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.

Lord, Let It Begin With Me!

 

This nation and its people find themselves in a season of acrimony; marriages, families, and friends find themselves at deep odds with each other over differing political and cultural views and hastily spoken words uttered out of anger and antagonism. The division is at a level that I have never seen before. And I believe that we need the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of it all. I know that I do. You see, I am writing this post as a personal testimony of how the Enemy can use your sin to cause division and chaos in families. It is my testimony of humbling myself to allow Jesus to heal family discord that I caused. And I am writing it now -- particularly now in this season of our nation's history -- so that you will not fall into the trap that I did, and you will be able to find your way out of the pit by the grace of Jesus Christ. It begins by me being honest.

I have been writing this blog for nine years and I have never been afraid to stand and express my opinion, especially when it is something I feel strongly about. In fact, it was revealed to me that my boldness is what most threatens the devil. And if you have been with me from the beginning, you have seen [through my writing] the journey that the Lord is taking me on. You have been a witness to my newfound awareness that something vitally important was happening in our country and change was on the way -- profound changes that my spirit was not comfortable with. And you have seen my faith change and morph from being consumed by the world and how it was affecting me, to discovering the Kingdom of God on earth and my identity and purpose in it. I have tried to be less self-centered and more Jesus-focused. That is my current priority.

But seven years ago, in 2013, I wrote an article expressing my opinion on the state of government involvement in education and how I felt it had changed the character of our nation and its youth. And I wrote boldly and from my soul how I had seen it affect my family. And that fearless, thoughtless, and self-absorbed conviction opened a spiritual door these seven years later to offend my family. I wasn't writing the article to intentionally hurt them or cause anyone pain; I was using something personal to illustrate the point I wanted to make. It is sometimes easier to speak to an unseen audience by using details that have personal significance to you. But it was wrong. And now, all these years later, when that article found its way into the hands of my family members, I was faced with my sin. I had hurt people that I dearly loved, and the Enemy was having a field day!

I was immediately embarrassed and ashamed. There was no denying it. I could easily see what I could not in 2013 -- I had crossed a line then, and now I was going to have to pay the price. The Enemy immediately tried to get me to rationalize my actions. I could justify my decision to write as I did by this or that reasoning. And I probably would have done that seven years ago. But I have spent these intervening years growing with Jesus and I knew what He wanted me to do. I wrote to each of the offended members of my family and apologized for my rash words and told them I was sorry. I let them know that I had deleted the posts. Then I acknowledged the pain I had caused them, and humbly asked for their forgiveness. I knew I didn't have a right to expect it; I didn't deserve it, and they certainly didn't need to give it. But I knew it was the only way those spiritual doors I had recklessly opened could be closed.

And then my spirit bowed at the feet of Jesus and confessed my sin, repented and asked for His forgiveness. As sorrowful as I was over the pain I caused my family, I wept for having sinned against my Lord and disappointing Him. I knew in my spirit that He forgave me, but the Enemy continued to attack my soul through the night, and the spiritual battle was on!  Satan told me the damage had been done; and somehow the fact that the words had been written years ago magnified their effect. I needed to prepare myself for permanent rejection. He also whispered that this was the price that my pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness had cost me. My family would now look upon me as a hypocritical Christian. Then my spirit would counter with thoughts such as Jesus's forgiveness was not dependent on my family's forgiveness. My sins were forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus. And then I would recall prophetic minister Graham Cooke's own testimony of Jesus demanding that he, Graham, give Him, Jesus, back His stuff! When Graham continued to question, "What stuff, Lord?" Jesus responded, "I died on the Cross to take away your sins, and you keep hanging on to them!" 

In the morning, I knew I had done all I was asked by the Lord to make things right... the most important things were to humbly admit my sin, express my regret over the pain, and then ask to receive their forgiveness. It was time to leave it in the hands of Jesus. And as I prepared to begin a Bible study, I received two texts just seconds apart. Both thanked me for reaching out and unselfishly blessed me with their forgiveness, recognizing that it was a long time ago and families could be messy. There were more kind words but they made a point of extending their love and a desire to put it in the past. Oh, what a merciful and gracious God we serve! If we confess our sins, He is [truly] faithful and just to forgive us those sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!

I then had a picture in my spirit -- Satan, as my Accuser, standing in the Court in Heaven, accusing me of slander and maliciousness. But there was Jesus, as my Advocate, showing the heavenly documents that testified of my repentance, and that forgiveness was asked for and received. Case closed! I saw the article on that date in 2013, first covered by His blood, and then cut out of my earthly timeline. It no longer existed nor had any power in the spiritual realm. But my testimony is not finished. There is still one family member that I have not heard from. And that forgiveness will be harder to come by. I will not force it. And so I pray that the Blood of Jesus will be applied to her heart so that my words can no longer cause any pain or anger, and she can be set free of the ways the Enemy is trying to destroy our relationship.

Because you see, I can now discern just how this spiritual attack has come into play. My witness for the Kingdom of God is strong, committed, and persistent. There are no open doors in the present. But the Enemy was able to go back seven years and find something that he could use to throw a wrench in my work for the Kingdom. He wanted to weaken my spirit with righteous anger [on the part of my family]; self-doubt and self-condemnation against myself; and a lack of faith that I was not fit for the ministry to which the Lord has anointed me. If he could destroy me with those tactics, then perhaps I would have nothing left to give to ministry and I would begin doubting [and surrendering] my power and authority. But the power of Forgiveness has healed wounds -- both the wounds I caused and the self-inflicted wounds I received for my actions.

So, I write this to you today, not to receive a pat on the back for "doing the right thing", but to warn you that the Enemy is like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. And he has sowed such chaos and bedlam in our hearts and homes, and on our streets across the land. Our nerves are frazzled; we are prone to anxiousness and anger; and violence is on the increase. I'm going to be honest, there is real evil waiting to take advantage of our humanness. So, please, learn from my mistake. Do not be naive and think that everything is good today, when as you can see from my testimony, the devil is able to go back in time and pull up something in the past to instigate upheaval and turmoil in your life. He will use anything that gives him legal authority to accuse you; whether it was intentional on your part, or not. Our land is ripe for division! Do not play into his hands! Our sinful choices create wounds and scars, and Satan won't miss any opportunity he can take to rip open the fabric of your family, your marriage, your business, or our beloved country. 

But take it from me -- Forgiveness covers a multitude of sins with the Blood of Jesus! If you sin against someone, go immediately to them and ask for their forgiveness. And if you are sinned against, don't waste a moment in anger, but instead, extend your forgiveness to the one who trespassed against you. Through the compassion and mercy of the Lord, our sins can be pardoned and blotted out. We don't have to give in to the discord and disunity that is so prevalent in our discourse today. I am a living witness of the power of God's love for us when we are able to ask for forgiveness and to give it. Learn from me -- do not give pride or arrogance a foothold in your heart. Walk in humility before others, exhibiting the plentiful redemption you have received from the Lord. And join me in praying, Father, let there be peace on earth and in our Homeland, and let it begin with me. Amen! 

Psalm 51:3-4, 9-10    For I am conscious of my transgressions and I acknowledge them; my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done that which is evil in Your sight ... Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.

A History Lesson in Liberty and Freedom

 

As an American who understands the founding covenant we made with God over this land, I have always been proud of our history of liberty and freedom. From the first blog post I wrote in December of 2011, to this very day, I have always been proud of what this country stood for. I recognize our faults and sins, and I grieve over our history where we have strayed from the righteous path. But I know there is a spirit that exists in this nation that believes in the fundamental rights of men and women to forge their own destiny. That spirit of Liberty and Freedom comes from God, Himself, and no matter how hard the forces of darkness try to extinguish the flame of independence that ignites this country, it must never be stamped out.

This theme has long been interwoven into my blog, and since we find ourselves in the midst of this latest threat to our republic, I decided to take a look back at some of the more powerful convictions I have had on this subject. Here's just a few examples of what I've shared through the years...

November 21, 2012, quoting Congressman Ron Paul on Liberty and Freedom: "Everyone claims support for freedom. But too often it’s for one’s own freedom and not for others.  Too many believe that there must be limits on freedom. They argue that freedom must be directed and managed to achieve fairness and equality thus making it acceptable to curtail, through force, certain liberties.  Some decide what and whose freedoms are to be limited.  These are the politicians whose goal in life is power." Congressman Paul also said this, "Our Constitution, which was intended to limit government power and abuse, has failed.  The Founders warned that a free society depends on a virtuous and moral people.  The current crisis reflects that their concerns were justified." My current thoughts: I think we can all agree that free and fair elections also depend on virtuous and moral people. Now, here we are eight years later and we seem to have fallen to new levels of degeneration. 

October 24, 2013, from a report by Texas-based Liberty Institute, entitled Undeniable: The Survey of Hostility To Religion in America:  Your most basic rights are being gravely threatened. This threat is coming in the form of a tidal wave of government-driven hostility to religious liberty in America. Such hostility is a tsunami which—if it reaches shore—will sweep away all your other liberties.
     Why? The Declaration of Independence, the birth certificate of our nation, acknowledged that all our rights—such as the right to a fair trial and to elect our own government—are “endowed” by a “Creator.” They are therefore “unalienable” and not to be violated by government.
     For that reason, the Founders called “free exercise” of religion, guaranteed in the First Amendment to the Constitution, our “First Freedom.” They regarded the right of everyday people to express open allegiance to the Creator as a safeguard against government attacks on any rights given by that Creator.
     But what if open and widespread expression of religious freedom—in government, schools, work- places, the military, public places, and more—is eliminated, driven into the shadows of society? What if religion becomes an opinion only to be expressed privately in your home or quietly in your church, if at all? What if religious liberty becomes a poor, subservient tenant of an arbitrary and imperious government landlord?
     If that occurs, then government can erase any of your rights as it sees fit, since government, not the “Creator” cited by the Founders, will be regarded as the ultimate definer, giver or taker of all rights.  My current thoughts: The evidence of religion [or faith] has been blatantly absent in the violence and hatred we have seen exhibited this last year, therefore it's not hard to imagine that the "free exercise" of it could soon be deemed as "counter-productive to the will of the people".

October 14, 2014, from an article I wrote on our Economic Freedoms: In case it has been a while since you had an accurate history lesson about our nation, let me remind you of what the Founders meant in the Declaration of Independence; that we "are all endowed by our Creator ... with Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."  Those three principles are the bedrock of America's development -- no matter how they have been maligned.  The meanings of "Life" and "Liberty" haven't changed much in 230+ years.  But it is important that we understand what was meant by "The Pursuit of Happiness".  To early Americans this phrase was known to represent the individual right of every free citizen to own property and pursue a living.  That was "Happiness", and Americans knew it was ours, by the grace of God ... But perhaps more than any other principle, it was the Rule of Law that the Colonists cherished the most.  And the Cato Institute's 2014 Annual Report on The Index of Economic Freedoms sheds an unflattering light on just how much we have neglected that standard.  Per the report, "Protection of persons and their rightfully acquired property is a central element of economic freedom and a civil society. Indeed, it is the most important function of government. The key ingredients of a legal system consistent with economic freedom are rule of law, security of property rights, an independent and unbiased judiciary, and impartial and effective enforcement of the law."  My current thoughts: In six short years we have regressed to defunding the police, abandoning the concept of law and order, and are at the mercy of biased and partisan judges. How long will private property be allowed? God help us! 

April 30, 2015, in an article I wrote, titled "There is no S in Freedom": A few days ago, a friend of mine, Scott, commented that he had enjoyed reading my book, but he disagreed with me on one point.  I said, "That's alright ... I'm open to constructive criticism.  What did I say that you disagree with?"
     He told me that he couldn't help but notice that I consistently wrote about defending my "freedoms", and he just needed to inform me that, in the true sense, "Freedom" had no "s" on the end of it.  He went on to explain that this nation once had a wise President who said, "Freedom is indivisible - there is no 's' on the end of it. You can erode freedom, diminish it, but you cannot divide it and choose to keep 'some freedoms' while giving up others."  I'm sure it comes as no surprise to many of you, that this sage advice came from our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.
     It didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that both Scott and President Reagan were correct.  If we see Freedom as a collection of "rights" or "privileges", then a duplicitous or oppressive government could convince the populace that by merely altering, or even abolishing, a single aspect of our liberty, we are still left with the concept of having Freedom.   It shouldn't take one long to realize that over a period of time, or generations, much damage could be done by chipping away at our freedom.  What was once our stronghold of personal independence and liberties could easily be whittled down to a house of straw; easily demolished by any despot or tyrant... The once lofty ideal of freedom that this country represented, and its leaders embodied, has been replaced by a belief system that champions money and power.  America once recognized that their state of freedom was bestowed by God; but His Dominion and Sovereignty have been replaced by the Supremacy and Restraint of the State.  So, the question becomes, "Does Freedom still reside in America?"  I fear that it is taking its last breath, and unless God chooses to intervene, "the Land of the Free" will no longer exist.  My current thoughts: Sadly, and regrettably, my opinion has not changed about the obstruction of the State when it comes to our freedom. God must intervene -- but I also know that millions of Christians have been awakened in the last six years to the need for intercessory prayer and that we must step into our power and authority as representatives of God's Kingdom on earth, We are resolute about defeating the kingdom of darkness, and I have much hope on that front!

August 19, 2015, quoting from a speech given in 1944 by Judge Learned Hand, of the U.S. Court of Appeals: "We have gathered here to affirm a faith, a faith in a common purpose, a common conviction, a common devotion. Some of us have chosen America as the land of our adoption; the rest have come from those who did the same. … We sought liberty; freedom from oppression, freedom from want, freedom to be ourselves. I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it … What then is the spirit of liberty? I cannot define it; I can only tell you my own faith. The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure that it is right; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the mind of other men and women; the spirit of liberty is the spirit which weighs their interests alongside its own without bias; the spirit of liberty remembers that not even a sparrow falls to earth unheeded; the spirit of liberty is the spirit of Him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned, but never quite forgotten; that there may be a kingdom where the least shall be heard and considered side by side with the greatest." My current thoughts: Sadly, we are over three-quarters of a century past the date of that speech, and I'm not sure that spirit of liberty lives in the hearts of our children and grandchildren. And the "greatest" among us have no interest in hearing from the "least". 

July 4, 2014, from an article I wrote reflecting on the meaning of July 4th: "What did our Founding Fathers mean when they claimed that "all men are created equal ... and endowed with certain unalienable rights?... It seems to me that Government is increasingly deciding which rights people and groups are "endowed" with.  And if they are the "giver", then they reason that they can also take those rights away.  Hence, our property rights are no longer sacred nor protected.  In fact, the "natural" rights that our Founding Fathers so authoritatively manifested have been redefined as government-guaranteed economic opportunity and security.... I truly believe that the group of men who convened in July of 1776, were Divinely-inspired.  For the first time in history, the idea was born that men could be free of the restraints that repressed them. But the Founding Fathers understood that men were not perfectly good so they needed to form some sort of government to secure their natural rights. But just as important, they needed a government constrained by the consent of the people.  James Madison expressed it eloquently:  "If men were angels, no government would be necessary."
     But they also new that this never-before-tried form of government would be fragile and subject to corruption.  That's why, at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, when asked if the Founders had crafted a Monarchy or a Republic, Benjamin Franklin replied, "A republic.  If you can keep it."  And my, how difficult it has been to keep it!  Down through the nearly two-and-a-half centuries this country has existed, malevolent forces have battered our walls of freedom.  The Republic has managed to survive threats from Communism, Socialism and Progressivism; although all have managed to erode the original vision of those inspired men.
    If you can keep it .... Did they know we would let it slip away?  But could they also conceive that there would be those of us who would recognize that what they accomplished was worthy of fighting for; and that their vision would still burn in the hearts of patriotic souls?  I think Franklin's reply was a subtle warning ... our freedom was not, and is not, guaranteed.  The Founders knew that men and governments would endeavor to increase their power and control at the expense of our individual freedom because freedom is not the natural state of the world.... But, if, as I suspect, the "Spirit of '76" still exists in our DNA, then I set my sights on the day that we can once again proclaim, as did Oliver Wolcott, a signer of the Declaration of Independence 238 years ago today, "It is most evident that this land is under the protection of the Almighty, and that we shall be saved not by our wisdom nor by our might, but by the Lord of Hosts Who is wonderful in counsel and Almighty in all His operations."  Amen!  My current thoughts: Our Republic has never been more fragile. The threats of Communism, Socialism, and Marxism have increased -- even to their presence in the body of Congress! But I know there are millions more like me; people who honor and cherish the legacy of those brave souls who stood up to the mighty Empire of Great Britain and clung to the idea that God had given them the right to possess individual freedom. I declare that the "Spirit" of 1776 is the same Spirit of God that is intervening on our behalf, these now 244 years later. I know He has not given up on this nation, and we have not lost faith in Him to answer our prayers as we storm Heaven to help us keep the Republic. I still believe this land is under the protection of the Almighty and we definitely won't be saved by our wisdom, but by God Himself! We have not lost yet!

Finally, from February 9, 2013 and January 30, 2015, from articles I wrote on my favorite Founding Father, Samuel Adams: History has always been fascinated with the part Adams played in securing our Liberty.  During the 19th Century, when America still clung to her patriotic principles, and valued an individual's liberty and right to succeed, Samuel Adams was recognized as a hero of the Revolution.  But the 20th Century saw the genesis of Socialism and Progressivism take root in our political consciousness, and Sam Adams gained a negative reputation.  His brilliant essays were viewed as propaganda, and he was painted as an avid promoter of revolution who incited mob violence to push his political agenda.... But whichever version of Samuel Adams you choose to embrace, no one can dispute that he played one of the most important roles in the founding of this nation.  He believed in a "republican" form of government, which advocated that power should be held by the people and their elected representatives, rather than a monarch or dictator.  His writings also show that he believed that force against the government of a nation was only justified when the constitutional rights of the people were threatened, and were so grave that the "body of the people" recognized the danger, and only after "all peaceful means of redress had failed."  Revolution was his last choice.  But shortly after he signed the Declaration of Independence, he delivered these words in a speech at the State House in Philadelphia:

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude [better] than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."

Here are more of his quotes: Let us remember that if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our Liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom. It is a very serious consideration, which should deeply impress our mind, that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers of the event.

 It does not take a majority to prevail; but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.

The liberties of our country, the freedoms of our civil Constitution are worth defending at all hazards; it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors. They purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood. It will bring a mark of everlasting infamy on the present generation – enlightened as it is – if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of designing men.  My current thoughts: Sounds like he could be writing about what we are experiencing today, doesn't it? Read his words again and ask yourself these questions: Do I have the fire in my belly that our brave Founders possessed to stand for our God-given rights? In the face of the obvious attempt to transform this nation, am I willing to trust that my liberties and freedom will remain intact? What would Sam Adams say to us today, and are we willing to follow in his footsteps? 

These excerpts from my writings, and the writings of Samuel Adams, all point to our current situation. Our Liberty and Freedom should never be taken for granted. They are gifts from our Creator and precious possessions of moral and virtuous men and women. We are blessed to be Americans; a nation borne out of covenant for the Glory of God, and formed into a "civil body politic for the better ordering and preservation of the general good of the colony [nation]", which they promised with "all due submission and obedience". But we are on the verge of allowing these precious gifts to be wrested from us. So, as we approach this Veterans Day, we owe a debt of gratitude to our ancestors who fought at Concord and Lexington; Appomattox and Gettysburg; who died on the shores of Normandy and in the fields of Europe; who died in the rice paddies of VietNam; and who sacrificed their lives in the mountains of Afghanistan and the regions of Iraq. We are obligated to keep the Liberty and Freedom they fought and died for, so that it can be passed down to the next generations. And we owe it to them all to preserve the fullness of what was established at our founding; not a diluted or weakened version. Now, is the time for us to align with the Spirit of 1776 or the warning by Ben Franklin, which echoes down through the centuries will become our reality, and we will surely lose the Republic. May God forbid it!

Job 8:8-10     For inquire, please, of bygone ages, and consider what the fathers have searched out. For we are but of yesterday and know nothing, for our days on earth are a shadow. Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?

    

 

 

 

God, Judges and The Court

This past week, we in America have been treated to what is supposed to be a respectful meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, conducting oversight and consideration of nominations to the Supreme Court. I'm not going to comment on the obvious political bias exhibited among the Senate members. That is not my purpose for today's blog post. What I want to discuss is the role of Judges, our Courts, and how they correlate with the Book of Judges and God's Court(s) in Heaven.

It goes without saying that God is the Righteous Judge of all the Earth (Genesis 18:25). And as Believers in Jesus Christ, we have the right and privilege to enter into the courts in Heaven through prayer and spiritual warfare. And before I continue, I want to make the comment that our legal system on earth is modeled after the court system in Heaven. Just as we are entitled to have legal representation in our earthly courts, Jesus is our Advocate and Legal Representative in the Courts of Heaven. 

And just as we have different levels and classifications of courts, there are different courts in Heaven, as well. We declare that the Cross of Christ is our justification before God, but there are times that we need to gain access to the justice system of Heaven in order to receive righteous judgment. We are able to operate in that system because of our intimate relationship with Jesus. Let's consider for a moment the different types of courts to which we have access. To begin, there is the Court of Mediation (or Reconciliation). This is in character with "settling out of court" in our earthly justice system. Just like here on earth, this should always be our preference and the first step we take. When we encounter a dispute with anyone, our legal position should be to reconcile.... But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him] -- 2 Corinthians 5:18.

Then there is the Court of Petition.  Bringing our prayers before the Father, and presenting our petitions to Him, is in reality entering the Court of Petition... do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God -- Philippians 4:6. And notice, we should appear in this heavenly court with thankfulness, no matter the circumstances.

Next, we have access to God's Throne of Grace.  God holds Court while sitting on His Throne, which is where we approach Him with our prayers, and in intimacy with Him. And we must approach Him with grace and mercy -- for others, as well as ourselves. God's justice finds its origins in His love; and so should ours... Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need -- Hebrews 4:16.

At the center of God's court system is The Court of Mount Zion.  Throughout the Bible, we read of Mount Zion as God's place of justice and judgment. His Throne of Grace and the Court of Petitions are based here, and the heart of Heaven's court system is found here ... But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel -- Hebrews 12:22-24.

The Court of the Accuser is where Satan appears to lay his case before God for his legal authority to attack us. We should not engage with this court, but rather take our case to the Court of Reconciliation or Court of Petition, where Jesus serves as our Advocate and defense lawyer, if you will. There He can testify that we have come in a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation ... For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down -- Revelation 12:10.

Finally, we have The Court of The Ancient Of Days (Heaven's Supreme Court). This is the highest court in Heaven, and we cannot enter except by admission through dreams and visions. Just like our Supreme Court, it is the last court a case may be heard; there are lower courts where all legal matters should be attempted to be settled first... As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. … The court was seated, and the books were opened -- Daniel 7:9-10. 

NOTE: These are the courts that are readily acknowledged in the Bible, but I have been shown, in my spirit, that there are lesser courts that we have access to in times of specific need. But we must always ask for permission before opening a case or entering that specific court. Our first stop in heaven's court system should always be to achieve reconciliation. I have actually heard the Father reprimand mankind; He said, "Stop clogging up My Courts with needless petitions. So many of your problems can be resolved with forgiveness and applying the grace and love I have given each of you." 

So, now I want to approach the Book of Judges in the Bible in light of the purpose of our Supreme Court and what we witnessed this last week. We can surmise from the Book of Judges that the Lord, who is Creator God, is the Judge and King of all the world; no one else holds that title. [NOTE: I approach this truth from the understanding that Jesus and the Father are One (John 10:30)]. And the plan from Genesis to Revelation is to restore man to his original purpose -- to rule the world as God's righteous representative on earth. We also recognize that God rules through His human leaders; but He is the ultimate Judge and King, and those who serve Him do so at His discretion and are supposed to rule as He would rule -- [on earth as it is in Heaven]. 

If man assumed his original purpose for being created, righteousness would reign upon the earth. But as we have seen throughout history, and most certainly today, that is not reality. Christ embodies perfect human ruling and through His crucifixion and resurrection, He sits upon His Throne in Heaven and rules and judges in perfect righteousness. And one day, He will climb down from that Throne and return to render His judgment against all the Evil in this world that has come against His creation. Until then, the idea was that our courts here on earth would be administered by sons and daughters who would share in His righteous rule and judge accordingly. That was the plan in the Book of Judges and nothing has changed [from God's perspective] in the centuries since.

Sadly, we have not experienced that in our nation. True, there have been judges who sat on the highest court in our land who took their assignment seriously. But in the decades of my life, I have seen the nomination of Supreme Court Justices made in the spirit of partisan politics and immoral agendas. This nation under God is in great need of godly leadership, in both our civic institutions and in our courts. Because we seem to have lost our way [and our purpose], Roe v. Wade is the law of our land. Same sex marriage is the law of our land. Our courts are clogged with grievances involving racial discrimination, gender discrimination, and once-guaranteed constitutional tights. Where is the desire for righteousness and  reconciliation? Why do we not see the power of our intimate prayers and petitions before God? 

The Book of Judges is a history of the rebelliousness of Israel, who demanded a human king, rather than submitting their allegiance to the King of the World. Despite the sinful decisions of Israel throughout their history, the Bible promises redemption through King Jesus who will one day be our righteous Judge. We must pray that in and through [and in spite of] the sinful judges who have seemingly destroyed God's redemptive plan, that God can and will heal our land from the rebellious and destructive decisions that our legal "leadership" have imposed upon us. 

My prayer is that Judge Amy Coney Barrett will prove to be a catalyst for that redemption. But we have been fooled in the past. I ask that you join me in prayer and petition before the righteous and rightful Courts of Heaven to deliver us once again into a nation that represents King Jesus's original design for human rule. Lord Jesus, return our nation to a land You can be proud of; one that will uphold the rule and laws of Heaven! And let it start today! Amen!

1 John 2:1    My little children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father—[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action].

  

Covid and the The Court In Heaven

    

     Have you considered that we have access to the Courts of Heaven, and can ask for a judgment against this Corona virus that has this nation in bondage to spirits of Fear and Constraint? Perhaps the first question I should ask is Did you know the Courts of Heaven even exist?  Perhaps I should address that first... I would venture to guess that a majority of modern Christians would answer "No" to that question.  Yet the Jews returning to Jerusalem from their Babylonian exile knew well the teachings of the prophet Zechariah, among which was this idea of a Heavenly Court.

     In Zechariah, Chapter 3, the prophet receives a vision from a guiding angel of the High Priest, Joshua, standing before God, and Satan stands to his right, as his accuser.  The High Priest Joshua represents disobedient and sinful Israel, who has been brought to the Court of Heaven to receive what Satan thinks will be justified punishment for their sins.  (Remember: He is known as the Accuser). But that isn't what happens!  God rebukes Satan and replaces Joshua's filthy rags with the clean white robes of forgiveness.
     Then it gets even more exciting!  God counsels Joshua, telling him that if he will be faithful and walk in the ways of the Lord, he will be given greater authority to govern God's house and have charge of His earthly courts; and most importantly, Joshua will have free access to the Court in Heaven and to God's presence.  I want you to read that last comment again ... Joshua was promised privileged access into the presence of God. This isn’t a surprising promise for a High Priest, but we have the same promise: Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16). And this pandemic of Covid-19 has certainly ushered in a time of great need in our country! So let's consider how we can enter into the presence of God to ask for rulership over it!

     So here is where we start ... when we examine Scripture, there are many references to legal terms in God's relationship with men: judgment, appeals, law, contract, evidence, witnesses, indictment, jurisdiction, debt and debtors, redemption, punishment, condemn, testimony, and verdict.  Starting to get the idea? And we must always keep in mind the admonition of our Lord: Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.  The judicial system of the ancient Israelites, as well as our own court system, are modeled upon the Courts in Heaven.  Furthermore, the Courts are part of the judicial government of the Kingdom of Heaven, and guess what?  We have access to them as part of His Kingdom here on earth!

     And I want to address, for a moment, the etiquette of entering into our Father's Court. We are to be responsible about entering and maintaining the proper atmosphere of respect, order, authority, and awe. It is an honor to be received into the Father's Court and we should follow protocol. We should be prepared and ready to petition the Court and present our case. We should be dressed appropriately. We stand in respect when The Holy Judge enters the Courtroom. We sit in silence until given permission to speak. We ask for a verdict in our favor, and then we abide by what the Judge rules. So, by now, I hope you are seeing [in the spirit] as we prepare to enter the Court and ask for a judgment regarding this demonic virus.

     But before we can even think about asking for a verdict, we must take note of what the angel spoke to Joshua ... "Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in My ways and keep My charge, then you shall rule My house and have charge of My courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here." Based on that requirement, my spirit is grieved; this nation has certainly abandoned many of God's ways, and not kept His laws. And like ancient Israel, I'm sure Satan believes he has a justified argument for punishment with the Corona virus.

     Before we can even consider entering the Court of Heaven, we must repent for all the ungodly activities of this nation -- the abortion industry; sex trafficking; removing God from our schools and the public square; our greed and arrogance; and any area in which we have personally sinned.

     We must approach the Throne of God with reverence and request that we be added to the docket of the Court. We can then ask God to intervene as we seek to present our petition.  Satan believes he has a pretty good case against us; and based on the ungodly sins mentioned above, I can see why he feels justified in bringing the punishment of Corona virus against us. But I like the way the noted theologian Charles Spurgeon voices his interpretation of this scenario: "When Satan accuses, Christ pleads (our case). He does not wait till the case has gone against us and then express His regret, but He is always a very present help in time of trouble. He knows the heart of Satan, (being omniscient God), and long before Satan can accuse, He puts in the demurrer, the blessed plea on our behalf, and stays the action till He gives an answer which silences forever, [the Accuser's] every accusation." I find it interesting that the definition of the word demurrer is "[in Law], an objection that an opponent's point is irrelevant or invalid, while granting the factual basis of the point".  So, the result is that Satan [rightfully] accuses us of greed, abortion, child sex trade, abandoning God, etc. and Jesus never denies our sin, but instead acts as our Mediator. He receives our judgment and His sacrifice on our behalf makes the case against us invalid, and the case is thrown out of the Court of Heaven. We are innocent by the Blood of the Lamb!

     BUT, I also wonder if Jesus isn't waiting for us to stand up in our Power and Authority as Kingdom citizens and make use of our access to the Father's presence and present our own case! Do we want to be like Job? We know that Satan was allowed to appear before the Court of Heaven, and accuse Job before God, The Judge. But in the first 12 chapters, Job does nothing to defend himself!  He laments the attacks against him, but does nothing to defend himself --- until Chapter 13!  Finally, in this chapter he says, NOW I have prepared my case (verse 18).  So, do you think Job might have saved himself and his family a lot of harm and suffering if he had prepared his case earlier? Have we been humbled enough to repent for our national sins and suffered enough losses of our freedoms to now earnestly prepare our case before the Court? If I may, I would like to suggest the following prayer; that all the Body of Christ come together, following the protocols for appearing before our Judge, and join in presenting the following petition before the Court:

In the Name of Jesus, we ask our Savior to forgive this nation for all the ways we have been disobedient. We acknowledge our rebellion against You and ask to be cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and Your Living Water. We have sought righteousness in Your ways, and lament the actions of those who have offended You. We ask corporately, and individually, that our Savior show us any areas in which we have been ungodly so that we might repent of them before joining together to appear before Christ and entering the Holy Court of Heaven….

(IN THE SPIRIT)  Father, we come before Your throne today, in awe and reverence, asking for Your compassion and mercy, and we request that You convene a session of the Heavenly Court. 

(SEE THE COURT OF HEAVEN AND YOU APPEARING [WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST] BEFORE GOD, THE JUDGE)

Father, the Holy Spirit has shown us that the Adversary has been lying about this Corona Virus, and as the righteous Body of Christ, we ask that Jesus and the Holy Spirit intercede on our behalf before the Court.  As Isaiah 43:26 says, “Let us argue the matter together; state the case for [our] innocence.” So, as the Body of Christ and Kingdom citizens, we are here to state the case for our innocence; the reinstatement of our freedoms; and the release from this demonic virus called Corona. We ask for Your Light and Truth to come into this situation.

We come seeking Your intervention, God, as Judge, and ask that You hear our petition before the Court, and we request a verdict from this Heavenly Court.

Here is our petition: Father, we recognize that the Enemy is lying about Corona having such power over our bodies. We recognize the agreement of powerful men, who are in association with the Enemy to bind and control this nation. Father, we appear before You as righteous citizens of Your Kingdom on earth. And as members of the Ekklesia, we ask that You hear our argument against the deceitful lies and manipulation of the Enemy that would keep us in bondage to this virus. We appear before Your Court in our power and authority as Sons and Daughters of the King and ask for full restoration of all that has been stolen from us, including health, wealth, self-government, and freedom of choice.  

Father, we are asking the Heavenly Court to force the Adversary to reveal his lies about Corona; that it is a lowly virus, subject to the Authority of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. It will bow at the feet of Jesus Christ! It will not keep this nation and its righteous citizens from receiving their inheritance as children of God. We will receive Your Truth as we present the Gospel of the Kingdom – we will receive all that is due us, including Salvation and the Kingdom, so that we might go forth together as a family of God – equally yoked -- in righteous battle to defeat our Enemy.  We petition the Court to bring these lies about Corona under the blood of Jesus and to establish this nation under the rule and reign of Christ.

So, Father God, as You bring the Court into session, we see the books or scrolls being opened, and as the Ancient of Days, God, we know that You see all days and can render judgment to deliver this nation from the consequences of this demonic virus.

Father, on behalf of all people of this nation, we ask that You, as Judge, review the scrolls of every earthly citizen's “Book of Life”—including past generations -- and annul covenants with Plagues and Sickness and any spirits of Pestilence that have given access to demonic powers holding them captive. And we ask that You render a verdict in their favor. Just as in the case of the widow seeking justice from the unjust judge, Father, we ask that you defend this nation and set us free from this virus so that we might worship and praise You.

So, Father, as we rest our case for justice for this nation, we bow in reverence and seek Your face, acknowledging with honor and gratitude our faith in Your vindication, and asking blessings upon this nation, every man, woman, and child.  We thank You, Father, and we will abide by the decision of You and the Court.

(NOW YOU NEED TO TRUST IN THE DECISION OF THE COURT, KNOWING THAT JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL ADVOCATE ON OUR BEHALF. THANK THEM FOR REPRESENTING US, AND NOW DECLARE YOUR FAITH IN GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT!

NOTE:  I decided to share this prayer with you after receiving a request from a Brother in Christ to show him how to go to the Court for his wife and small son, who are struggling with the symptoms of the Corona virus. My spirit recognized that it is time for us ALL to go to the Court on behalf of this nation. The Enemy has been accusing us for too long. We must present our case, or watch our beloved nation continue to suffer his attacks. Please join me in going to the Court!

Job 13:1-3     "Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it. What you know, I also know; I am not inferior to you. But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God."

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.
      

    

"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.