21st Century Child Sacrifice At The Altars of Molech and Ba'al

You have heard King Solomon quoted many times: There is nothing new under the sun. It would be nice for the world if that pertained only to good and moral lifestyles. But sadly [and most abhorrently] this expression still applies to the despicable practice of sacrificing children in the spirit of Molech, the ancient pagan god.

This false god is so old that I could not find any reference as to when he first appeared on the scene. Several websites stated that as early as 1450 BC, when the Israelites were wandering in the desert, they were worshiping Molech (think the golden calf), even before they had entered the land of Canaan. And we know that this detestable god appears multiple times throughout the Old Testament. We also know exactly how God felt about worshiping him... The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molech is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molech, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molech and if they fail to put him to death, I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech.

Pretty clear, isn't it? So, how did this sacrifice ritual work? Chabad.org gives us the details: "Molech was built outside of Jerusalem in the valley of Ben-Hinnom. It was an idol with the face of a calf and open hands like someone who wants to take something from another. They would light this idol on fire until his hands were scorching. There were seven chambers before him and according to the quality of the sacrifice that is how close one could come to him. If one came with a bird, then chamber one; goat, chamber two; sheep, chamber three; calf, chamber four; cow, chamber five; and ox, chamber six. The priests would say that the one who brought his child was bringing the biggest sacrifice of all. He would enter the innermost chamber and go kiss the Molech . . . The priests would then take the child and place it near the Molech. They would then bang with drums and clap to drown the noise from the child’s screams so that the father would not regret his decision."

While I have no evidence that bronze statues of Molech still exist [with their heads of calves (or bulls) and chests that contain a big fiery furnace], it's not hard to see that Molech worship is still alive and well. Children are still being sacrificed, and it is through the ritual of abortion. What sacrifice is bigger than giving yourself the power to overcome the procreation of God's children? The 21st Century idolators seem to have dropped the argument that it is not a child, but rather just "some cells". But how do they explain their desire to write more comprehensive legislation that would allow the killing of babies up to [and after] birth?

But it is not only abortion that sees innocent children sacrificed. The sexual exploitation of children, child pornography, and sex trafficking are all forms of child sacrifice, and Molech combines forces with the false god Ba'al in the morally depraved culture of the modern world. All you have to do is tune in to the latest scandal involving Balenciaga, the Spanish luxury fashion house that caters to celebrities and the elite. You can find any Kardashian, Nicole Kidman, Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the like, wearing Balenciaga. But their recent ad campaign has revealed the ugly underbelly of how our children are being objectified and becoming pawns in the 21st Century worship of Ba'al. 

The recent ad campaign for Balenciaga was heavily BDSM-centric. What exactly is BDSM? It's official definition is "a variety of often erotic practices or role-playing involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics". That's not my thing, and if adults wish to take part in this "variety" of sex, then that's their free will choice. But the problem with the ads were they all featured children, who when you examined the ads closer, you could see the symbolism in the positions they were placed and the props situated around them. For example, children were seen holding dolls who sported black eyes, and were dressed in bondage gear. A child's drawing of the devil is seen in the background of one photo, featuring a blond-haired little boy with a black hood at his feet, similar to those seen in satanic rituals. And one innocent red-haired little girl is positioned face down on a couch, staring at the camera in what appears a clear depiction of submission.

But that's not all this ad campaign reveals in regard to children. One ad pictures a book in the background by artist Michael Booremans whose works include castrated toddlers. Another ad appears to include photographs of paperwork from a Supreme Court case that upheld part of a federal child pornography law. Are you starting to get the picture? For years now, we've heard of child sex trafficking, and of the hundreds of thousands of children who disappear into sex trafficking rings, and are being used in satanic rituals, and exploited in the underground child pornography industry. It's been hinted at of the kinds of depraved minds that look upon children as commodities to fulfill their corrupted and debauched appetites. Each of these ads also features an innocuous little white rabbit, which some have suggested is used to trigger a response in programmed observers of the ads. And the most blatant "clue" to the "hidden" demonic messages in this campaign is the roll of gold packing tape in which the name "Balenciaga" has been altered to spell "Baalenciaga".

It's almost too much to bear for the righteous! Just as in ancient days, people blatantly followed Molech and Baal openly and deliberately. And today, the immoral and depraved parade their worship of Baal and their wicked mis-use of young children in the faces of the unsuspecting public, daring us to see behind the curtain. Lord God! Please expose the abuse and the sexual deviation that is perpetrated upon our children in this generation. You are the same God who abhorred the worship of Molech and Baal in ages past. Deal with the offenders of these children now, as You did then! Protect them and guard their innocence! Show us how to battle in the spiritual realms on their behalf, and teach us how to pray that this evil ends. Seeing it is not enough -- we want to partner with you to see these children redeemed! Amen!

#molechworship #baalworship #childsexualabuse #balenciagascandal #protectgodschildren #protecttheinnocent #stopchildsexabuse

Ezekiel 16:20-21   And then you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had given birth to as My children, and you killed them, sacrificing them to idols. Wasn’t it bad enough that you had become a whore? And now you’re a murderer, killing My children and sacrificing them to idols.  

 

How The God-Shaped Hole In Our Culture Birthed Wokeism & Will It Lead to Religious Persecution?

As so often happens when I'm praying and listening for the Lord to show me what I should write about, I will receive a thought and then find myself working backwards to a surprisingly different concept for the post. At the time it appears incompatible with the original idea, and then the Holy Spirit starts connecting the dots for me, and I begin seeing how they are truly connected.

This time, the Lord put it on my heart to contemplate how wokeism has affected our culture; specifically in terms of the absence of God. And that led to how this social philosophy could lead to religious persecution if we do not remain alert to the tactics of our spiritual Enemy.

Religious persecution is a topic that I have written about since I began this blog 11 years ago. At that time, the world was focused on the growing emergence of Sharia Law across the globe and the consequences of those who did not bow down to the strict rules of worshiping that god -- and that god only. But in the America of 2012 we were steeped in our national normalcy bias ... nothing like that would ever happen here! Here in America, we are free to worship whomever we wish, and it's even written in our country's Constitution, right? We don't have a thing to worry about!

But we've been lulled into complacency over at least the last half-century. There have always been Americans that didn't adopt faith in God as a guiding principle in their lives, but there didn't seem to be rancor and malice towards those who did. Then, along came Madalyn Murray O'Hair, an atheist who protested the reading of the Bible and any form of prayer in our public schools. The US Supreme Court agreed with her, and school-sponsored prayer was declared unconstitutional. Constitutionally protected Atheism would result in a spiritual door that was opened by that legal decision, and Satan took advantage of it.

With that one ruling, the Enemy of God found many who were willing to change their definition of "religion". Those who rejected Jehovah God of the Bible found faith in a social philosophy known as Secular Humanism. Instead of believing in a Supernatural God who created the Universe and everything in it; who created us with a purpose according to His will, secular humanists doubt this Biblical worldview [and ultimately deny it] in favor of believing in the greater ability of humans to make this earth a better place and to enact justice, and a safer, more pleasant world. Rather than prayer and a belief in a supernatural God that can heal our diseases and lead us in a supernatural spiritual relationship to make moral decisions for the good of mankind, secular humanists choose to rely on science, man-made social policies, and a collective moral relativism to ensure that the world is equitable and fair. After all, they tell themselves, why would you want to believe in a "God" who can't do a better job than rational, intelligent men can?

And that moral relativism? It has led us directly to this generation's culture of wokeism. Moral relativists believe that different values exist among different people and cultures, therefore morals are relative to different people --- there is no absolute Truth (as in what God has established in His Ten Commandments); only your truth as it pertains to your personal experience. The bottom line is that each of us gets to choose what is true for ourselves.

But now we have moved beyond Atheism, Secular Humanism, and Moral Relativism to Wokeism. Like the social philosophies before it, Wokeism has become its own religion to those who reject the One True God. This movement, like those who came before it, presents itself as humane and compassionate, just and virtuous; and anyone who disagrees with its disciples is to be eliminated from the cultural dialogue. The Enemy has hijacked any moral sense of ethics, and has taken the anti-God argument to new levels. Now, it's not enough to disagree with Christians, but it's time [wokeists declare] that Biblical values be condemned as oppressive and enslaving. Faith and belief in the statutes of the One True God is a power structure that enslaves. This structure must be dismantled to make way for a more "enlightened" alternative interpretation for what society needs to perpetuate relative truth, social justice, and the newest buzz word, equity.

So, where will this lead? Atheism, Secular Humanism, Moral Relativism, and now Wokeism have all tried to accomplish the same thing ... fill that hole of human need that God once occupied. While the adherents of Wokeism see themselves as inherently more just and compassionate than "judgmental" Christians, they fail to see the most important fundamental difference ... the God of Christianity sees all men through the same lens. He created them and all are worthy to be redeemed. The religion of Wokeism attributes a person's "redeemability" based on their group identity. The color of your skin or your gender, or your particular political identity matter.

The Christian identity is based on a relationship with God, the Father, and mercy, goodness, and love are its hallmarks and its goals. But power is the goal in the religion of Wokeism, because power is how they believe corrupt structures are torn down. Therefore, the definition of justice becomes whatever it takes to destroy the structure. And if in the process, people are harmed, then that is the cost of fulfilling the goal. But remember the saying, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely". 

It then follows to ask this question ... will this latest social philosophy [that exists to fill the vacuum vacated by kicking God out of our culture] grow into the final attempt by Satan to destroy God's redemptive plan for mankind? Are we getting close to the religious persecution here in America that Christians around the rest of the world have been experiencing for some time? And is our comfortable, easy, casual American faith equipped to endure the persecution of which the Bible speaks? 

I know that this country's progression from "founded in faith" to the denial of God is nothing new. The Bible is full of generations that abandoned God and suffered the consequences of their repudiation. And there were always consequences. But the Bible also tells the stories of the faithful remnant that stayed true during the days when the Godless vacuums were filled with anti-Christ persecution and tyranny. Are you prepared to follow in the footsteps of the remnant?

My purpose is not to frighten or panic you; it is to prepare you. None of us know the day or time when the final and decisive Days of Evil will descend upon us, but this I do know: those who are not secure in their faith, or don't know what they believe, or who don't have the strength to stand in defense of faith in God, will quickly give in [and go along] to avoid persecution and oppression. 

Maybe Wokeism fades away, and we return to our Godly senses ... we must pray that it doesn't transform into the next stage that takes us further from God. I believe we're already seeing the consequences of how far down the rabbit hole we've already descended -- just in my lifetime! So, join me in praying that our faithful God hears the petitions of the True Church and defeats His Enemy one more time. Let us see His glory reign over this nation and the Gospel of His righteous Kingdom spread over the world!

#wokeism #secularhumanism #moralrelativism #abandoninggod #lossoffaith #endtimespersecution #endtimes #godlessvacuum

 2 Timothy 3:12   Yes, and those who decide to please Christ Jesus by living godly lives will suffer at the hands of those who hate Him.

You Will Be My Witnesses

 

This day after Thanksgiving, I find myself meditating on the future; specifically how we Christians are fulfilling our commission from the Lord to be His witnesses to the end of the earth. That's a very serious request made to each of us! And what does it mean to be "His witness"; to witness about Him to another? As I considered the definition of what constitutes a witness, it struck me that there is a difference between being a witness in the sense of a noun, and being a witness in the sense of a verb.

If you identify as the noun form of witness, then you are likely to be stationary; an observer, a spectator, a viewer/watcher. If you align yourself with those who approach being a witness as a verb, then the definition is different -- the dictionary actually portrays movement as you become a witness. You begin by being an observer and a watcher, then move into undergoing an experience, and end up endorsing and validating. To me, that implies that becoming a witness for Jesus involves receiving the power to make that progression. We all know that power to be the Holy Spirit!

And my inspiration for approaching just what kind of witness I want to be for my Lord comes from a note I received from Asher Intrater, President of Revive Israel, an Israeli Messianic Jewish organization that seeks to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom to those Biblical "ends of the earth". Asher reminded me of Paul's declaration [near the end of his life] that he had "finished his race" and met the goals set before him by the Lord. And that spoke to my spirit of Hebrews 12:1, which says, Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us... Can you see the action and progressive faith in this call to run our race?

Asher reminded me that in a race, each runner has a starting and ending point. These points both anchor and propel the runner to intimately know his or her race, plot out the track, and then aim precisely for the tape at the end of the race, breaking through it for their victorious ending. But how are we to accomplish this race and the goal of being a quality witness for the Lord, who has given so much to us? What kind of witness am I destined to be? Jesus speaks to the Disciples [who have gathered in the Upper Room after His resurrection] that they don't need to be concerned where they are on the timeline of the earth's existence, but "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:6-8).

Now, you may be thinking, "But that was  for THOSE Disciples! That power had to be greater for the tremendous calling they were given"! And you might be asking if this verse even applies to you? So, I have a question for you -- isn't it the same Spirit, and the same Lord who exists today? And isn't the need for witnesses of Jesus just as great today? And here is the really important question ... Can you believe that promise in Acts 1 is for you?

I want each of you reading this post to know that the world is desperately in need of witnesses that testify to the power and authority of Jesus in their lives. People need to hear of the ways He has worked miracles and wonders in your life; changed your circumstances from poor [by worldly standards] to rich in spiritual wealth; and restored lives that were torn asunder and discarded. 

So many people [both the Unsaved and the Saved[ don't know how to get that power! They don't intimately know the Holy Spirit and are unaware that through Prayer and Obedience, and the Laying on of Hands, that power of the Holy Spirit is available to all! Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to fall upon you [as Jesus promised]! Ask for it! Declare that you want to be an effective witness for Him! 

Too many of us have been convinced that all the work has been done because Jesus declared on the Cross that "It is finished". Too many think our job now is to wait patiently for Him to return and whisk us out of this cruel world. But that's not experiencing the fullness of our relationship with God! And I want to state that it is so important that we not be afraid of experiencing God! Being a bold witness for God is the highest calling of our lives. With the power of the Holy Spirit, you can have the strength, the courage, the capabilities, and the deep faith/conviction to be passionate witnesses for Christ!

And remember that analogy of a race well-run? Effective and impactful witnesses for the Lord Jesus will bear fruit in their lives. At the end of the race, there will be testimonies of salvation among those they witnessed to. The seeds they sowed along their track will result in generations declaring that the Kingdom of God is here! Seeing others being Born Again, and then seeing and entering the Kingdom, will propel them across the finish line. It's just as it was when Jesus called those 12 men to become His witnesses ... Disciples making Disciples! Being a witness is not just something we do; it is who we are! It is our spiritual identity! 

My final thought: As the Holy Spirit witnesses to our spirit, may we all run our race as part of Jesus's long distance relay team. Let us run our predetermined distance, stretching with all our might to pass the baton to the next person on Jesus's team so they might continue their race with power and confidence. And let us be convinced, as we witness, that God will empower our efforts and we will be part of the crowd of witnesses that has gone before us, each generation serving to encourage the next that God will see His Gospel taken to all the nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues. Amen!

#witnessforthelord #runyourrace #totheendoftheworld #witnessforjesus

2 Timothy 2:1-2    You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Be a Voice of Thanksgiving!

As I look back on each Thanksgiving of the 11 years that I have been writing this blog, all the posts have several things in common: gratitude for all the ways God has blessed me; for the establishment of this nation founded on trusting God;  along with praying He will deliver us from the transgressions we have committed against Him. And in the midst of it all, it is an opportunity to take the time to praise Him for His faithfulness, even when we fall short of glorifying Him.

And in speaking of gratitude, I have a feeling that, like me, you are viewing this Thanksgiving season with a bit more reflection, and giving pause to think about all the things you have to be thankful for.  The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  It is easy to give thanks to those things that come easily -- our family, friends, our health, our job, God's provision.  But notice that Paul said everything!  

So, we're supposed to give thanks for the minor stuff like our aches and pains, the difficult people in our lives, the mounting bills on our desk?  And, Paul couldn't possibly mean that we're supposed to give thanks for the sinful world we see all around us -- the immoral culture; the apostate Church; the diseases and plagues that have afflicted so many families; the escalating evil that we've seen in the wars and rumor of wars around the world; and the increasing violence and rage that seems to be seeping into the spirit of this nation. Is all that the everything Paul is speaking about?

But instead of focusing on all the pain and sadness and anxiety that all those things -- both great and small -- bring to our mind and hearts, wouldn't it be nice this Thanksgiving to actually put into practice the words of Psalm 95?  To come before His presence with shouts of joy and songs, in full spiritual recognition that no matter what is going on in our lives or in the world, He is a great God and a great King above all gods?

Have you ever thought about thanking Him for all the times He said, "No", and for unanswered prayer because it not only made you depend on Him more, but humbled you to admit that He knew what was best for you?  What about thanking Him for the things He withheld from you, and for protecting you from things you may never realize ... and the closed doors that may have frustrated you, when, in fact He mercifully kept you from going places He did not want you to go. 

You see, we tend to limit the idea of Thanksgiving to this one special day that has become a uniquely American holiday centered on family gatherings, food, and football. But surely there's a deeper message in the Thanksgiving story than Squanto, corn and succotash, and the fall harvest.  Turns out there might be... Thanksgiving became associated through the centuries with giving thanks to God for the harvests of the land. Throughout the Bible we find times of thanksgiving in which God's people come together and thanks has been offered through the gift of fellowship between all. And I find it quite significant that 233 years ago, our first President, George Washington, proclaimed a national day of thanks to the Lord for His care in guiding us to become a nation. Washington's Proclamation stated that on this day, the people of the newly established United States of America should be devoted to "the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be ...".

As we gather around the Thanksgiving table this year, can we remember those inspiring words? Can we see it as more than just family, friends, and food?  Will we take advantage of this one day out of the year that is designed to give thanks and dedicate it to our great God -- to the LORD who has given us an inheritance in the heavenly places, which is something greater than all the possessions of this world?  Can we thank God for the greatest gift He could ever give us: forgiveness through His perfect Son's death on the cross on our behalf?

This Thanksgiving, it needs to be all about HIM!  We need to thank God for our eternal salvation, and for the salvation He gives us every day of  our lives as He saves us from ourselves and our foolishness. We need to thank Him for allowing us to be born in a nation that was founded on personal freedom, and fervently pray that He will guard and protect us against the enemies of freedom. We need to thank Him for His power and strength that are ours to call upon in our moments of human weakness -- and the ways we have failed Him are quite evident in these days.

So, as we get ready to partake in our national holiday of giving thanks, let us join together in declaring this prayer:  Our Father, who reigns from Your Heavenly throne, look down upon us this day and forgive us for failing to thank You in all the ways You have blessed us. We give praise and honor and glory to You for the countless ways You have been faithful to us and this nation. On this Thanksgiving holiday, we acknowledge that all that we are is a credit to Your patience and enduring love. We appreciate the bountiful provision you have given us, and we pray that both our individual lives and this nation will stand on the solid ground of Your Holiness and Righteousness. On this day, we come before Your Presence with hearts full of praise and worship. We thank You, and we lift up Your Holy Name in humble adoration. We bless You, Father, in all Your majestic ways. Amen!

#thanksgiving #gratitude #thankfulness #thanksgivingday

Isaiah 12:4      And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name [in prayer]. Make His deeds known among the peoples [of the earth]; Proclaim [to them] that His name is exalted!”

   

You Can Not Only Survive Today's Uncertainies ... You Can Thrive!

Today, I'm going to use a post I wrote in 2014 as the source to speak on our ability to thrive in the midst of these uncertain times.  Many of us are wondering about the destiny of our nation; a nation that was founded on Godly principles, but seems to have lost its compass along the way. In the 2014 post, I quoted Isaiah 1:9, which reads, If the Lord of Hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah.

Although this vision and prophecy was given to the prophet Isaiah about the destiny of the nation of Israel during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah, it also foretells the future of the tribe of Judah during the End Times. Furthermore, I believe its message should be heeded by our own nation, as well. I just love the multiple layers of significance that the Bible holds throughout all generations! Those who say it is no longer relevant in our time are sadly (and dangerously) deceived.

Isaiah laments his sinful nation ... he accuses them of immorality and criminality; they have forsaken the God who made them a great nation above all others, and they now only show Him contempt -- and worse, still, they ignore Him. Because of their "detestable disobedience", the future of their country is bleak. Their land has been attacked by enemies and strangers occupy what was once so generously bestowed upon them. And then the prophet tells them something that should have stopped them in their tracks, and caused fear to bring them to their knees. The nation of Israel -- indeed, all the world, including today -- knows what befell Sodom and Gomorrah. And Isaiah is showing them they deserved the same judgment. We read in Ezekiel, Chapter 16: "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me...".  The purpose of this post is not to dwell on the sexual immorality and perversion that were practiced in Sodom and Gomorrah, but to take to heart the judgment that fell on them, and to recognize the hope that is in the remnant that survived.

Isaiah received spiritual perception in the 7th Century B.C. to minister to the nation of Judah. He knew that God had a purpose for them, but he needed to make them see how far they had wandered from Him. All Israel knew that God had poured fiery sulfur on the cities, completely destroying them and all of their inhabitants. (To this day, the area where Sodom and Gomorrah were located remains a desolate wasteland.)  So Isaiah wants them to ultimately understand what God did out of the midst of that tragic judgment, and how they deserve the same verdict. He points to a particular nature of God as their reason for hope.

He tells them that "the Lord of hosts" spared a remnant, and it is that Sovereignty and Mercy that He wants his nation to recognize. And it is very important to take note of the name for God that Isaiah uses in this verse. In Hebrew, "the Lord of hosts" is spoken of as Jehovah-Sabaoth. From our human perspective, this is the name of God to run to when there is no other help. From God's perspective, this is the name He uses when He wants us to know that He is not only the One who delivers us, but also the One who judges us. He wants us to bow our knee to Him. This particular name of God meets our failure, and offers deliverance... when we are willing to repent.

Isaiah wants Judah to realize that their actions deserve the devastating and complete punishment that befell Sodom and Gomorrah. They need to acknowledge that Jehovah Sabaoth -- "the Lord of hosts" -- has rightly judged them, but He is also going to deliver them by the means of that remnant. A small group will survive His judgments in order to fulfill God's purpose for them.

Over 700 years later, the Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah's forewarning of a remnant, in Romans, Chapter 9.  He says, "And Isaiah solemnly cries aloud over Israel:  Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved [from perdition, condemnation, judgment]!  Paul is trying to tell the Hebrew nation that God's own prophets have foretold this sad and frightening truth -- that their disobedience deserves full destruction, BUT through God's mercy, He will leave them a remnant that will survive ... a Jewish remnant that will bow their knew to their King and Messiah.  

The same is true for us today! We can be part of a remnant in this nation -- and the world -- that displays our supernatural power [that comes from Jesus Christ] in the midst of the downward spiral we see around us. We can step into our destiny to help others see that we have a purpose for the Kingdom of God and to spread that glorious hope. 

We can tune out the voices of this modern world and tune into the voice of our Master. Because while it may seem like the world is going mad and is out of control, it doesn't seem that way to Jesus. He has the foreknowledge of where the world is going before it results in His return. He has told us in His Word ...  You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age]. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].

None of these things we are experiencing is a surprise to Jesus! And they shouldn't be to us, either. He told us they would happen so we would not be shocked or surprised. But somehow we have been deceived into thinking these warnings weren't meant for us. So we react in fear and anxiety. But we have a choice as to how we respond to these foretold events.

Instead of living in apprehension and dread, what if we lived in the knowledge that the things Jesus described must happen before He returns? What if we looked at it as if these events signaled His rescue for a world in which bedlam is flourishing? What if we saw the events for what they are -- the descent of a world that has rejected God's Sovereignty; His right to rule over His creation?

You see, we have a choice of how we think about the failing condition of the world. We can choose to be troubled over the circumstances we find ourselves in; or we can rest assured that it's all going along according to God's plan... and we know the Victory that awaits us. We can look at our reality from the perspective that the glass is half empty, or we can rejoice that it is half full. We can join the "misery loves company" club, and align with those who bemoan the loss of our prosperity, the threats to our affluent way of life, or the erosion of our constitutionally guaranteed freedom. OR we can trust that God has a plan, and we are part of it! And our part is to trust in Him as we actively seek to bring salt and light to a world that is awaiting His glorious appearance. 

We can show people that everything they are clinging to [their material things, their wealth, their job, their social status] ... it's all just illusion! It may all disappear, but you can choose to believe that God is delivering you to a new and fresh revelation of His will for your life. Even in the midst of misfortune and the decline of nations, God is always moving forward towards His ultimate finale ... the return of our Lord. And we have choices to make as we participate in His timeline. We can not only survive the events that are foretold, but we can thrive in them because we know where they're taking us. And we can share the reason for our hope and optimism in a world that appears defeated. 

So, we don't ignore Jesus's warnings, nor do we stay rooted in them. We rejoice that we have been born for such a time as this, and that we can choose to abide in the inner calm and spiritual well-being as a Christian who trusts in God's plan. We will not only survive these days, we can thrive!

#endtimes #endtimesprophecies #thriveinthesetimes #godsentimeplan 

Isaiah 28:21    For the Lord will rise up as at Mount Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the Valley of Gibeon, To do His work, His unusual and incredible work, And to accomplish His work, His extraordinary work. 

Thoughts On The State Of Our Country and The World

I have been waiting for the dust to settle after the recent election before making any kind of comment -- although it looks as if the final outcome is still days away. And don't worry ... this is anything but a political post. In fact, what I have to say is this: I think it's about time for Christians to face the fact that the solution(s) to what ails our country doesn't lie in politics. Our troubles are spiritual, not temporal, and until this nation repents for its unrighteousness in all spheres of influence, and changes its soul and spirit, we are only going to continue to degrade the quality of our lives and the heart of this country.

We Christians need to come to terms with the Biblical truth that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot effectively serve both political ideologies and God. We cannot serve earthly goods, property, and riches and still adequately serve God. We cannot promote social causes with the same passion that we advocate for the Kingdom of God -- one or the other is going to suffer. Please understand that I know the motivations and intentions of Christians in these areas is only for the good of us all. But we need to begin thinking about this from God's perspective. That is what true repentance looks like. 

Just as Jesus explained to the Pharisees in Mark 12, it's okay to give to Caesar (or any other authority) what is due them, just be as diligent to give God His due. And if we find ourselves out of balance in making choices as to which will receive our heart, then our culture, our nation, and the world will suffer the consequences. You see, the condition of the human heart is at the center of the state in which we find ourselves. God looks down upon us and sees all the ways that our fleshly hearts have reduced His presence in our daily lives, and sees how that has affected our human condition. And He has seen it happen over and over since the Garden of Eden. How mankind's repetitive history must cause Him pain!

And it is such a recurring and predictable theme. I am reminded of a quote from Marine Combat Veteran and Author, G. Michael Hopf ... "Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And weak men create hard times". That is a cycle that has repeated itself throughout history. It is because at each turn of the cycle, men's hearts either embrace or reject God. 

We see it throughout the Bible in the history of the Israelites and the Jewish people ... The entrance into the Promised Land was fraught with danger and afflictions, yet Joshua rose up as a strong warrior that followed God's leading and the Israelites gained ground in the land God promised them, and they prospered. But weak men ruled after Joshua's death, and there was no one to point Israel to YHWH, and the Enemy was able to divide and conquer the people. Sound familiar? We also see this play out in the kings of Judah, where the good times were a result of kings who chose to be strong in their faith and repudiate the pagan gods that the people had turned to. But it wasn't long before those good times led the people to become lax in following God's statutes and they returned to their wicked ways. And these weak men led to God's judgment and hard times for the Jews until a new king rose up and again battled to tear down the altars and the high places, resulting in God's favor and the good times and prosperity returned. And so the cycle continued.

We need to take a serious step back and ask ourselves if this country is not repeating those times of prosperity followed by days of destructive courses of action. As long as God is removed as the governing spirit of this nation, what can we expect? He is either the central purpose of our efforts and His ways are what we seek first, or we take our eyes off Him because we think we've found a different direction that will make the world a better place. But that keeps us tied to the world and its systems!

As for me, I am truly at the stage in my life when I understand at the deepest levels of my flesh, soul, and spirit that I do not want to live in the systems of this world. I want to live in God's Kingdom systems. I don't want to be affected by the cycles of men who go from strong to weak, depending on their faith and reliance on God. I also totally understand that because we live in a sinful world, and as long as I am in this temporal body, I am going to be at the mercy of mankind's cycles. But I am no longer going to rely on those cycles to define the condition of my life. 

Whatever befalls our nation or the world, I will seek God's wisdom, not men's; God's will, not men's. And if men will align themselves with what God reveals to me, then I can support them as they become the Joshua's and the King Josiah's  and the Disciples of Jesus that we so desperately need today. I will only be too happy to praise them as we come together and see righteousness return to this nation. Until then, I can only pray that God hears the fervent prayers of His remnant and heals our land. 

#stateofthenation #politicsisnottheanswer #returntorighteousness #hardtimes

Romans 12:2     And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

 

The Pagan gods of Ancient Idolatry Are Alive and Well!

 

Note that I did not capitalize "gods" in the title of this blog. That should tell you two things at least ... 1) My personal theology differentiates between small "g" gods and the Most High God, with a capital "G"; and 2) I acknowledge that other gods exist, and their impact on our culture is not only unproductive and unrighteous, but downright diabolical.

But I want you to understand that the reality of these gods is nothing new; that their influence in our culture is a repetition of their ancient authority and control as asserted in the Bible. They may have different names in the 21st Century, but the spirit behind them, and their assignments for the prince of darkness, remain the same. And there is a trinity of these ancient gods that lured the Israelites from their covenant with YHWH, and persuaded them to break the Second Commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).

God had promised Abraham that He would bless and multiply his generations if they were faithful and obedient to follow His commandments and statutes; the land of Canaan would be theirs. BUT, God was very adamant that they resist the temptation to worship the Canaanite gods. At first, the Israelites were loyal, asking, "Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?", declaring the supremacy of YHWH, at the same time they acknowledge the other gods existed. It was very clear that YHWH would not tolerate the idolatry of the Canaanites:

When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods (Deuteronomy 4:29-31).

Yet, they did not only become ensnared to follow after these gods, they compromised and jeopardized their promised inheritance. It is this same trinity of pagan gods that ensnares our culture today. So, let's take a look at them and see if you can tell how we have committed idolatry...

Ba'al. The name of this ancient pagan god has several meanings: "Master", "Husband", and the primary designation of "Possessor". Ba'al was the principal god of the Canaanites and considered the most powerful of all the gods. You can research the significance of this pagan god in all his religious influence, but for the sake of brevity in this post, I find that the description of him on the gotquestions.org website is the most succint and concise: "The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm god—he is usually depicted holding a lightning bolt—who defeated enemies and produced crops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. At times, appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:5). The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury (1 Kings 18:28)". 

And there is the well-known Biblical story of the confrontation between Elijah's God, YHWH, and the pagan god, Ba'al, worshiped by King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. After three-and-a-half years of drought, Elijah challenged the prophets of Ba'al to a contest to see whether their pagan god, or the Most High God of Israel, controlled the rain. They set up a "dueling sacrifice", so to speak; each preparing a bull for a sacrifice to their God, declaring that their God would light the fire and consume the sacrifice. The 450 prophets of Ba'al prayed all day with all their might, calling for Ba'al to send fire from heaven, but there was no answer. With a simple prayer, Elijah called upon his God: "Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back". The fire of the Lord fell, consumed the sacrifice, and the people of Israel acknowledged that YHWH was the true God of Israel. And Elijah slaughtered the 450 prophets of Ba'al. 

Ashtaroth/Asherah. This goddess was the wife of Ba'al and was known by several other names: Asherah, Ishtar, Aphrodite, Venus, and was acknowledged as "the Enchantress". She was the goddess of sexual immorality, confusing the natural order of sexuality. She had a priesthood that served her in her temple. The consistent word that described them was "prostitute". Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites are continually warned that "none of the daughters or sons of Israel shall be a cult prostitute" (Deuteronomy 23:17). Other translations use the words "temple prostitute" or "shrine prostitute", with the King James Bible being the most descriptive, declaring, "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel". 

The bottom line is that sexual perversion was practiced as the means of getting closer to the god, and these temples of Ashtaroth were dedicated to sexual rituals with the gods. Here is a quote from Dr. Merrill F. Unger, Dallas Theological Seminary and Ph.D. from John Hopkins: "The inhabitants of Canaan were addicted to Baal worship, which was conducted by priests in temples, and in good weather outdoors in fields, and particularly on hilltops called "high places." The cult included animal sacrifice, ritualistic meals, and licentious dances. Near the rock altar was a sacred pillar or massebah, and close by the symbol of the asherah, both of which apparently symbolized human fertility. High places had chambers for sacred prostitution by male prostitutes (kedishim) and sacred harlots (kedeshoth)."

Dr. Howard F. Vos, noted theologian, Professor Emeritus of History and Archeology, author of 25 books on the Bible, and co-author of the Wycliffe Encyclopedia has this say: "One may question that those ancient enemies of Israel were as evil as the Bible claims that they were, but even a superficial glance at Canaanite religion alone demonstrates their iniquity. Base sex worship was prevalent, and religious prostitution even commanded; human sacrifice was common; and it was a frequent practice--in an effort to placate their gods--to kill young children and bury them in the foundations of a house or public building at the time of construction: Joshua 6:26, "In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn." The base sex worship also involved men dressing up as women, and women dressing up as men in their perverted sexual rites. 

Molech. Who was this ancient god? Once again, I refer to gotquestions.org for a comprehensive description: Moloch worship included child sacrifice, or “passing children through the fire.” It is believed that idols of Moloch were giant metal statues of a man with a bull’s head. Each image had a hole in the abdomen and possibly outstretched forearms that made a kind of ramp to the hole. A fire was lit in or around the statue. Babies were placed in the statue’s arms or in the hole. When a couple sacrificed their firstborn, they believed that Moloch would ensure financial prosperity for the family and future children.

Before the Israelites had even entered Canaan, God warned them not to participate in Moloch worship (Leviticus 18:21) and repeatedly told them to destroy those cultures that worshiped Moloch. The Israelites didn’t heed God’s warnings. Instead, they incorporated Moloch worship into their own traditions. Even Solomon, the wisest king, was swayed by this cult and built places of worship for Moloch and other gods (1 Kings 11:1–8). Moloch worship occurred in the “high places” (1 Kings 12:31) as well as a narrow ravine outside Jerusalem called the Valley of Hinnom (2 Kings 23:10). 

So, that's a pretty good introduction to the primary gods that influenced the culture of God's chosen people in the days after He became known to their patriarchs. And if you think that the worship of this evil trio is confined to the ancient past, let me suggest the ways that Satan has infiltrated our culture with his representatives. We may not openly associate the idolatry in our culture to names like Ba'al, Ashtaroth, or Molech. But their influence is alive and well in our generation.

Our society has become fascinated and addicted to sexual immorality, which includes everything from pornography to transgenderism, and everything in-between. Men dress up as women to read stories to our children. Our public libraries encourage sexual indoctrination to our young children. We are hard-pressed to find entertainment on TV or in the movies that does not include some form of graphic sexual imagery. And I invite you to read a prophetic post I wrote in 2016 about the erection of a replica of the ancient Arch of the Temple of Bel (Ba'al) in New York City. Perhaps you will recognize that this act gave legal authority for the spirits of Ba'al and Ashtaroth to infiltrate the spiritual realm of our nation. 

And need I make the connection between our modern culture and Molech? Planned Parenthood serves as the priests of modern Molech worship today, encouraging women to sacrifice their children at the altar of convenience and continued prosperity. I know there will be those who say this sounds like religious fanaticism, but I earnestly request that you take the eyes of your soul off the world for a moment and see what our culture looks like through the eyes of our majestic God. He is the same Ruler of Heaven today as He was when He gave the promised land to the descendants of Israel. He requires that the same moral standards of virture and loyality from us as He did from the ancient Israelites. But like the Israelites, we have given the ancient gods access to our culture and our future generations. And they are only too happy to repossess the spiritual territory they once owned.  

Sadly, we are like the person mentioned in Luke 11 ... our house [which is our body and the temple of the Lord] has been swept clean [of evil occupiers] by the blood of Jesus and the forgiveness of our sins. But if we have not filled that vacant space with the knowledge and heart to obey the Lord, then those wicked entities will move in and bring seven [or more] of their wicked companions. That's what we've done -- over the last 50 years, our culture has attempted to remove every vestige and trace of God from our culture. He's been removed from our schools and replaced with false idols of pagan belief systems. We, who still live by His righteous moral absolutes are mocked and increasingly attacked for not falling in line with the adulterous culture. 

So, if you are able to see [with unblinded eyes] the spiritual forces of ancient wickedness at work in our culture, then join God's remnant and go into the spirit to do as he instructed his servants in ancient Israel: tear down the altars and the high places; destroy the asherah poles and the temples of prostitution. Let's break the cycle of the influence of the ancient gods and restore the worship and obedience to the One True God. The Lord Jesus is returning soon, and until then, we have to rise up in our power to stem the tide of darkness and let His Light shine! 

#paganworship #pagangodworship #baalworship #templeprostitution #returntotruegod #godofisrael #ancientidolatry

Deuteronomy 12:3    You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim [Asherah poles] with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place.   

 

Oh, The Depth and Power of Jesus's Faithfulness!

Today, the focus of this post is testifying to the overwhelming passion Jesus has for those who belong to Him. As most of you know, the Lord has called my husband and me to participate with Him in helping to set the captives free. For the last ten years, we have embarked on a journey with Jesus to places and people we would never have foreseen in our lives before Him.

Why us? The only answer my spirit has been able to discern is that He knew the purpose for which He created us, and when the time was right, He called us into service. To be honest, looking from the outside in, no one would have picked us! But He knew ... He knew first of all, that we would say "yes" to His invitation. He knew we would remain patient during the three years He sent the Holy Spirit and the anointed people to equip us and train us up. He knew that we would be strong enough to withstand the doubt, unbelief, and judgment from our religious brothers and sisters. And He knew we would be bold enough to step into the unknown territory of the Enemy to which He would lead us.

Believe me, we did none of this out of our own strength! We had to learn to sit our souls down in order to let our spirits rise up and hear from the Lord. But, oh what rewards there have been as we have matured in this calling! And I write all this to encourage and fortify your faith. It is important you know that we have been introduced to people who have experienced the most horrific childhoods that have led to adulthoods lived in constant torment; people who, according to the world's yardstick [and the Church's], have committed every sin, blasphemy, and offense that would qualify them as irredeemable (unable to be redeemed, restored, or recovered). 

Yet, we invite Jesus to overcome the judgment and condemnation they've received from "the religious" members of the Body of Christ; to counter the lies the Enemy has told them since the doors of sin were opened in their childhood; and to restore them to their original purpose that the devil tried to kill, steal, and destroy. And He shows up!!! We have worked with people who believe the lie that Jesus can never forgive them for the molestation they endured; for those they, in turn,  have molested; for the promiscuous years; for the homosexual urges and experiences; for the bestiality; for the drug use and addictions; for the adultery; for the pornography; for the witchcraft they've engaged in; for their agreement with Satan ... and so much more. 

Yet, every single time, Jesus appears to their spirit and hears their confession of forgiveness for those who have wounded them and hurt them (including themselves). And because they have forgiven, He can forgive them. And then He shows His faithfulness to keep His promises to bind up broken hearts; to comfort all who mourn for their sins and the sins committed against them; to give them new garments of righteousness; and to open the prison doors to those who are in bondage. 

We have been privileged to witness glorious testimonies of what Jesus does in the Spirit for those whom He loves and died for. Countenances literally change -- skin tones go from ashen gray to rosy and glowing. Eyes go from dull and dead to bright and shining. Tears flow as the person understands they have been transformed from Satan's Despised to Jesus's Beloved. They now lay claim to the Authority and Power that Jesus has bequeathed to them. They no longer wait for Jesus to come rescue them, but know He has given them the key to their own freedom... the authority to close the spiritual access points to a sinful nature, and the power of His blood to seal those portals permanently shut. The result is generational iniquity is canceled, and new stories are written in God's Book of Life. Future generations will know the love and favor of the Lord for following His righteous path. And their inheritance in Heaven will be significant. 

As I finish this declaration of Jesus's extraordinary and supernatural faithfulness, I want you to know that it extends to each one of us ... me and you! There is nothing we have every said or done that He cannot forgive and redeem us, IF we are willing to confess our sins, forgive those who have hurt us -- just as He forgives us -- and surrender our lives to His righteous ways. We have been given the keys to His Kingdom, where Freedom flourishes and God's will is the ruling principle [to know what He has put in us and how to use it]. The world and our Enemy is trying to convince us we are guilty, shameful, inadequate and unworthy. But I'm here to tell you that Jesus is just waiting for an invitation to conquer those lies and establish His truth as the ruling principle in your life. I have heard and seen Him demonstrate and confirm every promise stated in the Bible. And they are not just words in the Bible... He is the Living Word and the embodiment of all those promises! He can heal your pain and torment! Believe it!

#jesusheals #thebiblespromises #thefaithfulnessofgod #ourpowerandauthorityinchrist

Deuteronomy 7:9    Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Our Chaos-Filled Culture

I hope you're in the mood to really challenge your mind and faith today. Because the subject of Chaos in our culture points to an ancient understanding that alleges to pre-date the Bible! In fact, it is directly implicated in the first two verses of Genesis. And that's the best place to start sharing my train of thought. Genesis 1:1-2 are usually read without any real attention because we Western thinkers aren't interested in the etymology of words. But here's how they read in the English Standard Version of the Bible ... In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Now consider the Living Bible's version of those same two verses ... When God began  creating the heavens and the earth, the earth was a shapeless, chaotic mass, with the Spirit of God brooding over the dark vapors. Furthermore, the Amplified version translates "without form and void", and "shapeless, chaotic mass" as formless and void or a waste and emptiness. Why am I spending so much time writing about the particular words chosen to describe the primordial earth? Because I want you to understand that with chaos there is no order; no accepted existence of authority; no rule or system of law [or regulation]. And who does that directly connect to? Chaos is a demonic tool of our Enemy to sow separation from God and His purpose for all men.

It is important to make these distinctions so that it becomes abundantly clear when I make the statement "In the six days of Creation, God made order out of Chaos." When we can understand that the earth had no discernible form, and was void [which is defined as a vacuum, emptiness, a chasm, a pit, and an abyss), then we get the idea that it truly was a "chaotic mass" and open to all the darkness of Satan, which includes distortion, mayhem, upheaval, deception, and confusion.

But the concept of Chaos is not exclusive to the Bible. In fact, my research shows that in the history of the religions of the world, the idea of the spirit of Khaos (spelled with a "K" in ancient history) was very much accepted. I was actually shocked to find that some believed Khaos was the child of deities that existed before God in both age and power! Obviously, these would be pagan deities and religions, but that doesn't mean their idea of what constituted Chaos wasn't incorporated into those ancient cultures -- and has survived thousands of years to still exist in our culture today.

See if you can detect some of these ancient pagan deities in our modern world as I share Khaos's "family tree" and geneology ... Khaos was believed to have given birth to many primordial deities who would later rule specific concepts of Creation. The most well known being Tartarus (Abyss), Eros (Love), Erebus (Darkness), Nyx (Night) and Gaia (Mother Earth). Gaia then brought forth Ouranos, the starry heavens and her male equal, to be her companion. With him she gave birth to the Titans and some of the other primordial deities.

But as we have seen in our own Biblical accounts, created beings can become corrupted and seek after their own glory. So, whether or not we can believe in the existence of an ancient deity called Khaos, we can certainly see that the essence or spirit of chaos is alive and well in our current cultural climate. The alarming rise of crime in our nation is a result of Chaos. The situation on our southern border is a picture of total Chaos. Our economy is in free fall, which is causing Chaos in the food, energy, and real estate sectors. And there is an ancient writing that quotes the primordial Khaos as declaring, "I am the darkness behind the stars, I existed billions of years before even the first spark of Creation was lit. God could not destroy me and neither can you". That is a very frightening and direct threat!

Sadly, the cultural reality of Chaos as complete disorder, confusion and turmoil is now making itself known among our children. And I believe it is because they possess the one thing that puts the fear of God into Chaos ... their innocence. And that innocence has made them a target for the demonic spirit of Chaos. An innocent child exhibits the very image of God ... His goodness, His innate truth, the offer of hope and trust to a heart that has not yet been corrupted. An innocent child represents the stark contrast between Harmony and Chaos, and when a culture has submitted itself to the insidious tactics of Evil and moral decay, then those that possess the spirit of Chaos must destroy that innocence. And so, we see the proliferation of ideologies like gender confusion and drag queen story hours into our culture as a means to destroy the innocence and identity of our most vulnerable. 

The spirit of Chaos seeks to cancel and nullify all moral principles. It seeks to promote the freedom to commit licentious acts on the grounds of self-discovery. It seeks to destroy a child's natural desire for purity and God. It is the state of our culture that tries to wean that out of our innocent children. It has been a long road since the beginning of the world that Chaos has traveled to get to this point in time in our culture ... shame on us for letting it get this far and jeopardizing the souls of God's innocent children! Pray that we can break this stronghold and restore moral decency and integrity for the sake of our innocent children and the generations to come.

#spiritofchaos #morality #protectthechildren #Godschildren #protecttheinnocent

Matthew 18:6    But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Identity Theft In the Spiritual Realms

Many are familiar with the Scripture of John 10:10 ... The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness (The Living Bible). We identify the thief as Satan, God and man's Enemy; and Jesus as the one who gives purpose to our lives. Now let's take a serious look at this from the perspective of our God-given identity.

We can all agree that in this modern age of technology, Identity Theft has serious and damaging ramifications. It happens when someone steals your personal information to commit fraud or deception. In the temporal world, it usually results in economic loss for the victim. But can you see the truth of applying the concept of Identity Theft to John 10:10? The devil comes to steal our God-given identity; to kill the life designed for us; and to destroy our purpose for being born. And he does it by defrauding [or cheating] us out of our inheritance through his deception and lies about who we are. The result is that so many Christians have no idea who they really are! When the devil is able to steal your true identity and give you a false one, you are not living the life you were meant to, and certainly not in the fullness you were designed to be living it!

So, let's pull back a little and look at the bigger picture from God's perspective. Just like the prophet Jeremiah, God knew us before He formed us in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Each one of us has a unique design, created by God, Himself, for a purpose all our own, to be executed in a remarkable and unmatched life. As the Bible tells us in Palm 139, we are marvelously made; sculpted from nothing into something; with all the stages of our life spread out before Him, and the days of our lives prepared before we'd even lived one day. God had a plan for each of us when He created us!

The devil knows we are made to glorify God! And he is jealous, wanting that glory for himself! So, he has a plan of his own; to lie and deceive us by stealing that identity so that we cannot carry out our purpose, glorify God, and receive the fullness of our inheritance. And here is the biggest deception of all ... the value of our identity is ultimately based on whose we are -- not on the particular design or the success of how we execute our life. We are valued by God because of the price Jesus was willing to pay for our redemption. And once we recognize that, we are free to step into our destiny and purpose as God designed it.  

How full and fruitful would our lives be if we understood this dynamic? What if we understood that we each have an authentic and true identity woven into our DNA, and could recognize that the devil is real in this realm and looking to pull a dirty veil over our eyes so that we see a warped, corrupted view of ourselves? It's also important to know that the Enemy deceives us not only in this physical world by tempting us to sin, [or others to sin against us], but he is able to send spiritual rulers, authorities, and forces of wickedness from the spiritual realms to bring fraudulent charges against us by attacking our souls and spirits. 

If we never know the gifts and roles God has ordained for us, then it's going to be hard to fit the puzzle pieces of our lives together to form a comprehensive picture of who we are. If we don't have the true, pure, accurate and legitimate knowledge and understanding of who we were made to be, then we can imagine how easily we are going to get off-track and go down the wrong paths in life, and never receive that abundant and full life Jesus came to give us! Can you see just how valuable our Identity is to us, and why it is such a prize worth plundering for Satan? If we never live in our true Identity, we will never become a threat to his kingdom of darkness. And while, as Christians, we are still ensured our place in Heaven, we will not be able to disciple and lead others to their genuine Identities. 

We need to realize that Satan not only steals our Identities, he replaces them with counterfeit, false ones! He keeps us in bondage to his lies about who we are, and we are unable to fulfill our destinies in expanding the dominion of God's Kingdom on earth. And the impact of Identity Theft is felt for generations! It not only affects families, but entire societies, cultures, and nations. It infiltrates the earthly realms and the heavenly dimensions. It is felt in the spiritual atmosphere and we see a general degradation of both the material and spiritual lives of all humans. 

The world tells us how to protect ourselves from the consequences of Identity Theft: protect accounts with strong passwords; avoid public wi-fi; don't share your information with unfamiliar sources. And, as co-heirs with Christ of the Kingdom of God, we need to understand that it is our responsibility to secure and protect our God-given Identities, as well. We are all created and designed for unique and specific purposes. It is important that we understand that Satan is looking for ways to invite sin into our lives that will disrupt that path God has written on our heavenly scroll. 

Unfortunately, the Church has abandoned its responsibility to make this knowledge a part of every Christian's journey with the Lord. From the time we receive Christ as our Savior, we need to be equipped and trained in how to protect the new creation we have become. There should be intentional efforts to teach us how to put on our spiritual armor; to learn how to discern the difference in the voices of God and Satan; to be tutored in the various ways to defeat the devil's demons; and being taught how to build deep relationships with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in order to receive supernatural strategies to triumph over all the Enemy's attempts to steal, kill, and destroy all that we are meant to be. Our identity as God's unique creation is the most precious thing we possess. When we walk this earth in that Truth, we will execute the good works for the Kingdom that are our destiny. We are then truly able to glorify God and point to the excellencies of His Holy Character and Nature. Isn't that how we would all wish to spend our time on this planet?

#spiritualidentitytheft #satancomestosteal #identityinchrist  #christianidentity

Ephesians 2:10    For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.