Christian Persecution In America?

I need to be honest--I have so immersed myself in endtimes prophecies and current events that I'm battling a spirit of fear.  Fear can come from within--it is instinctive--or from outside of us.  The enemy uses a spirit of fear to fight against us.  I am telling you, not because I have been overcome, but so that you know I am just like you!

I am not superhuman, superspiritual, or whatever!  I am not always fearless and bold! I have strength, when I draw close to God and draw my strength from Him. HE gives me boldness and strength.  He will do the same for you.  Fight the fear and draw close to God!  Do not shrink back, do not let fear overcome you.

Remember the old saying 'give him an inch and he'll take a mile'?  This is very true with the powers of darkness.  If you retreat, they will be emboldened to advance even further.  You have to hold them off--and even better--advance on them!  When you move forward, in God's will, He will strengthen and empower you. He has been waiting a very long time to see most of us stand up and fight.

There is no better way to victory than to draw out your spiritual sword and do battle with the evil spirits that come against you and your family.  You don't fight against flesh and blood--but against the spiritual powers of darkness.

You may be content to 'hold them off at the gate' of your mind, or your physical property--but do you think they'll stop there?  Do you want to be hunkered down, peeking out to see if they are still there, waiting for an opportunity to come back?  I say no!! Fight beyond your gates to create a 'buffer zone'.  Send the enemy fleeing beyond the boundary you determine, and hold onto what you have conquered!

Spiritually, we have lost America.  We have been driven back to our churches, where many are hunkered down, hoping the enemy won't come any further.  Look behind you!  While you are peeking out the windows at the evil forces outside, evil spirits have already infiltrated your congregation!

There are four boundaries you need to endeavor to  win back--in this order:

1. Your mind and body
2. Your family's minds and bodies
3. Your home
4. Your church
5. Your community (small town or neighborhood)

You continue advancing outwards as you gain ground.  But you have to be sure you are thoroughly purging the forces of evil as you go.  Liken it to the way that God told the Israelites to totally give over to destruction the towns they were invading.  They were to not leave alive man or beast, and then they were to destroy the buildings and bodies with fire.

Hear me--I am not saying to fight against men, or to fight in the physical realm!  What we see in the actions of the children of Israel was in the physical realm, but what was happening in the spiritual realm was more significant.

The Israelites were purging the land of evil spirits--and they didn't even know it!  This is why it was SO important not to leave alive a single man or beast, whom the evil spirits could enter into, and why they were not to leave a single building that the spirits could haunt.  They were to leave them no place to go, so that they would flee the land!  (As you know, you can't kill demonic spirits.  You have to remove what they need to live, so that they will flee!)

I'll be honest, until this moment I have believed, because of my faith in God's righteousness and goodness, that what God told the Israelites to do was right and He had a reason--but it seemed very harsh to me.  We are talking about genocide.  But as I am writing this, He has opened my eyes to understand why.  I had never seen it as a spiritual battle before.  Now it makes perfect sense!

The Bible could simply have summarized to say that the Israelites completely destroyed the people they conquered, or something to that effect.  But instead, it was shown, town by town and stressed again and again.  And it was duly noted when the Israelites failed to do as God had directed.  This is because God wanted us to understand the importance of this!

I think most of us do realize it was very important, even if we haven't completely understood why.  And I'm ashamed to say, I guess I just concluded that these were people God wanted to eliminate from the face of the Earth.  I understand now that God was not eternally against these people (although He was bringing  judgment upon them), but against the evil entities that they had given place to.  Their lands had become a 'hot spot' of demonic activity and God wished to scatter those spirits (as He scattered the people at Babel, because of what they intended to do).

I also want to point out, that after the Israelites had killed the people, the disembodied spirits could just as well have entered into them--if they had given them an opening, through sin in their life!!  God did not begin revealing about spiritual warfare to His people until Jesus came.  The only way that the Israelites could be safe when fighting the spiritual forces of darkness, was to live lives of purity, and to have God present in their midst.

Do you see now?  Just as we train up our children, God told them WHAT to do (and was very strict about it), but He didn't try to explain WHY, because they would not have understood.  This is also why He was quick to purge those who were sinful and rebellious from amongst the midst of the Israelites (which had also seemed a tad bit extreme to me before).

This is a picture of how we must fight now!  We must live lives of purity and have the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  Then, as God directs, we must advance upon, and scatter, the spiritual forces of evil.  (He is NOT calling us to fight against  people, but rather the unseen forces behind them.)  When we do this, He will empower and protect us.

It is time to enter the battle!  Purge the evil from your own life and mind, then lead your family in doing likewise.  Then, do what you can in your church--if your church isn't interested in being pure  and living righteously--leave it!

Then, contend for your town.  (I may be wrong, or just missing the point--but I like peace and safety.)  The country is lost.  The states are lost.  But, it may be possible to 'win back' a few towns and communities from the enemy, if we try.

Pray for your town's leaders. Vote for righteous men and women.  Clean up your town of filth and depravity (do battle in the spiritual realm before attempting to confront or convince people).  Battle the spiritual forces of wickedness, and pray that God will create a safe haven for you and your family.

If, after all you've done, only your home is free of the demonic--then thank God for that, and remain vigilant.  But how much better it will be if we have some towns and communities that are oases, free of demonic oppression, in the days ahead!!


One other point:  I hear some talk about 'the remnant', almost as if the people who form the remnant are superior to other Christians.  Don't fall into that trap of pride!!  No one is a remnant yet--we are all Christians just now waking up and beginning to learn the truth from deception.
 
Unfortunately, as the truth is presented to them, some people are choosing not to love the truth, and God will send them a powerful delusion to believe instead.  This is what is called 'the great rebellion', 'the great apostasy', 'the great falling away'.  The love (of righteousness, of truth, of God) of many will grow cold.  Many will turn away.  After that, the  backslidden/apostate Christians will begin to persecute and hate the remnant that were faithful to the truth*.

When the persecution begins--then the ones who hold to the truth can be called 'the remnant'.  To do so now is to risk 'writing off' people who may or may not be Christians now, but who are being misled and deceived by false doctrines--for whom there may yet be hope of repentance!!




*Don't be surprised if, in those days, a 'Christian' president is elected and (apostate )'Christians' form a majority in Congress.  With great pride, patriotism and zeal they would fight the unrighteous (who have been in power) and the 'fanatics'/'religious zealots' (the remnant that hold to the truth).
The 'false prophet' will be

• a false religion that appears Christian (much of this is already in the church),
• and promotes the 'beast' empire (the beast is not a man)

[The beast (empire) will rule over the nations of the world.  This may not be really obvious. It may be a lot like America does today, through occupation, military bases,  and taking authority over countries by various means (regime change, sanctions, and other means of control).  The beast (empire) will have final say, and will punish those nations that don't fall in line.]

It is this false prophet/false church that will create the image of the empire that is to be worshipped (through intense patriotism), and whose mark is required to participate in buying and selling in the global marketplace.

Don't be surprised that it would be 'Christians' that persecute 'the remnant'--after all, it was the Jews that killed Jesus!  There is no more formidable adversary than one who is deceived into thinking that they hold the truth of God and are fighting on His behalf.
 
Lest you think the same of the remnant, remember this:  the remnant, those who do have the truth of God, fight spiritually but the deceived will fight in the physical realm--by putting to death their 'enemies'.

The New Year's Gift

I have always been different from everyone around me, so it should come as no surprise that I celebrate New Year's Eve differently too.  I really don't give much thought to celebrating it.  Sure, I may turn on the TV and look at other people celebrating, but it doesn't really move me.

I don't know where I got the idea, but for at least the last dozen years I have had my own tradition.  I spend New Year's Eve alone with God, and I ponder which spiritual attribute I lack the most--the one that would give me a closer walk with God, in the year(s) ahead, if I had it.  Then, I request it of God.


The most memorable was the year that I asked Him for faith.  I had already heard that one shouldn't ask for faith because it would bring many trials.  But, that's what I felt led to ask for, and I'm glad I didn't let fear stop me.

When the spring semester ended, I was surprised to learn that I would have no financial aid for the summer . . . and my lease would end at the same time!  As a single parent of three kids, this was not a good situation to have looming on the horizon!

After much prayer, I decided that camping in the woods all summer was one option.  But, that a better option would be to buy a camper shell for my pickup truck, store our things somewhere, and travel the USA for the summer.  I realized we had what might be a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'!

That summer is one that none of us has ever forgotten!  A whole summer of 'quality time' together really bonded us deeply.  We had a couple of destinations in mind--relatives that we could visit for a few days, but mostly we had 'time to kill'!  (I find that almost impossible to imagine these days!)

For $100 we bought a family pass to the National Parks, and we lived on $600 a month.  Every day I got behind the wheel and asked God to guide me.  I would set a jar of canned food on the dashboard and head east, driving and praying.

By midday we had a warm 'meal'.  We ate very simply and very rarely paid to stay at a campground or eat at a restaurant.  We trusted God to show us a safe place to park each night, and prayed we could sleep unbothered.

We soaked in the beauty of God's creation and rested--what a blessed thing that was!  We learned that California had a nearly magical forest of giant trees;  that in Michigan, blueberries grew on the ground; and that the mosquitos in Minnesota were something to be reckoned with!!  We fell asleep in the woods at dusk, serenaded by the most beautiful birdsong I had ever heard.

That summer, I learned that God can take a bad situation and turn it completely around; that He can be trusted to watch over me, even while I'm asleep; that He is always with me, even when I have no idea where I am; that some of His best gifts are free; and that a glimpse of blue sky, the song of a bird, or a gentle breeze can help me reconnect with Him when I feel alone and afraid.


In the days ahead, as the works of man grow more depraved and ugly, and as evil increases around us--remember to look up sometimes.  Let God's creation remind you of who is eternal and who is really in charge.  Remember that the trials and tribulations that lie ahead are only temporary.  Life on earth has never been easy.  Although things will get a lot worse--it won't last much longer!!  Ten years from now, it may all be behind us.

We have much to look forward to.  We will have a thousand years to live on earth, in peace and equity, with Jesus Himself in authority.  How I yearn for His truth and justice to be established upon the Earth; for righteousness to be the standard, and the law to be upheld; for things to finally be fair; for a chance to rest and walk with Him; for a time when evil is put to flight and goodness can prevail.


Last year was difficult.  Not the circumstances of my life, but the evil around us grinding on me, wearing me down.  I imagine that a year from now, 2009 will seem like 'a piece of cake' as evil continues to increase.  I've become polluted by our culture, taking on bad attitudes and values, picked up from TV and movies.  Anger has taken root inside me, and hatred has started to grow, as I have seen America stolen and our rights stripped away.

Learning that it is all part of God's judgment has helped me put it in perspective.  I have long known America was provoking His judgment.  Realizing that the destruction of America that is now taking place is God's will--because of our sin--my anger at the people involved diminishes.

Instead I cry bitter tears of regret.  We had it all, but knew it not!  We had such a priceless gift from God, but we threw it away.  We squandered our freedom, to indulge our lusts.  Oh how foolish we were!!  America is forever lost.  We can never go back.


The anger and attitudes I have adopted have hardened my heart and made me more callous towards the pain and suffering of others.  Tonight, I need to repent of my anger, and my attitudes, and move beyond them.  I think what I need to ask for this year, is compassion.  Someone's life may depend on it.

Do Appeals For Donations Turn You Off?

Do appeals for donations turn you off?  They never bothered me before, but lately they do.  I'll share my thoughts on that, and I'm interested in whether any of you feel the same, for the same reasons.

I feel, deep in my heart, that selling the truth of God is wrong!  I understand that there are basic costs that ministries incur, costs of websites,  printing books, making DVDS, mailing, etc.  Those costs are legitimate.  I have no problem with charging what things cost--selling books and DVDs at cost, for example, but I believe it is wrong to put a dollar value on the truth itself! 

Over the past few months, I have found websites that are invaluable sources of information. The Lord has led me to many sites in response to my prayers for wisdom.  Lately, even those that seem to present the most truth have begun to request donations.  I don't mean they've just put a 'donations' button on their site for people who want to give, but they are explaining their hardship and asking people to give.

(God help me if I'm wrong about this, and God forgive me if I succumb to the temptation myself.  I think it would be easier for Him to forgive me, than for me to forgive myself.)

Again, I understand there are costs involved, and how frustrating it is when funds are lacking!  (I won't share my personal experiences or situation because that is irrelevant--but please trust that I have lived a life of financial hardship.)  Out of that comes my conviction that if you put your faith in God for the resources to do what God has called you to do, He will provide what you need to do the job, and meet your needs as well!

It was with God that the idea originated that 'a workman is worthy of his hire', and that you don't prevent your ox from stopping to nibble while he is pulling the plow for you (or something to that effect).  God knows what you need, and He can provide it. He can also inspire people to give, if He so chooses.  Even so, if no one gives, and nothing is provided, and you are sure you are doing the will of God, then you continue and you sacrifice and cover the costs yourself.  Rest assured that in so doing, you are 'laying up treasure in heaven'!

As I have constantly prayed for wisdom and understanding of certain matters, the Lord impressed upon my heart that if He granted me understanding, with it would come a responsibility to share it. (If you are indeed sharing God-inspired truth, then please remember that the Lord gave it to you for free, and the ones who need it the most may be the ones who can't afford to pay for it. The Lord's design has always been to have people that would be conduits of His blessings to an unbelieving world. He gives them to us to pass along to others, yet He gives us a portion too.)

The Lord lays out the responsibility of a watchman-that if he warns the people and they don't listen, their blood is on their own heads, but if he knows and doesn't warn them, their blood will be upon his head. I believe it is time to speak out boldly.

I believe the Lord is raising up an army of people to share His word in these 'last days' (right now, via the Internet). It will be able to penetrate places where a missionary may never be able to set foot. We, in America, are strategically placed, and divinely endowed with the freedom of speech, technology, time, resources (compared to billions of others in this world) and credibility as a free people in a God-inspired country, to be able to reach the world with the truth about what is happening as the 'days of grace' draw to a close.

I believe America was divinely ordained to put an obstacle in the way of Satan’s plan at this very point in time! I believe we are called to use our freedom & constitutionally guaranteed rights to resist and expose the truth about Satan’s plan to the world, at this very hour, while we still have those rights! This is the fulfillment of Christ’s words in Matthew 24:14:

‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’

I believe the words ‘for a witness’ hold special significance. I believe this means that we, while the events spoken of in the end times prophecies are unfolding, will be explaining them to people throughout the world, and sharing the gospel message! Those who hear will not be able to say they didn’t understand what was happening, and who was its author, if we do what we have been divinely appointed to do–in this very hour! Our message will be the ‘witness’ to them whereby they will later be judged as to whether they understood what they were participating in!

So, when I see these blatant appeals for donations, it is a HUGE red flag to me!  Maybe it is not that these folks are sinning, or out of God's will in general.  Maybe it is just a barometer of their faith in God's provision.  But if they do not believe that (without them 'helping') God can provide for them to do what they believe He has called them to do--then how can they trust that He will provide for more mundane things, such as their own personal needs, or those of their family?  I'm just sayin' . . .

It may simply be that all the changes that are occurring in our economy, and the fact that we are under God's judgment, have not fully penetrated most people's understanding.  I believe that, as with grief, there are certain stages or phases we go through in coming to this understanding.  I believe that most people are still in the 'denial stage' of grief over the loss of America and life as we have known it.  We are all in different stages of our 'paradigm shift'.  So, I can certainly understand and leave room for that.  I don't judge these people.  However, I still believe, deep in my heart, that this is a step in the wrong direction.

Things are going to be 'tough all over'.  Our economy is going to crash.  You MUST start seeing things differently!!  Capitalism is being purposely destroyed--and it is the will of God for this to take place!!  The sins that have been committed under this system, and justified by it, the way it has been misused and corrupted, the way it has deceived and corrupted so many and led them into sin, have brought about its judgment!!  We are experiencing a brief reprieve, but things are never going 'back to normal' again!! Rather, things are going to get much, MUCH worse in the days ahead!!!

Now is a good time to get your beliefs about money in line with God's Word.  I know it is hard to conceive of a non-capitalist way of using money, but capitalism is not 'God's Way' any more than communism is.  These are constructs and traditions of men.  We have strayed far from God's plan for trade and commerce. 

Jesus had much to say about money.  This would be a good time to go back to The Word and establish a Godly foundation in regards to your beliefs about money.  Again, let me say, go back to The Word of God, not to the 'prosperity' messages and other doctrines of men that took hold in the church in recent times.

Ultimately, each of us will be confronted with the choice of continuing to partake of the world's system of trade, or being left to trust in God to provide for our needs.  Your beliefs about money, and lack of understanding of God's will in this area, could very well be what ensnares you into accepting the 'Mark Of The Beast' (because you believe you have 'no other choice'). 


One other point, in regards to those who have books, DVDs, etc. to sell, that purportedly contain revelations of truth that God has given them, and who request 'donations' in return:

Taxes should be paid by a nonprofit organization on materials that they sell. However, in an underhanded way of trying to escape our tax laws (we should 'render unto Caesar what is Caesar's'), many ministries request 'donations' in return for these materials.  (In a broad sense, true donations are not taxable, but there are certain guidelines regarding what is considered a true donation). 

This has been a commonly accepted practice, but is it really handling money in an upright way, that serves as a witness to the unbelieving world that Christians operate under a set of 'higher laws'? 

Furthermore, I would apply my own criteria to determine if it is really a 'donation' that is being requested, or if you are in fact being sold the item: 

• If you do not have the ability to pay the amount of the 'requested donation', will the ministry still send you the materials, upon request?

I say that those who don't, lack integrity in regards to finances--and are most likely in violation of tax law.  As with most things, what is visible may only be the 'tip of the iceberg'. 

Think about this next time you hear a request for a 'donation' for an item that claims to be God's truth and revelation that we 'all need to hear'.  It may be the 'American Way' or the 'Capitalist Way'--to sell God's truth for a price--but it is not God's way!!!  I daresay, if Jesus were to visit today, He would 'overturn the tables' of these merchants!

'We Know In Part And We Prophesy In Part'

While I haven't been here at my cyberspace truth pitstop, I've been out on my own little truth journey through the worldwide web. The Lord led me to a most interesting pitstop, which I have included in my links (The Watchman's Cry).

A lot of things that the Lord had revealed to me were confirmed there--and He is revealing more to me, in answer to my prayers. I'll share one interesting little item with you:

'We Know In Part And We Prophesy In Part'

Fulfilled, in my life, in two ways. 

1. 'And that ain't the half of it!'  None of us knows the complete picture. We each only know a part of it. None of us has the complete interpretation of all the prophecies. He shows each of us, only a part. Like an orchestra, each of us doing our part produces the whole. Don't think any one man is the source of all your answers! 
2. 'Write what you know.'   That was His word to me, in response to my concerns that there is so much I don't know. 'Just write what you know.' And as I have done so, He has been with me and has guided me, telling me things I didn't know, as I write. Filling in the blanks, so to speak. My own knowledge forms the bare bones outline--His Spirit provides the substance, the style, and the intent, and weaves it together into a message that (I pray) will speak to you personally. Part of what I 'speak' is what I know, part of it is prophecy. (Though I don't think I'm a prophet--just another watchman.)