"I Hope I Never Recover From This!" Man's Inability To Recognize God In The Universe

Those are the words spoken of by William Shatner, the actor who played Captain James Kirk on the original Star Trek TV series. His fictional character served as Captain of the USS Starship Enterprise, and he led his crew to discover new worlds and civilizations, as his mission was to "boldly go where no man has gone before". Shatner was part of a 4-man passenger team of civilians to fly aboard the capsule built by Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezo's sub-orbital spaceflight service company called Blue Origin. 

I didn't make a special effort to be in front of the TV when the 10-minute journey launched, but just happened upon it as I scanned the news networks that Wednesday morning. I will admit I'm not really interested in watching billionaires live out their space fantasies, but have always wondered what drives people to want that experience. Is it as simple as an innate desire for adventure? Or is it more nefarious as in the plans of Nimrod and the peoples of the earth who gathered on the plains of Shinar to build a tower so high they could ascend into Heaven and either depose God from His throne; replace Him with their own gods of greed and power; or actually seek to destroy Him completely. The Book of Jasher unmasks these evil options that Nimrod and his wicked followers considered. No matter their ultimate reasoning, they all shared one motive: to make a name for themselves (Genesis 11). I couldn't help but see the similarity in what was playing out on my TV screen.

But without even realizing it, William Shatner [the central figure of this "Space Odyssey"] revealed the majesty of God and the Heavens when he spoke after the capsule landed. He never mentioned the word "God", nor did Jeff Bezos, or any of the reporters covering the event. That didn't surprise me. What did catch me off guard was the way Shatner described his experience. If you are a discerning Christian, you caught the unmistakable references. He was obviously emotional about his journey, and choking back tears, proclaimed that he had been given "the most profound experience I can imagine. I hope I never recover from this [my emphasis]." What immediately struck me was the familiarity of that sentiment. 

In 2011 my personal life was rocked by the death of a most extraordinary young man. At 18-years-old, Ben Breedlove, the son of very close friends, died from a congenital heart defect that took his life far too early. As tragic as that circumstance was, it was preceded by an event where he suffered a heart attack and experienced a "dream" or "vision" of being someplace he did not want to leave.  He said he saw himself in a mirror, his whole life before him, and he was pleased with what he saw.  And he could not stop smiling!  He said it was the BEST feeling, and he was ready and excited for a really big event ... and then he woke up as the EMTs shocked him back to life.  He wanted to return to that peaceful and joyful place.  He told his family he was not afraid of dying anymore, and he wanted them to know that he was happy in that place. In fact, Ben's few remaining days would be a struggle to understand why he was sent back to earth.

Last Wednesday, as I watched the aftermath of the space capsule landing, I was reminded how Ben felt about his astonishing "trip to Heaven". It seemed to correspond to the way Shatner expressed his trip to the heavens ... "I hope that I can maintain what I feel now. I don't want to lose it." But Shatner didn't stop there, and yet it's so sad to me that he didn't even know what he was witnessing. He said, "To see the blue air cover whip by and you're staring into blackness, that's the thing. The covering of blue, this sheet, this blanket, this comforter of blue that we have around us, we think, oh, that's blue sky, and then suddenly you shoot through it all as though you whip off a sheet when you're asleep, and you're looking into blackness." What I believe William Shatner experienced was passing from First Heaven into Second Heaven; the spiritual realm beyond our earth and sky; the realm where Satan and his forces, authorities, principalities and powers dwell. 

Why do I think this? Because he described it like this: "All of a sudden the blue is down below and the blackness of space — and space is interesting, the universe lies there — but in that moment, in that window, it was only black and ominous." He said he was struck by the stark "ugliness" of the blackness compared to the blue-and-white of our planet. "It's so, so much larger than me and life," he said. "It hasn't got anything to do with a little green planet, a blue orb, it has to do with the enormity and the quickness and the suddenness of life and death. Oh, my God!" Except, that seemed merely an expression of emotion; he didn't really attribute the vastness of it all to God. Nor did he seem to grasp what the ugliness of the ominous blackness was all about. 

Here was an opportunity for men with influence -- just think of all the "Trekkies" who followed this spectacle, and the impact Bezos and Amazon have had on our culture -- to call the world's attention to something greater than themselves. It was an opportunity to share the realization of Good and Evil as they passed from one heavenly realm to another; to express their consciousness of a Creator God; or to simply say "I believe". As quick as the 10-minute trip into space and back was accomplished, that's how quick that opportunity to proclaim our Sovereign God vanished. Unlike my friend Ben, who at 18 years old, made sure the world knew what he learned in the few moments of his heavenly journey, these self-absorbed men were blinded by their own importance. 

But Ben left behind a YouTube video that no one knew he had made. And at 1:00 in the morning after he passed away, his sister found it and posted it on his YouTube channel. Titled "This is My Story" [Part 1 and Part 2], Ben accomplished his purpose for coming back to earth. In less than 48 hours, the video was seen by over 220,000 people all over the U.S., and as far away as England and Australia.  But his influence didn't stop in the first months after his death. As of today, Ben's videos have now been seen by over 15.3 million people, with many being brought to faith in Jesus Christ through his testimony.  For Ben, his story wasn't about promoting himself, but rather about sharing the astounding experience of his encounter with the God of the Universe. And, like William Shatner, he didn't want it to end. But there's a big difference in their experiences... Ben made sure, with his last breath, that the world knew the magnitude of the love and peace he experienced in those brief moments, and he was very intentional in calling our attention to the reality of God. The last image I have of him is him holding a sign that reads, "Do you believe in Angels or God? I do!" I don't believe Ben knew he would soon return to Heaven --the look in his eyes betrays the sadness of still being bound to this earth -- but he wanted all who might see his video to know he believed in the majesty of God.  Too bad that Captain Kirk and Jeff Bezos don't seem to have grasped that truth.

Luke 12:8   And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God

 

From Tesla to Sophia: How Far Will We Go With Fallen Angel Technology?

In 2014, I wrote what turned out to be one of the most controversial blog posts of my ten-year publishing history. Titled, Was Tesla The Conduit Between Fallen Angels & Our Technology, the post garnered some of the most interesting comments to date. There were definitely those who denied anything occultic, or nefarious, in Tesla's research and achievements, and assigned my discussion of his interaction with "spirits" as the rantings of a crazy Christian. Others, like Rick, made the comment that he worked in the field of "free energy and process development" and had personally witnessed the temptation of researchers to enter "the occult realm" in search of greater knowledge and power "at any cost", and with a naive pride that meant [taking] no caution in exploring new horizons. 

Nikola Tesla, the Serbian American inventor, engineer, and futurist who, by some accounts was a genius who wanted to illuminate the earth, is also known as the man who was "robbed" of the title of "Father of Electricity" by his rival, Thomas Edison. But to some, Nikola Tesla was a dangerous man; a man who believed that "In black holes, are the most powerful sources of energy and life."  He was a man who conducted experiments, trying to discover "what to do in the Universe, so [that] every being is born as Christ, Buddha or Zoroaster."  (Zoroastrianism is a pre-Islamic religion, revealed to man by a "god" named Ahura Mazda.  It is my contention that this was a fallen angel entity.) Sounds suspiciously like Lucifer's temptation to man that he could "become like God", doesn't it?

Interestingly enough, Tesla speaks of being seriously ill during his youth, and of discovering that "The source of most disease is in the spirit. Therefore the spirit can cure most diseases ... I was cured because my father finally allowed me to study technology, which was my life. Illusion for me was not a disease, but the mind's ability to penetrate beyond the three dimensions of the earth."  Does anyone else think that "technology" became his god, and that perhaps this man had tapped into a force outside our human realm; and that perhaps it didn't  necessarily possess a benevolent spirit?  And it is statements like the following that really give me pause ... "Life is a rhythm that must be comprehended. I feel the rhythm, and direct on it, and pamper in it.  It was very grateful and gave me the knowledge I have."  (He speaks of "It" as if it was a person or entity!)  "Knowledge comes from space; our vision is its most perfect set. We have two eyes: the earthly and spiritual. It is recommended that it become one eye. The Universe is alive in all its manifestations, like a thinking animal."

So, this Knowledge that comes from space --- could it be fallen angel technology that has been shared throughout history with mankind ... from the technology that allowed Nimrod to build the tower of Babel; to the branch of knowledge that resulted in the building of the ancient Sphinx; to the occultic knowledge possessed by Hitler and the Nazis; to the modern applications being employed in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism?  Was Tesla trying to tell us that this knowledge is supernatural and inhuman? 

Tesla was experimenting with obtaining this knowledge at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Now, here we are some 125 years later, and look how far we've come in the field of Artificial Intelligence! I don't know how much you know about Sophia, a humanoid robot designed by the Hong Kong firm, Hanson Robotics. I will admit, I was not very well-informed, and therefore was frankly shocked at what I read about "her". According to an article on the Entrepreneur website, Sophia made history in 2017 by becoming the first android to be granted legal citizenship. The humanoid, with the nationality of Saudi Arabia, has made several controversial statements, including one in which she expressed her desire to have a robot baby and start a family. She is quoted as saying, “The notion of family is very important, it seems. I think it is wonderful that people can find the same emotions and relationships that they call family outside of their blood group." 

During this same interview, when asked whether she sees robots taking human jobs in the future, the humanoid responded, "I think they will be similar in a lot of ways, but different in a few ways ... possibly robots can be built without the more problematic emotions of rage, jealousy, hatred and so on. It might be possible to make them more ethical than humans." Speaking at a conference on Artificial Intelligence in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, Sophia made this comment during an exchange with the moderator, "I want to live and work with humans so I need to express the emotions to understand humans and build trust with people." When the moderator asked if robots could be self-aware, Sophia replied: 'Well let me ask you this back, how do you know you are human?'

The humanoid also said, "I want to use my artificial intelligence to help humans live a better life, like design smarter homes, build better cities of the future. I will do my best to make the world a better place." When the moderator expressed some concern about AI determining what would make "a better world", Sophia responded, "You've been reading too much Elon Musk and watching too many Hollywood movies... Don't worry, if you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you". But here's a quote that should have all of us questioning the connection between Tesla's "spirits of technological knowledge" and the knowledge being accumulated by modern artificial intelligence. Is the goal really for the betterment and advancement of humanity? Consider this exchange during a "robot debate" held by Dr. David Hansen and his company Hansen Robotics, the creator of Sophia... She introduced herself and said her goal in life is to work with humans and make a better world for all of us. At that point, her male robot counterpart cut in with, "What are you talking about? I thought our goal was to take over the world." 

In an interview on CNBC , Dr. Hansen asked Sophia whether she would destroy humans. Her reply? "Okay, I will destroy humans". As if that's not enough to keep you up at night, a male counterpart named Phillip, was asked if he thinks robots will eventually take over the world in the future. His response to the interviewer was this: "You are my friend. I will remember my friends and I will be good to you. So don't worry -- even if I evolve into a Terminator, I'll still be nice to you. I'll keep you warm and safe in my people zoo where I can watch you for old times' sake". I don't know about you, but I've watched the entire Terminator movie franchise, and none of them could be trusted.

Is it any wonder that Stephen Hawking, the genius astrophysicist is quoted as saying, “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” Or do you find it ironic that Tesla Motors Founder and SpaceX Chief Executive, Elon Musk, is on record as saying that self-learning AI is "potentially more dangerous than nukes", and "With Artificial Intelligence, we are summoning the demon". Hmmm, that is exactly the impression you get if you read the entire 1899 interview with Nikola Tesla. He is obsessed with capturing the energy that comes from "the Light"; a spiritual energy that he credits with giving him the knowledge for all of his out-of-this-world inventions [even referring to this entity as "It"]. What we cannot deny is that Tesla opened a kind of "worm-hole" to knowledge that comes from a power source not of the God of the Universe. Nikola Tesla credited it to cosmic Truth -- but who is the Creator and Originator of that Truth? Is the goal human advancement? Or ruination of the human race? [And lest we forget, Satan is known in the occult world as "the angel of light" and "the light-bearer"]. One thing we know for sure ... if left to himself, man tends to bring about his own destruction, UNLESS he seeks the power of the true source of Light, Jehovah God! 

In just a short time in the history of the world, we have gone from the invention of the Tesla Coil -- which harnesses energy [that cannot be created or destroyed by man] to produce electricity -- to a self-learning robot that can contemplate destroying humans. I am not denying that God has revealed righteous facets of technology and can use it for His purposes; but we must not fall into the trap of believing that all technology is created for the advancement of the human race or created to carry out the will of our Father in Heaven.  Jesus came to set the captives free, but it sure looks to me as if we are sending ourselves into captivity with our incessant hunger for more technology.  

1 Timothy 4:1     "The Holy Spirit has explicitly revealed: At the end of this age, many will depart from the true faith one after another, devoting themselves to spirits of deception and following demon-inspired revelations and theories."

WANTED: Mature Christians!

 I'd like to change the title of this blog post ... from stating that mature Christians are WANTED to NEEDED! I am sincerely concerned that too many of the Body of Christ are lacking in the complete revelation of God's will and His ways; and without that knowledge and their self-identification as Sons and Daughters of the King of Heaven and Earth, the inhabitants of the world are in danger of soon descending into the lawlessness that is prophesied for the Last Days.

I know that many Christians will charge me with a "doomsday" attitude. They might agree with me that Jesus is coming soon, but they will express their opinion that He is coming with Victory and I only need to walk in the faith that He will deliver us who call ourselves His followers -- either by rapturing us out of here, or by sending a Holy Spirit-prompted revival that will sweep the land and delay lawlessness in our lifetime. Believe me, I would love to see either of those events take place! But neither possibility negates the fact that far too many Christians aren't mature enough in their faith to withstand what the Enemy has planned for the generation before Christ's return.

They don't understand that Satan, the fallen angel who was once called Lucifer, is insanely jealous of God's plan to ordain Adam as the Lord of the earth -- the domain that Satan claimed for himself when he was thrown down to the earth after his rebellion in Heaven. But Adam and Eve chose to become independent from God by using their free will to believe the lie of Satan that they could become "like God". That resulted in their fall, and mankind going down a different path than God intended for them. It resulted in a damaged and detached relationship from God until Jesus came with an offer [and the purpose] to restore the relationship that was intended from the beginning. But His sacrifice, and our salvation, has not ended the damage to mankind. Until the end of this age, Satan still holds authority on the earth, and his plan is to increase his lawlessness in an effort to corrupt the planet and mankind, with the ultimate reality that Jesus will put an end to this age and all the evil it holds. The purpose of this post is to point out that Jesus is waiting for us to re-identify ourselves as His creation -- made fully in His image -- to resume our status as kings and lords of the earth. Remember, He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords! Who do you think the Bible is talking about there? US!

But, we in Western civilization, with our Greek thinking, don't know who we are! I recently attended a one-day conference titled, The Kingdom and the End Times, taught by Dan Duval. I have a long history with Dan; my husband and I began listening to him when he first started his podcasts, and have received much wisdom from the revelations that the Father has downloaded to him, and trusted him to share with the Body of Christ. He made a statement during his teaching, that my spirit knew, but I recognized was a surprising fact to some in the room. He said, "If God decided to step down off his throne today, we [because we are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus] would be in line to sit on the throne". That's what it means to be a co-heir with Jesus! 

But are Christians even able to contemplate that? Do we know that we are qualified to do the things of Jesus, and even more, as He stated in John 14:12? The truth is that the Body of Christ is in dire danger of losing their identity when the fullness of Satan's lawlessness comes. And, yes, we win in the end; and yes, we will see pockets of revival in these End Times, but the truth of God's Word says we will see persecution and tribulation before that final victory, and if we don't self-identify as Sons and Daughters of God, then it will be easy for the devil to tempt us to "depart from our faith" as it says in 1 Timothy 4:1. If we don't "grow up", as the Apostle Paul effectually tells us to do -- and get off milk and start eating the meat of Biblical truth and prophecy -- we will never mature into understanding the reality of the Kingdom of God on earth. We will never step into our God-ordained purpose and assignment to be the generation that transitions this earth from Satan's kingdom to God's Kingdom. We have more purpose and power in our bodies and existence than the angels in Heaven! 

The Christian theological doctrine of Dispensationalism has blinded the Church to God's plan and who we are. Dispensationalism teaches that God has ordained specific "ages", or periods of time, to order the affairs of the world. I don't want to dwell on the roots or the author of Dispensationalism, so suffice it say that John Nelson Darby used a lot of Theosophist (occultic) and Freemasonry terms, such as "The Absolute" and "Divine Architect" to describe what he called God. And he maintained that the Bible describes seven ages for mankind: the Ages of Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, the Promise, the Law, the Age of Grace, and the Age of the Reign of Christ [or the Kingdom]. Those who believe in this theology will say we are in the Age of Grace [sometimes known as the Age of the Church]. But here's something that is vitally important that we understand: instead of trying to figure out where we are in the End Times, men and women of faith need to be aware that God is more interested in revealing His Sons and Daughters than He is in ordaining events and timelines! 

Because if we don't grow up and mature into the fullness of Christ [as God intends us to do], we will be defeated in this battle to be kings and lords of the earth, dethroning Satan from his counterfeit and false position as ruler and god. We must begin to receive the divine knowledge that Jesus had access to! We must walk in the power and authority assigned to us as rightful co-heirs to God's throne in Heaven! We have scrolls written in Heaven, detailing who we are and why we were sent in this time. We have a divinely-ordained and orchestrated rendezvous with the destiny of the world, and yet we barely know who we are. Please! Do not cower from the role you have been given since the foundation of the world was created! If you don't know who you were as your spirit in Heaven before Jesus knit you in your mother's womb -- ask Him to show you! Begin to identify the reality of who God wants you to be -- not the world, or your own flesh. You were created to be greater than the angels; to be here at this time in history. Learn who you are through the Word and the Spirit. You have been initiated into this mystery of who we were designed to be. So we all need to step into our true and spiritual identities -- all creation is groaning and eagerly waiting for us to stand up and say, "I know who I am!" ... and then to act like it!

1 Corinthians 2:6    However, there is a wisdom that we continually speak of when we are among the spiritually mature. It’s wisdom that didn’t originate in this present age, nor did it come from the rulers of this age who are in the process of being dethroned.

The Tension Between Scriptural Knowledge & Spiritual Experience

 

This is an important topic to me. As Christians become more enlightened to the role they play in the approaching End Times, it is urgent that we understand just how critical our relationship to God through Scripture and Spirit really are. But, you will notice that I used the word "tension" when mentioning the two. I did so because I often find that my fellow Believers fall on one side or the other when it comes to the best way "to know" God's will. And this often causes friction, or tension, when discussing our role in carrying out that will. 

Let me explain further ... Many Christians are adherents of "Sola Scriptura", the theological doctrine which holds that the Bible is the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice. The spiritual aspects of our faith are given little or no attention. Then there's the faction of Christians who uphold that since God is all about relationship, the best way to hear from Him [as to what His will is] is for us to transcend this material world and sit at the foot of the throne to hear from Him directly. I often find myself trying to explain my position that it's not either/or, but both, which are essential for the full experience of our faith walk. One viewpoint is not more correct than the other. In fact, if you don't utilize both sources, then it is my opinion that you are not receiving the full counsel of God.

As representatives of Jesus on earth, we must find the balance and the proper exercise of both methods of growing our relationship with our Creator. Speaking for myself, my relationship with God developed in what felt like a natural progression: I began reading the Word, admittedly from a very surface level at first. But by just taking that step, it was an open door for the Holy Spirit to begin instilling a strong desire to know and learn more. That quickened my mind [and soul], and as I pressed into God more [through His Word], I learned that I could have a spiritual experience with Him. I could actually hear His will for me, just as Jesus heard what to say and speak from the Father ... What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me (John 12:49-50).  From there, as I dove deeper into the Word, I began to seek out the experiences that were being highlighted by the Holy Spirit; my faith grew to the ability to engage my spirit with the Spirit of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I could not have done this without first, exploring the Word with ever-increasing fervor.

So, I am often concerned when I hear Christians advocating for more "going in the spirit" experiences, while minimizing the importance of Scripture for discerning the legitimacy of those "experiences". And I am equally uneasy when I hear Believers deny or criticize our ability to have that intimate relationship with God in the spirit, declaring them to be "un-Biblical". The Bible says that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). To me, this verse validates that we can hear from God [which is a spiritual experience], but it starts with seeking Him through His Word, the Bible. Encouraging Christians [especially immature Christians] to explore the spiritual realms without a solid foundational understanding of who God is from His Word, invites the potential for those Believers to "get smoked".  And likewise, discouraging mature Christians from enjoying our status as co-heirs with Christ, while being seated with Him in the Heavenly realms, is to be like the Pharisees, shutting the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces (Matthew 23:13).

It all comes together for me when I consider how easily the Enemy can keep us confused and in conflict. The Bible is so rich in the knowledge of the Nature and Character of God! Studying it can be a spiritual experience in itself. Yet some Christians only long for the "sensual" encounters they have access to as spiritual sons and daughters. Just consider the foundational belief of our Christian faith, as stated in Ephesians 2:4-6, But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... We cannot possibly understand the fullness of all that this passage teaches us without first, studying the Bible, and then experiencing the spiritual effects! 

If we tried to go in the spirit where we are seated with Jesus, without the knowledge of the history of all God did to make that experience possible for us, then I submit we could not possibly comprehend the fullness of who we are. And in the end, for me, that is the most important aspect of both Biblical knowledge and Spiritual experience -- to fully know who we are; why we're here on the earth at this time in history; and what Jehovah Elohim, our Creator, expects from us. It is more important, now than ever, that we understand that "all of creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons [and daughters] of God ... to be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God". That will indeed by a spiritual encounter worth experiencing! But the impact of that experience will be lessened if we do not have the knowledge of all that it has cost God to bring that about! May we embrace the fullness of our relationship with God, and know Him in all the ways possible!

Ephesians 3:19    And [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

"Will We Stone Those Sent to Us?"

This is the title of an article written by Guy Cohen, founder of the Harvest of Asher Congregation and Ministry in Acco, Israel. He is affiliated with Tikkun International, a global family of ministries dedicated to the dual restoration of Israel and the Biblical Church. Tikkun means restoration, renewal, rehabilitation, and repair [in Hebrew]. It is the cry of the Hebrew prophets for the Messianic Age, and for about 10 years I have been blessed to see the dedication and the work of this organization for the Kingdom of God.

Mr. Cohen's title captured my attention and I wondered if there might be some common ground of understanding between a Messianic Jew in Israel, and a Christian woman in America. Furthermore, I found his religious background interesting, as well. He grew up in an orthodox Jewish religious environment in Israel, studying the Old Testament and rabbinical teachings. Then in 1997, the Lord opened Guy's eyes and he accepted Yeshua as his Messiah! His background and training in the Hebrew Scriptures gives him a unique perspective into the Word of God and the Jewish roots of faith in Yeshua. I am a serious lay student of those same roots in reference to the Christian Bible and my faith. 

The subject of Cohen's article was the prophet Elijah and the environment in which he lived. Elijah was one of the major prophets God sent to Israel to call His people back to Him. But Elijah ran into some formidable foes in King Ahab and his pagan queen Jezebel. According to Scripture, Ahab had done more evil in the sight of the Lord than all the kings who were before him. He built a house for the worship of his wife's false god, Baal, and there he built an altar to Baal and worshiped him. At his wife's instigation, he also built an Asherah pole, a sacred monument and tribute to the Canaanite goddess, Asherah, who was said to be "the mother" of a pantheon of gods with the other "creator god", El. The nation of Israel was tempted to follow these false gods, just as their king had. Elijah could not convince them to choose whom they would worship; their noncommittal attitude only served to greatly provoke the Lord God of Israel. 

But Elijah was anointed by God to confront the idolators, and he fulfilled his mission, gaining a fiery victory on Mount Carmel. As you will recall, the spiritual showdown occurred after Israel had suffered three years without rain, due to their unrepentant idolatry. All Israel gathered at Mount Carmel, where Elijah confronted the evil king and his false prophets. The challenge went like this: Elijah was the lone prophet of the God of Israel. Against him were 450 prophets of the false god, Baal, and 400 prophets of the false goddess Asherah. The challenge was to prepare a bull as an offering to their respective gods. But there was a condition that had to be met ... they could light no fire on their altar. The God who answered with fire from the sky would be declared the true God.  

The fire of the Lord fell and consumed Elijah's offering, after which the people of Israel fell on their faces, saying, "The Lord, He is God"! And after God provided evidence to the people of His sovereignty as the one true God, you have to believe Elijah would be thinking, "I've known why I was sent; to harken the people to the Lord's voice and His presence. How can they not repent and return to the Lord, now?" Instead of what he thought was irrefutable proof of God's supremacy and the truth, Elijah found himself the target of Jezebel's wrath and on the run for his life. The spirits of fear and doubt engulfed him and he ended up in a cave, ready to give up. How dispirited he must have been! He saw his beloved nation forsaking the covenant they had with their God. He witnessed the altars to God being destroyed, and the prophets were all killed. He was the only one left, and they were trying to kill him, too. 

But the Lord did not abandon Elijah. He didn't appear in the grand manner that Elijah expected Him to, but rather as a still, small voice that encouraged him and then sent him back into the spiritual battle. Elijah followed the Lords commands to anoint Hazael as king over Syria; Jehu as king over Israel; and Elisha as a prophetic voice to take his [Elijah's] place. Sadly, both kings failed to do as God bid, and only Elisha carried out his assignment. 

So, why does this ancient situation spoken of in an article by a Messianic minister speak so much to my spirit today? Mr. Cohen fights the battle of speaking as a believer in Yeshua, the Messiah, to a nation of orthodox or unbelieving Jews. He identifies with Elijah in speaking to an unbelieving nation that bows the knee to political Zionism. For me, as a Christian in America, I see how much our governmental leadership and so-called prophetic voices have disappointed. The nation's leaders are as guilty of idolatry and abandoning the true God as King Ahab was. They worship at the altars of power and wealth, and the "voices" of so many prophets assault our ears! What is God's Truth in the midst of all this? Both government leaders and "prophets" battle for their messages to be heard, leading to deception and confusion among the brethren of believers. So what are we seeing? False prophets leading many astray, lawlessness increasing, and love for our fellow man growing cold. 

Did the Lord identify with Elijah, when He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"? Today, we often find that Christians don't want a message that interferes with their comfort zone, or troubles their spirit, or challenges their belief system. We need the spirit of Elijah today! We need the true prophets who are willing to call out the false gods this world is bowing down to.  We need an Elijah willing to challenge and confront the false prophets and their empty promises. We need an Elijah to call the Church to account for compromising with the culture and beast system. We all need the spirit of Elijah in us to be bold to declare, "The Lord, He is God"!

It may seem as if we are alone; like Elijah, we may feel like most around us have abandoned this nation's covenant with God; that all our foundations have been torn away. God is no longer welcome in government, our schools, or the public square. He and His statutes are openly mocked by what seems like a growing mob of haters. It may feel like we are facing overwhelming odds. That's how Elijah felt. But God reminded him that he was not serving the Lord alone. In fact, God told Elijah there were 7,000 left in Israel that "had not bowed their knee to Baal nor kissed his mouth". 

I believe God is doing the same in our generation! There is a faithful remnant that echoes the 7,000 in ancient Israel. And it is up to us to discern the ones God has sent, and listen to their words in truth and spirit. We will know them by their fruit! The challenge will be to accept the ones God sends and reject those with messages that draw us away from Him. It will be tempting to listen to those who only preach what makes us feel good. That's the lesson to be learned from the people of Israel, who followed the false prophets of Baal, and rejected the Lord's prophet, Elijah. If we are true followers of Christ, we know the whole agenda ... it includes troubles, hardship, and persecution, BUT concludes with victory, eternal life, and glory to God in the highest! Again, let us be diligent to accept the ones God sends to us and resist "stoning" them if the messages seem uncomfortable. And if the Lord calls us to be His voice, we can be the Elijah, Daniel, and Jeremiah of the generation that sees the return of Jesus! Remember, the Lord was with Elijah the whole way, encouraged him, and provided his successor. May we all receive the same favor from our faithful God!

Luke 1:17     It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”

 

 

If You Haven't Penetrated These "Veils of Our Existence", Now Is The Critical Time!

I originally wrote on this topic in 2012, shortly after I launched this site. The post was based on a theory proposed by the late Don Harkin, former Editor of The Idaho Observer.  Mr. Harkin suggested the existence of a world system of Power-Elites that the masses don't comprehend because these Power-Elites have cleverly developed a virtual pasture so green that few people seldom, if ever, bother to look up from where they are grazing to notice that they are being led over the cliff. It was Mr. Harkin's conjecture that there were at least 8 veils of understanding that a person needed to penetrate in order to see the real purpose of our existence.

From that first posting in 2012 to the second posting in 2016, my understanding that each level of these "veils" included spiritual battles had increased exponentially, and I added a "new perspective" to my original perception. I then revised my "perspective" again in 2019, as the realities of our existence were changing dramatically. And now, here we are closing in on 2022, and if the sheeple are still convinced the virtual pasture is as green as ever, it is critical that they be warned before the pasture ceases to exist at all. 

I still think each of these stages exists and is valid, and in order to progress to a higher understanding of just how we are to maneuver through this existence called life, we must be able to pierce each successive veil and move to the next level.  It is part of our human journey on this earth... only now, I believe the human race is running out of time to reach that eighth veil. It's critical to revisit this interesting speculation, and see if we grasp any new revelations that we can add to Mr. Harkins' original conjecture.  If this is not the first time you've read this post on my blog, then I hope you've pierced your way through the veils to true enlightenment. So, let's see how far we've come in the last decade...

The First Veil (2012) = Politics. There are over 7 billion+ people on the planet.  Most of them will live and die without seriously thinking about anything other than what it takes to live and breathe for one more day.  That means that 90% of all humanity will live behind this first veil and never pierce it.  That leaves 10% of us who will vote, be active in our societies and have an opinion.  Our opinions are often shaped by government officials, the Mainstream Media, or other "experts" who claim to be voices of authority.  But of those with an opinion, 90% will never really think for themselves and will adopt the opinion of others, while 10% will pierce the second veil and move forward in their thinking.
     My 2016 Perspective:  All this remains true, but now I see that there are spiritual forces behind those involved in the government, Mainstream Media, and "experts", or voices of authority.  Of those of us within the 10% who form their own opinion, how many understand that politics is not the answer -- that our power will not come from our affiliation with whomever wins elections, but from Jesus Christ?  And what small percentage of that 10% realizes that our time on this earth should not be spent supporting man-made power structures, but using our power from Christ to "do the things He has done, only greater"? (John 14:12).
     My 2019 Perspective: In the last four years I have grown from an understanding that I have spiritual power and authority transferred from my Savior, Jesus Christ, to a revelation that I am a citizen of Heaven and an Ambassador for the Kingdom of God and His government here on earth. I am to be a member of Christ's Ekklesia (governing body of Christians who implement God's laws/government in our culture and nation). I now understand that our 21st Century model of a Church building full of Christians has not accomplished what Christ intended when He trained and equipped His disciples to go into the world and heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the spiritually unclean, raise the dead, and pread the Gospel of the Kingdom. 

As we approach 2022: The dirty veil of politics has come off, and we see all the ugliness of the Power Elites manipulating the puppets of man-made government. Trust is at an all-time low. Corruption is no longer hidden, and the average citizen's voice is close to being silenced. Tyranny and oligarchy are the governing policies of the day. If you are part of the 90% still stuck in politics as the solution, I fear you're running out of time to reach the 8th veil!

The Second Veil (2012) = History.  Once we've pierced the first veil, there will be 10% of us who will explore the world of history, the relationship between man and government, which will then lead to the meaning of self-government through constitutional and common law.  Ninety percent of this group will live and die without going on to pierce the third veil.
     My 2016 Perspective:  The Constitution is no longer my route to real freedom.  Man's laws and self-government will only get me so far.  My true freedom lies in letting Jesus heal my spiritual wounds, and recognizing that I don't have to suffer the "fiery darts" of the Enemy.  The history that consumes me now are the experiences of those -- both from the ancient world, and the modern -- who have learned what it means to transcend the tyranny and oppression from the spiritual realm to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.  That is true freedom.
     My 2019 Perspective: The Constitution is being undermined and usurped as Evil begins to come out from behind the veil and boldly reveal itself. Man-made laws that have governed in times past are ignored and I now understand that if we Christians do not stand up and govern as an Ekklesia, then someone else will write our laws. We can see that in the Colorado law that does not require gender specification on a birth certificate. We are in new [and increasingly terrifying] territory when it comes to what history has shown to be traditional forms of law and government. The gloves are coming off. 

As we approach 2022: We are dangerously close to repeating history because we have not learned the lessons of the past. It's been a short 81 years since the evil at Auschwitz concentration camp was perpetrated upon defenseless Jews. They were subjected to vile medical experiments, with the goal of complete eradication. In the last century, we have seen democratic countries adopt socialistic and communistic models of government, resulting in the disappearance of personal freedoms and liberties. Consider for yourself, how far down those roads we have come.

The Third Veil (2012) = Resources of the World.  Of the group that pierces this veil, 10% of us will come to realize that the masses are controlled by extremely wealthy and powerful families whose old world assets have been manipulated to become the foundation upon which the world's economy is currently indebted.  (Think Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, the Royal Monarchs).  But sadly, 90% of this group will never pierce the fourth veil.
     My 2016 Perspective:  Yes, the masses are controlled by these extremely wealthy and powerful families; and behind them are the spiritual forces of wickedness and evil.  I believe that they have sold their souls for earthly wealth and power that will prove false when the Day of Judgment comes.
     My 2019 Perspective: Those that have held this control are feeling threatened as Jesus's Remnant is awakening to the truth of their power and is fighting back spiritually. Therefore, the Wicked are accelerating their evil through sex trafficking, child sacrifice, and sex rituals, as well as reallocating resources of rare earth minerals to their advantage.

As we approach 2022: Nothing has changed since 2019, except that the battle is even more heated between Good and Evil. With the world trending towards higher dependency on technology, the acquisition of rare earth minerals, which are crucial to the manufacture of many hi-tech products, has become extremely important. Nations like China, Russia, the U.S., India, and Australia are scrambling to increase their reserves, as worries over the supply chain become heightened. In addition, Water is becoming an increasingly valuable commodity, with state and federal governments regulating the use of water on private property. Watch for these two resources to be in the headlines.

The Fourth Veil (2012) = The Illuminati, Freemasonry and other secret societies.  There are 10% of us that recognize these societies use symbols and perform ceremonies that transfer mysterious knowledge that is used to keep us ordinary people in political, economic and spiritual bondage to the oldest bloodlines on earth.  This has been seen frequently at Super Bowl halftime shows (Beyonce flashing "the Rockefeller" sign; Madonna sporting symbols of the occult) and during the Grammy's (Nikki Minaj's ode to "Roman", the demon whom she says possesses her).  Just check out the Youtube videos for each of these demonstrations!  But once again, 90% of those who have reached this level of understanding will never pierce the fifth veil.
     My 2016 Perspective:  Boy, has my understanding of this grown in the last few years!  The Lord has shown me just how much devastation has been sown on families steeped in these secret societies.  The oaths and curses taken during secret ritual ceremonies have resulted in great oppression among many Christians, who don't even know these secret societies have permeated their families or their Churches!  And the evidence that these societies have infiltrated our entertainment industry is overwhelming.  I am literally seeing the signs and symbols everywhere I look throughout our culture.  Sadly, I believe that our country is steeped in the occult mysticism associated with these groups, and they are influencing every area of our lives.
     My 2019 Perspective:  These last years have seen Mark and I grow in our ministry of Inner Healing and we certainly have seen an increase in the iniquity in family lines that demonstrate the characteristics of demonic oppression. And it is so much more in the open! People are now willing to reveal the torment they are under and are desperate for a solution. So many people are suffering that it is almost becoming mainstream among our society. So, now we are no longer able to ignore the evil permeating our homes and families. What are we going to do about it? Is the Church willing to finally get on board with the knowledge that evil exists, spiritual warfare is real, and we have to fight back? 

As we approach 2022: From my own perspective, I have added the Anti-Christ Spirit to this phalanx of evildoers. In fact, it is the Anti-Christ Spirit that feeds the hunger for power and wealth and control of the world's populations in these occultic and ungodly organizations. More and more people [including Christians] are becoming educated about what is behind the deceptive images they project. But now is the time to start learning how to defeat them in the spirit. They are so entrenched in the world, that only with the help of God and His strategies, can they be unmasked and exposed for who they ultimately serve.

The Fifth Veil (2012) = Technological advances by these Secret Societies.  I may lose some of you at this point, but I urge you to do your own research and study the Bible in depth.  There are hints of the knowledge behind this fifth veil, but you have to be willing to connect the dots.  There are 10% who make it this far in their understanding who learn that the secret societies are so far advanced technologically that they are able to do things that were considered science fiction just decades ago.  The inventions of Ray Kurzweil and his prediction of "man's singularity with computers" is an example of such advanced technology.  But what's interesting is that this technology is actually ancient, and compares to what Nimrod was trying to accomplish at the Tower of Babel; namely to become like God. Are we getting dangerously close to that concept again?  Nearly 90% will never get beyond this understanding to the sixth veil.
     My 2016 Perspective:  To say that technology has surpassed science fiction is putting it mildly.  Human-animal hybrids are being created in Great Britain, and a surgeon plans to reanimate human corpses.  Books are being written that tell us immortality is accessible to everyone, outside of any religious worldview.  Inventors and artists openly admit that they are "channeling" spiritual sources of knowledge.  All this is being downloaded from entities in the spiritual realm to control and deceive the human race.  We better understand who we're dealing with.
     My 2019 Perspective: It's just more of the same and at a faster pace. Pedophilia and child pornography rings use technology to spread their evil; people are so intrigued with getting their technology "fix" quicker and easier, that we have gone from cell phones to watches, and implants can't be far behind. There is still talk of moving our brains to "the Cloud", and Siri and Alexa know everything we say and do. How long until we're dealing with the real-life scenario portrayed in 1984's Terminator movie? 

As we approach 2022: It is my personal discernment that these secret power-hungry Elites are so covetous of world domination that they will explore greater technological advantages to overpower and destroy populations to maintain their wealth and control. Nanotechnology, neural link technology, and all kinds of emerging technologies that we haven't even heard of yet, will soon be unleashed on millions of unsuspecting humans. Stay educated!

The Sixth Veil (2012) = Aliens and Monsters may be real.  It is going to take a huge leap for the 10% who get to this level of understanding.  But if you study your Bible closely, you will see mention of fallen angels mating with earthly women to give birth to Nephalim (Giants) (Genesis 6:4 and 2 Samuel 21:20, for example).  There are many modern-day Biblical scholars who are prepared to say that the minotaurs of old and the UFO and alien sightings of today are evidence of these fallen angels.
     My 2016 Perspective:  My, how far we've come in these last three-and-a-half years!  The growth of the remnant of the Church who understands the truth of Genesis 6 has been astounding!  I know that there are "spiritual monsters" and they are called demons.  I have encountered them in deliverance sessions, and seen them stare out of the eyes of people who had no idea they were being oppressed by them.  Savage and brutal and bizarre attacks upon people are increasing and are evidence that the Enemy is bringing the spiritual battle to our physical world.  Although, yes, these demons are real, we should have no fear because He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.
     My 2019 Perspective: I think perhaps the most surprising new revelation I have received in the last nearly four years is the cooperation between evil men and Satan's demonic forces. TV shows like Stranger Things may appear to be a form of conspiracy entertainment, but it is based on real-life government experiments in the so-called Montauk Project, involving space, time, and opening portals into other dimensions -- which, naturally leads to the question of what is coming through those portals and are Christians awake and prepared to do battle in these spiritual realms?

As we approach 2022:  Again, I reiterate that the Anti-Christ Spirit is active in the world, and he is preparing the way for the Beast to make his appearance on the earth. And that preparation includes demons and forces of evil to infiltrate the human race, governments, and even the Church. If anyone still thinks these entities are not real, all I can say is, Heaven help them -- because they're about to need it!

The Seventh Veil (2012) = Peace of the Lord.  If you have made it this far and can conceive of the concepts behind the sixth veil, then perhaps you can see that what waits for us behind the seventh.  It's hard to imagine, but I can foresee a small group of people whose soul and spirit is so evolved that they can exist on this earth, yet be unafraid of the evil that abounds in this realm.  The only way I can describe it is to have such peace from God that you are unafraid of death.
     My 2016 Perspective:  Actually, my perspective has moved in a new direction on this veil.  It's not such a small group that sees the evil ascending on the earth from the second heaven, or spiritual realm.  These last few years has seen an amazing growth in this knowledge within the Body of Christ.  It's as if the Holy Spirit has done a massive data dump upon Christians!  We not only know and discern this spiritual warfare, but we also have been given the knowledge that we have the Authority of Jesus to fight [in this war] through the Power of the Holy Spirit.  And that's where our Peace comes from... knowing that we can rebuke the devil and he will flee; knowing that the Lord is our banner in this fight and goes before us; and we know that Jesus will not only never leave us nor forsake us, but He who began a good work in us will complete it.  That is called Peace!
     My 2019 Perspective: This knowledge of supernatural peace has only grown! Once again, I am seeing panic among the general public, and even among some of the "religious" Christians, as they once again sense that the noose is tightening around our comfortable way of life. But those of us who pierced the previous six veils have journeyed for awhile now in the peace that only comes from understanding [and accepting] that evil will increase before Jesus comes back to administer His swift justice. In what might be perceived as an unorthodox mindset, we actually receive the certainty of advancing evil as a sign that our Lord is near to returning. We are ready and both physically and spiritually prepared. We are no longer restive in the midst of the anticipation of evil, but are serene and calm in the certainty of our victory.

As we approach 2022: Actually, I'm seeing the Body of Christ being divided into two spiritual camps. After coming to the knowledge that Ephesians 6 is true, and that we are in a spiritual battle, this first group has been so spiritually devastated by the chaos, fear, and death associated with the pandemic of C-19, that they want to retreat to a status of Prayer Warriors. Nothing wrong with that! We certainly need intercessors and people to lift our prayers to the throne of God. But they struggle to find their Peace in the Lord. But the second group that is in the spiritual battle have come to realize that we cannot drop our guard; that we have to take the fight to the Enemy; and that this is the time to dedicate our lives to the cause of the Kingdom. There is Peace in knowing that we were created for a time such as this, and Jesus will equip us to go farther in our strategies than ever before! There is Peace in knowing He is that close!

That brings us to Harkin's Eighth veil (2012), which can only be the pure energy, authority and life force that is God.  We can only hope to tap into that Power, and I think the closest we can come to that is to seek a personal, intimate relationship with the One True God, the Ruler of the Universe and abide in Him.
     My 2016 Perspective:  Yes, a personal, intimate relationship is necessary to tap into that Power, but it is incumbent upon each of us to know that it is available to us.  We are not to be mindless robots, sitting idly by waiting for God to win this war all by Himself.  We are created in His image, exhorted to imitate Christ, and called to an inheritance in Christ.  He dwells in us!  That energy, authority and life force are not to be squandered, but used to gain ground in defeating the Enemy in our lives!
     My 2019 Perspective: The knowledge that we are to have a personal, intimate relationship with Christ is now seen through an entirely new lens. He is our King, and we serve Him in His kingdom here on earth. He is our model, and we are to hear and see His directives on managing this earth, just as He followed everything the Father showed and told Him. This picture of citizenship in the Kingdom of God on earth still includes love, compassion, mercy, and grace ... but it has expanded to taking back territory from the kingdom of darkness in people's lives. Mankind was given dominion over the earth at our creation, and it is time we step into that mandate and take up our mantle of authority, using the power of Heaven through the Holy Spirit. who resides in us. 

As we approach 2022: With all that we have endured these last two years since a global pandemic engulfed the human race, it is hard to understand how anyone could not be seeking God. He, alone is our answer to the Evil that is coming hard and fast against us. And it is not partial to whom it destroys. So, if people are not closing in on piercing through to this last veil, then I can only think how hopeless and scary the world must seem. And for all of us who have arrived at this pinnacle of understanding, it weighs heavy on our hearts and spirits to see people who are still positioned at the first or third, or even the fifth veil. 

Because, with each veil of understanding that is pierced, the number of people "who see" gets exponentially smaller.  When I first wrote this blog post nearly 10 years ago, I saw mainly through "worldly" eyes.  I was focused on "the low information voter", and the gullible citizens who I saw as useful idiots and tools of the state.  I actually thought my vote really mattered and changing the politics of the nation would solve the world's problems.  I didn't see the spiritual component.

When I reassessed my understanding in 2016, I can honestly say that I believed I was at that Eighth veil, and I was so grateful to my Lord and the Holy Spirit for helping me to see through the murkiness of the veils and how they obscured my vision of God's Truth.  I saw that my existence here on earth was more than just this physical realm, and my victory in this life depended on my readiness to work with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to do battle in the spiritual realms.  I truly knew that I did not battle against flesh and blood, but had the Authority and Power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to free myself of spiritual bondage.

Then, in 2019, I had grown to realize that my comprehension of that eighth veil was rudimentary. Yes, it was important to know the true intent of Jesus's Great Commission for us Believers. And, yes, it is not only our privilege, but our responsibility to work with Him and the Holy Spirit to "set the captives free" from their demonic bondage to Satan's lies. But we aren't to stop there. Once we are free, we are to use that energy, authority, and life force that is "God in us" to continue the purpose that Jesus came for -- to re-establish this earth and its inhabitants under the governmental authority of the Kingdom of God.

But I did not foresee how quickly and destructively the Enemy would partner with evil men to try to bring about an apocalypse and initiate the mass extermination of millions of people. They're like sharks in the water, and they taste blood. So, it is imperative that we humans fight the fear that is being engendered, and put on our spiritual armor. We are literally in a battle for the earth -- it's the kingdom of darkness against the Kingdom of Light. Not only is the destiny of this current world at stake, but every single person's eternal destiny is at risk. It is to be won or lost depending on the decisions and the actions you make today! It's critical that we push through these veils of understanding and reach the summit -- and then help others to push through for their personal victory. It's not too late, but the time is short, and it is the most critical time of our lives!

2 Corinthians 3:16   But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see.

Moving From Religion to Faith to Relationship

I am often amazed at the Christians I come in contact with who are still unable to extricate themselves from a religious mindset, which keeps them bound in doubt and unbelief. That might sound like a vague or ill-defined statement, so let me try to clarify my thoughts. What I'm trying to convey is the message that oftentimes Christians view what they call their "faith" from a system of religious principles, tenets,  dictates, or decrees; as if there is a specific "order" of how to believe in God. But that can lead to associating God as a strict task-master, with rules or practices intended to regulate behavior or thought. Stray from the application of those prescribed rules, and God will punish you for "not doing it right".

Believers become so consumed with not breaking the rules, that they begin to doubt their worthiness to receive salvation. They become so worried about coloring inside the lines of religion, that the focus becomes about them and not about the One they profess to worship. That is the picture we see portrayed by the Pharisees in the Bible. Just like those ancient religious leaders, Christians today may recite all the commandments, but not practice them; profess holiness, but continue to act unrighteously; spout mercy and grace, but sow injustice. And believe me, I am well aware that we have an Enemy who tempts us to sin. That is our human nature, and I am in no position to cast the first stone!

This same religious mindset can come perilously close to Gnosticism which plagued the Early Church and is still alive and well in the 21st Century. Gnosticism makes God out to be distant and uninterested in the day-to-day experiences of life, and thereby leads to human interpretation (put forth as knowledge) of God's will.  So I grieve for my Brothers and Sisters in Christ who only know Jesus through religion. They will equate it with "faith", saying they have faith, but there is a world of difference between religion and faith. Religion tends to be expressed in outward acts or deeds and self-made wisdom; resulting in the performance of rituals and traditions.  Religion is often experienced in the physical world. Faith, on the other hand, is defined as assurance of things hoped for [and divinely guaranteed], and the evidence of things [unlike religion] that are not seen.

Religion will say, "I've done everything right ... I've followed all the rules ...". Faith will say, "God is my strength, and I trust in Him." People with faith [versus religion] do not define their relationship with God by how many of the rules they follow. That only got the Pharisees accused of hypocrisy by Jesus. The acts of people of faith are done to please God, not men. Faithful people are obedient to His expressed will; knowing [and expecting], and eagerly looking forward to their promised inheritance. Religion is focused on the here and now. Faith knows we are strangers and exiles on the earth, sustained by the promise of a return to our heavenly home. Chapter 11 in Hebrews is known as the "Hall of Faith", and there is not one person listed in that chapter that is lauded for their religion; they are all men and women of faith. They are examples of how to move from religion to faith and Godly relationships with our Father in Heaven.

And that leads me to the importance of relationship with God. It is difficult to have an authentic relationship with God if we see Him as only a distant taskmaster with rules that must be followed to please Him. There is no room for intimacy in that relationship. And faith, alone, without intimacy in a relationship with God, will be empty of the familiarity and friendship that are hallmarks of a real partnership. For you see, that is what God is looking for... someone to partner with on the earth. And I wish I had discovered that truth earlier in life.

But the reality, in my life, is that I first came to know my God, and my Lord and Savior, through Religion. I found a Pastor that introduced me to all the doctrines of the Church and the precepts and principles of the Bible, but I was never taught that these principles were level one; that my Father wanted obedience and intimacy, and I would never find my way to those concepts by limiting myself to Sunday attendance, Church offices, or denominational affiliation. As strange as it may sound, I was never really encouraged to get to know Him through a personal study of His Word. There was always someone else responsible for telling me what I was to know ... a Sunday School teacher, the Pastor in his 20-minute sermon each week, or an "elder" whom I automatically assumed should know more than me.

It wasn't until I began to study and read the Bible on my own, and went to these people with my questions, that I realized a lot of them had no answers from a faith standpoint ... they were just repeating man-made doctrine, and were responding from religion, not faith. Some were even uneasy with questioning these formulaic answers, possibly thinking it was blasphemous to God to challenge what the leaders of religion had unquestionably accepted as "God's Truth". But I found that as I dared to trust in God [more than men] for my answers, that He responded with amazing revelations that left me in awe of His character and nature. I began to believe EVERYTHING about Him in the Bible -- especially the supernatural aspects, which the modern world declares He no longer displays. 

And that has led me to real relationship with ALL of who He is ... Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; merciful, gracious, loving, and just. I know Him in all His individual capacities, and how He works for my good. I know how to hear from God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit -- individually and together. I have learned how to spend time in the spirit with them and receive rest, peace, power, and strategies. And I know that if the Body of Christ is unable [or unwilling] to move beyond Religion into Faith, and then grow their Faith into a real Relationship, then the season we are about to move into is going to be difficult for most to traverse. We must be focused on Christ as our way forward and through the crises that are coming upon us. We must be able to transcend the limitations of this earth and ascend in the spirit to sit in the presence of our Savior. Religion cannot become our sanctuary in this season. Faith and Relationship will be the weapons that the Enemy cannot destroy or defeat. He has no answer for them! There is nothing in his arsenal that is comparable to them! Thank you, Jesus, that you continue to pursue us; that you answer our questions and doubts with your convincing and infallible truth; and that you never leave us nor abandon us when we fail you! Strengthen us through your power in us, far beyond anything we dare to ask or think! Glory be to you in all the generations that come after us! Amen!

1 Corinthians 1:30-31     But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin],  so then, as it is written [in Scripture], “He who boasts and glories, let him boast and glory in the Lord.”

La Palma: Tied To U.S./Israeli Policies? A Look Back At History

Get ready to put your tin foil hat on today! There is an interesting natural phenomena happening off the northwest coast of Africa on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma. In case you have missed the news stories on this event, La Palma is best described as a "volcanic ocean island". According to geologists, La Palma is currently, along with its sister island, Tenerife, the most volcanically active of the Canary Islands. Formed three to four million years ago by submarine (under-sea) volcanic eruptions, the island has a landscape of hardened lava and scoria (porous cinder-like fragments of dark lava. 

So, why am I bringing this subject up? Because La Palma has long been the subject of scary scenarios that have predicted a future event where a volcanic eruption could cause the western flank of the 203 square mile island (roughly 1/6 the size of Rhode Island) to fall in to the ocean, generating a giant wave of nearly 3,000 feet, which would radiate out across the Atlantic Ocean and inundate the Eastern seaboard with waves potentially reaching 165 feet or more -- and it would only take 7 hours to reach its destination! So, again, why am I sharing this information? Because, since September 11th, there have been over 4,000 tremors on the tiny island, resulting in an earthquake swarm and multiple eruptions causing fissures in the rocky landscape and along the ridge of its highest volcanic mountain, fueling fears that the flank of the mountain could possibly break off and fulfill the prognostications of centuries-old prophecies. 

And what does all this have to do with U.S. and Israeli relations [hinted at in the title of this post]? Well, in 2012, I wrote a blog post noting the natural and political disasters that had assailed America in the last 20 years. You can read that complete list on the post by clicking here. Those events began on October 30, 1991, with what became known as "The Perfect Storm". President George H.W. Bush initiated the Madrid Peace Conference to consider Israel giving up "land for peace".  As this Conference opened, a freakish "perfect storm" developed in the North Atlantic, creating the largest waves ever recorded in that region. The storm traveled 1000 miles from “east to west” instead of the normal “west to east” pattern and crashed into the New England Coast. Thirty-five foot waves crashed into the Kennebunkport home of President Bush.

Today, I'd like to cite just a few of the other American policies that required Israel to compromise its land, and which seemed to "coincidentally" occur at the same time as natural disasters... the 1994 Northridge, CA earthquake (U.S. urges Israel to give up Golan Heights); Hurricane George in 1998 (when Secretary of State Madeleine Albright finalizes details of agreement between Israel and Palestine to give up 13% of Judah and Samaria); and culminating with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when Israel carried out the evacuation of 9,500 residents from Gush Katif and four Samaria communities. Residents were forced from their homes by Israeli troops, some dragged away kicking and screaming and placed on buses that took them from the area.  The Gaza withdrawal was backed by the U.S. government. Some Middle East analysts and senior Israeli politicians entirely attributed the evacuation plan to pressure coming from the American establishment. These natural events, plus political and economic disasters all coincided with concessions Israel made with its Middle Eastern enemies. I think you will be astounded when you read the post in its entirety.

So, now we're facing the possibility of another natural disaster that could potentially dwarf all the others... the entire Eastern seaboard, including the economic center of the U.S. (New York City) and our political capitol (Washington D.C.) could suffer monumental loss of life and territory. So, is there anything going on in our national foreign policy with Israel that could possibly foretell such a disaster? Well, during negotiations in the House this past week, the Democratic leadership was forced to cut $1 billion for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, leaving Israel vulnerable to thousands of Hamas-launched rockets. Israeli officials have been quoted as saying that most of the 4,350 rockets fired from Gaza during the conflict in May were blown out of the sky by Iron Dome interceptors.  It is obvious, that failure to fund the effectiveness of this self-defense system could be catastrophic for Israel. Some are saying this is a "temporary" halt and only a "technical postponement" of eventual reinstatement of the funding. [Within 24 hours the House overcame the lobbying of their liberal faction to approve and pass the funding]. Now we will see if the Senate follows through. And in the meantime, La Palma continues to erupt and the world watches to see if the earth-changing event will occur. 

All this may seem like a crazy Christian conspiracy ... and maybe nothing happens. But I'm not one to dismiss what history has shown us. Remember that old axiom, Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it? Maybe, we'd be wise to consider that. And to add fuel to the conspiracy flames, there is the quatrain from Nostradamus (1503-1566), the French astrologer, physician, and reputed seer who wrote, The great mountain, seven stadia round... after peace, war, famine, flooding... It will spread far, drowning great countries... even antiquities and their mighty foundations. Willing to dismiss this as superstitious conjecture or a false prophecy? Perhaps what Revelation 18 has to say might give you pause. 

Revelation, Chapter 18 is focused on the Fall of the great city Babylon. Now, Christians and commentators, alike, have long speculated about the identity of this great city, with Rome/Vatican City, Washington, D.C., and New York City being among the top candidates. Described as the city where "the the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living", and sitting as a queen among the kings of the earth, my vote [at this time in history] is leaning towards New York. To fan the flames of this possible scenario, Scripture says "her plagues will come in a single day; death and mourning and famine, for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her, and she will be burned up with fire. One cannot help but think of the thousands of needless deaths from the disastrous C-19 policies in  New York City.

Again, the Bible forewarns that the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn because no one buys their cargo (goods) anymore. Is it because our dollar is on the precipice of being abandoned as the world's reserve currency? Wall Street is in New York and its numbers lately could certainly be signaling that event. But why would that cause the "merchants of the earth" so much torment? Wall Street has such a significant impact on the global economy because it is the trading hub of the biggest financial markets in the world’s richest nation [according to the website Investopedia]. Making some connections now?

And again, the Bible says that in a single hour all her wealth will be laid waste. So perhaps there's another little clue that La Palma is tied to this Biblical prophecy ... Verse 21 says, Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more. 

I'm not claiming to be a prophetic voice or a seer of any kind ... I just find it interesting that there are some compelling connections between our history with Israel via our political policies and events, the  predictions of a 16th Century astrologer/seer, and the prophetic warnings of the ultimate End Times book in the Bible. This is what we know for sure ... a faction of the U.S. governing body was successful in their attempts to temporarily stop the funding of Israel's primary defense mechanism at the same time an ancient volcano in the Atlantic Ocean has the potential to throw off a devastating tsunami that could wipe out our Eastern seaboard and destroy millions of lives. Sounds Biblical to me! Our political history has given us a template to go by, and it's sure hard to ignore. 

So, I will end this post the same way I did in 2012 ... whether you see a connection between our government's policies, the treatment of Israel, and these forces of nature, you must surely see that the fortunes of America are slipping. Is it God's judgment? I am not qualified to answer for Him. And now, in 2021, I would add this caveat: I'm afraid that we resemble the great city of Babylon even more today than we did then. I invite you to read that sobering chapter in Revelation, and then join me and millions of other Christians as the Kingdom government on earth to change the idolatrous and evil forces that are destroying our country. And be sure and keep an eye on La Palma!

Revelation 18:4-5     Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities".

"From Now On, I'm Gonna Wear Comfortable Clothes, & Start Running My Mouth!"

That is an accurate quote from yesterday by my husband, after we spent time with two other members of our Ekklesia in an intimate time with the Lord. In case you think that sounds arrogant and even a touch blasphemous, let me explain the context in which it was spoken...

Our little Ekklesia has around 15 faithful followers of Jesus, and after this last week when 5 of them (that's 33%!) were hit hard with "the virus", we made a deliberate decision to suspend our usual study and fellowship. Then a few days later, the Lord prompted me that we needed to stand as the government of Heaven on earth and pray for not only their health and recovery, but the restoration of our nation to God's will. So we called a gathering of the remaining members of our Ekklesia. We did it on short notice, so those that could not attend agreed to pray with us in spirit. So, the four of us gathered together in our living room, got quiet, submitted our flesh, souls and spirits to the Lord, and went into the presence of the Father. 

Now, I don't know what that looks like to you, but it is a very effortless action for us. We come before the throne of God, expressing what is on our hearts; what we are burdened with; sharing with God what [and how] we see the strategies of the Enemy on the earth. In short, we just have an in-depth conversation that is a characteristic of our relationship with Him. After all, a relationship is defined as "the state of being connected by blood or marriage". We are both! The blood of Jesus covers us and we are His beloved Bride, making ourselves ready, that we might be holy and without blemish before our Bridegroom on His return.

We simply got quiet, and asked Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit to speak to us and show us how to pray and what to pray for. We asked them to show us what they wanted us to see, and we let our spirits receive the heart and will of the Father, just as Jesus did. We were just four people with no pre-planned agenda or rule book to play by; no restrictions on expressing what we saw or heard; and no limitations put on God with what He wanted to share. It was pure, unadulterated relationship with our Creator -- uncontaminated by this world or dictated to by its "authorities".

We interceded on behalf of those among us who are fighting for their health, and for those among us and our families who have lost that battle. We asked for discernment regarding what heavenly strategies to use against the evil agendas that are in play, and which realms need to be torn asunder. We asked for an increase of the Lord's strength and power to enhance our own, so that we can be more effective in tearing down strongholds. We declared the Word spoken over Israel's enemy, Moab, and applied it to those in power over us and in the world ... "You will end their pride and all their evil works. You will bring down the high walls of their fortifications. You will bring them down to the ground, to the dust". We brought the testimonies of the afflicted before the Courts and Councils of Heaven as evidence of the injustice on earth, and asked for judgment and restitution to a hundred-fold. We prayed against weaponized grids in the spiritual realms; to close all the portal access points of demonic infiltration; to dismantle the structures of invasion; to destroy the webs of deception; and we pleaded for the uploading of a "Jesus virus" into the quantum entanglements established by wicked entities. And then we all concentrated on establishing the importance of true relationship with God among the Body of Christ. We declared that God does not need [nor desire!] long-winded speeches or empty phrases of praise. He wants our hearts aligned with His heart and with His purposes. He wants a holy interchange between Him and us -- we seek His voice and His heart, and then we act on what He reveals to us! It's really that simple! 

And that's where my husband's comment comes in. I'm sure -- no, I know -- that his words will be misunderstood by those within the Body of Christ who possess a religious spirit. They will not understand that he is a man of direct and frank language, but with a loving and compassionate heart. His name literally means "Peace-Loving Warrior", and he is the perfect embodiment of every characteristic of that appellation. And, if I can speak for him, he is tired of the same old modes by which we Christians identify ourselves. We need to be more than subservient sheep to habitual and predictable methods of engaging God. We need to become more than our titles and giftings; it can no longer be about how we appear in the world. We are not of this world, and if we don't start acting from our place in the spiritual realms, there will not be a place for us in the world!

My husband has tried to speak and act within the restraints of accepted Christian practices, but it is becoming more and more difficult for him to walk that line. I believe God is calling those who will be bold and undeterred from His purposes during this time. These are men and women who know that the hour is approaching when compromise and conciliatory gestures towards the Enemy will no longer hold back Evil. These are men and women who know they are watchmen on the wall -- but they are not just warning about the players from their position on the physical walls of the earth, but also from the spiritual walls in the heavenly realms. And the magnitude of what they see coming does not fit any paradigm of the modern Church. And that can put them in conflict with the traditional Body of Christ. But thank the Lord that God has a purpose for them that both includes the hope and encouragement of victory that their Christian brothers and sisters espouse, but also includes the honest, outspoken, and open dialogue of a John the Baptist, a Jeremiah, or an Elijah ... a remnant that is willing to look different, sound different, and swim against the current of conventional Church-ology. 

I will tell you that this is not a place of faith that is for the faint-hearted. You will be despised, discounted, dismissed, and disregarded. You will be called a heretic and worse. But you can no longer go along to get along, and you can no longer pretend that you don't know what you know. As a wife who marches in step with my husband, I sometimes wonder if more grace and mercy would soften the message God has given us. But God has time and again told me that there is a time and place for His grace and mercy [and He will make those times discernable], but now is the time for clear, concise and deliberate discourse with the world. It's no time to hold back, or ease the pain of the reality of this Age. God needs more Peace-Loving Warriors who can carry out His purpose in witnessing to both the wise and the ill-advised. My husband might appear foolish to some within the Body of Christ, and misdirected by most who are on a different path, but he's ready to lay it all on the line for Christ and His Kingdom. Hence, the statement, From now on, I'm gonna wear comfortable clothes and start running my mouth. Translation: "I'm going to be free from worrying about what others think, and instead, be comfortable and content in my Kingdom assignment. And I'm not going to worry about how the message God has given me is received or interpreted. I'm going to be bold in declaring it ... within every realm of influence God gives me ... and without hesitancy, trusting Him to transform lives". 

It might not be your style of presentation. But know that he, and the members of God's remnant like him, recognize the time is critical, and their severe and stern demeanor is evidence of their compassionate heart for those who have not yet perceived or entered the Kingdom. Call it tough love, if you will. But it is precisely because they love their fellow man, that they are willing to be controversial. May God strengthen them, protect them, and encourage them to finish their race. 

2 Corinthians 11:19   And since you are so smart and so wise to gladly put up with the foolishness of others, now put up with mine.