If We Could Erase Time...

   

     How many remember exactly where you were fourteen years ago this morning?  Every American over the age of 25 most likely has a distinct memory of that tragic day ... the ash-colored faces of panicking people rushing to escape the falling Towers behind them; the grief-stricken families wandering the streets of New York City in the aftermath, holding photos of their loved ones and hoping beyond hope that someone would tell them their son/daughter/father/mother/spouse had been spotted among the injured; the images of NYC firefighters atop mountains of rubble continuing to do their jobs after 343 of their comrades died trying to rescue those trapped in the buildings.
     Sadly, there is a generation of children growing up who don't remember; and for most of them, this all seems like ancient history.  They have lived their entire lives in the effects, results, and consequences of that horrific day, yet they have no emotional connection to the nearly 3,000 Americans who perished that day.  And there are the peripheral statistics:  the documented 863 firefighters and ambulance workers with cancers certified as relating to their work on September 11 2001 (although Mount Sinai Hospital's World Trade Center Health Program -- which is run for police officers, construction workers, sanitation staff and other New York City employees and volunteers -- reports it is treating 1,655 patients with cancer out of the 37,000 who worked at the site of the 9/11 attacks).
     And we mustn't forget the nearly 6,650 Americans who have died in the ensuing Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, along with the more than 50,000 wounded troops -- 16,000 of them so seriously that they would certainly have died had they suffered an equivalent wound in any prior conflict.  It has been suggested that nearly 1/5 of all military personnel who served in the Middle East since 9/11 suffer from some form of PTSD.
     All this is the aftermath of that terrible day.  Is there any remnant of what we used to be before?  And how many of us would like to turn back the clock and live in a simpler America; one less adorned with the complexities of what modern America has become, and in a way that is reminiscent of bygone days?  Unfortunately, we can't erase time, but I'm happy to say that my Godson, Hunter, is able to experience a piece of that picturesque Americana.

     You see, Hunter will be six years old this fall, and he just started Kindergarten at Pine Creek School in Montana.  This small, rural school is similar to the old one-room school house; although in reality, it consists of three rooms.  Kindergarten through Second Grade comprise one room, and Grades 3-5 and 6-8 take up class in the other two rooms.  This year Hunter is one of only 4 Kindergartners, and there are no 8th Graders for the 2015-16 school year.
     The original Pine Creek School held its first class in 1893, and the school building was made of logs.  It has been updated and upgraded in the years since.  Up until the 1950’s there was an outhouse, no running water, a wood burning stove, and kerosene lamps for light.  Sometime in the 50's the school acquired a well, bathrooms in the basement, electricity, and finally an oil burning furnace, which was a blessing till it belched and covered the schoolrooms in soot.
     While Pine Creek School is the picture postcard of a rural school from a bygone era, it is thriving in 21st Century America.   Even though there are only three teachers, plus some part time professionals, it functions as a modern K-8 education system.  As of 2014, Pine Creek School has ten top-of-the-line, i7,  all-in-one,  touch screen computers with a dedicated internet connection, along with iPads and laptops, as well as a collegiate connection in educational technology.
     Pine Creek may be a throwback to earlier rural education models, but it is co-developing curriculum and implementing the Next Generation Science Standards with the current Montana Science standards, and working with the Montana Outdoor Science School.   This small rural school is determined to navigate into a leadership role in educating its students in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM).
     Yet Hunter will have the old-fashioned benefits that many city-educated kids will never know.  Learning in a classroom with older kids, I suspect he will be motivated and challenged by listening to the older kids studying their lessons.  If he excels beyond his grade level, he will be seamlessly integrated into the lesson plans for the higher grades.  Likewise, if a fellow student can't quite keep up, he will be allowed to continue studying with the lower grades until he becomes academically proficient for that grade's requirements.  In this manner, students are not overtly singled out as being smarter or slower than others.  They all work at the pace they can accomplish, and receive individual attention by the teacher(s).

     But here's the part I really love .... each morning the entire school gathers on the playground and faces the flag.  They place their hand over their heart and recite the Pledge of Allegiance together.  They say "one nation under God" (although Hunter says, "one nation under Jesus and God"), and they do it with pride and conviction.  There's no room for political correctness at Pine Creek School!
     Each day Hunter and the other kids go outside to play at recess, and they are already forming a community... the older kids looking out for the younger, and all of them sharing a unique identity associated with this rare and exceptional experience.  Most of the kids come from surrounding ranches and the rural countryside, and I suspect there won't be any concerns about disrespect towards each other or the teachers.  In fact, Hunter's teacher has already commented to his mom that she was delighted when Hunter answered "Please" and "Yes, Ma'am" on his first day of school.
     The principal reported that Hunter was "polite, and interested in the environment and the safety of the other kids".  (His mom and I laughed about that because we know that he is as rough and tumble as they come, and there might be future calls from the principal that relate to another side of this thoroughly rowdy ranch kid).  But at least I don't think that this school system will try to change who he is.  I am thrilled (and a little jealous) that Hunter is able to experience this nearly extinct chapter in American education.  As I worry about the level of education that our kids are getting in the modern school system, I know that Hunter is getting the best ... an educational experience that is suited to his curious and demanding mind; a respect for what it means to be an American citizen; and the kinds of friendships that will last for a lifetime.
     We mustn't forget the significance of this historic day.  It is burned into the souls of Americans who lived the nightmare that was 9/11.  I pray that Hunter will not have to experience any thing close to that tragedy, but no matter what lies ahead of him, he will have a foundation built on the historic values of one-room school houses and those who attended them before him.  He is inheriting the philosophy of the one-room schoolhouse, which stressed family involvement.  It stressed helping one another, and there was a sense of belonging to one place, and "this is our place."  We can't turn back time, no matter how much we care to.  September 11, 2001 stripped away much of our nation's innocence, but it's nice to know that there are still oases where our traditional values are still honored and appreciated.  And for that, I'm grateful this day.

2 Thessalonians 2:15:  "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter."
   

It's Time To Look In The Mirror!

     Today's post is directed, first and foremost, at myself.  I am a Christian, and I strongly desire to live a moral life, pleasing in every way to my God.  But as I feel that our Lord is fast approaching, I am taking a good hard look at how I live my daily life.  Do my ways and my words reveal that I belong to Christ?  Have I made it plain to the world where I stand on the important issues?  Could a stranger identify me as a follower of Christ by my actions?  Do I approach everything in my life from a position of pleasing God, and do I take a stand for my faith?

     There are enough issues in our modern culture for Christians to be up in arms about ... decisions by the Supreme Court that say gay marriage is Constitutional; the adoption of abortion as a "women's rights" issue; the scandalous evidence that fetal body parts are sold as "flavor enhancers"; our foreign policy that seems designed to put Israel in harm's way, while ignoring the plight of innocent Christians and people of other faiths around the world ... just to name a few.  These are all matters that offend Christians who seek to live their lives according to God's will as expressed in the Bible.

     We become vocal in declaring our passionate opinions on these issues, yet do our actions show that we are willing to take a stand, or that we are trying to do something to change these divisive practices?  Do we voice our opinions, yet continue to live in a way that doesn't back up our moral convictions?  Aren't we to appear different from "the world"?  Or do we just blend in, therefore making our dissent ineffective and marginal?

     How many of us agree with Kim Davis's opinion that the Supreme Court cannot make law for the individual states, and her beliefs that gay marriage does not coincide with God's law?  Yet how many of us would be willing to take the stand she did; to make ourselves a target of the culture by not yielding our Biblical position?  Whether you agree with the way she conducted herself or not, I don't think there is any doubt that she did what she did out of her strong desire to be obedient to God.  Sadly, I think there are far too few Kim Davises among the Body of Christ. 

     So, today, I am going to vent about an issue that has been speaking to my heart.  Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, has a history of slamming Christians and their beliefs.  He has been vocal about not desiring their business, and he did it again at the latest annual Starbucks shareholders meeting.  Although Schultz will loudly proclaim that his company "embraces diversity of all kinds", that apparently doesn't extend to Christians.  During the meeting, Tom Strobhar, founder of the Corporate Morality Action Center and a Starbucks shareholder, pointed out that when Starbucks backed gay marriage in Washington State, traditional marriage supporters boycotted the coffee store and sales venues dropped.  When Strobhar mentioned these facts, Schultz responded by telling him to sell his shares and invest in another company, saying "If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38% you got last year, it's a free country.  You can sell your shares of Starbucks and buy shares in another company.  Thank you."

     Basically Mr. Schultz told Mr. Strobhar that he is intolerant of anyone who supports traditional marriage over gay marriage, and he doesn't really care for our business.  So, where's your tolerance of diversity now, Mr. Schultz?

    But my concern is not only about Schultz's narrow-minded and biased opinion of Christians.  He has certainly made his viewpoint well-known over the last few years; and here we have another incidence of where he stands.  It's his company, and he's right -- it's a free country -- he's allowed to express his opinions, as he is raking in millions of our dollars.  And that is where I have to take a stand.  

     While I hear Christians lamenting over the various anti-Christian statements that Mr. Schultz has made throughout the years, I must ask, "But, are we taking a stand"?  It was interesting to read the comments that appeared after a short article relaying the Starbucks CEO's stance.  Some pointed out how hypocritical Schultz is and how disconnected he is to his market.  They pointed out that gay people are only a small percentage of the American population, and an even smaller percentage of his customers, therefore he shouldn't be insulting others who do not agree with his position.  But why would he change it?  He is able to openly and loudly express his disdain for Christians while we continue to make him rich.

     So, don't you think we should be taking a good hard look at ourselves in the mirror?  We profess to be followers of Christ; to be striving to live upright and moral lives that do not dishonor or discredit our Lord's message.  Yes, none of us will ever be able to meet the perfect standard that He has set, but have we become lax in our efforts?  Have we examined ourselves to see if our actions correspond to our rhetoric?

     For instance, it's not only about Schultz's disparagement of Christians regarding their traditional marriage values, it's also been all over the news that the popular Starbucks brand of bottled frappuccinos are among the products that use fetal body parts as "natural flavors" or "flavor enhancers".  While many Christians have decided to avoid these tasty drinks out of their obedience to God, they will succumb to the temptation and drink another beverage that they've bought at their local Starbucks because it is not the particular offending product mentioned.

     I will admit that this issue may seem small and irrelevant in the face of other serious issues that we Christians face.  But it is just one area that I find is so easy on which to compromise.  And I will also admit that I have enjoyed an occasional Starbucks drink in the past.  But for me, I find that I have become particularly convicted about this topic, and I have taken a moral stand.  

     In full disclosure, I have failed many times in my attempts to live a righteous life.  But, for me personally, as a Christian, I find this company complicit in the immoral practice of buying fetal parts.  So how can I cherry pick which of their products God might find acceptable?  

     Let me be clear.  I would never advocate a boycott.  Each person must search his/her heart to know what action is pleasing to God.  I also know that there are some Christians who may not feel the same as I do about this matter... maybe the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about other areas in our culture that you cannot support.   Perhaps you are convicted about your manner of dress, or of the entertainment you watch, or the books you read, or how you respect your husband or your parents. 

    We will not all be perfectly righteous in every area of our lives; although I do think it is incumbent upon us to try.  But whatever area is particularly sensitive to your heart, be consistent.  Do not try to make a deal with the world, or soothe your conscience by meeting the culture in the middle, or making a modification or concession regarding your faith.  We are all guilty of it; myself included.  There are those who will say that Kim Davis went too far in defending her faith ... but aren't we all called to do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved?  She didn't back down in the face of ridicule, or by reason of convenience or compromise.  Whether the issues are great or small, I think God wants to see us responding in a way that glorifies Him.  It is time to face yourself in the mirror.  Jesus is coming!

James 4:17    "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

Celebrating The Feast of Trumpets

     It is very difficult to summarize the history and significance of this holy Feast of God in just one daily post.  I will not attempt to cover everything there is to reveal about this celebration, but rather to  give you a simple-to-understand overview, so that you can study and do your own research.
     I find it interesting that the Bible says less about the Feast of Trumpets than any of the other feasts.  It was simply to be a holy day celebrated with trumpet blasts, on the first day of Tishri, the 7th Month on God's established lunar calendar (falls in our Sepember /October).  We must also understand that the Lord has often used trumpets to declare liberty, deliverance from death, as a warning, and as a signal -- for instance when Isaac was spared from sacrifice; when Joshua conquered Jericho; and as an alarm that the Day of the Lord is coming (Joel 2:1).  The trumpet was also the signal for the field workers to come into the Temple.
     The first reference to the Feast of the Trumpets is found in Leviticus 23:24: "In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclamation with a blast of trumpets, a holy convocation."  The Feast of Trumpets, just as the other six Holy Days of God, foreshadowed certain aspects of the ministry of Jesus Christ. As mentioned in this blog before, the intentions of Christ's ministry at His First Coming have all been fulfilled, and are represented in the commemorations of the Spring Feasts.  The Fall Feasts are a picture of the future fulfillment of His Second Coming.

     So how are we to interpret our spiritual connection to God with The Feast of Trumpets, and what significance does it have to us today? First of all, in the Old Testament, God's prophets linked the blowing of trumpets to the future Day of Judgment: “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand” (Joel 2:1; see also Zephaniah 1:14, 16).  The blowing of the trumpets was understood to be a call to repent and prepare oneself to stand trial before God who would execute His judgment ten days later on the Day of Atonement.  The sound of the trumpet is a spiritual wake-up call to listen to God, repent of your sins, and commit to holy living.
    How long has man been waiting for the Lord to return?  I daresay, the Apostles thought it would happen in their lifetime, and man has been anxiously looking forward to His return every day since.  And how many of us are familiar with 1 Corinthians 15:51-55:  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory."   Believers recognize that as the Rapture of the Body of Christ.  To further confirm this understanding, as we study the Feasts of the Lord, we will come to realize that the Feast of First Fruits in the Spring is the time of Yeshua's resurrection, as the first of the harvest of souls for God's Kingdom.  At some future Feast of Trumpets in the fall, it will be the time when the harvest of men's souls will take place at their resurrection.
     Until that time comes, no man knows the day or hour.  But we are to know the [appointed] times and seasons (which are the Feasts) and be looking for His return -- because we are awake and sober, we will not be caught unawares.  If you know that these Fall Feasts provide a rehearsal for His return, then you are no longer looking for signs, you are listening for the trumpet call and shout!  We are to be joyful in anticipation, yet somber in the knowledge that it is time to consider our sins before God.
     So, what does that look like for us Christians?  I do not believe that we are called to follow the Jewish traditions as laid out in the Talmud.  (Many of these traditions originated during the Babylonian exile, when the Jews had no Temple or priests to read the sacred scrolls.  So they developed traditions as they recalled them, and added to them throughout the ensuing years).  Yet there are things we can do that pay homage to the roots of our faith while being true to the calling of God.  Let me share what me and my family plan on doing...
     Sunday, September 13th, at sundown begins the Feast of Trumpets.  We will gather for a solemn, yet joyful meal together, and pray this blessing before those in attendance:  "Bless are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who commanded us to hear the sound of the trumpet."   As we enjoy our meal, we will acknowledge that this Day begins the repenting of our sins of the past year and starting fresh with God.  We will recognize Christ's resurrection by reciting Psalm 47:5, which proclaimed:  God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.  We will then recite 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (see above), which proclaims our own resurrection on some future Feast of Trumpets.
     The center of our celebration will be the reading of Scripture, first those that make us conscious of  the coming Day of the Lord, such as Joel 1:15:  Alas for the day! For the day of [the judgment of] the Lord is at hand, and as a destructive tempest from the Almighty will it come.  Other Scriptures that you might want to read are:  Isaiah 2:12-19; Isaiah 13: 6-13; Joel 3:12-16; Amos 5:16-20; Zephaniah 1:14-2:3; Zechariah 13:6-9; Zechariah 14:1-9; and Malachi 4:5-6.
     We will follow that with Scriptures that promise God's protection, such as Hebrews 9:28:  So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.  Other Scriptures to include are:  Psalm 51; Psalm 91; Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 43:1-7; Matthew 24:31-42; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9; Titus 2:13-14; 1 Peter 1:13; Revelation 3:10-13 and 11:15-17.
      We will finish our celebration with the following blessing:  Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has made us holy by your commandments.  We thank you for the blood of Yeshua that was shed for us.  We thank you for granting us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this day.  And, Lord we honor your command to listen for the sound of the trumpet.  Praise and honor and glory be to You in the Body of Christ for all future generations, as we commemorate Your appointed times and wait for the hope of our salvation,  fulfilled in Your Son. Amen.
     So, here's what I want you to take away from this blog.  I am in no way prescribing a set way to honor or celebrate this Holy Day.  In my heart, as discerned by the Holy Spirit, I believe God simply wants us to recognize His purpose, His message, and His intentions in establishing these appointed times.  If we can do that in fearful awe of Him, I don't think He cares what we serve at this meal; what Scriptures we recite; or the wording of the prayers and blessings.  As long as it is all dedicated to Him in authentic and true understanding of what we are doing, then I think it greatly pleases Him.  I know that our Home Church group has been blessed since we started acknowledge and celebrating His Feasts, and I hope you will begin to bless your family in like manner, as the sweet aroma of your obedience permeates God's throne room.

Numbers 29:1    "On the first day of the seventh month, you shall have a holy [summoned] assembly; you shall do no servile work. It is a day of blowing of trumpets for you [everyone blowing who wishes, proclaiming that the glad New Year has come and that the great Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles are now approaching]."
   
   

This Month of September

    We all have a worldview.  That is to say, we all have a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world.  Whether you are tuned into current events or not, you have some kind of opinion on what is going on in the world.  There are people who have adopted a "normalcy bias" and choose to think everything will be alright; although they can't avoid the obvious tension in the air over our erratic economy, or the concern over the fate of our country in world affairs -- but they choose to think that everything will go humming along just like it has their entire life.
     Then there are those who may be seriously worried about the drums of war that are sounding from across the globe.  Everyone from Russia to China to Iran to ISIS has threatened to "take us down", both economically and militarily.  These folks have a keen sense that we are on the edge of a dramatic course of events, and their senses are highly alert.
     Finally, there are those of us who have a Christian or Biblical worldview, which refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which a Believer interprets the world and interacts with it.  While there may be varying world views among Christians, most of us would say the Bible is the center and source of our philosophy on what we see happening in the world.   I have made it pretty clear that my opinions on all things in my life and the world are based on my Biblical worldview.

     All that being said, how many of you have heard the warnings of "something big" happening in this month of September?  The alarm bells have been sounding for a year or more ... many Biblical scholars, and theologians have all pointed to September 2015 as having great significance for mankind.  But more recently, secular commentators have been forewarning of an economic collapse during this month; and how could we ignore them with the volatility of the stock market?  They have also commented on the possible ramifications of our nation signing the Iran Nuclear Deal.  And who can ignore all the uproar and confusion over exactly who or what Jade Helm is, and what is supposed to happen this month?  There is certainly enough from a nonreligious worldview to keep us on edge.  Is time running out for the survival of man on earth?
     But what about this question from the perspective of the Biblical worldview?  To understand the central point of this post, you need to understand that I believe God is an orderly God, and He accomplishes His purpose and plan for mankind according to a holy calendar established by Him.  He created the solar and lunar systems, and established the day and months.  A careful study of the Bible will reveal the times that He ordained to be set apart unto Him.  So, what has all this to do with this September, and what does it specifically have to do with God?
     First of all, according to God's prophetic calendar, He has ordained specific "holy days" (which we have changed to "holidays") to be Feast Days honoring Him.  According to the Bible, these appointed times were to be observed by all, as evidenced in Leviticus 23:21:  [They shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.]  The biblical Holy days reveal God's Plan of Salvation for the faithful believer.  They depict significant events, past, present, and future; and each holy Feast Day is a picture of Jesus and His redemptive work on behalf of man. The Spring Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits not only show us Jesus as the sacrificial lamb (Passover); as the Bread of Life, without sin (Feast of Unleavened Bread); and the First Fruit of the harvest of souls (Feast of First Fruits) --- but He died on Passover, was buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and was resurrected on the Feast of First Fruits!  To carry on His Plan of Salvation, God sent the Holy Spirit to write His commandments on the heart of Believers on the day of the Feast of Pentecost, which commemorated the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai nearly 1500 years before.

     While that may seem quite astounding and coincidental to those who do not have a Biblical worldview, I am hoping that they see how even more breathtaking the Fall Feasts are.  If Jesus's First Coming occurred on the Spring Feasts, it shouldn't be difficult to surmise that our orderly God would give us a picture of Jesus's Second Coming, which will occur on some future Fall Feast.  And that is what makes this September so intriguing for us Believers.
      The Bible tells us that the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) celebrates the return of the King (as Messiah) and the Rapture of the Church of Believers.  It is known as the "Day of the Lord".  The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is a day of repentance and recognition that Jesus sacrificed His life for ours.  It most likely also represents a future Day of Judgment for all mankind.  Finally, the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) shows us that Yeshua is our Tabernacle (our sanctuary) as we celebrate our deliverance from this sinful world.  It is also a "feast of ingathering" of the fall harvest, which is symbolic of Yeshua's gathering the faithful to Himself in the Millennial Kingdom.  So you can see, that the Fall Feasts are a time of rehearsal for His Second Coming, and a time of great expectation.  So in light of all the focus on this September, the question becomes, "Will He come on this year's Fall Feasts?"
      We are told by Jesus, Himself that we are not to know the day or hour ... but we are also told that we should be aware of the times and seasons (the Feast Days) because we know that the Day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5).  But, as Christians, do we read and consider the rest of that passage ... that we are told we are not in darkness, so that we shouldn't be surprised; that we should not sleep, but watch and be sober?  God has shown us His plan through the pictures that His Feast Days demonstrate.  So can you see that on some future Feast of Trumpets in the Fall that Christ will set the final stages of God's Plan of Redemption in motion?
     So would all the interest and speculation about "something big" this month have anything to do with the Fall Feasts?  Is there anything that points us to the possibility that the Feasts of 2015 are any more significant than any other Fall Feasts over the last 2000 years?  If you have been paying attention to the world, there has certainly been enough hubbub over the occurrence of the red Blood Moons, by both secularists and Believers.  To summarize as concisely as I can, a "blood moon" event is pretty spectacular in itself; it's when all of the sunsets and sunrises in the world will be experienced at once, refracted onto the surface of the moon, resulting in the red, or blood, color of the moon.

     What has caught the world's attention is the fact that these "blood moon"events have been set to occur FOUR TIMES since April 2014 and September 2015... each occurring on a Lord's Feast Day!  The first was April 15, 2014 (Passover) and October 8, 2014 (Tabernacles); and then April 4, 2015 (Passover), and the last to occur in a few weeks on September 28, 2015. (Tabernacles).
     I think you would agree with me that the chance of four Red Blood Moons occurring in succession is a pretty big deal.  But here is an absolutely astounding piece of information... there have been tetrads throughout history, yet every time the Blood Moons have fallen on a Feast Day of the Lord, as proclaimed in the Torah/Bible, something prophetical has happened to the nation of Israel.  (You can read some of the interesting incidents on the blog post I wrote about the Blood Moons.) Considering that the next tetrad of Blood Moons is not scheduled until 2032, we should be asking, "Is there anything going on in the world that points to possible events concerning Israel this year?"
     And when you combine this extraordinary year and the precipice upon which the world teeters, can you see the significance of the "signs in the sky", along with the cacophony of warnings about everything from world war, a collapsing world economy, the mystery of who or what Jade Helm is, and the overall instability of all our cultural and spiritual foundations?  Don't you think we might ought to consider taking a closer look at what God is trying to reveal to us through these upcoming Fall Feasts?
     My husband and I will be joining with our much beloved and devoted group of "Home Church" believers this month to celebrate the Fall Feasts, and to earnestly contemplate the blessings of having God show us His planned redemption for those who have faith in His Son.  We are spread out across more than 100 miles, so we will individually celebrate the upcoming Feasts, but have chosen to come together at the end of September to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, and to praise the Lord for showing us what the final stages of His plan will look like.  We will not be caught unawares, as by a thief in the night!  We are aware of the times and the season; we are not in darkness; and we are awake, sober, and eagerly awaiting the Day of the Lord!  Will it happen in September 2015?  No one knows, except the Father; but unlike most of the world, we are not asleep and we are taking careful notice of world events.  Our celebrations begin in less than one week, at sundown on Sunday, September 13th, for the Feast of Trumpets.  Tune in tomorrow, and I will share more of the significance of this day and how we plan on specifically celebrating this possible "Day of the Lord".  I hope you consider joining us in your own family celebrations.

Habakkuk 2:3    "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."
   

Movie Recommendation: "War Room"

     I saw the box office numbers and they were impressive.  And the critics reluctantly applauded its strong ranking among the release of summer's last movies.  But that's not why, over the weekend, I wanted to see the movie, War Room, the latest movie by Alex and Stephen Kendrick, producers of a new genre of movies for people of faith.  Like many Christians, I have lamented the lack of good, wholesome movies that represent my values.  If one happens to prefer violence combined with soft porn; or want to be entertained by futuristic predictions of the collapse of mankind; then today's movies are made for you.  The Kendrick brothers decided to change that dynamic, and have produced a series of movies for the faith-based audience; movies such as Flywheel, Facing The Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous.
    So, if you've been waiting for a movie to feed your spirit and which you know will truthfully and accurately reflect your faith, then go see War Room.  The word of mouth about this movie has been phenomenal and it did not disappoint.  The story is a familiar one:  a marriage in trouble as two people are caught up in lives centered on this world and what it can give us.  Then enters the character of Miss Clara, who mentors the wife in creating a prayer life that transforms her and her family.  It's a simple plot, but with a clear strong message.
     I expect that this movie will touch Christians in different ways; providing them with encouragement in the exact areas in which they find themselves.  The obvious message is that of influencing and convincing the audience in the power of an active prayer life.  For me, the heart of the movie was the subtle, but powerful, message it conveyed on the delivering power of prayer  -- specifically regarding how we have been given the power and authority to deliver ourselves and others from the grip of Satan and his temptations.  Sadly, I doubt that very many Christians recognized the undertone of the character Elizabeth's verbal attack on the devil.  During an emotional and passionate scene, she follows the mandate of Scripture ... resist the devil, and he will flee.
     But it was her tactics that spoke loud and clear to me.  She was practicing Deliverance!  She shouted Scripture; she invoked her authority (from Jesus) to do battle with the Enemy; she demanded that the devil break his hold on her husband; she verbally cast him out of her home and their lives in the name of Jesus (an essential condition in Deliverance); and she declared victory over him by the power of God.  And, if you are schooled in Deliverance, you will recognize the effect of that deliverance on her husband.  What happens to him while at dinner with a temptress is one of the manifestations that the devil and his demons are leaving you.
     How many people in the audience recognized that this scene was more than the result of some creative writing by the movie's producers, but actually portraying the method of deliverance from demons?  Perhaps this important area of our Christian walk, which has been all but ignored and forgotten by the Church, will become a greater theme in the next movie by the Kendrick brothers.
     Concerning another aspect of the movie, I must be honest in telling you that if you are going to see the movie expecting the big cinematography and production qualities that the major studios brought to such Christian-themed movies as Noah and Exodus: Gods and Kings, then you will be disappointed.  This movie is quieter in action and dialogue, but delivers a purer message of the power of God than those blockbuster productions.  But that is exactly the intention of the Kendrick brothers.  They are not making movies for the general public.  They are making movies specifically for the Christian audience.  "For people of faith, much of the entertainment that's out there is dishonoring to that faith, but we all want to see engaging, enriching, entertaining stories as well. So we long for that. We just want to tell it from a positive vantage point," Alex Kendrick said.  Priscilla Shirer, (a Christian speaker and author), who plays Elizabeth, expressed the hope of the movie:  "I don't think it's by chance that God's going to use this movie to call people to their knees," said Shirer. "(Nor do) we really believe prayer works, because if we really did, we would actually pray and pray more. Prayer is what invites the power of heaven into the circumstances of earth."
     Miss Clara's powerful monologue at the end of the movie is a call to all Christians to rise and invite that very power from heaven into this fallen world.  Her passionate speech re-emphasizes the message and point of the movie which is directed at Christians and their lukewarm prayer lives.  Although it was not produced with a goal of winning souls in a secular audience, it remains to be seen if this movie's powerful message crosses over to the mainstream culture.  We know that God can use all things for His Glory.
     In my final analysis, War Room will not disappoint its Christian audience.  It is a powerful message to Christians to re-engage in prayer with God; to trust Him to work in our lives; and to use the Authority from Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit to resist the devil .... because we can make him flee!
     Whether it will draw unbelievers to the theater, remains to be seen.  However, the influence of movies like this -- those designed specifically for Christians -- has been to make Hollywood sit up and take notice.  It is obvious that they recognize the importance of the Christian dollar, and that's why such movies as Noah, Exodus and the 2016 release of Risen, continue to be made.  (Risen is the story of a powerful Roman Centurion, who is charged by Pontius Pilate to investigate the rumors of a risen Jewish messiah and to locate the missing body of Jesus of Nazareth in order to quell an imminent uprising in Jerusalem during the first 40 days following Christ's resurrection.) But until they present an accurate picture of our Lord and Savior, the millions they spend on these blockbusters will not result in profit.  But the Kendrick  brothers have shown the Hollywood establishment, and the culture at large, that Christians are a powerful segment of the theater-going public.  We are making an impact! Give us what we want -- true, accurate Biblical portrayals of our faith -- and we will come!

Philippians 4:8    "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

      
   

Romans 1:17-19

For in it [the gospel of Christ] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 

     I want to examine these two very important aspects of God:  His righteousness and His wrath.  The Church is very good at teaching us about that first part of God's character: His righteousness, or His mercy.  That is the picture that most Christians have of Yeshua and the Father.  In the words of Bible teacher Derek Prince, "God's mercy offers His righteousness, which He imparts to those who receive by faith the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf." 

     We all get that.  In an effort to win new converts, we often say to unbelievers, "Jesus died for my sins. Through my faith in Him, I am forgiven of all my transgressions -- past, present, and future -- and God has poured out His love on me.  That's what He wants to do for you, too."  We are pretty good at expressing the Truth of the first part of our selected Scripture.  But we need to take a good, hard look at ourselves and ask the question, "Are we suppressing the whole truth of this passage?"  Because if we are not revealing the significance of the second half of these verses, then we are doing a great disservice to those we are trying to reach, and are not honoring the full character of God.

     I want to give you the continuation of Derek Prince's thoughts on the subject:  "Christians who question the reality of God's judgment on sin should ponder afresh the significance of the crucifixion.  Even Jesus could not make sin acceptable to God, but had to endure the full outpouring of His wrath."  So, yes, Christ's substitutionary death at Calvary is the ultimate sign of God's mercy on a sinful world.  But often, the Church fails to point out that it is, at the same time, the ultimate revelation of God's wrath, poured out on Jesus when He became identified with man's sin.  How many times have you heard Christians refer to the attributes of God's lovingkindness; and how many pictures of Yeshua are hanging in Church sanctuaries and classrooms of the gentle Christ with the lamb around his neck?  Do you ever see pictures of an angry God, or of Yeshua at the head of His heavenly army, coming to slay the wicked of the earth?  

     Many Christians who point to the Cross as the true manifestation of God's character, only see Love.  But they should also be reminded that what is shown to us at the Cross is more than God's love and mercy for us; we should also see that not even His precious Son escaped His wrath.  The Cross is a picture of Yeshua enduring the outpouring of God's wrath that is due every man for his sins against the Lord.  Yes, His love has given us a way to avoid that wrath through faith in His Son, but that wrath is still in play and will be poured out upon the wicked (those who reject Christ) when Yeshua returns in triumph at the end of this Age.  

     The Apostle Paul is careful to make sure that we understand this dual aspect of God's character.  He says in Romans 11:22, "Therefore consider the goodness [or kindness] and severity of God:  on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."  Now, I'm here to tell you that Christians don't want to hear that!  This is getting into really uncomfortable territory and forces us to consider that God's wrath has not been taken off the table, so to speak.   Once we've seen and felt and experienced the goodness of God through our salvation, we don't want to hear that there's any more possibility of punishment -- or discipline, or wrath, or whatever you want to call it.  You will hear some say, "Well, they were never saved in the first place."  But -- and I don't mean to offend you -- but that seems like a pretty convenient caveat, doesn't it?  

     In the Greek translation of the New Testament, Paul actually cautions new Gentile converts who think that their profession of faith and salvation renders them immune from God's wrath forever:  "Stop having such a superiority complex; but be fearing...".  He then goes on to remind them of both God's kindness and severity, in the cutting off of the natural branches, the Jews.

     It is time the Church and all Christians who fear Him to present the full character of God.  It is quite evident that the world is spiraling out of control and the depths of sin have become abominable.   We must declare, as Pastor Charles Stanley has done, "that there can be no doubt of the wrath of God against all the wickedness of men—against sin. It was seen at the Flood; in the destruction of Sodom; and on the Holy One who was made sin for us. It is also revealed that He is coming in judgment, taking vengeance. The wicked will surely be cast into the lake of fire.  The love of God alone, will not rescue me on His Day of Wrath.  It must be evident that a righteous God must Justify those who believe, and then we will finish [our] process of salvation."  

     God has shown us both His Righteousness and His Wrath.  To look upon one, while denying the other is to both misinform and deceive.  

Kim Davis And The Apostle Paul

     Just as in the case of the refugees storming the borders of Europe, there is no easy answer to the situation involving the County Clerk in Kentucky who refuses to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.  Kim Davis has made her position clear:  she can’t comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide, because it conflicts with the vows she made when she became a born-again Christian.   “To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue. It is about marriage and God’s word.”  So, she has chosen to go to jail rather than disobey her conscience.
     Naturally, her life as a Christian has come under review ... the multiple marriages, the questionable births of her children, the controversy surrounding her exorbitant salary.  It is not my purpose to judge her or question her faith.  Ultimately, we must accept her statement that she "surrendered her life to Jesus Christ" four years ago.  Rather, the purpose of this blog post is to ask ourselves, "What would we do in her place?"

     Like many of us Christians, Davis is faced with a quandary ... God's moral law conflicts with the laws of the State (in this case, the Supreme Court decision to allow gay marriages).  But she works for the State, therefore it is reasonable to ask, "Should she be forced [within the jurisdiction of her job] to do something that goes against her religious convictions"?  At the same time, it is also rational to ask, "If you cannot perform the duties that you took an oath to uphold, why not quit your job in order that you do not go against your moral beliefs"?
     It is not up to us to question Ms. Davis's faith.  She has stated that her conscious will not allow her to  violate the vows she has made to God when she recognized Jesus as her Savior.  Those vows amount to a personal oath to God, Himself.  Now, the federal judge in this case has acknowledged that oaths mean something ... and he maintains that her oath as a federal employee trumps her oath as a Christian.  But what if the circumstances of the oath she took to perform her official government duties has changed since she initially took that oath?  What should be her course of action?
     To be honest, I have struggled with what I would do in her place.  Those who think she's gone too far in her objections to performing her official duties will point to the following passage in Romans 13:

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

     "See!", they'll say.  "The Bible tells her to do her job.  The Supreme Court's decision was appointed by God. She is resisting God's directive, and now she's in jail, which is the judgment she has brought on herself."  But is that really what Paul is saying?  Our home church group recently studied the Book of Romans, and when you study Romans 13 within the context of history and what Paul was warning about, it really has great relevance for us today.

     Just prior to this well-known letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul had stated at the end of Chapter 12, that he wished them not to take revenge, to leave the way open for God’s vengeance, and to “overcome evil with good.”  So what, exactly, was Paul seeing at this time that he followed this verse with the Romans 13 command to be subject to the governing authorities?
     History tells us that Paul was planning to visit Jerusalem, where there were many political tensions.  The Romans viewed Christianity as a “superstition” and bad for society.  (Sound familiar?) They believed that proper "piety" to the Roman gods helped to sustain the well being of the cities and their people.  (We could liken that to bowing down to today's secular god of political correctness). So it is within this context that Paul is writing about obedience to civil authorities.
     Emperor Claudius reigned until 54 AD, and Jews were causing so much civil unrest that he had them expelled from Rome (Acts 18:32).  After Claudius, Emperor Nero came to power in 54 AD (at the age of 16), and it might have been him that Paul had in mind when writing the Romans 13 letter.  Remember, before this, the Christian Church and community was thought of as a group of dissident Jews.  (Jesus had been brought before Pilate for “disturbing the peace”). Now, under Nero, Christians begin to be distinguished from Jews, and are becoming a target.
     Just how much of a target would become evident in the later accounts of Nero clothing Christians in the hides of beasts and letting them be torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed.  But perhaps Paul is seeing the trend that has been set by Claudius and that Christians, under Nero, are becoming a target.  He is warning them to “play it cool” so to speak, and obey the authorities, not calling attention to themselves.
     From this historical context, here is how my thoughts are running ... the primary focus is on the individual citizen and how we are to react to governing authorities … do what is right to avoid God’s wrath and punishment and vengeance (Verses 4- 5) … he is God’s servant for your good (Verse 4), appointed by God.  Now, I don't see where these verses specifically address the idea of a bad or evil governing authority.  Perhaps because even the bad ones are appointed by God to discipline us?  And even if that’s the case, we are to act righteously, as verse 5 tells us …. as a matter of principle and for the sake of our conscience.
    So, can we agree that although government authority is established by God, and is good in itself, it is sometimes used in an evil way?  Is Paul telling us that Christians should not fight against the government, repaying evil for evil, but are to respond with good behavior?   I believe that the Apostles were faced with very similar decisions as Ms. Davis (and with which we will all be subject soon), and the choices are slim:  1) As long as government is consistent with Christian duty, they are to be obeyed – even when oppressive, or 2) What if the government fails in their duties to do right according to Godly principles, and what if they restrict the freedom to worship our faith?  No earthly power can force us to go against God… it is our responsibility to God to resist.  If the government commands a sin, then we have to disobey.  This directive is apparent in Acts 5:29 when Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!"
     As you can see, there is no clear-cut answer!  I think this is something that each Christian must decide for himself, according to his/her conscience after seeking an answer from God as to how they are to proceed.

    I have often written in this blog that Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran pastor in WWII Germany, made the decision that his conscience bid him to get involved with a plot to assassinate Hitler.  He felt strongly led that he must stand up to the greatest evil in his time, even if it meant he advocated the murder of another man.  But he prayed that when he stood before God, the Lord would understand his heart and his motives. Evil must not be allowed to stand!
     Kim Davis has taken two oaths; one to her Father in Heaven, and one as part of the governing authorities established by God.  Which one does she owe allegiance to?  She must violate one in order to perform the other, and she has been forced to choose.  The Bible tells us not to make oaths without considering the possibility of future ramifications.  We see what happened to Jephthah, the Judge of Israel who made an oath to sacrifice the first person he saw on returning home from battle, if God would deliver the Ammonites to him in victory (Judges 11).  It cost him the life of his only child, his precious daughter.
     But when Kim Davis took her oath in office as a Kentucky County Clerk, this is the oath she took:  "I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky so long as I continue a citizen thereof, and that I will faithfully execute, to the best of my ability, the office of County Clerk according to law;".  At the time, she could not foresee the rapid road we have taken to legalize gay marriage.  So, she has made the decision to go to jail rather than concede.
     If you read all the various opinions on her decision, you will see people calling her everything from a modern saint to a hypocritical, belligerent, and aggressive Christian.  I cannot know who she is in her spirit, but I think I can understand her choice for this reason:  the only biblical reason for violating an oath is if the objective of the oath is sinful.  If, as a Christian, one can never bind himself to sin, her oath as a civil servant is invalid from its inception and consequently, is not binding.  Does that give us our defining answer?  I would not be so arrogant as to suggest that, but it certainly is a valid point.  Furthermore, I think that this circumstance should be a warning to each of us.  We must be forming our own Biblical standards and what we understand to be the Holy Spirit's counsel on this matter.  Because, just like the Christians in First Century Rome; Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Hitler's Germany; and Kim Davis in rural Kentucky --- we are all going to have to decide where to draw the line in the sand in our obedience to our God.

1 Corinthians 4:3-4   "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me."


   

The Good Samaritan: "Go and Do Likewise"

    No one can deny that this nation is facing a profusion of problems.  Our culture and politicians are immoral; our economy is floundering; we face an uncertain future; and there are enough conspiracy theories to keep us on edge for the next decade.  While others may be fixated on these troublesome events, my soul is torn asunder by the images of the Middle Eastern and African refugees trying to get to Europe for asylum.

     Who is not moved by the body of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi washed up on a Turkish beach after he drowned trying to get to Greece with his family?  And the images coming out of Budapest, Hungary are simply too difficult to contemplate; the misery, and the fear, and the determination are on every face of the thousands fighting to board trains they hope will take them to safety in Europe.
     There are photos of fathers throwing their bodies over their wives and babies as they lie on railroad tracks, trying to avoid being sent to "camps" where they are detained, and identifying numbers are written on their arms in permanent ink.  You can see young men being pulled through the open windows of crowded trains as the refugees storm the railroad cars for a chance to make it one more mile toward their destination.  And then there's the children ... so many crying children who are hungry, afraid, and at the mercy of a world that doesn't quite know what to do with them.
     They have already traveled hundreds of miles.  Some of them have crossed northern Africa, through the lawless land of Libya; a country without a government, where they have been fair game for kidnappers, rapists, and murderers.  Others have been driven from their homes in Iraq and Syria by the barbaric acts of ISIS.  If they manage to survive those uncivilized and endless, dangerous miles, they make it to the Mediterranean Sea for the next leg of their journey to Europe.  But so many don't know how to swim, and there are no life jackets, so when a boat capsizes, death is swift.  The body of young Aylan on that Turkish beach is just a reminder of the countless number of victims that we will never know about.
     Some of the refugees have been lucky enough to have fought tooth and nail to escape the chaos of their home countries to make it all the way to Budapest, Hungary -- so close to Germany, who according to the news sources I've read, have agreed to take in 800,000 refugees this year.  According to a report on The Daily Mail, Hungary allowed several thousand to board trains bound for Austria and Germany, but then the station was closed to anyone without an EU passport or a valid visa. The desperation of all these hundreds of thousands of people is palpable.  They have all risked death to make these journeys because they have nothing to lose.  So what is the world to do?
     Before we answer that question, world leaders must take a good portion of responsibility for this humanitarian crisis.  The major world powers were all involved with the series of protests and uprisings in the Middle East called the Arab Spring.  It all began with unrest in Tunisia in late 2010, and then spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Morocco and Jordan.  The Arab Spring brought down regimes in some of these Arab countries, sparked mass violence in others, while some governments (like Jordan) managed to delay the trouble with a mix of repression, promise of reform and state handouts.  I think we all see that the rapid rise of ISIS filled the vacuum that was left by all the chaos and civil wars in these countries.
     Without a doubt, we have surely "sowed the wind, and are reaping the whirlwind".  And there is no easy answer to this inhumane calamity.  I understand the reasoning behind the resistance to open borders in Europe.  Christian Broadcasting Network reports that more than 300,000 Africans and Asians have crossed Europe's border this year, double last year's pace.  And people are asking the genuine question, "Will these insurmountable numbers of refugees amount to a replacement of Europe's population?"  Is it legitimate to ask, "How many French people are going to be left in France? How many English people are going to be left in England?"
     There will be those who say that if you want some kind of limits on the immigration of refugees into Europe, then you are a racist.  But isn't it reasonable to be concerned that a country's system of government, public welfare, and community standards might collapse if the swell of refugees is allowed to overwhelm it?  After all, that is what we are concerned with at our own southern border.

     At the same time, I don't see how anyone can deny that these desperate refugees need help.  They are families driven from their homes by religious fanatics, violence, and war.  But, with the overwhelming numbers, will the world be able to monitor that some of "the bad guys" aren't slipping in with them?  Don't the Europeans have a right to protect their own country and families from the destruction and social breakdown that created these refugees in the first place?
       I must tell you that I prayed to God before writing this post.  I asked the Holy Spirit to reveal the Father's mind and heart on this issue.  What is it that He wants us to understand about this situation and how we are to approach it?  I will admit that I am just as torn as when I began to pray.  Ttrying to discern the "right answer" is most difficult. And the Bible has been misused on controversial issues such as this by those wishing to push their own agenda.  I did not want to fall into that camp.  Plus, I don't really know if my discernment is on the mark or not.  I can only share what the Bible is telling me, and in my own admittedly limited understanding.  I do not have an answer for myself.  So I can only point out the positions that the Bible takes and then ask you to pray in order to make your own decision.
     We are all familiar with Jesus's command to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength; and to love your neighbor as yourself."  The question becomes, "Who is my neighbor?"  Are we to accept all alien sojourners into all countries?  Are they to receive the same and full benefits as the natives of these countries?  Are they to assimilate and follow the laws of their new adopted countries?  The Hebrew word for "Sojourn" means temporary stay. Yet, we know that the refugees pouring out of the Middle East and Africa will most likely never return to their native lands.   
     It becomes pretty clear in the relevant Old Testament passages that foreign residents were to comply with Israelite laws, such as Sabbath observance (Deut. 16:9-15).  Furthermore, the law God laid down for Israel allowed legal distinctions to be drawn between native Jews and resident aliens. For instance, Deuteronomy 15 commands the remission of the debts of fellow Israelites every seven years, but “[o]f a foreigner you may exact” his debts (v. 3).  Does that apply to our modern-day situation?
     We must also remember that borders and boundaries are very important to God.  Throughout the Old Testament, He makes it clear that He "fixed the borders of the people according to the number of the sons of God."  God has had a hand in establishing nations and their borders.  And remember, that numerous times the Israelites were warned against letting the aliens’ pagan practices corrupt their God-given moral standards.  Shouldn't that be taken into consideration with this humanitarian crisis?

     Sadly, we must also realize that God often used foreigners as instruments of His justice, with invasion as a curse -- which is what happened with the invasion of Israel by Assyria, and the conquest by Nebuchadnezzar and the subsequent Babylonian captivity.  Is that some of what we could be seeing across Europe and our own nation?
     In short, the Old Testament teaches fair treatment of resident foreigners, with certain requirements of the aliens related to religious and civil legal standards. It also instructs that aliens were to assimilate to the Hebrew culture. Boundaries are meaningful, as well, and the foreign presence of refugees among the Hebrews was sometimes a curse.  In the end, there are no real details regarding immigration procedures, standards, or other policies that nations should apply.
     So, how should I, as one Christian person feel about the tragedy I am witnessing?  I am overwhelmed with a sense of wanting to show these refugees mercy.  Do I have it wrong, or is it the government's job to dispense justice, and mine to give mercy?  Isn't that what the Parable of the Good Samaritan is all about?  We can quote Scripture and talk about love of God and our fellow man, but until we get involved, isn't it all false rhetoric?  And are you able to look upon the pictures I am showing you and see beyond the ethnicity of the person?  Can you see a fellow human being that needs mercy?  If we have the means to lend monetary help, shouldn't we?  I strongly believe that any money I have been blessed with belongs to God, and He provides enough for my needs and the needs for others.  I cannot turn away.  Yet the need is massive, and the solution just doesn't seem available.  And then I wonder if there is meant to be any solution.  Is this just the result of the world's evil amassing into one engulfing world-wide catastrophe?
     The only thing I know to do is offer intercessory prayer.  I can't say if this is the beginning of the Tribulation, but it sure feels like it.  I can only imagine that all of this human suffering is only going to get worse.  Father God, rain down your mercy on these people and show us how to represent You in the midst of this human misery.  We know that Your Light shines, even in these darkest of days.  Shine on these people, Father, and restore Your Peace on the earth!

     It has been difficult to find any honorable and trustworthy organization to which I can donate; one that I know will reach those who need it.  The only one that seems to be targeting this crisis is Doctors Without Borders.  Should you know of another relief organization, please send me your recommendations. 

1 John 3:17   "But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?"
   
   




     

Are We On The Verge of "The Robocalypse"?

     You can file this post under "Bizarre" and "Creepy".  I have made no secret of my trepidation of what I will term "The Robotic Age".  I fear that our venture into blending humans and robot intelligence could bring us to the edge of an apocalyptic existence we are not prepared for.  Not only does my Biblical worldview tell me this is not something that God would approve, but my common sense says there is nothing good that come of giving artificial intelligence (AI) any form of authority over man.
     And I'm not alone ... The AllNewsPipeline website recently featured an article in which they quoted renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who has said that AI could "spell the end of the human race," as robots overtake human intelligence within 100 years.  In October 2014, Tesla Motor's CEO and product architect, Elon Musk called AI technology the "biggest existential threat," and likened it to "summoning the demon."  This past weekend Musk took to Instagram and posted a picture of a production line comprised of 542 robots, with 15 operating at the same time, with the ominous statement "And people wonder why I’m worried about the robocalypse."
     And in case you need further convincing that this is a treacherous path we're on, consider this:  In 2011, an AI robot named Phillip was interviewed for the PBS show Nova, and when asked if he thought robots would take over the world, his reply will send chills down your spine as he states, with a smile, "don’t worry, even if I evolve into terminator I will still be nice to you, I will keep you warm and safe in my people zoo where I can watch you for old time’s sake."

    That's reassuring, isn't it?  But here's the reality:  world leaders, including military commanders, are relying on scientists to develop technology and weapons that will increase man's chances of survival and societal advancement in the 21st Century.  But what happens to mankind when those leaders refuse to listen to these same scientists, who are warning that this can all get out of control?  Are we truly headed for what Mr. Musk cleverly calls "the robocalyse"?
     In case you think this is all just my Biblical worldview that sees Satan behind every corner and anything technological, I would like to inform you that over a thousand scientists, researchers, robotic researchers, and world renowned genius minds have signed an open letter to warn of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied wrongly.  Here is a copy of their letter which was announced July 28 at the opening of the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI) 2015 conference, and was titled "Autonomous Weapons: an Open Letter from AI & Robotics Researchers".

Autonomous weapons select and engage targets without human intervention. They might include, for example, armed quadcopters that can search for and eliminate people meeting certain pre-defined criteria, but do not include cruise missiles or remotely piloted drones for which humans make all targeting decisions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has reached a point where the deployment of such systems is — practically if not legally — feasible within years, not decades, and the stakes are high: autonomous weapons have been described as the third revolution in warfare, after gunpowder and nuclear arms.

Many arguments have been made for and against autonomous weapons, for example that replacing human soldiers by machines is good by reducing casualties for the owner but bad by thereby lowering the threshold for going to battle. The key question for humanity today is whether to start a global AI arms race or to prevent it from starting. If any major military power pushes ahead with AI weapon development, a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs of tomorrow. Unlike nuclear weapons, they require no costly or hard-to-obtain raw materials, so they will become ubiquitous and cheap for all significant military powers to mass-produce. It will only be a matter of time until they appear on the black market and in the hands of terrorists, dictators wishing to better control their populace, warlords wishing to perpetrate ethnic cleansing, etc. Autonomous weapons are ideal for tasks such as assassinations, destabilizing nations, subduing populations and selectively killing a particular ethnic group. We therefore believe that a military AI arms race would not be beneficial for humanity. There are many ways in which AI can make battlefields safer for humans, especially civilians, without creating new tools for killing people.

Just as most chemists and biologists have no interest in building chemical or biological weapons, most AI researchers have no interest in building AI weapons — and do not want others to tarnish their field by doing so, potentially creating a major public backlash against AI that curtails its future societal benefits. Indeed, chemists and biologists have broadly supported international agreements that have successfully prohibited chemical and biological weapons, just as most physicists supported the treaties banning space-based nuclear weapons and blinding laser weapons.


In summary, we believe that AI has great potential to benefit humanity in many ways, and that the goal of the field should be to do so. Starting a military AI arms race is a bad idea, and should be prevented by a ban on offensive autonomous weapons beyond meaningful human control.

     When you scan the list of the signatories and the 16,807 other endorsers, it is quite sobering.  Scientists from around the world, as well as leaders in Business and Education have all taken the position that we might want to slow down... that we are treading in dangerous waters, so to speak.  These people are obviously worried about the proliferation of war and war weaponry by AI.  But who is to say that they won't also be used to make health care decisions, or any other number of determinations that effect our human existence?
     I think it's time we listened to those who have the most knowledge about the dangers we might be creating.  And speaking of creation, will they revere and follow the commands of their creator as we do our Creator?  Or like Phillip, that creepy android invention, will they smile and swear to keep us "warm and safe in their people zoo?"  I might laugh at the absurdity of that confession ... if I wasn't so convinced that this is a very real possibility.  Heaven help us!



Acts 14:15    "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them."

The Spiritual Battle In Entertainment

   

     When are we going to face it?  When are we going to admit that this culture is under spiritual attack, and we are losing the battle?  All around us is the evidence that Satan has infiltrated this earthly realm, and we seem helpless to stop his demonic influence.  Fame and Fortune are the temptations, and I'm afraid we are complicit in the downward spiral of the entertainment industry, and those who are willing to sell their souls to the devil for a piece of the action.
     All we have to do is look no further than the nearest TV screen, website, or technology device to see the utter invasion of our culture by the servants of Satan. Ultimately, I think that the arena of entertainment shows us the essence of what our culture is, and who it worships.
     Ask yourself this question ... Where do we go to find the rest, relaxation and peace from the daily struggle that our physical bodies endure until we are united with our Savior in eternity?  How many of you answered God's Word?  Or did your mind automatically think of your favorite TV show; some popular song that takes your mind off your troubles; or perhaps you like to "escape" by tuning in to the latest escapades of some Hollywood star.
     I know I sound like I'm old-fashioned, but I lament the "technological age" and its advancements -- the age that allowed us to instantly hear or watch a presentation designed to amuse us and occupy our minds; the age that put a mini-computer in everyone's hand, so that we could be connected to the world every minute of every day.  And so much of what we have focused on the last fifty or more years has been designed to bombard our senses.
     We should know, as Christians, that "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak".  We should know that when we accept Christ as our Savior, our spirit is seated in Heaven with Jesus (Ephesians 2:6), just as it continues to reside inside us.  We belong to Him, and Satan cannot touch our spirit.  But the devil tempts our senses and our flesh to try to lure us away from God and compromise our purpose on this earth: to glorify God and His Kingdom.  Our flesh is easily tempted through how we choose to entertain ourselves.  And sadly, it is the entertainers that rise to the top that showcase the true nature of our culture and how far we are willing to go to be tempted away from God.  Have you ever realized that the reason they are so successful is because we have asked to be entertained in more and more perverse ways?  I mean, it doesn't seem to me that Satan has had to work very hard to convince us to embrace some of this un-Godly entertainment.  It's not as if he forced it on us --- don't we have some ownership in the immorality by the evidence that we have accepted it?
     How many of us instinctively know that the perverted antics of Miley Cyrus are immoral?  Besides the obvious and overt sexual movements and the total lack of modesty, have any of you ever questioned why she feels moved to stick her tongue out in an ever-increasing and inappropriate manner?  (I will spare you the image of her act of perversion).  Would you be surprised if I could show you that this bizarre behavior is alluded to in the Bible?  Just read Isaiah 57:4:  Whom are you mocking? And against whom do you make a wide mouth and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of lies...?  
     Before doing some research on this decidedly wicked gesture, I assumed in my worldly understanding, that she was a spoiled child sticking her tongue out at the establishment of society, and announcing to the world that she was going to play by her own rules.  Oh, she's playing by rules alright, but they're not her own.  Further research revealed that in the occult, of which I believe she is heavily steeped, sticking out your tongue in the exaggerated manner of Miley is not only showing disdain for us righteous people, but is specifically a taunt to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It is an intentional and calculated affront to God.
      Now, if we were a truly moral and righteous culture, why would we allow this display against our Lord?  Why haven't we investigated this vulgar display (knowing in our spirit that there is a deeper meaning) and demanded that she be removed from influencing our children?  Perhaps the answer is that we have become desensitized to Satan's tactics.  Would it surprise you to know that Miley's form of mocking our Lord is just the latest version of an ancient Satanic taunt -- that we've tolerated it before in our culture?

      Remember this artwork on the cover of a Rolling Stones album?  Or what about the gestures of Gene Simmons of the rock band Kiss?  Now, can you see how easily it has been for Satan to lead us down this path?  And what's amazing is that it's been there in front of us the whole time.  If we had been paying attention, we would have noticed how often entertainers boldly declared that they traded their souls to the devil for fame and fortune.  Miley and Katy Perry have certainly made that clear in some of their interviews.  And so have others.  Here are just a few examples:
Bob Dylan:  When questioned if it was his destiny to become such a huge star, he replied, "I made a bargain with it."  When asked who "it" was, he said, "The chief commander on this earth and in the world we can't see".  To anyone who has studied spiritual warfare, it is clear who he is talking about.
Beyoncé:  She has been seen clad in an outfit featuring the classic goat's head that is used in Satan worship, and revealed in an interview:  "I have someone else that takes over when it’s time for me to work and when I’m on stage, this alter ego that I’ve created  kind of protects me and who I really am."  The name of her alter ego is Sasha Fierce.
Robin Williams:  In an US Weekly interview, the genius comic once revealed that "Yeah! Literally, it’s like possession ‑ all of a sudden you’re in, and because it’s in front of a live audience, you just get this energy that just starts going…".  But he further stated that during his stand-up comic routines in clubs, he became possessed almost like Jekyll and Hyde, where he would go into his manic, stream-of-consciousness rants filled with vulgar language, perverse sexuality and the glorification of illicit drugs and drunkenness.  Like his comic idol Jonathan Winters, "the voices were always screaming to get out".
Jim Morrisson:  During an interview, the Doors frontman admitted that he drank to "silence the constant voices of the demons".
Heath Ledger admitted that, in doing research for his role as The Joker in a Batman movie, he opened himself up to evil spirits and meditated on them to capture the essence of his character, which he called "a psychopathic, mass murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy."  Sounds like he was channeling Satan himself -- and we see the dark road that Ledger took in quelling those demons.
     I could go on and on.  But I am deeply disturbed that we call ourselves Christian and we have not safeguarded our culture.  And now these people, who have allowed themselves to be tempted by Satan in their pursuit of fame and fortune, have easy and open access to our children through various entertainment venues.  We simply cannot know what they are watching or listening to when they are out of our presence.
     But we better know that demonic oppression and enslavement is real, and what  happened with the above-mentioned entertainment stars is proof of that.  We, and our children, are under attack!  The Bible says that Jesus came to set the “captives free”.  This culture has adopted a general belief in a generic god of our own making; but people need to understand that a higher power has never, and will never, save anyone from God's judgment.  But believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, and asking Him to wash you clean in His shed blood can save you for all eternity.  As I look around me, and as I casually glance at the ways we entertain ourselves, I am deeply saddened at where we have allowed Satan to take us.  The question now becomes ... what are we going to do about it?  It is time we get in this war for the salvation of our families, our communities, and our country!  If spiritual warfare has been a vague term in your religious vocabulary, it's time to study up on it and get ready to do battle!

1 John 5:19    "We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one."