To Hell With Them!

     This post will be highly controversial, but hard to ignore.  My only purpose is to expose the evil-doers, not to paint a broad brush of denunciation over any religious entity.  God will be the Judge.  That being said, I know that there is good in the world, and that "the light goes on shining in the dark; it is not overcome by the dark."  But there are times that it seems the darkness is so unnatural and wicked that it is difficult to see how the Light can penetrate the Evil.
     Such is the case in the growing evidence coming out of the Irish convent child murders.  Why even take a look at this vileness?  The darkness must be exposed to the Light; if it is kept in the shadows, it continues to thrive and grow.

     News reports have been telling us for days now that the bones of nearly 800 children were found in a Roman Catholic Nun septic tank.  At first, it was my understanding that this was a result of the stigma of illegitimacy, and that the dead babies were thought to have been secretly buried beside a home for single mothers and their children in County Galway, Ireland, over a period of 36 years.  That fact alone is enough to declare the perpetrators worthy of God's wrath.
     But Before It's News website is now reporting that the facts of this situation are far more demonic. The Irish Garda police force has revealed that marks on the bones of the children reveal that they were "ritually" murdered.  Forensic experts have confirmed the decapitation and dismemberment of babies in the mass grave resembled the usual signs of ritualistic killings.  Who in this world could do that to a baby?  The answer is, "They are not of this world."  Five judges of the International Common Law Court of Justice (ICLCJ) in Brussels viewed forensic evidence that appeared to link the children’s deaths to the global elite Ninth Circle Satanic Child Sacrifice Cult network.
      Apparently this group is well known to international courts.  Since March the ICLCJ International Court has been prosecuting members of the Ninth Circle Satanic Child Sacrifice Cult network for child trafficking, pedophilia and murder that are possibly linked to 34 child mass grave sites discovered in Ireland, Canada and Spain.  The child mass grave sites were on properties mainly owned by the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, United Church of Canada and Irish and Canadian governments. The Canadian 32 child mass grave sites have been refused excavation by the Catholic Church, Canadian government and Crown of England even though children’s remains have been uncovered and examined since 2008 by licensed archeologists including one from the Smithsonian Institute.  These are not low-level child predators ... and these are very serious accusations!
     In the last month over 20 witnesses from nine different countries have named members of the Ninth Circle Satanic Child Sacrifice Cult network as their perpetrators. Global elites under indictment included European royalty and prominent church and government officials in England, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Canada and the US.  I am not only horrified, but in utter shock!  If I had not read it myself, I would not believe it.  And if you have the heart to click on the link I have provided above, you will find the names, titles, and heinous deeds of these evil individuals.  But I warn you, you will be shocked at what has been alleged.

     I am not writing about this to indict the Catholic Church, but to expose the alleged evil that has been inflicted upon innocent children.  It is nothing new.  Throughout history child sacrifice has been a popular method of Satan to enslave people to his ungodly system.  The Bible records that ancient Israel fell prey to the lure of child sacrifice when they worshipped the idol Molech.   The Daily Mail reports that after decades of historians denying that the Carthaginians sacrificed their children as described in Greek accounts, a new study claims to have found ‘overwhelming’ evidence that the ancient civilization really did carry out this bloodthirsty practice.  Like the Aztecs, the Maya performed child sacrifice in specific circumstances, most commonly as foundation dedications for temples and other structures, or on the ascension of a new king.
     But as we can see, child sacrifice is not something that was confined to ancient history.  While I hate the murder of babies through the act of abortion, I am literally sick at my stomach to think that there are those members of the Elite that worship at the altar of child sacrifice.  But what do the international courts hope to accomplish?  I certainly wish them the power to indict and punish the guilty, but I also know that Satan's power is strong in these days and he will not be defeated until our Lord descends from Heaven to put all His enemies under His feet.
     And in That Day, I look forward to the casting into the fiery depths of hell those who have taken part in causing harm to these innocent children.  I'm sorry, but I do not have it in me to ask God for mercy on their souls.  I'm not even sure that God's Light can reach the depths of this darkness.  But I refuse to leave my mind there ... I choose to focus on the truth that these children will be avenged and in God's sovereign way.  God Bless the children!

2 Chronicles 33:6    "And he burned his children as an offering [to his god] in the Valley of Ben-hinnom [son of Hinnom], and practiced soothsaying, augury, and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger."

What Should Be Our Response To "The Finished Work of Christ"?

 

I so often hear Christians say things like, "I thank God for the finished works of Christ! Because of His death on the Cross I am saved, and it is my faith in Him that pleases God". Or they will also say, "When Jesus bowed His head at the Cross, declared 'It is finished', and gave up His Spirit, this declaration means that my healing, deliverance, prosperity, victory, joy, peace, and everything else I need in life has been finished and is ready for me to claim". Then, this is my favorite: "I don't need to worry about spiritual warfare; I am covered by the Blood of Jesus, which means I walk in victory -- I am an Over-comer! I am a Conqueror by the Blood of Jesus!"

Now, I do not dispute the efficacy or veracity of any of these statements. I just want to explore our understanding of the "Finished Works", and what, if anything, should be our response. Is it enough to just declare it? Is that all that's expected of us in exchange for Christ's costly sacrifice? Or does God desire something more?

First, let me say that I could find nowhere in the Bible where the terminology "Finished Works of Christ" was used. It is my opinion that the Church has created such a doctrine, based on Jesus's powerful last words, It is finished. Rightly so, we recognize that the sin in the Garden separated man from his spiritual and physical relationship with God. But God did not destroy man, even though He could have, and started over. He always intended to "fix" the relationship; to provide a way for restoration and reconciliation. But there was a price to be paid -- a cup of wrath now existed and someone had to partake of it to regain possession of the original plan of man's dominion on the earth. We know that because of the hundreds of Old Testament prophecies that attested to God coming to earth to rescue us.

So, let's consider what the "Finished Works" consisted of, and then determine what our response should be. While the Bible doesn't seem to use those exact words, there are words used to describe what Jesus accomplished in His work on the Cross: propitiation, redemption, and reconciliation. All three are words that are commonly shared across Christian denominational doctrines, but may not be clearly understood. Here are my understandings of each of these important elements of Jesus's finished works...

Propitiation - The satisfaction of God's Holy wrath against sin. Rebellion against God's commandments (in the Garden) results in the Wrath of God, and must be met with judgment. By dying in our place, and accepting our punishment, Jesus satisfies God's anger against all who believe in Him. Atonement and Substitution are double facets of Propitiation. 

Redemption -  The act of freeing someone by paying a purchase price; Deliverance by a ransom being paid; redeemed. All are bought; only believers are redeemed (delivered). Christ paid the penalty of death (required by God for our sins) by giving His own life on the Cross. When we profess our faith in Him, Jesus frees us from the guilt of sin and the punishment of sin, as well as the presence and power of sin. He introduces us to a "newness of life" (Born Again), never to be sold into slavery again. We are given an opportunity [through our free will choices] to grow and mature into His image.

Reconciliation - This term completes what Jesus has afforded us by His Work on the Cross. This is an act by God [alone] that brings mankind into a changed relationship with God; from wrath and separation to a relationship characterized by harmony, friendship, and partnership. But make no mistake, there is no give-and-take in this relationship -- this is an act of powerful Grace by the Father, offered to us, the guilty party! 

These doctrines of our Christian faith clearly show us all that Jesus's death on the Cross accomplished for us. It is unmistakable that they are sufficient to pay for [and erase] all the sins of the world. But the work of Christ didn't end at the Cross! And this is what I mean by asking the question, "What should be our response to the "Finished Works" doctrine"? If we believe, by faith, then we should be aware that His work continues in the Present through the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When we say, "I abide in Christ, and He abides in me", the life of Christ is to be operative in our lives. In other words, we are to be functioning as Christ did; having an effect in the world, as Christ did; being relevant and significant in the world, as Christ was. 

Furthermore, Christ's work continues through His intercession for us. He acts as our High Priest in Heaven, who mediates on our behalf when the Accuser of the Brethren [Satan] brings a case against us in the Court of Heaven. Because we are to be "imitators of God" (Ephesians 5:1), our response to Christ's present work on our behalf should be to imitate Him and model our lives after Him; interceding on behalf of our fellow Believers, as members of His royal priesthood on earth (1 Peter 2:9). 

And of course, we know that Jesus's work is not complete and finished until He returns and reigns on earth! So we have all this evidence of the work of Christ -- past, present, and future -- and we are to respond to it by continuing His work. In John 14:12, Jesus clearly states, I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. His works are to continue through us! That means healing the sick; casting out demons; cleansing the lepers [those who are discarded by society]; raising the dead; spreading the Good News that Salvation from eternal death is available, and that the Kingdom of God is on earth; interceding for others; preparing for His rule and reign on earth; and doing the work that God, the Father, shows us to do.

I simply do not believe, as some would say, that it is enough to understand what the "Finished Work" on the Cross was, or to only declare and claim it as part of our Christian heritage. Nor do I think that God means for us to rest in the finished work of Christ, as I have heard others say. We can be certain of the propitiation, redemption and reconciliation of the Finished Work, and depend on it for our eternal salvation. But, in the here and now, we cannot relax or take a rest from the work we have been charged with [again, read John 14:12]. There is work to be done in His Name; work to be continued, and we must DO it! Satan isn't resting, and neither should we. All we have to do is take a look at the world and see what failure to continue the work of Jesus looks like.

I will close by writing that we have an inheritance awaiting us in Heaven, and it's in addition to the incredible gift of eternal life. We will stand before Jesus and be overwhelmed in His presence, and then hear Him tell us how pleased He is with how we continued His work and served His Kingdom. Thank you, Lord, for the incredible price you paid for us! We thank you for being faithful to go to the Cross for us. We praise You for all You accomplished in the Father's redemptive plan of reconciliation. And we repent for not following Your command to do the things that You did, and for being inactive in all the ways You modeled for us. The state of the world is evidence of our negligence, and we are aware that we abandoned our responsibilities. Forgive us, Lord! Do not turn Your face from us, but help us to re-ignite Your Spirit across this land so that we might inspire, encourage, motivate, equip and train a new generation of followers to walk in Your ways! It's never too late with You, Jesus! We surrender to You, and declare our willingness to be obedient to Your commands. Lead us to renewal and revival! Amen!

Proverbs 24:11-12     Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will He not repay man according to his work?

A Christmas Message of Hope and Renewal

Throughout the ten years I have written this blog, I have expressed the progression in my opinion and understanding of this Christian holiday -- moving from reverence of our American traditions; to discovering the pagan roots of the holiday; and in the last couple of years to the decision to make my recognition of Christmas all about honoring the birth of our Savior. It seems as if each year, the Lord brings me new understanding of the significance of His birth. This understanding of His birth transcends the way the world has [rightly or wrongly] chosen to celebrate it throughout history, and it always outshines whatever our current state of affairs might be. This year is no different. 

I remember the profound sadness I experienced when learning that December 25th was not the actual day Jesus was born. Although I had always loved the "magic" of Christmas as a child, with the tree and lights and the excitement of giving and receiving gifts, I was glad [after coming to Christ] to move beyond the commercialization of the holiday to worshipping His glorious birth and the real "reason for the season". And then the Lord led me to the truth that He wasn't actually born on December 25th. In fact, God never commanded that we celebrate a particular day of Jesus's birth. I became more aware that Christianity has its roots in the faith of the Hebrews, and God commanded certain customs and rites to be observed for all generations as "holy days", or Feasts. The "holy day" of Christmas is not among these Feast Days, and it wasn't hard to see that God's holy days were replaced with man-made traditions.

It all began when Emperor Constantine perverted the Church and its holy days into pagan-impacted holidays.  His extreme hatred of the Jews resulted in their exclusion from the Early Church, and their subsequent contempt of our festivities. The pagan holidays of "Saturnalia" and "Dies Natalis Solis Invicti" (which means "birthday of the unconquered Sun"), both of which were celebrated on December 25th, when the Romans thought the Winter Solstice took place, made it easy for Constantine to merge facets of the Christian faith with accepted pagan practices, and keep the hated Jews separate and isolated. The history of the origins of associating Christ's birth with December 25th haunted my soul and I found myself becoming "religious" about my disdain for the inauthenticity of Christmas. And my spirit was dissatisfied with remaining there.

So, I made up my mind [and heart] to return to honoring the beautiful stories in Matthew and Luke of the details of His conception and birth. I acknowledged that gifts were brought to Him, but as tokens of His Kingship, His Priesthood, and His role as Savior. Although the Bible doesn't record a God-mandated date for celebration of His miraculous birth, we as Believers need the hope that the records in Matthew and Luke afford us. This reminds me of a post I wrote on Christmas Day, 2012. It relates a story about the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who on Christmas Day, 1864, wrote the words to a poem he titled, I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day. When Longfellow penned the words to his poem, America was still months away from Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9th, 1865; and, his poem reflected all the years of the war's despair, while ending with a confident hope of triumphant peace.

Longfellow's poem was written from the same despair and grief that our nation is currently experiencing from the pandemic.  He wrote the poem after suffering through the tragic death of his wife, Frances, and the crippling injuries of his son, Charles, from war wounds. In 1861, his wife was burned to death after melted wax from a candle ignited her dress.  She ran to Henry's study, where he frantically tried to smother the flames by throwing his arms around Frances-- severely burning his face, arms, and hands. Fanny Longfellow died the next morning. Too ill from his burns and grief, Henry did not attend her funeral. (Incidentally, the trademark full beard of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow arose from his inability to shave after this tragedy.)  The first Christmas after Fanny's death in 1861, Longfellow wrote, "How inexpressibly sad are all holidays." In 1862, a year after the incident, he wrote on Christmas Day, "I can make no record of these days. Better leave them wrapped in silence. Perhaps someday God will give me peace." But that next year brought more tragedy, when his son was paralyzed in the Civil War.  His journal entry for the Christmas of 1863 is silent.  How many families today are experiencing that same grief, despair, hopelessness, and disheartenment during this Christmas season? 

But in the spirit of hope that Christmas symbolizes, Longfellow would rise from his abject misery to compose one of the most inspirational poems of any era.  Longfellow's Christmas Bells loudly proclaimed, "God is not dead!"  Even more, the bells announced, "Nor doth He sleep."  It is a message that needs to be heard in the hearts and minds and souls of all mankind today, and particularly in America. Here are the last two stanzas of that beautiful poem: And in despair, I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth", I said; "For hate is strong, and mocks the song of Peace on earth, Good-Will to men!". Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead; nor doth He sleep! The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, with Peace on earth, Good-Will to men!".

That was my Christmas message in 2012. Today, I want to leave you with a new Biblical understanding of the birth of Christ; one that was shared with me by a Godly woman of faith. It comes from a teaching by Dr. Jim Garlow, titled The Migdal Eder, Really Understanding Christmas. I hope you will listen to it in its entirety, but I wanted to give you a new picture of just how prophetic and significant Christ's birth was. While acknowledging that Jesus was not born on December 25th, Dr. Garlow is able to shine new light on just how intentional God planned this divine birth. 

Now, if you are like me, the term Migdal-eder was new to me. But it is actually mentioned in Genesis 35:19-21 in reference to Jacob, after he buried his wife, Rachel, on his way to Bethlehem: So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Jacob set up a stone monument over Rachel’s grave, and it can be seen there to this day. Then Jacob traveled on and camped beyond Migdal-eder. Now, that term, Migdal-eder, means "[Watch] Tower of the flock", and refers to the exact place where the sheep, who were to be used as sacrificial lambs in the Temple, were raised. The shepherds assigned to watch over these flocks were highly trained to identify lambs worthy of the sacrifice -- they were to be unblemished, perfect, and wrapped in swaddling cloths to protect them from injury. These cloths came from the priestly garments of the priests who carried the blood of the sacrificial lambs into the Holy of Holies to be sprinkled on the Mercy Seat for the forgiveness of the sins of Israel. They were washed and shredded, in order to swaddle [wrap] the perfect lambs who were picked by the shepherds. It is conjecture [and not confirmed by Scripture], but it is possible that the swaddling cloths that Mary wrapped the baby Jesus in came from her cousin, Elizabeth [the mother of John the Baptist], whose husband, Zechariah, was a priest who served in the Temple. 

I hope you will see that it is no coincidence that Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem in that particular manger, and that the angel of the Lord came to those particular shepherds to announce His birth. Approximately 700 years before Jesus's birth, the prophet Micah wrote: And you, O Tower of the Flock (Migdal-eder), hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem (Micah 4:8). The "former dominion" of Jerusalem refers to the zenith of Israel's rulership, under the reign of King David. Remember, Jesus comes from the line of David. So, Micah prophesies that at the future "Tower of the Flock", the kingship of David will be re-established. 

And it is no coincidence that the angel of the Lord announced to these particular shepherds, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth [swaddled], lying in a manger. [NOTE: the word "manger" in Greek is the word phat-ne, and means "birthing stall"].  This explains why the angel appeared to these particular shepherds, because first of all, these shepherd knew where to go ... they knew the ancient prophesies of Micah that the Messiah would come from the line of David and would come to Migdal-eder. They knew Micah had also written that from Bethlehem, would come one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2). Also, they were the ones hired to find the perfect sacrificial lambs (unblemished and perfect; without spots), and to keep them swaddled until the day they were to be sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins. They knew where the manger/birthing stall was for the lambs, so they knew where they were going and to whom they were going to! The Messiah would be born in a birthing stall at the Tower of the Flock, and He would be swaddled. They were being called to the birth of the Perfect Sacrificial Lamb!     

I am so thankful to have received this expanded teaching on Scripture and to share it with you on this Christmas Day. It is significant to me that the understanding of this concept does not rely on December 25th being the designated day of Christ's birth. In fact, it it is not the day that is important, but the miracle of His birth and the reason that He came into the world the way He did -- magnifying Himself as the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sins of the world. I don't know about you, but I love seeing the connections between the Tower of the flock, the shepherds, the swaddling cloths, and the manger. It deepens my relationship with the story, and shows me once again the Sovereignty of our God and His will. 

So, I pray that this Christmas Day, you are able to see the magnificence of our Lord's birth in a new light, and that whether you are experiencing this day with joy, or pain and sorrow, you can receive the confident hope and inexplicable, triumphant peace that the angel of the Lord promised 2000 years ago. It doesn't matter the exact day that Christ was born ... it only matters that He was born! I wish you all a day of joy with your families, and if like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, you are struggling with pain, sorrow, and tragedy, remember that he could not deny that the Living God exists. Celebrate that baby, wrapped in swaddling cloths, in a birthing stall meant for sacrificial lambs. He is with you today, and brings His peace, joy, and comfort. Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:14    Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth, peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.

Understanding What We Face

      It is very rare that I find an article that expresses my concerns so well.  This article, written by retired Lieutenant General William G. Boykin, gives us detailed and accurate information about the threat that Iran poses for this country.  Gen. Boykin has worked in the CIA and was the U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, so I think he knows what he's talking about.  He was a Co-Founder of Delta Force, although a Fort Bragg psychologist wanted to exclude him because he was "too religious."  Seems like just the kind of guy I'd want in our elite military forces; what about you?
     In an effort to be completely honest and bring you full disclosure, Gen. Boykin is not without controversy.  He has openly declared that the War on Terror is a battle between Good and Evil, and often sees it in Biblical terms.  He has been accused of being anti-Muslim, but denies that vehemently.  He believes that we are involved in a spiritual war, as articulated in the Bible, and it is not confined to the war of terrorism.  I'll let his words speak for themselves: 


 "We as believers have been promised that we will spend an eternity with God. Last Saturday, I was doing a men's conference in Fredricksburg, Virginia and I was praying during the worship service and something dawned on me and it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me. And the Holy Spirit said, "this is what I want you to share with My men today", and I'm going to share it with you and this is what it is: One day, we're going to stand before the gates of Heaven. Some of us want to be able to walk up there in a white robe and we want to sing Abba Father and Amazing Grace and we want to say to the Lord, "I worshiped You." But I want you to think about this: Here's the way I want to enter the gates of Heaven. I want to come skidding in there on all fours. I want to be slipping and sliding and I want to hit the gates of heaven with a bang. And when I stand up and I stand before Christ, I want there to be blood on my knees and my elbows. I want to be covered with mud. And I want to be standing there with a ragged breast plate of righteousness. And a spear in my hand. And I want to say, "Look at me, Jesus. I've been in the battle. I've been fighting for you." Ladies and gentlemen, put your armor on and get into battle. God bless you. "   


     Now that you know the character of the man, I hope you will take the time to read his Op-Ed.  This is coming from a man who has served his fellow man by fighting for our liberties and freedoms, and has served his God on the battlefield of faith.  Here is his article:

Iran's Nukes and Homeland Security 

     Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, is clearly a calculating and shrewd man with an apocalyptic theology. As a Shia “Twelver,” Ahmadinejad believes that the Islamic messiah, or Mahdi, will only return when the world is in chaos and when there is global strife and bloodshed. His theology suggests that the returning messiah will establish global Sharia (Islamic Law) and restore peace according to Shia Islamic religious dictates. The other power base in Iran, the Supreme Council, shares that theology. Headed by the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Council consists of Shia clerics who share the theology of the president of Iran.
     A nuclear weapon gives the Iranian President a means of achieving his ultimate goal of ushering in the reign of his Mahdi. Current Iranian missile capabilities possess the range to reach Tel Aviv, which has been the primary target of Ahmadenejiad’s vitriolic rhetoric, consisting of threats of annihilation of the Jewish state. An attack on Israel would create a huge problem for the United States. Whether or not America responded with military, economic, and diplomatic assistance for Israel, the U.S. economy would feel the devastating effect immediately. Any turbulence in the Persian Gulf region will drive crude oil prices up, striking a significant blow to the fragile global economy, including that of the United States.
     But there is also a threat to the American homeland that is even more sinister. Iran considers the U.S. a huge impediment to achieving its goal of a global caliphate (Islamic super-state). Called the “Great Satan” by the Islamic regime, like Israel, America is a target that Iran wants desperately to destroy, or at least to devastate. Current Iranian missile technology does not give Iran the capability to reach the shores of the U.S., although that technology is improving rapidly. That said, it is important to understand that there are other ways to attack America using the current capabilities of Iran that could result in death, destruction, and disruption of the American way of life.
     Iranian sponsored Hezbollah is currently operating in Mexico in cooperation with the drug cartels.  These terrorists are infiltrating the U.S. across the southern border with help from the cartels who move their drugs through large unprotected sectors of the U.S. border. U.S. Border Patrol efforts to stop infiltration into American Border States have been severely impeded, due primarily to environmental regulations. Large corridors through National Forest areas are unpatrolled or are patrolled only on horseback or foot while infiltrators are able to use vehicles to bring contraband into the outskirts of cities like Phoenix. The Border Patrol now estimates that it only stops roughly five to ten percent of the illegal border crossing traffic coming out of Mexico. Given the ease with which the cartels move illegal drugs into the US, it is reasonable to assume that terrorists are doing the same, including moving dangerous materials. That could easily include nuclear waste from the Iranian nuclear program or even a crude nuclear device.
     Nuclear waste is a precursor to what is commonly referred to as a “Dirty Bomb,” meaning a bomb that is detonated with conventional explosives surrounded by nuclear materiel or waste. The effects are not the same as a nuclear detonation but it does produce low-level radiation and contamination. The primary effect of this type of bomb is psychological. Once radiation was detected, pandemonium would result as people assume that they are being dangerously exposed to lethal dosages, regardless of the true level of contamination. Imagine what would happen if these Iranian sponsored terrorists were to bring a dirty bomb into the nation’s capital and detonate it anywhere near the city center. It would shut down the U.S. Government as Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Executive Branch evacuated the city in haste, trying to leave across a series of bridges that would rapidly become bottlenecks. Although the U.S. Government has plans for the continuity of operations of the various branches of government, they are relatively untested and focus primarily on the Executive Branch. There would be a substantial delay in reconstituting the other branches of the government, as the huge civilian workforce would be reluctant to return to a city with residual contamination.
     America must get serious about protecting its borders. These terrorist cells operating in Mexico at the direction of the leadership of Iran pose a huge threat but the administration seems to be oblivious to it. We can no longer consider border security as just a problem of illegal immigration. It is now a matter of protecting America from a severe terrorist attack.

 Psalm 91:1-2      "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

It's A Bird! It's A Plane! No, Wait .... It's A Drone!

     Last week, I read an article by Andrew Napolitano, a former judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey.  He has written six books on the U.S. Constitution, and is a strong advocate for this historic document.  He views it as a contract that must be interpreted the way its authors intended or else it is invalid.  As a Libertarian Conservative, Napolitano believes in "small government" with limited powers.  Which is exactly why I was interested in what he had to say about this topic.
     Just yesterday, as Peace-Loving Warrior and I were driving into town, we saw a big, white "bird" sailing across the pastureland just to our left.  From a distance, it looked like it was sailing on currents of wind.  That is, until the sun caught one of its wings in flight, and the glare of reflected sunlight off metal, revealed its true identity.  Less than 100 feet off the deck, and a wingspan less than 15 feet?  What else could it be?  You tell me!  I'm not exactly sure what information this mystery "flying" apparatus was gathering from the assorted cattle grazing in the fields and the farmhouses scattered across the rolling landscape.  But there it was!
     And I dare say there are more flying around your neighborhood, too.  You see, the federal government has charged the Air Force to dispatch drones to assist local police in tasks such as finding missing persons or kidnap victims, or to chase the bad guys.  OK, these are all good uses of this equipment, although I'm not exactly sure which of those would have been in that particular pasture, but what do I know?

     But according to Judge Napolitano, the drone operator might also see other activities that citizens are undertaking, and if he deems it of interest to the government, he may take a picture of you and keep it.  If the government authorizes the 30,000 drones it has forecast over the next 10 years, then this is something that should give pause to all lovers of freedom.
     What if the government deems that the fertilizer you're using for your roses might be used in a Timothy McVeigh-style horror?  Is that Sudafed really for your cold, or do you have a meth habit?  It looks as if you are buying lots of chips, Cokes and candy in those bags of groceries, and Heaven forbid ---- are those cigarettes?   And of course, that deer stand in your corn field --- what is its real purpose?
     I can hear many of you saying, "Aren't you taking this a little far? If you have nothing to hide, why should you be concerned?"  But just read this quote from Judge Napolitano and see if you can tell where I'm coming from:

     If the police use a drone without a warrant to see who or what is in your backyard or your bedroom, or if while looking for a missing child the drone takes a picture of you in your backyard or bedroom and the government keeps the picture, its use is unnatural and unconstitutional.  I say "unnatural" because we all have a natural right to privacy; it is a fundamental right that is inherent in our humanity. All of us have times of the day and moments in our behavior when we expect that no one -- least of all the government -- will be watching. When the government watches us during those times, it violates our natural right to privacy. It also violates our constitutional right to privacy. The Supreme Court has held consistently that numerous clauses in the Bill of Rights keep the government at bay without a warrant.  


     And a further point is this --- where does it end?  We already have cameras on many street corners, some equipped with listening devices and tiny megaphones.  Megaphones?  Will we soon be commanded to "Stop talking on that cell phone!" or "You're not allowed to eat that hamburger while driving a car!"  And now you have the military (Air Force) involved with law enforcement, which is only supposed to happen in the case of disaster.  And never mind that this collaboration is not the result of legislation enacted by Congress.  The President enacted it on his own.
     And to quote Judge Napolitano, "The whole reason we have a Bill of Rights is to assure that tyranny does not happen here, to guarantee that the government, to which we have supposedly consented, will leave us alone."
     Does the following map look like we're going to be left alone?  In response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, the FAA recently released the following map of 63 authorized drone launch sites.  Do you see one near you?  Does it give you pause?  It sends a chill down my spine.

  

Proverbs 17:23    "The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice."

"Go In By The Narrow Gate"

    

     Ask a group of Christians the meaning of the Bible passage that speaks of the narrow gate and the wide gate, and you will probably get varying answers as to their meanings. I've heard it explained as pertaining to Salvation ... "the wide gate has a broad road that leads to disaster [or destruction], while the narrow gate is the harder path, but leads to eternal life". Surely, that is talking about Believers and Non-Believers -- those who refuse Christ's invitation and choose the world, and those who profess faith in Christ and receive Salvation and eternal life ... right? Or is there a different meaning?
     Could there be a deeper connotation to the juxtaposition of these gates? Taken in context of the entire Chapter 7 in the Book of Matthew, Jesus is speaking about more than salvation from death and the evils of this temporal life. Yes, He offers eternal life, but it is in the context of the Kingdom of God and how we are to live our lives while on earth.
     Sometimes I get frustrated by the English translations of our Bibles. Just the difference in a few word choices can alter the understanding of an entire passage. Let's look at Matthew 7:13, for instance. A more modern version, the J.B. Phillips New Testament, reads this way: "Go in by the narrow gate".  Yet another new version, the Passion Translation, reads, "Come to God through the narrow gate...". The 1599 Geneva Bible [along with the 1611 King James Bible] refer to this gate as "straight and narrow", and commentaries state that "The way is straight and narrow, and we must pass through this rough way, and suffer and endure, and be thronged, and to enter into life.".  Can you see how difficult it is for Christians to come to any kind of consensus as to the meaning of this passage?
     It is so important for us modern-day Christians to do a thorough word study when we read the Bible. We cannot rely on the contemporary meaning of words to explain what God is trying to tell us. Our Bible is written from the context of a Middle Eastern culture over 2000 years ago. And the first thing we need to determine is what is meant by the word "gate".
     Here is what I want you to see ... in Biblical times, the judicial system of the day was carried out at the gates of a city. They served multiple purposes: a combination of town hall, ad hoc law court, gathering place for free speech, marketplace and park bench. When Abraham negotiated the purchase of the Cave of Machpelah as a tomb for his wife Sarah, “it passed to Abraham as a possession in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city” (Genesis 23). The agreement was witnessed; the deal was done.
     The gate of the city was also a podium for the Israelite prophets of old, the feisty social reformers of their day. “Hate evil and love good,” declaimed Amos, “and establish justice in the gate".  King David's royal presence was re-established at the city gates after his army defeated the revolt fomented by his son Abasalom. Justice, peace, and allegiance were restored to the nation.
     So, as you can see, this mention of the "narrow gate" and "the wide gate" is important to discern. So what is the true implication? From the research I've done in connecting the Biblical dots, I find that the New Living Translation gives the most accurate translation of Matthew 7:13. In this version, it is rendered, "You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate". Now, you may recall other posts in which I've pointed out Jesus's conversation with the religious leader Nicodemus, in which the Lord says, "unless a man is born from water and from spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Can you see that the narrow gate is synonymous with "being born again" or "being Saved"? Then the rest of verse 13 in the New Living Translation says "The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way." 
     Here we see that the narrow gate leads to the Kingdom of God and its way of living. The wide gate is the easier path because one spends it in the kingdom of darkness, pledging allegiance to the "ruler of this dark world" and the "god of this world"... Satan. But we must not think that being Saved leads to the Kingdom life. It certainly leads to eternal life in Heaven, but there is more to the Kingdom life than Salvation. 
     Jesus goes on in Chapter 7 to teach about the importance of bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God, stating "every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire." And the verses that strike fear in every Christian's heart are found in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. ²² On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ ²³ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
     This is a difficult passage to navigate and I've heard it misused to suggest a variety of reasons why these people "were never saved in the first place". But I would ask that you consider it in the context of people who hear the Word, receive it unto Salvation, but never progress to Kingdom Living, which is God's government on earth. {Note the reference to God's laws in verse 23 above]. For that, we need to juxtapose Matthew 7:21-23 with the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13: "When a man hears the message of the kingdom and does not grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is like the seed sown by the road-side. The seed sown on the stony patches represents the man who hears the message and eagerly accepts it. But it has not taken root in him and does not last long—the moment trouble or persecution arises through the message he gives up his faith at once. The seed sown among the thorns represents the man who hears the message, and then the worries of this life and the illusions of wealth choke it to death and so it produces no ‘crop’ in his life. But the seed sown on good soil is the man who both hears and understands the message. His life shows a good crop, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
     Can you see the parallel between a man who enters the gates to the Kingdom through Salvation but never produces fruit for the Kingdom, and ultimately never truly knows the One who saved him? Yes, Salvation is the narrow gate and the entry point into the Kingdom. But unless one journeys beyond the gate into the righteousness and justice and government of Kingdom living -- which is opposite of living by this world's standards -- and produces fruit for the Kingdom, the message Jesus came to bring about the Kingdom will be wasted on him. 
     I know this is a sobering passage and one that takes much time to contemplate. I am still receiving revelation; and am not satisfied that I have discerned the depth of my Lord's teaching on the matter. I'm pretty sure there are more dots to connect. And that's the beauty and the majesty of the Bible. The Lord is drawing us ever nearer to His heart and mind. Don't ever stop searching for deeper meaning! 

Matthew 13:35    ‘I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world’.

Thank you to Mike Rogoff of the Israeli Haaretz website for providing the historical context of gates in the Ancient Middle East and their Biblical significance.

Is There A Change In The [Spiritual] Air?

     I had just finished writing Wednesday's post, and having no clear word from the Holy Spirit on what I could write on behalf of the Lord, I began perusing some of the Christian websites to see if I received any kind of prompting.  I will admit that there are days that I find it difficult to write.  I never want to write for myself, but there are some times when I have a hard time hearing from God, and I struggle with making sure that what I write glorifies Him.  After all, I know that is why I have been given some degree of writing talent; it's not about me!

     Then after discerning that we Christians need to offer up intercessory prayer on behalf of our nation, I find two seemingly small stories, but both having the potential to have a huge impact on how God might view our nation.  The first may seem as if it serves a political interest, but there is a much deeper implication. At a rally in Melbourne, Florida, First Lady Melania Trump was on stage to introduce her husband, the President.  But before fulfilling that duty, she simply stated, "Let us pray", and then recited the Lord's Prayer. No fanfare; no long, winding speech paying homage to a picture of a "universal god" acceptable to all religions ... this was a humble and reverent prayer to the Christian God, Jehovah.
     At first, this may seem as if I am blowing the importance of her prayer out of proportion.  But if you regard the recent efforts of the Ecumenical Movement to bring all religions and ideologies under one umbrella, then what the First Lady did made a very powerful statement.  You may not know this, but at the first Ecumenical Assembly held in Amsterdam in 1948, the motto 'ONE WORLD -- ONE CHURCH' was adopted. Since then, we have seen a disintegration of the supremacy of Jesus Christ and Christianity in our national dialogue. Recent Inaugural prayers have invoked the "name of the Almighty", instead of "in the Name of Jesus Christ", and "under God" was often left out of the Pledge of Allegiance.
     By praying the way in which Jesus instructed us, Melania Trump established very clearly that she was praying to the One True God, and that she is a Christian.  Of course, there were the same old detractors, calling for separation of Church and State, but where in the Constitution does it say that our elected officials cannot be Christian? And then there were the pathetic people on social media who bashed her for her accent and "butchering" of the Lord's Prayer. Do you think that any of these people are the same ones who are screaming loudly for the acceptance of immigrants into our country? The hypocrisy is not only revolting, but deceitful.
     And I would like to say that I actually prefer this prayer over the intercessory prayer that I wrote in yesterday's blog.  It says all there is to say ... It declares that His Name is Holy; separate and set apart from other "little g" gods. It asks for God's Will to be done here on earth, just as it is fulfilled in Heaven. It speaks of repentance and forgiveness; and asks that we be delivered from temptation and evil. And it finishes with the declaration that this earth belongs to Him -- It is HIS Kingdom, and all Power and Glory belong to HIM, and Him alone.  No, what Melania Trump did on that stage may not have meant much to the millions who criticized her, but I can guarantee you that she struck a mighty blow for YHWH in the spiritual realm!
     Now, the second piece of news that I discern of great significance was barely covered by the news outlets. It came and went, with little interest by the designers of social commentary.  It was the death of Norma McCorvey, better known as Jane Doe in the Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion in this country.  The importance of her life was not that she became the symbol of Pro-Choice advocates, or that she represented modern feminism, or even that she was a picture of protecting women from the consequences of rape.  The truth is that she was never raped, nor did she have an abortion.  The truth is that she was at times both a sympathetic character and a foil for those who could use her troubled past for their purposes -- to push abortion as a matter of urgent importance to American women.

     And she was an easy target for the devil.  According to one article written about her, "Her grandmother was a prostitute and fortuneteller. Her father was a television repairman, her mother an alcoholic. Part Cajun, part Cherokee Indian, and raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, Norma Leah Nelson was 10 when she took money from the gas station where she worked to run away from home. After that, her education came from reform schools until the ninth grade. By the time she was 15, she had been sexually assaulted by a nun and a male relative of her mother’s. At 16, she married an itinerant steel worker, Woody McCorvey, who, she says, beat her. She left him and returned to her mother’s house in Dallas with plans to raise her unborn child alone".  There is so much legal authority for the devil to use her as his pawn that she made a perfect scapegoat for his diabolical scheme.
     There followed another out-of-wedlock pregnancy, a foray into lesbianism, and finally, the third pregnancy, which resulted in an abominable alliance with Lawyer, Sarah Weddington, who had had an abortion, herself, but who needed a down-and-out "victim" to push her case all the way to the Supreme Court.  In fact, McCorvey's only real contribution to the case was signing the initial affidavit without even reading it, and she “was never invited into court. I never testified. I was never present before any court on any level, and I was never at any hearing on my case . . . I found out about the decision from the newspaper just like the rest of the country".  Furthermore, McCorvey alleged that she didn't really understand what was involved in an abortion; she did not understand that it resulted in the end of a life. She claimed that her lawyer, Weddington, told her "it's just tissue". But Norma McCorvey suited the purposes of Weddington and the devil, and the rest is history.  Through her initial compliance, over 59 million babies have been aborted in this country since 1973 ... and still counting.
     If there is any victory in the life of Norma McCorvey, it is that she reportedly had a sincere spiritual conversion in 1995, repented for her compliance in Roe v. Wade, and became a fierce opponent of the abortion movement.  Although, her pro-life stance and attempts to have the case reopened and overturned never resulted in undoing the sacrifice of millions of unborn babies, at the end of her life, she stated that "no woman had the right to act as her own God", determining whether a baby lived or died.
     So I am left wondering if these two events involving these two women will have any real impact upon the spiritual battle that wages over the United States. Will the death of Norma McCorvey, a tragic figure manipulated by the spirit of Molech and his willing human accomplices, signal a shift in the spiritual winds?  With her premature death at the age of 69, might we hope for the death of the abortion rights that carry her name?  And does the invoking of the Biblically-endorsed Standard for Christian prayer by the First Lady of this nation, indicate a rebirth of Christian power and authority? Can we look upon this simple gesture as the willingness of those put in positions of Leadership at the behest of God, to honor and follow Him in the administration of this nation? History will tell. Until then, let us never lose sight that there is a battle on earth for men's souls and spirits.  The battle is the Lord's and He has already defeated Death. Let us stand firm, looking forward to the Day He returns to defeat evil once for all.

Proverbs 10:28     The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

   
 
   

American Values: Gone Forever or Just Forgotten?

 

"These are the times that try men's souls". That is the opening sentence of "The American Crisis", a series of pamphlets written by Thomas Paine, a political activist, theorist, and philosopher, long credited with inspiring the Founding Fathers to strive for independence from Great Britain. Later in this post, I will be referring to this amazing piece of historical and inspirational writing as it pertains to our American values, which is the point of this timely article. 

[NOTE: I know there will be some who disavow Paine's writings because history has painted him as an unbelieving atheist. But, it is my opinion that a more careful examination of his ideology proves that Paine was a Deist -- he believed in God, but had no tolerance for organized religion. And that is a discussion for a different day. For the purpose of this article, I am revealing his ideas on American values]. 

Now to the purpose of this post, to consider the recent Wall Street Journal poll that bodes poorly for the future of our national identity and well-being. The numbers are startling! Since the 1998 poll was taken it seems that the core values of American citizens have plummeted in the last quarter century. In just 25 years there has been a dramatic shift in what is important to the average American. There were 1,019 people who took part in the poll [mostly online] and let's take a look at what the numbers portend ...

• The importance of patriotism dropped from 70% in 1998 to 38% in 2023.

• The importance of religion dropped from 62% in 1998 to 39% now.

• Only 58% thought tolerance for others was important, compared to 80% in 1998.

• Those who thought raising children was important fell from 60% in 1998 to only 30% today.

But guess the only thing that was rated more important today than it was 25 years ago? If you guessed MONEY, you are correct. Apparently 43% rate the almighty dollar the most important value, in contrast to 31% in 1998. 

First of all, I'd like to address a couple of these statistics; namely, the tolerance issue and the matter of the importance of family and raising children. To me, both of these issues point to the injurious aftermath of Roe v Wade fifty years prior to this March 2023 poll. There is an excellent article on the Students For Life of America website which actually offers hope for the future of our nation. In an article on studentsforlife.org, SFLA President Kristan Hawkins is quoted as calling the 1973 ruling a “cancer growing in our Constitution resulting in more than 63 million deaths,”; but we know that it was a cancer for the American mind, as well. 

The article goes on to say that in the wake of the 2022 Dobbs v Jackson ruling [in which the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that the Constitution of the United States does not confer a right to abortion] we, as a nation have to overcome the established pro-abortion mindset that views children as "burdensome", an impediment to women's success, and devalues the concept of family -- all of which leads to intolerance towards those who cherish the role of motherhood, family, and children. All of these pro-abortion attitudes are anti-Biblical and the consequence of removing God as the center of our American values. The questions before us are these: Is it too late to restore the values that were conceived at the inception of our nation? Do we even remember the spirit of America that God put into the hearts of those men and women 247 years ago?

To answer these questions, maybe it's time to put on the brakes of running headlong towards these social reforms and take a look backwards at the mindset of those who petitioned for the new idea of a nation devoted to pursuing individual freedoms and rights conferred by God. In particular, I found myself considering the aforementioned brilliant writings of Thomas Paine. Please take the time to read the entirety of The American Crisis, presented by thefederalistpapers.org. I have read all thirteen of Paine's pamphlets because I wanted to know the mindset of those who were responsible for the birth of this extraordinary nation. But for now, in his own words, I want to share the distinctive mindset of the incomparable Thomas Paine, as he speaks across the centuries to our current decline in American values...

In regards to Patriotism:  "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: It is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated". 

"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscious approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death".

In regards to morality: "I conceive likewise a horrid idea in receiving mercy from a being, who at the last day shall be shrieking to the rocks and mountains to cover him, and fleeing with terror from the orphan, the widow, and the slain of America". 

In regards to valuing God and faith: Paine once declared to a man who was loyal to Great Britain that it was his opinion that God was on the side of the American colonists. The Loyalist replied, "We care nothing for that ... you may have Him, and welcome; if we have but enough of the devil on our side, we shall do". Paine responded, "However carelessly this might be spoken, matters not; 'tis still the insensible principle that directs all your conduct and will at last most assuredly deceive and ruin you".

In regards to Peace, Liberty and Safety of our nation: "These are serious things, and whatever a foolish tyrant, a debauched court, a trafficking legislature, or a blinded people may think, the national account with heaven must some day or other be settled; all countries sooner or later [have] been called to their reckoning; the proudest empires have sunk when the balance was struck;".

In regards to tolerance: "We profess liberality of sentiment to all men; with this distinction only, that those who do not deserve it would become wise and seek to deserve it. We hold the pure doctrines of universal liberty of conscience, and conceive it our duty to endeavor to secure that sacred right to others, as well as to defend it for ourselves: for we undertake not to judge of the religious rectitude of tenets, but leave the whole matter to Him who made us".

In regards to Money: "The thing which first presents itself in inspecting the state of the currency, is, that we have too much of it, and that there is a necessity of reducing the quantity, in order to increase the value. Men are daily growing poor by the very means that they take to get rich; for in the same proportion that the prices of all goods on hand are raised, the value of all money laid by is reduced". [Paine understood the source of Inflation in 1777. Why haven't we learned that lesson yet?]

Yes, we live in a very different nation than was founded in 1776. The solid values that formed the framework of America remained pretty steady and constant for a couple hundred years. But the rapid rate at which it has declined in my lifetime should be concerning to everyone who identifies as an American. Patriotism, Faith/Religion, Family and Children have been the bedrock of our society, and for good reason -- they provide a supportive framework for a moral, ethical, and principled citizenry. When, as a nation, we don't believe in God, the goodness of our country, or the sanctity of life, and our biggest focus is on the making of money, then we have lost our moral code and compass, and we are a nation who has sacrificed its values for self-aggrandizement. 

I will leave you with the prophetic words of Thomas Paine; words written in the waning years of the 1780's and could have been written for our generation: "Now our time and turn is come, and perhaps the finishing stroke is reserved for us. When we look back on the dangers we have been saved from, and reflect on the success we have been blessed with, it would be sinful either to be idle or to despair". 

Lord Jesus, do not let us forfeit the purpose for which You sent us in this season of our nation's history. Increase our faith and strength to accomplish the preservation of the values You sowed into our spirits and which birthed the great nation of the United States of America. Let us be worthy of what we've inherited. Amen!

#americanvalues #patriotism #faithinamerica #theamericancrisis #thomaspaine

Psalm 33:12   Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.

 

 

 

 

Learning From History: God's Law, Solomon, and The Antichrist

      No matter whether a Christian or not, people can see the rising tide of evil and lawlessness in the world. That has many people wondering if the Antichrist is about to make his world debut. I want to be clear ... I am not advocating that we all begin trying to decipher the Book of Revelation and become fixated on the End Times. But, as Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God here on earth, it is our duty and responsibility to stay awake and aware of the possible signs that indicate that Satan's own ambassador is on the scene.
     However, not everyone is looking at this situation from the same perspective. There are those who are enmeshed and readily accept the conveniences of technology and artificial intelligence in our everyday life -- after all, it is nearly impossible to escape it. Alexis and Siri offer helpful suggestions, and nanotech is becoming a pervasive element in our lives. Have you considered the ramifications of the following nanotechnology: that nanoparticles in pharmaceutical products improve their absorption within the body and make them easier to deliver [insert]; that most sunscreens today are made from nanoparticles that effectively absorb light (see this post on how AI can bend light in our bodies); or that thanks to nanotechnology, a huge variety of chemical sensors can be programmed to detect a particular chemical at amazingly low levels? This capability is ideal for surveillance and security systems at labs, industrial sites, and airports ... and more. Think it might be useful for the "Beast System"?
     Then there are Christians who are either so convinced that nothing will harm them because Jesus is going to whisk them away before "the bad stuff happens", so they're just going to remain "of the world" with all it has to offer -- or the Christians who are so certain that we are on the doorstep of the Apocalypse that they don't ever accomplish anything for the Kingdom. And neither are much good at "occupying" until our Lord returns.
     So, now I would like to get to the point of this article. I do not wake up each morning wondering if this is the day that the Antichrist will show up, but I am alert to the indicators in our world that point to increasing lawlessness and a disregard for God's laws. You see, I am a follower of Christ who knows that my God is a God of order and He expects us to be obedient to His statutes and commandments. My God is the same God who is revealed in the Bible -- the whole Bible. So as I read the accounts of the ancient kings and kingdoms, and how God instructed them, I know that those same laws/commands/statutes/rules apply to modern kings and kingdoms. Our God is immutable; never-changing. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And I know that just as some of the greatest kings of history fell away in disobedience to God and fell from positions of power, the same thing can happen today. Furthermore, it is incumbent upon me as an Ambassador of Heaven's government to be watchful for men and systems and structures and networks that could ensnare and entrap mankind into serving the Antichrist.
     And that is why the reign of Solomon is so interesting. The Bible tells us that because Solomon [upon attaining the throne of Israel] asked God for wisdom and knowledge to rule and judge God's people -- rather than riches, wealth, honor, a long life, or great victories over his enemies -- God "strengthened his kingdom, was with Solomon, and elevated his stature" (2 Chronicles 1:1-10).
     But as has happened to kings, both past and present, it started off better than it ended. As the son of King David, a man after God's own heart, Solomon was given this piece of advice before David's death: "Keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. . . for you are a wise man."
     For awhile, Solomon was successful, quelling a civil war and the treachery of his half-brother Adonijah, General Joab, and Abiathar the Priest. Israel's success and prosperity, as a nation, were due to his reforms and innovations such as the improvement of defense measures; the expansion of the royal court; the financial windfall from more sophisticated taxation; labor conscriptions of Canaanites and Israelites; tributes and gifts from foreign countries [who were under the influence of Israel and its king]; and a land and sea trading system that utilized a powerful navy and army to protect assets and trade routes. According to the Hebrew scriptures, “The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamores, which are in the lowland”.
     But as happens so often, men [and kings] are deceived by the temptations of this world and their own pride. Solomon forgot the wise advice offered by his father, King David, and forgot the statutes God commanded as set forth by Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy. According to Deuteronomy 17:16, God demanded that a king of Israel was not to increase his number of horses or make the people return to Egypt to increase his horses.Yet, King Solomon formed alliances [in the name of peace] with other nearby powerful nations such as Egypt, Moab, Tyre, and Arabia -- enemies of Israel! But in 1 Kings 4:26, we find that "Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand horsemen"; a direct violation of Deuteronomy 17:16.
     But that's not the only reason Solomon fell out of favor with God. In Deuteronomy 17:17, God establishes another of His statutes: "Neither shall he [the king] multiply wives to himself, so that his heart is turned away; neither shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself". Yet 1 Kings 11:3 says, Solomon "had seven hundred wives who were princesses and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away". And 1 Kings 10:22 says Solomon had a fleet of ships, and every three years they brought in gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. In addition verse 14 says "Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold". King Solomon reigned for 40 years, so that's approximately $64.3 billion in tribute alone. I find it interesting that the number 666 is mentioned only twice in the Bible, once here in reference to Solomon's gold trade, and once in Revelation 13:18, identifying the Antichrist.
     Solomon also married foreign women, which God said not to do. According to his wisdom, what better way to secure peace than by marrying the daughters of foreign kings? But it was a direct affront to God's commands. He achieved peace at a very expensive cost. And again, we see Solomon rebelling against God's command in Deuteronomy 7:5, But this is how you shall deal with them [foreign nations]: you shall tear down their altars and smash to pieces their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherim (symbols of the goddess Asherah), and burn their carved or sculpted images in the fire.
     Yet, what did Solomon do? Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. Would it surprise you to know that Milcom and Molech are gods dedicated to child sacrifice? They reign today in our practice of abortion. The god Chemosh was influential in child molestation; he rules today in the child porn and sex trafficking industries. I guess Solomon knew what he was talking about when he said "there is nothing new under the sun". 
     I ask you to consider the concepts I have brought before you today. When the time of the Antichrist comes upon the earth and its peoples, it will be a time when lawlessness is legalized. Just as in Solomon's days, or Hitler's, or Stalin's, the "kings" of the world are influenced by the antichrist spirit to legalize child sacrifice, genocide of whole populations, abortion, drugs, same-sex marriage, and all things immoral and abominable to the God we serve. 
     While it is important to note that the Antichrist is certain to come in the End Times [and that we are not necessarily exempt from his persecution], it is even more important to remember that the spirit of the Antichrist is always with us. Maybe, instead of trying to figure out who he will be, we should be concentrating on what he will be doing and what systems and programs he will putting in place to control and manipulate the whole world. The Bible doesn't give us an exact idea of who "the Beast" is -- it could be a man, a system, a network, or a structure.  The one thing we do know is that the Bible tells us he/it will deceive the world by the signs [wonders, miracles] that he/it is given by Satan. Could we be seeing those signs emerging in our advancing technology and artificial intelligence, which are certainly being heralded as "wonders" and "miracles" of this age? Is it outside the realm of possibility that, with the rapid advancement of AI and medical technology, a human computer hybrid could be developed and demand to be worshiped? And just as in King Solomon's age, we are seeing alliances among former enemy nations [Russia, China, and Iran] and disparate religions [think Chrislam] -- all united under one system called "globalism".
     I do not claim to be able to identify the Antichrist. Nor do I want to be a sensationalist. But it is foolish to put our heads in the sand and ignore the lawlessness and ungodly practices that are apparent everywhere around us. And, because I see things from this perspective, I can recognize the spirit of Antichrist and warn others to reject it. It is my prayer that more of us will rise up in the strength of the Lord as the children of Israel did -- to discern our times like the sons of Issachar and respond to this time, in this age that we have been born into, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We need not be afraid, but be like the children of Zebulon, going forth into spiritual warfare with all the weapons of our Lord. He will not forsake us, nor leave us; and the victory is ours!

 1 Chronicles 12:32-33            Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do ... Zebulun, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with singleness of purpose.

     
    

Humility, Forgiveness, and Unveiling Deception

     I apologize for the length of this post. But so much is being revealed and heaped upon our nation right now, and I would not do justice to the revelation by dividing it into two parts. So I hope you are able to see what I am trying to accomplish here. There are so many layers to what we see unfolding in our country today. I  have tried to show the different facets of the Lord's heart, as well as all the tactics of the Enemy to kill the destiny of this nation. And there are layers upon layers in both the natural and spiritual realms that pertain to these two agendas. We must begin to see the truth about the intentions of both Jesus and the devil!
     Where to begin? We know that Forgiveness is one of the largest factors in defeating Satan's agenda. Jesus includes it in the Lord's Prayer. Scripture tells us that we cannot expect to be forgiven if we don't forgive our fellow man. But we must also be willing to ask for forgiveness [in humility] in order to set our brother or sister free from Satan's lies that cause division and strife.
     Here is what we see happening in the natural realm: If we call ourselves Americans, there is a truth we need to understand. We are 155 years removed from the end of slavery in this country, but we are still paying the price of the seeds of evil planted four centuries ago when the first slaves arrived on our shores in 1619. Whether our families owned slaves or not, we are suffering from the generational iniquity in our DNA as citizens of the United States of America. We cannot exempt ourselves from that identity.
     And if we call ourselves Christians, we cannot ignore our Lord's command to humble ourselves and be a servant to all (John 13), and most importantly [in this hour] to reconcile with our brother if he has something against us (Matthew 5:23-24). So, we are called to not only forgive, but to ask for forgiveness from a humble spirit; reconciling with our brother who has been hurt by past and present injustices, even if we were not participants. And that word reconcile means to transform; to change thoroughly. It will go a long way in cleansing our land of all unrighteousness, as well as building bridges towards unity and loving each other the way our Creator loves us; all of us.
     My friend Molly understands this concept of humility and repentance. She and her husband are to become the proud Godparents to twin girls who will be born to her best friend, Evette's daughter. Molly and Evette are of different races, but the moment I met them, I only saw two beautiful spirits who love the Lord, and who just happen to be clothed in different skin colors for their time on this earth. The Lord has told Molly to humble herself before Gladys, the mother-to-be, and to wash her feet, just as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. Molly believes the foot-washing is about the mutual service of friendship, a mutual sharing of gifts that in no way implies any sort of domination. The message is not so much that the master has become the slave, but that all are on the SAME LEVEL. In the foot-washing, Jesus challenges His disciples to do the same for each other, and to see that all are EQUAL FRIENDS in the Kingdom. No one is above or below another person.
     Molly then asks the question ... How different would our churches be if we modeled Christ in a ministry of humble service on Sundays -- or at critical moments when forgiveness is demanded? I ask, "What is more critical than what is happening in our nation this very moment in time?"
     She goes on to say, "I, as a white American, cannot begin to understand the tangible spiritual oppression that was made manifest by my race over the African American community in this nation. I can't pretend that I understand what it would be like to have walked this road of oppression generation after generation. But what I can do is take a stand to help make a difference now. I can stand in the gap and repent for the crimes committed against African Americans by the hands of generations of white men. I can humbly ask for forgiveness for those who have gone before me and got it all wrong. I can do my part to make way for the generations coming after me.
     We can't rewrite history. We can't hold onto the trauma of the past because if we do it will inevitably kill this nation. My prayer [in doing the prophetic act of foot-washing] is that it will represent a washing away of the old and allowing all the trauma to be cleansed by the Living Water of Jesus Christ... That it will represent a NEW birthing and a NEW walk in this nation... That it will erase the generations of iniquity and curses that have been placed on the African American population by the white men in America... That as Gladys carries these two beautiful gifts from the Lord, that they represent the womb of change. That as Aamani and Anaya enter this world they will experience a changed world -- a reconciled world -- never trying to rewrite the past, but as they grow and mature in the Lord, seeing the beautiful picture of redemption that only God can do in this land."
     And Molly plans on speaking directly to the spirits of these unborn baby girls, saying, "I now speak to Aamani and Anaya, and I say you carry change within your wombs that many will not understand. You carry keys to unlock the mysteries to continue to heal this land. You carry wisdom beyond your years and you carry hope divinely dispersed through you from the throne room of God. You both are being born during an unprecedented time in our nation's history and I would be lying if I said it doesn't scare me [to see] the trials and tribulations your generation will endure for the Kingdom of God. But you both are being born for such a time as this, and as your Godparents, Travis and I pray for wisdom beyond our comprehension as we come in alignment with His plans and purposes for you both. May he and I yield to the Father's blueprint for your lives and not our assumptions or selfish desires for what we think you should be. It is a blessing and honor and a privilege to be part of your stories written in Heaven before the foundations of the world. I pray now that God begins to breathe on the penned words of your lives in Heaven so that we can wage effective war on your destinies. God bless you both, and to God be the glory. Amen".

     This is the heart we must have if we are to begin true reconciliation in this nation. We must have a servant's heart and a humble heart; being willing to sacrifice our pride to recognize the pain in another human being. And we have to be willing to let the Lord heal each of us where we are, no matter what our race. Repentance and forgiveness must come first. But there also needs to be recognition of the spirits of Anti-Christ and Deception that are working against any kind of reconciliation. The kingdom of darkness benefits greatly if these two evil spirits are able to thwart the efforts of Christians and good people to heal and eradicate racism.
     There is a very insightful documentary on Netflix called 13th. It explores "the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States." It is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, adopted in 1865, which abolished slavery throughout the United States and ended involuntary servitude except as punishment for conviction of a crime. The film purports that this clause of the amendment has been used to advance an agenda against Black Americans by a White government system that sought to unjustly incarcerate mass numbers to keep the Black population from succeeding as equal citizens.
     And believe me there is ample evidence of the injustice done! Everything from DW Griffith's monumental film "Birth of A Nation" which stereotyped the African American as someone evil and to be feared, and justified the existence of the KKK ... to showing the horrors of lynchings that occurred in the South ... to how the War on Drugs was used to disproportionately criminalize Black Americans... to the private prison corporations that make millions of dollars off of incarcerated Black men. The film pulls back the curtain to let us see just how evil men can be towards each other. BUT, it doesn't pull the curtain back far enough!
     This film tears at our hearts -- and rightly so! It focuses our hearts and minds on the injustice and the pain that our fellow humans have endured. And if you are not a Black American and haven't experienced this, you need to see it! But we also need to go beyond the gut-wrenching emotion and pull the curtain all the way back. Because if they can keep us focused on the emotion, we won't go further in pursuing the whole truth.
    While the film exposes the injustice against the Black American population, when you have spiritual eyes to see, it becomes apparent that there has been a deep deception and a more demonic agenda. Here's some of what I saw when I separated the emotions of my soul from my spirit ... DW Griffith, who made the racist film "The Birth of a Nation" was a Freemason. So he pushed the KKK message and agenda in his film. By the way, the Ku Klux Clan was a Freemason organization. And as depicted in "The Birth of a Nation", burning the cross and lynchings (think Judas) are anti-Christ rituals. It is important that we understand that at its core, Freemasonry is anti-Christ in the rituals and oaths that they take to false Egyptian, Nordic, Hindu, and Islamic deities -- yes, even to Lucifer! And Freemasonry is a lower level branch of the New World Order (NWO), a conglomeration of powerful men who will be in league with the Beast system of Revelation 17. I know that's a lot to wrap your mind around, but study the Bible and then begin to look behind the subterfuge of powerful men and institutions in this nation and the world. Ask the Holy Spirit for revelation!
    All that being said, the film shows that God sent Martin Luther King as an agent of change [and I believe to thwart the plans of the NWO to subjugate and manipulate the Black population in order to keep the roots of division and discord alive in this nation]. But King was assassinated and LBJ (a Freemason) became the hero of those who believed his War on Poverty benefited Blacks in America, when in reality it just married them to the Welfare State and we began to see the Black family unit disintegrate. He was followed by Freemason President Nixon, who began a long line of Presidents whose platforms consisted of "law and order" policies and crackdowns on illegal drugs, which further marginalized the Black race. President Reagan was not a Freemason, but his War on Drugs criminalized the easy targets -- the Black addicts and drug pushers -- when his administration should have prosecuted the corrupt CIA which introduced and flooded the poor communities with crack cocaine. This became another form of slavery for Black Americans as they became victims of the anti-Christ spirit to enslave them to addiction and the false promise of wealth and power through drugs. Additionally, there is evidence that several directors of the CIA have been known Freemasons.
     All these nefarious activities gave rise to movements like the Black Panthers, Black Lives Matter, and Antifa-- all groups who seek to right the injustice done toward Black America but who fail to see what's "behind the curtain". Black politicians spoke loudly in the 13th documentary about injustice and prejudice and discrimination, which are all real on the surface. But each of these politicians are members of secret societies and the NWO (Freemasons and Eliezer Society, among others). They are double-minded in their efforts, and work in partnership with a media that is run by members who owe their allegiance to the NWO. They speak loudly against the corrupt Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), which is a company that owns and operates private prisons and detention centers and operates others on a concession basis. But Thurgood Marshall, Jr. (son of Thurgood Marshall, Sr., the first Black Supreme Court Justice) is a Board member of CCA and a 33rd degree Mason, just as his father was! These are Black men making money off incarcerating fellow Black men, and under the auspices of a secret society that promises wealth, position and power! It's hypocrisy at its most damaging!
     This is what breaks my heart! It is the spirit of Deception working with the NWO and the anti-Christ spirit to crush the spirits of men, while pitting one race against the other! So, I asked my wise husband, "How do we, as both Black and White average citizens of this country, fight back against the NWO system dominated by an evil satanic principality? It feels as if we have no power in this world!" We all need to have the heart of Molly, and on a one-to-one basis, repent and ask for forgiveness, but I don't know if we have enough time to reach everyone in the time we have left, or if our hearts will be received. The deception is so pervasive!
     Mark said, "That's why, when I asked the Lord for the Truth, He asked me, 'Do you really want to know (and see) it?' " Mark then said the Lord showed him it was an overwhelming presence coming upon the earth, and the Lord said it was a curse! Instantly, the verse in Luke 21:25-26 came to mind... And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. This brought everything into focus as I completed a word study on "sea" and "wave". In context, the Biblical meaning of "sea" is the wild and restless conditions of nations; the false thinking and twisted logic. "Wave" means the arguments that come from the false thinking and twisted logic (the sea) and attack our belief in what's true.
     You can see this unfolding before our very eyes! Our nation is in a wild and restless condition, and there is so much perverted and twisted thinking by all parties involved. Average citizens don't know what to think or how to act. The anti-Christ spirit has corrupted the minds of the NWO, who is finding success in causing arguments (waves) between Black and White, Law Enforcement and Communities, Conservative and Liberal ideologies,  Politicians and Citizens. This deceptive, destructive, and evil spirit has infiltrated the ranks of every group mentioned and each plays a part in instigating the injustice we have seen over the last few weeks. Even those involved with this film -- which make no mistake, reveals a level of the lies and deception -- are part of the deception because they are not revealing the whole truth and have sold their souls to the very system they are exposing. But we have the mind of Christ and we must remain the humble servant, even as we battle in the spirit against the anti-Christ spirit!
     Only the Lord can permanently calm the seas and the waves. We are in the middle of a storm at sea, for sure, and all we see around us are waves crashing against the foundation of our nation and lives. We must see the big picture and understand what is happening behind the veil, but it is also  imperative that we humble ourselves in our intimate relations with our fellow human beings. I pray that our hearts remain tender and we clothe ourselves in humility, just as we strengthen our spirits to face what is coming upon the earth. We must never forget that we represent Heaven and the kings of the earth will soon forfeit their power and influence when the Son of Man comes in His great power and glory!

Isaiah 40:28-31    Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.