Ebola in Texas! And So Many Questions ...

   

     You can imagine the potential of fear and panic, now that a diagnosed case of Ebola has surfaced in the United States.  And we, here in Texas, are especially concerned.  We have very little information coming from health authorities, other than the patient is isolated in a hospital in Dallas, and is extremely ill.  But what facts we do know are not convincing us that the CDC has it all under control.
     We are repeatedly told via talking head doctors on major news outlets that this pernicious disease is only transmissible via bodily fluids, and that a person is not contagious unless presenting symptoms.  Even if I believed this line of reasoning --- and that's a big IF --- we have much to be anxious about.
     First of all, this patient came to Texas from Liberia, one of the hardest hit countries in West Africa.  According to a very detailed article on the UK's Daily Mail website, "People boarding planes in the outbreak zone are checked for fever, but that does not guarantee that an infected person won't get through."  So, it seems to me that an obvious question would be, "Why aren't we considering quarantining people when they arrive in this country from Liberia?"
     (SIDE NOTE:  Our history on quarantining is neither admirable nor well-executed.  Wikipedia reports that our immigration policy at the turn of the 20th Century included quarantine hospitals near Ellis Island after a pandemic of cholera broke out in 1910.  I also discovered a sad commentary on that period, in which "over 420 individuals — 85% of whom were children under the age of 13 years old — died in Quarantine at the two hospitals."  Family members of those contained were often allowed to proceed through customs, never knowing what happened to their loved ones, or where they were buried.)
     In this day and age, we are able to identify the symptoms of Ebola to include fever, muscle and joint pain, vomiting and bleeding; and we know that it may take as long as 21 days from exposure to an infected person before one starts showing these symptoms.  Again, The Daily Mail reports that "Health officials use two primary guidelines when deciding whether to test a person for the virus - whether that person has traveled to West Africa and whether he or she has been near friends or relatives or other people who have been exposed to the virus."  

     We know that this latest Ebola victim arrived in Dallas on September 20th, and began showing symptoms on the 24th, and subsequently went to a hospital on the 26th for treatment, only to be sent home with antibiotics.  Then on the 28th, two days later, he is diagnosed with Ebola and placed in isolation.  So what happened to these all-important "guidelines"?  I am assuming that 1) the hospital was aware he had arrived in the U.S. from Liberia, and 2) it certainly sounds like his symptoms on the 26th should have aroused some suspicion that Ebola might be suspected.  After all, he had been sick for 2 days already, and it only took 2 more days to demand his placement in an isolation ward!  As the article so clearly states, "It raises the frightening prospect that he was mixing freely with others for a full four days while showing symptoms of the virus -  the time when Ebola is most contagious." [my emphasis].
     Again, if you believe that symptoms must be present to be contagious, this is clearly reason for great concern on the part of anyone who might have come in contact with the patient -- from family members, to hospital personnel, to the public.  But, if you have suspicions that this disease could be airborne, and contagious far earlier than the 21 days to present symptoms, then that opens a much broader window for contagious scenarios -- fellow passengers on the plane from Liberia, and all those who came into contact with the patient post-arrival in the U.S.
     While U.S. health authorities have not been forthcoming in identifying the patient, the Daily Mail article quotes the president of the Liberian Community Association of Dallas-Fort Worth, lending some consideration that the patient is either Liberian himself, or his family has ties to Liberia -- all the more reason to question the initial hospital screening practices.

     From my understanding, the CDC continues to maintain that U.S. hospitals are quite capable of handling Ebola cases.  But is this proclamation due to the facts that this country only has four special isolation facilities, (such as those who treated Dr. Kent Brantley and his missionary colleague, Nancy Writebol in Atlanta), and there is no longer any of the experimental serum ZMapp that saved their lives?  Does it mean that any future cases of Ebola will not receive this specialized care and will have to rely on individual hospital protocol?   It will be important to see if the seriously ill patient in Dallas survives without the specified care that these two patients received.
     And speaking of Dr. Brantley, when testifying before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, he was quick to label Ebola as "a fire straight from the pits of hell."  So without panicking, what should we, as individuals and families, do to prepare for the possibility of an outbreak?  I do not think it is inappropriate to prepare for the worst, and pray for God's mercy on this nation.  Inexpensive Tyvek suits, gloves, masks, and supplies such as Bleach and Hand Sanitizer are certainly items that should be considered.
     But what we need more than anything else is the truth!  I would like to know what is planned for the returning military personnel who are being sent to help contain the outbreak in Africa?  Can we rely on local, state and federal health authorities to provide accurate reports on new cases, as well as informing those who might have come into contact with infected patients?  We are being asked not to panic or react out of alarm ... but being less secretive and more forthcoming would go a long way towards calming irrational fears.
     Finally, I know that my trust truly belongs with the Lord.  I must rely on Him to protect me from this pestilence and the missteps and misjudgments of man.  He has the power and the authority to heal us.  May He protect this land!

Matthew 9:35    "And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction."

Lead The Way!

     You can feel it in the air, can't you?  The signs are accumulating .... the financial sector is nervous and Wall Street is unstable; the price of Silver is bottoming out; our debt is higher and our return on investments is lower;  middle management layoffs result in over-qualified personnel competing with over-educated college graduates; food prices are skyrocketing, along with insurance premiums and the feeling of fear.  Sounds an awful lot like 2008, when we in America began living a new reality, doesn't it?  And yes, it sure feels like we are hitting another milestone in our downward spiral.
     But I would like to suggest that this time is different, and that we can actually have a positive outlook in the midst of yet another looming downturn.  You see, there are a great number of us who have learned a lot in the last six years.  Our eyes are wide open and we've shaken off the paralysis of fear and uncertainty.  We're ready and prepared to face a radically different future in America, and I actually see these new rumblings at our foundations as a renewed opportunity to make America stronger.  Let me explain why ...
     First of all, I can always tell when America is coming out of its normalcy bias stupor when the phone starts ringing, and the questions start flying ... What would you suggest we do to preserve our savings?  How can we counter the high price of food at the grocery store?  What are your thoughts about our economy?  Is it stable?  What everyone is really asking is, "I'm a little worried about the future. Can you talk me off the cliff?"
     So here is the first positive effect of this threat of a downturn in our fortunes -- a new segment of the population is waking up!  It may have taken them a little longer, and you might want to shout, "It's about time!", but resist the chance to gloat, and instead, welcome them aboard!  We have just been given an opportunity to help them get in a readied state.  The more people that are prepared to deal physically, mentally and spiritually with whatever is in our future, the more chance this country has to survive.
     Granted, I believe that this time around, the threats we face are more serious... terrorism in the homeland and threats of a pandemic disease seem as though they trump any economic woes we might face.  But those of us who confronted the monster in 2008 have been "purified in the fire", so to speak, and can now provide a solid footing for those who must undergo their own deliverance from fear.  And they won't have to stumble through the process of discovery as we did; we can get them up to speed quicker, while guiding them and introducing them to all the ways that they can experience peace and strength in adverse circumstances.
      It might be in the area of physical training, such as gardening, or self-defense, or how to care for the medical needs of their family.  We can help them learn how to mentally prepare for those things that could radically change our way of life, such as an electric grid-down situation, and what that looks like -- no heating or air conditioning; no internet; no transportation.  Many of us have spent the last six years thinking all this through, and developing and perfecting the best ways to sustain ourselves and our families.  Now this new generation of awakened Americans will be the beneficiaries of our hard-earned knowledge.
     For those "old-timers" that might feel a little off-balance, this is not a time to cocoon ourselves in a new layer of panic; but a great opportunity to share our wisdom and broaden and expand the readiness, independence and personal power of America.

     But I want to stress that the best way we can assist and advise our fellow countrymen is spiritually.    Because what we, the first wave of American Preppers, have learned above all else, is that none of the rest of our planning matters if we don't include God.  In fact, as we are given the opportunity to coach someone new in all they need to know to protect themselves and their family, our instruction should seamlessly blend with our testimony of God's true salvation.  There is no time to waste!  The greatest way to "prepare" for their immediate future, is to assure their eternal life by accepting Jesus as their Savior -- that's real security.  The rest is all temporary!
     So, let's not view the unsettling signs on the horizon with fear and trepidation.  Let's take advantage of the opportunity to reach new people -- reach them for our communities, our country, and ultimately, to glorify our God.

1 Peter 3:15   "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;"
   

A Different Look At The Palestinian/Israeli Conflict

   

     Last week our President joined world leaders to speak before the United Nations General Assembly about the various crises in the Middle East.  At the top of everyone's list was stopping the barbarism and evil that is the Islamic State.  But always at the center of any discussion of the Middle East is the ongoing tension between the Palestinians and the Israelis; a battle that has been in view since Joshua captured the Land of Canaan as far as Gaza.  Unfortunately, this conflict is also blamed for much of the tension and hostilities in the region.
     If you do not have an accurate Biblical worldview, it is easy to get caught up in the emotions of the Palestinian situation and to see only through a narrow focus.  Many people, including Christians and secularists alike, view Gaza and the West Bank as belonging to the Palestinian people, who have been removed from their homeland to make way for what they believe is an illegally transplanted race of people, the Jews.  But, if one were to do an in-depth study of who the Palestinian people are, it is not as simple as the afore-mentioned argument would have you believe.
     Here are some interesting thoughts to digest:  although the idea of a distinct and defined "Palestinian" national identity is relatively new (dating from the early 20th century),  modern Palestinians are actually the descendants of the peoples who have lived in Palestine over the centuries -- through all the various wars and exoduses spanning all the great Empires of the world.
     Also, despite the heated rhetoric over "national"  and "religious" identification ... Arabs vs. Israelis; Muslims vs. Jews ... did you know that "Genetic analysis suggests that a majority of the Muslims of Palestine, inclusive of Arab citizens of Israel, are descendants of Christians, Jews and other earlier inhabitants of the eastern Mediterranean whose core may reach back to prehistoric times? A study of high-resolution haplotypes demonstrated that a substantial portion of Y chromosomes of Israeli Jews (70%) and of Palestinian Muslim Arabs (82%) belonged to the same chromosome pool." [Statistics from research done by Ann Gibbons of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science, and from proceedings involving M.F. Hammer of the U.S. National Academy of Science.]
    All this background information barely scratches the surface of why one must look beyond current emotions and political biases to see a Biblical view of this crisis.  To begin with, "the same chromosome pool" points to a common Biblical ancestor, Abraham, who was the father of Ishmael, the progenitor of Arabs and Muslims, as well as the father of Isaac, the forefather of the nation of Israel, including the tribe of Judah, and consequently, the Jews.  The Bible, and recorded history, show us that there has been animosity between these two groups of peoples since their inception.  And there will be trouble between them until the end of this world as we know it.
     Which brings me back to the series of speeches before the U.N. General Assembly.  Leaders of the major players in this conflict -- from the U.S. to Iran to Israel, and more -- are attempting to offer their solutions as to how the major conflicts in the regions of the Middle East can best be handled.  But when the subject of Palestine and Israel comes up, both Christians and Secularists tend to miss the big picture.
     With a clear understanding of the Bible, I believe you will find that Israel is to be a blessing to the nations of the world while living in the Land that God bequeathed to them (the whole land of ancient Canaan) -- but only as long as Israel is faithful to her God.  A failure to be faithful will result in correction, loss of land, and potential wars; and God will use the surrounding nations to dispense His judgment.  You can see this pictured by the continual concessions Israel has made in giving up "land for peace", and by the numbers of Israelis who identify themselves as "secular" or "not very religious" (67%), versus those who say they are "ultra-Orthodox", "religious", or "traditionally, Jewish" (33%).
     As Christians, it is naive of us to think that just because the "Jews are back in the Land", that they are guaranteed to occupy it or deserve it.  I believe that the Bible very clearly says that God will not let them be in the Holy land without being holy people... so I believe that Israel will continue to struggle in the coming years until she is finally backed into a corner, and the only way out will be to turn to her Savior.
     So while leaders stand before the podium at the UN General Assembly, and offer their solutions for peace, there is not a political solution to this crisis; only a Biblical answer.  To be a Biblical Zionist is not to be a political Zionist.  But I also want to caution those who might think that God's way of dealing with His chosen people involves His endorsement of Hamas, the PLO, or Islamic jihad.  God's discipline concerning Israel will never include such evil ideologies.  No, God has a much wider purpose in the Middle East conflicts .. it is to glorify Himself and to give the surrounding nations an opportunity to come into relationship with Him.
     Whether secularist or Christian, it is important to look beyond the narrow scope of political and nationalistic passions.  We must all pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for those nations who are currently hostile to her; the true salvation of the Jewish people and Arabs, alike, depends upon their recognition of Israel's Messiah.  I urge you to read what this Holy Book says about the final stages of God's redemptive plan --- for all the people of the World.  It is most definitely focused in this hotly contested geographic region, and the peoples of Palestine, the Middle East and Israel will all play a part.  But we must never forget ... the ultimate victory will be His!

Isaiah 46:9-10     Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’



   

Jihad From the Inside

   

     The recent beheading of an innocent woman in Oklahoma has us all unnerved.  The threat is no longer that someone waving the black flag of ISIS will travel to America and overtly commit this barbaric act.  It is becoming more apparent that the influence of this radical terrorism is being stealthily encouraged and incited right under our noses.
     News reports are now surfacing that the killer in Oklahoma attended a mosque which was led by an Imam with ties to known Al Qaeda mastermind Anwar al-Awlaki.  This same Imam has ties to the mosque attended by the Boston Marathon Bombers, the Tsarnaev brothers, and to Nidal Hassan, the murderer at Fort Hood in Texas.
     In case you're thinking that my thoughts are just an over-reaction to random relationships, I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Mark Christian, an Egyptian Muslim by birth, and now a practicing obstetrician/gynocologist, who has stepped forward to sound the alarm about the Muslim Brotherhood's plan to infiltrate America through immigration and cultural reform.  Dr. Christian is the founder of the Global Faith Institute, which according to their website, is "a Christian platform dedicated to the proclamation and pursuit of truth as it relates Middle Eastern history and current happenings to the rapidly unfolding events in the US and around the world."  As the banner on the website proclaims, "Islam Isn't an "Over There" Problem... It's a Right Here, Right Now Problem."
     Dr. Christian is well-qualified to speak about "this problem".  His bio speaks for itself:  Groomed from boyhood to become an influential leader of the Muslim faith, Mark was afforded unparalleled exposure to the ideology and objectives of radical Islam, and the stringent creed of Sharia law.  This exposure was gained through his remarkable experiences as the constant companion and confidante of his father, a wealthy doctor, devout Imam, and persuasive advisor for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt – and through his uncle, who, during the massive imprisonment of the Muslim Brotherhood members in Egypt in 1965, shared a cell with Sayyid Qutb, the revered and infamous ideologue for the Brotherhood’s movement.  
      However, in 2003, Dr. Christian broke with his Islamic faith, converted to Christianity, moved to America and changed his name.  Now, in a very pointed article on FrontPageMag, Dr. Christian is warning his new country that "stealth jihad" is a very real and present danger.  He explains that “The Muslim Brotherhood is so big right now and so influential and so wealthy that they can do things on their own.  The only thing that is missing is the power of the U.S. military to be on their side.”  That is a very frightening scenario!
     Their plan is aligned with that of ISIS; to start a new Islamic empire, from which they can control the world.  As it relates to America, they are working through immigration and reforming our culture.   Dr. Christian shares statistics from the Pew Research Center, which state that prior to 1990, less than 5% of our nation's immigrants came from Muslim countries.  But the latest numbers show that "more than 1.7 million Muslim immigrants have come to the United States between 1992 and 2010."
     Temporary student visas and a return to their home countries used to be the procedure; but now permanent status can be gained "through an array of programs, including the U.N. refugee program, the annual diversity visa lottery and special programs for foreign religious leaders."  And here is where the threat to America becomes obvious:  according to Dr. Christian, these refugees and immigrants don't assimilate well to American culture, and often don't respect our values.  They can't identify with the American mindset that embraces individual liberty and personal responsibility.  They become easily disillusioned, suffer low-paying jobs, and "supplement their paychecks with food stamps, Medicaid and government-subsidized housing."  They are ripe for exploitation.

      Dr. Christian further warns that Europe's experience with their immigrant Muslim populations could soon become America's nightmare.  One just needs to look at the riots and problems that countries like Britain, France and Germany are experiencing, to see how quickly a nation's culture and laws can be impacted by a push for Sharia Law.
     And Dr. Christian points out that Islam is not just another religion.  It has a very deliberate political component.  And organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood are not afraid to take advantage of America's never-ending pursuit of Political Correctness, tolerance and diversity.  Because of his own family experience with the Muslim Brotherhood, Dr. Christian is trying to sound the alarm, pronouncing what he calls stealth or cultural jihad:  "The Brotherhood’s strategy is three-pronged. It uses its front group CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) to influence the government and military life, while ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) works to foster “interfaith” dialogue with major Christian denominations and Jewish organizations. A third front group, the Muslim Student Association, or MSA, focuses on influencing K-12 and university education."
    What he says makes sense:  "They want to influence the whole United States,” Christian said. “They see the U.S. as three things – it’s a government, it’s a religious institution and it is colleges and education; so we have three organizations and all are designated to each one of those things."
     And what makes me sad, as well as disturbs me, is his accurate portrayal of this furtive influence in the churches of America.  “They say, ‘Oh we all worship the same God and we need to find common ground,’” Christian said. “It’s all about ‘respecting women, Islam is great,’ and it’s all a bunch of lies. Whenever you find those kinds of movements within the church, you always find a watered down, very liberal theology that is anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist. But there is money involved and influence involved.”  I experienced this at a mega-church I used to attend.  When an imam was invited to speak, red flags went off in my soul, and I began to see a steady decline in true Biblical principles.
     Ultimately, Dr. Christian's warnings seem frighteningly accurate.  If you are paying attention, you can see the influence within our government, our educational institutions, and our churches.  While the radical "overt" jihad is readily apparent through attacks like we witnessed at Fort Hood, and more recently, in Oklahoma, it is the "covert" jihad through political influence and money that we need to control.  We all know that such influence and money equals power.  This particular power is merging and inserting itself into the very foundations of our nation and culture.  If you are sufficiently alarmed, then perhaps these final words of Dr. Christian will wake you up:  "It is coming together even better, I think, than they planned."

1 Thessalonians 5:6     "So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober."

Leviticus 23:27

Also the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be a holy [called] assembly, and you shall afflict yourselves [by fasting in penitence and humility] and present an offering made by fire to the Lord.

     In keeping with last week's commentary on the Lord's Feasts, this week I want to continue with the holy days that are upon us.  These Fall Feasts began just a few days ago, at sundown on Thursday, which began the Feast of Trumpets.  As I mentioned, these holy festivals are "dress rehearsals" for God's appointed times in His plan of redemption for mankind.

     The Spring Feasts mirror His death, burial and resurrection, along with the giving of the Holy Spirit.  The Fall Feasts will mirror His Second Coming.  Last week's Feast of Trumpets is a dress rehearsal for His return and the rapture of the Church.  The ancient Israelites celebrated this day as the beginning of their new year, and they gathered together to praise God for His renewal.  

     The Feast of Trumpets also began 10 days of celebration as the people prepared themselves with fasting and prayer to hear their verdict on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).  This ritual trial reaches its conclusion. . . . The people finally drop all their defenses and excuses and throw themselves on the mercy of the heavenly court, yet the same people never lose the conviction that they will be pardoned. This atonement is by divine grace; it is above and beyond the individual effort or merit.  The Day of Atonement was a gracious day each year when all the Israelites could experience a new beginning by being cleansed from their sins and restored to fellowship with their Maker.  

     The Old Testament significance of this Feast Day is understood by remembering that the Israelites performed daily sacrifices in which the blood that was brought into the Holy Place for sprinkling against the veil and upon the horns of the altar of incense. This served to symbolically transfer into the sanctuary the sins which had been atoned for. There the sins remained until the Day of Atonement, when the sanctuary was cleansed of the accumulated sins of the people.  

     The blood of the sacrificial animals served as a substitute for the Sinner who offended God.  But this blood offered for repenting sinners defiled the sanctuary, because it was used to symbolically carry their sins into the sanctuary where they were kept until the Day of Atonement.  God’s Sanctuary needed to be CLEANSED on the Day of Atonement.  Imagine the smell of all that blood upon the altar for a full year!

     If we believe these Feasts are dress rehearsals for Christ’s Second Coming, then some future Day of Atonement will be the Day of Judgment (Bema Seat), when after being raptured we are standing in God's presence and hear an accounting of how we lived our lives for Him and His Son.  

     The significance of this day (Day of Atonement) for us New Testament believers is that God loves us SO much that He has even given us the day we should fast, pray and seek His face before we have to stand in front of Him, face-to-face.   Yet, like the ancient Israelites, if we belong to Him, we can rest in the knowledge that Christ is the Sacrificial Lamb that paid the price for our sins, and we will be pardoned. 

     This year, the Day of Atonement begins at sundown on October 4th, and ends at sundown on October 5th.  We can come together with other believers (Holy Convocation) for a day of complete fasting (examine our souls).  What better time to do this than on the one day each year that our Heavenly Father has instructed His people to do so?  

     It’s also a good time to intercede and appeal for mercy on behalf of ourselves, our family and friends, and our Nation/Community. We see this in the story of Jonah –Jonah was sent by God to Ninevah, a wicked murderous nation to warn them of impending judgment. We see that they humbled themselves(fasted) and turned from their wicked ways and because of that, God spared them. He is so good to provide a warning before judgment!  

     If you are reading this post, then it is obvious that the Feast of Trumpets 2014 was not the appointed day of Christ's return.  But now that we are seeing the Biblical meaning of these holy days, celebrating them should feed our souls.  We can still celebrate the Day of Atonement and the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles, which mirrors Christ's coming to earth to dwell among us in His 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom.  More on that next week!

Note:  Because I see the significance of the Lord's Feasts, I also celebrate the Sabbath.  But I choose to post these essays on Worship on the Church's traditional Sunday, in hopes that more people will see them and be prompted to begin their own research and study on what God's Word says.

How Are You Occupying Your Space?

     This is a day to indulge my inner thoughts.  It is hard not to get depressed from all the negativity in the world ... another beheading -- this time in Oklahoma!; the stock market dropping; the increased warnings about Ebola and terror attacks; the enmity between political parties and social ideologies; the trend towards human/computer integration.  It's like looking for a ray of sunshine in the midst of a thunderstorm.  Yet I remain optimistic, knowing that this world is my temporary residence.  I am occupying my special place in this world until I am called to my Heavenly Home.
     Does that mean that I am just taking up space, proudly wearing my mantle of "Christian", and counting down the days until I receive my angel wings?  Or should it mean that I am busy and engaged in my purpose for being on this earth?  As a Christian, I know that I am to be showing Christ to this world; maturing in my faith and producing fruit for His Kingdom.  But if you're not a person of faith, then what is your purpose?  Why are you here, and what are you doing while occupying your space?
     I recently read a sermon by a Mr. James Dearmore, an African missionary for over 49 years.  This particular sermon was preached in 1982, but its message is just as profound today.  Mr. Dearmore's message centered around the fact that within a hundred years or less, from the time of the birth of Christ, the gospel had been spread into all of the civilized world.  A lot of territory had been conquered by the time that the Lord stood on the Mount of Olives just before His ascension.  Mr. Dearmore's question, at the time, and mine today, is this:  How much territory have I conquered for the Lord while occupying this particular position in time and place?  And even if you are not a Christian, my question remains the same ... How are you occupying your space on this planet, and what is your reason for being here?
     The word "occupy" has so many meanings .... as to "occupy" a house (inhabit); the door "occupied" the whole wall (filled up); to "occupy"one's mind (interest, entertain, divert); and to "occupy" a foreign land (seize, capture, conquer).  It obviously means more than just sitting in one spot, counting time.  And it certainly doesn't mean focusing on all the events and people and information that the world throws at us.

     To occupy this space is an amazing -- and staggering -- responsibility.  I have been given much in this life ... the physical gifts of a wonderful husband who walks with the Lord; a loving family; a group of faithful friends who are earnestly seeking their own path; a comfortable home; food on the table; and clothes on my back.  I have also received incredible spiritual gifts, such as the peace and joy that I derive in the midst of a chaotic world, and which comes from knowing Christ.  But most importantly, I possess the hope of everlasting life.  What am I doing in return for these gifts?  What is it I am called to do?
     It's really very simple ... for me, it is to tell others about the Source of those gifts.  That's our responsibility; to tell others.  I must confess that I used to feel inadequate when witnessing face-to-face.  I envied those who seemed to be able to effortlessly tell a stranger about the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Maybe because my salvation came late in life, (and is still a work in progress), I am passionate about seeing that others don't waste another minute!  But I kept trying.  I learned to sense when an opportunity was present, and to gently encourage discussion.  I also learned when to back off and let someone approach me as the Holy Spirit moved them.
     I also quickly learned that these efforts will render opposition from those of this physical world, as well as the spiritual.  Yesterday's beheading in the Homeland should make us all aware that Evil is intensifying.  But we must not complain, or lessen our efforts to spread the Word.  The apostle Paul was shipwrecked three times, beaten with thirty-nine stripes several different times, stoned and left for dead outside Lystra.  The Christian martyrs in today's Middle East are suffering crucifixion, beheadings, rape, and mass executions.  I am well aware that we, here in the U.S., will not be exempt from suffering for our faith.  Indeed, Christ told us that we would suffer for His name's sake.  The question I ask myself is, "Will I be considered worthy to suffer shame for His name?"
     It is time we, in the comfortable Western world, realize the purpose of our lives.  We have not been left here to live a happy, relaxed and safe life.  Yes, if you are a Believer, God wants us to be happy, but He could take us to Heaven where we'd be happy forever ... yet, He hasn't.  Obviously, we're supposed to be doing something while we're here.  So what is our purpose while we are "occupying"?  Our only reason and our only need to be on earth after we're saved, is to occupy till He comes, to be His witnesses.  And that word "occupy" is a verb!  It implies action!  Finding peace and forgiveness is great, but witnessing should be our real motivation and goal.
     The rest of the world will tell us otherwise; that we should be concerned with gaining profit and worldly things.  If you don't know Jesus Christ, you might be agreeing with that statement.  But I beg you to reconsider ... what will be your rewards for living such a life when you die?  Do you know what happens that next second after your last breath?  Do you think there might be something more worthwhile to leave as a legacy than paper money and "things"?
      To my fellow Christians, I would tell you to think about your legacy, too ... live boldly in your witnessing, and don't worry about what the world says of you, or of the forces that will come against you.  When people see me, I don't want them to see fear or hesitation.  I want them to see someone who is eager to share the reason I have such hope and peace and joy in this crazy, messed up world.  I want them to want what I have, and I want to fulfill my purpose to the fullest.  Join me!

Acts 22:15    "For you will be a witness for Him to everyone of what you have seen and heard."
   
   
   

You Better Know What "Palliative Care" Means!

     Get ready for the new buzz word in the world of Medicine and Health Insurance/Provider jargon ... "Palliative Care".  Do you know what it means?  I didn't, but figured it must be pretty important to be at the center of a new report on End-of-Life Care by a 21-member "non-partisan committee" appointed by the Institute of Medicine, which is the research arm of the National Academy of Sciences.
     I don't know about you, but I get a little nervous when any "committee" gets together to decide how I should be treated in the latter stages of my life --- especially a group that is supposed to be "nonpartisan" and is appointed to provide guidance and advice to policy-makers.  When the make-up of that committee overwhelmingly consists of professors from university medical schools ... well, let's just say I'm a little suspicious of recommendations coming from academia.  A little real-world experience with actual patients might give me a little more confidence in their opinions.
     Nevertheless, this distinguished group of professionals determined that "The country’s system for handling end-of-life care is largely broken and should be overhauled at almost every level."  That's a pretty bold statement with serious implications!Among their key findings and recommendations are the following points:
•  One out of every 4 Americans over the age of 65 dies in the emergency room or hospital, which results in a burden on hospital facilities and family budgets.
•  The elderly are living longer, often with lengthy illnesses that task family resources and demand excessive time delegated to caring for the patient.

•  Most people nearing the end of life are not physically, mentally, or cognitively able to make their own decisions about care. The majority of these patients will receive acute hospital care from physicians who do not know them. Therefore, advance care planning is essential to ensure that patients receive care reflecting their values, goals, and preferences.
•  Although professional guidelines and expert advice increasingly encourage oncologists, cardiologists, and other disease-oriented specialists to counsel patients about palliative care, wide-spread adoption of timely referral to palliative care appears slow.
•  Palliative care services, including hospice, improve patient outcomes and may reduce health care costs by lessening use of acute care services. Changes are needed throughout the health care system to incentivize provision of comprehensive palliative care.
•  Medical schools and groups that accredit and regulate health providers should greatly increase training in palliative care and set standards so that more clinicians know how to compassionately and effectively treat patients who want to be made comfortable but avoid extensive medical procedures.
•  Finally, there is a need for public education and conversations about death and dying.  Americans need to know what their choices are, and the value of Palliative Care.
     That's just a quick and incomplete summary of "the panel's" findings.  But, I'm sure you noticed that term "Palliative Care" sprinkled throughout their recommendations.  So, what is it?  The dictionary defines it as:  Specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.  A little more research into the exact meaning of "palliative", and you will find the sense of soothing or calming for the terminally ill.  A little bit deeper, and you will find these terms associated with Palliative Care:  painkiller, sedatives, tranquilizers, opiates.  It's one thing, to consider Hospice Care, when that is the decision of the patient and the family.  It's quite another to consider that Palliative Care is also recognized as a method of reducing the costs of health care.
     So, while I agree that too often, the elderly and terminally ill may be subjected to painful, long-term, and expensive care that does not yield a positive result; and that there are times they would actually choose to forego such treatment, it makes me just a little bit nervous that we now have a panel of "health experts" who are recommending that Palliative Care of the elderly be incorporated (and dare I say, mandated) into our health care system.
     Even the panel, itself, issued a veiled warning with this recommendation:  "Quality standards and measures are needed to ensure that changes in payment systems, particularly those occurring under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, do not adversely affect quality of care for patients at the end of life."  Sounds like they might be just a tad concerned that Palliative Care could get out of hand and be misused in ObamaCare.    

     There is a fine line that needs to be walked here.  Would I rather die at home in my bed, surrounded by friends and family, instead of in a cold, hospital environment attached to tubes?  That's an easy answer.  Any policy that allows me to make that decision at the time it needs to be made is one that I could accept.  But to make the blanket statement, "Most people nearing the end of life are not physically, mentally, or cognitively able to make their own decisions about care", lends itself to suspicions that those decisions will be taken away from us and made by the oft-denied "death panel."
     And if I have this "Advanced Planning" discussion with my doctor, what are my options for changing or amending those decisions?  Or does that private conversation with my physician become part of my permanent medical records, which are shared with insurance providers and hospital staff, so that anytime I am admitted to the hospital, it becomes potential grounds for determining my medical care (or in this case, lack of life-saving care)?
     At what age does Palliative Care become mandatory?  If you read between the lines of these recommendations, you might become concerned about your twilight years.  We all know that our economy is suffering in many sectors, and with our aging population, the exorbitant costs of health care are coming under extreme scrutiny.  And it's not hard to get a little worried, when you read what The Blaze recently reported: "Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a former Obama administration health policy adviser and the brother of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, said in a recent op-ed that 75 is the ideal age to die, claiming that “living too long” can often lead to a “deprived” state — one that sometimes causes people to be remembered as “feeble, ineffectual, even pathetic.”
     The last thing I want is "policy advisors" like him to start determining when I might become a burden on society.  So, maybe I'm becoming a little too paranoid, but the way I see it is that how I live the end of my life should be a determination made by myself, my family, and my doctor.  When panels and policy wonks and insurance providers start laying out guidelines, how long before my voice is no longer heard?

Leviticus 19:32    "You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord."

 

What's Really Going On?

   

     If you are new to this blog, then you've probably surmised that I look through the lens of a Biblical worldview.  I try to see "the bigger picture" via God's plan for the world, instead of the immediate political and social implications.  With that caveat, I am hesitant to jump into the dialogue on the turn we've taken towards the "war" with ISIS, and the recent airstrikes on Syria -- primarily, because I am no expert on Middle Eastern affairs and am speaking purely from a spiritual outlook; and a veiled one, at that.  Then there is my opinion that more will "develop"in the coming days that just might change the entire narrative.
     To begin with, I find it difficult to figure out the true significance of all our foreign policy moves, and how that might relate to what God has in store for the world.  All the key players in this drama are part of the End Times prophecies in the Bible, so it's hard not to look for a broader perspective than media sound bites might reveal.  The back-and-forth on our relationships with these countries can leave your head spinning; especially when one week, the major news item is that we are "not at war" with ISIS, and the next week, we are.  But I believe that ISIS may only be a tool to bring about one of the biggest End-Times participants .... Iran (Persia in the Bible).
     Think about it ... Iran is set to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this latest war on terrorism, as embodied by ISIS, the radical jihadists who rose up out of the Syrian civil war.  From what I can glean from articles on FrontPageMag, and such Middle Eastern experts as Walid Shoebat and Majid Rafizadeh, Iran is clearly manipulating both the West and the Middle East, while playing out its role for the End of the Ages.
     Did you know that Iran was the major reason behind the emergence and creation of the terrorist group the Islamic State?  According to FrontPageMAg, "Iran’s military, financial, intelligence, advisory, and security support of the Assad government in Syria contributed to the instability of the country.  Both Syria and Iran used the excuse that they were putting down civil uprisings to legitimize their brutal force, which both radicalized and militarized Al-Qaeda affiliates and groups such as ISIS, initiating their development, organization, and recruitment of more members."
     But here is where the plot becomes more diabolical.  The rise of such groups as ISIS was a distinct advantage to both Iran and the Assad regime.  FrontPageMag reports, "The Islamic Republic [of Iran] and Syria were strategically successful at sending the West, and particularly the United States, a robust message that there is no alternative to Assad, and any military or foreign intervention would exacerbate the conflict."  That explains why we kept a "hands off" policy for so long.  But the spiritual component of this situation is that in the background, Satan is gaining more ground towards his ultimate goal of conflagration against Israel.
     Because look at how smart Iran is playing this game!  ISIS had time to grow its numbers, and has managed to panic the world with its successive beheadings and mass executions across Iraq and Syria.  Now with ISIS's bold pronouncements against the West, Iran is presenting itself as a willing ally in their defeat.  In reality, by offering their assistance in defeating ISIS (and our acceptance of their help), Iran no longer has to hide its involvement in Syrian and Iraqi affairs (or its part in the emergence of ISIS), as it continues to grow its power in those regions (when our military forces pulled out of Iraq, we left the door wide open for Iran).  The mullahs and the Iranian regime will cast themselves in this Devil's play as essential to victory, and as the major power in the Middle East; demanding concessions for their assistance, of course.  The price?  Look the other way as they continue their development of nuclear weapons.

      Is there much more to this whole scenario as seen from a worldly viewpoint?  Absolutely!  The machinations of world leaders will continue to influence what we see on the nightly news, and we will be told what they want us to hear.  But we're a little smarter, more aware, and not as naive as we were when we went to war in Iraq 11 years ago.  And God's people are awake, too.  Our Biblical viewpoint allows us to see the Bible's prophecies coming to fulfillment.  We know that no matter what the "king's of this world" may decide, it is YHVH who is ultimately in control and the battle will play out as He has planned it.  
     So, like I said, I am no foreign policy expert, nor prophecy scholar; and I definitely see "in a mirror, darkly,"  But my spirit is telling me that there is more to this story than any official White House bulletin or United Nations speech might convey.  While all eyes are fixed on ISIS, Iran is flexing its muscle, and Turkey is waiting in the wings to make its presence known.  But we must keep our eyes on the Holy City of Jerusalem.  That is where the final war of this Age will occur, and no one can doubt that we are certainly moving in that direction.  "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure." (Psalm 122:6)

Psalm 83:1-5     "O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—"

WARNING: "Wearable Technology" Is 1 Step Away From Occupying You!

     Well, Apple has done it again ... the opening weekend sales of its newest iPhone 6 model topped 10,000,000 units.  People who cannot wait to become more integrated with the latest "smart device", swamped the tech giant with online sales; some even slept on the cold, hard ground in front of Apple stores to be the first in line.
     Me, I have never been one to jump into a trend because it's "the latest and greatest".  Perhaps it's the nonconformist in me, or that I simply detest the marketing scheme that makes your latest expensive purchase obsolete within months of its acquisition.  In fact, you can call me old-fashioned and out-of-touch, but I actually loathe the intrusion in my life that the cell phone represents.  I am not one of those zombies that you see with a cell phone in their hand 24/7.  I have opted for the least expensive and less invasive model I can find.  I don't update the Google maps application, or the GPS, or any of the social media apps that constantly try to upload to my phone.  I don't need to be that "connected", and I can gain access to that information whenever I decide.  (However, I am not naive enough to think I can avoid detection from the information-seekers).

     But enough of my personal rant, I really want to make you aware that with each new "innovation" of your can't-do-without mobile device, technology is taking you one step closer to truly "becoming one" with it.  Let me explain ...
     The NowTheEndBegins (NTEB) website ran a series of articles on our culture's rapid descent into "wearable technology."  The site points out that it has been a mere 20 years since the personal computer came on the scene, and the three-fold sales pitch of this new technology is in full swing.  STEP ONE:  Get computers in front of us and create an addiction for them; an "I can't live without them" mentality.  We've gone from clunky desk models to laptops to iPads and iPhones... Mission Accomplished.  
     STEP TWO:  Shift the location of computers from being in front of us to being on us.... "wearable technology".  With the advent of Apple Watch (coming to a location near you in early 2015), you will never need to be away from your "smart device".  You can wear it as a watch or a nano-shirt; it will be an experience that "blurs the boundaries between the physical object and the software that powers it" --- those are Apple's words, not mine.  Mission On Target.  
     STEP THREE:  That takes us to the next and final step; the last boundary to be crossed ... "Smart" technology that will live inside us.   NTEB points out, "Your pulse and venous system will act as the active recharging elements, and all functions now carried out with mouse and keyboard will be done via eye motions and voice commands."  Ultimate Goal of the Mission.  Does that creep you out like it does me?
     As the site points out, this kind of device, as in the Apple Watch, is a paradox ... it will give you control by letting you know not only what time it is, but when the inevitable apps begin surfacing, you will be able to tell how many miles you walked that day, how many calories you absorbed, and your heart rate during exercise.  But here's the conundrum ... you will also have to give up some personal control.  
     These same amazing apps will be designed so that your phone will "start telling you what you should and shouldn’t eat and how far you should run...  Wearables will make your physical self visible to the virtual world in the form of information, an indelible digital body-print, and that information is going to behave like any other information behaves these days. It will be copied and circulated. It will go places you don’t expect. People will use that information to track you and market to you. It will be bought and sold."
     As NTEB notes, with this new technology development, we will have changed the dynamics of the human-computer interface.  Our physical bodies will no longer be in a separate place from our computers; that line is being erased.
     In reality, that line has already been crossed with the news that Ben Slater, of Brisbane, Australia had a microchip implanted under his skin so he can control electronic devices with just a wave of his hand.  As the NTEB site disclosed, "He hopes the new generation of Apple’s smart phone will have the capability to read the microchip implanted in the webbing between his thumb and forefinger."  This is just the inescapable evolution of technology ... in 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the green light for its use to carry information about people’s medical conditions.  Why are we surprised that it is being interfaced with smart technology?
     Apple Pay is just one of the new apps that will be available on the iPhone 6.  Here is Apple's marketing ploy:  Apple Pay will change how you pay with breakthrough contactless payment technology and unique security features built right into the devices you have with you each day.  So you can use your iPhone 6 or Apple Watch to pay in an easy, secure, and private way.  This technology is called "Touch ID" and registers your unique fingerprint with your credit card information.  Whether you use this app on your iPhone or your Apple Watch, you receive a gentle vibration against your skin and a beep to let you know your payment was received.
     But how long will our dependent culture be satisfied with this?  How long before they are clamoring for an even easier application?  I can hear it now ... "I don't want to be bothered with carrying a device ... just chip me and let me handle my payment transactions with a show of my hand."  Hmmm, where have I heard that before?

Revelation 13:16-17    “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

"Nationalistic" Christianity Ignores Persecution

    We now are hearing that Christians in the Middle East have more to fear than the Islamic State.  Both Breitbart News and Fox News have recently published reports that Christians are coming under attack from hard-line Islamists in Saudi Arabia, our so-called ally in the region.
     To be exact, The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, is making it a practice to round up Christians who are allegedly conducting "home churches" in their residences.  Within the last two weeks, twenty-eight people were rounded up -- including men, women and children -- and Bibles were confiscated.  According to human rights activists, the whereabouts of these people are unknown.
     It is seldom acknowledged, but Saudi Arabia is "the only nation state in the world with the official policy of banning all churches," reported Nina Shea, of the Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom.  "This is enforced even though there are over 2 million Christian foreign workers in that country. Those victimized are typically poor, from Asian and African countries with weak governments."  But they are nevertheless, bold in their faith!
     In fact, the Saudis ban all non-Islam religions.  With the country being 90% Sunni Muslim, one can imagine that Christians, whether workers or visitors, would not be welcome.
     Breitbart News reports that in February 2013, Saudi Arabia arrested 53 Ethiopian Christians for praying in a home. The authorities accused the three leaders of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity. Three months later, a court sentenced two men to lashes for converting a woman to Christianity.
     The English language Saudi Gazette ran this news item:  A Lebanese man was sentenced to six years in prison and 300 lashes for converting a woman, while a Saudi man was sentenced to two years and 200 lashes for aiding her escape abroad [to Sweden]. 
     Although the official statement of the Saudi government is that they are unaware of the most recent mass arrests, it is well known that Saudi Arabia’s Islamist religious police continue to expunge any trace of Christianity within its territory.
    So here comes the central point of my post:  why are we not hearing about these latest persecutions from every pulpit in America?  Are not these our fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ?  Shouldn't we be offering intercessory prayer for their protection and deliverance?  Yet, I would be willing to bet that very few of our in-church-every-Sunday brethren are petitioning God on their behalf.  Why?
     Well, I think that Eric Metaxas, the author of one of my very favorite books, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, has discovered the answer.  Speaking to the audience at the "In Defense of Christianity" summit, just one day after Senator Ted Cruz was booed for his stance on supporting Israel, Metaxas made it clear just where he stood, as well.
     FrontPage Mag reported that the best-selling author "spoke about the critical spiritual implications of refusing to stand in solidarity with others who are persecuted."  The summit was meeting in response to the persecution of Christians, Jews and Muslims in Iraq by the ISIS army; anyone who would not convert to Islam or who opposed their reign of terror.  Metaxas cautioned that we should be standing in unity with all the persecuted throughout Iraq and Syria, no matter what their faith, as well as the Lebanese, Saudi, and Ethiopian Christians who are being persecuted for their spreading of the Gospel.

     Metaxas quoted Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor during Hitler's savage persecution of the Jews, who said, "Silence in the face of evil, is evil."  (Bonhoeffer was subsequently executed for his part in a plot to assassinate Hitler.  He struggled with his conscience, but ultimately hoped that God would understand his need to confront evil).
     Metaxas said that he had learned in his research for Bonhoeffer that many people that “claimed to be Christians” were silent because they were more “nationalistic” than they were Christian.  He reiterated gently but firmly that it was never appropriate to “conflate nationalism with Christian faith.” He made three points that show why Christian identity cannot be one with nationalism:
1.  The role of the Church is to be the conscience of the State. If it is one with the State – appeasing or compromising – it is abdicating being the Church.
2.  Satan is the one who divides the Church. After lightheartedly asking the audience, “you do believe in Satan, right?” Metaxas said, “We only see the true Church of Jesus Christ where there is unity.” He declared that the greatest enemy of Satan is unity in the Church.
3.  The Christian’s first allegiance is to Jesus of Nazareth (“Jesus the Jew,” he added), not to his or her nation.
     So does this explain the silence in the American Church?  Are we too worried about our 501(c)3 status to be the moral conscience of the country?  If we speak out about persecution against fellow Christians in far-away places, how does that appear as criticism of our foreign policy?  Since when did Jesus say that politics come before the Body of Christ?  Of course, these questions would not even be on the table if the Church was acting like the true Church of Jesus Christ, instead of a "luke-warm" imitator.
     Just because this is not happening to American Christians (yet), does that absolve us from a spiritual relationship with other persecuted Christians?  Metaxas was frank in declaring that our unity with fellow Christians, persecuted or not, should not be about national unity or political unity.  It is about unity as the Church, one Body of Christ around the world, called to speak with one voice against evil ... just as Dietrich Bonhoeffer did, and as Senator Cruz had said during his speech.  “Speak up for your Christian faith. Speak up for your Brothers and Sisters. Repent of this silence. Rejoice to be in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”  Well said, Mr. Metaxas!

Ephesians 6:18   "Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..."