yet this time of joy and good cheer is often overshadowed by a heaviness that many just can't shake. Maybe you can't put your finger on it; there just seems to be an innate awareness of encroaching darkness underneath the outward display of festive merriment. But, as a Christian, if we can truly understand and embrace the truth of our faith, then we would know that we have been delivered into a new and different realm of reality than this broken world. Maybe we need to re-examine exactly what our faith rests on, and be willing to come to a new and greater knowledge of God's Truth ...

The Fundamentals

Let's examine the facts of our faith: To begin, if we truly identify as a Christian, we have been greatly blessed that the Son of God [and the Son of Man] walked in the midst of this sinful world and was willing to take upon Himself the sins of the entire world [across all span of time] and suffer the wrath of God [on that cruel and humiliating cross] in order to appease the righteous anger of God towards each one of us. 

Do you fully understand that through Jesus's substitutionary death, we have received His righteousness before God? That, when God, our Father, looks upon us, He sees His Son? Think about that for a moment ... Instinctively, we know we don't deserve that Grace. Yet, if we are true followers of Christ, we will repent for our sins, begin to live a new life in Him, where there is no condemnation from Heaven, and we can enjoy peace and reconciliation with Almighty God. That is called Salvation. 

And Jesus completed that part of His mission when He came to earth. He died for you and me, and three days later He walked out of the burial tomb the risen Son of God; the living, conqueror of Death, and our triumphant Savior! Salvation is now available to whomever calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a free gift and it is incumbent upon you, [it is necessary that you], either receive it or reject it. Simply put, it is a choice between Heaven and Hell; a choice between suffering in eternal agony, or rejoicing in eternal blessedness. 

I know the carnal world doesn't like to hear that they are limited to those two choices. And, yes, there are even some professing Christians that want to keep a foot in both camps. To them, Salvation becomes a burden and a self-gratifying form of faith that disrespects what it cost our Lord to give us that choice. But what profoundly saddens me is that too many cannot see that there was more to Jesus's mission than Salvation.

 He not only gave us an opportunity to choose Him as our way to reconciliation with our Father in Heaven, but as the way to enter our Father's Kingdom, which He brought with Him when He came from Heaven to earth. That's a fundamental truth that must not be ignored ... without Salvation, there is no access to the Kingdom. Salvation is the first and necessary step to entering the Kingdom [see John 3:1-5] -- there is no other way. And we need to enter the Kingdom to carry on Jesus's work. So, if you're feeling burdened by the world, perhaps you need to re-examine your understanding of Jesus's message about the Kingdom and what it means for you.

Why the Kingdom of God is the Answer

For some time now, I have discerned [and lamented] that kingdom is the latest buzz word among Christian ministries. It seems that every few years a new word or phrase is picked up by the Christian network and used as a motivating force to launch new evangelical strategies. In itself, that's not a bad thing, but I just wonder how many truly understand the importance and weight of the Kingdom of God.

When we discuss or promote the idea of the Kingdom, do we rightly represent it as belonging to God who reigns and rules over it? Or have we begun to claim ownership of the "kingdom" through our own "kingdom work" and lifestyles, ministries, and belief systems? To be honest, I became a little concerned when I began to see a proliferation of "kingdom businesses" and "kingdom universities" being promoted. And believe me, I am constantly re-examining myself and my motives! Am I self-serving, or serving God when I talk, or teach, about the Kingdom?

When the Spirit first opened my spiritual eyes to the truth and importance of Jesus's message about the Kingdom, I became conscious of making sure I was pointing to God and His reign, as well as His purpose to break into this sinful and broken world through His Son. I didn't want it to be about me and my efforts. True, we are His representatives, but how we represent and share His Kingdom matters. There is so much more beyond His gift of Salvation, as glorious and transforming as that is! But it is significantly important that we understand [and share] that we are not just saved from death and sin, but saved into a new realm of life [called the Kingdom], which results in a new identity, a new purpose, and a new destiny.

God called His creation of everything on earth "Good". But His Kingdom represents the glory of His sovereign rule over every aspect of our lives. It involves so much more than asking Him into your heart; it is His spiritual reign in our lives, whereby He sits on the throne of our hearts, and we submit to His authoritative and loving rule. By our example, we are to invite the rest of the world to become part of His Kingdom of Light, dispelling the darkness that leads to the burden some of us feel today. 

I love this quote by author Jeremy Treat: "The Bible is the story of God making His good creation a glorious Kingdom ... The Bible is a rescue story, not about God rescuing sinners from a broken creation, but about Him rescuing them for a new creation ... The message of the Kingdom is not an escape from Earth to Heaven, but God's reign coming from Heaven to Earth". Now, contemplate the weight of Scripture's truth when it says thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". The Kingdom message is about the scope and purpose of God's reign over the earth, making it like Heaven. 

Jesus came to bring a way for the men on earth to become a part of God's reign [and His new creation] on the earth through the Kingdom Jesus brought with Him. And the only way to enter that Kingdom was by receiving Salvation through faith in Jesus. By partnering with Jesus, we have a new life, separating ourselves from our sinful attachment to the old created world, in exchange for entrance into a new spiritual realm called the Kingdom of God. Today, this Kingdom has come in part as a spiritual reality for the truly Saved. We no longer claim citizenship in this world, but are renewed by our lives in the Kingdom and the promise of the fulfillment of the Kingdom when Jesus returns. That glorious fulfillment is a future event and the culmination of God's redemptive plan since man's fall in the Garden.  

So, if, as a redeemed Christian, you are feeling burdened by being in this fallen and sinful world, perhaps you should take a closer look at where you've positioned yourself. Which realm are you taking up your residence? Do you see yourself in the world ... or transferred into the Kingdom realm? Whose reign are you submitting yourself to -- the authority of the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) ... or the realm where Jesus reigns as King of the world, and God's authority is sovereign and supreme? Are you allowing yourself to be burdened by the chains with which this world will weigh you down, ... or looking forward to your inheritance and rewards when Heaven comes to earth in the fullness of Jesus Christ, and we take our places at the feast in the Millennial Kingdom?

In summation, we need not look at our present circumstances through our carnal eyes, but look with joy, patience, and expectation towards our future reality in God's fulfilled Kingdom on earth. Remember, at the moment of our Salvation, we were delivered from Satan's domain of darkness and transferred into the different and separate realm of the Kingdom of God. Stay focused on our future inheritance. It only gets better from here! 

2 Peter 1:10-11     So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Beware of Biblical Manipulators; Know the Truth About Jesus!

We live in a world of social manipulation. The advent of Computer Technology, Social Media, and Artificial Intelligence has led to a trifecta of attempted control and influence over our minds and spirits. And I fear the ultimate goal is to convince true Christians that their belief system is not valid. The world will tell us that not only does our faith not represent Jesus's message of "love thy neighbor", but they will try to convince us that our message of impending judgment for our sins does not ring true to God's Word.

True, without a full understanding of the complete message from God in the Bible -- which involves the dual concepts of both Love and Judgment -- it's easy to see how the unenlightened could be confused, misguided, and influenced to fall for distorted and exploited lies. Which is why it is immensely important that Christians know and understand the fullness and complete counsel of God's Word. And there you have one of the most effective tactics of God's Enemy, who is the Father of Lies. Satan has been practicing this tactic, which we now know as Gaslighting, for the last 2000 years, but it seems to me that he has been able to advance his agenda exponentially in the last 50 years or so.

Just in my lifetime, I have discerned that he was able to convince the American public [and our governing officials] that God's Word can be offensive to others who 1) don't believe in Him; 2) don't want to to believe in Him; or 3) are unduly judged because they don't follow Him, or they follow another god. Then Satan convinced his proxies to carefully plant the idea that we Christians are misrepresenting Jesus by not "loving others as we love ourselves". In other words, we are painted as being hypocritical, holier-than-thou, possessing hollow faith, and being two-faced. We are labeled sanctimonious and insincere Believers; intolerant, and exclusive.

Consequently, we are presently inundated with social engineering tactics as a means to influence and control society's attitudes and behaviors. We are told that Jesus would be a proponent of DEI policies  -- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion -- as well as a champion of "Social Justice". But any student of the Bible knows that Jesus did not come to promote a social agenda. He came to teach [and personify] God's will in the hearts of men. Yes, He met people's physical needs, but it was always people who were either following Him, or seeking Him, or people whom the Father sent Him to who were in need of a relationship with Him. He never advocated for the local government to provide what the people needed. He didn't call for taxes to be raised or the prosperous to be divested of their wealth. And yes, Jesus preached that it should it be a priority to take care of the poor and needy within the community. BUT, He spoke that this was the responsibility of each individual or local groups within that community, not a governing body imposing their will on all the people. 

You see, Jesus didn't really trust the government to fix the world's problems; that's why He was sent. And the answers to fixing those problems would be taught [and carried on] by those who follow Him. And He showed us by example. It is a heart-to-heart solution; one individual who exemplifies the Father's love [for each of us] to another. When you know and understand that foundational Truth of the Word, you will not fall for the psychological deception of the world that tries to convince us we are mistaken in our theology. Do not be manipulated into agreeing with the parts of godless society who say we are hard-hearted and judgmental; do not fall for the deceptive compromise of Satan's spokesmen.

And remember this! While we should always maintain a solid and loving relationship with God and seek to share His love with our fellow man, we must also recognize that God has given us a total plan for our reconciliation with Him and for our redemption. His commandments stretch from the Law and the Prophets in the Old Testament to the New Covenant in the New Testament. They represent the totality of God's Word to us, and are still in full effect today. The Biblical manipulators of today will try to convince you that the Judgment exhibited by God in the first half of the Bible has been replaced by His Mercy in the second half of the Book. And they will spread the misconception that anyone who holds true to righteous judgment is legalistic and misrepresenting Jesus's command to love others.

But this just shows their lack of knowledge of God and His full counsel. Yes, Jesus taught us of God's Grace, but the glory of that Gospel is that the true expression of our love for our neighbor involves sharing the full truth of God's Word -- that He promises the certainty of His judgment if we disobey or rebel against His righteousness. We are due His judgment [and yes, even His wrath] should we continue in our sin. That promise of righteous judgment makes room for His mercy when we acknowledge our sins and repent. You see, He makes a way for us to return to a justified and acceptable relationship with Him.

Of this, we can be sure ... there will be a day of Judgment and it is because of His love and sacrifice for each of us that we can choose to love our neighbor as ourself; to love them enough to share the Good News that Jesus loves them, too; so as to spare them the consequences of His holy judgment. So, I want to leave you with these thoughts .... because we stand firm in our Biblically-endorsed theology, we must expect to be judged [and even persecuted] ourselves. But do not let that possibility lead us into the temptation to compromise with the world and "go along to get along". By standing solidly on the Word, we can also expect to reap an inheritance of eternal blessings. Hold fast to your beliefs and faith; God will not abandon us to the opponents of His Word. In reality, we will be given the mind of Christ and the counsel of the Holy Spirit, that we might be approved to show the authentic love of Christ to everyone so that God might grant them repentance and a place in Eternity with Him. We will not be manipulated, confused, or misguided!

2 Corinthians 10:5    We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ 

Don't Let Your Guard Down! The Enemy Doesn't Give Up That Easy!

It's been interesting to watch the reactions of people, especially Christians, at the end of the long election process for the 47th President of the United States. Depending on which party you support, there were either demonstrations of ecstatic joy, or bouts of crying, depression, and rage. As one who clearly sees that this election was as much a spiritual battle as a political one, I couldn't help but see a bigger picture. 

You see, I've always realized that at a much deeper level, this election was about a war between the spiritual forces of Good and Evil, involving the rulers and authorities in the spiritual realms and their proxies here on earth. From the time the Fallen Angels rebelled in Heaven and came to Earth, Satan has been able to beguile men to become his surrogates; promising them wealth, power, fame, and status if they would carry out his mandates and agendas to usurp the dominion of man on this planet. 

If you have eyes to see, you can discern the battle through the ages, and clearly perceive it in our lifetime. We have seen the devil use men and women to achieve his goals of removing God's influence and commandments from our schools, our government, our homes, and our families. Our secular leaders, who many unbelievers worship as if they were gods [as do many professing Christians], have been successful in advancing an Anti-Christ spirit(s) across our land. The term Anti-Christ simply means "against Christ"; refusing to believe that Jesus was sent in the flesh from the Father and these spirits represent everything that is hostile against God. 

And, yes, I said "spirits", because just as Jesus experienced when He walked on the earth, there have been diverse spirits at work in the world. And the same holds true for today. These spirits sow confusion and deception about God's Truth, resulting in people entertaining countless views regarding what constitutes their truth. So, you can see how easy it is for men [who seek power and control and wealth via Satan's promises to them] to speak of what is good for the population in order to deceive the masses into following a satanic form of society. 

But I want to suggest that we proceed with caution. At the moment, it looks like freedom-loving supporters of a constitutional system of law and order have won the day, and stand victorious on the battlefield of self-determination and autonomy. But you can't forget who is at work behind the scenes in the spiritual realms. The humans who have made a decision to resist God, are [knowingly or unknowingly] following the orders of Satan, the one who personifies "resisting God". Remember, he is always on the lookout for those who will be receptive to his temptations of pride and self-reliance on their own "truths". They worship their own power and authority in this life, and whoever stands in their way becomes an enemy to all they seek for themselves. 

According to Satan, a nation who makes a choice to follow a leader who promises peace, prosperity, security, justice, and the freedom to become all you were meant to be according to God, is seen as a perpetual opponent and enemy to be defeated and conquered. While we are resistant to his temptations and seduction, he will continue to strategize to foment his innate spirit of rebellion into earthly men to see that his agendas are carried out. We must not forget that he is still the primary authority over all the rebels of the earth, and he aims to keep his power and influence.

That is why we must continue to overcome his strategies and persevere to the end! Right now Satan is on the defensive. He's mad and riled up. He is gathering his demonic troops for an assault against any spiritual door that he can open. He came so close to being able to demand that men bow down and worship him. He knows that Godly, righteous people are emboldened to fight to get our kids back; to restore Biblical values and identities in our children and our society; to remove all the evilness and wickedness that have denigrated men, corrupted families, and tried to redefine our schools, churches, and government institutions. He sees his power diminishing, and he will come out fighting. But he doesn't understand this one important thing ... 

We are not afraid! We are not cowering behind a political victory, hoping he will leave us alone to enjoy our temporary success. I pray and urge us all to fortify ourselves in the strength of our God; to trust in Him implicitly and with total commitment. We know that Jesus Christ, our Savior, Redeemer, and spiritual General has gone before us and we will be obedient and confident to follow Him to the end and He will bring us through the battle, whatever lies before us. As members of the Kingdom of God, we know our battle positions in the spirit, and we are disciplined and vigilant to stand guard over our territories in the natural world. We aggressively storm the gates of Hell while following our orders from Heaven on high. We serve the God of Peace who assures us of our eternal victory and we will glorify Him as we stand firm in our faith. God Bless you all and stay alert!

Psalm 37:12-13    The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He sees that his day is coming.

The Soul of a Christian Stands in Opposition to the Tyranny Against Faith

In both the Natural and Spiritual worlds, it is the souls of men that stand between freedom and tyranny. And both freedom and tyranny can be evident in the lives of men, regardless of whether you identify as a Christian or not. But today I want to examine this precept in the light of our nation's recent elections and our responsibilities as people of faith.

During my lifetime I have increasingly noticed the response of society and secular leaders anytime that Faith in Jesus Christ is expressed boldly or explicitly or conspicuously. And I have intentionally used those adjectives because they imply that Faith is presented in a confident and courageous way; is stated clearly, leaving no room for confusion or doubt about its importance; and that Faith is clearly visible, attracting notice or attention. 

It's wonderful when Faith is praised and celebrated, and we see the outward acceptance of such displays of spiritual conviction. We Christians know that our faith is the bedrock in all the areas of our lives, and when we pray and God moves, it is implicit that we speak of His glory. But that can [and has] come in conflict with prominent individuals, organizations, and governmental entities as incompatible with the secular citizenry and their civil liberties. There are groups, such as these, who will maintain that they should not be forced to be subjected to any ideas or public discourse with which they disagree ... especially when it comes to Faith. 

This faith-denying agenda is hidden behind media-driven terms like misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech. And because social media has now become the stamp of "authentic truth", it is becoming steadily easier to silence the intentional voices of free-thinking and speaking Christians. How many of you have been put in social media "jail" because you expressed your opinion on a public issue by crediting your faith? Now, not only does the Absolute Truth of Godly principles no longer apply, but Relative Truth belongs only to the faith deniers. To a Christian, the idea that Jesus is the only way to God and Salvation is factual, indisputable, and constant. That same idea to a nonbeliever is a relative truth; it is contingent upon context, a person's culture, and personal experience and opinion. It is not universally accepted. And depending on the earthly power of the aforementioned individuals, organizations, and governmental entities, it is their opinion that faith in Jesus can [and should] be controlled and even outlawed.

And in case you haven't noticed, it doesn't seem to matter that the Founders wrote a Constitution that established our form of government and its fundamental laws and guaranteed citizens the basic right of free speech. Not only does it appear that the public flow of information and ideas is under threat if it doesn't align with the godless and powerful privileged class, but what we thought were our private and individual communication and discussions about God are now susceptible to scrutiny... all under the guise of protecting the public from dangerous rhetoric and unlawful incitement. And it all comes down to whose Truth is received. 

One of the best definitions I've ever heard of Truth is this: "a divinely-created and Spirit-filled fountain of clarity rightly fitted by God to rise to the surface by cutting through the muck of man's lies and deception." So, when, say, someone attempts to uphold their opinion about the issue of abortion by quoting God's truth and righteousness on the subject, their voice becomes a threat to the earthly empires and thrones of those who profoundly oppose [and profit] from the issue. In addition, the authority of those who promote abortion is now challenged and they will raise up forces of ungodly resistance to quell any kind of resilience in God's followers.

Because I believe in the right of every individual to express their ideas and opinions [as long as it is done without violence or in an attempt to shut down opposing positions], it is extremely disheartening when this same right is not equally enjoyed by all participants in the public discussion and discourse. If one fervently believes in his or her cause, what is there to fear from an opposing viewpoint? Surely, one would be eager for the opportunity to present their line of reasoning, and then welcome the freedom to counter or defend their position. Could it be that they are fully aware that Christians are in possession of a soul capable of submitting and surrendering to a Source of Power that they don't understand? 

And because our soul consists of our minds (where our thoughts originate), our emotions (how we feel about our faith and experiences), and our free will to follow or disobey our Lord, we can become a dedicated and persistent spokesman for what we discern as righteous causes. The result of two diametrically opposed opinions is naturally going to be a collision. And sadly, the question of which opinion is "the real truth" no longer becomes the focus, nor matters. Instead, it becomes more important that those in the authoritarian position must retain control of the public discourse. 

But the role of the true Christian is to always represent God's Truth and His Will. A true Christian will never consent to be silenced or compromised. They are mindful of Jesus's prophetic Word that tells us we will be persecuted and hated because of Him, and we must be convicted to follow in His path of upholding and spreading the Truth, no matter the cost -- even unto death. And because we receive our courage and persistence from the Holy Spirit, we cannot be intimidated and will not give in to unrighteous and/or autocratic pressure. 

None of what I am writing today is new or unprecedented. From the moment the Evil One made his presence known in the Garden, attempts have been made throughout history to bend the steadfast perseverance of a God-fearing soul. And if tempting words of conciliation don't persuade the obedient Christian, then the Enemy's proxies throughout the ages have no problem in exerting their imperious authority to restrict the free flow of opposing views and demand that voices be suppressed.

In every Century, there have been what are called "Professing Christians"; men and women who fear the Lord more [in awe and reverence] if they don't speak the Truth, than they fear the men who threaten to silence them. These Christians who are willing to profess God's Truth in all situations have a level of faith that is unshakeable, indomitable, and unfaltering. And we are still present and persistent today! We recognize the battles against us that are raging, but we also know that our Beloved Savior goes before us preparing the way to help us spread His Truth, especially in the midst of opposition. We fearlessly march onward with our testimony, giving witness to His Power in our lives to redeem and restore us; all of which draws sinners to Him and His divine Message of hope and reconciliation. 

But I would like to remind each of you Saints to be wise and discerning as to how you share the Glory of Christ's Gospel Message. The Holy Spirit is our guide and counselor; and we listen for His promptings as to how and when we share God's Truth. And it must always be in love. My own testimony reveals the times when the Spirit bid me to speak [even when I felt fear or my words were weak], as well as the times He cautioned me to remain quiet; the timing and the occasion did not align with God's will. He desires that our actions and words draw a distinguishing line between authentic truth and words spoken to create a false truth. 

We Christians in the Western world have undoubtedly been blessed with the freedom to practice our faith and the opportunity to still speak in the public forum about the Strength, Goodness, Power, and Faithfulness of our Lord. Let us always follow in His footsteps as we continue to boldly speak His truth to a sinful world. Let us guard our souls. Let us walk in Spirit and Truth and do not fear opposing forces, lies, or deception. We serve a Mighty and Gracious God whose Name we glorify!

Psalm 66:16   Come and hear, all who fear God [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], and I will tell you what He has done for me [and my soul].

 

 

 

Where Are We in the Cosmic Chess Match between God and Satan?

If you have followed this blog through the years I've been writing, you might remember that I have made references to a "cosmic chess match" between God and Satan. On one side is the Most High God and His army of angels [messengers], led by the archangel Michael, "the great Prince". On the other side is Lucifer, or the devil, and his army of princes, rulers, powers and spiritual forces of wickedness. And from the beginning of the Word in Genesis, to the last verses in Revelation, they are battling for the dominion of Earth.

There is a good argument that Heaven's army, led by Michael, [whose name means "who is like God"] and whose title of "Michael the archangel" can be translated as "the greatest messenger who is God", is a type of Jesus. In other words, Michael behaves in a way that corresponds to Jesus's character or actions in the New Testament. Consequently, Satan's army is led by an angel who was once known as Lucifer, the anointed cherub who was the guardian of God's throne. But the sin of Pride, which caused him to seek to overthrow God, resulted in him being cast away from God and out of Heaven, where he is still seeking to dethrone God in the hearts of men and permanently lay claim to the dominion of Earth. 

Throughout history, Satan has attempted to infiltrate this earthly realm and influence, or revive, his rebellious spirit in men who would [willfully] further his cause in defying God and becoming Master of this planet. Remember, Satan has no home ... he was banished from his estate in Heaven, and is jealous that the dominion of Earth, which Jesus created to be like Heaven, [its authority, command, control, and jurisdiction] was given to man. The Bible gives us an abbreviated timeline of the cosmic chess match between God and Satan regarding who will rule Earth. It's a game of strategy, foresight, and calculated moves, and mankind is dramatically affected by each deliberate and purposeful move.

An easy analogy to help you understand this "cosmic chess" premise is to picture Jesus as the King piece, sent by God to re-establish Heaven's dominion over the earth; first through Jesus, as the Son of God, and then to see that authority transferred to us, His children (represented as the Pawns on the chess board). God ultimately evaluates and moves the other pieces on the board in response to Satan's moves, and in accordance with achieving His goal -- first, making us in His image so that we would safeguard earth as a colony of the Kingdom of Heaven; and then to reflect the nature and culture of our true Homeland.

And how has Satan played the game? From the beginning, he has tempted mankind to follow in his footsteps; to become our own "little g" god, rebelling against the mandates of God in order to secure our own earthly empires. God counters with a move that removes mankind from their favored position in the Garden, forcing us to use our free will to decide who we would obey and emulate. Satan's move: his servants give in to their lust for earthly women and subjugate mankind to a race of hybrid giants, who become "men of reknown", self-proclaimed gods who build their own empires and devour the earth with their evil, violence, and brutality. Again, God counters with a Flood that wipes out the wickedness in men and evil angel/gods.

And that has been the recurring story ever since. Satan convinces men to become his willing "pawns" in his strategy to "check" the King. God raises up prophets and righteous men to counter those moves and sets up periods of history in which men turn back to Him -- until the next countermove by the Enemy. And, yes, it should be easy to see that we are the Pawns in this analogous game of chess; the weakest and least mobile of all the pieces on the board. Throughout this match of cosmic strategies, it is the Pawns that are most easily captured and removed from the game. But I found it extremely insightful to find, written within the "Strategy and Tactics" portion of the official Chess instructions, this tidbit of wisdom: At the end of the game, when most of the pieces are gone, Kings typically take a more active part in the struggle, and Pawn Promotion is often decisive in determining the outcome.   

So, what is "Pawn Promotion"? In short, it is the advancement or elevation of a Pawn to a prominent position that has an effect on the endgame. Some of the most effective pawns used by Satan have been those individuals who have been able to foment corruption and outright denial of our ancient Biblical history. For instance, in 1830, geologist Charles Lyell published a textbook titled Principles of Geology, which promoted a doctrine called uniformitarianism, which is a belief that "the present is the key to our past". From that premise, he suggested that what is happening in our present geologic processes are enough to account for all geologic formations in all the ages of history. There is no room for the truth that a kind of cataclysm (a devastating, destructive force) such as the Flood to have pre-existed. This is an outright denial and disregard for the historical accounts of hundreds of Flood testimonies from diverse regions and cultures around the world, including Asia, Australia, the East Indies, Micronesia, Polynesia, South America, Central America, North America, and Africa.  

Another of Satan's pawns was Saint Augustine, who in the 4th Century rejected the account of Fallen Angels lusting after and mating with human women to produce the race of Nephilim giants who were discussed above. He promoted the "Sethite theory" that it was the sons of Seth who impregnated the women. But it's kind of hard to make that theory work, when you can't explain how that union would produce 20-30 foot giants. But you can see how Satan successfully used these men as pawns to deny and disparage Scripture. But God has men that served as useful pawns for His strategies and tactics to defeat Satan, too. The Essenes who protected ancient writings in the caves of Qumran played an important role in re-establishing the validity of Scripture. The Dead Sea Scrolls have opened up a return to searching for Biblical truth. And it is much needed today!

I don't know how many pieces God has left on the board of this Cosmic Chess match with the devil, but I guarantee you that He wants to promote you to play a part in the final victory. You don't have to be captured by the Enemy's subterfuge and denial of our ancient past. And you don't need to be removed from the Game!  

It's time that we deny the misconceptions of pawns like Charles Lyell and his disciple, Charles Darwin. Augustine belongs in that group, too! Their rejection of the testimony of antiquity [the ancient past] and the biblical narrative of antediluvian history, must be challenged. Not only do I subscribe to Proverbs 25:2 (It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out), but Solomon's wisdom in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 is the perfect countermove to the false doctrine that "the present is the key to our past". King Solomon states the following: What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already, in the ages before us. 

So, what happened in Genesis 6-9 will happen again. Satan and his pawns, here in the 21st Century, are secretly [and frantically] laboring to recreate their empires as gods; opening portals to entities from spiritual realms; and corrupting the genetic codes of humans so that they no longer are made in the image of God --- all with the evil goal of finally securing the dominion of earth. But just as He did with the Flood in those long ago evil days, God [as He promises in 2 Peter 3:10] will cleanse the earth of corruption once again, this time by fire. It's as if Solomon is warning us ... what has been is what will be. Through the Word, we can know the end from the beginning. 

But we also know, just as it did in Genesis, God's judgment will come like a thief in the night, and we cannot predict when it will happen. Now, I don't know how many pieces God has left on the board of this Cosmic Chess Match with the devil, but I guarantee you that He wants to promote you to play a part in the final victory. I believe we will see King Jesus taking a more active part in our struggles, and I also believe that we were created to play a decisive role in this endgame between Good and Evil. I want you to embrace hope and encouragement -- I can assure you that you have a purpose for advancing God's strategy of defeating Satan's kingdom of darkness and re-establishing God's Kingdom on earth. And what an honor it is to be examined and found worthy of advancing the game!

Isaiah 46:10   Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose,

    

Fallen Angel Stronghold Still in Satan's Plans (For Those With Eyes to See)!

I have been open and forthcoming about my Biblical Worldview, which I will admit oftentimes runs outside of, and independently from, the traditional Church's viewpoint. I hope you will give me the grace and understanding that this does not mean I seek to rebel against traditional and long-established teachings. It simply means that I have not been willing to keep God in a box in order to make Him fit my framework [or the Religious Church's] of who He is or what the Bible desires to reveal to me through the revelations of the Holy Spirit.

You see, I've always held to the axiom that everything in the Bible is true and all about the Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. BUT, everything about the Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit cannot be contained in the Bible. The totality of information about who they are and the history of the world they created cannot be limited to a book with a mere 1540 pages. As John says in 21:25, Now there are also many things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. And as King Solomon is credited in Psalm 25:2 as saying, It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

So, I guess if you need to put me in a category, it could be said that I do not believe that God has quit revealing Himself to us. In fact, I believe that as the time for Jesus comes nearer, God is revealing Himself more, and continually exposing Satan's hidden strategies in order to prepare His Remnant for the physical and spiritual battles coming in these End Times. And that brings me to a connection between antediluvian history (pre-Flood) and today's headlines that I've been piecing together from several current sources. And again, I'm able to consider these things and vet them against Scripture because I'm willing 1) to accept that their connections are part of God's plan for us to know them; 2) I know how to test the spirits to see if they are from God; and 3) I'm willing to look beyond traditional religious belief systems to see if God is concealing things He wants me to search out. 

So, all that being said, this brings me to the current situation in Lebanon; namely that just this last week the Israeli military began a bombing campaign against the ancient city of Baalbek. Today, this historical site is known for being the location of one of the world's largest remaining standing Roman temples. It is also a World Heritage Site and famous for being known as "the ancient Roman citadel of Baalbek". While this is certainly of interest to us because of the chaos in the Middle East that threatens to spill over into the rest of the world primed for war, there is so much more significance to this site that we 21st Century Christians don't know ... but need to know as to how it relates to these times.

If you research the history of Baalbek in today's search engines, you will most likely discover the near ancient history of this famous site. One such extensive article tells us that Baalbek's origins can be traced back to the Phoenician era, around 900 BC, when it was known as Heliopolis, dedicated to the worship of the god Baal. During this period, the Phoenicians constructed sanctuaries on the site, laying the foundation for the religious sanctuaries and the religious and architectural legacy that would evolve over the centuries. After Alexander the Great's conquest in 334 BC, the city incorporated elements of Greek architecture, as the site embodied Greek style with its Phoenician heritage.

Modern history will tell us that in 64 BC, the Romans took over, and at this time the iconic Roman Temples came into existence, including the Temples of Jupiter, Bacchus, and Venus. These monumental temples, dedicated to these ancient gods were known for their archeological magnificence, and credit was given to ancient Roman craftsman for their engineering skills in constructing these temples of stone known for their size, weight, and engineering marvels required to transport and assemble them. As the article reports, the most famous example of the Baalbek Stones is the so-called "Trilithon", which consists of three enormous stones located in the foundation of the Temple of Jupiter. Each of these blocks weighs approximately 800-1000 tons, making them some of the largest quarried stones in the world. The article goes on to say, "The exact methods by which these stones were quarried, transported, and lifted into position remain the subjects of historical and archeological inquiry." 

While that is the extent that modern secular historians are willing to research this subject, I want to take you a little further down this rabbit hole, if you will allow me. To begin with, the name "Baalbek" comes from the words "Baal" (the god who was significant in Canaanite religious beliefs), and the word "Bek" or "Belaa" (referring to the fertile Bekaa Valley). The name "Baalbek" translates something close to "The City of Baal in the Bekaa Valley". Indeed, the current city of Baalbek is located east of the Litani River in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Baalbek is mentioned several times in the Bible, often referred to as "Baal-Gad" and most notably as part of the land Joshua conquered in the land of Canaan --- [Joshua took all that land ...  as far as Baal-Gad in the valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon (Joshua 11:17]. This connection between Baal and Mount Hermon is mentioned several times in the Bible, namely Joshua 12:7, 13:5, and Judges 3:3.

What is significant, yet oftentimes missed by us modern Christians, is the understanding that the pagan god Baal's name means "lord, owner, possessor, or husband", and who was the supreme god of the Canaanites, who became a substitute for YHWH when the Israelites strayed from the One, True God. Also, did you notice the mention of Mount Hermon in these passages? It is necessary that we understand the significance of this location. And this is where you need to do your own research and develop your own Biblical and theological worldview, keeping in mind that God wants us to search out the things He has concealed for this Age so that we can spiritually see the cosmic war between Him and Satan that will determine where all mankind will spend eternity.

So, once again, I am sharing where I believe the Lord has led me. It is up to you to take my discernment, do your own research, and determine what you will believe. Because, very soon, you will need to know exactly what you believe in order to traverse the path before us. So, a very shortened synopsis of where I am at this stage of my research is this ... Because of the fairly recent discovery (1946-1956) of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Qumran Caves on the West Bank, we find connections between the Bible and 1 Enoch (or "the Book of Enoch"), credited to Enoch, great-grandfather of Noah, who walked righteously with God until God took him to Heaven). 

In fact, verses from Genesis 6, Daniel 7, Jude 1:14, and 2 Peter 4 bear a striking resemblance to 1 Enoch, which historians have speculated could have been written as early as pre-Flood, and as late as 300 BC. The truth is that no one knows the exact date it was written, but it pre-dates the Bible and serves as a historical account of the defection of Lucifer and his 200 Watcher Angels. NOTE: 2 Enoch and 3 Enoch are widely accepted as fraudulent and I do not give them credence as to their veracity. But for the purposes of this post, I want to use 1 Enoch to connect the dots that will lead us to the current situation in Baalbek, Lebanon.

From 1 Enoch 6:5,6 we read, Then they [the Fallen Angels] all swore together and bound one another with a curse. And they were, all of them, two hundred, who descended in the days of Jared onto the peak of Mount Hermon. If you have eyes to see, it can be understood that Mount Hermon was the landing location of the Fallen Angels who would begin their assault on the human race, producing a race of hybrids, known as the Nephilim, who became the Giants, "the heroes of old, men of reknown". It is important that we understand that they were no "heroes"; they wished to be worshiped as gods because they shared the spirit of pride that led them to follow the rebellious Lucifer, in search of their own kingdoms. So they began to share the forbidden knowledge of Heaven with their idolatrous followers among the human race, bringing with them the secrets of astrology, pharmakeia, metallurgy, sorcery, warfare, etc. They used the knowledge of these secrets to gain authority for their sons, who could then subjugate the sons of Adam by building their own kingdoms on earth.

A very insightful picture of this ungodly situation is convincingly written by Timothy Alberino in his book, Birthright: The Coming Posthuman Apocolypse and the Usurpation of Adam's Dominion on Planet Earth: "If men could be enticed to willingly abdicate their authority in exchange for [forbidden] knowledge, then having received authorization from its regents, the Watchers could legally operate in [man's] realm... Thus, the Watchers became the lords of the earth through the dominion of their sons and the willing abdication of mankind". 

So, 1 Enoch recounts the story of the progeny of the Watchers, who continued their Fathers' dominion over the earth, which "became a living hell filled with violence and despair". Eventually the supplications of the righteous line of Seth rose to Heaven and "filled the bowls of God's wrath". So 1 Enoch goes on to reveal that God sets a plan in motion to cause "a Nephilim Civil War; kingdom against kingdom, race against race. The progeny of the hybrid gods slaughtered one another in epic battles, laying waste to their realms and reducing their megalithic fortifications to rubble". The Book of Enoch goes on to recount that the Watchers come to Enoch and ask him to draw up a petition asking God for a second chance, so to speak, and when it was rebuffed,  they were "found together, weeping, in a place called Abelsjail, which is located between Lebanon and Senir". 

Lebanon likely refers to Mount Lebanon, and Senir is another name for Mount Hermon. It just so happens that the imposing megalithic complex located between these two mountains is the very same Baalbek of today! And the fact that it lies at the foot of Mount Hermon (where the Fallen Angels landed) gives me reason to agree with Timothy Alberino's conjecture that it is likely to have been built in the pre-Flood era and served as the epicenter of the Watcher's empire on Earth!

Modern archeologists and historians only credit Baalbek as a site of an ancient Roman temple. True, the Romans would later raise a temple to Jupiter over these mammoth stones, but new technologies have provided archeoastronomers the means to date monuments erected on such sites as the Giza Plateau (Egypt), Baalbek (Lebanon), Teotihuacan (Mexico), Tiwanaku (Bolivia), Sacsayhuaman (Peru) and Goebekli Tepe (Turkey), among others, as having been constructed between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago. The fact that no one, even with our advanced scientific methods, are able to explain how 800-1000 ton stones were placed with such precision, and align with particular constellations and cosmological phenomena, gives rise to the speculation that perhaps the Giant sons of the Watchers were involved in building these megalithic structures as citadels within their earthly kingdoms. And they could have withstood the Flood!

So, as I hope you can see, this is a vast amount of information that takes us down many paths. And in this post, I have just barely scratched the surface of the implications for us Believers. But just for a moment, let's consider what the spiritual significance might be of modern-day Israel waging war on ancient Baalbek. If it truly was a fortress of the Fallen Angels, is God trying to tell us something? Granted, I'm willing to accept that it is just a coincidence ... but man, what a coincidence!  

Satan's enemy [God's chosen Holy Land], is now in a war against what was once the center of Satan's (and his Fallen Angels) empire. Is this signalling to us that the Great Battle between Good and Evil is on the horizon? You might think I'm reaching too far, and you certainly have a right to that opinion. Maybe I am ... but I never want to discount what the Lord might be trying to tell me. For too long, we Christians have closed our hearts and minds to the warnings of God, and look where it's gotten us. So pray! Pray that Heaven's divine and righteous Watchers (yes, there are good ones, too) will fulfill their spiritual purpose: to offer guidance to mankind and provide us with early warnings to keep us aligned with God's will in our lives and on the earth. And pray that we will heed them! The time is near when we will desperately need their holy counsel!     

Daniel 4:17     The sentence is by the decree of the Watchers, the decision by the word of the Holy Ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will and sets over it the lowliest of men.  

 

 

 

  

   

 

Even Dogs Can Eat Crumbs That Fall From Their Master's Table -- This Is Why!

The title of this post is a play on the words of a faithful Syro-Phoenician woman who hoped to receive the blessings of Jesus, the Messiah and King of the Universe. And while this is going to be a short and unconventional post; and may [at first] seem of little or no importance to the Christian life, I hope you will read it with a heart that is open to the equally unconventional ways God can speak to our spirits. This is what I experienced this morning ...

I try to start every morning with time in my Bible, seeking to hear and learn from the Holy Spirit's revelation. And I'm sure, like many of you, you recognize that there are many distractions that sometimes limit our good intentions. This morning, I started by preparing for our Home Church study of Mark, Chapter 8; then I checked for any emergencies that were coming in on the phone and that I needed to handle. And because of my weakness for dog videos, my attention was captured by an incredible training video of a German Shepherd which showed his discipline in pleasing his owner. 

I was still contemplating his incredible obedience and behavior while washing dishes (yes, I still sometimes like to calm my mind before the day's tasks with this simple routine). And I can't explain it, but the Lord often speaks to me when my hands are immersed in hot, soapy water. Then, all of a sudden, my mind was opened to the broad view of all the ways this dog's actions showed me how we are to respond to our own Master! Give me a of couple minutes of your time and I think you will agree!

1) The Dog Stayed Focused. This incredible creature was 100% focused on his Master. He never took his eyes off the man who had trained him. When standing at his side, the dog was always touching his human, looking up at him with adoring eyes. Their bond was unmistakable, and the dog's loyalty was without question. Attempts were made to distract the dog -- loud noises, intrusive activities around them, and confusing diversions. But nothing turned the obedient animal from his assignment. 

2) The Dog's Level of Obedience Was Exemplary. The dog was attentive to every movement and voice inflection of his Master. He watched for any indication that a new command might be coming, and then he followed it without hesitation. He stopped on a dime when commanded. He stayed when the trainer walked off and separated himself for a period of time; he kept still and waited to hear his Master's voice. And then he came running when called; full of joy and excitement, ready to submit and please. The dog was also ready to move any direction when he sensed the trainer's change of course. He followed his Master's every lead.

3) The Dog Never Hesitated and Accepted Every Challenge. I watched as this amazing animal showed how in tune he was to his Master. He never tried to outguess the trainer's next move, but remained disciplined and in self-control ... going when commanded; stopping and returning to his Master's side when called. He never got out ahead of the trainer, nor lagged behind when given a command. Nothing was too big of a challenge for him, and obstacles did not deter him. He ran over them, through them, and after them. There was nothing he wouldn't do to please his Master and his best friend!

So, as I stood at my kitchen sink, immersed in dirty dishes that needed to be cleaned, I understood that while the trainer did not portray the love and gentleness that I know in my relationship with Jesus, I nevertheless heard my Lord say in my mind, "If only My people, who are called by My Name, showed Me this kind of devotion." And then my mind just clicked off all the ways that this noble animal showed his Master how much he loved him, and would do everything in his power to obey and please him. He really covered all the attributes of what we would call a "good Christian". The words that described what I saw came rushing into my thoughts ... focused on the Master; adoration; loyalty; could not be distracted from his assignment; attentive to every word and action of the Master; followed every command without question; watched and waited [with patience] for what the Master called him to; only did what the Master told him to; never got out ahead of the Master or charted his own course; met every challenge with joy and excitement; and came running when called. 

Could I truly say that described me? Can you? Those of us who have known the love of faithful and loving animals like this dog, understand how they represent the unconditional love of our Lord towards us -- and how we are to respond in kind. I am thankful that my spirit is open to the Lord reaching me in such unconventional ways and in the ordinary, mundane activities of my day. Lord, thank you for the wisdom you have bestowed upon me today, and for showing me Your heart's desire. I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to reveal my shortcomings so that I may correctly and joyfully show my love for You! I praise You, for You are worthy to be praised! 

Please take the time to watch this video and be amazed as I was! And let the Lord reveal Himself and His will for how we are to respond to Him. Enjoy!   

John 15:15     No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.  

             

  

TRUTH: Nothing Is Stable In This World ... Except the Unshakeable Kingdom of God!

 We are all increasingly aware of the instability in the world. And there is much fear and anxiety as to the future of mankind and [even] the planet. It is wreaking havoc upon men's souls. But to be honest, I find myself wondering why it should be so. Why are people surprised that, once again, we are facing cataclysmic chaos, uncertainty, and volatility? 

No matter if you are a Believer or not, where are we given any assurances that men can give us a world that offers us stability or security? Men have never been successful in building a stable or permanently established civilization, government or kingdom. Empires and kingdoms have come and gone throughout the history of the world. In the Bible, Daniel's vision prophesies of a towering statue that represents the coming world empires and kingdoms. Its shows us the passing of the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman Empires; each greater in influence and power than its predecessor. But none of them lasted.

Even the British Empire, which began in the late 1500s and grew to rule over 400 million people by 1913, [making it the largest empire in history], finally ended in 1997 when it seceded control of Hong Kong to China. The kingdoms of this world have always been about men building kingdoms to glorify themselves. There is only one eternal and everlasting Kingdom, and that is the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ! Any other empire is doomed to failure and extinction -- especially the empires we build to ourselves. Because, let's face it! Since the Garden of Eden, men and women have let themselves be tempted, deceived, and seduced into seeking something that elevates them above others, whether it be influence, power, territory, material wealth, or dominance and control. It can be on a grand scale [impacting nations and peoples] or on a minor level, affecting only their own life. In either case, they build these kingdoms for themselves, thinking they are going to be imperishable and indestructible... they will last forever.

As men become aware that forever does not exist in the realm of man's life or the earth's, fear and anxiety set in. And I am seeing that at an increasing rate. Believers recognize that our nation has lost its moral compass, while the unsaved see the condition of their lives and the nation's support systems beginning to fail. The Believers are aware of 2 Peter 3:10, which tells us that there will come a Day of God's Judgment, and it will be unannounced; coming like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration/firestorm, and earth and all its works will be exposed to the scrutiny of God's Judgment. The unbelievers see the possibilities of nuclear war accomplishing the same destruction. And both groups wonder why we find ourselves in the mess we're in and what are we going to do about it?

I want to share a quote from the Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the distinctive Welsh evangelist and theologian [1899-1981]. I believe it lends a voice to the questions we are asking in this 21st Century...."Why, in spite of all our efforts and endeavors and great advances, is the world still in trouble? Why is every advance followed by regression, every rise by a decline and fall? Why do our attempts to govern the world end in disaster? What is the matter? And there is only one answer. It is is due to the fact that men and women have sinful and fallen natures; it is due to their estrangement from God; and, more, it is due to God's wrath upon humanity in its sinfulness and arrogance. But the tragedy of the world is that it does not realize this."

The tragedy is that mankind is all too willing to point the finger at someone or something else for the degradation of our lives: inflation, higher food prices, the decline of the family/home as our nation's foundation; the willingness for world leaders to go to war as the answer; the lapse in religious faith. Make no mistake, I agree that all these are valid factors! BUT we must be truthful with ourselves! Yes, we have very real human enemies [as well as spiritual] that want to destroy us, but the real enemy is within us; in the corruption, degeneracy, perversion, and immorality of our souls -- in the sinfulness that we practice. And does our faith have any real substance to it? Or is it merely fading away into a form of religion that has lost any contact and relationship with our God? Can we say we truly know Him and He knows us?

I think any of us who are in our later years must admit that we have failed not only our country and generations [by not taking a stand against removing God from the center of our society, and by not protecting the unborn], but we have failed to recognize that relying on secular rules, laws, and regulations will not replace the righteous rule of God and His Divine Justice. And yes, I know the Bible tells us we win in the end! But have you read what the Word says will happen before we reach that conclusion? All the empires and kingdoms of the world have come to naught. They've all been unstable and shaken. It is only the Kingdom of God that cannot be moved. All the other kingdoms [past, present, and future], will be overcome by the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of His Son.

No other kingdom or false religion can overcome the Son of God! We have no need of fear or anxiousness for what is coming! If we truly know who we are in Christ, then we know that we need not fear what man or nation can do to us. All those kingdoms and the evil men of the world are under condemnation. It is our responsibility as heirs of God's Kingdom to proclaim our certainty of God's promises to us of eternal life, and that our blessed Lord and Savior is coming again to call us to Himself! 

So, instead of walking in fear, let us stand up boldly and proclaim the Unshakeable Kingdom of God. Let our words come as fire from the Holy Spirit within us, consuming the hearts and minds of the unrepentant and drawing them to the life-giving force of God, Himself. The kingdoms of the world have come and gone, but there are still kingdoms on the earth that need to hear God's Truth in today's contemporary circumstances. And they need to hear what no one else but God's Remnant can proclaim: It is God who makes us stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come! Praise Him and His Eternal Kingdom!

Hebrews 12:28     Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for God is a consuming fire.  

       

My Personal Assessment (& A Piece of Advice) For Those Called To Ministry

I find myself in a quandary today. Ever since my husband, Mark, and I were called out of our lackluster relationship [and service] to the Lord in order to receive a God-ordained ministry, we have been blessed by His faithfulness [and the Holy Spirit's wisdom and counsel] to be connected to people who have ignited, activated, encouraged, and walked beside us to see His will done in lives on the earth. 

Our spiritual journey really began over 15 years ago, and to be honest, we were simply a couple living a normal, commonplace life who faithfully went to Church, loved our Sunday School group, and thought of ourselves as good Christians. But one day, we just looked at each other and said, "I need more; I'm not being fed, and I want more of who God is." Long story short, it all began with my husband receiving an unexpected [and rare] vision from God that let us know He was calling us to something bigger than ourselves. 

At the time, we were seen as rebels within the Church we attended. After all, we were no longer coloring inside the lines of traditional Religious practices. We were attending conferences and training workshops with people who professed to also have heard from the Lord that He wanted to work with His followers to help continue the work He started ... preaching the Good News of His Kingdom; proclaiming that they could have freedom from their bondage to Satan [through the ministry of Inner Healing]; and working with Jesus to free individuals from the oppression of demons, illnesses, and the traumas and tragedies of life. 

We literally spent three years in the Word; studying every morning for at least two hours, and examining our denominational theology to make sure it aligned with God's Holy Word. After that dedicated time we were rewarded with His sanctified calling on our lives to a ministry in which we partnered with Jesus to set the captives free. We did not advertise it, call ourselves by a fancy title or ministry name. We just took advantage of every opportunity God brought to us to speak to anyone whom He helped us discern needed to be set free in order to pursue their purpose on this earth. One by one, they found their way to us, as God ordained their steps. At the beginning, we were met with a lot of skepticism, doubt, and unbelief. And we understood. The Church had their own form of "normalcy bias" ... and the message we were sharing [that Jesus can still set captives free like He did in the Bible] did not fit the modern model. The results of our form of ministry testified to the truth we professed, and lives were rescued from the Enemy and gloriously changed.

As the years progressed, we were thrilled to see more and more people awakening to our testimonies and Jesus's command to Seek the Kingdom first and righteousness. And we counted it a blessing when a few, who were themselves set free, experienced the calling on their lives to set others free -- just as Jesus called His disciples to do. By this time, the number of people finding their way to Jesus's Healing Table in our home had grown exponentially. We hoped that because of the freedom they received, they would want to become disciples of Jesus, following His model of bringing inner healing to those who have experienced trauma and oppression, all by the devil's design to keep them from discovering their assignment for the Kingdom. We began receiving requests to convene small conferences to teach and train others what we had been taught.

We were excited that people seemed interested in continuing Jesus's practice of setting the captives free. We naively thought that once they had experienced their own freedom, they would glorify Him by unselfishly setting others free. Over the next year or two, we saw people embrace the ministry from many different perspectives. We saw those who began having dreams and clearly hearing their instruction to plant and grow a ministry for the Lord. They were ready to take the ball and run with it! But then I also began to discern those who loved the idea of emulating Jesus's ministry and became impassioned with the possibilities of what they could accomplish for God's Kingdom. And I also began discerning that some were approaching this ministry out of their soul, rather than hearing God's voice in their spirit. They seemed to be getting out ahead of God's plan and schedule, devising their own program of ministry, fueled by their own zeal and enthusiasm.

In truth, not every dream, or thought that comes into our minds is always from God. Sometimes they are our own thoughts, prompted by our desire to serve the Kingdom [or, even our need for validation]. They can seem like God is speaking directly to our spirits, when in reality it is our soul [our mind, emotions, and free will] generating the dreams and thoughts. And that is an important distinction because it is the difference between God HONORING or BLESSING our ministry. And we have to ask ourselves an honest question ... is the condition of our heart to grow our ministry, OR is to advance the Kingdom? Granted, you can advance the Kingdom if your ministry is growing, and God will certainly honor those efforts; He will recognize, appreciate, and value your ministry. And a byproduct may be that people will also recognize the validity of your ministry.

But I think we have to ask ourselves a very important question -- are we more driven to develop and grow our ministry; or are we more focused on representing God's Kingdom and taking back territory from the Enemy? Is the focus of our ministry centered on us and our reputation, or is it about declaring, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?" If it is the latter, then the ministry God has called us to will be blessed; there will be bountiful fruit that is borne from it.

I'm going to be honest here ... the Lord has blessed the ministry that He called Mark and I to. It is so encouraging [and gratifying] to see people who have been set free through our obedience to Christ, then answer His call on their lives, and begin to work with Jesus to help set others free! I find it uncomfortable when someone makes an appointment and tells us that they have been hearing about us. No! I want them to be hearing about what Jesus is doing through us! For us, it's always been about Jesus; about being obedient to His teachings and commands, fulfilling the same assignments as the Twelve Disciples were given. I want it to be said of us as it was said of them ... And they went out and preached [the Gospel of the Kingdom] everywhere, while the Lord was working with them and confirming the Word by the signs that followed.

And what did Jesus say would be the signs of those who believe in Him and were baptized into salvation? In My Name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them [these are cultural idioms for engaging with evil people and poisonous words]; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well. That is some fruit that cannot be ignored!

Sadly, it is has become my opinion over the last few years that the true motives for ministry have [for a growing number of Christians] become all about chasing the Gifts, Titles, and Positions. If we are going to see these ministries truly model the ministry of Jesus Christ, we need to be honest with ourselves and ask if we are not elevating ourselves and our ministries above what God is trying to do in getting people free. If we do not become poor in spirit [recognizing that we have no spiritual "assets"; we are truly poor and must be willing to beg God for His resources that are necessary to do ministry], we will never receive the rewards of the Kingdom of Heaven. If we are relying on our own abilities and resources, instead of God's will and instruction, then we will never receive as much from Him as we could have. And we are denying the person we're ministering to the full measure of what God wants for them, and it becomes all about us.

I do not want to condemn or judge, because I believe these ministers love the Lord and have a heart to help people, but I have become increasingly disappointed in some of them as I watch them chasing what I can only call "Performance Ministry", seeking validation from their actions and what is put on display for all to see. I read an article back in 2019 by Deliverance Minister, Kathy DeGraw in Charisma Magazine that has stuck with me. She asked this pointed question: Are we doing ministry for ourselves so we can release our anointing and preach, pray, and prophesy ... or are we genuinely in love with God, desiring to release the Spirit of God within us? That answer is important because one draws attention from others to us; the other focuses on the intentions of our heart towards the Father. One is an honor; the other a blessing which can result in changed lives for the Kingdom, which is synonymous with fruit. 

I don't want to paint a broad brush across all ministries, but I do want to share these cautionary words if you are being called to ministry ... let your heart be cleansed of all self-promotion and centered on the will of God, for there you will find blessings that far outweigh the praise of men. 

2 Timothy 2:15    Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the Word of Truth.