"The Baby Leaped In The Womb"

 

We've had a few days to digest the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe V. Wade. This is a momentous decision for the future of our country. I was in college when Roe became law in 1973, and through the years I have become more devastated at the agreement among my fellow women that it is okay to end the life of a child in the womb. I will sadly admit that in my 20s I was cavalier about abortion... I got caught up in the feminist rhetoric, and not knowing Jesus at the time, I gave little consideration to the effect this horrendous law would have on over 60 million babies in our country alone. 

Many of my college acquaintances had abortions; free contraceptives at the University Health Clinic did not stem the tide of the unwanted consequences of casual sex. The freedom to terminate a pregnancy was embraced and even celebrated. It became an accepted method for millions of women as they pursued careers without the hindrance or restraint of raising a child. But I also know that there were millions of other women who had abortions and did not approach it in that dispassionate manner. For them, it was a gut-wrenching decision and one that left an enduring wound on their souls and spirits. That was a time in our nation that Revelation 12:9 describes quite well ... Satan managed to deceive and seduce the entire world on the issue of abortion. He was an accuser and an author of confusion. But I thank the Lord that women who fell for the devil's lies can repent and receive forgiveness from the LORD of Lords. And I pray that they will forgive themselves.

But now we have the Supreme Court decision that overturns Roe v. Wade. And the devil is mad! He has stirred up hatred and vitriol because his lie is being exposed. The Supreme Court Justices took a courageous stand for the Constitution and the rights of the unborn. You see, it is a lie that "fetal tissue" is not a human baby. From ancient times, it has been acknowledged that it is a baby in the womb of an expectant mother. And if you are a Christian and have doubts or question the veracity of that statement, let me give you an answer from God. 

We are all familiar with the story in Luke 1:41 when Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Scripture says, And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. The use of that word "baby" is not accidental. It is the Greek word, Brephos, meaning "unborn baby". The term does not distinguish between a pre-birth or post-birth baby; it was a baby that leaped in Elizabeth's womb. And Jeremiah 1:5 says Jesus knew the prophet from the foundations of the world before He formed Jeremiah in the womb, establishing that what was in the womb was a human being. Same thing goes for Galatians 1:15 which says that God separated Paul from his mother's womb, again confirming that what was in the womb was Paul, a human being. Psalm 139:13-15 also validates that the Lord formed David's parts (intricately and skillfully) in his mother's womb. What is in that womb is clearly identified as David! All this is Biblical evidence that God considers what is in the womb is a living baby.

What those who believe in abortion [including those who call themselves Christians] don't understand is that Satan longs to kill God's creation. Although you may doubt its veracity, let me introduce you to the First Book of Enoch which is a pseudepigraphal text [not included in any canon of Scripture, but referred to by many ancient sources as being the writings of Enoch, the son of Jared, great grandfather of Noah, and father of Methusaleh]. In chapter 69, names of fallen angels and their assignments are revealed. The fifth angel's name is Kasdeja. He is credited with "showing the humans every wicked strike of spirits and of demons, the strike at the embryo in the womb, to miscarry it ...". It describes how demonic spirits can strike at the unborn "like a serpent". As hard as it may be for you to accept, abortion is a demonic act. And I want to refer you to some information I discovered back in 2015, as a current demonstration of that fact.

In 2015, I wrote an article titled, Is There A Connection Between Abortion and Satanism. It is a truly disturbing testimony of abortion as a ritual for Satan by a man who once partook in this satanic/demonic act, and has since repented and become a warrior for Christ. I warn you, his story is chilling and alarming. And if that's too hard to believe, just a couple of days ago, during protests against the Roe v. Wade decision, an angry man is recording telling an investigative reporter that he "f----ing loves killing babies" -- in the voice of a hateful demon! You can watch the video here. I don't share these unsettling pieces of information to shock you, but to show you the underbelly of what this country has endorsed for 50 years! And let me share a personal story that a dear expectant mother shared with me ... she went for an ultrasound and it revealed her baby was asleep. So the technician pushed on her stomach to arouse the baby and the ultrasound showed him crying because he was woke up! How can pro-abortion advocates still declare that this precious child is the property of the woman to be disposed of at her will? 

But I believe God is hearing the prayers of His faithful people and is turning us back to His heart. Just in the last week, we have protected the 2nd Amendment, reversed Roe v. Wade, and safeguarded our religious freedoms [when the Supreme Court voted that it is constitutional for Coach Joe Kennedy to pray publicly on the football field]. That, my friends, can only be the hand of God intervening in our judicial system. Thank you, Father!

And now there is room for hope that we just might have a chance to see our country redeemed and become one nation under God again! But know this: the Enemy will not give up without a fight! So you prayer warriors must continue to pray and storm the heavens for righteousness. We cannot give up! The Enemy knows his time is short -- we all know it, too. So, pray and fast and keep your spiritual armor on. We have won some very important battles, and there are more to be won before our Lord returns! Amen!

Job 33:4      The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Pharmakeia & The Fentanyl Epidemic: The Devil's Weapon Against Our Youth

 There is no denying it ... America's youth are dying in increasing numbers from a prescription opioid epidemic. The nightly news is flooded with photos of innocent looking youths who have died from Fentanyl, the drug that is streaming across our southern border in uncontrollable quantities. We witness grieving parents telling the sad tale that their son or daughter was able to purchase what they mistakenly thought was some "party drug" through a Snap Chat or Facebook contact. The single pill was delivered to their child at their front door in the middle of the night, when the parents were asleep. They awake the next morning to find that child, as one parent described it, "in the Fentanyl death pose". Their child had no idea that the pill they ordered was laced with Fentanyl, and now they are part of the alarming statistic which lists drug overdoses of Fentanyl as the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45. Furthermore, China is the primary exporter of Fentanyl to our country, and this epidemic is now being labeled by Congressional leaders as "an issue of national security"!

But it's not just Fentanyl that is being consumed by this generation. Drugs like Adderall, OxyContin, Percocet, and Hydrocodone have joined together to become the drugs of choice among Millennials. For decades our politicians have touted their "solutions" to stop the illegal sale and use of drugs, even though they have often been complicit in the drug trade. We have seen little to no success in the physical realm. Is it because there is really no will by our leaders to see it defeated? Or is there a spiritual component that, as Christians, we need to recognize and learn how to battle against? 

If you have not heard it before, I want to introduce you to the Greek word pharmakeia. It appears in Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 18:23, as the word sorcery. In Strong's Concordance, pharmakeia is defined as "the use of medicine, drugs or spells; drug-related sorcery", and is where we get the English word pharmacy. We also get a more disturbing picture of how harmful pharmakeia can be from Revelation 9:20-21 ... the rest of mankind who are not killed by the plagues of the Sixth Trumpet, "did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries (drugs, intoxications) nor of their [sexual] immorality nor of their thefts". In another perspective, Greek philosopher Plato likened sorceries to poisoning.  

What we need to understand is that these drugs are "mind-altering"; they affect the brain. Kids today are taking them because they are numbing the pain in their lives and these drugs induce states of euphoria; all in an attempt to escape reality. Millennials have been subjected to technology since their birth, and much of it having no basis in reality. They have been allowed to escape into online fantasies instead of receiving the hard knocks that toughen you up to teach you how to endure and persevere through this journey called life. Unless they are blessed to be raised by Christian parents, they may not even know God, the lack of whom makes this life even more scary and terrifying. [But that's no guarantee -- I have known some raised in the Christian faith who were still enticed to try pharmakeia's seductive promises]. 

We have been at war for most, if not all, of Millennial's lives, and they have been subjected to the very real possibility that this nation has seen its better days. So, they lament their lack of a bright future and many have lost hope that they will be better off than their parents, who they now see fighting inflation, loss of jobs, and depleted savings. So, they turn to a pill that promises an escape from their pain and despair. 

But we need to move beyond the physical ramifications of these mind-altering drugs and see the spiritual side. It is far too easy for young people (or anyone, for that matter) to find a website that will introduce you to the supernatural; sites that promise you ways to gain supernatural power and energy to overcome whatever troubles you are experiencing in this life. But here is the underlying agenda of these sites ... in reality, you are circumventing God, the Creator of your life. What is not understood is that God has established boundaries between the natural and the supernatural to protect us. Remember when He told Adam and Eve not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? That sin opened the door these 2000 years later to the temptation of pharmakeia, and now our kids are dying in record numbers because they have been tempted to "open their minds" with these drugs that are a combination of science (developed in pharmaceutical labs), magical arts, the occult, the demonic realm, medicines, potions, or herbs ... all in the name of pharmakeia/sorcery.

These drugs open portals into other spiritual dimensions ... some good, as when YHWH revealed the portal to Heaven in Jacob's dream of the ladder on which angels ascended and descended ... some bad, as when the witch of Endor summoned the dead in 1 Samuel 28, and the slave girl who was possessed with a spirit of divination in Acts 16. Fentanyl and other opioids remove that protective barrier in our minds and open us up to the influence of evil sources in the spiritual dimensions. I'm not saying that every person who tries Fentanyl is seeking contact with evil spirits; many use it for recreation and, as I said, an escape from an unsatisfactory or hopeless life. But I am saying that a by-product of these opioids can be the opening of a door to oppression and torment by spirits of fear, anger, self-rejection, self-hatred, and unworthiness. If you're lucky enough to survive that ingestion of Fentanyl, you may have just signed on to a sentence of addiction and/or suicide.

So, these drugs are a perfect weapon of the Devil for this generation of young Americans. They are the perfect escape for those that feel their lives are not under their control; or they feel like they are drifting with no purpose. Many are filled with anxiety, a loss of hope, and they are desperate to numb the pain. But once that portal or gateway is opened to the spiritual realms, you are a target for the enemy of God. And he just wants to steal, kill, or destroy your life. The drugs that he whispers will "take away the pain" serve nothing more than to separate you from God. 

At the bottom line, pharmakeia or sorcery, was understood by both Paul and John when they wrote Galatians and Revelation, respectively, to be connected to pagan rituals and ungodly spiritual practices. The early Church considered it rebellion against God and the boundaries He set up to protect us in the spiritual realms. To the ancient Greeks, pharmakeia meant everything from medicines, to psychoactive drugs (causing euphoria and hallucinations, as well as violence, anxiety, panic, and paranoia). Ancient societies and cultures were familiar with mind and conscious-altering chemicals in their pagan religious practices. So, the existence of pharmakeia is not new. God has always hated its hold on people and its destructive and idolatrous uses. And our kids think they are indestructible.

Sadly, with the advancement of science and with the influence of the demonic in our current culture, these drugs have been designed to be hundreds of thousands times more powerful than say, natural opium. And users are dying at an alarming rate. According to the CDC, "Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like Fentanyl". The problem seems overwhelming! How do we reach our youth? How do we convince them that altering the state of their mind removes them from God's protection and opens them to spiritual attack? How do we show them that the presence of God in them far surpasses any "high" or perceived "escape" they get from their involvement with this form of sorcery? 

We are losing a generation to this opioid crisis, and unfortunately it is just a sign of how far our culture has fallen away from recognizing who we are in Christ. Proverbs 17:22 says, A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. The hearts of far too many Millennials are not happy, their minds cannot fathom joy, and their spirits are broken ... they are unable to receive the healing their hearts, minds, and spirits need from God, so they turn to a counterfeit, man-made alternative that the devil whispers will ease their pain and hopelessness. They see no physical inheritance in their future, and they are unaware that there is a spiritual inheritance awaiting them in their Heavenly Father's Kingdom. We have to ask ourselves ... how did we, as the Body of Christ, who are to be caretakers of God's Kingdom on earth, let this happen?

1 Corinthians 6:19-22   Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.

 

 

 

 

It's Time We Seriously Consider The Fear of the Lord!

At the end of this week, I will be participating in a Women's retreat and speaking on The Fear of the Lord. This topic has ignited my spirit for quite some time. It is a difficult subject to engage in because of where God is taking me. It requires me to call people to a greater consciousness of the Character and Nature of God; calling them out of our 21st Century "relaxed" form of Christianity and into the deeper understanding of the fullness of the Gospel and God's righteousness. I find myself walking on a tightrope ... how do I express what the Spirit is speaking to me without offending someone or calling down the "religious police" upon myself?

And so, I will just begin and see where the Spirit takes me. Throughout the journey of my relationship with Jesus, I have been amazed to find Him on every page of the Bible ... from Chapter 1 in Genesis to the last verse in Chapter 22 of Revelation! And what the Bible has shown me of Him --whether in the Old Testament or New -- is still relevant for today. But out of all the immense vastness of infinite time, those three-and-a-half years spent as a man changed the dynamic of everything that came before and all that has come, and will come after.  BUT ... and here is where I became careful in my discernment; as the Body of Christ, we cannot become stuck on the image of Christ as a man, and must now [more than ever] see Him in His fullness and greatness as Deity.

While we honor Him as our Redeemer and Deliverer, I'm afraid we may cling to an image of Him as He was on earth -- the precious baby in the manger; the prophet and teacher who performed signs and wonders as God; the sinless man who was willing to die to save us from the wrath of Almighty God. True, He was all that and more! But He is greater than He was while on earth, and we must respond to Him as Supreme Creator of all (1 Corinthians 1:16-17); King of Kings (Revelation 17:14); Mighty God and Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6); and Righteous Judge (Acts 10:42)!

Because, you see, as John says in the first chapter of his Book, Jesus was God. And He loved the world so much that He sent a part of Himself to earth to live as a man, not only so that He could identify with our struggles, but also as the payment due God for our sins. God established in Leviticus 20:26, "You are to be holy to Me; for I the Lord am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples (nations) to be Mine". This was spoken to the nation of Israel, but Peter reiterates it to the Early Church, who are our ancestors in the Faith, "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  He then goes on to say, " If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, [then] conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth" (1 Peter 1:15-17). We must discern that God takes sin very seriously, and that Jesus [who is called Everlasting Father in Isaiah 9:6] will be the One who judges us!

So, I've been asking myself the following questions for awhile now: Is it my daily practice to be holy in everything I do and say? Do people encounter me and see me as set apart and different from everyone else? Or do I look like the world? Do I conduct my life in "reverent fear and profound respect for Him"? Or do I justify and excuse my actions by claiming the Atonement on the Cross? Do I truly understand what it means to "fear the Lord"?

I agree with and accept the definition of "fearing the Lord" as gazing upon Him in awe and reverence; [to respect God for who He is, mixed with a sense of fear and wonder]. I recognize His power and position and give Him the proper respect. And I understand that this reverence and godly fear implies that I must restrain myself from any and every ungodly act because of His honor and reputation. I must not diminish what the Word says about how He regards sin! And so, I recognize that Jesus is greater than the angels, greater than Moses, greater than the High Priests of old.  

And, here is where I am afraid the Modern Church has ignored Scripture. There is a passage that should have every Christian examining themselves to see if they are living a holy life ... and what is plainly declared in Hebrews 10:26-31: "For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God]. Anyone who ignored and set aside the Law of Moses [was] put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve who has rejected and trampled under foot the Son of God, and has considered unclean and common the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and has insulted the Spirit of Grace [who imparts the unmerited favor and blessing of God]?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the deliverance of justice rest with Me], I will repay [the wrongdoer].” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”  It is a fearful and terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath]".

Wow! That is a passage from the New Testament! It is a warning about not treating the New Covenant as common, or something ordinary, or average. It is affirmation that the one who insults the Spirit of Grace [who is the Holy Spirit who imparts God's power as grace to us] will be repaid with vengeance by the Lord. We have ample evidence of what that looks like in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira when they lied to the Holy Spirit in Acts, Chapter 5

I know there will be those who accuse me of being legalistic and corrupting the concept of the Fear of the Lord according to the Church.  But a complete and exhaustive study of the Book of Hebrews will give you a more accurate understanding of what Scripture says, instead of ascribing to Church culture.  And I am NOT saying that if you are sincerely trying to live a righteous and holy life and encounter struggles, which result in confession and repentance, that you will suffer vengeance by the Lord. 1 John 1:9 shows the heart of God and Jesus: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

But if you are a Christian that is indifferent or callous towards your own sin, thinking you have nothing to worry about because we are under the New Covenant of Grace, then I would suggest that you examine your attitude and see if you willfully and deliberately continue to sin without any consideration of consequences, or just because you think all you have to do is continue to ask for forgiveness and it will be yours. And I would recommend you take to heart Psalm 25:14:  The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant. That means fear Him out of reverence and respect, as well as fear His righteous anger for those who willfully and deliberately continue to sin, mocking His costly gift of salvation and redemption.

In conclusion, I just want us to be continually aware that the Fear of the Lord is not only awesome reverence for who He is and what He has done for us, but should be seriously considered if we, who have received that knowledge of Truth [of eternal salvation due to His sacrifice for us] should willfully and deliberately continue to sin. For Scripture very clearly states that there is no further atonement to be made for us, and there is a terrifying expectation of divine judgment. Just as Jesus is greater than the Law of Moses, so is the punishment greater for us than it was under the Law.  This is the undeniable truth of Scripture and no amount of 21st Century Church doctrine or softening of the language can negate the Word of God.  That is why we should all work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).  It is a process, and your eternal life [and my Lord] are worthy of this admonition.

2 Corinthians 7:1   "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the Fear of God".

 

Treasure the Power and the Presence of the Holy Spirit!

 

I have spoken before about the awakening in my heart to a hunger to know more of the Holy Spirit. As I have stated, I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but there came a time [within the last ten years] when I experienced a huge shift in my theology and relationship with the Father and Jesus and I came to understand the full personality and ministry of the Holy Spirit. It wasn't that I didn't believe in the Holy Spirit, it was just that in my 30+ years as a Christian I had been given no guidance for a personal knowledge or experience of Him as His own separate and equal Being. It had always been presented to me that He was an extension of Jesus; a substitute or understudy, so to speak. But as I began receiving revelation from the Word, I could see and discern that He was God Himself, just as Jesus was. And with that knowledge came the desire to know Him and experience Him, as the Bible tells me I can.

To be honest, when those revelations came, I was a bit jealous of other Christians who had grown up in denominations where the presence of the Holy Spirit was vibrant and active, and a relationship with Him was customary and familiar. And I was surprised that as I sought to grow in my knowledge of Him and began to develop an intimacy with Him, I also began to see a distancing or separation from some of my other fellow Christians. I was told that the kind of experiences I was looking for weren't possible for today's Believers; that the power and fire that rained down on the First Century Believers was only to jump-start the Church; that the closing of the Canon has left us with centuries of faith in the saving grace of Jesus, and that's all we need. But is that really the case?

That kind of thinking has shown me just how misunderstood the Person of the Holy Spirit is in the 21st Century Church. And let me make a statement here that is not meant to offend, but I feel I must clarify for me. There are times that I distinguish "the Church" from "the Body of Christ", and this is one of those times. For the sake of this discussion, the Church represents those Believers who, like the Pharisees, are clinging tightly to their belief systems and the rules of their particular form of theology. If their denomination holds to the doctrine of cessationism [the gifts of the Holy Spirit were for the establishment of the Church and ceased with the deaths of the apostles], then their interest in developing a relationship with the Holy Spirit will be minimal. But for the Body of Christ, who walk in Jesus's ways as their model, there is a recognition of [and reliance on] the Holy Spirit to convey the thoughts and will of the Father as it pertains to our purpose in His Kingdom on earth. 

For me, the Holy Spirit is that friend that has only your best interests at heart; the One that prays for you, intercedes for you, and whose heart burns to guide you into fulfilling the purpose for which you were created. Because Jesus remains in Heaven, for now, and the Father sits resolutely and powerfully on His throne, the Holy Spirit commits to be with you through, as prophetic minister Graham Cooke says, "every circumstance of life; of warfare, of crisis, and of opportunity". The Holy Spirit wants to see you succeed and overcome; to fulfill all that God has planned for you! He will be with you in good times and bad. He is the One who will not leave you nor forsake you. 

And so, I now find myself talking to Holy Spirit as often as I do Jesus because I know that He is the conduit -- the instrument God uses to protect Jesus's transmission of His will for my life. And I can trust Him. Heaven's message to me will not be corrupted or perverted when I lean on His truth, and not my own understanding. In fact, He has shown me that my understanding is sometimes wrong, and He's not afraid to correct me and discipline me. He desires to help me in my weakness, and encourage me in my strengths. He is with me when my soul is in the depth of despair, and celebrates with me when my spirit bows down in humble adoration before the throne of my God. His Presence is the life force of my faith.

But there is another aspect of the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life that I have had to learn, and which I want to pass on to you to encourage you. I love those times when I am overwhelmed with His presence; experiencing evidence of His presence as it manifests physically in my body; or I hear a word in my mind that I know is Him. And I rejoice in those glorious times! These times are a reminder that, without a doubt, He is ever-present and always exists with me. But there are also those times that my soul and spirit don't sense His presence at all. In other words, I don't have any particular physical or spiritual sensation that He is with me. In simpler terms, I don't "feel" Him. And that's when I have to simply trust the promise that He will never leave me. That's when I have to decide ... "Do I believe in the promises of the Word? Are they mine, or are they just empty hope"? That's a determination each of us must come to if we are to walk in confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

So, I will not be tempted to doubt the Holy Spirit. And I will not limit Him to a ritualistic or denominational doctrine. I will welcome the fruit of His presence in my life -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I will ask for all He has to offer. I want to be filled up to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. I want to experience manifestations of His Presence and I won't limit displays of His power in me as I surrender to God's calling on my life. I will seek and ask for the fullness of the Spirit in my ministry and in the gifts He bestows upon me. I will be subject to the Spirit's teachings and His wisdom. And above all else, I will testify that Jesus is the Lord of my life, having been empowered to speak of His saving power through the leading of the Holy Spirit. I praise God for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and I welcome Him as the means of God's gifts, signs, wonders, miracles and revelation in my life and this Age. Holy Spirit, You are welcome here!

2 Timothy 1:14    Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious Truth that has been entrusted to you.

God Has A Call On Your Life! Let Him Equip, Train and Enable You!

Once again, I have been finding myself in quiet times of reflection, recalling my life lived largely unprepared and unrehearsed. I can see all the paths God led me down -- even when I was unaware He was lighting the way. I can tell you that if left to myself, I would not have ended up as blessed as I've been. And so I am thankful that I was willing to let my spirit be shepherded. There were critical points along the way at which a crucial decision had to be made that would have far-reaching consequences. I am grateful that I didn't stumble too many times in making those decisions... and when I did stumble, that I humbly received the correction from God that put me back on His path.

And here is something that I believe with all my heart: God's purpose for each of us here on earth is written next to our names in the Book of Life. But that doesn't mean we always adhere to God's will for us, and I'll be honest, I can be stubborn and rebellious. So, I'm here to testify of the goodness of God in my life; to use both His rod and His staff to guide me. 

There have been many pivotal crossroads in my history, and the history of my marriage. but I think the one that has yielded the most benefit to us [and fruit for God], was when we took the leap of faith to trust a vision my husband had in which God told him that He was going to sanctify us and our property for service to Him. You need to understand that this was highly unusual for my husband, Mark. He is not one who has lots of dreams or visions. But when he began to earnestly study God's Word and seeking His Truth, God showed up. He revealed the steps He wanted Mark to take to consecrate and purify us and the land, so that we would be approved to serve His particular purpose in our lives. In return, He would lead us to that purpose as He trained us and equipped us to carry out our assignment. In reality, God was calling us into covenant with Him. From that day, it's been about believing in Him and His promise. 

I want to make it perfectly clear that the path we are on has been unconventional, to say the least, and there are Christians who will find it hard to agree with our testimony. You see, the Lord led us away from the "religion" of the Church building to show us His heart for the world and our place in it. Maybe you identify with us, and know that leaving the building does not mean you've left God. In fact, you've been shown how to impact the world for Him in ways that show the un-churched that He is real and worth getting to know ... really know! 

And maybe you remember those years in which you felt a prompting from the Holy Spirit to store a little extra food, or you spent the time to learn how to defend yourself in the case of a national crisis. Maybe you, too, were looked upon as "conspiracy nuts" or suffered those smirks and rolled eyes. You were told that your concerns were unnecessary because "nothing can happen; we're the United States of America and the greatest country on earth". Or, maybe like us, your Christian friends kept trying to convince you that the faithful didn't have to worry -- Jesus has already won the victory, and where was our trust in Him that He would never leave us nor abandon us? But let me ask you this ... are those same friends (both believers and non-believers) now coming to you and asking, "How do I ____?", or "Where can I get ____?" or "Do you think Jesus is coming back soon?" 

It's not that we were [or are] prophets or anyone special. It was just part of the journey that God was taking us on. In fact, my introspective husband recently told me that he has realized that God has been training us up for this very time. Our Father knows the beginning from the end, and knew that we would one day face the very real possibility of a collapsing economy, with a shrinking dollar, food shortages, loss of jobs, a pandemic, etc. etc. He knew the people who would be trainable and willing to consider preparing by learning to plant a garden, store a little extra food, learn how to can, and learn how to live without. And He knew who He could trust to minister to the souls and inner wounds of people who will be victims of the lies of the Enemy; people who are going to be hurting from oppression, depression, and torment as they see what is coming upon the earth. God needs His people to lead in all these areas; physically, emotionally and spiritually.

It is time for each of us to become who God made us to be in this time. We must lift all people up! Not just those who are members of our church denomination, but each and every person who needs the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And I'm not talking about grace as "unmerited favor". I'm suggesting we offer them Biblical grace -- the power of Jesus Christ in them to help them do what they can't do on their own. We are all going to need that power in the coming months and years. Yes, our hope is that we will offer Jesus's invitation to accept Salvation [and that it will be received]. But I have also heard the religious principle that it is the Church's responsibility to care for their own first, and then for others as they are able. But, that has never seemed to me to represent Jesus's heart. 

From everything I've read in the four Gospels, Jesus commanded His followers to help all in need. That is made clear in Matthew 25 when Jesus commends those who fed the hungry and gave drink to the thirsty; welcomed the stranger and clothed the naked; visited those in prison and met the needs of "the least of His brothers". I see no qualifier that any of these people had to be part of His inner circle or even have known Him. He simply tells us what He expects from us ... But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked (Luke 6:35).

With this admonition in mind, it is now time to put into practice all that God has equipped us with, trained us for, and enabled us to do. We must encourage all people, because what we see happening applies to all of us, both believer and non-believer alike. The Christian community is looking for God to rescue them because He's already won the victory, right? And those who don't know Jesus are going to come to the realization that what they've achieved in their comfortable lives is not giving them the security they thought it would provide. Both groups are going to need encouragement to rely on Him; only Him. They are going to need to hear from those of us who have experience and a history of being trained up by God for this very time in our history. 

We must be honest about the earthly difficulties we face, and share our wealth of practical knowledge and skills. If like me and my husband, your journey has been unconventional, you are uniquely positioned to lead in this unfamiliar and unprecedented time. But most importantly, we must approach our neighbors on this planet as servants of the Kingdom of God. We must share the fruit of God's training in our lives; how we've learned to endure, persevere, and trust in Jesus; and how our relationship with Jesus has taken on a depth that we never would have encountered if we had not decided to be "trainable" and open to submitting our will to His. There is so much fruit to be had! And it's found in a freedom from societal norms, a deeper understanding of our purpose on earth, a supernatural connection to the Holy Spirit and being aligned with our own spirit [which is seated in Heaven with Jesus] -- it has all led to an indescribable covenant with our Creator and a life that is full beyond anything the world would measure it by.

So, if my journey mirrors yours, then join me in being prepared to share it with all those who will need to know they can make it through whatever is coming our way. And if you are among my fellow human beings who are just not willing to stare reality in the face, let me give you hope ... you have been created to thrive in this season of your life. You are made in the image of God, and if you don't know Him, then I urge you to ask Him to come into your life. He's waiting to respond to your request. Your life will never be the same again, and I promise you that He is exactly what you are going to need as we face an uncertain future. Let my story become yours. I have overcome the fear and the worries that the world tried to convince me were mine, and I walk in the strength and power and security of belonging to the Lord -- no matter what comes! And it is my hopeful prayer that each of you can know the magnitude of His presence in your life. Let His fruit abound in you! Bless you and God Bless America!

Matthew 5:46-48  For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God’s blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that? You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Inflation: A Biblical and Historical Examination

Inflation is a fact. And it sure doesn't look like it is going to disappear very soon. I feel it is important that we try to understand both the historical and the biblical perspective concerning our nation's problem of runaway inflation. If, as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God here on earth, we are to take back territory from the kingdom of darkness, isn't this as good as any area to reclaim? I will begin by telling you that I am not an expert in economics or economic policy. But I'm astute enough to recognize that the financial health of our nation is failing, and our policies are very sick indeed. And I know that this is not how God intends for His people to prosper. So, I wanted to see if history can shed any light on how we got here; and what God's Word has to say about the situation we find ourselves in. So, I hope you will give my layman's analysis some grace, and let's see if we can discover how to pray and take action.

I don't need to tell you that the cost of food and fuel are rising at an alarming rate. These are two of the primary indicators of the stability of a nation's economy. We learned yesterday that the inflation rate, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 8.6%, the highest in 41 years! But I learned today that this calculation is misleading. I would like to introduce you to Kerby Anderson, president of Probe Ministries, a Biblical ministry that pursues ongoing research to address today's issues through honest and respected Christian scholarship. On his probe.org website, Mr. Anderson explains that "Most Americans are starting to realize that the current inflation rate is different than the Consumer Price Index." What that means is that we are told the inflation rate is 8.6%, when in reality that figure is associated with the CPI. According to Anderson, the reason that this figure is misleading is because it excludes food and fuel costs from its rate of "core inflation", even while the media suggests those very commodities are at the heart of the figure they quote as the inflation rate. (Are you scratching your head like me, about now)? He goes on to say that there are various economic websites that "conclude that the real inflation rate is more than twice the CPI estimate!"

So, what is the projection for the state of our economy (and I would submit, for the existence of our country)? Can history shed any light on our circumstances, and does the Bible offer any clues or advice? First of all, it always seems that the Roman Empire is used as "the gold standard" to measure the success and longevity of nations and societies, as well as their collapse. I went to DailyHistory.org to avail myself of the information included in their article, What Role Did Inflation Play in the Collapse of the Roman Empire. I urge you to read this informative article because the parallels to what we are experiencing will astound you. 

As you will read, Rome's collapse was the result of several factors that combined to create a “perfect storm” of civilizational destruction. Among them is the often over-looked role of inflation. The article asserts that "once the Roman economy was hopelessly ravaged by inflation, the borders of the empire were open for the Huns, Goths, and Vandals to take what they wanted." Sound familiar? 

But at the beginning of the Roman Empire's economy, the value of their currency was literally worth their weight in silver, bronze, or copper. As the Empire grew, so did their economy and they enjoyed the effects of prosperous trade with the world's markets. Sound fiscal policies helped the emperors keep inflation in check. "The money supply increased proportionately with the increase in trade. Taxes were also kept low: each province only paid a one percent wealth tax and a flat tax on all adults. All of this helped keep prices low and the wheels of government moving effectively, but by the end of the second century AD things began to change."

As the article on DailyHistory.org infers, around 200 AD, the Empire suffered a recession, which was compounded by the so-called “Antonine plague,” which was brought back from the eastern provinces by Roman soldiers. Since the plague led to the widespread decimation of the Roman population, wages increased rapidly – much too rapidly. In our current state of affairs, this sounds a lot like "the stimulus packages" that flooded money into our economy. In Rome, the result was a drastic increase on the prices of goods that had never before been witnessed in Rome: inflation was only one percent in the first two centuries AD, but prices doubled after the plague. And to make a long story short, other factors included an influx of people from the countries they conquered, the exponential growth of their military industrial complex, and the devaluation of their currency due to too many coins in circulation. Again, I ask ... sound familiar?

But now, I come to the part of this post that interests me the most. What is the Bible's view on this monetary nightmare that is overwhelming our country? We recognize that our national debt is soaring. Our government is spending more than it is making. It is that simple. We are allowing our southern border to be inundated by unprecedented numbers of people who are being subsidized by the government. Where is that money coming from? It is being printed, not earned through trade. We are swimming in an ocean of debt, both nationally and personally. And what does the Bible tell us is God's opinion on this? I think Proverbs 22:7 sums it up quite nicely: "The rich rules over the poor; and the borrower is servant to the lender." I think "slave to the lender" is more appropriate.

The Bible also warns that both individuals and their government should have honest weights and measures. Proverbs 20:10 tells us "False weights and unequal measures— the Lord detests double standards of every kind." The manipulation of our currency is dishonest and corrupt. It is cheating the American people whose hard-earned money is being confiscated for immoral purposes. But what can we Christians do to minimize the pain of inflation and poor economic policies? We must begin by getting out of debt. The Bible makes it clear that we are to "owe no one anything", "and the wicked borrows but does not pay back". Being free of debt is one of the best ways to avoid the consequences of runaway inflation. We must live within our means, even if our government has not. Sadly, we, like the Roman Empire, have gotten used to our prosperity and instant gratification. Our grandparents saved until they could pay for their needs with cash. If you didn't have the cash, then you learned to live without it. "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:28).

But we have become used to having whatever we want, whenever we want, by swiping a plastic card. When interest rates are low on those credit cards, then paying them off, or at least making the minimum payment, convinces us that it's a good practice. Why should we deny ourselves the pleasures of life? But as we face inflation, recession, and rising interest rates on everything, that pain is about to become palpable. And being a Christian does not forgive us those debts. 

We must also see ourselves in the economic woes of biblical Israel. As Probe.org points out, "God pronounced judgment on the land because the country that once was full of justice had debased the currency and its products. Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water (Isaiah 1:22). People were cheating each other by adding cheaper metals to their silver and by adding water to their wine." Probe.org further explains that "In a statement by someone regarded as one of the most important economists of the twentieth century, British economist John Maynard Keynes noted how inflation affects a nation and its citizens. He said: “By a continuing process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens. He also added, “There is no subtler, no surer means of overturning the existing basis of society than to debauch the currency. The process engages all the hidden forces of economic law that come down on the side of destruction and does so in a manner that not one man in a million is able to diagnose.”

As Americans, we know that there are economic laws that govern the prosperity of our nation. As Christians, we know that God also has moral economic laws, and His laws are higher.  We must not despair nor think that He cannot deliver us from this quagmire in which our greed and corruption have us mired. But we must do our part. We must not live in debt and we must demand that our leaders be moral and upstanding; that they govern with righteousness. As 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, In this case, moreover, it is required [as essential and demanded] of stewards that one be found faithful and trustworthy. We do not need to follow in the footsteps of ancient Israel or the Roman Empire. Do we have the will to make the personal sacrifices needed to set our overspending back on track? Do we have the courage and strength of mind and faith to call our elected officials to account for the trust and responsibility we have consigned to them? I fear we have greatly offended God by the manner with which we have stewarded the blessings He has given us. It's time we repent for our negligence and return this nation to righteousness. Educate yourselves and make the necessary changes that are pleasing in His sight.

Ezekiel 22:12      In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord God.

 

John Connor and Jesus

 

We're all aware of the increased warnings regarding cyber attacks. And how many of us are receiving an unprecedented number of spam emails? Combine this with the accelerated use of automated [translation: robotic] fake accounts on social media sites which fuel social division with their inflammatory fake comments and you will find me recalling the Terminator movie franchise. Remember Skynet and the "rise of the machines"? The objective of Skynet and its self-aware computer network was to stealthily assume control of civilian computer systems under the guise of a computer virus. Patiently working towards its ultimate goal of world domination, the Skynet virus is able to infect U.S. military computer networks, leading the country and the world perilously close to nuclear annihilation. 

The reason I am injecting this movie plot into the conversation today is because I believe the parents and grandparents in the real world must adopt the attitude of the movie heroine Sarah Connor, who prepares her son, John, to become a leader of the human resistance against the machines; she prepares her son for a future in which the very existence of humanity is at risk. That may sound like the exaggerated vision of a conspiracy theorist, but in this hour of peril in our nation, there is not one person who is not being effected by the rapid decline of the economy, soaring gas prices, and food shortages, not to mention the attacks on our moral and family structures. So maybe some of you are struggling with your primary responsibility of preparing your children to thrive into adulthood. How does one do that when we have no idea what the future will look like?

Whether you are the mother of an infant who is frantically trying to buy infant formula, or the mother of teenagers trying to figure out the mindset of teens who commit mass murder, you may be trying to discern just how and what you should be training your children for. If you have teenagers, is college a good idea when the job market is so unpromising? Do you need to prepare them for a less prosperous lifestyle than they've enjoyed up til now? With the course this nation is on, will America, let alone the American dream, even exist in another generation?

The truth is, we need a generation of John Connors to realize the dire straits that the human race is in and be willing to become leaders in restoring this nation to a moral standing. But, I'm going to tell you the truth ... that can't be done without Jesus. We don't just need the movie model of John Connor; the fearless, dedicated warrior trained in weaponry, computer technology, and reconnaissance. We need the Jesus model of John Connor. We need men who are fearless; men who, like Jesus, are willing to stand fearlessly in front of their enemies and declare that they act in accordance to God's will. Anything outside that reality has no jurisdiction over them. 

We need to raise men who, like Jesus, are dedicated to a godly purpose for the betterment of all mankind, without seeking personal gain. We need men who, like Jesus, seek the counsel and wisdom of God in all they do. We need men who are not afraid to credit God with all they are in this world. And, yes, we need men who are warriors like Jesus. Our Lord came to conquer Satan's kingdom of darkness and reclaim the world for the Kingdom of God. We are in desperate need of a generation of John Connors who will fight in both a physical and a spiritual war against sin and evil. We don't need men who think they are Jesus, but men who are like Jesus... strong, compassionate, moral leaders who are incorruptible. 

 So, I just want to encourage all the parents out there, especially the mothers. You cannot only become a fictional Sarah Connor, but walk in the influence and power of the Biblical judge and leader, Deborah. In fact, I can imagine the character of Sarah Connor being modeled on Deborah. Sarah, like Deborah, realized that in order to survive, people had to stand up and fight against the depravity that was stalking her family. But we can take it a step further and become a Deborah --women of strong faith, vision, and resolve. Deborah saw how her people had become weak from years of oppression by idolaters, and when she received the promptings from God to be a deliverer, she did not question Him, but took action to free the weak from the iron grip of the oppressors.

Would you do less for your children? Deborah referred to herself, as the "Mother of Israel", although Bible historians are not even sure she was an actual mother. But she had that maternal instinct that all women have, and she longed to see her nation restored and re-established as it was intended. We can all identify with that! So if you are out there reading this post and feeling beat down or under a heavy cloud of despair, please know that there are thousands (and I hope millions) across this nation that feel we are in the middle of a spiritual battle. Do not despair! Instead look at your beautiful children and determine that you will instill in them the desire and will to develop independent spirits and become freethinking citizens; that you will teach them about God, His saving grace, and His moral ways; and that you will inspire them to seek wisdom and justice throughout their lives. You are not alone!  And you are worthy of this task! A mother's love is fierce and stubborn .... it can lead a nation to the victory in Christ that is our inheritance! 

Psalm 34:4,11     I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears ..... Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 

 

 

Validation: The Longing of Every Soul

 

As you know if you are familiar with my blog, my husband, Mark, and I have been appointed by Jesus to bring His healing to those who are suffering from trauma and torment brought on by the Enemy's attacks on their lives. Trauma and torment are common tactics used by the devil and his agents to keep people from knowing their true identity. And identity defines our self-worth, so what makes a better target for the Enemy than how we perceive our value?

I love explaining to people that the Scripture tells us that God chose us [in Him] before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4); that He knew us before we were conceived in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5); and the most amazing Scripture to me ... that we had glory with Him before the world existed (John 17:5)! You see, I believe that being made in the image of God, we are spirit beings as He is Spirit. And I also believe that we existed in Heaven [with God] before He and Jesus even formed the world. Furthermore, I believe Scripture tells us that God chooses us, sets us apart, and calls us to a specific purpose for Him. In other words, He decides when to send our spirit being here to earth, in these bodies of flesh, to walk out the assignment we are given to reveal His Kingdom here on earth. We have a divine purpose for being here!

But here's the caveat: our Most High God wants our embedded spirit to choose to serve Him and carry out our purpose to share the Good News that salvation from sin and death is available to all mankind. And the next step in our calling is to declare that we have the power and authority of Christ to restore the earth to the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Heaven -- to remove the influence that Satan's kingdom of darkness has over the world. But that doesn't automatically happen, as is easily discerned by observing the current state of the planet.  

God's gift of Free Will puts the onus on us. We must make a decision to follow Jesus, receive our salvation, and then walk out our assignment as an ambassador of Heaven. BUT, we have an Enemy whose sole goal is to keep us from knowing our value and worth, so that we never discover that divine purpose that is written on our pages in God's Book of Life. If we don't understand at the deepest level of our soul and spirit who we are -- that we are made in the very image of God! -- then it is so easy for the devil to send attacks against our bodies, our souls, and yes, our spirits, to cause trauma and pain. Molestation, drugs, sex, and even a lack of nurturing [being ignored, neglected, rejected, and never heard] can destroy that connection to God that every human being is born with. 

We all crave validation. We have an innate desire to be wanted; to be cherished and loved; to have a sense that others value us and we have worth to the human race. But again, none of that is automatic in a sinful world. If we haven't chosen Jesus as our Savior, we look for our value and worth from people, and they are poor substitutes for the One who created us, loves us, died for us, and who sent us here with a divine purpose for our lives. So, we look for validation [which is confirmation and approval that we have value] from people and things which the devil uses to manipulate us, torment us, and lead us down paths of unrighteousness. We also look for our worth on Social Media -- which, I'm sorry, folks, promulgates so much fake, dishonest, and false identity. Or we numb the pain of unworthiness with drugs or meaningless sex.

What really grieves the Lord, though, is the tool of molestation that is used against children. So many of the Beloveds that Jesus sends to our ministry are adult victims of child molestation; both men and women. And molestation violates not only the body of the child, but destroys the innate self-worth of them as a human being, leaving them open to the lies of the Enemy who easily convinces them they are guilty, dirty, shameful, disgusting, unworthy, and unlovable. That's about as far from the image of God [that is our true identity] that you can get.

But I'm here to tell you that we must recognize these tactics of the Enemy and we must not only seek our own validation from the Lord, but earnestly establish that identity in our children! If this nation and the world are to come out of the darkness that we see in these school shootings, the violence in our major cities, and the rampant drug abuse and homelessness, then we must develop some strategies to restore God-given purpose and identity in our children. That might sound like just more typical Christian talk that no one actually expects to happen, but we've ignored the epidemic of depression, anxiety, fear, anger, insecurity, and loneliness that has led to not only anger and bitterness, but increased violence and suicide among our children. And believe me when I say that the devil doesn't differentiate between adults and children. Every human soul is fair game. The Enemy, working through a pandemic and technology, has managed to isolate millions of Americans, making them vulnerable to his methods of destroying their self-worth and identity. Let's end the trauma and torment for people of all ages, and introduce them to their validation in Christ Jesus. That is the hope of the world and it's time we walk boldly in our purpose for being here.

Galatians 1:10    Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

 

Do You Know You Are Part Of The Tree?

"If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree". This is a quote from Michael Crichton, famed author of such fabulous novels as Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain, and The Great Train Robbery. It's a great quote, and one that relates to my thoughts today.

I want to discuss why I often get frustrated with Christians who don't seem interested in studying the past of our faith in order to understand the significance of God's truth for today or the future. If we're honest with ourselves, we can all see that things aren't right with the world. Some are able to face the dreadful possibilities without fear, while others would rather cling to the knowledge that our destiny is to be in the presence of the Lord at the end of this world. If we don't look too closely at the present, nor make the effort to study the past, then the image of that heavenly future helps us to sleep better at night. But does it benefit our commission from Christ and our responsibilities as citizens of Heaven on earth?

I think we are focused on where we're going instead of where we've come from for a couple of reasons: 1) the Church uses terms like Victory, Hope, We Win, and Glory to describe the environment of the earth at Christ's return because 2) it's too scary to contemplate what the Word of God in the Bible has to say about what will be a harrowing time on earth before His glorious return. And who voluntarily wants to think on the darkness of soul and spirit among earth's inhabitants that will inspire us Believers to adhere to our Hope and Faith? 

So, that brings me to the importance of knowing our history... knowing the history of our families, of our nation, of our Christian faith, of our Bible. True knowledge comes from our experiences; from having gained physical or practical understanding of a subject. If something has not been experienced, how can we say we really know it? Take our faith, for instance. We all agree with the writer of Hebrews who says, "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen". We may not be able to point to something concrete or tangible and say, there .. that's my faith. But when you share your experiences of trusting God in something you can't explicitly prove, it is the history of those experiences that provide evidence for your ability to have faith and hope.

Which brings me back to Michael Crichton's quote ... If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree. It is important that we study and understand the history of the Old Testament and the entire Bible. We must not focus only on the end of the story when we are translated into the glorious Presence of our Savior! If we believe that there is purpose and meaning to our lives for the Kingdom of God here on earth, then doesn't it serve us to understand and comprehend how God has evolved His relationship with man from the beginning until this very moment in our lives? And don't we want to learn from the history He shares in His Word about that journey? Doesn't even the leaf on a tree have a connection to the whole system of a tree?

Let us contemplate that whole structure in nature for just a moment. The function of a leaf is to help the plant produce food by converting the energy that comes from sunlight into chemical energy that the tree can eat. But the life of the tree is dependent on so much more! The leaf is supported by a branch, which provides a way for leaves to act as a net for the sunlight. Tree branches will grow to give the leaf the most light, even if that means growing sideways. But branches don't just exist on their own. They grow from the trunk, which provides structure and protection to the delicate network of branches and leaves, and which grows from the root system. The roots support the tree by absorbing water and storing nutrients for the tree. They also anchor the tree to the ground. A healthy root system is essential for the survival of the tree. And then finally, the roots grow from a seed that is planted. The most basic function of a seed is keep the species of the tree in existence. In His extraordinary plan for the world, God designed all the different functionality mechanisms of a tree to work together to keep the tree's embryo inside the seed alive until conditions are optimal for that seed to germinate with some chance of the seedling's survival.

So, can you see that the existence of the tree isn't just dependent on a leaf and it's singular reality and function in space and time? There's a history to its existence... an interdependent synergy between that leaf and all that came before it. It exists because at some point in time a seed was planted that, at just the right time for its survival, it sprouts and forms a root from which the tree springs forth from the earth, forming a trunk that supports the branches and leaves. In a poetic sense, the trunk is the part of the tree that connects the leafy crown to its roots. There is a history of any leaf on a tree that goes all the way back to a seed that was planted. So it is with our existence in God's plan for the earth and His creation of man. And the Bible is that roadmap. How can we possibly think that just focusing on the end game is all that we need to know? 

Just like that leaf on a tree, there is an interdependence in the history of the Bible; the experience of God choosing Abram to be the seed of a faith that would sprout and grow, developing a divine root system that was destined to overcome the obstacles it encountered in the world. And as those roots spread, they grew into a tree and anchored the True Vine that was Christ. And from the foundation of that Vine would grow branches designed to bear much fruit for the Kingdom. But if we don't understand how it all came about, then how can we truly understand that we are part of the whole system and understand what came before us? We cannot simply say we know who we are based on what we look like when we look in the mirror. We are the fruit that was born from all that has happened to that seed of faith that sprouted from Abram! And if we don't understand all the obstacles and battles that came against that faith, then how are we to learn from those struggles and avoid the same pitfalls that the history of the Bible clearly tells us the long line of faithful suffered? 

The Bible and its history are as much a cautionary tale as they are a promise of an eternal life;  they are a guide for those of us who are the descendants of that first seed of faith. Why would we ever think that this history is unimportant to us -- that all we need to know is the ending to the story? We don't need to stay mired in the failures we find in the history, but we should learn from them so we recognize the strategies of the Enemy and can warn others. Yes, our victory is in Christ; and yes, we win in the end. But if we can avoid some of the temptations and circumvent the mistakes God is gracious enough to show us in His Word .... why wouldn't we? And how are we to avoid the traps that those who came before us fell into, if we do not learn from history? "My people perish for lack of knowledge" goes hand in hand with this dynamic. Let's not just be happy to exist as a leaf in the 21st Century, but let us be fed and strengthened in the wisdom and experiences of the whole tree of our faith.

1 Corinthians 10:11   Now these things happened to them as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come.    

They Are Precious In His Sight

How do I express all the emotions I am feeling in the aftermath of the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas? This weighs so heavy on my spirit because, for seven years, my husband and I called the rural communities of Sabinal and Uvalde "home". We lived on 129 acres about 20 miles from Uvalde, which is where we did our grocery shopping and our banking; where the feed store we frequented was located, and where I got my hair cut and my nails done. When you live in rural Texas you form bonds that are forever, and although it's been 14 years since we lived there, we're still in contact with many of those fine people.

So, when the news flashed across the TV screen, I felt my soul being torn apart. My mind screamed, "NO!" as I held my breath, praying that no one I knew was among the shocking numbers they were reporting. "Please, Jesus, protect those children!" But the numbers kept climbing and the horror of the truth invaded my body, soul, and spirit... another school shooting and more innocent blood shed by an evil murderer. And then it came; exactly what I feared ... a woman I knew lost her granddaughter in the unimaginable horror that happened in that classroom. Lord, how do we defeat this evil that is raging across our land?

Notice that I didn't ask Him how we got to this point. I know how we got here. As a nation, we rejected God. We decided, as a culture and a society, that we wanted to rule our lives by our own will, not His. As a society, we began rebelling against anything that put restrictions on our behavior. We became arrogant and wanted to control our lives by our own permissive rules. That included our bodies, our morals, our family structures, our idols, and anything that brought us pleasure, no matter how debased or corrupt. And so, because the One who created us gave us Free Will, He gave us the desire of our hearts. He designed Free Will to be a vehicle by which we, His creation, could make our own decision to honor and worship Him. He could have created 8 billion robots that were programmed to worship Him. But He gave us the freedom of self-determination to decide whether we would acknowledge His majesty or not. 

And what decisions has our society made? Fifty years ago, we decided we didn't need Him in our schools, so we've had several generations of kids who have not begun their day in prayer or acknowledging that there is a Power greater than themselves. That power was transferred to the government who decided what children should learn to be productive citizens, which just so happened to persuade them to give up their freedoms and give more power to the government, which has led to government attempting to take over the role of "parent" to our children. 

Schools were just the beginning, though. Forty years ago, we decided that God's design for our bodies and reproduction limited our freedom of fulfilling our sexual desires. So, we over-ruled His Word which said to be fruitful and multiply, and rejected His declaration that children are a heritage and a blessing from the Lord. Instead, our modern culture has decided to make children a matter of "choice". And the consequences of that decision is over 60 million murdered babies in the womb.

But there are more consequences of wandering from God's ways. We have generations of fatherless and broken families. And do I need to remind you that "family" is a precious template of His relationship with us. The Bible tells us we are His children; as Christians, we are adopted into His family. But government convinced many of the members of our society that they were a better choice to guide and provide for the family than fathers. But we didn't stop there. Not only did we emasculate fathers as the heads of their family units, but we moved toward redefining genders altogether, and now encourage emotionally, psychologically and surgically changing genders because we "feel" like it. 

And then there's the issue of technology. I-pads have become our kids' babysitters. And if you think that the devil hasn't found a way to control their minds and hearts through technology, then you aren't paying attention. And technology has become a very effective method of feeding the vile passions of a nation who is exporting child pornography, human sex trafficking, and drugs among other things that God abhors. The absence of God as the cornerstone of this nation results in the kinds of horrific tragedies we have seen in Uvalde and Buffalo. How can children on the verge of manhood be so wicked as to shoot innocent men, women, and children?

The Bible makes it very clear that "[God does not overlook sin] and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth because that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them [Romans 1:18-19]. BUT since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive, until they were filled (permeated, saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice and mean-spiritedness [Romans 1:28-29].

The King James Bible says God will not overlook the sins of men who stifle the truth that He exists, and who refuse to acknowledge Him or consider Him worth knowing. In fact, He will give them over to a reprobate mind. That word "reprobate" is adokimos in the Greek, and it means "what is unapproved and rejected; by implication it is literally and morally worthless; God casts them away." In other words, God abandons them. They are too far gone to come back to Him. But our society is too willing to just label it as "mental illness". That's a nice sterile and safe way to describe the state of mind that has rejected God. But when we, as a nation, have removed God from our schools, our homes, and our institutions, we have created a spiritual vacuum that is devoid of moral guiding principles. And we all know that Nature abhors a vacuum. When God is removed, it will be filled with something else. And Satan is only too willing to fill that emptiness with His evil ways.

What the world witnessed in Uvalde, Texas this week was nothing short of the wickedness of a reprobate mind. The Creator of the Universe hated to see such evil perpetrated against those innocent children and two brave teachers. And my spirit grieves over the terror that they all experienced. But I cling to the knowledge that Jesus was with them in those horrific moments and gathered them to His bosom as He took them Home to be with their Heavenly Father. And if you are among the faithful of this nation who knows Jesus as your Savior, then you know the truth and the hope of that scenario. 

And if you are among those who have not acknowledged Him, then I'm sure you are scoffing at my beliefs. And on the other side of the coin, I'm sure there are Christians who think that I am painting too dark a picture of our country. That Jesus is going to invade the hearts of our nation and all will turn their hearts to Him and bow a knee. I join you in repenting for the sins of America and looking towards the victory that is ours in Christ. But I can't ignore the overwhelming evidence of a society and culture that has abandoned the ways of the Lord in so many areas of our national experience. 

And the answer to our plight does not lie in politics. According to the Pew Research Center, 88% of the members of Congress identify as Christian. Yet, our nation is drowning in debt; our border is being overrun with illegal immigrants; our youth are dying from fentanyl; our children are being trafficked, tempted to change genders, indoctrinated, and murdered at alarming rates. Does that sound like a nation that is walking in God's ways? I know that in far too many of our behaviors and practices we have abandoned God. I pray that God has not abandoned us. 

In the aftermath of the shooting in Uvalde, the country cries, "Do something!" We demand that our governing officials stop the chaos and the killing; create more man-made laws to curb our debased instincts. But until we turn from our own ways and following the gods that we have created, and come back to the God who created us -- the God whose heavenly laws are righteous, beneficial, reliable, and sufficient -- we will continue to suffer the consequences of our wicked ways.

I know it is God's desire that we change course, and that gives me hope that America still stands a chance. It is His will that we become a nation that repents of its sins, that values each individual, and that seeks to love each other as He loves us. But we have a lot of work to do. I pray it is not too late to stem the tide of evil that the Enemy is fomenting. We must invite God back into the heart of this nation! Let us turn this vacuum into an abundance of His Power, Mercy, and Grace. Let us return Him to His position of Authority in every sphere of our existence! Let the nations declare that America has restored the King of Kings to His rightful throne as Lord of this nation! And we trust with every fiber of our beings that those 19 sweet babies and their two brave protectors were welcomed into His Kingdom as He dried their tears and surrounded them with His overwhelming and powerful love. God, please take care of them until they can be reunited with their families!

Proverbs 1:29-33  Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of My counsel and despised all My reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to Me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.

   

 

 

 

Romans 1:28, James 1:21, Micah 2:1, Proverbs 6:16-19