Jude 1:3

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you 

about our common salvation, I found it necessary 

to write appealing to you to contend for the faith 

that was once for all delivered to the saints.

     This has always been a favorite verse of mine.  I feel the passion and the heart of Jude, as he reaches out to his fellow believers.  And, I really love the expanded Greek translation of this verse:

"Divinely loved ones, when giving every diligence to be writing to you concerning the salvation possessed in common by all of us, I had constraint laid upon me to write to you, beseeching you to contend with intensity and determination for the Faith once for all entrusted into the safe-keeping of the saints."  Don't you love that?

     I definitely get the sense that the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, wanted Jude to instruct and encourage the believers... instruct them because He knew that His Truth would need to be protected and defended; and to encourage them that they would have to fight to preserve that very Truth. And I actually noticed something for the first time when contemplating this Scripture.  Jude is actually writing about two separate thoughts in this passage.

     To begin, he reveals that it was his first intention to write to them about the salvation that was common among them.  Perhaps there was already in-fighting over doctrine at the different churches springing up throughout the region.  By agreeing that there is a spiritual and eternal deliverance granted immediately by God to those who accept His conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, in whom alone that deliverance is to be obtained, they could find common ground in their mutual salvation.  Jude was just reminding them that they shared this inheritance.

     Secondly, he relates that he found it "necessary" -- or as I prefer, "I had constraint laid upon me" (in the Greek) -- to beseech them to contend for the Faith.  To me, the constraint laid upon him came from the Holy Spirit; he was given a Divine assignment.... tell them they would have to contend for the Faith.  What does that mean?  The definition of contend is "to fight; to struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger); to engage in a campaign in order to achieve something."  The Greek root for the word "contend" means "to fight" or "to stand for."  Again, what was Jude exhorting them to contend for ... the Faith.  

     According to Strong's Concordance, Faith is the conviction respecting man's relationship to God, and trusting and joining with God in the knowledge that He is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ; it is through belief in Jesus as our Savior that we obtain this eternal salvation in the kingdom of God.   And note that he makes a point of saying that the Faith was "once for all" delivered to the saints.  In other words, there is to be no new definitions of what Faith was; it wouldn't change with the times; it would always be based on trust and confidence in the redeeming work of Christ on the Cross.  But also notice that in the Greek translation, Jude was telling his fellow believers to contend (or fight) for their Faith with intensity and determination.  That tells me he knew it was going to be a battle to maintain God's Truth about Faith and Salvation.  

     When you read the entire book of Jude -- all 25 verses of it -- you know that the Truth of God was already being attacked. False teachers had already crept into the fledgling Church, turning God's grace into unbounded license to do as they please.  The work of Christ was being diminished and there was a very real danger that the Church could follow the ways of unbelieving Israel.  Jude is exhorting the believers to stay spiritually "in shape", to guard against apostasy and to fight for the faith.

     It is no different today.  There is a real battle for God's Truth regarding the place of salvation and faith in the Church.  The Body of Christ is in real danger of disregarding the Truth of the Word as to who God and Jesus are; what they are capable of doing in the life of a believer; and the power and authority they have given us to contend for the faith.  I see far too many Christians who are being pummeled by the Enemy because they are not "in shape" for this spiritual battle, and do not even know the weapons they possess.  The false teachers have infiltrated the Church and convinced many that they are defenseless against the wiles and schemes of the devil; that they are just to wait for Christ to return and swoop them to heaven.  And the result is that many Christians live in fear and ineffectiveness, and never produce fruit for the Kingdom.  

     As far as I'm concerned, here is the reality:  We have been given victory by Christ's sacrifice on the Cross.  That is our inheritance here on earth.  But we're not living as if we are victorious.  That's part of the Salvation and Faith that Jude is telling us was delivered "once and for all" to all the saints!  That includes us!  We've let men, who crept in unawares, convince us that we do not have the power and authority that Christ left us when He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us.  Oh, we can comprehend the idea of our salvation, but when the lies of Satan descend upon us, and we question if that salvation is real, we don't even know to call upon the power, in Jesus's Name!  

      So, I have to ask you this ... Do you believe your salvation and your faith are worth fighting for? Do you even believe what the Bible tells us about the power of the Spirit?  And if you do, then will you get in the fight with me, and let that Truth be revealed through your life?  Let's show the Enemy that we know the meaning of the word CONTEND, and let's fight as if we know we are already victorious!

Coming Soon To NYC: The Temple of Baal!

   

Ancient god, Baal

     In July of last year, I wrote a blog post about an ISIS video showing the horrific executions taking place in the ancient city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert.  I wrote that the choice of this site by the barbarians was no accident.  Palmyra was an ancient Roman city cited as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and noted for its prolific Baal worship throughout ancient history.
    The website GotQuestions.org has done a terrific job of telling us who Baal was... Baal was the name of the supreme god worshipped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia. The word baal means “lord”; the plural is baalim. In general, Baal was a fertility god who was believed to enable the earth to produce crops and people to produce children. Different regions worshiped Baal in different ways, and Baal proved to be a highly adaptable god.
     According to Canaan mythology, Baal was the son of El, the chief god, and Asherah (also known as Astarte and Ashtaroth), the goddess of the sea, and Baal was considered the most powerful of all gods.  We Christians are familiar with the land of Canaan as being "the promised land"; where YHWH had promised the Israelites under Moses that they would live in peace in a “land flowing with milk and honey.”  Today, the land of Canaan corresponds roughly to present-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel.
     But, if you are familiar with the Bible, you will recall that even before the Hebrews entered the Promised Land, the Lord God warned against worshiping Canaan’s gods, but Israel turned to idolatry anyway.  The Books of Kings, Chronicles and Judges are full of stories of Baal worship in Israel; at the Temples of Baal and around Asherah poles; involving child sacrifice, rooted in sensuality, and involving ritualistic prostitution in the temples.
     About now, you might be thinking that this is all ancient history.  What does it have to do with today, and why should we be concerned about the worship of false gods in ancient temples?  Well, next month has been deemed World Heritage Month by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  And because of the bombings of the ancient temple ruins by ISIS in Palmyra, reproductions of the nearly 50-foot arch that stood at the Temple of Baal in Palmyra, Syria will be erected in New York City and London next month.  And they are just the first of many to be erected around the world!  

     You will hear the deceptive rationale that these monuments are intended “as a gesture of defiance“ towards ISIS (rebuilding what has been destroyed), but ultimately the plan is to share this “cultural treasure” with as many cities around the planet as possible.  In fact, the Institute for Digital Archaeology ultimately hopes to put 1,000 of these arches in cities all over the globe.
      Why is this so disturbing to me?  I'll let Scott Brown of the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches (NCFIC -- an organization that proclaims the sufficiency of scripture for church and family life) explain it:

We know that there were usually lots of people gathered, often on a high hill (like a theatre or stadium) to observe public sex, just like we see in movies and television and on the internet. We think that our watching these things is different than the idolatry of old, but this is not so.

The whole community came out and all of the best pagan ideas for success in crops and fertility were promoted, just like a business seminar that promotes unbiblical ideas that justify the worldliness of its origin.

The wicked personalities (promoters and performers) were respected and given the platform (like rock stars and Hollywood’s “People’.) Some of them were great dancers (like Brittany Spears and Madonna) while others were great musicians (like Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney). In our day, people who go to our churches celebrate celebrities when they should be doing the opposite. Psalm 101:1, 3 says “I will walk in my house… I will set no wicked thing before my eyes…”

People danced around the Asherah pole, which was nothing more than a phallic symbol. It is quite possible that these poles functioned somewhat like the poles in what are called, “gentlemen’s clubs.” The people also acted out lustful, licentious, bawdy scenes for the enjoyment of all who came.  They had all the different kinds of sexual experiences on display including men with women, men with men and all of the combinations that are popular today in sit-coms, movies and news reports. On top of that, they invited the crowd to participate.

     And sadly, we are no different than the ancient Baal worshippers.  We have become a society that is addicted to watching other people have sex.  In fact, it has been estimated that 68 percent of all Christian men watch pornography on a regular basis.  How are we any different than the ancient kings of Israel and Judah who forsake God to follow after the flesh in Baal worship?  And now we want to bring a giant production of Baal's Temple into Times Square.

     I'm sure you have heard America called the modern day Babylon.  I have to admit that it is difficult to deny that charge when we are putting up a monument of worship to the false god Baal.  Soon, in the heart of one of our most important cities, there will sit a temple, that in ancient times, gave witness to child sacrifices and bisexual orgies at the altar of Baal.
     We can deny that's what we're doing all we want.  But our modern day practices of child sacrifice  (abortion) and sexual immorality (everything from pornography to transgenderism, and everything in-between) give testimony to the fact that our core actions and social philosophies remain eerily similar to ancient Babylon and the worship of Baal. The question now becomes this ... are we able to be restored to a righteous nation, and reject this idol worship, and destroy all the altars we've erected to selfishness and sexuality?  Ancient Israel had moments of clarity and humbleness, but most of the time they only partially destroyed their idols; preferring to think they could appease God with a half-hearted act of humility and submissiveness.   But make no mistake --- just as He warned over 33 centuries ago, when the Israelites were tempted by Baal worship, He will not accept our feeble and cursory offers of obedience.  He wants us all in ... or we will pay the consequences.
     So, when you see the life-size model of the original 2,000-year-old structure, known as the Arch of the Temple of Bel, which will stand approximately 48 feet high and 23 feet wide, know that this nation may very well have committed our greatest offense to the Sovereign Lord.  And if you want to know what to expect from this profane act, just read a few chapters in 2 Kings ... you'll get the idea of what's in our future.

Judges 2:13-15     "They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.  So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.  Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress."
   

Brussels: It's Called War!

   

       I am really getting tired of all the semantics and political correctness that surrounds the present chaos in the world.  In an attempt to offend no one, political leaders in Europe and the West have bent over backwards to be "inclusive" to foreigners -- without securing the safety and well-being of their own citizens.  We have seen the results ... the November 13th attacks in Paris, which claimed 130 lives; 10 months after attacks on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket left 17 dead. And now there are at least 30 more dead, and hundreds injured in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.  These latest attacks are seen as a direct hit at the heart of Europe.
     Here in the U.S., politicians are afraid to link murders to the religion of Islam.  Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she prefers to call such incidents "radical jihadist terrorism" rather than evoking the common characteristic, which is the Muslim faith.  She says it would be “dangerous” because it would imply we are at war with an entire religion.
     But what do you call it when you consider the following statistics:
•  14 dead, 17 injured in San Bernardino, CA when a 'very religious' Muslim shoots up a Christmas party with his wife. (12/2015)
•  5 Dead, 2 injured in Chattanooga, TN when a 'devout Muslim' stages a suicide attack on a recruiting center at a strip mall and a naval center. (7/2015)
•  A 74-year old man is shot several times in the head by a 'radicalized' ISIS supporter in Morgantown, NC (12/2014).
•  A Sharia advocate beheads a woman in Moore, OK, after calling for Islamic terror and posting an Islamist beheading photo (9/2014).
•  A 19-year-old college student in West Orange, NJ, is shot to death 'in revenge' for Muslim deaths overseas (6?2014).
•  Two homosexuals are murdered in Seattle, WA, by an Islamic extremist (6/2014).
•  A Muslim man in Port Bolivar, TX, shoots his lesbian daughter and her lover to death and leaves a copy of the Quran open to a page condemning homosexuality (6/2014).
•  A convert "on a mission from Allah" stabs a store clerk to death in Richmond, CA (8/2013).
•  Foreign-born Muslims describing themselves as 'very religious' detonate two bombs packed with ball bearings at the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring over 260 more; causing several to lose limbs (4/2013)
•  A Muslim convert in Ashtabulah, OH, walks into a church service with a Quran and guns down his Christian father while praising Allah (3/2013).
•  A Muslim in Buena Vista, NJ, targets and beheads two Christian Coptic immigrants (2/2013).
•  A 30-year-old Christian convert in Houston, TX, is shot to death by a devout Muslim for helping to convert his daughter (1/2013).
•  Three Jewish men in Waltham, MA, have their throats slashed by Muslim terrorists (9/11/2011).
•  Nidal Hasan, a Muslim psychiatrist guns down thirteen unarmed soldiers, and injures 31 others, while yelling praises to Allah (11/2009).
•  Muslim snipers kill three men and two women in separate attacks over a 15-hour period in Montgomery County, MD (10/2002).
•  2,976 people are killed by radical Islamists in the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, PA, on 9/11/2001. Over 300 more were seriously injured.
•  Islamic terrorists detonate a massive truck bomb under the World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring over 1,000 in an effort to collapse the towers (2/1993).
•  And statistics go all the way back to 1972 when 10 members of a local mosque phone in a false alarm and then ambush responding officers, killing one, and injuring three.
     Believe me, these are not all of the statistics.  There are numerous cases where a single person was killed in a variety of isolated incidents; but all by Muslim converts, sympathizers, or self-declared jihadists.  Are these all the murders committed in the U.S. between 1972 and 2016?  Of course not!  The point of this enumeration is to show a pattern; a growing pattern of hatred and hostilities and bloodshed and attacks and atrocities on innocent victims.  And that, my friends, is just one of the definitions of war.
     When someone declares "war" upon 80 nations, as ISIS did in a November, 2015 video, then I submit to you that ignoring that declaration, or refusing to admit the intentions, is seen as weak by our enemy.  By refusing to recognize that the Islamic faith is a driving force behind the increasing attacks around the globe is to deny the obviousness of this statement in that same video:  “This is the source of our glory: our obedience to our lord. We are uncompromising in our call to Tawhid [Islamic monotheism]. We only call to Allah, unlike the countless deviant factions raising their false banners."
     How can leaders in Europe and the West continue to deny that there are Islamists who have made it their goal to force obedience to their god?  We can argue from here to Kingdom Come (and how I wish it would!) whether these are "radical" factions or not.  The Truth is that in a world filled with evil people, sometimes war is necessary to prevent even greater evil.  Trying to deny the perpetrators of evil, only allows the evil to grow.

     War is never a good thing, but sometimes it is a necessary thing.  In a world filled with sinful people, war is inevitable.  Sometimes the only way to keep sinful people from doing great harm to the innocent is by going to war.  We saw war as a necessary reaction to the atrocities of Nazi Germany. We are seeing war as a distinct possibility in response to the increasing attacks by ISIS.  And we will most assuredly see Jesus go to war against Evil upon His Second Coming.  This war will be the ultimate war on the earth, as Christ returns as the conquering commander who judges and makes war “with His justice”.  Because no matter what others might think, I do not believe He is a pacifist.  That label is reserved for a person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable.  But Jesus, Himself, will come as a Majestic Judge, powerful in His holiness, and coming in wrath to judge all the living and the dead.  His will be a war against Evil and wickedness upon the earth, and He will be a Conqueror King.
     So, as the forces of Evil mount their attacks in Europe and the West, we must at least be honest in our assessment of them.  We cannot appease wickedness, nor should we call it by any other name.  It's time to defend ourselves and defeat the Enemy as best we can.  And that means with physical weapons of war as well as spiritual ones.  We need to realize that the enemy we face has a powerful force of evil behind it, and we will only win by calling on the Power of the Lord.  After witnessing this latest terror attack, I am seeking shelter in the shadow of the Almighty, and am eagerly awaiting His terrible swift sword of righteous judgment.  Come soon, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 19:11    "Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness."

Don't Widen The Plate

I don't often repeat verbatim an internet story, or any of the countless viral emails that we all get in our inboxes.  But every once in awhile, there appears one that penetrates my heart and soul, and is so insightful, that I feel it is to your benefit to share it.  The post today is just such a jewel.  If you have read it before, then pass it on and share it with someone who needs to be inspired.  Enjoy!

     In Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) convention.
     While I waited in line to register with the hotel staff, I heard other more veteran coaches rumbling about the lineup of speakers scheduled to present during the weekend. One name, in particular, kept resurfacing, always with the same sentiment — “John Scolinos is here? Oh man, worth every penny of my airfare.”

     Who the hell is John Scolinos, I wondered. No matter, I was just happy to be there.  In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching career that began in 1948. In fact, John Scolinos was a Hall of Fame College Baseball Head coach who coached at Pepperdine University from 1948 to 1960 and Cal Poly Pomona University from 1962 to 1991.  He shuffled to the stage to an impressive standing ovation, wearing dark polyester pants, a light blue shirt, and a string around his neck from which home plate hung — a full-sized, stark-white home plate.
     Seriously, I wondered, who in the hell is this guy?  After speaking for twenty-five minutes, not once mentioning the prop hanging around his neck, Coach Scolinos appeared to notice the snickering among some of the coaches. Even those who knew Coach Scolinos had to wonder exactly where he was going with this, or if he had simply forgotten about home plate since he’d gotten on stage.
     Then, finally … “You’re probably all wondering why I’m wearing home plate around my neck. Or maybe you think I escaped from Camarillo State Hospital,” he said, his voice growing irascible. I laughed along with the others, acknowledging the possibility. “No,” he continued, “I may be old, but I’m not crazy. The reason I stand before you today is to share with you baseball people what I’ve learned in my life, what I’ve learned about home plate in my 78 years.”
     Several hands went up when Scolinos asked how many Little League coaches were in the room. “Do you know how wide home plate is in Little League?” After a pause, someone offered, “Seventeen inches,” more question than answer. “That’s right,” he said. “How about in Babe Ruth? Any Babe Ruth coaches in the house?”
     Another long pause.  “Seventeen inches?”came a guess from another reluctant coach. “That’s right,” said Scolinos. “Now, how many high school coaches do we have in the room?” Hundreds of hands shot up, as the pattern began to appear. “How wide is home plate in high school baseball?”  “Seventeen inches,” they said, sounding more confident.
     “You’re right!” Scolinos barked. “And you college coaches, how wide is home plate in college?” “Seventeen inches!” we said, in unison. “Any Minor League coaches here? How wide is home plate in pro ball?” “Seventeen inches!”
     “RIGHT! And in the Major Leagues, how wide home plate is in the Major Leagues?” “Seventeen inches!” “SEV-EN-TEEN INCHES!” he confirmed, his voice bellowing off the walls. “And what do they do with a a Big League pitcher who can’t throw the ball over seventeen inches?” Pause. “They send him to Pocatello!” he hollered, drawing raucous laughter.
     “What they don’t do is this: they don’t say, ‘Ah, that’s okay, Jimmy. You can’t hit a seventeen-inch target? We’ll make it eighteen inches, or nineteen inches. We’ll make it twenty inches so you have a better chance of hitting it. If you can’t hit that, let us know so we can make it wider still, say twenty-five inches.'”
     Pause. “Coaches …” Pause.  ” … what do we do when our best player shows up late to practice? When our team rules forbid facial hair and a guy shows up unshaven? What if he gets caught drinking? Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him, do we widen home plate?
     The chuckles gradually faded as four thousand coaches grew quiet, the fog lifting as the old coach’s message began to unfold. He turned the plate toward himself and, using a Sharpie, began to draw something. When he turned it toward the crowd, point up, a house was revealed, complete with a freshly drawn door and two windows. “This is the problem in our homes today. With our marriages, with the way we parent our kids. With our discipline. We don’t teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We widen the plate!”
     Pause. Then, to the point at the top of the house he added a small American flag. “This is the problem in our schools today. The quality of our education is going downhill fast and teachers have been stripped of the tools they need to be successful, and to educate and discipline our young people. We are allowing others to widen home plate! Where is that getting us?”
     Silence. He replaced the flag with a Cross.  “And this is the problem in the Church, where powerful people in positions of authority have taken advantage of young children, only to have such an atrocity swept under the rug for years. Our church leaders are widening home plate!”
     I was amazed. At a baseball convention where I expected to learn something about curveballs and bunting and how to run better practices, I had learned something far more valuable. From an old man with home plate strung around his neck, I had learned something about life, about myself, about my own weaknesses and about my responsibilities as a leader. I had to hold myself and others accountable to that which I knew to be right, lest our families, our faith, and our society continue down an undesirable path.
     “If I am lucky,” Coach Scolinos concluded, “you will remember one thing from this old coach today. It is this: if we fail to hold ourselves to a higher standard, a standard of what we know to be right; if we fail to hold our spouses and our children to the same standards, if we are unwilling or unable to provide a consequence when they do not meet the standard; and if our schools and churches and our government fail to hold themselves accountable to those they serve, there is but one thing to look forward to …”
     With that, he held home plate in front of his chest, turned it around, and revealed its dark black backside. “… dark days ahead.”

     Coach Scolinos died in 2009 at the age of 91, but not before touching the lives of hundreds of players and coaches. His message was clear: “Coaches, keep your players — no matter how good they are — your own children, and most of all, keep yourself at seventeen inches."  In other words, being accountable, responsible, and living our lives within moral boundaries is absolutely necessary if we are going to survive these dark days. 
     And just think how much further down that road we've come since 2009.  These last 7 years have seen us not only widen the plate, but shred it into something quite unrecognizable.  Is it too late? We can feel the forces of evil trying to push us beyond the parameters we have set for ourselves as Americans and Christians.  We see it in our national election process and in the doctrines of our Churches.  Any means is permissible to achieve the end result desired by the Enemy.  It is up to us to hold the line, and we must never, ever agree to widen the plate.


Jeremiah 17:10     “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

2 Timothy 3:1-9

But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,  unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!

For among them are those who worm their way into households and capture idle women burdened down with sins, led along by a variety of passions, always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.  Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth, men who are corrupt in mind, worthless in regard to the faith.  But they will not make further progress, for their lack of understanding will be clear to all, as theirs was also.

     This is a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to his disciple, Timothy, and it spoke so distinctly to me this week.  I don't know if you are having this experience or not, but as these perilous times advance, I am beginning to gain new and powerful revelations about Scripture passages that I have read dozens of times.  They speak to me anew and in fresh interpretations that are now so clear, I am left wondering why I never understood them before!  These particular verses are a prime example.

     Perhaps it is because of the controversy that I am facing over the understanding of Freemasonry and its infiltration within the Church; or the falling away I am seeing among the Christian youth in this nation; or the hesitation on the part of church leaders to even believe that new revelation is possible.  All I know is that when I read 2 Timothy 3:1-9, I felt my spirit quicken and I knew I had to share my understanding.

     It almost goes without saying that the long description in the first verses affirms the state of society today.  The people of the world are definitely lovers of money, proud, blasphemers, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.  But notice how Paul finishes up his letter to Timothy and the description of these people ... holding to the form of godliness, but denying its power.  He is talking about people who profess a faith in God!  He is talking about Believers!  And I have to tell you that it is getting more and more apparent to me that these Scriptures are being fulfilled.

     I have personally come up against such opposition regarding the power of God.  Somehow Christians today see themselves set apart from the experiences of the early Church and the followers of Christ; as if we somehow have gained a special status that prevents us from needing to call on the power of God and Jesus in our present circumstances.  I don't know if we have been deceived into believing false doctrines that teach that our salvation experience makes us immune from the attacks of the Enemy ... that somehow that awesome power Jesus transferred to men in the first century, and to those who would follow Him, does not apply to us.  But is there anyone who thinks that the attacks from the Enemy ended when those who were given the power finished out their lives on this earth?  So does that mean we are supposed to fight our Adversary under our own power?  Because from where I sit, those who do that are not exactly winning the fight!  

     From where I sit, too many modern-day Christians profess faith in God ("holding to a form of godliness") but they deny His power in their lives, and their ability to call upon it to bring His covenantal promises into existence.  Too many Christians think it is just a matter of prayer; and I, by no means, am diminishing the power of prayers.  But He gave us so much more!  He is waiting for us, His representatives, to act using our authority through prayer and spiritual warfare to activate His desired will.  Remember this:  Anything that Jesus modeled while He was on earth can be expected to be realized through us because He said the works He did would also be done by us.  (I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do -- John 14:12).  Can it be any clearer?  How else can you interpret that verse?  To deny it or somehow limit or distort the meaning cannot be justified!

     The second aspect of this passage is a result of the first ... we are always learning, but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.  We profess knowledge of what the Bible tells us about God, but once again, I suggest that we see ourselves today differently than the people of the Bible.  And we don't just separate ourselves from the people of the Old Testament.  We somehow set ourselves above the New Testament believers in Jesus Christ, too.  

     We are no different in our actions or character than the disciples or the early Church.  We don't have some special dispensation that allows us to avoid compromise with the world, or to be invisible to the cosmic powers over this present darkness, or the spiritual forces of evil that Paul warns about in Ephesians 6.  Do we think Paul was telling us the truth in this passage?  If so, how can we say it no longer applies to us?  Where is the evidence that says it was only a temporary condition in the first century?  So, we say that we study our Bibles, and we memorize our favorite Scriptures, and we ignore those that speak uncomfortably to us... we are always learning, but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

     Finally, there is made mention of Jannes and Jambres, who resisted Moses.  Who were these men, and how do they relate to this conversation?  According to GotQuestions.org, long-standing Jewish tradition says that Jannes and Jambres were the two chief magicians who withstood Moses and Aaron in Exodus 7. “Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs” (verses 10-12).

     There are several other stories regarding these two men in the Talmud, but they are not confirmed by Scripture, so therefore I will not relate them.  But I believe that God made sure we would know about them, by inspiring Paul to mention them this one time in His Holy Word.  I believe they are an illustration of a widespread, active rejection of God's truth in the Last Days.  And I believe that at the center of this truth is the power and authority that Jesus gave us to use in His stead ... to help liberate our fellow Believers from the oppression and defeat they experience at the hands of the spiritual forces of evil.  I believe that our commission to spread the gospel and baptize in the name of Jesus would be so much more effective if Christians, who were set free, could share their amazing testimonies.  

     Once again, from where I sit, our attempts to carry out that commission, and to evangelize here in the United States has not produced the amount, or kind, of fruit that I believe our Lord desires.  Our attempts have centered around huge, palatial sanctuaries; stadium seating; bright lights and flashy entertainment.  But is that what the spirit of a lost soul needs?  I have seen what the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit can do in a person's life, and it is done through a quiet, peaceful, and loving invitation for Them to enter a life and heal the wounds caused by the Enemy.  That's the Truth and the Knowledge that we need to embrace!  It's that simple ... and it's that profound!

     Just as the Scripture says, these are Difficult Days.  And they are not going to get any easier.  But we do not need to approach them in a state of helplessness, or hamstring ourselves with diminished authority.  Please ask God to show you His Truth concerning this passage, and to remove the scales from your eyes and the chains from your spirit.  Come into the full knowledge of the Word and seek uncompromised understanding.  Become the representative of His Divine Will that He wishes you to be!

   

     

Do Not Think Your Life Is Insignificant!

     As I look back over the years of my life, they are coming into clearer focus.  It's as if I can see my life on a linear timeline, and there are events that stand out; events that taken by themselves, look to be not worth much consideration and seem disconnected.  But as I find myself increasingly in opposition to the world's standards, or in situations where my faith and theology are at odds with my fellow Christians, then I am beginning to see a pattern...
     There were all the times that I felt, as a child, that I just didn't quite belong to "the crowd".  I know that many of you have shared that same feeling and experience.  We moved a lot when I was in elementary school, and it's never been fun to be the "new kid".
     There were small moments along that timeline that seemed bright and shiny; like the time I won an essay contest in 3rd grade for writing about John Glenn's orbit around the earth.  My paper was written on those big sheets of lined paper and hung for all the parents to see on Parents' Night.  I was too young to take the hint that this was a gift God had given me.
     But more often than not, during those awkward elementary and junior high days, the timeline looked a little more dreary.  After a move from Utah to Illinois, I ran for Student Council five times during the 5th grade ... and lost each time!  At least no one could say I was a quitter, right?  I just held my head high and moved on.
     And the move from a small country school to a metropolitan junior high was perhaps my least favorite time of adolescence.  I was at that awkward stage of development; 12-years-old, tall and gangly, and thrust in the midst of an 8th-grade class who had grown up together.  To say that I was the outsider is to put it mildly.  At the beginning of that school year, I woke up with a stomach ache each morning, dreading to go to school and feeling so isolated.  But by the end of that year, I had somehow found my own way and counted everyone from the school bully, to the "popular" kids, to the loners like me as my friends.  I guess I simply made up my mind that I would not give in to defeat.
     The timeline during my high school years is highlighted by one particular event.  Once again, i was not among the popular clique at school, but yet as I look back, I was not excluded from their circle of friends.  I see myself during that time as associated with all the kids I went to school with, yet separate from them; kind of set apart and distant.  I will never forget one girl, who was way more experienced than I was in every aspect of life.  She told me that I was a "late bloomer"; that I would come into my own in college and find my way later in life.  So, even though I picture myself as kind of on the sidelines during those years, I found an old newspaper clipping in my mother's cedar chest after she passed away.  There was a photo of me, the undistinguished high school student in my conservative skirt and blouse, standing with a sign protesting some perceived wrong at the school.  If you knew me during those years, that doesn't really fit the profile. But a seed of boldness had taken root.
     As we move along the timeline towards my college years, you will see me moving into roles of leadership.  I was voted by my fellow dorm mates to be an Advisor to incoming freshmen; then as a Resident Assistant in charge of an entire wing of girls, reporting to the head of Women's housing at the University of Texas.  I was paid my room and board as compensation and it was a job that I loved; mentoring young women and creating a cohesive atmosphere of mutual respect, while learning to relate to other girls of different races, social classes, and interests.  It was the beginning of a very satisfying part of my college career, and I loved the responsibility and the challenges.
     Little did I know that I would soon face one of the biggest challenges of my young life up to that point.  It wasn't long before I got a taste of what it felt like to run up against "the establishment" of any organization or group.  The faculty and university leadership had their way of doing things and you followed their rules, without question, or you could suddenly find yourself on the outside of the "good ol boys" network; or in this case the "good ol' girls" of the Women's Housing Authority.
     It all started with a simple University election for Student Body President.  The Housing Authority faculty member that was my boss made it quite clear that she expected everyone under her authority to vote for a particular candidate.  Well, that wasn't the way free elections worked, was it?  When I pushed back a little, I was quickly demoted in my position, called in and reprimanded, and told I needed to quit causing trouble if I expected to keep my job, which was essential for me to afford the cost of my next semester.  I was moved to a less prestigious area of the dorm, and put under different "management".

     Needless to say, it dampened my thoughts of this "perfect job", but I determined to turn my attention to my "girls" and the incoming Fall semester dorm residents.  I was required to be at the school three or four weeks prior to the start of school for meetings, seminars, etc.  During that pre-school term, my best friend, who was a former Resident Assistant herself and a recent UT graduate, was in town visiting.  She slept on my dorm room floor for one night, and the next morning I was called in to the Housing Director's office and threatened with once more breaking the rules and "causing trouble".  I had a choice... I could promise to quit being a trouble-maker or I would have to quit my job.
     Now, you must remember that I was 20 years old, and admittedly not at the height of my maturation process, but I thought I saw the handwriting on the wall.... there was a black mark by my name that I would never be able to erase, and harassment was likely going to follow me the duration of my position with the Housing Authority.  So I gave my resignation that very moment.  (The smile on the Director's face told me that's what she was really after).  In my idealistic state of mind, I was no longer going to be their punching bag.
     But that spur-of-the-moment and rash decision cost me a lot.  Without that job, I could no longer afford to go to school that semester.  So I withdrew from the University, right before beginning my senior year, and had to figure out what my next step was.  Making that call home was not very pleasant.  My father was not happy, to say the least, and told me that I had thrown away my entire college education.  I promised him that I was going to get a job, save up the money, and return to school in a year.  He didn't believe that I would (or could) carry through with that promise, and that hurt.  I had lost his confidence and respect and I was literally out on the street with no idea or plan for what came next.
     That was a time when I prayed to God to get me through this and help me to survive this lonely and desperate situation.  I will admit that I instinctively turned to Him, while not really knowing if He would hear me or respond.  But within two weeks, I was sharing an apartment with that best friend and another girl, and I found a job within 2 miles of our apartment.  None of us had a car, so I walked to work each day.  I'm afraid to admit that we hitch-hiked to get our groceries ... absolute proof that God was watching over me!  We struggled financially, but had enough to pay our rent, buy a few groceries, and splurge on Christmas gifts for each other.  That Christmas I got knee socks, dental floss, and new barrettes from my roommates, and the memories of us decorating our Charlie Brown Christmas tree still make me smile.  I have to tell you it was one of my most favorite and meaningful Christmases of my life.
     In the meantime, my father and I reconnected, and I will always remember him calling me and telling me, "You may not always agree with your kids, but you never stop loving them."  That healed a painful wound.  But I made good on my promise to him.  I worked that September to May, enrolled in summer school and the next Fall semester, and graduated in December.  It had been a long, emotional, trying, and scary time of my life.  But I had persevered, followed through, and never gave up.
     There's a reason that I have related these events in my life, which are trivial in actuality.  But as I look back on them, I am convinced of one thing ....  I think God either brought me to them, or allowed me to experience them through my own folly and foolishness, as a test of my dedication, steadfastness and determination to complete what I thought was a righteous cause.  Perhaps that is just a rationalization and a product of my imaginative mind, but as I look at each of these points along my life's timeline, I think it was all part of His plan to ready me for the purpose He has designed me for.
     In each of these seemingly insignificant and not exactly earth-shattering instances, I faced personal adversity; knew what it felt like to be ostracized and alone in the battle; yet I never curled up in a ball and quit.  Would I do that for Him?  Perhaps He needed to know my character before He carried out His purpose for my life.  Because nothing has really changed.  In the 29 years since my true conversion and the beginning of my salvation process, He has brought me to different adverse situations and I have had to call on that same spirit of tireless tenacity to stand on my faith.  There have been times where He led me to a wilderness for 7 years, where I learned to trust Him for everything... His provision, His faithfulness, His protection, and His mercy.  The Enemy endlessly whispered his lies that I had reason to worry about each of those areas of relationship with my Lord.  Then He took me through a difficult time with my Church of 20 years and I had to decide whether I would stand on the Word or join the church in compromising with the world.  Once again I had to choose the lonely route.
      And now He has entrusted my husband and me with a ministry that we didn't seek, but we know with all our spiritual discernment that it is where He wants us to be.  And as with anything outside the normal boundaries of the church establishment, it is not easily accepted.  But I honestly think that my life's timeline is showing me that I have been tested and fire-proofed, so to speak, to deal with this latest adversity as well.  And it is an important one.... because at the heart of it are people and their eternal salvation.  It is about saving souls for God's Kingdom and I cannot quit, nor will I give in to the Enemy's tactics.  Because, you see, God has known all along this journey I would take.  He has known my character and what I'm made of.  But He had to show me what I'm made of; had to give me a history of standing with Him by my side, so that as these times become increasingly difficult, and the Enemy's attacks become more severe, I will know in my spirit and soul that I can weather the storm.  I will know that He will not forsake me nor leave me; just as He was with me throughout all the other events of my life.  And most importantly, I will be able to do the work He has purposed for me with complete trust and confidence in Him through my unflinching faith.
     I started writing this blog with the intention of encouraging each of you.  I want you to look at your own timelines.  My story is not unique nor especially praiseworthy.  Each of us have experienced mile markers along the way that have made us who we are.  Look at yours, and ask, "What was God showing me?  How has this shaped me, and how can it be used to bear fruit in the Kingdom of God"?  Because I promise you, our lives are not random and neither are they accidental.  There are "Divine Appointments" all along the way.  The question is, will you see them for what they are and fulfill the purpose for which you were made?  Nothing is inconsequential or insignificant.  Be the person God has made you to be!

1 Peter 1:6-7     " In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

The Occult, Paganism & Witchcraft: The Temptation That Ensares Our Kids

     If you are like me, I grew up loving to read.  And I was lucky enough to have an aunt who was an old-fashioned Librarian; that is to say, she was the caretaker of precious books which she screened for their educational, historical, and imaginative value.  As sad as it is, today's libraries often serve an agenda for non-profit organizations wishing to influence young minds in political and social principles.  But I received the benefit of her love of literature, as she introduced me to all the classic novels of the day, and so began my life-long pursuit of the written word.  And I will admit that the books I read as a child helped to instill values of honesty, courage, patriotism, compassion, and the love of adventure in my impressionable mind.
     So it is today, with our youth and young adults.  Although they may choose to read on their iPads or phones, stories of written fantasy still occupy their minds.  But I'm afraid it is a much darker world in which their imaginations wander.  I actually am fearful of the influence such reading has on their malleable minds.
     During my pre-teen years, I read classic books with moral values like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Women, and Little House on the Prairie.  As I grew older, I loved reading the works of James Fenimore Cooper, and wandered the forests with Natty Bumppo of the Leatherstocking Tales; and loved the star-crossed lovers in Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.  I know I'm showing my age, but I can't help but think those were healthier choices than what's being offered to young boys and girls today.

     It's all about fantasy, and it is often dark and foreboding.  The advent of Harry Potter made a huge impact on children's literature, and normalized the idea of a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and introduced the struggle between magic versus non-magic people.  And countless Christian mothers bought the books for their kids and even read them, themselves.  The impact of J. K. Rowling's powerhouse can be measured by the fact that Harry Potter is the best-selling book series in history, and has been translated into seventy-three languages.  And once that portal was opened ....
     We now have the highly popular Percy Jackson series with its stories of Camp Half Blood, the summer camp of demi-gods; and the attempt of the hero to reach the gates of the Underworld.  What a great way to "soft sell" and legitimize the return of the Nephilim!
     As I perused the list of the most popular books for young teens (and which are being touted as follow-ups to Harry Potter), the titles caught my attention ... City of Bones, Magyk (Septimus Heap), The Amulet of Samarkand, Fablehaven, The Angel Experiment ... all involving some form of magic spells, supernatural powers, or other-worldly capabilities; and often inhabited with demons (both of the friendly sort, and those of the terrifying class).
     And who can forget the fascination and romantic spin of the Twilight series?  These vampire-themed fantasy romance novels became the rage among pre-teen girls, and none other than acclaimed author Stephen King called them "[a genre written] to a whole generation of girls, and opening up kind of a safe joining of love and sex.  It's exciting and it's thrilling and it's not particularly threatening because it's not overtly sexual."  Excuse me?!?  Does it bother anyone else that the series has been called "a gripping blend of romance and horror"; or that the author herself, Stephenie Meyer, says that the idea for Twilight came to her in a dream?  The dream was about a human girl, and a vampire who was in love with her but thirsted for her blood!  Did anyone even stop to think that there was a hint of the demonic surrounding this theme?  And who, or what, suggested this to the author in her dream?
     Then there is a whole genre of which I was largely unfamiliar, so I was greatly surprised by the popularity of animé among young adults.  A form of Japanese computer animation, the themes range from sexually playful (ecchi) to "gratuitous titillation", known as "fan service".  Overall, this form of entertainment can be described as a blend of sexual fantasy and comedy, including sub genres of  magical girl, harem, sports, martial arts, literary adaptations, medievalism, and war.
      So far, I have just barely scratched the surface of what is available for our youth!  The bottom line is this:  young adult fantasy has a basic menu replete with occult, witchcraft, Satanism, paganism, vampires, zombies, Greek mythology, and sexual themes.  And they are all being presented as mainstream and normal!  The truth is that the "dark arts" or "dark magic" has increasingly pervaded the subconscious of our youth through popular fiction and movies.  And right alongside them is the perpetuation of the religion of paganism, as evidenced by a whole genre of Wiccan/Pagan literature for young readers.  The agenda is clear.  With books like Isobel's Bird, in which three teenage girls learn what Wicca and Paganism is all about as they study to become real modern-day Witches; and Bell, Book and Murder, which is a mystery trilogy about a detective who happens to be Wiccan, one can see that pagan religions are being set forth as normal and acceptable.
     While researching this topic, I only had to read a comment from an obvious pagan worshipper to see how dedicated the Enemy is to introducing false religion into our culture.  Here is the comment:  "You obviously do not know what Paganism is.  You confuse it with Hollywood BS.  Pagans value the worship of Nature and Ancestors. They follow the Wheel of The Year. They believe in Wyrd ... The Wheel of The Year is the core belief system. It follow life from birth to death, seasons, light to dark, male and female.  Wyrd, is the uncontrolled destiny; we accept that we are not truly in control of anything, we do not wish to dominate Nature, we are part of Nature, and we do not own Nature.
We respect family, we follow a main rule, "Do what you will, but do not harm others." The only form of Magick we practice is the one of Will.  We focus our will in order to influence Nature. Any form of technology that exist today comes from Will.  If you say it is magic, then people like you should outlaw it.  Also note the difference: Magick is not Magic. Magic is Hollywood BS."
     It is quite apparent they take their religion seriously, and wish to promote their cause.  Read on:  "Pagans comes in three flavors: Fluffy, Genuine and Dark.  Fluffies are the misguided Pagans, or too new to Paganism to know exactly what it is. They include a lot of Hocus Pocus Hollywood BS. They are the ones giving Paganism a bad wrap.  Genuines are Pagans that are following the redes and beliefs of their faith. But they still cling to the ideas of dualism in some way, and have a dislike for dark and death, although they know it's part of the cycles of Nature and life.  Darks are Pagans that are exactly like Genuines except they accept the darkness and death as necessary.  Paganism comes also in an umbrella of paths: Wicca, Heathenry, Druidry... anything that does not follow the doctrine of Abrahamism. "
     So, if you ever doubted that Paganism is a real religion, well, I'm guessing you now have a new understanding.  It is not an insubstantial movement, and it is encroaching upon our culture and the lives of our kids through entertainment and the internet.  They are being fed a steady diet of the occult and witchcraft, all under the guise of fantasy and romance.  Once again, I cannot stress my oft-repeated refrain enough ... Technology has become a willing and convenient tool of the Devil; and we must guard our children!

Acts 19:19    "And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver."


   

Rules For Radicals Still In Play

     If you have taken any amount of time to stay informed about American politics, then you are most likely familiar with Saul Alinksy and his Rules for Radicals.  The book is a primer for "the have-nots" in order to empower them to gain social, political, legal and economic equality by challenging the current agencies that promoted their inequality. In short, Alinsky was a believer in the classic Marxist theory which states that Communism is the final stage of the evolution of human socioeconomic relations. In the Marxist model, the feudal state is overthrown by the rise of the bourgeoisie, ushering in the capitalist epoch. Capitalism is then overthrown by the rise of the proletariat, which ushers in not communism, but the Socialist state. Each previous step is the necessary precondition for the next.  And we now have a Presidential candidate, in Bernie Sanders, who is a professed Socialist, and the younger generation is eating it up!
     So, can you see Alinsky's theory being set in motion in our recent history?  Think back to the 1960s and specifically, the 1968 Democratic Convention for President.  Also, it has been effectively argued that the political statesmen of this era have, throughout their careers, drawn inspiration from Alinsky and his call for "fundamental change".  John Fund of the National Review presents an informed argument that both President Obama and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were avid students of Alinsky and his methods.
     His siren call, so to speak, to idealistic and impressionable students was "social justice".  And his approach to obtaining that goal, in the words of the Washington Post, would come to rely on   “generating conflict to mobilize the dispossessed.”  All you have to do is convince any useful group of followers that they are somehow dispossessed or deprived or cheated.  That's where outside agitators and community organizers become valuable tools of the Alinsky method of disruption.
     Alinsky also argued for moral relativism in fighting the establishment: “In war the end justifies almost any means. . . . The practical revolutionary will understand [that] in action, one does not always enjoy the luxury of a decision that is consistent both with one’s individual conscience and the good of mankind.” You can see that the absence of any universal moral truths will lead to whatever action is necessary to gain a personally desired outcome.
     Alinsky liked to boast that those who have the knowledge of his tactics can often achieve preemptive surrender of local officials, businesses, and political power bases.  He also touted the success of his tactics of intimidation.  His most oft-quoted rule is “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. . . . One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other.”
      We have seen that tactic used most effectively by this Administrative, in creating racial and social division; and in the ongoing political and legal battles that former Secretary of State Clinton is now undergoing.  MoveOn.org has been a model student of Alinsky tactics, and we have seen them administered in the recent riots and protests in Ferguson, Cleveland, St. Louis and Chicago.

     And now the rules for radicals are evident in the protests beginning to surround the current political season.  Just this past weekend, a rally for Donald Trump was cancelled, due to the threat of violent protestors.  But the sad fact of the matter is that I'm not sure how many of the protestors actually know the specifics of why they are protesting.  This generation of Facebook and SnapChat aficionados have become useful tools of agitators who will feed into this generation's desire to participate in drama of any sort.  So when the status quo, or their entitlement, is threatened in any way by a Donald Trump, they are easily convinced they are being deprived of what is rightfully theirs.  That's where the "pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it" tactic becomes most beneficial.   And when a young person doesn't really know what they stand for, or can't articulate it, they become manageable tools for suggestion and manipulation.
     Nothing has changed in the Alinsky methods in the 45 years since he wrote his influential Rules and dedicated it to "Lucifer".  His followers have stuck to his proven tactics ... to incite constant struggle and agitation so that the oppressive “system” would eventually be brought to its knees.  The sad fact, as D.L. Adams articulates in his excellent article, Saul Alinsky and the Rise of Amorality in American Politics, is that Alinsky was a nihilist.  That characteristic is defined as "the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless; there is found nothing to approve of in the established social order", therefore it is best to destroy it.  No wonder he dedicated his book to Lucifer; he's the perfect model of "the Destroyer".
     But perhaps the saddest element of all this chaos is that in the midst of the promises "to take back", to "fundamentally change", and the "virtue of the struggle", there are no real solutions proffered.  It's all about the perceived righteousness of the struggle.  In fact, as Adams suggests,  “Struggle” itself is the purpose and goal of the Alinsky way.

"All life is warfare, and it's the continuing fight against the status quo that revitalizes society, stimulates new values and gives man renewed hope of eventual progress. The struggle itself is the victory." (Alinsky interview)

     And what is left lying in the ashes of that victory?  Society is further divided; there are severe cracks in our moral foundation; and Alinskyites have to keep coming up with a new "struggle" to keep themselves relevant and maintain their power.  Saul Alinsky promised his followers Utopia, and all we've reaped is continued disillusionment and disparagement.  But isn't that exactly what Lucifer has been offering us since the Garden?  It's time we quit listening to the promises of a long-dead radical and turn to the hope that individual responsibility and accountability offer.  Morality and ethics may have no value for the "radical" who wants to overturn the institutions of society and save the world, but they are gifts to us from a God who truly desires the best for us.  Isn't it time we start following His rules?  
   
Galatians 5:10    "I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty."

Hosea 4:6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I will reject you from serving as My priest.

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I will also forget your sons.

     The first line of this verse is probably quite familiar to most of you.  In fact, these words have become a familiar refrain among Evangelicals and those who believe that we are in the End Times.  The "lack of knowledge" has been seen as the reason that God seems to have turned His face from us ... It is discerned that His people are consumed with their status in this world, rather than their future in the next; that the desires of the flesh rule the yearning of the spirit, and there is no longing to know more of our God.  And our "destruction" is the sad and inevitable result.

     But what exactly does God mean in this passage... that we are "destroyed"?  The Hebrew word here is dâmâh, and it means to be "cut off" or "brought to silence".  That's probably a little milder meaning that what we in the West ascribe to being destroyed.  But why would we be silenced?  Scripture says for "lack of knowledge" and because we "rejected knowledge".  In other words, the Lord is telling us that because of our ignorance of Him, we are rendered as useless in His kingdom, and we are not worthy to serve as priests in His kingdom on earth. 

     It is important for us to understand the role we are purposed to play as the priesthood of believers. I ask you to recall the following admonition:  "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ … But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:5-9).

    We must see what a privilege it is to be chosen as a priest of God in the New Covenant, just as it was to be chosen a priest by God in the Old Testament.  But we know that the Old Testament priesthood is no longer necessary. Now people can come directly to God through our great High Priest, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16). There are now no earthly mediators between God and man as existed in the Old Testament priesthood (1 Timothy 2:5).  But, as I said, all believers have been chosen by God: a "chosen generation...His own special people"; and it will be a privilege to serve God face-to-face in the Millennial Kingdom and for eternity. 

     In the meantime, we are called to serve Him in the here and now, but we only deserve that privilege if we seek knowledge of Him and offer living sacrifices of praise for the power of Jesus in our lives.  

     And here's what I love so much about studying the Bible, and digging deep, and receiving new revelations of Him every day ... there's a parallel verse in Isaiah 5:13 that says the same thing:  "Therefore My people go into captivity [to their enemies] without knowing it and because they have no knowledge [of God]. And their honorable men [their glory] are famished, and their common people are parched with thirst."

     The interesting thing is that this verse lies in the heart of what is referred to as The Parable of the Vineyard.  The sense that I derive from this parable is that The Lord carefully planted His vineyard, choosing the nation of Israel to bring forth righteous fruit, but they yielded "wild grapes" instead (poison fruit).  The result was God's favored people did not seek Him nor justice, but became oppressed by the poison fruit that spread throughout them.  This further resulted in them going into captivity by their enemies (both of the flesh and spiritual), leaving the people hungry and thirsting for knowledge of their God.   God ultimately prophecies their destruction.  

      Can you see the parallel with our generation?  We believers have been chosen to yield fruit for the Kingdom, but we have rejected knowledge of God, and have become oppressed and taken into captivity by the Enemy.  Therefore, we are not fit to serve as priests, and cannot claim victory by the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and have been silenced.  By receiving God's mercy and the gift of salvation, we should be zealous for good works to praise Him and proclaim His glory. We should be growing in our faith and producing fruit and helping others to come out of their captivity in darkness and into the Light.

     But as Hosea 4:6 tells us, it comes back to an ignorance issue.  We have access to the knowledge that we are in a spiritual war and God has given us ways to effectively win that war (through the authority of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit).  But we remain ignorant and refuse to learn and apply the knowledge.   

     The rest of Hosea tells us that since we have forgotten the law of our God (His teaching and instruction), He will forget our sons.  What I believe this means is that God will hold us accountable for rejecting the knowledge He has offered us.  If we fail to take advantage of it, then we are unable to fulfill His purpose for our lives.  He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a purpose and a plan for each one of us, and the common purpose is the Great Commission; to spread the Good News of Jesus's authority and power to deliver us from evil and our sinful nature.  

     If we fail to learn or apply that knowledge in our roles as the priesthood of believers, then how many of our fellow souls will be lost to Satan's grip?  How many will be forgotten by God because He does not know them?  As Ecclesiastes 7:12 says, "For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors." 

     That brings us back to the first admonition .... lives cannot be preserved if we lack the knowledge of how to preserve them.  If we do not acknowledge the authority of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to conquer the enemy and free us from his schemes and captivity, then we are unqualified to serve as priests of the Holy God.  We have lost a huge part of our effectiveness in the Kingdom and our vineyards will bear considerably less fruit.  I don't know about you, but I want to serve Him in any role I can, and I want to praise Him for the deliverance and freedom I have seen Him bestow on those who trust Him to set them free.  How I pray that He will raise up a mighty remnant in these last days that have pure and authentic knowledge of Him, and are zealous to share it with the world.  Just think of the fruit that would be produced for His Holy Kingdom!  

Freemasonry Part 3: How It Has Infiltrated the Church

     This is perhaps the most difficult segment of my three-part exposition on Freemasonry.  It is in this post that we must examine the existence of Freemasonry in our Church bodies and how it effects not only the salvation of those involved, but the work of the saved Christian for the Kingdom of God.
     I am writing from the supposition that Freemasons are members of our Churches, and I assure you, they are.  I know that there are many who will argue that they (or  their beloved fathers or grandfathers) do not share the same understanding of Masons that I have alleged; that for them, their membership in the Masonic Order has been for business contacts, or social purposes, or because it is a family heritage.  And they may even be ignorant of the underlying religious teachings of Freemasonry.  As I have stated in the previous posts, they may think that the oaths they took to the Creator, the Eternal God, or the Everlasting God referred to YHWH and Jesus.
     But do they know of the spirit of deception that controlled Albert Pike, the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Masonic Order, and the founder of much of modern Freemasonry's rituals?  Do they know that he wrote in his Morals and Dogma (p. 333), "The Book of the Law shall be an indispensable article of the lodge furniture. This book, however, need not necessarily be the Holy Bible; but according to the religious faith of the members of the lodge. It may be the Koran, the Zend Avesta, or the Vedas or Shasters."  The Koran, we know, but what of the others?  The Zend Avesta is the sacred book of Zoroastrianism containing its cosmogony, law, and liturgy, the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster.  The Vedas is the most ancient Hindu scriptures, written in early Sanskrit and containing hymns, philosophy, and guidance on ritual for the priests of Vedic religion.  Shasters, in Hindu, is any book of instructions, particularly containing Divine ordinances.  Wouldn't this present a problem for a Masonic Christian who professes his belief in Jehovah, the One True God?
     Furthermore, do these Christians who are members of a Masonic lodge know that on page 524 of his Morals and Dogma that Pike proclaims, "We do not undervalue the importance of any Truth. We utter no word that can be deemed irreverent by anyone of any faith ... And as little do we tell the sincere Christian that Jesus of Nazareth was but a man like us, or His history but the unreal revival of an older legend."  I can certainly see how Christians could be ignorant of the foundation of Freemasonry.  It is quite apparent that deceiving them into believing they are honoring their God is an acceptable practice ... and make darn sure you don't tell them that YHWH isn't the only god being worshipped!  In fact, multiple deities are being worshipped at the altar of Freemasonry!  And do you think that is acceptable to our God?!?  Is He agreeable to being lumped in with all the other foreign gods?  Does that sound like the same God of the Bible, who said, You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God?
     I admit that all I am saying would be very confusing and contradictory to a Christian who is also a Mason.  And all Christian Masons cannot be judged by the same standards.  In his fine article, Freemasonry and the Christian Church, Russ Wise points out that there are different categories of Christian Masons.  First, there are some who do not have a clear knowledge of Christianity. They believe that religion and Christianity are the same and that if someone uses the Scriptures, that person must be a Christian. Such people are sincere but untaught. Because they do not know what Christianity teaches, they see nothing wrong with Freemasonry.   A second category would be those who do not know what Masonry is and what it teaches. They are not only uninformed about Christianity but are equally uninformed about the teachings of Freemasonry. These individuals are without any theological foundation on which to discern truth from error. Likewise, they are often ignorant of the occult direction the Lodge has taken over the past few decades.
     A third group is made up of individuals who profess Christ, yet continue as Masons regardless of how much they know about Christianity and Freemasonry. They are indeed in a state of rebellion and have chosen not to follow the truth of Christ.  The final group are those who profess Christ and yet have abandoned the Christian faith. Those who have embraced this position are essentially Unitarian in their belief. They no longer hold to the absolute deity of Christ or His blood atonement.
     In any of these cases, and independent of the degree of ignorance of Freemasonry's foundations, I am reminded of the words of the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 18:21.  In his confrontation with the occultic wickedness of Kind Ahab and Jezebel, Scriptures says Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.  And so today, The Great Architect of the Universe in Freemasonry has become the modern Baal.  And the Bible is clear ... you cannot serve two masters! But the people said nothing...

     And here is where Satan is winning the battle.  You see, Masons are encouraged to be an active member in their local church, and therefore, you often find that the most influential members of a particular church are Masons.  They can be found on various Church boards, are deacons or elders, and often control the finances of a church.  And, of course, many are pastors.  While not advocating that Masons be denied membership in churches, I would be very careful about the positions they hold within your church body.
     It is also interesting to note the varied stances that different denominations have taken on this subject.  Dr. David R. Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries has written a concise blog on church denominations and their acceptance or rejection of Freemasonry.  It is his contention that a Christian who is a Mason can never grow to his full potential in Christ.  And isn't that what we all aspire to?
     There is another issue that I feel cannot be ignored when considering the infiltration of Freemasonry in the Church.  How does the presence of Masons in the congregation affect what is said from the pulpit?  That is where the inspiration of the Holy Spirit comes into play.  True Christians would recognize the false religion of Freemasonry if expressed in its fullness and truth.  But remember ... it is an organization based on SECRECY.
     And the Church must recognize the foundation of Freemasonry, as spoken by Albert Pike, once again in his Morals and Dogma:  "Religion ... must needs be alloyed [mixed] with an amount of error [lying] ... the religion of the many must necessarily be more incorrect than that of the refined and reflective few" (page 224).  And again on page 102 in his Teaching for the 3rd Degree:  "A spirit ... that loves wisdom and contemplates the Truth close at hand, is forced to disguise it, to induce the multitudes to accept it ... Fictions are necessary to the people ...".  There you have it!  Lying is not only encouraged, it is necessary to protect the false truth of "the refined and reflective few".
     So, I come to you, pleading in all earnestness --- Do your research on Freemasonry!  Can you really turn a blind eye to the implications of false religious doctrine, even if it means conflict within your Church?  Don't you want your Church to stand for God's unadulterated and pure Truth?  Or are you willing to compromise with the world to keep the peace and maintain unity within your Body?  Will you be able to stand before God and profess that you did all you could to remove false doctrine and influences from His Church?  Will Jesus remove your lampstand?
     But I warn you... it will cost you.   To stand against Satan and his false religious systems is not for the fainthearted.  I urge you to read the testimonies of Southern Baptist pastors Stewart Bedillion, Pierce Dodson and Stoney Shaw, as they provide classic examples of the response to any rejection of Freemasonry in the Church.  Funny thing is, I can identify with each of these scenarios... it is a lonely road.  But one that I cannot shy away from because my Lord has shown me the truth through the Holy Spirit.  And that is my prayer for you.  That you will search the Scriptures for God's Truth, and not blindly follow any human leader or organization.  Pray for your pastor that he will have the strength to stand for True Doctrine, and that he will be like Elijah, unwilling to compromise for the sake of glorifying The One True God.  Do not be tempted to fall for the lies, deception, and delusion that Satan so enticingly offers.  And most of all, put on your full armor of God to withstand the slings and arrows that will come from exposing the Enemy's false and blasphemous promises.  May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May He make His face shine upon you, and be gracious towards you. And may He lift up His countenance towards you, and give you peace.

When doing your research on Freemasonry, there are many knowledgeable articles from which to choose, and you will find many that speak the truth from a Biblical perspective.  Here are just a few:  Christians and Freemasonry; Freemasonry and the Christian Church; The Impact of Freemasonry Within The Church; and What Are the Ramifications of Freemasonry in Your Church?

Galatians 1:6-9     "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed."