The Word of God Is Worth Dying For!

I know ... that's a pretty extreme statement, but let me give you the context in which I am making it. As I have stated numerous times, how we interpret the Bible is important to receiving the true revelation of God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that we are to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, and we know that Jesus only said [and did] what the Father told Him. So, it must be inferred that the words Jesus used had great significance and were spoken with purpose. 

And that's why I have continually persisted in making an issue of words like "Ekklesia" and "Kingdom", and have challenged the modern Church's understandings and teachings. Please indulge me a moment as I reiterate just how important our understanding is, and the value of it. 

That word ... ekklesia ... had tremendous import when Jesus used it in Matthew 16:18. Most Bible translations tell us that He said, "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it". Only He didn't say "Church", He said "Ekklesia". It is important that you know that this word has been used over 100 times in the New Testament and has always meant an assembly of God’s People. That is how it is understood in the Greek language; it is a Greek word. It means that men assembled at the main gate of the city, where government business was discussed and decisions were made on how to run the affairs of the people. It is a word describing government -- not to be used in regards to religion. 

The word "Church" comes from the Greek word kyriake, or kyriakon, meaning "gathering place, assembly dedicated to the Lord" -- in other words, a building; a place. Jesus was very deliberate in using the word Ekklesia, because He knew what its specific meaning was: ek, meaning "out of", and klesis, meaning "a calling". Therefore, I think we can establish that Jesus came to build a government of His Father's Kingdom on earth, not a religion.   

But I don't want to belabor the differences between the two words; I have covered that ground multiple times. Instead, I ask you to think about this: If the word was deliberately told to Jesus by the Father, and Jesus specifically used it during His ministry, shouldn't we hold to their precise use of the word that describes how we are to conduct the affairs of the Kingdom of God on the earth? And shouldn't it be so important to us that we guard its use fervently and with prejudice?

I deliberately used the title for this blog because I want you to perceive how lax we have become in interpreting the Word of God. Jeremiah 2:11-13 comes to mind ... My people have exchanged their Glory (the true God) for that [man-made idol] which does not benefit [them]. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; Be shocked and shudder with horror [at the behavior of the people],” says the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned (rejected) Me, the Fountain of Living Water, and they have carved out their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. 

This begs the question ... If we do not see that Jesus never intended to build a Church, but rather an Ekklesia -- have we established church buildings as religious idols that are broken and unable to hold the weight and substance of God's Truth? Unless we receive a revelation and re-establish exactly what Jesus intended to build in Matthew 16, we are in danger of building upon the wrong foundation; one that will not withstand what is prophesied to come in the Word. It will not only fail to hold water, but it will crumble at the first onslaught of the kingdom of darkness. 

Does the modern Church even know the history of how the Word came to the common man? Do we understand that for centuries, the people were not even allowed access to the Word? That it was only for the powerful controlling State? Are you aware of a man named William Tyndale and that he published the first New Testament in the English language, making it available to the common man? If you don't know his name, you should, because he was willing to die to protect the Word. 

In 2017, I wrote a blog post titled, My Passion For the Bible, and related the history of the various versions and interpretations of the Bible that have come down through the centuries. I'm going to share a portion of William Tyndale's story, but if you're interested in a more comprehensive history of the English Bible's timeline, I refer you to this link. But it is Tyndale's testimony that is most relevant to today's post. 

William Tyndale was the first man to ever print the New Testament in the English language. He translated it from the original Greek into English in 1526. Tyndale had been forced to flee England because of the wide-spread rumor that his English New Testament project was underway, causing inquisitors and bounty hunters to be constantly on his trail to arrest him and prevent him from completing his project. Both of the "state" churches -- the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church -- were angry with Tyndale for lots of reasons, but mainly because he translated the Greek word "ekklesia" as an assembly [a governing body of God's Word], which would show the people that they were God's assembly and under His direction, not the State's. 

While the Tyndale Bibles were burned as soon as the Bishop could confiscate them, copies trickled through to the public, and actually ended up in the bedroom of King Henry VIII. The more the King and Bishop resisted its distribution, the more fascinated the public at large became. The church declared it contained thousands of errors as they torched hundreds of New Testaments confiscated by the clergy, while in fact, they burned them because they could find no errors at all. One risked death by burning if caught in mere possession of Tyndale's forbidden books.  

In fact, Tyndale was eventually arrested and imprisoned because he refused to change the translation of ekklesia to anything but a governing assembly. That's how dedicated he was to maintaining the truth and authenticity of God's Word. Today, there are only two known copies left of Tyndale’s 1525-26 First Edition. Any copies printed prior to 1570 are extremely valuable. Tyndale's flight was an inspiration to freedom-loving Englishmen who drew courage from the 11 years that he was hunted. In the end, Tyndale was caught: betrayed by an Englishman that he had befriended. Tyndale was incarcerated for 500 days before he was strangled and burned at the stake in 1536. Tyndale’s last words were, "Oh Lord, open the King of England’s eyes". 

So, you can see why Tyndale's translation, using the word ekklesia in its Greek meaning, would be such a threat to the rulers who controlled the State religions? Jesus claimed He was a King, bringing a government from Heaven that called people to obedience to that system of laws and commandments; encouraging an assembly of Believers to carry out their specific instructions and duties to Heaven. Now, in the 21st Century, as Believers, shouldn't we be asking ourselves if we are still honoring the responsibilities of an ekklesia? Does it even matter to you whether you identify as part of the Ekklesia or the Church? 

Sadly, I am discerning that the word Ekklesia has become one of the latest fashionable icons of Church-y language. But I don't see any change in the actions of the leaders of modern Christianity. The Church still looks like the Church. It is still walking in compromise with the world and the State. It may be using a lot of words to express opposition, but it is not doing anything to oppose the world's approval of abortion; transgender manipulation of children; sex trafficking; crime; corruption; and all the other wicked displays of Satan's presence in our culture. Do you see any William Tyndale's who are willing to give up their lives for the sake of defending the truth or authenticity of the Word?

I believe that we modern Christians sometimes get so caught up in our denominational doctrine that we quote Scripture without really understanding its true meaning, or how it reveals God's heart, or His purpose and plan for us as His representatives. But the Word of God as revealed to man has remained unchanged from generation to generation, no matter how hard the Enemy has tried to corrupt it.  

History shows us that God has always used men who were willing to die to see that His Word stayed verifiable and authentic. He has preserved His Word as a means to know Him and to worship Him. And just as He inspired the original writers to represent Him accurately, He can inspire us, who are sincerely seeking Him, to receive His true revelation.  No matter what translation of the Bible you are reading, I recommend that you compare and contrast versions in your never-ending journey to know the God we serve. The journey His Word has taken to get to us in the 21st Century is nothing less than miraculous. It has survived for over 3400 years, and neither man nor devil has been able to destroy it.  May it forever be a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path!

#bibletranslations #biblicalmeaningofekklesia #ekklesiaversuschurch #godsauthenticrevelation #williamtyndale #wordofgodisworthdyingfor #onthisrockIwillbuildmychurch #onthisrockIwillbuildmyekklesia #churchandstate

Isaiah 40:8   "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever."

  

"Resist The Devil"... Do Not Be Fearful or Deceived! Take A Stand!

How many times have you heard that when we are struggling in this world, we are to just "resist the devil and he will flee from you"? But are you ever told what that means and how to do it? More often than not, in the churches I have attended, I heard James 4:7 quoted over and over, but never received Biblical instruction on what that looked like. Instead, I often heard that we have nothing to fear from the devil because he "is bound and chained" until Jesus returns to destroy him forever in the Lake of Fire. 

But that leaves a lot of details out, and if you seriously study the Bible, the timeline of events just doesn't jive with that explanation. And how are we to reconcile the Scripture that says "our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour"? Furthermore, how do you explain away the fact that so many Christians are struggling with sin and demonic attacks? And whether the Church wants to admit it or not, the attacks are real and they are demonic.

As hard as it is to contemplate, it all adds up to deception because Christians are confused and ignorant of the ways in which Satan works in the world and in the lives of Believers. I can't tell you how many wonderfully saved Believers we have seen in our ministry who had no idea that Satan was behind all the sorrow and struggles in their lives. They were more likely to believe that God "allowed" their struggles. That is a lie from the pit of hell, and it is shameful that our seminaries have failed to correct that misconception. Instead of teaching church leaders how to Biblically "resist" our Enemy, they usually preach the message to try and "ignore" the devil and "hope" he will flee.

In addition to the denial of the truth that resisting the devil is anchored in spiritual warfare [another subject matter that has been neglected in the curriculum in our seminaries], we find that the understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit in us has also been undervalued. Believers must come to realize that just because you have been Saved, it does not mean that the devil will quit trying to stalk you. Salvation does not guarantee a devil-free life. You are not transported into the magic Kingdom of God, where the devil has no access. 

On the contrary, you are now behind enemy lines, because "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19).  In fact, you can expect that you have become an even bigger target for him, and he will use all the tricks and schemes that worked before you accepted Christ to cause a crack in that new foundation. What's more he will lie to you and tell you that you are still that sinful, evil person. And because you haven't been equipped to recognize the power of the Spirit or that the weapons of spiritual warfare can defeat the devil, you will struggle to remember and declare that you are a NEW creation! 

Do you know that resisting the devil means "to stand firmly against"; to "withstand"; to "oppose, battle against; fend off, and stand up to"? The Western religious system has done a wonderful job in understanding the fundamentals of how to preach Salvation. But it does not do well when it comes to protecting the flocks from the schemes and deceptions of the devil. How many times, growing up in the Church, did you hear sermons on the strategies of Satan in the world, or how to defeat the demonic strongholds in your life? 

It's sad to say this, but the Western Church has largely ignored the very real presence of Satan and his tactics in our culture and in our nation. And we are even unawares that the ancient deceptive gods of Egypt and Babylon have been resurrected and are flourishing on their altars across our land. By now I'm sure you have heard about the Navy Reserve Officer, Michael Cassidy who decapitated the statue of Satan erected by The Satanic Temple in the Iowa State Capitol building. Citing "righteous indignation" and "Christian civil disobedience", he stated he was offended that this blasphemy was allowed to be displayed. And I found it interesting that his lawyer stated the primary reason our laws don't stop this kind of irreverence against the Lord, is because "they fear taking a stand against Evil". 

So, as we have seen time and time again, our government has NOT resisted the devil and his efforts to corrupt not only our nation, but our faith. It makes me sad to say this, but the Church has not done much better in taking a stand against Evil. In fact, it has compromised with it, instead of resisting it. Can we say that the Church has taken a definitive stand against adultery, fornication, sodomy, idolatry, murder -- because taking a stand is what "resisting the devil" would mean? Or have we trivialized our sins by resorting to deceptive lies and softened the significance of these sins by calling them "an affair"; "safe sex"; "gay love"; "veneration"; and "pro-choice"? Sounds like the Church also has a healthy fear of taking a stand against Evil.

But it's far beyond the time to recognize that we can no longer play it safe in this war we are in between Good and Evil! And yes, we are in a war for our nation and our faith! We are in a spiritual war, fighting with God's angelic army against the angelic forces of Satan in the spiritual realms. We are in an informational war with the media sources and financial backers of the godless world elite. And we are in a very real earthly military war between the world's super powers. The question is, who are you listening to and following? Do you recognize that Satan and his demons are not myths? Do you understand the truth of the Bible that depicts a battle between God and Satan -- between Good and Evil -- from the serpent in the Garden in Genesis, all the way through the Bible to Revelation, when Jesus throws His Enemy in the Lake of Fire? That's the tension that runs throughout the entire Word of God, and it's the same tension that is at war this very day!

It's time that we see that Jesus is not only the Lord and power behind our Salvation experience, but He is also the Lord over our nation, our culture, our faith, our families and everything in our lives. He is the Lord over the spiritual battles -- and the war of words/information -- and the military conflicts that are threatening to topple this world. But we also need to see that Satan is active in all these realms, too. And we need to grasp the truth that it is our responsibility and duty, as obedient followers of Christ, to resist our Enemy's advances. And having no fear, we are to go forth in defense of God's Truth, His Goodness, and His Sovereignty! Amen!

#deceptioninthechurch #satansdeception #falseteaching #warbetweengoodandevil #evilinourmidst #resistthedevil #thedevilwillflee #thedevilsliesanddeception #james4:7 #spiritualwarfare #demonicstrongholds #jesusversussatan

2 Corinthians 11:3       But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Are The Saints Being Equipped?

This is a question that has long plagued me. And what does it mean to "be equipped"? When the Lord first spoke to my husband in a vision in the middle of the night, telling Him God wanted to sanctify us unto Himself for service to Him and His Kingdom, we didn't really know what that looked like. And I will be honest with you, He was silent for awhile after we accepted that momentous calling. So we spent the next few years doing a deep dive in our Bibles, and were amazed at what we didn't know about being called by the Lord and all that the Holy Spirit was beginning to open up and reveal to us.

The first thing that became apparent to us was that the modern Church isn't consistent in its understanding of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Every denomination has its own doctrine, and from what I can tell, too few of them teach that we Christians should be seeking an experience with Him. But I will tell you that if Mark and I had stopped at just trying to understand the literal knowledge of the Bible, we would have missed out on so much of the spiritual knowledge that we needed to understand in order to step into our divine assignment. 

Ask any roomful of Christians about desiring the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or if we should be walking in the power of the Spirit [as Jesus did], and you will get opinions formed by those who have been wounded by the Church because they didn't appear to have a particular gift, and therefore don't desire to seek more of Him; to those who, while unknowledgable about the subject, are curious to know more; to those who flat out reject it; to those who have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and are walking in His empowerment, healing the sick and setting the captives free from bondage.  

But I will also tell you that Jesus desires us ALL to have everything the Holy Spirit makes available. Sadly, I think Believers in this century have been deceived into believing that the knowledge and the power and the gifts of the Holy are only for a chosen few. But if Jesus wants us all to experience the Holy Spirit in His fullness, then it begs the question, Can anybody do what Jesus did, who definitely possessed the completeness of the Spirit? 

First of all, it is important that Christians realize Jesus was 30 years old before the Holy Spirit rested upon Him and He had the power to begin His ministry.  The Bible tells us that As Jesus grew, so did His wisdom and maturity. We must realize that the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives comes through our own process of gaining wisdom and maturing in our faith; of walking with God and experiencing an increase in His grace, and an increase in the comprehension of the Father’s plan for our life -- and all of that comes from the work of the Holy Spirit in us. We must recognize His presence in us! 

But I think most Christians are scared of the power of the Holy Spirit, primarily because they are unfamiliar with it. The Bible tells us there is a purpose for a five-fold ministry in the Body of Christ. By God's grace, some have been called to be apostles [an ambassador of the Gospel of the Kingdom]; some prophets [a proclaimer of a divine message]; some evangelists [a preacher of the Gospel of the Kingdom]; some pastors [providing tender care and vigilant oversight]; and some teachers [an instructor concerning the things of God and the duties of man]. But Ephesians 4:12 specifically says that these callings are to equip [nurture and prepare] all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry... which is at the heart of this post today. [NOTE: it is to be understood that the Gospel of the Kingdom includes, but is not limited to, the Gospel of Salvation. In fact, the Good News about Salvation is the first essential step in perceiving and entering into the Kingdom of God]. 

And here is the root of that concept of "equipping the saints": God's grace is the power of the Holy Spirit in us to do those things we have been called to... those things we could not do under our own power. And lest you misunderstand, we are all called to do the things that Jesus taught and commanded (defeating the works of the devil) and to walk in the manifestation [the enabling power] of the Holy Spirit to serve God in whatever gifts, achievement, or abilities He has designed for us to carry out. But we must be careful to discern that it is Jesus/God who calls us. It is not ourselves who decide what our calling is to be. Nor is it some committee of elders in a Church. And if a "prophet" reveals it, we must discern if he is a self-proclaimed prophet or appointed by Jesus through a personal revelation. I fear too many of the five-fold ministry have not heard directly from Jesus about their assignment, but rather, have been appointed by men. But this perception is for another post on another day. I want to get back to my original question ... Is the Church equipping the Saints for ministry? Are they nurturing them and preparing them to seek and receive the revelation from the Holy Spirit?

 So, now I ask you this ... how many of us can say that we have experienced any of this nurturing within the Body of Christ?  Jesus is our model, and everything He did was the product of the Holy Spirit working in Him to carry out His commission [ministry] from the Father. AND it is the function of those called by God's grace to equip us to receive that same Holy Spirit power to do our "own works of ministry." But how many of us received that equipping ... that nurturing and preparing ... that instruction and modeling of how to become more like Jesus? This question is pertinent because the Bible says it plainly and clearly ... in Hebrews 10:23-25, we are told to hold tightly to the promise given us [that the Holy Spirit would come to empower us and guide us]; and we should give considerate and deliberate thought to encouraging each other to love and do the good deeds Jesus modeled, not forsaking the gathering together to encourage each other to do these things as we wait for His return. The "gathering together" has been characterized as meeting in a Church building. But that is not the primary focus of this passage; it is the encouragement of each other to walk in the power [and assignment] that God sends us through the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

But here's the thing ... since I would venture to say that a large majority of us were never encouraged or equipped to walk in our own giftings and callings, we are uncomfortable with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and it is easy for the Enemy to convince us that this concept is not from God.  When the power of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives through the gifts and counsel He gives us is never taught; or it is explained away; or it is not used; or it is buried under disappointing attempts that appeared to fail -- then it is easy to believe the lie that this empowerment is not for Today.  And then we end up with powerless Christians who miss out on encounters with God and fulfilling the purpose for which they were called.

So, again, I ask the question, Are the gifts and the experience of the power of the Holy Spirit only for a chosen few? The answer is No! It says in 1 Corinthians 12:6-7, "The same God distributes different kinds of powers [gifts] that accomplish different results through each believer's gift and ministry as He energizes and activates them. Each believer is given continuous revelation by the Holy Spirit to benefit not just himself but all". In light of this Biblical truth, I believe it is up to each believer to seek the Holy Spirit and receive that revelation. It also leads to the truth that it is God who does the calling, but it is the Holy Spirit who begins to reveal the knowledge we will need and provides the power to carry out our assignment.

This intimate experience with Jesus and the Father through the Holy Spirit is the only way to impact this world for the Kingdom of God.  Without experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in one's life, it is my humble opinion that you can't truly know God and know His will for His Kingdom. You can read and study Scripture and recite all the verses from memory, but as my wise husband expressed, "It's like saying you know how to swim, when all you've done is read every book in the Library on swimming, but never actually experienced getting in the water and swimming".  And I liken it to reading every post on Facebook by a friend, and reading every text message she sends me, but if I'm never in her presence and experience her, can I say I really know her?  How can we be ambassadors for a Kingdom when we don't know the King and what He desires?

Finally, Can everybody do what Jesus did? The simple answer is Yes. But can we guarantee success every time? No. But what I can tell you from my own experience in walking in His power, is that the more you do it, the more confidence you get in your identity and the ability of the Holy Spirit to work through you.  In other words, people who pray more for healing, will see more healings happen. John Wimber, one of the founders of the "Power Evangelism" movement in the U.S. prayed for healing for 1,000 people before he saw anyone healed. And I have heard so many similar testimonies from those who walk in Jesus' signs, wonders, and miracles who say the same thing: Christians must make a commitment to press into what CAN happen and SHOULD be happening.

But it is also the responsibility of the Church leadership to seek and hear from the Holy Spirit on how to equip, nurture, and encourage the Body of Christ to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal their particular calling/ministry in the Kingdom of God and earth, and how to discern that they are hearing correctly. That is "equipping"! 

My final analysis of experiencing the Holy Spirit in the Christian life so that we might become equipped to serve God,  is that God brings each of us to a place of maturity that requires our perseverance through the discouragement. The Enemy likes nothing more than to send obstacles to walking in the power of the Holy Spirit [that is in us]. The Body of Christ must begin to overcome the lack of equipping and our long season of apathy and indifference [and yes, fear] towards embracing the power of Heaven within us. The Holy Spirit of God is the key to an effective Christian life of service. Without His ministry to our spirits, our Christian life will be powerless and fruitless for the Kingdom. And this life is all about serving the Kingdom on earth!

#equippingthesaints #seekingyourdivineappointment #whatisGodscallingonyourlife #jobofthefivefoldministry #poweroftheHolySpirit #answeringGodscall #jobofthechurch #belikeJesus #lackofchurchtraining

1 John 2:27    But the wonderful anointing you have received from God is so much greater than their deception and now lives in you. There’s no need for anyone to keep teaching you [the false doctrines of men]. His anointing teaches you all that you need to know, for it will lead you into truth, not a counterfeit. So just as the anointing has taught you, remain in Him.   

The Earth Is Mourning Because of Our Sin ... Are You Listening?

I have long been fascinated with the verses of Scripture that speak of the earth as if it was alive -- because I believe it is, and it is warning us of what God has spoken about our connection to the land. Sadly, I think Christians have forgotten [if they ever knew] about the sacred duty and connection between man and the land. 

We read in Genesis 1 that God created the earth and everything in it -- vegetation and plants [yielding seed and bearing fruit]; waters swarming with living creatures, and the birds of the air; livestock, creeping things, and beasts of the earth -- and God saw that it was all good. Next, He created man in His image and gave him dominion over all the earth. And then God planted man in the Garden of Eden "to work it and tend it". So, from the beginning, there has been a connection and a relationship between man and the earth. 

And we find out in Genesis 4 that this relationship has profound consequences for both man and the land. Adam and Eve, through their disobedience to God's commandment [over how they were to tend the Garden and the sacred trees], cause the land to be cursed, and the earth manifested the judgment of God due to their sin. We must recognize that there is a very real cause-and-effect when man sins, and because of the earth's sensitivity to that sin, the earth rebels against man, and becomes an instrument of God's judgment.

NOTE: This post is not about all the "green movements" or the "climate change agenda" that have risen along political lines. Those philosophies are predicated on men who see themselves in a God-like role of protecting the earth from mankind's mishandling. The truth is they do not know the Creator God, nor do they acknowledge that it is mankind's sin that is the source of the land's defilement. Their cause is based on human greed and power. 

What I want us to realize is that we need to take notice of what the land is trying to tell us. And yes, I do mean to suggest that the earth is not only sentient, but intelligent. And I base this position -- not in agreement with the aforementioned secular earth worshippers -- but on the Word of God. Let me give you just a few examples: 

Job 12:7-8 ...  But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

Psalm 119:1-2 ...  The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. 

Psalm 55:12 [when Israel was set free from Egyptian captivity] ...  For you will go out [from exile] with joy and be led forth [by the Lord Himself] with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 

Having been created by the living God, all His creation possesses life, too. And because of that connection and sentient intelligence between man and the land [both created for that relationship], the land also mourns when man sins, because there is a direct connection between the two -- i.e., there is an effect upon the land because of man and his sin. Read what the Word of God says:

Hosea 4:1-3 ...  Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

Jeremiah 12:4 ... How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”

Deuteronomy 11:12 tells us that God cares for the land He created ... "The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year". And the land declares evidence of the continuation of man's sins in the earth. In fact, Jesus, tells us in Matthew 24:7 that the increase of sin and lawlessness will initiate "signs" or manifestations of how much God grieves the level of sin that will amass in the world before His Son's return... "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places". 

The rebellion of men [wars] will rise to a level that affects the whole earth, and it will result in consequences for the land [famine and earthquakes]. Just in the month of September 2023, earthquakes were experienced in Afghanistan, Nepal, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Slovakia, Argentia, Australia, Iran, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Chili. Currently, Iceland is awaiting a massive volcanic eruption, and CBS News reported that on November 15, 2023, the country experienced 800 earthquakes overnight, with the residents calling it "apocalyptic". And let us not forget that the volcanic activity in Yellowstone Park is overdue for an apocalypse of its own, while the New Madrid Fault line in the Midwest is also overdue for a massive earthquake.

But there are Biblical warnings that perhaps we are less aware of, but portend some serious consequences if we do not repent of our sins and seek God, asking for His merciful forgiveness. Consider God's judgment for the severing of the connection/relationship that sin brings between man and the land...

Leviticus 18:27-28 ...  (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.  

Leviticus 18:25 ... and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

Leviticus 10:22 ... You shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my rules and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out.

You may think this applies only to the Old Testament Israelites, but read the following:

Romans 8:22 ... For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Revelation 3:16 ... So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

NOTE: The act of being "vomited out" means to be "rejected from", "displaced", "thrown out"; in other words, to be dispossessed. The Bible makes it clear in Leviticus that God judged those who caused the land to become unclean because of their sins -- whether it be idolatry, immorality, the shedding of innocent blood, or broken covenants. And the judgment He brought against them was the loss of their land; they were removed and another nation occupied the land. 

Don't think that this won't happen to us! God is the same God who holds to the same statues and commandments as He did then! Our greed and idolatry, sexual perversion, shedding of the innocent blood of our babies, and our own broken covenants will result in the earth "groaning" -- and God hears it! And because we have not been zealous to follow the ways of the Lord, we have produced generations of sin, transgressions, and iniquity that have defiled the land to the point that Jesus is ready to vomit us out of His mouth! You can see the nations circling us, waiting to inhabit our land should Jesus decide the cup of our sin is full. 

But there is good news! The land can be healed, cleansed and made whole again! But time is running out... The land is waiting for us to rise up in our true identities as the righteous sons and daughters of God. The earth longs to be set free from the corruption of the land caused by our generations who have chosen to be in agreement with the Deceiver, rather than with the Holy God who created us and all He gave us to tend. The warnings have been there all along, written in His Word for all to see and obey. We have no more excuses to ignore them; the decay in our nation and the world is obvious and increasing. The effects on the earth are plainly discerned, and we are on the verge of being "vomited out". But we can be set free from our own bondage and also set the creation free from its corruption and defilement. We can do this! It starts in my life, and I bow down before my God and humble myself, declaring my sins and disobedience, and my shame in all the ways I have defiled my life, which in turn has defiled the land. Lord God, I seek Your Face and Your Forgiveness! Restore me and all Your Creation. Bring us back to life! I ask this in the Holy Name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

#GodsCreation; #ManandSin; #DefilementoftheEarth #theearthcriesout #Godsjudgment #GodsSovereignty #theearthgroans #    

Romans 8:19-22.      For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

A Lesson To Be Learned... Be Careful Who You Make Covenants With!

In my Biblical worldview, I know the value of the Bible in revealing God's principles by which He governs His creation. I am always searching the Word for clues of why our country [and the world] are experiencing the struggles we face. And I also subscribe to the axiom that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". That has been true in Biblical history as well as down through the centuries.

It is easy to say this adage is just a consequence of our human flaws, but there is actually a correlation between God's commandments and the ability [or inability] of man's obedience to follow them. The rules, so to speak, by which God intends man to live have not changed just because we have technology the ancient Israelites did not possess. We may have convinced ourselves that we are above those commandments, and no longer need to follow them, but any fool can take a look at the degradation of our society and culture, and know that something is dreadfully wrong. So, is there a Biblical correlation to the destruction of America that we see today? Let me see if I can show you one parallel story that might point the way to our understanding. 

As I have said before, God's Word is multi-dimensional, and often I find the Holy Spirit directing me to connect the dots in Scripture. So, I'm going to start in Exodus 23, in order to lay the groundwork of how God's "spiritual mechanics" work in the lives of men; past, present, and future.

To begin, we need to understand that God always keeps His promises; and He never breaks them. In Exodus 23, God promises the Israelites conquest of the land of Canaan. "Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him". [NOTE: the angel is Jesus. And according to the website, wearehebrew, the name of God is Yahua, and the name of Jesus is Yahusha -- so we find that God's name is in Him, just as Scripture says]. 

God goes on to promise, "But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces".  Then comes the qualifier: "You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” 

Next, we jump to Joshua 9, and the conquest of Canaan and those pagan tribes. Notice that it is God who is going to execute the conquest of these Canaanites. And according to the rules of war for the cities inside the land of Canaan,  (Deuteronomy 20:16b-18), Joshua and the Israelites were to destroy all the people in the land because they worshiped false gods and would teach the people of Israel to follow their gods. Incidentally, there was also a rule of war for the cities who were outside the land of Canaan, and lived "far away" ... they were to be offered peace, and allowed to live as slaves to the conquering Israelites. If they refused, they would be killed, just as the citizens of Jericho and Ai.

And here's where we see an interesting, yet all-too-familiar circumstance in Joshua, Chapter 9. The Canaanite tribes heard of the victories of the Israelites and amassed together to go up against them. Joshua and his army are approaching the city of Gibeon, and the inhabitants knew that if the Israelites obeyed God's rules of war, they were doomed to be killed, so they plotted to deceive Joshua by approaching him and telling him,  “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us” (Joshua 9:3-6). Joshua was obedient to the commandments of the Lord to spare those cities who lived far away, and Scripture says, "Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them" (Joshua 9:15). But when he learned that the Gibeonites had deceived him and were actually their neighbors within the land of Canaan, he still honored the covenant with them, saying, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them”.   

Now, let's move on to the next dot we need to connect. We find King David in 2 Samuel 21 seeking to understand why there has been a three-year famine in the land. A famine that lasts one or two years might be contributed to punishment for sins of the people in the land, but when it lingered into the third year, David wisely sought the Lord's counsel to see if there was some spiritual authority that had been breached. And the answer from the Lord came to David: “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 

Now, this must have sent a chill down the back of King David! He knew that in the days of Joshua -- some 400 years before David's time! -- Israel had sworn not to harm the Gibeonites. God expected Israel to keep its promise, even though the Gibeonites tricked Israel into making the agreement. Saul’s crime was not only in killing the Gibeonites but also in breaking this ancient and important oath. In his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah, Saul had sinned and brought calamity upon the nation. 

So, what was the result of this disobedience and how was it to be resolved so that God would release Israel from the famine? David needed to make atonement for the wrongs done to the Gibeonites and for dishonoring the covenant between them and Joshua. To the Gibeonites credit, they understood that the brutality against them was past sin from a past leader. They didn't demand money, or land, or to go to war. But they did want justice! To satisfy the bloodguilt of Saul, the Gibeonites demanded that David give up seven sons of Saul to be hanged on a mountaintop. [I think it is possible that these sons/descendants of Saul might have partaken in the slaughter of the Gibeonites, although that is not specifically stated]. And it must be mentioned that David spared Jonathon's son Miphiboseth because of a covenant of friendship and peace he made with Jonathan that was to last through their descendants forever [1 Samuel 20]. David was wise enough not to fix a broken covenant by breaking another.

In the end, David directed that justice be done on behalf of the Gibeonites so that the Lord might release them from the famine, which had been brought upon the land because of a broken covenant. There are so many principles that are important for us to see in this ancient story, which spanned over 400 years. And these principles are just as valid for us today, in the United States of America, as it was for ancient Israel. We must discern that God expects us to keep our promises, oaths made in His Name, and the covenants we make. He expects the same from nations. God does not excuse us from our obligations to keep those promises because of the passage of time. And it is possible that God's discipline and correction may come a long time after the offense -- but it will come!  

Furthermore, because of the importance God puts on honoring covenants and promises, we can be confident that He will honor those He makes with us. So, I think we have to ask ourselves if our nation has honored its promises and covenants with other nations as well as to us, its citizens. And I think we have to go all the way back to the founding of America, and examine where we have broken covenant -- especially with our God! Is it any wonder that our nation seems to be deteriorating before our eyes? That doesn't mean God hasn't [or won't] answer any of our prayers... I have certainly been blessed, as has our country. BUT there will come a time when He will deal with our [accumulated sin] -- that makes me shudder at the extent of it! -- and like Israel, He will discontinue answering our prayers until we deal with it and seek atonement and forgiveness. 

Is that time upon us? Are we on the verge of seeing unanswered prayers which will devastate our nation beyond anything we have yet experienced? If that is where we're at, we can learn from King David, and do what He did ... seek God's counsel to address and fix the broken promises. We don't need to seek counsel from Congress, politicians, and sadly, from most of the Churches, who don't have the answer because they don't see the spiritual mechanics of their own sins, nor their complicity with making a 50l(c)(3) covenant with a body of people who have sinned against God and His principles. Simply stated: God is the answer to our problems! He always has been! But time is running out, and we need to set aside our personal and national pride, humble ourselves and pray; seek His Face, and turn from our wicked ways. If we are not willing to do that, we cannot and will not see Him hear us, or forgive us, or heal our land. The choice is ours, just as it was Joshua's and King David's. We can learn from them. We need to learn from their examples, or we can expect God to deal with our sins.  

#makingcovenants; #breakingcovenants; #rightingwrongs; #consequencesofsin; #Exodus23; #Joshua9; #Deuteronomy20; #2Samuel21; #1Samuel20; #Gibeonitesrevenge; #KingDavid; #atonement; #seekingGod

Proverbs 3:5-7.    Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, but fear the Lord and shun evil.

    

 

Are You Spiritually Ready For These Times?

"Brace yourself" could be the watchword for what the world is experiencing these days. And I do mean "the world" -- it seems as if the entire globe is on the verge of imploding. Never has it seemed, at least in my lifetime, that humanity has been closer to the tension and pressure that must surely precede in the days before the Tribulation described in Matthew 24 commences. A warning is coming frequently in dreams and visions and prophetic words to the people of God. Christians at every level of service to the Body of Christ are spreading the alarm they are receiving in their spirits. If you are at all in harmony with your spirit, then you can discern that Evil is increasing on the earth.

Now, not all the prophecies are accurate, nor is God the source of them all. Our Lord warns us that false prophets and false teachers will multiply during the times leading up to His return. Therefore, our spiritual discernment needs to be accurate and in alignment with God's prophetic voice. But, without a doubt, Men's hearts have grown cold. Lawlessness and sin abound. Love for each other is diminishing; our differences fuel the hate this is increasingly evident. The Enemy of the children of God is getting ready to mount his final campaign against us as he plots to defeat Almighty God. 

This pretty much describes our relations with China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and countries around the globe. And if you are unable to see that it illustrates our national crisis, then I'm afraid you're being naive. I know there are counter voices in the Christian culture that promote the religious message that Revival is on the way. And we should most definitely pray and intercede that recognition of God will reawaken in our land, and impassioned worship will sweep the nation -- that we will actually humble ourselves, pray and seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways. Then He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land. Oh, Lord, how I pray that that becomes our reality. I know one thing for sure -- it is imperative that we do these things. But it is also wise to prepare for what Jesus most emphatically prophesies as our future. And I'm afraid "the Church" doesn't want to hear that message.  

And yes, no one knows what the future brings, or just how close we are to what the Bible calls the Tribulation. But I do believe this -- we cannot escape the tribulation and persecution that Jesus told us will be our experience as the time for His return approaches. Jesus tells us that we will not escape being hated for His Name's sake, and that we must stay awake and be prepared for the hour our faith will be tested. 

In fact, there is a Biblical phrase that is equivalent to our modern expression of Brace Yourself, and it is to Gird up your loins. The meaning of this language is to get ready for service; prepare for a challenge or battle; and in the sense of the Tribulation, to strengthen yourself by putting on the armor of God. And here is where my question posed in the title of this blog comes into focus ... Are you spiritually ready for these times? 

I am reminded of the posture of Job as he endures the persecution by the Devil. As trial after trial mounts against him, we see Job, in chapter 38, feeling abandoned by God. Job has ached for a comforting word from God; for an explanation of why this was happening to him. Job just doesn't understand why he has suffered so severely when he's done everything he could to be a good servant to the Lord. Scripture suggests that Job was struggling with understanding why God hadn't come to his defense, and he [Job] was, in effect, wrestling with his understanding and relationship with God. And what is God's response when Job questions what appears to be a lack of obligation on God's part? Now gird up your loins like a man  [dress for action]! I will question you, and you make it known to Me (Job 28:3).

"Gird up your loins" is an expression often found in the Bible that is an urgent call to get ready for immediate action, or it may be a call to prepare for a coming action or event. The phrase is related to the type of clothing worn in ancient times. To keep from impeding the wearer during any vigorous activity, e.g. battle, exercise, strenuous work, etc., the loose ends of garments (tunics, cloaks, mantles, etc.) had to be gathered up and tucked into the girdle. The girdle was a band about six inches wide that had fasteners in front. It was worn around the loins (the midsection of the body between the lower ribs and the hips). Gird up your mind or gird up your heart are variations of this phrase which call for mental or spiritual preparation for a coming challenge. 

In Job 28, we see what I think the Bible refers to as Christians "falling away" or stumbling in their faith when the tribulation and persecution begin. Like Job, they will begin to question God about His faithfulness, and begin to doubt what they have believed. Because they have been taught that they would somehow not be required to suffer as the Bible prophesies, they will become offended by what they perceive as God's lack of protection and His desertion in their time of need. But like, Job, these Christian believers won't appreciate that there will be aspects of these End Times that are known only to God, and are hidden from man. And I believe that God expects us to "man up", so to speak, and prepare spiritually for the battles ahead. 

I worry that far too many Christians will stumble and be unprepared to pay the cost of being a follower of Christ. We must strengthen our faith and prepare to carry our own cross, just as Jesus did. We must be prepared to lose everything, just as Job did! Sadly, the Church has given lip-service to this concept and shied away from confronting believers with the hard truth that suffering and tribulation will be our temporary circumstances before Jesus's return. We have fallen for the messages of false prophets such as Darby and Scofield, who wrote Bibles promoting a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. This doctrine has certainly led people astray, and it was never spoken of by Jesus. Yet, many in the Church choose to believe this false theology, which is only 200 years old, rather than the Word of God spoken by our Lord and Savior 2000 years ago! 

I am being honest when I say that I fear for my fellow Christians. I don't want them to be surprised or in shock when the promised persecution comes. And it will be far worse than anything we have witnessed to date. I want them to be strengthened to endure and persevere during what is coming, and to keep their eyes and hearts and spirits focused on the One who will ultimately deliver us. I want them to be able to reinforce the faith of our fellow Christians who will falter during the satanic oppression, and at the same time, be prepared to share the Good News of [both] Salvation and God's Kingdom on earth with those who have never heard it. I want them to be prepared to declare Jesus Christ even when the sword is at their breast. I want their spirit to rise up in their identity as warriors for the Kingdom, even when their flesh is weak. I want them to be sure of who they are, and just how great is their God, so that even in the midst of persecution like the world has never seen, they will be known for their faith. 

I desire all this for the Body of Christ, and I desire it for myself. I have no great illusions that all Christians will meet this test. But I pray that the Remnant, however large or small it is, is even now preparing itself in all these matters. I pray they see through the dirty veil that the Enemy has placed over the physical eyes of my fellow believers, and that they see clearly [with spiritual eyes] the truth of what Jesus spoke. May God Almighty strengthen us and fortify us to meet the coming tribulation, and may we serve Him with courage and spiritual might, knowing that because we will endure, we will be saved. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that You have given us Your Word of Truth so that we might not be caught unaware; so that we might train and equip ourselves to be ready when the Evil One comes against us at the end of this age. Lord, we gird up our loins, our minds, and our hearts as we make ourselves spiritually ready for whatever is to come! Amen.

#EndTimes #EndTimesProphecy #GirdYourLoins #BeSpirituallyReady #FallingAway #Apostasy #QuestioningGod #JustLikeJob #BraceYourself #Tribulation #ChristianPersecution

1 Peter 1:13      So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert -- [gird up your loins], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  

        

Our Western Mindset Questions Authority ... And Jesus Is Our Authority!

I have made it clear through the history of this blog that I live my life governed by a Biblical worldview. What exactly is that, you might ask? Here is what it means to me ... that I believe in God, the Creator of the world, who has established an absolute moral truth that we are to live by. This truth is available to us through His Word, the Holy Bible. Therefore, I try to live my life by the precepts and principles He has given us in the Bible, recognizing that He is a Sovereign God; a ruler over men, nations, and governments. He is our moral authority and He rules according to His wisdom and purpose, calling me to responsibility in safeguarding His kingdom here on earth. 

That's a mouthful, I know, but it lies at the heart of the theme of today's post. And I want to build a case for the topic I'm writing about today, which is our society and culture's problem with accepting the authority of Christ. I'll begin here: In 2019 I wrote a blog titled Is Your Biblical Worldview Hebrew or Greek? It Makes a Difference! In this article I pointed out that from the beginning of the Bible's existence, there has been a tension between the Hebrew mindset and the Greek mindset when it comes to interpreting it and understanding Scripture. Having a Biblical Worldview necessitates that we rightly view the world through the lens of God's Word. But if you study history, it is easy to see that the manner in which the Body of Christ/the Church has viewed God's Word has changed through the centuries. And I remember waking up to the reality that just because we believe certain things "according to the Bible" today, it may not necessarily be consistent with the original writings and intent of God's inspired Word. 

That means that we should be reading our Bible [and understanding it] from the perspective of who it was written to (the Hebrews), and not through our own Western lens, which is based on a Greek mindset. One of the best explanations I've heard about the difference between the two mindsets comes from Todd Weatherly, of Bride Ministries Church: "The Hebrew mindset says, "I will do it [through obedience], and then I'll understand it." He says the Greek mindset thinks like this: "I need to understand it first, and then I'll do it". Which one puts God first?

Here's another way to look at it ... The Hebrew mindset allows for varied interpretations, and a passage can have multiple meanings [both in the physical and the spiritual realms] -- all to be revealed to the reader [by the Holy Spirit] from God's perspective. On the other hand, Greek thinking is very black and white; laden with precise exegesis rather than being rich in possibilities. Greek thought nails the meaning down; it can mean one thing, and one thing only. When we consider that Socrates lived 400 years before the crucifixion of Christ, and is considered the father of Western philosophy, we can understand why the Greek mindset would have been in direct conflict with the Hebrew mindset at the time the Bible was written and translated. The Socratic method of learning can be summed up, thusly: learning through the use of critical thinking, reasoning, and logic. From there, one questions, analyzes, and simplifies to get the one correct answer. The physical world contains the answer; the spiritual influence isn't considered. Can you see that influence in our modern American Church, and why it would lead to a religious frame of mind?

All of this leads to a blog post I wrote earlier this year, titled Why the Western World is Confused About the Kingdom of God. Because we read the Bible with a Greek mindset, we tend to form a rigid [and religious] belief system based on single concepts we've deduced from logic and reasoning. For example ... for years I read my Bible, never grasping or receiving the idea of what Jesus meant by saying His primary purpose for coming to earth was to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the Jews (Matthew 15:24 and Luke 4:43). I had been taught throughout my Church experience that the primary message of Jesus was the one of Salvation, yet I only find that word used or referenced six times in the four Gospels, and only once by Jesus (He spoke of being "born again" [or Salvation] in John 3:1-5). Yet, the Kingdom of God is mentioned at least 62 times, and nearly every time by Jesus, Himself. 

So why didn't I ask the appropriate questions about the Kingdom, or seek more understanding of why my Lord and Savior spoke so much about it? Why didn't I hear the Gospel of the Kingdom of God taught from the pulpits of the churches I have attended? And although "Kingdom" has now become somewhat of a popular sermon theme these days [and a Christian buzzword, I think our Western mindset still is not in tune with the understanding of what Jesus meant. And as simple and absurd as it may sound, I believe our confusion lies in the fact that we in the Western world, and especially here in America, have no concept of what it means to live in a kingdom or under a King.  

And here is where I finally come to the heart of today's post ... Having been raised in our American identity of separation from a king in order to secure our God-given rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, we have what might be called a genetic bias towards authority; it's in our national DNA to be independent and to question any authority that threatens those rights. In fact, our culture has been bred to reject and question authority. So, when Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matthew 28:18), anyone who is a non-believer and doubts His kingship, is naturally going to question His authority in their life. But, here is something that astounds me ... Jesus proclaims His authority and then announces that He is going to give that authority to us so that we might defeat the Enemy in our lives, take back the dominion we were given in the earth, and re-establish the rule of the Kingdom of God. "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you" (Luke 10:19).

But the American Church has not done a good job of teaching us these concepts! Yes, we have power and authority to rule in His stead, but He is still the King and possesses All authority! Psalm 24:1 tells us, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it; the world and all who dwell in it". Then Psalm 115:16 says, "The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth He has given to the children of man". We Greek-minded, Western-thinking Americans must be reminded that these verses are not saying God gave us ownership of the land called earth. At any time, He could take it back; that would be His exclusive right as King of the Universe, and Creator of earth. When God "gave" us the earth, He did not relinquish His ownership or authority over it.

We possess the earth as a trust, or stewardship. In Genesis 1:26-28, He gave us dominion [authority; jurisdiction; the right to govern in His stead] over the earth in order to extend the government of Heaven to this earthly realm. He gave us rulership, but not ownership. It is a privilege to rule this earth, and we must not take it for granted; we will be held accountable to the King for how we manage His kingdom here on planet earth. We are subject to His authority! 

But again, I fear that the American Church is a result of the changes in interpretation of God's Word that have come down through the centuries and been influenced by our Greek mindset. Have we become men and women who hold to a form of religion of our own making (and according to our national identity) but denying its power? 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self .... rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid  such people". 

Once again, I suggest that our Greek/Western mindset is at odds with the true Biblical concept of God/Jesus's authority in our lives, and leads us to denial of His authority, which then leads to rejection [of] and rebellion [against] that authority. Luke 6:46 exemplifies how Jesus views this behavior: Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Remember, the Hebrew mindset says, "I will do it [through obedience], and then I'll understand it." The Greek mindset thinks like this: "I need to understand it first, and then I'll do it". Which one accepts the authority of God in their life? 

And here's where we need to take heed of 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons ...". Our national history reveals this in our decisions to throw God out of our schools and the halls of government. Furthermore, we see it in the tendency of our educational systems to teach atheistic curriculum, pointing to socialism and marxist philosophies as the better way. And Church leaders are guilty of teaching unBiblical social doctrine, leading many to mistakenly legitimize their sin through Church membership. But this seems so "upside down" to me!

Today, we find many of the inhabitants of our country rejecting the authority of Christ in their lives as too restrictive and limiting, yet they are embracing the authoritarian rule and ideology of oligarchies as a better way to administer a society. Little do they know that there is true Freedom in Jesus's authority in our lives. Somehow, we have gotten way off track. Because it is our national predilection, or bias, to "buck the system" and push back against authority, we have listened to the lies and wicked deception of those who renounce the power and authority of Jesus in favor of the false promises of Satan that self-indulgence and self-worship is where we will find our salvation. 

That's the same lie he sold to Adam and Eve in the Garden and the same false promise that they could be their own God! Lord, help us! Our nation has turned its back on You and we are in danger of calling Your righteous judgment down upon ourselves! For myself, I bow to Your power and authority in my life, and I do not question Your Sovereignty over the earth. I choose to have the Hebrew mindset and obey Your commandments in Your Word, trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal Your Truth. And there's no amount of logic or critical thinking of the Greek mindset that will convince me to reject Your authority in my life. The fact that our universities no longer teach critical thinking will only serve to further remove the understanding of Your authority. We are in great need of a spiritual reset. Come Lord Jesus!

#hebrewmindset #greekmindset #theauthorityofchrist #ourdominionintheearth #theauthorityofgodsword #biblicalworldview #ourculturaldna #ourpowerandauthority #satansdeception #satansfalsepromises #rejectingjesus'sauthority  

1 Corinthians 1:22-25     For Jews demand signs (attesting miracles), and Greeks pursue [worldly] wisdom and philosophy, but we preach Christ crucified, [a message which is] to Jews a stumbling block [that provokes their opposition], and to Gentiles foolishness [just utter nonsense], but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. [This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort].

     

The Devil's In The Details -- Part Two

In Part One, we saw God speaking in Ezekiel 28, through His prophet, to the prince of Tyre, Satan's human proxy whose assignment is to represent Satan's rebellious spirit in the world. God accuses this prince of using the authority he has been given to elevate himself, even to the point of declaring himself a god, and sitting in the seat of gods. He further accuses him of increasing his riches and power by profiting from [and trading in] unrighteously trafficked merchandise. And I believe that includes people. 

Then God warns this human [but satanically inspired] prince that there will be a price to be paid for his pride and arrogance. Because he has squandered his God-given authority [see Romans 13:1], in favor of the riches and power Satan promised him, God then states His promise: to bring strangers into their land with swords drawn against the wisdom and splendor of Tyre. And then comes the final pronouncement against the prince of Tyre: "You are only a man and not God ... You will die the death of the uncircumcised [barbarian/pagans], by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, says the Lord". 

Now, we will turn to the remainder of Ezekiel, Chapter 28, where God addresses the fallen angel who is guiding, directing, and influencing the heart of this human prince.  In verse 11, God instructs the prophet Ezekiel to now speak to the king of Tyre, taking up a lamentation [a wailing and mourning, as in deep grief at a funeral]. Keep in mind, that a king would have authority over a prince, and his rule would take precedence. I think we can assume that the prince of Tyre took his orders from the king of Tyre. We will see that God is no longer talking about the sin of the human prince, but the fall of the spiritual power behind him. 

God says to this unholy king, "You had the full measure of perfection and the finishing touch [of completeness], full of wisdom and perfect in beauty". God goes on to tell him that every precious stone was his covering, placed there by God, Himself! Here, we get the clear picture of the pre-fallen Satan, the picture of perfection, wisdom, and beauty. And God had adorned him with honor and great glory and splendor. But by telling Satan that "You were in Eden, the garden of God", we know that he has fallen from his high position in Heaven, and he has become the adversary of God and humanity on the earth [Genesis 3].

But the chapter continues to describe the high position that Satan had once occupied in Heaven. God recounts that the timbrels [tamborines] and pipes had been prepared for him from the day he was created. Isaiah 14:11 makes mention of his stringed instruments, suggesting that Satan was involved with the music in Heaven; perhaps that used to worship the Lord. Makes you think about the influence he has had on the music industry here on earth, doesn't it? 

I want to point to the specific wording in verse 13; that God tells Satan that his gift of music had been prepared for him "on the day he was created". Although Satan's prideful heart showed him to be arrogant enough to think he could be "like God" -- or equal to the Son of God -- he cannot escape the fact that he was a "created being". He would never compare to the "only begotten Son of God", Jesus Christ. In the Hebrew sense, this indicates that, as the Son of God, Jesus was the sole representative of the Being and Character of God; possessing every attribute of pure Godhead. He did not "become" the Son of God; He just "is", and has been, eternally. 

I remember the first time I read Ezekiel 28 and was astounded to discover that Satan had been "the anointed cherub who covers and protects", signifying his position as one of the privileged angelic beings surrounding the throne of God [as mentioned in Ezekiel 1]. And the fact that he was "the anointed cherub", seems to indicate that he could have been the chief guardian of the throne of God, leading to his false [and arrogant] supposition that he could usurp that throne. But again, God reminds him, "I placed you there". 

God goes on to tell Satan just how far he has fallen: "you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked". This is in reference to the reality of the heavenly Zion, of which earth is a representative. And apparently Satan had freedom to move among the "fiery stones", which could represent the seraphim that surrounded God's throne, who were known as "the burning ones", or "the fiery ones". 

Then comes the full significance of God's condemnation of this once honored angelic being ... "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness and evil were found in you. Through the abundance of your trade/trafficking, you were internally filled with lawlessness and violence; and you sinned. Therefore I cast you out of the mountain of God, as an unholy and profane thing. I will destroy you, oh covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire".  

And then we learn what was found in Satan that caused God to cast him out of Heaven. And it is here that we find the ways in which this fallen angel corrupts mankind in his image ... God declares that his heart became proud and arrogant, and the same competitive spirit that showed in his desire to become equal with the Godhead, appears in his desire to be exalted above all created beings; both angelic and human. But that competitive spirit becomes a rebellious spirit and God indicts him by declaring, "You destroyed your wisdom for the sake of your splendor". And so God once again says that He cast Satan to the ground, exposing him for who he really is, so that all mankind might behold him and discern who he is. And I might add, "if they will".  

Then, it seems to me, that God changes His language to indicate what will be His final destruction of Satan and all who choose to follow him. He accuses him of profaning and defiling his temples and refuges [all that honor his sins, including people, places, and things] "by the great quantity of your sins and the enormity of your guilt, by the unrighteousness of your trade [commerce and trafficking]". God then declares that He will bring a fire to consume Satan, so that all the nations might see His power to reduce the fallen angel to ashes. The nations will become horrified at the judgment of Satan because, not only does it point to their own judgment, but the great degree to which Satan has deceived them. 

As you can see, Ezekiel 28 truly gives us an accurate picture of how mankind can become corrupted by the power and influence of Satan. It's in the details of Scripture! And it's all laid at the feet of the once proud and honored covering angel. Once you know his characteristics, it's not hard to see his influence and impact in the arrogance, corruption, sin, lawlessness, lies, perversion, and wickedness of men. We can identify the powerful spirit that is behind rebellious leaders. Yet we stand on the Word of God ... they will be destroyed and "come to a horrible and terrifying end, and will forever cease to be". We can trust that God is Sovereign and sitting on His throne. He will bring justice for the righteous and only condemnation and death for the wicked. He is a Holy and Just God. Amen!

#Ezekiel28 #thedevilisinthedetails #Satan #Sataninheaven #satancastout #Satanthecoveringcherub #Godsthrone #prideandarrogance #unrighteoustrade #characterofGod #destructionofsatan #judgmentofGod #Godsfire #Godsfieryjudgment #fallenangel #satanthefallenangel

Ezekiel 28:17       Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. Therefore, I have cast you down to the ground and exposed you helpless before the curious gaze of kings.

    

The Devil's In The Details -- Part One

I recently listened to a teaching on how Satan lost his position in the heavenly kingdom of God, and couldn't help but recognize how he has been able to tempt so many men and women to follow in his footsteps. That alone is a scary thought! Who me? I couldn't possibly be equated with Satan's rebellious sins ... could I??

So, I have been spending time in the Word [and in my heart] to see exactly what God has to say about His enemy, and to see if I need to go before Him seeking repentance and reconciliation. The first thing I needed to do was to find out what God thought about Satan, and there is no clearer picture than Ezekiel 28. The Book of Ezekiel begins with God telling the prophet to speak to "the prince of Tyre". 

Before we can begin to explore what God revealed through his prophet, Ezekiel, we  need to know about the city of Tyre, and to whom God was speaking. According to my research, the ancient city of Tyre is located along the coast of Phoenicia in what is now modern Lebanon. The site has been occupied since the Bronze Age. The city became a prominent Phoenician city-state between the 9th and 6th centuries BC, settling prestigious colonies around the Mediterranean Sea, such as Carthage and Leptis Magna. 

Furthermore, the biblical city of Tyre and the modern city of Tyre are the same. It is 50 miles south of Lebanon's capital city, Beirut. From a Biblical perspective, Tyre is about 105 miles north of Jerusalem. Tyre was known for their wickedness and idolatry and many prophets predicted doom upon the city-state. According to history, it was Alexander the Great who later conquered Tyre. In the New Testament, Jesus mentioned Tyre as an example of a city that refused to repent, as evidenced in Luke 10:13 ... Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented and changed their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes [to show deep regret for sin].  

But God wants Ezekiel to speak to the prince of Tyre. And here's where the Scripture makes the connection to Satan. Holy Spirit made it clear that God is not only speaking about a human prince, but also to a "spiritual prince" [as referenced by Paul in Ephesians 6:12... our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 

Remember when Daniel prayed to YHWH while in captivity in Babylon? The Bible tells us that it took 21 days for the Angel Gabriel to answer Daniel's call. Why so long? Gabriel tells him that he was held up for 21 days by "the prince of the kingdom of Persia". This prince was one of Satan's high-ranking angels from the kingdom of darkness, sent to work in this realm to stall Daniel's purpose for the Kingdom of God. We need to see that Satan can send his demonic messengers to influence human men in their roles on the earth, so that they identify with Satan, and then act in their human capabilities, representing his evil desires. So, the prince of Tyre is a human leader influenced by Satan's "princely" angel assigned to the city of Tyre. It is to this human leader [influenced by Satan] whom God begins to speak to [through Ezekiel] in verse 2.

The entire chapter of Ezekiel 28 identifies the beings to whom God is speaking. In Part One of this two-part post, we will take a look at the first being God addresses, the satanically influenced human leader of Tyre; the human being who is behind the wickedness and idolatry demonstrated by the city Tyre. It is my intent to identify him by God's own description of him and then to highlight the spiritual characteristics that not only identify him and his followers, but differentiate them from Christ's qualities, of which we should be equated. 

In verse two, God accuses this human leader of having a heart that elevates himself. He actually tells him, "You have said you're a god, sitting in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas". Here, the seas represent humanity; and this leader is declaring that he is centered in the midst of humanity; he is at the heart of humanity. Yet, what does God tell him? He is [only] a man [weak, feeble, made of the earth], and is most certainly not God. Furthermore, this human leader imagines himself to be more than mortal, and thinks himself as wise as God; to be wiser than Daniel; that no secret on the earth is hidden from him. Then God acknowledges that by his wisdom and understanding, this leader has acquired riches and power; bringing gold and silver into his treasuries.

Then God says something that struck my spirit deeply... By your great wisdom and by your trade, you have increased your riches and power, and your heart is proud and arrogant because of your wealth. The King James Version says by your traffic ... The Hebrew word for "traffic" is rekullah, meaning "trade as in peddled merchandise". Are you beginning to get the picture? Yes, God is speaking to the ancient leaders of the wicked and idolatrous city/kingdom of Tyre. But the Bible is the living Word of God and speaks to us in our time, too. Can you recognize the Pride of our nation and leaders in what God speaks to Tyre? Are our nation's leaders not operating in this same proud and arrogant spirit, trading in human lives through sex trafficking, child pornography, and drugs? None of this trade would exist if US leaders truly wanted it eradicated. By default, they are complicit in its existence.

God goes on to tell ancient Tyre that there is a price that will be paid for their Pride. He will bring strangers upon them; "the most ruthless and violent of the nations". He warns that they will draw their swords against the beauty of Tyre's wisdom and defile their splendor. We are seeing that today in our homeland! The beauty of our physical land and the once magnificent qualities of our national identity are being squandered. God further warns that ancient Tyre will be brought down to the pit of destruction by these invaders, unable to still claim to be a god. He reminds Tyre that they are only men (made of earth) and not God; unable to save themselves from those that wound and profane them. "You will die the death of the uncircumcised [barbarian/pagans], by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, says the Lord". 

I ask you, can you see that the Pride and Arrogance of our once grand nation is on the verge of bringing us down to destruction? That strangers have been brought upon us, even as our leaders proclaim that we are still the "Greatest Nation on Earth"? Can we, with true humility, still say that? Or has our pride so corrupted us that we think that God will allow us to continue in our wicked "trade and trafficking", without calling us to account? 

I believe God blessed this nation into existence; that we once represented everything good about men who followed the Lord -- the freedom to become who we were designed to be; to reap what we have righteously sown; to recognize, honor and worship the One who bestowed such riches upon this land. But I also believe that we have been guilty of taking it all for granted; that we thought we didn't need to protect those blessings because we began to think it would never end. Just like the human prince of Tyre, we began to worship ourselves and our abilities, thinking we were still honoring Him, even as we proclaimed that He was no longer needed in our schools or the halls of Congress. We began to become our own gods, thinking we were as wise as God, able to outthink Him and make our own plans. And now we are reaping what we have unrighteously sown.  

God warned ancient Tyre that He was taking away His protection from them and removing their position of authority in the land. We may soon experience that in our own land. But even in the midst of that kind of invasion, we must remain true to who God created us to be. We have not been promised a rich and prosperous nation forever; to live in comfort and wealth. We have been promised eternal life by walking humbly with Him; giving Him glory [rather than ourselves]; and steadfastly remaining in faith, even in the midst of sorrows and persecution. That is the message of the first half of Ezekiel. In Part Two, we will take a look at the "spiritual" king of Tyre; who that might be and how his pride and arrogance will be his downfall. 

#princeoftyre #kingoftyre #prideandarrogance #ezekiel28 #ephesians6:12 #satansinfluence #thedevilisinthedetails #prideandhumility #reapwhatyousow #godsrighteousjudgment #manversusgod #manswickedheart #iamgod #wickedandidolatrous #godofheavenandearth #pridegoesbeforeafall

Jeremiah 9:23-24     Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”