Remember All That God Has Done!

Do you remember that section of the Bible in Mark, Chapter 8, where the Disciples are concerned that they only have one loaf of bread between them for lunch -- this after witnessing the supernatural power from Heaven that multiplied five loaves to feed 5,000; and seven loaves to feed 4,000!  Jesus must have been frustrated with them!  He asks them,  “Why are you discussing [the fact] that you have no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Though you have eyes, do you not see? And though you have ears, do you not hear and listen [to what I have said]? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?”  

In other words, Jesus must have been thinking, Can't you see? Can't you hear? And, can't you remember all that God has done for you? Why are you worrying about what you will have for lunch when you've witnessed over 9,000 people fed with a few loaves of bread?  Actually, the message to focus on God's supernatural works has been a recurring theme in the Bible, beginning in Deuteronomy 6.  The Word says God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to hear His commandments and to keep them; to keep His statutes (which are His values), and to teach them to their children so that [your generations] "do not forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery"... See, hear, and remember. 

So, it is my opinion that our remembrances, which are kept alive in our testimonies, are the record/history of God's supernatural activities in our lives, and they are the lenses through which we should see everything else around us in this world. But, here's what often happens ... once we get some time and space between that moment when we receive God's invitation to let Jesus become the Lord and Savior of our life, we begin losing some of the awe of that momentous and supernatural occasion.  First, we quit talking about our transformation. Then we quit expecting more supernatural experiences.  And then, pretty soon, if we're not careful, we are no longer seeing or hearing evidence of Him in our daily lives.  It's not too long before we are engaging with a religious form of God -- we still profess faith in Him; go to Church and go through the motions, but there is no power in our Christian walk, no life, no encounters, and no real relationship with our supernatural God. Our connection with God can become so sterile that we can begin to even question whether He is real.  And people will eventually abandon what they perceive to be fake or artificial.

This concept of remembrance is particularly relevant for me today, for it was 35 years ago, on this day in November that God literally saved me. It happened on a Saturday evening around 11 pm, as I returned to my rented house after spending the evening with my soon-to-be husband and his family. I glanced in my rear-view mirror in time to see bright headlights before someone rear-ended me, sending my car rolling up the side of an embankment. Thankfully, I had my seat belt on, because the roof caved in about an inch from my head, while I was being slammed into the driver's-side window as my car rolled up the hill. With each revolution, I cried out to God, with glass spraying me and the sounds of crunching metal assailing my ears. So, when I say that "God saved me", it is the truth. He saved me from a premature death, and saved me by His grace to become an obedient follower of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  

It is important, as a Christian, that I remember and chronicle this testimony of God's hand in my life. This memory has stood the test of time, and is a valuable weapon whenever the Enemy tries to convince me that God is absent or He no longer has work for me to do. This memory is one of the foundations of my faith. It speaks of God's faithfulness to answer when, even in our distance from Him, we cry out and He is still willing to come to our rescue. That's an incredibly important message for today. The world certainly seems upside down; evil is good, and good is called evil. Mankind seems to have sacrificed its humanity for the almighty dollar, and disease and subterfuge are devouring the population. Deception is the byword of governments and corporations, and our children are confused about their gender, our history, and their self-worth. Identity is determined by the number of "likes" we get on social media, and identity politics is the way the game of life is played these days. And where is God is any of this? Are we still capable of knowing who we are as Christians?

You see, Christianity has all the distinctive characteristics of a God who passionately and supernaturally walks with the children He loves: He provided manna from Heaven every day while the Israelites were in the wilderness. When they were desperate for water, He provided it out of a rock. He secured their passage through the Red Sea and the flooding waters of the River Jordan. And I do not doubt that God still desires to work supernaturally in each of our personal lives, and the life of this nation. But it is up to us to make the effort to recall those memories. If we only look at what the Enemy is doing now to disrupt our lives, or how he is manipulating the powers of government, then we do not do our God justice. We should be recounting all the ways He has delivered us and been our stronghold in times of trouble; those times when our world was the darkest, and we feared we may never see the sunshine again. 

For when we lose the memories of God's supernatural works in our lives, we can lose the courage to do the hard stuff, and the strength to get through the hard times.  When trials come our way, it is so important to have those memory touchstones to return to... to be able to recall how God supernaturally delivered us, or provided for us.  And when what seems like an impossible situation arises, and we are called to radical obedience, it is paramount that we rely on our memories of all God has done for us so that we do not become cowardly in the conflict. Because, my friends, I can tell you, that the days seem to be growing darker in the world. We seem to be counting down to that final cataclysmic event when Jesus comes to put an end to all the evil Satan has incited on the earth. And despite many of the Church's doctrines, I believe we will witness that day and play a part in helping people hang on to their faith.

As we approach that final hour, there is one thing we need to realize... by not remembering the displays of His power in our past, we limit Him and restrict what He wants to do.  Remember, He wants us to co-labor with Him to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. But He needs our cooperation and our involvement. When we stop living our lives conscious of the God who invaded this realm, and accomplished the impossible -- healed the sick, cast out demons; freed the oppressed and tormented; and raised the dead -- we begin to reduce the ministry He wants us to do on behalf of the Kingdom.  When we forget what He has done, then it becomes all about our gifts and what we have done. And I never want to reduce the possibilities of Him supernaturally conquering this world!  I want to live with an ever-present awareness that God can invade every situation in my life. And I want the history of my life to be a reflection of His Presence, and I want to remember every detail to share with whomever will listen.  It is vital for the Body of Christ to never lose their memories of God's supernatural activity in this world. 

Just as the Lord instructed Joshua to have one man of each of the 12 tribes of Israel place a stone on the banks of the River Jordan [after the nation of Israel passed over into the Promised Land], we need to leave a lasting testimony that not only preserves the memories of God's Greatness and Provision, but prophecies of His future acts of Righteousness and Justice.  Nothing has changed since those long-ago days in the Bible. We are serving a God that deserves to be praised and lauded for all He has done.  It is important that both we and our future generations never forget. Joshua said it so well ... Testify to the [supernatural] works of the Lord, our God, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is Mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.  

Start compiling those memories -- write them down; preserve them -- because they will be the bedrock of your ability to stand in the coming days. Those testimonies will be the spark that fuels our endurance. To God be all the glory!

Psalm 78:4     We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that He has done.

Ten Years Later: Why The Purpose Has Not Changed!

It's hard for me to believe, but it has been ten years since my spirit heard a prompting from the Lord to begin this blog. Over 2,220,000 people have read 2,303 posts since I began this journey with the Holy Spirit. I know that is small potatoes compared to the "big boys", but for this average American woman, who just wanted to speak to people [like me] who were concerned about the state of our nation, I am still amazed that people might be interested in what I have to say. 

And actually you need to know it hasn't all come from me. From the beginning, the purpose of this blog was to show women [and eventually men would find their way to this site, too] that they weren't alone in their fears and doubts about the direction in which we saw our country headed. So, I wrote about whatever the Holy Spirit prompted me to say -- I researched timely topics, discerned red flags that indicated our foundation was shifting, and heard the importance of taking a good hard look at the condition of our faith.

The one thing I knew for certain was this: no matter what current event, issue, or concern I was writing about, I wanted to always point people back to the Word of God, so each post ended with a verse from the Bible that would cause people to meditate on the message I was trying to convey and find God there. I knew people were searching for answers to the changing undercurrent in our lives, and I knew God was the key to encouraging them, emboldening them, and turning their uncertainties into knowledge and action in their lives. I wanted to make people think outside their "normalcy bias" and see our world from God's perspective, not just our human desires and self-gratification. And as I look back on where the Holy Spirit has taken me, it's not surprising to see a pattern develop throughout these posts that I believe foreshadowed where we find ourselves today.

From the beginning, I wanted people to understand the importance of our history -- the history of our nation, our families, and our faith -- because if this nation was to survive beyond the average age of most empires (250 years), then we must safeguard these important elements of our history, lest they erode and be replaced by another system that changed our national identity. Americans, by definition, are liberty-loving, independent, industrious; living self-determined lives where the poor can become wealthy, there is no limit to what the uneducated are allowed to learn, and men and women have the freedom to go as far in society as their hard work can take them. I remember one of the first times my husband and I were part of an exhibition where artisans from across the country set up their booths to sell their creations. On the last day of the event, when everyone was tearing down booths, and packing up trailers to leave, I was overwhelmed with all the commerce I saw before me, and thought, "This really is the land of opportunity! Anyone can start a business and make of it what he will! No one has to be under the thumb of a tyrannical government limiting our freedom of choice. America is the greatest nation on earth!"

I still believe that. And even in the most uncertain of times, I trusted that the basic freedoms promised in our Constitution would stand -- the freedom to worship as we pleased; the freedom to petition the government; the freedom of expressing our individual views, and the freedom to peacefully gather to protest a discerned injustice. But the Holy Spirit kept prompting me with subjects that needed addressing. I was concerned that the fabric of our identity was coming unraveled. It wasn't hard to see spiritual forces aligning to undermine the unique freedoms that are our American legacy and inheritance. Programs like Agenda 21 and Common Core, and terms like "global initiative" and "transgender" began to creep into our lexicon, and before long it seemed as if the average, everyday American was rocked back on his heels. Over the last ten years, it has appeared [to me] that American citizens were in a state of confusion and unable to function against what seemed like strange and unfamiliar ideologies. Surely, we would regain our balance and everything would return to normal, right?

That's when the Holy Spirit ramped up His promptings. He made it clear to me that America was in danger of forgetting who she was. God was still willing to be faithful to His covenant established at the outset of this nation, but we, the American people, needed to remain faithful to Him and the principles on which we were founded. We needed to decide who we wanted to be, and until we could establish that identity, the spiritual rulers, authorities, and powers of His Enemy would continue to weaken the heart of who we were meant to be. That included us both as a nation, and as individuals. Americans needed to reclaim their faith from the godless entities that had stolen our identity. We needed to shake off the bonds of those who would enslave the nation, demolishing our national sovereignty and destroying the reason we were born for such a time as this. We needed to grow our faith by grasping the understanding of the purpose of our Salvation: to enter and establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

I will admit that there have been times of deep discouragement, but I have never given up hope. These last two years of the pandemic have deeply tried the soul of America. There has been much confusion, deception, and death -- the hallmarks of an Enemy that seeks to steal, kill and destroy. But I see a remnant of my Christian brethren awakening to the greater truths of their faith and transitioning into living a transformed life under the jurisdiction of God's Kingdom. I am seeing my fellow citizens awakening from a long slumber of denial and pulling the dirty veil off their eyes to see the condition of our education system and how it has constructed a long, slow campaign of deceptive curriculum to try to fundamentally change who this nation is meant to be. I am not naive enough to think we are perfect, or that there are changes are still to be made, but I know that the Godly foundation of this nation needs to remain intact. The family needs to remain intact, just as God designed it. And parents are not to be silenced when it comes to how their children are raised. 

There's a breath of fresh air circulating over our nation. The Holy Spirit is blowing across the land. But we must not be deceived. God's Enemy has enjoyed too much success to give up easily. And we must continue to grow in our understanding of the greater spiritual agenda, and take our place in God's plan to redeem our nation and our lives. It is for this purpose that I am still writing, ten years later. And I pray that the Holy Spirit still finds me worthy to receive His promptings, and can use me to encourage everyone who finds their way to this blog. I am humbled and privileged to write for my Lord, and I promise that I will always write with the purpose of glorifying Him to my best abilities.

Psalm 115:1       Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name [we] give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness!

 

How Great Is Our God!

 

Recently, I saw a meme featuring a lunchroom with tables marked, Moses and Aaron, Noah, Abraham, David, Mary and Joseph, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, The Disciples, Peter, and finally, Adam and Eve. The title of the meme asked the question, "If you have 30 minutes for lunch, who are you going to choose to sit with?" Think about it. That's a pretty intriguing question. And so were the answers. To be honest, it's hard to pick just one, but if I'm forced to just choose, I think I'd like to spend 30 minutes with Adam and Eve and find out what it was like when they had dominion on the earth and were in intimate relationship with God. What was it like to be a spirit being, walking with Him and having access to His Presence? What did the Father impart to them about His purpose for their lives; what was His original plan for mankind? And because they knew the rules of the Garden -- that on the very day that they disobeyed God and chose to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they would die (Genesis 2:17) -- what about Satan's deceptive invitation convinced them it was worth the cost?  

Obviously, 30 minutes isn't enough time to get all those answers. But that simple little meme has me meditating on greater questions and truths. To begin, I know that the Bible is all about God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. But everything I want to know about my relationship with them is not spelled out within the 1545 pages of this Holy Book. As I mature into the fullness of the understanding of my faith, I am relying on Holy Spirit to reveal more and more about the significance of the Word for my life... and yours. I can only describe what I have discerned as both magnificent and deeply concerning.

It is magnificent because I have seen the extravagant love that both the Father and Jesus have for us, and am so thankful that the Holy Spirit is the conduit for re-establishing our kinship and connections with the Godhead. It is deeply concerning because while I believe I gain a greater understanding [every day] of just how big God is (in all His manifestations), I know that I only discern in part. But my spirit is recognizing [and worried] that far too many of my Christian brethren are unenlightened as to their true identity and are at risk in these tumultuous times to falling prey to the spirits of fear, deception, doubt and unbelief. I daresay we all are aware that Evil is on the rise. It cannot be denied. 

Yet I see faithful, God-loving Christians unable to face any concept of what the Bible tells us we should expect to see in these days. There seems to be a desire to "soften" or "ease" the message of the Bible to include only those verses that speak of revival, restoration, and our final victory. Make no mistake ... that message is true and glorious and worthy of repeating! But it is a disservice to our faith to turn a blind eye to what the Bible clearly says we will have to endure! And what does this diluting of the Word say about our ability to be effective and impactful in the world? How are we to encourage others in times of struggle, if we only want to concentrate on the joyful verses? And if we are willing to look at the portions of Scripture that are scary, it doesn't mean we are denying the goodness of God! Do Christians even understand who they are and their status in today's world?

I know I keep pounding home my message of Identity, but I think it is one of the most important aspects of our faith. Do you know that our God is so big that even while having foreknowledge [from the beginning of the world] that His creation would be tempted to go astray, He wrote in His Book of Life what His purpose was for each one of us? We each have a page [or a scroll, if you will] that details all He planned for us to accomplish in this short time on earth in this host body. But in His humility, God didn't force us to obey Him. He gave us free will to choose who we would follow, and that gift of freedom leads either to glorifying God or rebelling against Him.

But the foremost aspect of God's Nature is His love for us, and He demonstrates that by showing us that even though He knew we would lose our authority over the earth, and that these dark days would happen, He planned on sending Jesus to provide a way for us to reconcile with Him and restore our identity [made in His image] and our dominion [authority in the earth]. Yet, why don't Christians wake up to the truth of this amazing identity? Why do we still "play it safe" and make decisions based on fear? Why do we not step out in the knowledge that our power and authority to act in this world is greater than Satan's or any of his demonic partners? Why do we allow the Father of Lies to whisper that we are too small or too insignificant; that our position on the earth is inadequate to stand against his schemes to keep us in bondage to plagues, poverty, tyrants, or sin of any kind?

We must not cower from our responsibility to walk in that identity. If we know who we are and are unafraid to speak in bold truth, there is nothing the Enemy can bring against us that will defeat us. We must know that the love of God has transferred not only His power to us, but His authority to take rulership over all circumstances in our lives, in our culture, in the laws of this nation, and in our faith. We must not "soft sell" this power or the Truth that stands behind it. We must be bold in our declarations, even if we find ourselves on the fringes of "accepted" doctrine or Christian theology. God did not design and create us to be "comfortable" in our faith. We have a formidable Enemy and if we are to fulfill the reason for which we were created, we need to become willing to take risks to fulfill our destiny in the Kingdom of God on earth -- even unto death. We must not be afraid! For fear will inevitably lead to doubt and a desire for self-protection.

I was greatly disheartened to read an article on the Charisma News website titled, "How Halloween is a Catalytic Day for Reformation, Revival and Destiny." It exhorted readers to become free from a religious spirit that foments fear regarding this holiday, and rejoice in the rich history of all that has happened on this date in years past -- Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg Church door on October 31, 1517; and the Welsh Revival was begun on October 31, 1904 that resulted in 80,000 people choosing Christ as their Savior! I wholeheartedly applaud these accomplishments for the Christian faith, but my spirit was disappointed that the article didn't tell the whole truth. The fact that Halloween is the height of the Satanic Holy Days, and more children go missing during this week of demonic blood rituals than any other time of the year was never mentioned -- merely that Halloween has its roots in an obscure ancient Celtic pagan festival called Samhain. To obscure the depth of evil that is Halloween in today's world is to give Satan and his legions of followers full reign to carry out their heinous rituals. 

I will tell you, Satan loves it when Christians are unwilling to tell the full truth about the evil that happens, and they are satisfied to ignore the wicked ways of Satanists, while declaring that Halloween is "pregnant with potential" to become a powerful day of reformation and revival. Meanwhile, Christians wait in the hopes that revival will take place, and Satanists continue unopposed in their diabolical practices. Yes, we Christians have the potential to partner with God to redeem the world. And I praise our Great God every time I see His presence in the life of one who has chosen to receive His love and is willing to obey Him at all costs. Every victory is precious and God rejoices! But I pray that the Body of Christ will rise to their full potential and fulfill what is written on their page in God's Book of Life. In today's world, we don't have the luxury of playing it safe, or being comfortable in our faith. Satan is trying to use his old playbook of Death to scare us into submission and laying down our calling and inheritance. If we truly desire to mature into the fullness of Christ, we must be ready and willing to walk in His shoes and pay the ultimate price. Our Great God deserves nothing less.

Psalm 27:1     Yahweh is my revelation-light and the source of my salvation. I fear no one! I’ll never turn back and run for you, Yahweh, surround and protect me.

 

"Surface Level" Christianity

I'm in the process of developing the outline for a new book I want to write, with the working title of "From 'Surface Level' to 'Deep Roots': What the Body of Christ Needs to Understand About Our Identity in Christ". This subject matter has been stirring up my spirit for awhile now, and I continue to hear the promptings to write another book. I've had ideas in mind since the last one I wrote in the Spring of 2020. But each time I settled on what I thought the focus would be, the Holy Spirit whispered, "Go Deeper". And the events of the last two years certainly call for an awakening in the Body of Christ to understand God's intention for us in these tumultuous times.

I am also struck by the number of times that people of faith have recently mentioned to me their frustration at encountering "surface level" Christians. The age range using that particular phrase has run from a Millennial Christian [in describing the lack of depth in her counterparts in the Church], to a "seasoned" Christian, who bemoaned the absence of substantial understanding of Biblical history or prophecy, to all the age groups in between. Apparently, there is a noticeable lack of commitment to a lifestyle of real faith.

Of course, I'm not painting the entire Body of Christ with this broad brush, but as we continue to be stretched in our faith, due to national and world events, I am unable to ignore what I discern ... that many Christians are struggling with coping with their fears of the future; or making life decisions out of fear; or mistrusting the promises of the Bible. Then there are those who turn a blind eye to the very real threats we face, and struggle to believe that persecution or trials and tribulations are a possibility. Yes, the ultimate victory is ours in Christ and what He accomplished on the Cross, but I think that God wants us to see the "Big Picture" ... the good, the bad, and the ugly that is in this world ... but see it from His perspective; His vantage point from Heaven, and as Creator.

We cannot simply revel in the "Good News" that we are Saved and our victory in Christ is eternal life. Don't mistake me -- that is our ultimate reward and inheritance as a child of God; and it is greatly to be prized and shared! But we have a job to do while we are here, and if at first it is to recognize Jesus as our Savior, how more productive for His Kingdom on earth is our work to advance the knowledge and acceptance of that Kingdom among all peoples, tribes, and nations? At the same time, we cannot remain naive that we have a very real and cunning, calculating Enemy whose sole goal is to stop us from completing our divinely-allocated objective. Just because we can see the finish line of our race, doesn't mean there won't be pitfalls, peril, and dangers to deter us along the way. It is the wise that proceed boldly, but with wisdom.

Therefore, one who hyper-focuses on the safe, comfort zone of Christianity may only reach a surface level of faith; a level that is most likely being greatly challenged in recent months. We can't always "lie down in green pastures". Sometimes we find ourselves walking in "the valley of the shadow of death" [as so many have experienced in the last two years]. It's easy to rejoice in our faith when we're standing on the top of the mountain, and the view is one of only sunshine, and speaks primarily of God's beauty and grace. But what would your reaction be if you suddenly found yourself plunged into darkness and you couldn't see evidence of God anywhere? Is your trust gone? Do you give in to fear and despair? Do you feel powerless? Or do you simply refuse to acknowledge that it exists or that anything bad can happen?

I've often written that the 21st Century Church needs to return to its 1st Century roots. Those new Christians were walking on unstable ground. The Enemy had just lost his biggest weapon to keep mankind separated from God ... Death. And those faithful few were in the cross-hairs of his rage. They found themselves imprisoned; ship-wrecked; beaten; run out of town; and ultimately all were either scourged, crucified, beheaded with a sword, thrown in boiling oil, lanced by idolatrous priests and burned up in an oven, axed to death, thrown down from the Temple tower and then clubbed to death, stoned or beheaded.

If we call Jesus Christ our Savior, we must be prepared not only to enjoy the seasons of goodness, grace, mercy, and prosperity, but to endure the seasons of troubles, chaos, wickedness and evil. Jesus did not promise us that we would run our race without stumbling or coming under attack. He only promised that He would be with us through it all. I know there are many Christians who think what occurred in the 1st Century could never happen now; that we are destined for another "great awakening" in this nation; a national and worldwide revival; that the saints in Christ will escape to Heaven before suffering the devil's revenge; or that the evil on the earth will be defeated before Jesus returns. But that is not what the Bible says! I pray for an awakening ... that the fire of the Holy Spirit is kindled in the Body of Christ to their identity and their purpose in this hour of history! And I pray that their spirits are revived to know the power they have to resist the devil and take back dominion in their bodies, in their lives, in the Church and in the earth!

It all comes down to the Parable of the Sower, but the meaning will escape the "Surface Christians". Is your faith like the seed that is scattered on the top layer of the ground? Is it shallow and veiled in appearance? Or is it allowed to penetrate and inform your heart with the deeper things of God -- the things that have been known since the beginning of the world and down through the ages, but the modern Church ignores because it doesn't fit their paradigm or theology? Precisely because God sent our spirits to inhabit the earth in this particular time of history, I believe it is important that the roots of our faith grow deep and wide. We are going to need to be grounded in the knowledge of our heart and head, and particularly established in our spiritual abilities to connect to the power of God in Heaven. 

Ancient civilizations as far back as the Sumerians [5500 years ago] wrote about the battles they witnessed between good and evil. Yes, God, Himself came to earth to reconnect with His creation and re-establish our relationship. But the forces of evil did not just submit and go away. The same strategies have been played out through the centuries, and while those stories and legends seem implausible for today, we would be wise to consider them -- not because it has an effect on our salvation -- but because the Enemy is still using the same methods and manipulations to deceive mankind. 

The Church will say that everything in the past changed when Jesus brought the gift of Salvation. But the Church rarely acknowledges that He referred to the past when He said, "As it was in the days of Noah...". Furthermore, most Christians have never taken the time to study or understand all that was going on "in the days of Noah", or the vast history of mankind that led up to it. While the modern Church may think it has no significance for them, I [personally] want to see how my God worked in that situation so that I can take what He reveals to me and spend time with Him in His Throne Room. I want to receive a greater revelation to encourage and exhort others to hang on to their faith when the days on earth grow dark. The more I know about God [in my spirit and through His perspective], the better I can represent Him in all things coming on the earth. It's time for the Body of Christ to go from "surface" to "deep" in their understanding of themselves and God. The times demand it!

Next Time: A Deeper Understanding of Our True Identity

Romans 15:4      Whatever was written beforehand is meant to instruct us in how to live. The Scriptures impart to us encouragement and inspiration so that we can live in hope and endure all things.

 

 

The Transhumanist Agenda: A Very Real Threat To Our Eternal Destiny!

 

I have so many points I'm discerning the Holy Spirit wants to make, that I don't even know where to begin! This is a topic that I'm pretty certain the mainstream Church is not even cognizant of; and those Christians who think the answer lies in politics or the next Great Awakening are not even considering. It will be labeled as conspiracy or radical, and most likely ignored. But my spirit is screaming that we do so at the risk of humanity's demise!

There are so many angles that I need to approach in sharing the revelations I am receiving that I want to make sure I present it in a coherent manner. I guess the best place to start is with Jesus's statement about what the End Times will look like: For the coming of the Son of Man (the Messiah) will be just like the days of Noah. If you don't know what those days represent, then I first suggest you read Genesis 6 in the Bible, and then you can read a blog post I wrote in 2014 that puts it in perspective for today. In 2014 my spirit was just receiving the revelation of a philosophical movement known as transhumanism, and the implications for our lives here on earth and for eternity. 

In February of 2014, I had just become aware of an organization called the International Global Future Congress 2045 and the meeting they had held the summer before. At the time, the website for GF2045 stated that their focus was "a discussion of a new evolutionary strategy for humanity aimed at overcoming the 21st century’s civilization challenges. The strategy is based on carrying out two revolutions: spiritual and sci-tech. We believe this is the only way to overcome existing crises." My spirit was immediately triggered by the words "evolutionary strategy" and wondered how God fit into this scenario. The website was quick to answer that question: "At the congress, a vision will be presented for the spiritual transformation of humanity, and new technologies will be demonstrated which are likely to form the basis of the sci-tech revolution. The congress will also showcase our Avatar science mega-project, aimed at accelerating the creation of technologies enabling a gradual transition from our biological bodies to an increasingly advanced artificial carrier of the human self."

That's a "scientific" way of saying that we would be transitioned from being made in the image of God to an "artificial carrier" of His original design. If there is anything you can point to that Satan would be involved in, it would be artificial, counterfeit, and corrupted. And if your own spirit hasn't started to sound off warning bells, consider this statement: "The main science mega-project of the 2045 Initiative aims to create technologies enabling the transfer of an individual’s personality to a more advanced non-biological carrier, and extending life, including to the point of immortality. We devote particular attention to enabling the fullest possible dialogue between the world’s major spiritual traditions, science and society."  Need anymore convincing that mankind has finally arrived at that point in history that Jesus prophesied?

Just as Satan's dark angels attempted to change the DNA of man from God's design to a perverted version of a fallen angel/human hybrid, [as disclosed in Genesis 6], it seems that Satan has come up with a new plan, and enlisted the help of some of the most brilliant scientific and technological minds of our age. Satan's goal has always been to usurp man's authority on the earth. Having spoiled his own destiny in Heaven through his arrogance and pride, and finding himself exiled to earth, he thought at least he could establish and rule his own kingdom down here without any interference from God. But he didn't count on God creating Adam in His image and giving humans the position of ruling the earth. So he hatched his plot to tempt and ensnare Adam and Eve to rebel against God, thereby wresting their dominion and authority to rule the earth away from them. And he influenced the "Watchers" to leave their heavenly abode and mate with human women, in the hopes of evolving a new species of being that could depose God's divine order of creation.

Fast forward to 2021. An article by Joe Allen at thefederalist.com, points out that there was a conference of transhumanists held last weekend in Madrid, Spain. It wasn't hard to denote its kinship to the Global Future Congress 2045. This article posited that TransVision 2021 promoted the tech theology "that there is no God but the future Computer God. They believe neuroprosthetics will allow communion with this artificial deity. They believe robot companions should be normalized. They believe longevity tech will confer approximate immortality. They believe virtual reality provides a life worth living. Above all, they believe the Singularity is near." And if you are unfamiliar with that term, let me put it in layman's terms ... "The Singularity" is the belief system that humans will transcend their God-given biology to merge with machines. God help us!

The founder of this theory, Ray Kurzweil [former Google engineer], has this to say about the Singularity: it is "a future period during which the pace of technological change will be so rapid, its impact so deep, that human life will be irreversibly transformed. The Singularity will represent the culmination of the merger of our biological thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world that is still human but that transcends our biological roots. There will be no distinction, post-singularity, between human and machine nor between physical and virtual reality." Notice that there is no mention of the human spirit. His predictions are summed up with this chilling statement: Human life will be irreversibly transformed.

So, here is what I am fervently praying for the Body of Christ to understand -- you may not see the similarity between the narrative in Genesis 6 and what the Global Future Congress 2045 and TransVision 2021 are promoting, but they are the same agenda! Satan lost his battle to keep man from being Saved by Jesus's act of going to the Cross. And that cost him his hope of complete sovereignty and dominion over the earth. Jesus defied Death, and His resurrection is now our promise that we not only don't have to submit to the rulership of Satan on the earth during this lifetime, but it is the promise of our victory in the next life; a new spiritual life with Jesus; ruling and reigning for all eternity.

But Satan isn't giving up that easy! His ploy to use corrupted DNA [to keep Jesus from being the perfect atonement for our sins] may have failed, but now he's got a plan that could deny us eternal life. If the human race decides to exchange our spiritual and eternal inheritance in Heaven for technological immortality here on earth, then God will no longer recognize us as His son or daughter. Those who lead us down that path despise God and our relationship with the One who created us in His image. [Sounds a lot like the mindset of Satan when he tempted Adam and Eve, doesn't it]? They suggest that we can live forever without God, and in turn "become our own gods" through enhanced cyber intelligence. But the results of that wicked endeavor will be no different from "as it was in the days of Noah".

Just as God sent The Flood to wipe out the evil plans of the dark angels to corrupt the biology of His creation, so will He stop this perverted assault on our biological design in the 21st Century. The Body of Christ is waking up to the covert efforts to transform us into something we were never meant to be. We recognize that Science has not replaced God. But there are still far too many Christians who will allow the spirit of fear to coerce them into a decision that will bear grave consequences for their eternal future. The advancements in Neuroengineering, Brain-Computer interfaces, and Cypernetic immortality are truly terrifying! And I honestly don't know for how much longer we will have the liberty of making a free-will choice. But for me, I will pass on the new bio-technology, and wait for Jesus's return. I choose eternal life in my glorified body. The last thing I want to hear my Lord and Savior say is, "I don't recognize you!"

Isaiah 43:10-11     ".... Before Me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after Me.  I, I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior."

 

 

 

"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.”