Hebrews 8:13

When God speaks of “A new covenant,” He makes the first one obsolete. 

And whatever is becoming obsolete (out of use, annulled) 

and growing old is ready to disappear.

     Sometimes I am amazed that in this supposedly "enlightened" age, we in the Body of Christ, can still be so confused about the meaning of Scripture.  Hebrews 8:13 is one of those verses, that if not considered in the whole context of Jesus's mission on earth, can easily be misconstrued.

     I have heard it explained that this verse is spoken in reference to "the Law".  And we have to even be careful when using that terminology, because Christians conflate the Mosaic Law and God's Law, and tend to relegate "the Law" to the ceremonial system of rules God designed to direct the lives of the Israelites under the Mosaic Covenant.  But the Law was more than the Ten Commandments which were embodied in the Mosaic Law given at Sinai.  Those ten commandments were an extension of the eternal moral law of God as it was given to Israel to govern her life as a nation, in order to experience God’s blessing under the Abrahamic covenant.  And God's moral law is eternal!

     But we have been told that we no longer live under the Law and we abide in the Age of Grace... that the Law was instituted under the Old Covenant and we are under the New Covenant, by which Christ told us He came not to destroy the Law and the prophets, but to fulfill.  Then, we are told that "to fulfill" means "to bring an end to", or "to do away with".  That is when this verse in Hebrews, Chapter 8, is brought forth to prove that the Law is equated with the Old Covenant, which is declared in verse 13 to be "obsolete".

     This controversy has led to a whole lot of misunderstanding among the Body of Christ.  There will be those who say the Law no longer has any significance for us, and that is what verse 13 is saying.  But I would venture that this is a gross exaggeration. First of all, it depends on exactly what you mean by "The Law".  Secondly, it depends on a correct understanding of "Old" and "New" Covenant.  The fact that the Mosaic law (and its rituals of animal sacrifice for salvation) has been terminated does not mean that there is no law in this age of grace.  The New Testament is full of references to various forms of law under God's direction:  “the perfect law of liberty" (James. 1:25), “the royal law” (James. 2:8), the Law of Christ (Galatians. 6:2), and the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus (Romans. 8:2). These all point to various commands found throughout the epistles which comprise God's Law. They cover all areas of the believer’s life to direct him in the will of God in today’s world.

     We can all agree that the Mosaic Law was weak because it was dependent on man’s ability, and God put an end to that system with the advent of Christ.  But that was the system God used to divorce the Israelites from the pagan ways of their centuries of bondage in Egypt.  They were so steeped in the occultic practices and sins of Egypt that they had lost any sense of a relationship with their God.  The Mosaic Law was designed to build and maintain a proper relationship (through covenant) between God and His people Israel (blessing versus cursing), but only until the coming of Messiah and the establishment of a New Covenant. The Mosaic Law was never designed to be a permanent rule of life. It was merely a tutor or guardian to guide Israel in all areas of her life until Christ.

     A reading of the entire Chapter of Hebrews 8 clearly shows that it is not "the Law" (in the form of ceremonial rituals and restrictive rules) that is the focal point of what will become obsolete between the Old and the New Covenant; indeed, God says in verse 10, "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people".  What I believe the Scripture is saying is that the method of instituting God's law through animal sacrifice and ceremonial rituals will become obsolete.  The Law, itself, will be written on our hearts as we walk by the Spirit of Christ in our faith, and the Covenant of relationship with God will be renewed.  It is not a matter of one Covenant being replaced by another.  Rather, the way of receiving God's grace (through the blood sacrifice of animals) will become obsolete, but not the need for the sacrifice, itself.  God still demanded that, and it was fulfilled in the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus.  The need for God's laws remain ... and they are circumcised upon our hearts because the means of blood sacrifice to receive God's grace and mercy is no longer demanded.

     It is no wonder that the Body of Christ is confused, and accused of legalism if you proclaim that the Law still exists, and is written on your heart.  It doesn't help to understand the issue when statements such as these are made:  "Since the Lord Jesus Christ fulfills the Law by His person and work, believers are under a new law; the obligation to walk by the Spirit of Life through faith (Rom. 8:2-4). If we are led by the Spirit, then we are not under the Law (Gal. 5:18)".  Or this statement:  "Against such, i.e., the fruit of the Spirit, there is no law because the believer is then operating under the highest law, the standards are met as we walk by the Holy Spirit and grow in the Word (Gal. 5:22)".  Can you see how difficult it is for us to all come to an agreement of what "the Law" is, or which law we are talking about?  

     It is important to understand that there is a very definite difference between God's laws which are moral commandments, and the commandments contained in ordinances which had to do with the ceremonies of the old Jewish rituals for receiving grace. And it is because the unlearned Church misapplies Bible statements about these different kinds of laws (and their purpose) that they become confused.  And the result?  The Body of Christ ends up in endless and circular arguments; even to the point of disagreeing if the Ten Commandments are part of the "Old Covenant", and therefore obsolete!  It shouldn't be that hard!  Yes, the system of sacrifice under the Law of Moses did vanish away; but those animal sacrifices were instituted and designed to prepare the way for the sacrifice of Christ, and then to pass away -- all as a principle of God's continual Covenant with men.  That covenant of relationship did not end, it was simply renewed in faith in Christ.  And unlike the old sacrificial system (which was temporary), this method of receiving God's grace is designed to last for eternity.  Praise God for His Mercy and Grace!

Changing God's Truth In The Evangelical Community

     As I have previously stated, I don't get too caught up in following the popular preachers and speakers in today's Christian community.  But maybe I should start paying more attention.  Just as a firestorm has erupted over evangelical pastor Andy Stanley's sermon on the sufficiency of the Bible, so has a similar uproar ignited over Jen Hatmaker's remarks regarding same-sex marriage.
     I have to admit that I have heard her name, but was unfamiliar with Hatmaker's position in the evangelical community.  She appears to be part of the new breed of evangelical Christians ... a young author, speaker, blogger, and television personality.  Specifically, she and her husband were hired by HGTV to host a show titled, "My Big Family Renovation," chronicling their overhaul of an old farmhouse.  The show became a hit, and HGTV announced that they have asked Jen and her husband, Brandon, back for a new series entitled “My Biblical Doctrine Renovation.”

     In the words of the network spokesperson, “The Hatmakers have an uncanny knack for tearing down old, worn-out, traditional things and replacing them with new, shiny fixtures and appliances, and they’ll be using these skills to renovate a traditional teaching from Scripture in each episode ... In every fun, relatable episode of the show, the Hatmakers will take a boring, traditional biblical doctrine, rip it to shreds using words like ‘tender’ and ‘nuanced,’ and replace it with something much more modern and acceptable ... Viewers will get to see the detailed, step-by-step process of updating out-of-vogue beliefs into something cutting-edge and trendy.”  If this is the direction the young evangelical community is headed, I'm glad I don't identify with them or adhere to their apostate teachings.
     And it looks as if Jen's first "renovation" project is homosexuality and same-sex marriage.  And by the swift response her stance is receiving, I might suggest that she rethink being "modern and acceptable" or "cutting-edge and trendy", and take another look at what the Bible actually says.
     The hubbub all began as a result of an interview Hatmaker did with Religion News Service, and the answer she gave to the following questions: Politically speaking, do you support gay marriage?  Her answer:  "From a civil rights and civil liberties side and from just a human being side, any two adults have the right to choose who they want to love. And they should be afforded the same legal protections as any of us. I would never wish anything less for my gay friends.
     From a spiritual perspective, since gay marriage is legal in all 50 states, our communities have plenty of gay couples who, just like the rest of us, need marriage support and parenting help and Christian community. They are either going to find those resources in the church or they are not.
     Not only are these our neighbors and friends, but they are brothers and sisters in Christ. They are adopted into the same family as the rest of us, and the church hasn’t treated the LGBT community like family. We have to do better".
     And how would you respond if one of your children were gay?  Her answer:  "I think we would parent that child exactly the same as the rest of them. Which is to say, we would always be on their side and in their corner and for them and with them. We want for all of our kids the same thing: faithful, committed marriage and a beautiful family that is committed to God and the church. I would have the same standard across the board, no matter what".
     You mention faithfulness and God. Do you think an LGBT relationship can be holy?  Her answer: "I do. And my views here are tender. This is a very nuanced conversation, and it’s hard to nail down in one sitting. I’ve seen too much pain and rejection at the intersection of the gay community and the church. Every believer that witnesses that much overwhelming sorrow should be tender enough to do some hard work here".  [There's the "tender and nuanced" that HGTV is looking for!]

     All of this sounds very "New Age-y" and loving and compassionate.  But nowhere do I see her actually address what the Bible says about sexual sin.  As a committed Christian, I absolutely believe in the Bible and what it says about God’s will regarding sexual behavior.  I believe just as strongly in unconditional love and forgiveness.  But that love and forgiveness cannot supersede God's moral laws.  His Word emphatically says, “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination (Leviticus 20:13)….”.
     But how many in this modern Christian Age actually know what is meant by that word abomination?  According to Strong's Concordance, when used with reference to God, this word describes people, things, acts, relationships, and characteristics that are detestable to Him because they are contrary to His nature.  And what is His nature in regard to the sexes?  It is stated from the very beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 1:27: So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.  It is not in God's nature to be accepting of anything that goes against what He has created.  And no matter how many laws are passed in favor of gay marriage; or how accepting and loving Society and the Church wants to be, it will not change God’s mind.  And I know that many in the young evangelical movement will cite that verse as part of the out-of-touch Old Testament Law that does not pertain to our modern society.  But to suggest that this verse is invalid today is to advocate the dangerous practice of redefining or deleting God's Nature and what He has said.
     I want to be very clear ... I am not saying we should not love people who have adopted the homosexual lifestyle.  We should love our fellow man or woman with the fear of God and the mercy of Jesus.  We should love them enough to be honest with them, and not distort the Word of God to make them feel better about sinful desires.  We all sin and fall short!  And it is not the lifestyle that I focus on, as much as it is their unbelief in the Word of God.  When the Bible says we are to die to ourselves, and to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, I believe it!  In fact, Paul states it so clearly in Ephesians 4:22-24:  in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
     I highly recommend that you read a response to Jen Hatmaker's conciliatory position.  It is written by Rosaria Butterfield, and titled Love Your Neighbor Enough To Speak Truth.  In the article, Rosaria gives her testimony about dying to the [homosexual] life she loved in order to gain Christ.  She makes a powerful statement: "When something feels right and good and real and necessary—but stands against God’s Word—this reveals the particular way Adam’s sin marks my life. Our sin natures deceive us. Sin’s deception isn’t just “out there”; it’s also deep in the caverns of our hearts.
     How I feel does not tell me who I am. Only God can tell me who I am, because he made me and takes care of me. He tells me that we are all born as male and female image bearers with souls that will last forever and gendered bodies that will either suffer eternally in hell or be glorified in the New Jerusalem. Genesis 1:27 tells me that there are ethical consequences and boundaries to being born male and female. When I say this previous sentence on college campuses (Rosaria is a former tenured professor of English at Syracuse University)—even ones that claim to be Christian—the student protestors come out in the dozens. I’m told that declaring the ethical responsibilities of being born male and female is now hate speech".
     In other words, there now appear to be people, groups, denominations, and Christian movements who are willing to depart from God's absolute Truth, and to distort the Biblical doctrine of sin in order to be "on their side" or to relate to "the pain and rejection" that Jen Hatmaker says the Church has caused the LGBT community.
     But as Rosaria Butterfield eloquently explains, "We can not have illicit love and gospel peace at the same time; sin and Christ cannot abide together ... the cross never makes itself an ally with the sin it must crush, because Christ took our sin upon Himself and paid the ransom for its dreadful cost."
     Like Butterfield, I advocate loving relationships with all people and open doorways to share God's Truth.  And like my God, in whose image I am made, I do not wish anyone to be lost.  I truly want my words to reflect His mercy and desire for reconciliation with Him.
     But I am a realist, and I know my opinion will certainly be an unpopular one with those in the world; and most likely spurned among evangelicals, who like Jen Hatmaker, feel the traditional Word is in need of "renovation and updating", while she desperately tries to be politically relevant.
     In summary, I see a form of Christianity being promoted that is only interested in pleasing the masses, rather than convicting the lost.  Pastors, and leaders, and teachers are willing to excuse Biblical sin rather than hurting someone's feelings.  No mention of Judgment is allowed, and Repentance is never sought.  Our faith has become politically correct instead of Biblically accurate.  When we preach indulgence instead of declaring sin, we are deceiving those who are sinning, as well as ourselves.  In the end, we are preaching our words -- not His Word -- and sadly, they are void of Truth and Salvation.

2 Peter 3:9   "The Lord isn’t slow about keeping His promises, as some people think He is. In fact, God is patient, because He wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost."

Andy Stanley and the Sufficiency of the Bible

     Just last week I felt a prompting to present my views on the sufficiency of the Bible, and once again that topic is at the forefront of my conscience and spirit.  In that article, I admitted that I don't focus on the viewpoints of the pastors and theologians who seek the spotlight.  That's not to say that I don't seek out commentaries or teachers who have proven to me that they regard the Bible as infallible and sufficient, and who seek only to understand what God desires to be revealed about Himself.  I understand that not everyone is going to agree on an interpretation, and I can respect the opinions of those who differ with me --- as long as they don't dishonor the Word of God.
     So, I guess it's my turn to wade into the floodwaters created by a recent series of sermons by Andy Stanley, titled "The Bible Says So".  First, let me say, that I have avoided forming my own opinion based on the opinions of others.  I wanted to read and hear for myself, exactly what Andy Stanley said about the adequacy of the Bible as the foundation of our faith.  I wanted to see if I agreed with his premises, and then I would consider what the most prominent and influential of our modern theologians had to say.
     Based on the Stanley transcripts I have read, I am sadly disappointed -- once again -- in the modern Church's willingness to compromise, rather than possibly offend, fellow believers.  I will, first, let Andy Stanley defend himself over the controversy he has caused.  He says he wants to "address the elephant in the room ... I believe the Bible is without error in everything it affirms. I believe what the Bible says is true, is true ... During “The Bible Told Me So,” I wanted educated, dechurched millennials to know [that I knew] that those who supposedly know everything are convinced there was no worldwide flood or Hebrew migration from Egypt. While addressing them directly, I gave them the benefit of the doubt to make the following point: Even if those events never occurred, it does nothing to undermine the evidence supporting the resurrection of Jesus and thus the claims he made about himself...".

     And from what I have been able to discern about Andy Stanley's personal doctrine of belief, he prefers to concentrate on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the underpinning of our faith... nothing wrong with that.  But he appears to do that apart from the Bible.  Here's what it comes down to:   Does Andy Stanley believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God – or is it simply “inspiring?”  For instance, in his sermon, Stanley begins by making this point:

Perhaps you were taught, as I was taught, Jesus loves me, this I know – and let’s all finish it together – for the Bible tells me so. Yes. This is where our trouble began.

     What can he possibly mean by "trouble"?  He went on to explain that the canonization process of the Bible was utilized by early Christian Fathers to weed out manuscripts that had not been penned by the Apostles, or by someone who had worked closely with an apostle (such as Mark or Luke). Stanley remarks that the Bible, as a single book, wasn’t really assembled until near the end of 4th Century A.D.  That is true, but the point he derives from that fact is flawed as his sermon shows...

Before the Old Testament and New Testament were combined and titled the Bible – this is unbelievable – Christianity had already, before there was a Bible, replaced the pantheon of Roman, barbarian, and most Egyptian gods, and was the state religion of the Roman Empire. And no one had ever held in their hand a Bible! The first, second, and third century Christians who faced tremendous hardship – don’t miss this – believed Jesus loved them before the Bible told them so. Peter believed Jesus loved him, James did, John, Luke, Paul, they – listen, this is huge – Peter, James, Paul the apostle, they did not choose to follow Jesus because of an infallible Old Testament or a non-contradicting New Testament.

     So, what he seems to be saying is that who Jesus was, what Jesus said, and what He did are, rightfully, of the utmost importance; and perhaps we are putting too much emphasis on the Bible as the authoritative Word of God.  And there is the implication that we no longer need to believe that the Bible is all we need to equip us for a life of faith and service.  He seems to be saying the Early Church didn't even have the finished Bible until the 4th Century, so it obviously wasn't of primary importance to the promulgation of the Faith.
     But that is more than a little misleading.  As Don and Joy Veinot point out in their insightful article, Andy Stanley and the Bible, "For example, it is true that the binding of scriptures into a single volume occurred a few centuries into Church history, but all of the content of the Bible was [in existence]in the First Century. Therefore, the scriptures, though not yet bound together, were all held in the hands of Christians in the First, Second and Third centuries, as separate documents. In fact, the Ante-Nicene Fathers (church leaders before the Council of Nicaea) quoted from the written documents prolifically. The Fathers [of the Church] quoted from the scriptures in order to underpin and validate their own arguments, to prove what they were saying by the revealed and written Word of God! This practice was certainly not new to them – they were carrying on the noble tradition which the Bereans followed with the Apostle Paul and the Old Testament: Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:11)."
     Sadly, Stanley goes on to undermine the sufficiency and necessity of regarding the Bible as the foundation of our faith with unsettling suggestions that the Bible, as a support for our faith, is both "unreliable and fragile".  During his sermon, he made statements like this:  "In other words, imagine this conversation. You know somebody with all this information, comes to the apostle Peter ... and says, ‘Hey before you [get] all geeked out on this following Jesus thing, do you realize there is no evidence for a worldwide flood? Before you get all crazy about the Jesus thing, do you know there’s no archaeological evidence for the exodus? Hey Paul, before you all, and Peter, before you get all crazy by the Jesus thing, you realize the earth is more than 6000 years old, that whole genealogy in Genesis?’ ".
     Stanley went on ... "Peter would’ve looked at you like, ‘I’m not really sure what you’re talking about, but, but, but, I followed a man for three years.... The reason I’m following Jesus is because I saw him die and I saw him alive and I went to the streets of Jerusalem to say God has done something among us’."  
     And then, this is where I discern that he stated his real doctrine of belief.  He said, "For the first 300 years, the debate centered on an event – not a book. For the first 300 years of the existence of Christianity, the debate was about an event – not a book. The question was not, is the Bible true, is the Bible true, is the Bible true? The question was – did Jesus rise from the dead? Christianity, don’t miss this. Christianity does not hang by the thread of ‘the Bible tells me so.’ And if your church sent you off to college with that house of cards, I apologize. And if your entire life, your whole thing has been, ‘I gotta defend the Bible, I gotta defend the Bible,’ uh oh, there’s information that looks like it contradicts the Bible. ‘I can’t look over there. Honey don’t look over there.’ I’m so sorry you are left with that fragile version of our faith."  You're kidding me, right?  He's not really saying that the Bible is "a fragile version of our faith, is he?"
     So, here's what Andy Stanley fails to comprehend, if I may ... Yes, Peter could say that he saw Jesus crucified and resurrected.  And, yes, Peter heard, first hand, the teachings of the Son of God and knew and understood that the Kingdom of God was among them in the person, Jesus Christ.  But as the Venoits express so eloquently in their article, "Unfortunately, we, as people who were not eyewitnesses to the resurrection, cannot say the same! It is primarily the Bible which makes the case, and we cannot possibly base our faith upon the resurrection without it! How would any of us know the truth of the resurrection without [the Bible's] testimony?"
   
     It makes me extremely sad -- and yes, somewhat angry -- that the modern Church seems hell-bent on making the message of God appealing to the world.  What is it afraid of?  If, as Andy Stanley asserts, the Bible isn't reliable -- or it's just a fragile version of the truth -- then how can the message of Jesus be reliable ... since the Bible is our only reference for His Gospel?!?  How can the Resurrection be believed, since the Bible is our only source of that supernatural event?
    It is my further understanding that Mr. Stanley is now back-peddling somewhat regarding his remarks, although from somewhat of an unrepentant stance, saying, " My approach to preaching is not traditional... The world has changed.  The approach most of us inherited doesn’t work anymore. Actually, it’s never worked all that well. In a culture that had high regard for the Bible, the traditional approach held its own... [But] Eight years ago I shifted my approach. I didn’t announce it. I just did it. The results have been remarkable. You may not like my approach. That’s fine. I just hope you don’t stick with an approach you inherited because it’s comfortable."  Am I understanding him correctly ... "a culture that had high regard for the Bible" seems to indicate he no longer shares that regard.  And I guess I'm supposed to let that statement go unchallenged, because he's comfortable with making it.
     And to be honest, I'm disappointed to find that very few pastors or theologians have publicly challenged Stanley on his disturbing contentions.  And if they did, they more closely resembled John Piper's lukewarm exegesis on Stanley's sermon.  Piper seems more interested in defending Stanley's preaching style, than he does in defending the sufficiency of the Bible.  And is there anyone in the "celebrity pastor" sphere who still believes there is no substitute for Scripture?  (I suggest reading a powerful exposé on both Stanley and Piper by writer Bud Ahlheim at the Pulpit & Pen website).
     I hope that this blog post doesn't seem as if I have overblown the controversy that swirls around Andy Stanley's sermon.  But, frankly, I am tired of the "New Age apologetics" being promoted by popular pastors.  I get it ... I know what they are shying away from, namely the "fire and brimstone" sermons of yesteryear.  They are concerned about reaching the young people, and they don't want to "turn off" an already-alienated culture to the Church.  But, let's be honest --- it is precisely because the  Church has abandoned preaching the reality of hell in favor of a softened and more mellow Jesus who only wants to "love you" that our culture and the world is in the mess it is in.  It is time that we hold pastors and teachers responsible for what they preach ... because whether or not they believe the Word of God is infallible and insufficient, it tells them they will certainly be accountable to Jesus for how they presented His Word.

Hebrews 4:12   "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."



 

The Demonic Origins of Halloween

   

I'm not going to sugarcoat it.  Halloween is an evil holiday.  It is not some harmless night of fun for the kids.  It actually has its roots in ancient paganism.  In fact, the Luciferian occultists celebrate eight major ritualistic "holy days":
December 21st (Yule, or the Winter Solstice);
February 1st (Candlemas, also Groundhog's Day; a Illuminati Human Sacrifice night);
March 21st (homage to goddess Ostara; Human Sacrifice Night);
May 1st (Beltaine Festival, also called Walpurgis Night. This is the highest day on the Druidic Witch's Calendar. May 1st is the Illuminati's second most sacred holiday. Human sacrifice is required);
June 21st (Summer Solstice; Litha is one of the Illuminati's Human Sacrifice Nights);
August 1st (Lughnasa, Great Sabbat Festival; One of the Illuminati's Human Sacrifice Nights); September 24th (Autumn Equinox); and
October 31st, which is the highest and holiest night of sacrifice for the secret society of the Illuminati.
     Halloween was originally known as "All Hallow's Eve", and began in the 7th Century A.D.  It was initially celebrated on May 13th as a night to celebrate the memories of deceased saints and martyrs. The date was then changed to November 1st, which marked the change from summer to fall, and removed the stigma of the holiday from being so close to Beltaine.  Legends began to be circulated of the ghosts of departed ones revisiting their former homes to warm themselves by the fire, and roaming the countryside retrieving offerings of food and drink, supplied by living family members.  But it was rumored that darker forces roamed the night as well; demons, goblins, and witches, all haunting the night with acts of mischief... i.e., "the trick".
     But real witches also roamed the night, acting out their ritual dances around fires, while the devil himself played music for them.  Modern witches and wicca practice similar Halloween rituals, calling on earth's spirits and goddesses to visit their circles of power.
      In an upcoming book by Tom Horn and Josh Peck, entitled Abaddon Ascending: The Ancient Conspiracy at the Center of CERN's Most Secretive Mission, the authors consider, among other topics, the goddess Hecate, the Titan Earth mother of the wizards and witches, who illustrates perhaps better than any other ancient goddess the connection between Wicca, the Celtic Halloween traditions, and the realm of evil supernaturalism.
     Hecate may be considered the original witch of Halloween, and as the dark goddess of witchcraft, Hecate, like Isis, was worshiped with impure rites and magical incantations. Her name was probably derived from the ancient Egyptian word Heka, meaning "sorcery" or "magical," which may explain her association with the Egyptian frog goddess of the same name.
     That is probably where we get the legendary tales associating frogs with witchcraft, and the witch's various potions of frog-wart.  And here is an interesting fact I bet you didn't know:  Because her devotees practiced such magic wherever three paths joined, Hecate was known by the Romans as Trivia ("tri"-three; and "via"-roads). Later, when the Latin church fathers compared the magic of the goddess Trivia with the power of the Gospel, they found it to be inferior, and thus the pursuit of Hecate's knowledge became known as "Trivial Pursuit," or inconsequential.
     But the fact remained that Hecate's followers sincerely believed in and feared her magic, and her presence was legendary. This was primarily due to her role as the sorceress of the afterlife.  But true believers also feared Hecate's ability to afflict the mind with madness, as well as her influence over night creatures. She was thought to govern haunted places where evil or murderous activity had occurred. Such areas where violence or lechery had a history were believed to be magnets of malevolent spirits, something like "haunted houses," and if one wanted to get along with the resident apparitions they needed to make oblations to the ruler of the darkness—Hecate.
     Hecate's most familiar companion was the night owl, who announced the acceptance of the oblations.  And those who gathered on the eve of the full moon perceived the spooky sound of the creature as a good omen. Statues of the goddess bearing the triple-face of a dog, a snake, and a horse overshadowed the dark rituals when they were performed at the crossing of three roads. At midnight, Hecate's devotees left food offerings at the intersection for the goddess ("Hecate's Supper") and, once deposited, quickly exited without turning around or looking back. Sometimes the offerings consisted of honey cakes and chicken hearts. At other time's puppies, honey and female black lambs were slaughtered for the goddess and her followers.

     These followers were women who were deformed by a curse placed on them, and vicious owl-like affiliates of Hecate, who flew through the night feeding on bodies of unattended babies. During the day these followers appeared as simple old women, and such may account for the history of Halloween's flying witches. The same followers hid amidst the leaves of the trees during the annual festival of Hecate, held on August 13, when Hecate's followers offered up the highest praise of the goddess. Hecate's devotees celebrated such festivals by communing with the tree spirits—(Earth spirits, including Hecate, were thought to inhabit trees)—and summoned the souls of the dead from the mouths of nearby caves.
     Hecate was known by a variety of names:  "the one before the gate," a role in which she guarded the entrances of homes and temples from nefarious outside evils (talk about Satan casting out Satan!); and "the one who leads," as in the underworld guide of Persephone and of those who inhabit graveyards.  Finally, she was known as Hecate-Phosphoros, "the light bearer," her most sacred title and one that recalls another powerful underworld spirit, Satan, whose original name was Lucifer ("the light bearer"). It was nevertheless her role as the feminist Earth-goddess-spirit Hecate-Chthonia that popularized her divinity and commanded reverence from among the common people.
     But it is easy to see the connection between ancient paganism and the modern customs and costumes of Halloween. The Hecatian myths adopted by Celtic occultists continue in today's pop culture, symbolism and tradition in the following ways:
•  People visiting neighborhood homes on Halloween night represent the dead in search of food (the treat).
•  Masks of devils and hobgoblins represent evil spirits seeking mischief (the trick).
•  Those who pass out candy represent the homes visited by the dead, or may also represent worried individuals seeking to appease Hecate and other nighttime terrors.
•  The Jack-O-Lantern (will-o-the-wisp, fox fire, fairy fire, etc.) is, according to some histories, a wandering soul stuck between heaven and hell. Others claim the Druids left Jack-O-Lanterns on doorsteps to ward off evil spirits. Another legend concerns a drunk named Jack who made a deal with the devil. Each claims to be the true origin of the Jack-O-Lantern myth.
     And in case you think this is all just a bunch of harmless folklore, I want you to consider this .... not long ago some 300 exorcists flocked to Poland for a week-long congress to examine the current fashion for Halloween-themed monsters like werewolves and vampires the world-over, and the apparent connection between this fascination and a surge in demonic possession. Is it possible that  the world is experiencing an explosion of ancient occultism combined with wicked fascination for ghosts and all things paranormal?  Those who monitor social trends now say that Halloween is the second most popular holiday, surpassed only by Christmas; itself full of pagan symbolism.
      I don't think we can ignore that in the United States alone, there are as many as 8 million practitioners of witchcraft. On college and high school campuses vampires, werewolves, and other "creatures of the night" are esteemed as objects of desire and idolized by young men and women who view them as cult icons of envious mystical power. (The popularity of the Twilight movie franchise exhibits this dangerous fascination).
     Almost daily we read how Satanism is spreading to public schoolyards and elementary after-school clubs; city council meetings are being opened with invocations to Satan; and even church goers are being enchanted by the darkness.

     It is imperative that we understand that the Mass Media, including the Internet, television, film, radio, and other communications systems, have traded Bela-Lugosi-like vampires of former years and silly Abbott and Costello's Frankensteins and Mummies, (which could be vanquished with Christian symbols), for monsters of profound demonic character depicted as impervious to Christ's power. As a result, today's youth have exchanged yesterday's pigtails and pop-guns for pentagrams and blood covenants aligned with forces far stronger than former generations could have imagined.... and forces that they are ill-informed to withstand.
     It is no stretch of the imagination to suggest this is one of the signs that this age is under demonic influence. If we could see through the veil into the supernatural realm, we would find a world alive with good against evil; a place where the ultimate prize is the soul of this generation and where legions war for control of its cities and people.
     Yet we continue to think that celebrating Halloween is harmless, and we refuse to look beyond the veil to see the dark spiritual forces orchestrating their evil.  I know that there will be those who think this is all exaggerated and nothing but old wives tales, or fanciful legends.  But if you are willing to entertain the smallest possibility that there is any truth to these legends, then why would you partake in the celebration of such wickedness ... and worst of all, why subject a child to the influence of such dark forces.  It's time to come out of our stupor and listen to the discerning spirit that God has given us.  There's a reason these "legends" have existed for as long as they have, and it doesn't take much imagination to see that the forces behind them are gaining in power.

Thanks to Charisma News and author Tom Horn for the research and the information regarding the history of Halloween and its pagan, demonic roots.

Ephesians 5:11   "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."
   

2 Peter 1:10-11

Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble.  

For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior 

Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.

     

     It is obvious from this passage that the subject matter is important to Peter.  He is telling fellow believers to make every effort to confirm (to make sure) of their "calling" and "election".  First of all, we need to understand what is meant by those terms, and then to understand why it is so important to be sure of them.

     Those particular words have caused much difference of opinion in theological circles for centuries.  But, when I have a question, I always go to Strong's Concordance in order to understand what the word was in the original Hebrew or Greek (instead of the sometimes vague or inconclusive English translation).  In this case, the word "calling" is from the Greek word, klesis, and the idea of an invitation is being implied.  It is used especially of God's invitation to man to accept the benefits of salvation.  

     The word "election" has all kinds of implications, and is often used to support the theological premise of predestination.  When one studies the meaning of its origin in the Greek, one finds that it comes from the word, eklegomai, which means "to pick out, select; to choose for oneself".  Interestingly, it does not necessarily imply the rejection of what is not chosen, but "choosing" with the secondary ideas of kindness or favor or love. 

     And how do we confirm or know that our calling or election are confirmed?  Peter says, "If you do these things you will never stumble", thereby affirming your security in them.  But what are "these things"?  They are the faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love that we see evidenced in our lives. (See 2 Peter 1:5-7).  As we see these things in our life, we know that our lives are becoming more like the nature of Jesus. It shows that we are being conformed to His image.  

     As David Guzik points out in his commentary, "It is possible for an unsaved person to do many moral and religious duties. But the "these things" Peter wrote of are matters of the heart, and should be evident in anyone born again. Simply said, if we are called, if we are elect, then we are born again - and if we are born again, it shows in the way that we live".  Furthermore, if we continue to grow and progress in our Christian life through these things, it is a sure way to keep from stumbling.

     Now, we come to the Why it is important to be sure that we have accepted God's invitation and been chosen to live out a righteous life.  It has to do with how you enter into the eternal Kingdom of God.  Peter makes it clear that it is important to know where you stand in your Christian walk so that your entry will be "richly" supplied to you.  We must not skip over the fact that he makes a point about the state of your entrance.  There is more going on here than the knowledge that you will enter the Kingdom of God if you do "these things" and are certain of your "calling" and "election".  The object of not stumbling seems to be how you will enter the Kingdom, and Peter is implying that it should be a goal to do it "richly".  

     The 19th Century British evangelist Frederick Meyer gave a wonderful analogy about our entry into the eternal Kingdom:  "There are two ways of entering a port. A ship may come in, waterlogged and crazy, just keeping afloat by continual working at the pumps; or it may enter with every sail set, her flag floating at the mast-head. The latter is what the Apostle Peter desires for himself and those whom he addresses. He desired that an entrance abundant should be ministered unto them."

     I'm sure you've heard the contemporary version of this analogy ... something along the lines of "if I can just skid into heaven under the wire, that's good enough for me."  But is it?  Is that what we really want?  Which would you rather accomplish --- to come in unrecognized and unknown, or be welcomed by scores and hundreds or thousands of God's heavenly host to whom you have been the means of a blessing, and who are awaiting you in honor and celebration?

     It must not be lost on us that coming into the Kingdom was so important to Peter that he felt it necessary to remind believers to be sure that they did all they could with their invitation from God, so that they could receive the most glorious of entrances.  Do you live each day with that in mind?  Do we realize that our entrance will be a time of celebration?  Which do you want ... to arrive unannounced and unheralded ... or to arrive to the sounds of the heavenly choir singing your praises? We must not take our entrance into eternity for granted, nor as trivial or insignificant.  What a glorious day that will be!

The Election of Our Lifetime

     I got a phone call from my brother yesterday, proudly proclaiming that he had voted early.  Like many of you, he rightly understands that this Presidential election could very well determine the future of our nation as we know it.  If you are not a Christian, then you probably look upon this election as a decision between a life-long politician and an anti-Washington Establishment candidate.
     If you are a Christian, then issues like Supreme Court Justices, who will decide the law of the land in regards to abortion, same-sex marriage, and religious and civil rights, are important to you.  Sadly, if we are looking for a true Christian candidate, then we're out of luck.  But, as I've seen written on several different websites, "we are not voting for a pastor but for a politician".

     And let's not lose sight that we live in a fallen world.  Being Conservative or Liberal does not equal being a Christian.  That's where a candidate's character and integrity come into play.  I think it is pretty safe to say that, the way the world is headed, the next President is going to have a tremendous amount of adversity to deal with.  Which one do you think will stand up to the pressure, and consider what is best for the people, rather than their political future?  I know that is nearly impossible to imagine, given the history of politicians in our lifetime, but I truly believe we are on the precipice of world-changing events that will effect the entire globe... so who do you trust to measure up to that mental, physical, and emotional stress (or at least, which one do you mistrust the least?)
     Here's my true assessment of the Christian voter's dilemma ... It has become clearer and clearer to me that we have abdicated our role as citizens of the Kingdom of God in favor of seeing ourselves as citizens of the United States of America.  Because we have not understood or performed our role as citizens of God's Kingdom, and helped to institute a structured, organized government with the very authority of God behind it, we are suffering the consequences of surrendering our identity.
     Stop and consider this ... To Jesus and His disciples, the term Kingdom of God meant a government that would be established on earth. They anticipated that its arrival would amount to nothing less than a sweeping, overwhelming change in the world order.  Read that highlighted part of the last sentence again.  Have we, the Body of Christ, done that in this country?  No!  Instead, we are seeing more violence, lawlessness, and discord than ever.
     And I firmly believe that we could be facing the advent of one of the most repressive systems in the history of our nation.  So what do we do if God allows that to take place?  What is our role after November 8th, no matter who wins?  It's clear that we have failed in the last several decades to influence the culture or the government.  We have not conducted ourselves as representatives of the Kingdom of God on earth.  Instead we have compromised and made concessions in the hope that we could maintain our status within our own closed faction of society.  But we see where that got us.
     Those who we failed to influence are now not satisfied with our status quo.  And we've forgotten Who we represent on this planet, and sought those politicians we hoped would represent us.  We've lost sight of the fact that America is just our temporary home, and we were to help establish Our Father's Kingdom ... on earth as it is in Heaven.
     Is it too late to reclaim our ambassadorship and citizenship?  Never!  This age in which we live is awash in hostilities, injustice, and fear.  But we serve a King who is the answer to all that!  We can show our fellow citizens that there is a counter-culture that offers hope!  The solution to our nation's problems does not lie in another bill before the Legislature, or a Supreme Court decision, or even who is the 45th President of the United States.  The answer lies in fulfilling our roles as citizens of a very real Kingdom of God on earth.
     If we accept that challenge, we must decide which of the two candidates is most likely to serve our purpose.  To not vote is your choice, as well.  This is the fine line that the Christian must walk; we have dual citizenship, both as citizens of America and the Kingdom.  For myself, I will exercise my right to vote for the leader of my nation; with an eye on which one will allow me to influence my fellow Americans by helping to establish a government with, not only the Authority of God behind it, but with that sweeping, overwhelming change that has been anticipated since our King walked this earth.  It may not come in my lifetime, but I am ready to assume my proper identity and walk out my citizenship in His Kingdom.  May the nation get in step with my Lord.

Ephesians 2:19    "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God’s people), and are [members] of God’s household..."

The Primacy and Sufficiency of The Word of God

     As I scan the abundant number of "Christian" websites, I am actually overwhelmed with the divergent headlines.  They all proclaim to represent The Faith, but so many seem in contrast to each other that I wonder what they base their foundational beliefs upon and who or what is their principal source.  Shouldn't it be the Word of God?
     Just a cursory glance at the website, Pulpit and Pen, reveals an abundance of theological movements and positions, and I almost feel like I am looking at a smorgasbord of "Christian-like" promotions.  I will admit that I am largely unfamiliar with all these people and their doctrinal reputations, but it is obvious that controversy swirls around them all.  There is so much condemnation against each other that it is confusing, and honestly, quite sad.
     Here is just a small sampling of headlines:  Bethel Church: Pimping Heresy; iDisciple ... Your Daily Connection with God or Heretics?; Joyce Meyer Undead, David Barton Buys a Ph.D., and Conan O'Brien is Ordained; If You Hate Hillsong, You Hate God; Carl Lentz to Oprah Winfrey:  You Don't Have To Be A Christian To Have A Relationship With God; and my personal favorite, Kenneth Copeland:  If You Don't Vote For Trump, You're Going To Be Held Accountable to God for Murder.

     I'm sure each of these people believe they are spreading the Gospel of Jesus, according to their own understanding.  But look at the fruit of those "understandings" ... Can anyone explain to me the Biblical principals behind movements like the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), Montanism, Revival Us 2016, Evangelicals For Life, Postmillennial Reconstructionism, the new Feminist Theology, New Calvinsim, and countless others?  Also, so many people considered "Leaders" in the modern Christian circles are at each other's throats. Beth Moore is accused of being a False Teacher; John Piper is being questioned about his support for Rick Warren and Mark Driscoll; the Christian Post is accused of promoting filth and world entertainment; and Kirk Cameron is purported to be pushing a false gospel of American Patriotism.
     Maybe it's no different than those first years after the Ascension of our Lord; maybe nothing has changed since the Gnostics rivaled the early Church, or Simon the Sorcerer promoted himself and his philosophical theology as truth.  There has certainly been a parade of "theologians" down through the centuries who have proffered their version of the Gospel Message.
     And maybe I'm just less educated in Biblical studies, and am unfamiliar with higher levels of theological thought, but I am not interested in all these ideologies, new schools of thought, or radical tenets that seem in conflict with what I read in the Bible.  In fact, I would say that I subscribe to the same belief as the 19th-Century pastor, Charles Spurgeon: "If you wish to know God, you must know His Word. If you wish to perceive His power, you must see how He works by His Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word."
     That's why I find it highly disconcerting to find so many Christians living their faith according to the tenets of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren; or starting each day out by reading the daily devotional in Jesus Calling.  (You can read about my concerns on this controversial, but popular, little book here).  What has happened to the Authority and Sufficiency of the Word of God?  Why is it not enough for us, and why is it not the first and primary source that we go to in order to discern God's will?
     I think what saddens me the most is that I fear many Christians are unable to defend the Word of God against distorted and false teachings... because they do not open their Bibles and actually read the Word of God!  Just look how easy it has been for the new breed of theologians to gather their followings from among the Body of Christ.  One need only look at the profitable businesses that surround many of these movements and individuals.  Why are so many Christians willing to endorse men, women, and groups whose teachings do not align with Scripture?  Have we forgotten what it means to be a good Berean; to diligently search the Scripture to see if what they are saying is God's Truth?  Or are we captivated by a gospel that makes us feel good and is centered on what we want out of this life?
         The bottom line is this:  We either believe that the Bible is the complete Word of God as He intended us to know it, or we think there is more that He wants to say to us through people and movements.  I, for one, know that there is so much He wants to reveal to me; so much that I do not understand.  But I believe it can all be found within the pages of His Holy Book.  By concentrating on what He has to say, and searching for the meaning of His Word through the men He trusted to reveal it, I have received more knowledge of Him than from any human.
     There is so much to learn about YHWH through my personal study of His Word; why would I depend on mere men to give me their interpretations?  For example, I could spend the rest of my life studying the meanings of names and places in the Bible, because they mean something to God and they spoke to the Hebrews and Greeks of the day.  That holiest of Books was not written to us, but it has great meaning for us when we come to understand what God was saying to His Chosen People.  The Bible alone, reveals the true nature of God.  That is why He inspired men to write it, and His Word declares that "It is written" in order to affirm that it is the only pure Word of God.  So, here is what I have determined for myself .... What is at stake in these times of opposing theology and controversial movements is nothing less than God's incorruptible Truth.  And for me, the Holy Bible is my primary and authoritative source.  It is sufficient for me and my spirit.

Psalm 119:160     "The entirety of Your word is truth [the full meaning of all Your precepts], And every one of Your righteous ordinances endures forever."

     

The Power of "Seeing" Jesus

     I am always humbled and amazed and awestruck whenever I experience someone "seeing" Jesus during a deep healing and deliverance session.   My mere words cannot come close in describing the emotional and spiritual impact that can have on a person who is hurting.
     Imagine, if you can, that you are asked to recall a memory of the most traumatic event in your life.  You may be a Believer and have prayed countless times to Jesus and God, the Father, to help you deal with the agonizing consequences in your life that were a result of another's free will decision.  You may have buried those feelings so deep, that you can't even identify that event as the source of your current pain.  But having asked the Holy Spirit to be present and to help you heal, you find yourself back in that moment, with all the terror, pain, and torment of the event.

     Then you are asked to see if Jesus is present in the situation.  A majority of the people that we have been blessed with ministering to have a tremendous emotional breakthrough and exclaim, "He is right here beside me, holding my hand!"  Or, "He is kneeling beside me, crying along with me!"  Or, "He is standing behind me, supporting me!"  For each individual person, there has been a separate, distinct, and personal response.  Some have been quite unusual:  "I can't see Him... Wait, He is outside the window watching me!"  And, "I see Him standing by the mailbox, and He is letting me know He is not leaving".  But almost to a person, they can't help saying, "He has been there all the time!"
     So, how does that happen?  Can we explain it in terms that our human minds can comprehend?  To be honest, I'm not sure.  As my husband and I continue to be obedient to the Lord's command to "do the things He has done", and to be in agreement with Him and to be His agent in "setting the captives free", it has become quite clear that it is the eyes of our spirits that can see Him.
     You see, each of us has been a victim at one time or another in our lives of the Father of Lies.  He's a master at his game, and he's been at it a very long time.  He's so good at what he does that he can twist the reality of our lives and make the Truth look like a Lie, and his Lie look like the Truth.  He works his plan [so well] to keep our hearts and souls in chains and bound to his misery,  that we can't tell the difference between Truth and Lies.
     But when you invite the Holy Spirit to help show you the healing power of Jesus in your life, He can open the eyes of your heart and your spirit, and remove the dirty veil with which the devil has obscured your spiritual sight.  His lie that Jesus didn't really hear your prayers or cries for help; or that He didn't really care about you, are suddenly revealed as deception, and you clearly see your Lord  present and active, while experiencing His power in destroying the demons who have held you in bondage.  Through His Sovereignty, God gives us our imaginations as a tool whereby we can cooperate with Him to participate in securing our freedom that Jesus died for.
     This vision of Jesus in the midst of traumatic life events is powerful to demolish the strongholds in a person's life.  And it happens in the spirit realm, which Jesus is quite capable of overlaying on top of this physical realm.   We are part of His Kingdom of God on earth, and as such, He wants to work with us and interact with us to accomplish His Father's will "on earth as it is in Heaven".  He wants to show us how we can defeat Satan's lies by "seeing" the power of Jesus as He comes in contact with the events of our lives.  Just think how different your life would be if you could see the spirit of fear or anger that has plagued your life, submit to the Name and Power of Jesus and "see" Jesus drop it into a fiery pit.  One person even saw Jesus drop kick the oppressive spirit over a cliff in the abyss.  Another saw Him hurl a spirit like a javelin.  I kid you not!

     Who says Jesus can't do whatever He pleases with Satan's agents?  Are those methods any more outrageous than letting demons enter a herd of pigs and driving them off a cliff to drown?  And if we encounter a particularly stubborn spirit who thinks he doesn't have to surrender to Jesus, it has empowered people to know that we can ask Jesus to send part of His spiritual army to force them to comply.  Seeing a towering warrior angel with a fiery hot sword compel a demon to obey our demand to enter a lockbox to be handed to Jesus, is an image that is not likely to be forgotten!
     But here's the part that gives me such hope for the growing number of people who aren't willing to stay in their bondage ... after seeing Jesus "in the spirit", each person possesses a powerful tool of the Kingdom to prevent recurring enslavement.  Once they have seen Jesus, they know He is present and available and that He can send His warring angels at our request, anytime and anyplace.  These people are able to recognize the old pattern of Satan's attacks, and instead of succumbing to the onslaught of lies and the resulting turmoil in their lives, they quickly close their eyes, ask Jesus to send warring angels to protect them, or rebuke the spirit "in the Name of Jesus", and command it to go where Jesus sends it.
     Remember the story in Luke 8, of the man who had been plagued for years by demons?  He had believed the lies for so long that they had oppressive power over him and he had lived in a state of desperate and hopeless agony.  Then Jesus showed up.  The demons, who before had seemed unconquerable, were reduced to cowering wimps, begging Him not to torment them.  That is the Power of Jesus and the power that is available to all of us, if we are willing to let Him interface with us.  And He can, in the spirit!
     The demons know Him and are afraid of Him.  When we let them know that we have the authority to call on Him and His host of heaven, and that we know we have access to the presence of God, we have real power at our disposal!  The Power of Jesus is His Truth that exposes the Lies of Satan and his demons.  His Presence and that Truth sets us free, and once free we don't ever have to go back to a life of slavery.  And you know what else?  As we exercise our authority and see Him in the spiritual battles of our lives, that sense of freedom increases, deepens, and propels us to bear fruit and greatly impact the Kingdom.
     I want to conclude with this thought ... we are more than flesh that must succumb to the Prince of this world and his followers.  We are spirit beings, as well, who are seated with Him in the heavenly realms from the moment we accept Him as our Savior.  We are united with Him, and a partner in taking back territory from the Enemy.  That is far easier to accomplish when we are able to "see" Him exercise His power in our lives, and show us that we have the authority to use it, too.  I can't wait for the next captive to see Him in the spirit and experience the freedom that will make them a spiritual warrior and an effective ambassador for God's Kingdom.
     Finally, there is a popular contemporary Christian song that says it perfectly:  Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, I want to see You ... Pour out your Power and Love...".  May all the captives "see" Him, feel His love healing their wounds, and watch His Power defeat the Enemy's authority in their lives.

Hebrews 7:25   "Wherefore also, He is able to save completely those that draw near to God through Him, seeing He always lives to make intercession for them."

Genesis 16:13

 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen Him who looks after me.”

     These are the words of Hagar, spoken as a result of the difficult situation she was in as Abram's wife's handmaiden.  Because Abram and Sarai did not trust that God would fulfill His promise to make Abram the father of many nations, they took matters into their own hands.  

    There is an old Jewish tradition which suggests that before they came to live in the Promised Land, Abram and Sarai regarded their childlessness as punishment for not living in the land. But now they were in the land for ten years, and they still had no children. Sarai probably felt it was time to do something. Perhaps she thought along the lines of an old (but unbiblical) proverb, God helps those who help themselves.  

     So she arranged for her handmaiden, Hagar, to conceive a child by Abram. (NOTE:  According to tradition, Hagar would actually sit on the lap of Sarai as Abram inseminated her, to show that the child would legally belong to Sarai, as Hagar was merely a substitute for Sarai.  We see this practice plainly spelled out from the similar occasion of using a servant as a surrogate mother in the case of Rachel's giving of Bilhah to Jacob when Rachel was barren. In that context, Genesis 30:3 reads: So she said, Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her.)     

     In any regard, Abram and Sarai's impatience while waiting on the promise of the Lord made them vulnerable to acting in the flesh.  How many of us can identify with that weakness?  When we impatiently try to fulfill Gods promises in our own effort, it often accomplishes nothing and may even prolong the time until the promise is fulfilled.  In fact, it was 13 years before Hagar would bear Ishmael as Abram's first-borne.

     As it is easy to imagine, Hagar became despised by Sarai.  Perhaps Abram doted on the boy ... he finally had a son in his old age!  Or it is conceivable that Hagar thought herself above Sarai, and displayed some superiority, as well as disdain for her mistress.  And it is also easy to perceive that two women in one household, when one is jealous of the other, makes an unpleasant situation for the man of the house.  But they all shared in the sinful atmosphere -- Hagar for her arrogance, Sarai for her impetuousness, and Abram for not being the spiritual leader of the house and demanding that they remain obedient to God's promise.  It all resulted in conflict and hostility.  Which brings us to the present situation in Genesis 16:13....

     Hagar has fled the harsh actions of Sarai towards her, and escaped into the wilderness.  As she slumps by the spring on the way to Shur, she is visited by the Angel of the Lord, which is the pre-incarnate Jesus, who gives her a Promise of her own.  He instructs her to do something very difficult: return to her mistress and submit to her, whereby He would multiply her descendants exceedingly.  

     We know that He kept His promise.  Ishmael would become the father of all the Arabic peoples.  And the effects of the sins of Sarai, Abram, and Hagar have reached far beyond what they ever could have imagined.  Today's battle between Jews and Arabs can be traced back to Abram's decision to fulfill God's promise in man's wisdom and strength.

     While Hagar's child, Ishmael, would not be the child of God's original Promise, this passage in the Bible tells us that God would still bless and sustain them.  That should give us all hope.  This Scripture tells us that God sees our suffering and desires to touch our life when we suffer.  And Hagar knew this was no mere angel who appeared to her. She called Him the-God-Who-Sees, El Roi.  What a revelation it must have been to realize that the Great God of the Israelites was aware of her, an Egyptian slave girl, who was a ‘non-factor’ in the eyes of everyone else.  

    This is a great lesson for all of us.  We may feel insignificant; we may see ourselves as inconsequential.  But we are fully known. You might be a waitress, or a garbage man, or you might fry burgers at McDonalds.  But God sees you, even when others don’t.   It means you have significance in His eyes.  This should be a point of worship; it was for Hagar.  

     Because God fully knows all about you, you can find rest in being unknown. His complete awareness of you should encourage you and fill you with hope. You should feel significant, exceptional and worthy of His attention.  And because He knows of you and sees you, it should make your life purposeful.  You should feel like shouting to the heavens, He sees me!

The Spirits of War

     As someone who has a member of my extended family engaged in the ongoing war in Iraq, I don't have to tell you that I worry about the toll it will take on members of our military and their families.  As I have gotten more involved with spiritual warfare, it has become quite clear to me that the spiritual entities behind our nation's wars have impacted generations of Americans.
     I am the daughter of a WW II veteran and although my father never showed any outward ramifications of serving in the Navy in the Pacific, I cannot believe that any 17-year-old who enters a war comes home unscathed.  And I recently ran across a testimony on Omega Letter by, I believe, Jack Kelley.  He related how he feels unworthy to be a spokesman for God (I can certainly relate to that statement!), and how he is far from someone who should be held up as a "model Christian" (again, I can identify).
     But it was the story of his relationship with his dad, who was also a member of the Greatest Generation and served in the last World War, that caught my attention.  He recounted the years of bad blood between him and a father he could never get close to.  Maybe it was the years his father spent in an orphanage, before escaping at a tender age and becoming a Depression-era hobo. He 'rode the rails', living in hobo jungles for much of the 1930's. In 1939, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Regiment and shipped out for England.
     Maybe it was because his father fought in the first battle against the German-occupied port of Dieppe in 1940; or that he fought in North Africa, was wounded in Sicily, participated in the Normandy Landing on June 6, 1944, fought his way across France, and was among the troops that liberated the Nazi death camps at Dachau.  That is a lot of war and human suffering to experience, and it must have left deep spiritual wounds.
     Then I recalled an article I wrote a little over a year ago, in which I discussed contributing factors to the increasing rates of suicide among our returning veterans from today's wars.  In the post, I referenced something very important:  "Veterans are saying it themselves, and identifying what I believe is at the root of their despondency; and it's a darkness that encompasses them, a sinister energy that lies to them, sometimes even seeming to speak to their wounded souls."  And I thought, "How many times have my husband and I ministered to desperate people who were hearing voices telling them to kill themselves"?  And in each instance, it was a demonic spirit that had been given legal authority to harass and oppress these people by some traumatic event in their lives.  What is more traumatic than war???
     My mind then seemed to go straight to a memory of reading somewhere that during the Viet Nam War, the native inhabitants placed a curse upon the land so that any foreign enemy who tread upon their nation's ground would be spiritually attacked.  I have heard the same about the war in Afghanistan.  Is it an urban legend?  I honestly don't know, but knowing what I do about territorial assignments given to the ranks of Satan's army, it is absolutely plausible to me.
    A quick internet search on Wikipedia for "gods of war" or "war deities" turned up a startlingly immense number of gods and goddesses dedicated to war.  Just a quick count told me there were approximately 323 different gods, goddesses, marshals, lords, celestial generals, and commanders associated with war in various cultures.  And it was noted that this was just a "partial" list!  Of course, Wikipedia called all these "spirits of war" part of each nation or culture's mythology.  
     But we know differently don't we?  The names of these deities are not just part of a nation's cultural stories or myths.  They are very real deities and gods, who have been given their power and territories by satan.  And what I found especially interesting is the fact that many of these gods are interrelated, or trace their origin or some connection back to ancient gods mentioned in the Bible.

Gurzil, son of Amon

     For instance, Gurzil was a bull-shaped war god of the indigenous Berber tribe of North Africa.  In the Berber culture, he became identified with the son of Amun (Amon) and was taken by the Berbers to their battles against the Romans. Amon was a major Egyptian deity and later rose to the position of patron deity of the Egyptian city of Thebes, where worship of him was fused with the Sun god, Ra.  All this makes for interesting stories of ancient peoples and their traditions and legends.  But, did you know that the Bible acknowledges the existence of Amon in Jeremiah 46:25?  The Word says, "The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: 'Behold, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him' ".  
     There are other gods of war mentioned in the Bible as well.  Just a few are Merodach or Marduk, a Babylonian war god (Jeremiah 50:2); Nergal, a war god of Cuth, one of the most important cities of the Babylonian Empire (2 Kings 17:30); Ishtar, or the Queen of Heaven, a goddess of war in both the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires (Jeremiah 7:18).  The Bible makes lots of references to the ancient peoples worshipping idols dedicated to these gods.
     Therefore, it weighs on my spirit that the world has seen so many wars in the last century, and the millions of men (and now women) whose spirits have suffered due to the demonic oppression associated with war.  It just indicates, to me at least, that Satan has been empowering his ranks of evil angels to attack those who have been impacted by war-time curses and/or traumatic events.
     It is imperative to understand that this new offensive in Iraq -- and all wars fought by people and nations -- is an extension of the spiritual war that is going on in the spiritual realm between good and evil.  In fact, Revelation 16:14 prophesies that in the near future (I believe), "three unclean spirits that looked like frogs, [will come] from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.  These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God, the Almighty."
     It is clear that demonic spirits are involved with war and influence men to battle each other, and they do it to advance Lucifer's plan to defeat Jesus on the battlefield of Armageddon.  We know that the defeat will be Satan's, but in the meantime, these spirits of war are bringing their darkness and sinister energy to our fighting soldiers, and our veterans are hearing the lies that devastate their souls.  And it is becoming clear to me that we have no idea how far-reaching these spiritual wounds will be.  Think about it ... how many generations have experienced war in the last 100 years of this nation's history?  How much legal authority have we given satan and the ranks of his spiritual generals to oppress our young men and women, and their families?
     We must begin to help those coming home from war to see that their wounds are more than physical.  We must begin to help them heal their spirits and the wounds that war has inflicted upon their souls.  We must teach them how to fight not only in this dimension, but in the next.  Our God is a spiritual Being, and He does not exist in the wooden or golden idols, carved and dedicated to the very real ancient gods of war.  He fights alongside us, going before us into battle, and He is the "Lord of Hosts", who with His army of angels, will soon come with His justice to judge and make war of His own against the wicked and evil of the world.
     Until that day, may He have mercy upon those who go into battle at the beck and call of mere men.  May He be their refuge and their fortress, and may they feel His loving arms surround them.

Psalm 68:30  "Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war."