The Anti-Christ Spirit in the Church

If you have never contemplated the possibility that the Antichrist Spirit has gained access to the Church on the earth, then I hope you will let me share my thoughts on this subject. I'd like to explain what I perceive the Antichrist spirit to be, and offer up some characteristics and how to identify it. And then let's examine how this pernicious spirit has gained a way to enter our church buildings.

First, I think it is important to understand that there are many Christians, when one brings up the subject of Antichrist, who picture the devil incarnate; an evil, sinister, giant of an individual who strikes fear in the hearts of all men. I cannot say that he won't eventually become that, but I deliberately used the word "pernicious" to describe his spirit because this is how I believe he will actually be able to insinuate himself into the inner sanctums of our places of worship. The word pernicious means "to have a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way". Which is exactly why the Antichrist spirit has gone so undetected.

We know that Jesus became flesh and blood to do the will of His Father in Heaven. He became a man so He could empathize with all that we, as humans, experience in our everyday lives, and so that He could teach us how to avoid the sin with which this life tempts us. But Jesus was the Christ -- the Anointed One, the Messiah; without sin and undefiled. The name, Antichrist, means exactly what it says; "against Christ". He is Satan's emissary on earth. And since Satan seeks to be like God, He counterfeits everything the True God does. There will soon be a man who makes himself known, who comes to do the will of his father, Satan. And just as Jesus possesses the Spirit of His Father, so will the Antichrist possess a spirit -- although it will be far from the Holy one that is part of our Lord.

If we are going to defeat this spirit, we must come to realize that the Body of Christ is not always cognizant of just how crafty and cunning the Enemy can be! Satan saw, from the beginning of the Christian Church, that God was warning the new Believers to be wary; to test the spirits that entered their meetings and congregations to see if they were of God. Even though it had been just a relatively short time since the witnesses of Jesus's resurrection had begun to give their eyewitness testimonies, there were already spirits influencing men to assert that Jesus was just a man, and not of God. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:2-3, "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of Antichrist, which you've heard is coming, and is now already in the world". Well, folks, that spirit has now had 2000 years to become fully entrenched here on earth, and that includes the institutions of the Church. And he has proven himself a formidable foe when it comes to preparing the Church to be battle-worthy when the Antichrist shows up in person.

Remember that I said that Satan is crafty and cunning? He hasn't been so brazen as to send people into the Church that blatantly deny that the Son of God came in the flesh and was resurrected to eternal life. [That assignment was given to spirits in the secular world]. No, instead Satan has sent spirits of pride and deception into the hearts of many of our church leaders and religious organizations. How does this happen? Again, Satan has accomplished this in a pernicious manner -- it's been gradual and subtle, yet no less harmful. You see, this spirit coaxes the Church to forgive the things God calls sin, without actually ceasing from the sin, allowing the Body of Christ to live comfortably without a guilty conscience. 

Take for instance Pastors who have begun preaching that they doubt the existence of hell; or that an eternal hell exists, citing their opinion that what the Bible is really intimating is that this life amounts to separation from God, and is therefore what the Bible intends for us to understand as hell. Another popular teaching is that our God is a loving God, and He would not actually subject someone to eternal torment. But they fail to teach that it is not God who decides to send people to hell -- they choose it by rejecting Jesus. God has made a way for all to receive salvation through faith in Jesus, so there is no excuse. I actually attended a church for 20 years where the Pastor, at the end of his life-long ministry, announced that he no longer believed in hell. What about Revelation 20:14-15, which says, "Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire". The truth of Scripture, whether it makes us uncomfortable or not is that either eternal torment in hell or eternal joy in heaven awaits us all, depending on whether we trust in Christ's payment for our sins on the Cross, or we reject Him and His sacrifice for us.

Then there are those who deny the authority of the Believer and our power in Christ. Jesus clearly says in Luke 10:19, "Now you understand that I have imparted to you My authority to trample over his [Satan's] kingdom. You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power Satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will harm you as you walk in this authority". We are told that only church leaders have authority in the Body of Christ, and we should not venture out from under their covering. These same Pastors will not only deny that spiritual warfare exists, but they will preach it is unnecessary -- leaving their flock unguided and unprotected from the schemes of the Enemy! Jesus taught His Disciples [and modeled for them] how to cast out a demon; how to lay hands on the sick and heal them; how to preach the Good News that it could be "on earth as it is in Heaven". And then He tells us in John 14:12, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father". 

Jesus taught that we are to be representatives of His Father's Kingdom here on earth. Just as He sought to do His Father's will, so should we. Which is exactly why Satan has worked so diligently to suppress that purpose in the Church. He has sent spirits that whisper "we must keep the people entertained"; "we must protect our finances with the 501(c)3 exemption"; "titles and positions and validation are important in the Church" -- and none of these are requirements established by Jesus. In fact, they go "against Christ" and all that He stood for. And that makes them Antichrist spirits. 

I do not write this today to disparage the Church or Church leaders, in general. Instead, I am incredibly encouraged by the number of Pastors, Ministers, and members of the clergy who step out of the box, aren't controlling, and actually disciple their flock to do the work of Jesus. It stirs my spirit to see leaders of faith -- both inside and out of the traditional building -- break old traditions of orthodoxy in order to walk in the footsteps of the Early Church fathers. Those brave men and women were people who "upset the apple cart", so to speak, and embarked on a journey into new territory blazed by Jesus Christ, Himself. The organized religion of today is just as guilty as the Sadducees and Pharisees of "shutting the kingdom of heaven in people's faces". It is just as true today that there are church leaders who "neither enter themselves nor allow those who would enter to go in". That is evidence of an Antichrist spirit. 

And now, in this time and age, it is evident that the fruit of all the Antichrist spirits that have been operating in the last two thousand years [to delay the return of our Savior], are readying for a man who will be Satan's representative and counterfeit Savior of the world. So, it is time for the Church and the Body of Believers to rise to their true identity; to throw off any trepidation or doubt that the very Power and Authority of Heaven has been given to us to prepare the way for the return of the Messiah and His heavenly host. No more compromise with the world! No more fear or doubt! Our Enemy is revealing Himself and those who have chosen his side. It is time to pray that they will change their allegiance before it's too late. It is time to pray that all Believers will endure in their faith and be strengthened in their spirits. It is the time for courage, commitment, and stepping into the destiny God has written in our Book of Life. May the True Church be all it was meant to be ... pure from the Antichrist spirit, following Jesus's commandments, and preparing to rule and reign with Him! Get ready! Jesus is about to show us how powerless Satan and his Antichrist really are, and we will soon see Yeshua Ha Mashiach ruling the kingdoms of the world!

1 John 2:18-25      Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour... This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son... Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you, too, will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He made to us—eternal life.

 

Twenty Years Later ...

 

 The memories of this day are most likely burned into the souls of everyone over the age of 30. We all remember exactly where we were twenty years ago this morning. Every American most likely has a distinct memory of that tragic day ... the ash-colored faces of panicking people rushing to escape the falling Towers behind them; the grief-stricken families wandering the streets of New York City in the aftermath, holding photos of their loved ones and hoping beyond hope that someone would tell them their son/daughter/father/mother/spouse had been spotted among the injured; the courage of those brave passengers on United Airlines Flight 93, who knew they were most likely sacrificing their lives to save those at the U.S. Capitol; the images of NYC firefighters atop mountains of rubble continuing to do their jobs after 343 of their comrades died trying to rescue those trapped in the buildings. And that's not counting the tens of thousands who have gotten sick or died from recovery efforts at Ground Zero.

The pain and loss of that day extends [as well] over 20 years of war; to all the families of all the wounded and deceased combat members of our military who answered the call to stop decimate the evil that had attacked our country. It is difficult to get a final figure of those who paid the ultimate price, but to each family whose lives were forever changed, the only number that matters is the one who came home to them -- whether in a flag-draped coffin, or a shattered body that took months or years to put back together. And there are many more whose wounds are not visible to the naked eye. 

It is hard for me to fathom what our Father in Heaven thinks as He looks down on the consequences of decisions made over these past 20 years. I am aware that this stretch of two decades in our lives is but a moment on His divine timeline. And I know that there have been similar tragedies, atrocities, and wars throughout history. But my human mind asks, "God, where does it end"? Is the cost we've paid in human life, national treasure, loss of freedoms, and societal/cultural division worth it? "What is your perspective, Father"?

I know the Bible says there is a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace (Ecclesiastes 3:8). I know that God can lead us into wars that are righteous, but I also know that He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore (Isaiah 2:3-4). Oh, how we long for that time!

I don't have the mind of the Father, but I think I perceive the heart of Jesus, who desires that we love our enemies. That's a hard thing to do when Evil comes knocking at your door. And the Apostle Paul tells us to never take our own revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God. I believe that God is a God of Justice, and there will be judgment against all who act out of evil hearts. But how do we reconcile these last 20 years, and where do we go from here?

There have been considerable changes inner nation since that fateful day in 2001. We are not the same country in so many ways. The unity we experienced in the days immediately following 9/11 seems like a fleeting memory. The Enemy has done everything within his power to divide us along economic, social, political and spiritual lines. We have mocked God's authority in covenantal marriage; the assigning of gender to our children; and have desecrated what is holy. And that's saying nothing of the greed and arrogance shown by our government leaders and corporations. The media and many ministries have fallen prey unto tempting deceptions, and the truth is often hard to discern.

But, I also want to mention that there is an entire generation that wasn't born when this evil came to our country. It is important that we never forget all those that died on that day, and in service to this country, so that we teach them this history. Let us take to heart, Deuteronomy 4:9, Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. 

And it is important to share the ideals that our flag stands for, and why it is important to so many when they see it flying high and proud. This latest generation needs to know it is about more than deciding whether to kneel or not at a football game. That flag represents the blood that has been shed throughout our 245 years of existence as a nation. We have been far from perfect and we have lost some of that national pride, and much more of our national identity, in the last 20 years. But I believe our God can return our hearts to Him and the purpose for which this nation exists. 

I could go on and on about all the ways that we, as a nation, and as a people have gone astray. It all comes down to this: We have defied the Living God, while deifying the unholy alliance among ungodly men and institutions. It may look as if we've gone too far to be redeemed, but we must never forget that God is always faithful. He keeps His Covenants, Promises, and Steadfast Love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate Him, by destroying them. Judgment and Vengeance are His!

So, 20 years later, I want you to know that we have much to look forward to. Do not look at the world ... yes, the Taliban is still in power; Israel is still under attack; and the threats against our country may be even greater than they were in 2001. But we are still here, and there is still hope! On this 20th anniversary of the greatest national tragedy in our lifetime, we honor our dead and those who have displayed the American spirit of courage, bravery, and service. We recognize that there is a faithful remnant who will not bow down to worship evil; nor will they flinch at their duty; nor abandon their post. We have been called to a holy calling, and we have been raised up for this time and this season to display the power of the Almighty God of the Universe! We must trust that He has gone out ahead of us to establish our steps, and that we will witness His shaking in the land. We will be given the strength to stand in courage and boldness as we proclaim His strategies and plans that will lead us to victory!

Do not believe the false images or the defeat that the Enemy is feeding our hearts, eyes, and minds. Seek the Lord! His face is not hidden! He honors our grief over September 1, 2001 and all the years in-between. The souls of those who cry out from beneath the heavenly altar [for justice] will soon receive it! And we must not be afraid of what is coming. Remember, our God goes with us and fights for us. When we pray in the Might and Power of the Name of Jesus, we will have the opportunity to see something extraordinary in our nation! So, let's honor those who have paid the price for unrighteousness in the land; stand against those who would destroy what this nation stands for; and then look forward to what the Lord can do when we believe [in faith] and set our eyes upon Him! Get ready to witness His Kingdom, Power and Glory!

Isaiah 28:5-6      In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of His people. He will be a Spirit of Justice to the one who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

It's A New Biblical Year! What Does That Mean For Us?

Last evening [Monday, September 6th] at sundown began the observance of God's Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah. This Feast is mentioned in Levitcus 23:23-25, and was instituted as a memorial day announced by the blowing of trumpets; a holy convocation. In the Jewish tradition, it is the first day of the month of Tishri, and the beginning of the "civil" New Year in which the counting of years is calculated. Since the Jewish calendar is based on lunar cycles, rather than the solar cycles of the Gregorian calendar [which we in the West follow], it can get a bit confusing. And according to the sages of the Jewish faith, when we count the years from the first day of Tishri, we find that it has been 5782 years since the creation of man [Adam]. 

It can get even more confusing when we understand that there is another month also designated as the "religious" new year. In Exodus 12, God tells Moses that the month of Nisan "shall be the beginning of months to you; it is to be the first month of the year to you". But unlike the new year in the month of Tishri, this new year is not for the counting of years, but is in commemoration of the Israelites' momentous transformation from slavery to physical liberation from Egypt. And not coincidentally, it is the month in which the Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits are celebrated, signifying our transformation and freedom from the slavery of sin and eternal death through Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. 

Although the Feast of Trumpets is not specifically mentioned in the New Testament, the themes of the Feast [trumpet blasts] are found throughout the Book of Revelation. And in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, the Apostle Paul alludes to the prophetic importance of the trumpet blasts heard during the Feast of Trumpets ...  Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death], but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed], in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed].

So, what does all this tradition and instruction have to do with us 21st Century Christians? We see that the celebration of the new year in the month of Nisan speaks to the delivery of the Hebrew nation from slavery in Egypt, and their transformation into freedom. It speaks of Jesus's First Coming. The new year in the month of Tishri also speaks of a transformation -- and for us Christians, it commemorates our future transformation into our glorified bodies when Christ returns at His Second Coming. Should we observe this Feast of Trumpets, and what significance, if any, does the counting of this particular year have for us? 

The celebration of God's Feasts has increasingly become important to Christians as we take note that God ordained these Feasts as "permanent statutes throughout your generations, wherever you may be". Often mistakenly referred to as the "Jewish Feasts", they apply to all who call themselves children of Abraham. We may not be Jewish, in the physical sense, but we are "spiritual children of Abraham". He is the father of our faith, and through him, we have the roots of our faith. So, again, is this year any different than any other? Is there special significance to the year 5782? It is not uncommon at this time, as it has been for thousands of years, for prophecies to be forthcoming about what this new year holds for the faithful. All of us want to know how God's plans for mankind will transpire. And since we know there is a very active Enemy coming against those plans, we want to be forewarned of danger ahead.

To be honest, I am often skeptical of all the prophetic words that are coming from all the prophets in the land. I am always conscious that we are to test the spirits of those claiming to hear from God, because He tells us in His Word that "many false prophets have gone out into the world". I am aware that we have the ability to prophesy, as the Spirit leads us, therefore I am very discerning of what I hear prophesied, and, in turn, I never want to prophesy anything to anyone that I'm not convinced came from the Lord. That being said, I hear so many [in Christian circles] saying that the theme of prophecy for this year seems to be centered on rest in the House of the Lord; new things will be birthed, as the old falls away; new levels of Grace and Favor; Divine alignment and Kingdom connections. Oh, how I pray all that becomes our reality!

My spirit longs for it all and I will be earnest in praying for it! But I decided today to take some time away from what I'm hearing the prophets say and ask God what He wants to say to me about this year of 5782 and the year 2022. I just sat quietly and listened. I didn't want to project my fleshly biases, but honestly wanted His perspectives on what this year could bring. So, I now would like to share what I heard in my spirit; what I felt was an honest answer to my question of Lord, what is it that You want me to know about this coming year? [NOTE: this is not intended to be considered prophecy for the Body of Christ! It is simply sharing the personal conversation I had with the Lord, in the hopes of focusing my heart, mind, and spirit on discerning His will for my life].

Lord, what is it You want me to know? What should I be expecting [or looking for] in the coming year? Lots of upheaval, but a strengthening at the core. 

At the core of what? 1) My physical body;  2) the core of my spiritual house;  and 3) the core of the TRUE Body of Christ in the world.

Lord, I'm afraid to ask, but what does the upheaval look like? You don't need the details of all that is coming ... Trust Me to prepare you and inform you as needed.

Is there anything else You want me to know about this coming year? It will be difficult for many and your heart will be burdened by loss.

Is there any hope, Lord? You will be victorious and able to help many. You will see Me in the midst of it all. 

I want to stress again that this is what the Lord spoke over my individual life. It is not meant to be spoken as an umbrella prophecy over the Body of Christ. In fact, I urge you to take the time to sit with God and ask for Him to speak to you regarding His will for your life in the coming year. We each have an individual destiny as well as a corporate one, so He may have something specific to speak to you, and it will likely be vastly different than mine. And then continue to stay in touch with Him. As His prophetic word over your life comes to light, you will have more questions in which you will seek His direction and guidance.

 But most of all, I want you to celebrate this beginning of the new Biblical year, declaring that God is ever-present in our circumstances and we are all individually known to Him. We must never doubt that He has His eye on us, nor that we will be alone in what comes, good or bad. We have so much to look forward to! In this season we will experience the Ten Days of Repentance [leading to the Day of Atonement], and the Feast of Tabernacles [when we celebrate the future of living in the presence of our Lord and Savior]. So, I bless you all with peace and joy and revelation in this season of Holy Days! May the Lord's face shine upon you!

Revelation 21:5   And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  

The New Religion of Artificial Intelligence

You may think I am just being clever with the title of this blog post. But there is an actual church dedicated to “the realization, acceptance, and worship of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) developed through computer hardware and software.” This church is called Way Of The Future. As ludicrous as this sounds, it is real! None other than Tesla founder and technology guru, Elon Musk, warned in 2017 that there are developers of digital super-intelligence that have plans to create a new religion centered on a "divine AI god". 

The man behind the Way Of The Future artificial intelligence church (WOTF), is Anthony Levandowski, the man who engineered the self-driving car. Although his reputation has been under fire amid allegations of pirating industry secrets, Levandowski leads the way among this generation's godless in promoting the divine attributes of Artificial Intelligence. Just consider this statement in a 2017 article on the Wired website: “What is going to be created will effectively be a god ... It’s not a god in the sense that it makes lightning or causes hurricanes. But if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it?” Try calling it God, with a capital "G".

But to emphasize that humankind is still falling for the same old lie that deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden -- namely, that we don't need God -- the self-appointed "Dean" of the Way Of The Future Church goes on to say, “Humans are in charge of the planet because we are smarter than other animals and are able to build tools and apply rules. In the future, if something is much, much smarter, there’s going to be a transition as to who is actually in charge. What we want is the peaceful, serene transition of control of the planet from humans to whatever. And to ensure that the ‘whatever’ knows who helped it get along.”

No, Mr. Levandowski, humans were designed to be in charge of the planet by their Creator; to govern the earth as He governs Heaven. The ultimate control of the planet is in the hands of this One True God of the Universe, YHWH. But because there are humans who refuse to acknowledge His sovereignty, they bow down to whatever they create to be their little "g" god; whether it be Science, Politics, Money, or Artificial Intelligence. This philosophy plays into the hands of the devil, who seeks to overthrow the true God's dominion over man and the earth, and become the "whatever" of godless men's souls. Also, this philosophy is nothing new. What has become known as the idea of "Singularity" has been promoted ever since man discovered the capabilities of technology.

My research takes the understanding of the possibility of Singularity back to John von Neumann, one of the WWII German scientists recruited to work on the Manhattan Project, who commented [and warned] on the "accelerating progress of technology and changes in the mode of human life, which gives the appearance of approaching some essential singularity in the history of the race beyond which human affairs, as we know them, could not continue." In other words, as fast as AI is advancing, there could be a very real danger of human extinction. This "singularity" where men and machines become one, with the machine being in control, has been predicted by modern technology engineers to occur between 2030 and 2050.

But this idea that AI could become a god is especially heinous and abominable. Consider what was written by John Brandon in a 2017 article on the VentureBeat website: "In the next 25 years, AI will evolve to the point where it will know more on an intellectual level than any human. In the next 50 or 100 years, an AI might know more than the entire population of the planet put together. At that point, there are serious questions to ask about whether this AI — which could design and program additional AI programs all on its own, read data from an almost infinite number of data sources, and control almost every connected device on the planet — will somehow rise in status to become more like a god, something that can write its own bible and draw humans to worship it" [my emphasis].

Think it's not possible? In this same VentureBeat article, an expert named Vince Lynch [who builds custom AI] likened Artificial Intelligence to organized religion. In the Bible used by Christians, for example, Lynch says there are many recurring themes, imagery, and metaphors. “Teaching humans about religious education is similar to the way we teach knowledge to machines: repetition of many examples that are versions of a concept you want the machine to learn,” he says. “There is also commonality between AI and religion in the hierarchical structure of knowledge understanding found in neural networks. The concept of teaching a machine to learn … and then teaching it to teach … (or write AI) isn’t so different from the concept of a holy trinity or a being achieving enlightenment after many lessons learned with varying levels of success and failure.”

The article goes on ... Indeed, Lynch even shared a simple AI model to make his point. If you type in multiple verses from the Christian Bible, you can have the AI write a new verse that seems eerily similar. Here’s one an AI wrote: “And let thy companies deliver thee; but [I] will with mine own arm save them: even unto this land, from the kingdom of heaven.” An AI that is all-powerful in the next 25-50 years could decide to write a similar AI bible for humans to follow, one that matches its own collective intelligence. It might tell you what to do each day, or where to travel, or how to live your life.

Again ... do you doubt that this can actually happen? The generation that is now approaching 30 has been surrounded by technology since birth. It's all they know! They've had a cell phone in their hands from nearly day one! From watching videos as children to receiving their news of the world today, they have been subjected to technology as their primary source of information. As crazy as it sounds, those within the digital and AI services community refer to the Bible as "a large data asset pertaining to God in the Old and New Testaments". It is proposed that AI could build algorithms based on the Christian Bible to then communicate what "God might do or say" ... but what "God" would it be promoting?

Granted, there are experts in the field that doubt AI could ever build compassion or the equivalent of a "spirit" as part of its process or operation -- both of which are essential to real faith. The reality of a machine being able to create a divine nature is certainly grounds for skepticism. But could humanity decide to "worship" it, nonetheless? Don't we already? How many people trust and obey their GPS, or ask Alexa for advice? How many of you have had conversations with your children or grandchildren in which they implicitly declare a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, and impartation of information they have received from their cell phone? Could we go a day, a week, a month or [gasp] forever without our cell phones or computers? 

And when you consider that we now willingly implant technology within our bodies, I discern that we must take Elon Musk's statement that "humans will deepen our ties with technology even further, to the point where we become cyborgs, as a way of upgrading our inherent natural abilities". Where does he think those "inherent abilities" came from? And the audacity of the created to think they can upgrade the Creator's divine design! So while, on one hand, Mr. Musk warns of an AI god; on the other hand, he proclaims that "the future of humanity depends on us merging with machines" -- hence his venture into his new company, Neuralink. [See my post on this related subject here]. 

All of these prognostications and warnings all come back to the same idea -- the interconnectivity of man and technology. Will man's desire to be like YWHW, to know as He knows, to create as He creates, be the downfall of mankind? Will we repeat the same mistakes of judgment that took place in the Garden and at the tower of Babel? Will we abandon our true faith to idolize, follow, and worship the false gods of technology and AI, just as the Israelites abandoned YHWH? If, as obedient followers of Jesus Christ, if we are not careful to safeguard and teach God's Truth to this and future generations, then I'm afraid the answers to the above questions are "Yes". And God will not interfere with our free will. 

I appreciate the warnings of men like Elon Musk and the late Stephen Hawkings, that AI is dangerous to the future of humans. But, ultimately, it is our responsibility as the Ekklesia of Heaven on earth to declare the Truth and speak out against the lies. We have an Enemy that is exploiting and corrupting our God-given intelligence; encouraging mankind to be complicit in his plans to build a superhuman controlling power -- plans that could ultimately lead to the extinction of all who do not pledge their loyalty to YHWH. In this case, I advise us to consider the words of the duplicitous Mr. Musk: "With Artificial Intelligence we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like, yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon. Didn’t work out". 

But for those of us whose minds, hearts, and spirits remain firmly fastened to Christ, I solemnly urge you to be cognizant of where we are headed in this age of technology. It will be up to us to declare the Sovereignty of our true Lord and Master. We will find ourselves battling upstream against the culture, but the destiny of future generations depends on us. While it may seem unlikely that humans could ever get so far off base as to worship a cold and impersonal machine, if we are honest with ourselves, we are further down that road than we care to admit. We must take a stand for God and His Divine Truth! The history of mankind has proven that when we stray from Him, we further the devil's plans and strategies. As the old saying goes, "if we don't stand for something, we will fall for anything". And our "something" is none other than Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and earth, and all things visible and invisible! He is above all; from whom all things came and for whom we exist! We praise and worship Him only!

Psalm 135:18     Those deaf to God can only make a deaf image. Dead men can only create dead idols. And everyone who trusts in these powerless, dead things will be just like what they worship—powerless and dead!

 

 

 

"Comfort My People"

I write today, knowing that many of you are tired, weary, and yes, even disheartened. I will confess that I, too, have experienced moments of overwhelming discouragement as I witness the evidence of the Enemy's plans to kill, steal, and destroy. The world has suffered through nearly two years of a pandemic that leaves us with so many questions and concerns. We have lost family members and friends to a disease that no one can really explain, and it has cost us so much -- lives, treasure, freedoms, and confidence in those who have been appointed over us. There is a real spiritual darkness associated with this phenomenon, and at times, it seems never-ending -- at least that seems to be the devil's strategy for now.

Then, to add dismay to misery, and right before our eyes, we no longer recognize our nation. Once seen as the light and hope of the world, our country now appears to have abandoned the last of its principles and righteous standing among the nations. It's no wonder we [who walk in our Kingdom power and authority] are weary! We have spent hours in fervent prayer, battling in the spiritual realms against the forces and powers of darkness who are hell-bent on carrying out Satan's hatred against mankind. We have declared the glory and majesty of our God Most High; we have warred against the wickedness we have openly seen on display. And now the spiritual warriors are hearing the cries of the people for comfort and reassurance -- "The Enemy looks like he's winning! Is revival still a possibility?" "When will God answer our prayers?" "Has the world become so wicked that the Lord's mercy and grace will now be replaced with His judgment?"

Believers and unbelievers, alike, are feeling the stress. I know I speak for so many who are standing on the wall, and who will never abandon their post or their assignment. Like the prophet Isaiah, in chapter 40, we have been given instructions by God to comfort the people; to reassure them. Indeed, that charge is doubled! Verse 1 reads, "Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God. These are words that are as necessary today as they were nearly 2700 years ago when Isaiah spoke them. Sometimes the souls of God's people are so distraught, when faced with a level of evil they've never known, that it is incumbent upon us to comfort them because it is God's will that they be comforted -- even in the worst of times. And that comfort must jointly consist of the conviction of our faith along with bold words of reassurance and encouragement.

So, forgive me if I borrow from the esteemed prophet Isaiah, as I speak to those who are weary. We need to understand that all nations will one day be judged before Almighty God, not only for how they treated His chosen people, Israel, but for how they treated their fellow man. I don't need to point out all the wicked ways of this nation. If you are a righteous follower of Jesus Christ, then you know the list is long and we deserve His discipline and punishment. But, just as YHWH showed the ancient Israelites that the sentence of "her wickedness had been taken away, and her service in warfare was finished", He will be willing to deliver us from our sins and iniquity.

It is not God's will that He remain in conflict with those He calls His children. Just as with Isaiah, we who are called to comfort the faithful [the true believers], we proclaim that the obstacles set before us will be removed and a way will be made for our God to manifest Himself in this realm ... "And the glory and majesty and splendor of the Lord will be revealed, And all humanity shall see it together". It may look like the world is on a fast pace towards ruin, but God still sits on His throne and His mercy and love for His people endures forever. We may not know how long the darkness will prevail, but we are assured that by His light we can [and will] walk through the darkness (Job 29:3).

We must come to know and believe that just as Jesus has prepared a way for us at the end of the world's wickedness, it is our duty to prepare a way for Him now! We must get in fighting shape; we must rid ourselves of our despondency and hopelessness by receiving God's divine Grace [which is His power in us to accomplish what we cannot do on our own]. We must rid ourselves of any pride or conceit regarding our own merit, and help those held captive and in bondage to prepare for their deliverance. God longs to stir up courage and determination in our hearts to break through any discouragement the Enemy is setting before our eyes. We can bring the Light of the Lord, even in the midst of despairing darkness!

The power of the Enemy, and of men, is not to be feared, nor trusted. Isaiah declares not only that, to our God, "All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless", but also, "Listen carefully, the Lord God will come with might, And His arm will rule for Him. Most certainly His reward is with Him, And His restitution accompanies Him". When we understand that God has no rival and His Word stands forever, and is incorruptible, then His promises become our hope and our confidence that we will be delivered from our circumstances. 

God called on Isaiah to remind the people of his day that "It is [God] who reduces dignitaries to nothing, Who makes the judges (rulers) of the earth meaningless (useless)". Rulers and authorities on earth are no equal for the Might of our God. "Scarcely have they been planted, Scarcely have they been sown, Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And a strong wind carries them away like stubble". Then the voice of the Lord declares, “To whom then will you compare Me, that I would be his equal?” says the Holy One. 

Rulers and authorities on the earth will come and go. Throughout the history of the world, those who have chosen to act against Him have all been humbled, and brought low by the mighty hand of God. And so it will be until the end of time when all will stand before Him for judgment. Let us give glory to His sovereignty over them!

In these days when our souls and spirits are wearied and may be burdened by what we see happening on the earth, I want to remind you of what God told Isaiah to say to the people: "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become tired or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who has no might He increases power. Even youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, but those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired".

We must comfort ourselves, and each other, with the knowledge that our God is an Almighty God; an Everlasting God, whose power reigns over all. In fact, He has absolute, complete, and total power over all and that power is sufficient to see His people through all the difficulties of this life. So, don't beat up on yourselves when you have those moments of despondency... we, who point the way to Jesus, are in the cross hairs of the Enemy, and our flesh can become weary and tired. But when we know our duty to represent Him, and rely on our faith in Him, and commit ourselves to be guided by His Holy Spirit ... then our spirit will be strengthened and renewed as we declare that He will not fail us. We will press forward, in the strength of the Lord, with perseverance, and we will reap the comfort, the hope, and the victory that we long for.  

Isaiah 33:2     O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited [expectantly] for You. Be the arm of Your servants every morning [that is, their strength and their defense], Our salvation also in the time of trouble.

The Valley Of Decision

As I walked our property early this morning, I was praying so earnestly. There seemed so much to talk to God about. Just in the last two days, I have learned of far too many deaths, hospitalizations, and people in quarantine. Then there was the news coming out of Kabul, Afghanistan. It was early, and the reports were unconfirmed, but my soul and spirit knew it wasn't going to end well. The temptation with all this was to become overwhelmed with sadness, frustration, and yes, anger. But then I would focus on the beautiful creation all around me as I walked... bees pollinating the brilliantly-colored morning glories; the ripples of frogs in the tank; the complex patterns of the spider webs I passed; the lushness of the vegetation and undergrowth after the rain we received yesterday, and the playfulness of the three-week old kittens as they frolicked on the deck. All that re-focused my spirit back on God.

I poured out my heart to Him and prayed, asking for His will to be done in all the areas that I'd expressed dismay and anguish over. I knew He heard me, but then I decided it was time to listen to Him, so I asked Him for a word of knowledge. I asked Him to show me or tell me what He wanted me to know, or what He wanted me to share. And what popped into my head was "The Valley of Decision". I know what my immediate thoughts were, but I wanted to know what He meant by responding to my request. As it turned out, they are connected, yet separate truths.

First, what my heart and head thinks when I hear those words is not the context in which "The Valley of Decision" is mentioned in the Bible. And I will present that concept next, but I want to stress that my personal thoughts may not reflect the context of Scripture, but they are still Biblical and true. So, here is what I want you to know: Whether you believe in God, or not; or the Bible, or not, there is a Truth that  Good and Evil exist in the world, and every single person must make a decision which side he or she is going to be loyal to. There is a destination for everyone after they die, and your decision in this life determines where you will spend the rest of eternity.

It is no longer possible or productive to stick our heads in the sand and pretend that things will return or go on as normal; that what the world is experiencing is just "a bump in the road of history". If you choose to follow that path, then you will simply be swept up in the pressure to "go along to get along"; or to follow the masses. If you are not willing to take a good, hard look at the dividing line between Good and Evil, then you will be susceptible to false narratives, hoping things will level out, only to be led into destruction by the rebellious evil-doers. It's not enough to be a "good person" or be nice to everyone. You can't walk the middle line and hope to be counted as choosing one side or the other. It's not a question of being balanced. You must clearly define your position! To try to walk that line and make no decision for Good, is a decision. You will be counted among the apostate; one who refused to make a decision.

There is a Truth that there is a very real Book of Life in the possession of our Creator. Those who choose to follow the righteous Creator of the Universe will have their names written in that Book of Life. Those who choose to reject Him will decide to follow Satan, the once beautiful Angel [of the highest order] who used his free will to rebel because of pride and conceit. Right now it is becoming increasingly apparent who has chosen to believe his false promises of power, wealth, and immortality. And it will soon appear as if they and their evil ways will triumph and prevail over those who decided to choose God. They will persecute the God-choosers; perpetuating their evil and intolerance against our choice. We will soon be called upon to exhibit more courage, faith, perseverance, wisdom, and unwavering loyalty than ever before in history. It will be a time of sacrifice and martyrs. I know that's  not what you want to hear, but as a Watchman on the Wall, I am entrusted by God to warn you in Truth and Spirit. It is time for the people of the earth to make a decision!

Now, I mentioned that there is God's perspective on the Valley of Decision, and that is something that is equally important for us to discern. Here is what the Bible says about this perspective: Joel 3:14 says, Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision (judgment)! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision [when judgment is executed].  This verse is not describing the fate of humans whose lives are hanging in the balance because they are trying to decide if they are going to choose God or not. When you consider the context of this entire chapter of Joel, it becomes apparent that God is speaking about His decisions to judge the nations for their treatment of His chosen people, Israel. The decision is being made by God, not the people who are being judged. At this moment of time in Joel, the door has already closed for humans to make their decision, and it is God who is going to judge the peoples/nations who have not chosen Him. It is interesting that the translation of the Septuagint reads, the "valley of punishment" or the "valley of vengeance". Therefore, this time of God's decision is happening at the time of the future Judgment Day. 

Ultimately, we must rightly discern that, in Joel 3:14, the Valley of Decision is not about humans making a decision for God -- although that is a reality that must be executed -- but is rather about God making a decision about His judgement of people. The Son of Man will soon come in His glory, and all the holy angels, and He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him. And as the Good Shepherd, He will separate the nations, dividing His sheep from Satan's goats. You want to be counted among the sheep! So, here is an inescapable truth that cannot be denied ... the door for Decision [by both man and God] is closing. The ultimate plan of God to restore the earth to His Dominion is fast approaching. God will soon make His decision ... Have you made yours?

Joshua 24:15    And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 

 

Wickedness on the Earth: Do We Really Understand the Depth of It?

 

"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually". We 21st Century Christians will recognize this verse as immediately following the controversial Genesis 6:1-4 revelation of fallen angels mating with human women to produce a race of giants called Nephilim. We know that it so greatly grieved God's heart that He regretted creating mankind and He determined that He would destroy all men, animals, crawling things, and birds of the air from the face of the earth. And then came The Flood.

From our Sunday School classes, we know the rest of the story ... or we think we do. Noah builds an ark, and as the only righteous man on earth, God saves him and his family from the 40-day flood, and then commands them (and all the living creatures) to go forth, be fruitful, and multiply on the earth. I think most Christians assume that the evil Nephilim perished in the Flood, and wickedness and corruption were reborn through some genetic carry-over from the Nephilim bloodline.

But here we are, somewhere around 4300 years later, and those events are regarded almost as folk lore -- even if they're believed at all. The stories of a race of hybrid giants born to fallen angels and human women [in Genesis 6], and our God so grieved over the state of wickedness in the race of humans He created that He determined to destroy them [in Genesis 7], are viewed, even by Christians, as seemingly disconnected and autonomous from our reality in the 21st Century. We convince ourselves that there's nothing in our existence that compares to the wickedness that occurred then. Every evil thing that happened before the Flood was destroyed and God simply pushed "restart" with Noah. Sounds simple, right? But how did mankind get back off track so easily? Can we simply blame the devil for tempting man to sin? 

I think it's quite apparent that Evil is still alive and well in our modern world. We may not understand its origin or source, but those who have been redeemed by Jesus are familiar with the Scripture that tells us "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" [Ephesians 6:12]. But do we even have a concept of who or what those titles mean? Are we so removed in time or spiritual adeptness that we are oblivious to the identity and effect these evil forces have had down through the ages? That what was "then" is still at work now?

It has been interesting to delve into the ancient writings and see them hinted at in the Bible. It's like seeing puzzling reflections in a mirror. I know there is more definition than what I am seeing, but it has been blurred or obscured by thousands of years, corrupted theology, and Satan and the fallen angel's attempts to counterfeit the government of God. The Bible records the sanctified partners of our Holy God ... Seraphim (Isaiah 6:1-7); Cherubim (Genesis 3:24); Thrones, Dominions, Rulers, Authorities (Colossians 1:16); Powers (Ephesians 1:21); Principalities (Romans 8:38); and Archangels and Angels (I Thessalonians 4:16 and Luke 22:43).

But remember that Lucifer served God in the Throne Room, so when his pride led to his ejection from Heaven, he was able to commit spiritual forgery with the deceived angels who followed him. These condemned ranks of spurious angels would become the forefathers of the Nephilim race of giants, and they were alternatively known as Watchers, Archons, and Rulers. These are the rebellious angels that Jude is referring to when he calls them, "heavenly messengers in rebellion who went outside their rightful domain of authority and abandoned their appointed realms. God bound them in everlasting chains and is keeping them in the dark abyss of the netherworld until the judgment of the great day."

According to ancient Jewish lore, Azazel was the leader of the 200 angels who followed Lucifer in his rebellion. He is charged with teaching mankind the art of war, the art of jewelry, all forms of conceit and arrogance, metal work, medicine, promiscuity and illicit sexual pleasure. He is represented in the Hebrew ritual as the "scapegoat"; plunged over a steep cliff as a reminder to the people of his perpetual punishment for all sins of rebellion and transgression in the pre-Flood world. It was Azazel who commanded and taught other rebellious angels to infiltrate the earthly realm with corrupted heavenly knowledge that held forbidden secrets for mankind. They did it by seducing the women they slept with and teaching them enchantments, root arts and magical arts; astrology and secrets to the zodiac signs; the art of building instruments of war and killing (swords, breastplates, knives and metalworking); secrets to herbs and spices; using paper and ink for spurious purposes; the depths of evil and spirits, and abortion. 

All this led to an increased ignorance of God, and a loss of the concept of the difference between war and peace. The women began to murder their children through abortion, as they participated in initiation rituals to a new religion, the bull cult of Poseidon. Idolatry led to sexual immorality, which led to adultery, and treachery. The Book of Wisdom, also known as Wisdom of Solomon is considered by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Assyrian Orthodox Churches of the East to be a canonical book of the Old Testament. These churches were founded mostly from 200 BC–AD 70, before the definite separation of the Christian church from Judaism, and are therefore some of the earliest churches teaching Christian theology. They take note of what the Book of Wisdom says about the influence of the corrupted Watchers in the Pre-Flood world: "Everything was a complete riot of bloody murder, robbery, deceit, corruption, unfaithfulness, disorder, falsehood, harassment of innocent people, ingratitude, moral decay, sexual perversion, broken marriages, adultery, and immorality. The worship of idols, whose names should never be spoken, is the beginning and the end, the cause and the result of every evil".

The Nephilim, the offspring of the utterly and unnatural union violating God's created order of being, were so ferocious and terrifying that the people of the Pre-Flood epoch fled before the tyranny and intimidation because they feared for their lives. They also fled from their convictions of the true God because they lived under a powerful and totalitarian regime. They lived under the evil dictatorship of cruel and corrupt giants who soon became the Kings of the land -- whose descendants would one day become the Nephilim giant kings that Abraham, Moses and Joshua would battle. Because of their unbridled violence, plundering, and slaughter, the omnipotent, true God, exercised His divine judgment to stop the carnage through the manifestation of The Flood. 

But here is the point I want to get to, as I wrap up this deeper, historical explanation of the significance of Genesis 6 and 7 ... we should not be so naive to think that this level of wickedness vanished in the aftermath of The Flood. The arrogance, the idol worship, the tyranny, the rituals, the mysticism all survived! It was taught by the fallen angels to earthly women and their offspring, the Nephilim. Most of us probably believe that the Nephilim were wiped out by The Flood, and their influence was washed from the face of the earth. But the Book of Enoch [in Chapter 15] says, “Now the giants [Nephilim], who have been born of spirit and of flesh, shall be called upon earth evil spirits, and on earth shall be their habitation. Evil spirits shall proceed from their flesh, because they were created from above from the holy Watchers was their beginning and primary foundation. Evil spirits shall they be upon earth and the spirits of the wicked shall they be called. The habitation of the spirits of heaven shall be in heaven, but upon earth shall be the habitation of terrestrial spirits, who were born on earth. The spirits of the giants [Nephilim], shall be like clouds, which oppress, corrupt, fall, contend and bruise those upon earth.” 

So, this appears to be describing the disembodied spirits of dead Nephilim, to be called what we know as demons. And I know that the Book of Enoch is not considered canonical Scripture, but since it is referenced in Jude, I am willing to consider that God verifies it as a historical resource. Then there is the curious wording in Genesis 6:4 ... There were Nephilim (men of stature, notorious men) on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, and they gave birth to their children. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown (great reputation, fame). If we yield to the assumption that Noah and his family were the only survivors of The Flood [and there are disparate views on that hypothesis], then how could the Nephilim be on the earth? As disembodied evil spirits, called demons, is the most probable answer.

I submit this hypothesis to you with the purpose of suggesting that the depth of wickedness on the earth was greater than we have been taught in our churches. And the result of that wickedness and rebellion against the Creator of the Universe [and everything in it] has led to cruelty, tyranny, the murder of innocents, and all kinds of perversion and corruptness. It's all been part of Lucifer's revenge. And until his final judgment, he and the spiritual forces that align with him will continue to wreak devastation, destruction, and desolation on the earth and its inhabitants. We can still see mankind falling under the influence of the original Rebellious One and his army of subordinates. We must never forget that these rebellious angels did not foresee God creating the resurrection of human-kind into the eternity and the spirit realm of heaven through the Word, Yeshua HaMashiac. We may soon encounter the same level of evil that precluded The Flood, but like Noah, we will be delivered from its intended purpose, and we will emerge triumphant, declaring the Majesty and the Power and the Glory of the One True God. Keep the faith and stay focused on Eternity!

 I wish to give thanks and much credit to author Gary Wayne, for his extraordinary knowledge and research on this subject. Be sure and check out his website, genesis6conspiracy.com.

Matthew 25:41    Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'

 

 

 

 

 

Afghanistan is Not The Only Killer Of This Empire

I'm sure many of you join me in trying to understand what we see playing out on our TV screens nightly in Kabul. Afghanistan is known as "The Empire Killer" or "Graveyard of Empires" because major empires throughout history have been unable to conquer it; including [but not limited to] the Romans, Greeks, Huns, Mongols, Great Britain, Russia, and now the U.S. And Afghanistan was a common subject in the early days of this blog, when I tried to show God's hand in world affairs and our every day lives.

So, I was interested to see how far we've come since this article I posted in October of 2012, nearly 19 years ago. Boy, it's hard to realize that we have spent that much time, blood, money, and effort in "taming" this unbreakable fortress. And I was amazed at how many times in those years that the Taliban was also at the center of my writing. So, join me in looking back at what we, as a nation, were experiencing then....

October 1, 2012

The Khyber Pass, the Hindu Kush, Kandahar, Kabul and the Taliban .... all part of our lexicon due to a decades-long war in a country where war is almost part of their cultural identity.  Afghanistan has fought some of the greatest military powers in the history of the world.  Throughout its centuries of existence it has been conquered by Darius I of Persia (ca. 500 BC), Alexander the Great (330 BC), and the Mauryan Empire (part of modern-day India).  The Islamic conquest in 642 AD met with fierce resistance from the various mountainous tribes, as did the Mongols and different Persian and Indian empires in the Modern Era.  Nothing changed when the British and the Russians tried to subdue the peoples of this vast and difficult terrain.  

 I admit that the intricacies of inter-tribal relationships and control are too complex for this ordinary citizen to comprehend.  But I am not so simple-minded that I cannot recognize when our nation should re-evaluate our war policy.  If you are paying even the least bit of attention, you are aware that our soldiers in Afghanistan are coming under ever-increasing attacks by so-called "insiders" - supposed members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) which are partnering with coalition forces to defend their country.   In fact, two more heroes lost their lives this weekend.  My first thought is, "Why aren't we doing a better job of screening these insiders?" and "What are we doing to protect our military?"

I was recently directed by a faithful reader of this blog to a website that I highly recommend.  It is called Michael Yon Online Magazine.  According to his website bio, "Michael Yon is a former Green Beret, who has been writing from Iraq and Afghanistan since December 2004.  No other writer has spent as much time with combat troops in these two wars.  Michael’s dispatches from the frontlines have earned him the reputation as the premier independent combat journalist of his generation."   Who better to give us the truth from our soldiers' perspective, right?

With that in mind, I want you to read portions of a post from last week.  Michael prints a letter from a son stationed in Afghanistan to his father.  Michael confirmed the authenticity of the letter, and published it with permission:

Dad,

I am fed up. I cannot believe the lack of attention the recent changes in this war is receiving by the media or the country. I think I saw one thing on CNN about the following subject, but I had to dig extensively to find it. The purpose of this letter is to let you know of the garbage that our soldiers are going through right now. With this knowledge, I hope that you take action by writing your congressmen.

First, because of the recent green on blue incidents or "insider threats" as the new buzz phrase dictates, all coalition forces in Afghanistan have completely stopped partnering with the ANA, AUP, and ALP in order to prevent the death of anymore CF casualties by ANSF or Taliban disguised as them. This is also greatly spurred by President Karzi's indifferent attitude and lack of action to take measures to prevent further insider attacks.

Our mission in Afghanistan is to partner with the ANSF on all levels. Now the policy makers are telling us that we are not allowed to do that and further more we are to take immediate measures to secure ourselves from the ANSF that are co-located with us. So the question now becomes, what is our mission? Furthermore, the implication is that we have absolutely no reason to still be in this country if we are not partnering with the ANSF. So why are we here?

I don't think that the American citizens would be happy if they knew that their soldiers were being prohibited from defending themselves in any way because of politically driven orders, but that is precisely what is happening in this war right now even as I write this letter. The soldiers of the U.S. never engage the enemy unless we know that we always have the tactical advantage in defending ourselves; that advantage is the use of close air support and air weapons team. To take those weapons away from us is to level the playing field for the enemy and thus exposing our soldiers to more danger. In the school house they teach us that the minimum ratio that we are to engage the enemy with, is a 3:1 ratio. In other words, we have the highest probability of winning because we don’t fight fair. The sound tactical principles behind this teaching have saved lives. The very presence of aircraft over our foot patrols has also saved lives and now our chain of command is being told by our political leadership that this is now not allowed.  If we are not partnering with the ANSF and we are not actively patrolling to prevent our enemies from massing their attacks on our COP and we can’t drop a bomb on the enemy that we have positively identified, than what the hell are we doing here?

Give us a mission or send us home. I honestly have no preference on what the politicians decide, as long as they just make a decision. Of course this will be a terrible inconvenience on the current elections so I am sure we will be forgotten, which really does not seem to be too different for how things have been going for the last eleven years.

Do not buy into what some media outlets have already said about this. Casually saying that this is a frequent occurrence is false, and is an attempt to downplay the major ramifications for these decisions. We have never been so restricted in defending ourselves as we are now. This is not just a stand down. The other implication of this decision is that we will perhaps never regain our relationship with the ANA after we have executed these measures to protect ourselves from them.  Essentially, we have left them to die as we watch from our high-tech cameras and UAVs. They will not forget this and I fear the relationship will never be the same.

I love you very much Dad and I don’t want you to worry about me any more than you already are, but I also know that this has to be brought up, someone has to say something about this. It is wrong to keep this hidden away while American soldiers are under constant threat of death and dying.  I don’t care if you send this letter directly, this needs to be known.

Your son,

[In Afghanistan ]

The United States of America is now involved, nine years later, in a humiliating withdrawal; leaving a nation who believed our promises to protect them from the very forces that enslaved them, the Taliban. Not only do the citizens of Afghanistan feel betrayed, but I venture, so do the American people. Freedom is the inherent right of all people, and now millions of Afghanis fear for their lives from a regime that has only shown them terror and tyranny. The American people have sacrificed their treasure (in both lives and money), believing that our leaders were waging a war that was worth the cost -- it would guarantee that the homeland would remain safe. Do we still believe that? How many of those being transported to our homeland have the destruction of America in mind? And consider this -- the same politicians who waged the war then are still in office today. They were enriched as our soldiers and the economy paid the price. And now we must ask ourselves ... for those Afghans who truly helped us, have we just given rise to a new generation who will hate America for abandoning them?

I heard a veteran of this decades-long war say on a radio program today that he didn't think Jesus could forgive him for some of the things he did and witnessed while deployed in Afghanistan. I want everyone who served to know that Jesus can forgive you of anything! Just confess, repent for your actions, and ask for forgiveness. Jesus will wash you clean! And, please forgive yourself! Most veterans fought for love of country and represented us well. The American people don't hold you accountable for this nation being at war. In fact, it is the political and military leadership who will one day have to stand before the King of Kings and answer for their motives and actions. 

I know this is not the usual spirit of what I write about, but I woke in the early morning hours today talking to Jesus and in deep sorrow for what has been wasted these last 20 years. I know the Lord hates war, and He knows the truth of the decisions that have brought us to this point in time. I prayed for hours before dawn that He would deliver us from the consequences of our national pride, greed, and evil intentions. Very soon, nations will be divided into either sheep or goats. That will be a time of both reward and judgment. Yes, Scripture tells us that this will be a result of how each person and nation has treated God's chosen people, Israel. But I also fervently believe that reward and judgment will also come from our national history. We have a lot to be proud of, but there is so much we need to repent for. Father, consider our hearts; do not judge us by the actions of our leaders; and heal those whose lives have been shattered, both here and abroad. Lead us on paths of righteousness for your Name's sake -- it's the only thing that will be balm to our hurting souls and disappointed spirits.

Proverbs 6:16-19      There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
  

 

 

What Are You Afraid Of?

I guess the answer to that question depends on your worldview, doesn't it? And for those who aren't sure what constitutes a worldview, here is a great definition from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries: 1) It is the metaphysical (conceptual), or philosophical, or ideological reality of the world you and I live in; 2) It governs how we live, not where we live. It defines why we live, what we live for, what we appreciate, what we reject, what we are passionate about, and what we detest. So, it makes sense, that our worldview can define who we are, how we see ourselves, and what we define as valuable. 

If we define ourselves as Christians, let's see how that definition breaks down ... and let me speak for myself. My concept, philosophy and reality of the world I live in is that the human race lives in a fallen state, in which mankind surrendered his divinely-bestowed authority over the earth to the Enemy of the God that created this planet we inhabit. Therefore, history is a record of the battle between Good and Evil; between those who follow the Most High God, and those who pledge their allegiance to the Prince of Darkness. But the God who created us was not willing to give up on us and sacrificed a part of Himself to offer us a rescue plan; a way to defeat the consequences of Death and His wrath, and to restore this earth to its original design and ownership. 

Now, I know that sounds really religious, and although that is the knowledge that underlies my worldview, I also know that I have to live in this world, make a living to support myself, and that I don't live alone segregated from the rest of humankind. There is a way to treat people that is moral and right. This view of the world governs how I live as well as my purpose for living.

I have made a choice to align myself with my Creator and His character and nature. That means I exist because I have a job to do while I'm on this earth. I have been afforded a great gift -- forgiveness of the life I used to live, when I thought only of myself in unbridled self-absorption. And I know I've been given the opportunity to share what my faith has done in changing who I am. I know that the number of my days on this earth are short and I was created to point the way to the One True God. That means that I'm aware of how people operate in the world -- from the people I call friends to those in the highest levels of world government. I know that there is judgment coming upon the earth for how we've treated others, and I know that it is my desire to please the God who saved me from falling for the lies of the world. I am passionate about living a life that has eternal meaning, not just existing for the material comforts this world can offer. I rejoice that I know my Savior, and He knows me! And I detest anything that comes against that and my purpose for being alive. I am not afraid of dying because I know what comes after this and it is glorious!

Yet, as Christians, we still find ourselves battling those feelings of anxiety and apprehension in these days. I am seeing and hearing from many people who I know love Jesus, but are still firmly tied to this world. Fear of losing jobs, homes, health, family members, and freedom has shaken our foundation. And for some, even the foundation of their faith is now unbalanced. Sadly, those who have benefited from the extraordinary opportunities to amass wealth in this country (both Christian and non-believers alike) are now focused on trying to protect their storehouses of treasure. I see people still looking for political leaders to be resurrected and lead us out of this nightmare. I see many of the faithful denying what Scripture says about what happens when God's cup of wrath is full, and wanting to lean on only the hope-filled verses that make us feel good. 

I was fortunate in stumbling upon these couple of sentences by Pastor Bob Deffinbaugh of Richardson, Texas, and I think they sum up what I'm trying to say ... "God is judging men for their sin today and few even know it is happening. Unbelievers are unaware of God’s judgment, because they do not know God, nor are they alert to His presence and power in the world today. This is to be expected. But many Christians are equally ignorant of God’s present judgment of sin. They think of God’s judgment only in terms of the future." So, we ask why the world is deteriorating, and keep expecting that it is going to "return to normal", or at least get better. Or we preach that a return to godliness is just around the corner, "because we have victory in Christ"! What are we really afraid we're going to see, if we face our fears?

Could it be that our Christian worldview has become tarnished or tepid? Have we become self-indulgent even in believing what our Bible tells us? If we are afraid of losing everything [all our possessions or all that we've worked for and dreamed of ] ... or we are afraid of losing relationships and even our own life ... then we are afraid that eternal life might cost us something, and we aren't willing or prepared to give all of it to Jesus. 

I understand that this time is unprecedented in the history of our nation. When considered from the lens of all of history, we have seen our country fall from grace and favor in what seems like the blink of an eye. But if we have a solid Christian worldview, then we should be seeing the battlefield and the forces lining up in their strategic positions. But we should not cower in fear! There is no need to panic! The Lord battles with us and for us! We know the ultimate plan and who wins! Our God is the Everlasting God and He sits on His throne and will never be ousted. It will be in His timing and His administration that we will be victorious in more than what we've accumulated in this life, and in this world. We may lose everything that the present world defines as precious -- but we have everything to gain! 

So, if you find yourself obsessed about what is at risk in the treacherous days ahead, please stop and reassess what you are afraid of losing. If the focus is all on your material possessions or status, then maybe you don't believe the Bible is truth; or maybe you're afraid Jesus won't really come through for you. You might even doubt the reality of an afterlife or eternal life. But I'm here to tell you that now is the time to establish who you are and what is the foundation of your worldview. It is my prayer that you will build a spiritual house, with Jesus as your Cornerstone; and where you can weather all the slings and arrows thrown at you by the Enemy; where you rest in confidence that the One who is Faithful and True can and will establish you as an heir of the Kingdom. You will suffer no fear or anxiety, as you bask in the Source of Life everlasting. There is no fear for what tomorrow may bring, because there will soon be a day that dawns bright in the Kingdom of God! That day is worth more than all we can accumulate in this life! Let that worldview be yours today!

Psalm 56:11     What harm could man do to me? With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes. My heart overflows with praise to God and for His promises. I will always trust in Him.