Understanding Revelation

When I started studying Revelation, I was sure that it could be unraveled logically. I have learned a lot since then, and my whole perspective has changed. What I'm going to say isn't a copout--believe me, because I don't give up easily (and that's an understatement)!--but it's what I feel God has taught me.

Here's what I know now:

• We each need to read Revelation for ourself, and pray that God will teach us what He wants us to know.
• If we want to understand Revelation, we need to read it a lot and know it well (not the same as understanding--more like memorization). You may read it and learn it this Spring, and it may not be until next Fall that God chooses to reveal something to you. He will bring the Scripture to your remembrance--but you can't remember what you never knew.
  
• Don't be discouraged. Be content with knowing, but not understanding. When the time is right, you'll understand.
  
• Do pray and ask God to teach you, and guide you, as you study.
  
• Revelation is given on a 'need to know' basis.
  
• Revelation is just that--something that God will reveal to each of us, in His own time and His own way.
  
• You may study for hours, yet walk away with just one little nugget of understanding--but this is good!
  
• The book is purposely complicated, to make it impossible to interpret merely using logic. The only way to understand Revelation, is by the Holy Spirit revealing it to us. The Holy Spirit will only reveal it to Christians.
  
• The awesomeness of that is that it doesn't depend on our intelligence! I'm fairly smart and there are things I have tried for years to understand, but can't--but then, in an instant, God has opened my eyes to something that was right there all the time, and suddenly I understand! Contrary to what some churches have taught-you don't have to be a priest to read and understand Scripture. God reveals things in a way that any of us can understand, no matter how smart we are--or aren't. We're all on a level playing field here!

These are my general opinions:

• It seems the people who claim to understand Revelation the most, are actually the ones that understand it the least.
  
• The prophecy 'experts' make certain assumptions, upon which they base the rest of their interpretation. Very few of them seem to question these assumptions, and the 'rules' they have set up for how to interpret prophecy. If these assumptions or ways of interpreting are wrong, then the foundation of their interpreting is wrong, and they may end up misunderstanding much, or most, of the prophecies.
  
• In reality, right now there is no way we can know for sure how it will all play out. Only God knows the specifics, and although He is revealing things a little at a time, He has not yet made it all clear to us.
  
• He may not give us the full interpretation before it is fulfilled. There may be things we only see later, in hindsight, as having been the fulfillment of prophecy.
  
• It is tempting to latch onto the first interpretation that fits but, in studying with a completely open mind, I have found that each portion of prophecy in Revelation could potentially be fulfilled in many different ways.
  
• I believe the reason God has not revealed it all, is because there are many possible outcomes, depending on what choices we make (our generation, the Church, America, etc.).
  
• I believe if God revealed what would happen, it would cause it to turn out that way, violating our free will to some degree. I believe He wants us to do all that we can, until we breathe our last breath. MUCH of the ending has not yet been written!
  
• A lot of people have a fatalistic attitude--that we really have little to do with the outcome, that it is predestined; some people even go so far as to say that God will make things happen a certain way, no matter what we do. But I believe that the time, and the way, the prophecies will be fulfilled, is completely dependent upon the choices of mankind.
  
• God always prefers to show mercy and, if we repent in time, He may turn aside His wrath. These things could all come to pass in the next few years (that's the road we're on right now)--or, if we repent, God may intervene and 'pause the clock' by tens or even hundreds of years.
  
• Because it is Satan that is behind the events in Revelation, and because his overall battle plan has not changed, we will see the same sort of events happen again and again, until he finally gains control of a global government.

These are my specific opinions:

• I am not convinced that all of these events will be confined to a 7 year period.
  
• Things do not necessarily happen in the order in which they are written. Yes, there is an overall chronology to the events--but there are a lot of 'flashbacks' (as in the movies), that go back to an earlier time and show the events that happened to bring you back to the 'present', in order to understand things that were just mentioned.
  
• The same event may be explained from several different perspectives--rather than those being separate events.
  
• I am not convinced that the bowl judgments follow the trumpet judgments, and they follow the seven seals. I strongly suspect that there is overlap here-that things are happening simultaneously, or even that what are commonly believed to be separate events, are actually the same event.
  
• It is important to differentiate between what John saw in the spirit realm, and what he saw in the physical realm. In other words, when an angel sounds his trumpet and 'hail and fire mixed with blood' is hurled down upon the Earth--that is probably how it appears in the spirit realm. It may not literally be hail and fire mixed with blood when seen in the physical realm. The result: 'A third of the Earth was burned up . . . ' is what we would actually see. So, we should not necessarily expect to see or hear, in the physical realm, everything that is described in Revelation.
  
• I believe it is possible for God to have mercy on us, at any point, if we repent. Therefore, I believe it may be possible that the 'clock' could be paused at almost any point.
  
• Although I believe the clock could be paused, there are certain things that cannot be undone. I believe this explains the significance of the three 'woes'. The fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpet judgments involve releasing demonic entities that have been bound and prevented from interacting with mankind. I believe that once they are released, they cannot again be bound. These woes are:
     * the angel of the abyss, and hordes of spirits that physically torment people (for 5 months)
     * four angels, with 200,000,000 troops that have the authority to kill 1/3 of mankind
     * satan and his followers are hurled to Earth
  
• If you understand that once these spirits are unleashed, we are stuck with them from then on (even if we repent and God pauses the clock), then it becomes even more apparent why these events would be called 'woes'.
  
• There is no 'Rapture' per se. Jesus will return (as warrior, judge and king) near the very end of the Tribulation. There will be a great earthquake, the dead in Christ will be raised, the 'two witnesses' will be taken up to heaven, any remaining believers will be taken up, and we will meet Him in the clouds.

So, again, I think the best way to understand the Bible, is to read the Bible. We are promised that the Holy Spirit will teach us what the Scriptures mean. Some of that teaching happens on a subconscious level. God-inspired writings are much deeper and carry much more information than when people write.

The more you read the Bible, the more you learn the many ways that God conveys truth to us. You learn His 'voice', His style, how He uses patterns and foreshadowing, how much meaning a passage can carry on many different levels, etc., etc. There is so much deception these days, I think it is far better that we ask God to teach us, than men.

(In God's kingdom, no one is 'better than' anyone else. How much you understand will depend on how much you read the Bible, spend time contemplating God's word, and pray.)


And one more thing:
"Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."
Rev. 1:3

Should We Be Thinking About Coming Out?

The day that our tax money begins to pay into a health care system that subsidizes abortion will be a momentous occasion in the spiritual realm.  It will be one of those days that history looks back on, as being a point on which the fate of a nation turned.

If our tax money goes to pay for abortions, or other grievous actions, and we are aware yet continue to pay into the system, we will be guilty of 'partaking of its sins'.

Whether or not you are aware of the importance of that day, God is going to be watching us closely.  On that day, each of us is faced with a decision.  Will we passively 'go with the flow' and become undeniably complicit in this national sin--or will we do whatever it takes to see that we are not involved? 

To not make a decision IS a decision! Will we, as individuals, have the courage and character to repent of our national sin of abortion by resisting this policy and refusing to participate or enable it in any way?  At what point will we begin to take sin seriously enough to put aside our personal comfort and safety to be reconciled to God through repentance? Nothing will change if we keep going with the flow!

Evolution does not occur! But disintegration does! Time and inaction will not bring about improvement! At some point we have to dig in our heels and say: 'I will not go one step further in this direction'!  If you find yourself on the wrong train, don't you stand up and ask the conductor to stop the train so that you can get off?

Who do you fear more, God or the government?

Will we do the right thing, and trust Him who is able to protect us to look out for our safety--or will we follow the path of least resistance, surrendering our integrity for a security that, I guarantee you, will not last?

God is testing our character--individually, and as a nation.  He is allowing each of us to be brought to this place of decision--and the decisions we make will decide our national and personal destinies.

Although we may personally be able to avoid judgment for actions our government takes that we are unaware of, and don't directly participate in--we are aware now, and will be personally guilty of participating if we continue to provide tax dollars to a government that murders.


Lightning may not strike the White House on that day, but our country will surely begin to suffer God's judgment, if we continue to proceed in that direction.  Without His blessing upon us, we will suffer at the hands of our own government, our enemies, the weather, and natural disasters.  Mark my words.

Nationally, we have been deserving of  judgment from the time of the passage of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion, but God has been patient with us and has given us time to repent.  We haven't.  If our nation doesn't soon change course, our nation will bear God's judgment: hunger, plagues, and wars (that we lose . . . on American soil. . . ).


I believe the time is fast approaching when God will call upon His people to 'come out of' our corrupt economic system (Babylon the Great). I don't know exactly how we go about this ('coming out of' the system). We will each have to seek God's wisdom as to how to proceed.  But perhaps that call pertains to this day as well.  If every devout Christian and pro-life citizen in America would go on strike beginning that day, as a matter of conscience, perhaps things would begin to turn. 
 
Maybe the time has arrived, to start thinking about coming out.

'Gold, a safe investment'--are you sure about that?

Consider this:


Presidential Executive Order 6102 Issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 5, 1933

(For Fair Use and Educational Purposes Only)

---

Confiscation of Gold and Silver and All Bank Safe Deposit Boxes Sealed by Law "I, as President do declare that the national emergency still exists; that the continued private hoarding of gold and silver by subjects of the United States poses a grave threat to peace, equal justice, and well-being of the United States; and that appropriate measures must be taken immediately to protect the interest of our people. Therefore, pursuant to the above authority, I hereby proclaim that such gold and silver holdings are prohibited, and that all such coin, bullion or other possessions of gold and silver be tendered within fourteen days to agents of the Government of the United States for compensation at the official price, in the legal tender of the Government. All safe deposit boxes in banks or financial institutions have been sealed pending action in the due course of the law. All sales or purchases or movements of such gold and silver within the borders of the Untied States and its territories, and all foreign exchange transactions or movements of such metals across the border are hereby prohibited..." Proclamation by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Source: A Simultaneous Worldwide Depression, and a Worldwide Famine, and World War III by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.

Folks, our current economic problems have been planned, and carried out, with the deliberate intention of transferring your wealth to the government and the international banking cartel. Do you really think they forgot that you might invest in gold? Or, in this high-stakes game of strategy, is it possible that's exactly what they wanted you to do . . . ?

'Spiritual Wickedness In High Places' by Chuck Baldwin

"Spiritual Wickedness In High Places"
By Chuck Baldwin
February 17, 2010

This column is archived at
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2010/cbarchive_20100217.html

Almost immediately after Adam's fall, Lucifer and his minions collaborated with evil men to usurp God's authority and sovereignty. And nowhere is God more sovereign than in the heart and conscience of man. In the spirit world, the First Commandment ("Thou shalt have no other gods before me") is the
battleground that is most fought over. The war for man's heart and soul is never-ending.

Nimrod was the first would-be tyrant to try and bring the world into a global "New World Order." His handiwork produced the Tower of Babel, which brought about a cataclysmic judgment from Jehovah. However, while Nimrod was the first globalist to try and unify the nations against God, he was certainly not the last. The Pharaohs, Darius, Artaxerxes, Cyrus, Alexander, Nebuchadnezzar, the Caesars, and hundreds like them have all brought their tyrannical rule over the hearts of men. And their ideas and passions are as alive and active in the world today as ever.

With every would-be world tyrant, there is one constant: the unholy marriage between a supranational government and Big Religion. If Jehovah God made anything clear in the Mosaic model of government, it was the fact that--until Christ Himself comes to occupy both offices--the offices of Priest and King were to be eternally separate. At least one Old Testament Jewish king learned that lesson the hard way.

Yet, Big Government and Big Religion have always come together for the purpose of enslaving the masses. The devilish duo of Big Government and Big Religion killed the Old Testament prophets. They hung Jesus on the cross and persecuted the early Church. They murdered masses during the Dark Ages; they managed the Holocaust; and their obnoxious offspring are still at work today. This criminal cabal has been the bane of genuine faith and personal liberty since the beginning of time.

When Colonial America fired that shot heard around the world and fought their way to independence, they broke free, not only from the political domination of the Crown, but also from the religious domination of a State Church. No longer would citizens be required to join a particular church in order to hold public office. No longer would citizens be required to financially support churches and institutions they deemed to be offensive to their spiritual convictions. No longer could a religious institution use the power and force of civil government to subjugate men to its tenets and, yes, tentacles. Indeed, the apostate kingdom created by Constantine's spiritual whoredom ended at the eastern shore of America!


And dare I say that I am proud of my Anabaptist forebears for helping to embed the principle of religious liberty into American law and jurisprudence? Indeed, I am! What many Americans do not know (and what many militant secularists refuse to acknowledge) is that it was the influence of the Colonial Baptists--most notably, the Baptist minister John Leland--that was most responsible for the First Amendment being added to the US Constitution.

Therefore, it is more than disturbing when I see evangelical Christians being seduced by the ancient Big Government/Big Religion whorish union today. How can any true Gospel preacher accept federal Faith-Based Initiative monies, except that he has either lost all understanding of what freedom truly means, or is willing to sacrifice the sacred principles of liberty upon the altar of his own selfish interests?

How can any true Gospel preacher not realize that Big Religion has always conspired with tyrannical governmental forces against the true Gospel message? Why are they so blind to these devilish conspiracies? At the highest levels of virtually every major religion, the conspiracy to hijack truth and enslave the masses is constantly at work, whether it is Catholicism, Judaism, or Protestantism.

This is what the Apostle Paul warned about in Ephesians 6:12. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Of course, the "rulers of the darkness of this world" are demonic. But it is also an absolute certainty that these demonic forces accomplish their devilish deeds through evil men who are given to "spiritual wickedness in high places."

Was not the spiritual netherworld complicit in helping to construct Nimrod's Tower of Babel? Was not spiritual wickedness at work when Pharaoh murdered the little children of the Hebrews? Were not dark principalities at work when Nebuchadnezzar ordered everyone to bow to the image of the Babylonian leader? When the Lord Jesus called Jewish King Herod a "fox," was not He acknowledging Herod's complicity with evil? Were not spiritual powers aiding and abetting the Jewish Sanhedrin when they moved the crowd to crucify the Son of God? When the early Church was being persecuted, was not spiritual wickedness at work? When nonconforming Christians were thrown to the lions and sawn asunder, were not their tormentors influenced by these same rulers of darkness? Of course they were!

Then, why is it so difficult for modern Christians--especially our pastors and preachers--to understand that this unholy union of Big Government and Big Religion is as evil and sinful today as it ever was? Why are they unwilling to recognize that the same devilish system that plagued the Church throughout the ages--suspended only temporarily by the successful revolution for American independence--is rearing its ugly head again? Why are they unwilling to believe that many of America's leaders (from both parties) routinely give themselves to luciferian rituals, such as those annual dances around the fire at the Bohemian Grove? Why is it so hard to believe that we have leaders (from both parties) who have given themselves to dark, secret societies, such as Skull and Bones? Why are they not suspicious when certain religious schools and institutions repeatedly produce many of the leaders (from both parties) who seem to universally take America down the same path
of globalism?

As most Christians should know, The Beast of Revelation is as much a SYSTEM as it is a person. As the Apostle John warned, the "spirit of antichrist . . . even now already is it in the world." (I John 4:3) He also warned, "Even now are there many antichrists." (I John 2:18)

Any Big Government/Big Religion system that seeks to bring nations into global unity, enshrine a politically correct theology of universalism, establish Church/State uniformity, and marginalize independent, nonconformist ideology is nothing more than the emergence of another Tower of Babel or Beast-like system! And, dear Christian friend, has it occurred to you that our central government in Washington, D.C., is currently engaged in all of the above?

Both political parties--including most of our national leaders and news media--actively promote globalism; universalism is, without a doubt, the unofficial--but clearly understood--national religion; and anyone who holds nonconformist views (i.e., pro-life, Jesus-only theology, anti-UN, anti-illegal immigration, questioning official government explanations of national tragedies, etc.) is being viciously ridiculed, impugned, and
marginalized by virtually everyone in the national press corps and central government. Yes, I am saying it, THE BEAST IS EMERGING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.!

The powers that be in both Big Government and Big Religion want to control both our hearts and our minds. They cannot tolerate dissent. Mind you: they do not care if one is Republican or Democrat, because at the national level, both major parties are marching in the same beastly direction. They do not care if one is conservative or liberal, because the leaders of both camps are, likewise, marching in lockstep to the tune being played by The Beast. They do not care if one is Jewish, Catholic, or Protestant, because at the highest levels, these religions are committing whoredom with The Beast.

If a pastor or preacher is going to be true to his calling today, he must be willing to adopt the philosophy of the late, great Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who said, "The more prominent you are in Christ's service, the more certain are you to be the butt of calumny [slander]. I have long ago said farewell to my character. I lost it in the earlier days of my ministry by being a little more zealous than suited a slumbering age. And I have never been able to regain it except in the sight of Him who judges all the earth, and in the hearts of those who love me for my work's sake."

Any desire for promotion, pleasure, riches, or fame will quickly make one a servant of The Beast. And, I'm afraid, that is exactly what many of today's pastors and preachers have become. The fight for independence was as much for the freedom of the heart and mind as it was for the freedom of a State or nation. In fact, one cannot enslave the latter until he first enslaves the former. And this is what is currently at stake: the freedom of the heart and soul to be governed by God and no other! And this battle will never be won--at least not nationally--as long as Christians and pastors are unwilling to recognize the enemy for what it
is: "spiritual wickedness in high places."


*If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

(c) Chuck Baldwin

NOTE TO THE READER:

Chuck Baldwin is a syndicated columnist, radio broadcaster, author, and pastor dedicated to preserving the historic principles upon which America was founded. He was the 2008 Presidential candidate for the Constitution Party. He and his wife, Connie, have been married for 37 years and have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. See Chuck's complete bio at:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/sketch.html

The Philosophy of Liberty

This is great! Check it out! Pass it on!


 "At times some people use force or fraud to take from others without voluntary consent . . . the initiation of force or fraud . . . to take liberty is slavery.

You have the right to protect your own life, liberty, and justly acquired property from the forceful aggression of others.

(Elected) officials have no right to murder, to enslave, or to steal."

Only One Way? How Intolerant!

How can I say there's only one way to God?  Because it's true.

• The truth stands alone, but it takes a million lies to cover it up.
• The truth is simple, but the lies become more and more elaborate.
• The truth is unchanging, but the lies bend to conform themselves to every shift in society.
• Contrary to popular opinion, there is only one explanation that is 100% truth.
  

Consider these things:

• If there is a God, and if He is good--would He give people free will, or would he control and manipulate them?

That may seem pretty straightforward, He'd give them free will--but have you ever stopped to think about this:

• How would He prevent bad things from happening, yet not interfere with anyone's free will?

I don't believe that's possible.  So, bad things happen to us all.

And how could everyone NOT love Him, if nothing bad ever happened to any of us?

Lets put it in human terms.  Suppose someone is obsessed with you, but you don't know it.  They want you to love them, because they 'love' you.  So, they lure you into a date, a nice daylong cruise on their private yacht.  But, through a series of unfortunate events, the boat sinks and they save you from drowning.  You end up stranded, alone on a desert island with this person--and for some reason, there is no hope of rescue, ever.

Not knowing that this was all staged, you eventually come to love this person, who is brave and strong and always looking out for you.  You come to depend on them, and they go out of their way to provide what you need.  Yet, it is love based on a lie.

If this person is manipulating and deceiving you, they don't really love you, aren't looking out for your best interests, and can't be trusted. They are not who you thought they were-they are the worst kind of person.   This person has robbed you, for the most part, of your right to choose!  Knowing that, your love would turn to hate.

What kind of a person would be so desperate for your love, that they would go to such great lengths to entrap you?  In fact, don't we become a bit suspicious of someone who is nothing but devoted to us?  Don't we eventually perceive their desperation?

Now, if the God who created Heaven and Earth never let anything bad happen to us, and so completely sheltered us--isn't it possible that we would begin to see Him as desperate and needy, and capable of manipulating and deceiving us?  Could we really trust Him?

And what kind of character would that show Him to have, if He would do that to you?  He would not be a good God, worthy of love and devotion--He would be a desperate, needy, lying, deceiving, evil 'god'.  (Oh wait, there is someone like that . . . ever heard of someone 'making a deal with the devil'?  That's when someone trades in their free will for the promise of all their dreams coming true . . . )

Yet, how many of you blame God when bad things happen to you?  What do you want--free will, or a perfect life that's free from pain?  If He chooses to give you free will, you're angry when bad things happen.  But, if He took away your free will in order to spare you pain, could you love or respect Him then?


So, assuming we've gotten past the question of God's character . . .

• Why would He only make one way? 

My question to you--why should He make more than one way?  If He is Lord of all, and good, doesn't He have a monopoly on the 'product'? (truth and eternal life)

Does Amtrak advertise?  No.  Why not?  Because there is no one else you can turn to for that product.  If you want to ride a train across the U.S., you have to go to Amtrak--on their terms!  You pay the price they require, and you accommodate your schedule to the times their train is going to where you want to go. 

And they know this, so why should they waste their effort trying to persuade you?  (And because they're government run, they don't really care if they make a profit, or if you're satisfied with the service--think Post Office, DMV, etc.)

Like Amtrak, and the Post Office, God has a monopoly.  If you want what He alone can provide, you'll go to Him on His terms.  Not to mention, you are a mere mortal, formed from the dust of the Earth--and He is the Creator and Lord of everything that exists!  Who are you anyway, to think you can negotiate the terms?

Among us Americans, the roots of capitalism are so deep in us, that we don't even realize it.

• 'There's no free lunch'--yes and no.  Someone has to pay, that's true--but it might not be you.
• We are used to dealing with companies that are needy, for us to choose them--because, if we don't, they die.
• We want to be convinced, persuaded, wooed--I am the one with the power (the $$ to spend)--beg me to spend it on your product.
• We are used to hearing lies and exaggerated claims.
• 'You get what you pay for'--this one causes us to judge the value of a product by what it costs us.  If it's free, it can't be worth much . . .

These are some of the attitudes that make it hard for us to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.  But these attitudes don't apply in the relationship between God and man, because:

• God made everything--we were born into a world that contained everything we needed.  Is that not a 'free lunch'?  It is not God, but man, that has taken it upon himself to decide who is entitled to have, and who isn't.  God made enough of everything we need, for all of us.  It is men who refuse to share.
• God doesn't need us.  He is complete without us.  He is not needy.  He was, long before we were, and He will continue, even if we should all perish.  Because He does not need us, there is no reason for Him to beg, lie, woo, persuade, exaggerate or deceive us.  And, as I said before, He has a monopoly on the product.  If you choose God, you win.  If you don't, it's your loss, not His.
• You get what you pay for--maybe, where people are concerned (but most of the time you get less).  God is not greedy--everything* is His.  He can make more of whatever He chooses.  He has no costs to cover, no shortage of supplies.  He has no need to hoard.  It pleases Him to share freely.  He isn't going to gauge 'how much it's worth to you' to exact that much in payment from you,  for the things you need.  He doesn't deny you, based on your inability to pay.  He is not trying 'to create a brand for Himself', that He should only sell things to the highest bidder.  With Him, things are free--that's God's economy.  He only asks that you be a good steward of what He provides. 

*Actually, I wasn't completely accurate. . .  in saying that everything is His.  You aren't.  No man is, unless they choose to be.  Your spirit and your will belong to you--that was a gift to you from God.  You didn't ask to be born, and He won't burden you with eternal life, unless you ask for it. 

After you have worn out the body He loaned you for your life on this earth, you return it, along with your soul and spirit, to God.  He'll give your body back to the dust He made you from.  He'll judge you (by the laws He set down for mankind, and based on how you've lived your life). Then He'll dispose of what's left of you.

If, however, while you journey through this life, you come to love truth, righteousness and justice, and long for fellowship with God, there is a way.  One way.  And that should not surprise you.  After all, how many keys can open your front door?  Just one.  (Sure, you may  have some exact duplicates, but there is only one configuration of dips and ridges that will line up correctly inside the keyhole to open the lock.)


That way is through genuine repentance, and faith in Jesus' death on your behalf.  None of us is 'good enough' to get there without Him.  We have all sinned and 'missed the mark'.

An honorable man knocks at the front door--he doesn't look for a window he can sneak in through.  So it is with the kingdom of God.  If you truly seek God's mercy, you will go to Him in humbleness, and accept His terms (not with your head held high in haughty pride, demanding that He make you a way that appeals more to you).  And, if your repentance is genuine, the way you live the rest of your life will prove it.

Go to the one who died for you, and ask Him for mercy.  Once you leave this life, it will be too late.

Enduring What Is Coming--Mental Preparation

I believe, over a year ago, that the United States experienced a large influx of demonic spirits.  I can't prove that, or explain why that might be--I can only tell you that I feel it.

Something has radically changed in America.  There is a spiritual darkness present here now, as the darkness that envelopes the land before a great storm.  I don't know whether or  not you have sensed it too.

I'm sharing a list of suggestions, to help you protect yourself from things that are to come: deception and spiritual forces of evil (in whatever form they may manifest in our physical world).

Scripture tells us that a people without understanding (of God's ways) will come to ruin.  Jesus says that we are as sheep among wolves, yet we should be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves. 

• There is another dimension-an unseen spiritual world-that is intricately tied in with everything that happens in our world   That world is eternal, ours is bound by time.  From that world, all dimensions are seen.  In our world, much that happens is not visible to us.  Our world is secondary to that world.  In that world, the story began--the story that never ends.  This world, as we know it, is coming to an end.  A new heavens and a new Earth will take its place, by the grace of God, because this one has been irreparably corrupted (no, I don't mean global warming).
• Everything really does boil down to the battle between good and evil   That is the whole reason 'our world' was even created.  It was chosen to be the theater for the great battle between good and evil.
• Don't be so sure that you know what is going on--nothing is as it seems  Many deceiving spirits are among us.  Theories abound.  Conspiracies abound.  A lot is going on, and a lot is being revealed.  God will show you what you need to know.  Be careful you don't get caught up in the confusion and start defining people as 'friends' or 'enemies' by whether or not they share your current beliefs about what is going on--they may just know more (or less) about it, than you.
• There is one force of good--spiritual forces of evil are attacking from many sides   There is only one force for good, and it is far more powerful than the force of evil.  However, the force of evil is desperate, and is attacking from every side.  Stand firm and wait for God's deliverance (no, not the 'Rapture') when you are besieged.  Have faith.  Resist evil and it will retreat.
• Get back to the basics   Don't let yourself be taken on a tangent by new and intriguing teachings. There is much deception swirling around us.  Go back to the basics that God teaches us in the Bible, and hold on tight.
• Search your heart often   Our hearts our desperately wicked, yet if we would judge ourselves, we'd all see ourselves as innocent.  God judges the intent of our hearts.  It is your heart that decides toward what direction to point your will.  It is your heart that falls into sin first.  None of us is righteous.  Our greatest enemy lies within us, and we are blind to its true condition, and to its power to lead us astray.
• Read your Bible & pray for understanding   The Bible is God's message to us, and is for God's people only--no one else can understand it.  But, the Holy Spirit must teach you what it means.  Equip yourself for the days ahead, by learning it now.
  
• Live by Biblical principles:  even if you don't understand them--they protect you   God's rules form a hedge around you--not a hedge to keep you in, but a hedge to keep evil out.
• Don't follow the crowd   Jesus told us that the path to destruction is wide and many people will go that way and, conversely, the way that leads to life is narrow, and few will find it.
• Don't be distracted by the trivial  God, and his people, are being attacked from every side.   Stay focused, there are many important issues right now--don't let the enemy distract you.
• Be very suspicious of 'miracles' and supernatural displays   Jesus promised that false messiahs and workers of miracles would abound in the latter days.  Don't be surprised, and don't be taken in, no matter how elaborate a 'miracle' may seem.  A lot can be done with money, technology, and demonic power.
• Deceptions come in all sizes  Don't think something is too big and powerful, or too little and unimportant, to be fake.
• Turn off your TV!   More than anything else, this is the tool that Satan uses to unify people in their beliefs and actions.  It's not about what shows you watch--it's the whole paradigm for life, the whole package of values and beliefs, that is presented over and over and over and over . . . molding you without you even being aware.
• Trust no one 100%   Sadly, unfortunately, we have come to this point.
• Be skeptical, think critically   Don't believe everything you see and hear, no matter  how often you see and hear it.  Don't believe everything you are told--no matter who tells you.
• Blindly follow no one   Think for yourself.  It is largely your choices that will determine the course of your life.  Everyone has an agenda.  As times get tougher, people will become more self protective, deceptive and manipulative--in a word: less trustworthy.
• Be responsible for yourself and your children   Start taking on the responsibilities God gave you, because soon you will have to fight tooth and nail for them.  Everyone's children will soon be taken away--because parental authority will be usurped by international treaty.  The irony is, you'll still have the expense and responsibility for raising them, they'll still live with you, but you will not have the freedom to choose what is in their best interest, or how you will raise or teach them.  (What do you think your family life will be like when your teenager realizes you have no legal authority over them?  Who will be running the show then?)
• Protect what is important to you   You are standing on the verge of losing everything that matters to you--and you don't even see it.  Trust me--you'd better wake up and stand up to protect what is important to you now, while you still can.  After that, you're going to have to decide which of your values and freedoms you are willing to die to hold onto, and which you'll learn to live without.
• Diligently protect your children!   The real battle is for the hearts and minds of your children.  If you don't believe me, look to history, look to other countries and their kidnapped child-soldiers, look to how our mandatory, liberal/progressive-run educational system is turning children against their parents.  'There is nothing new under the sun'--history repeats itself.  To see the future, examine the past.  Fight now, before it's too late!
• Teach your children   Equip your children now, to face the deceptions ahead of them.  Your window of opportunity is closing.  Not only will you not be legally able (your parental authority will be gone),  your children will be turned against you in the schools where they are spending 30 or more hours a week under intense pressure from people whose values are in direct opposition to your own--people who have already begun a revolution, against the values we represent.
• Think long and hard before surrendering your freedom for security  An enemy will say anything to get you to surrender--it's much easier on them than having to fight you!  They will even create a crisis, to convince you to surrender your freedom to them, in trade for the promise of peace and safety.
• Remember that what you agree to do voluntarily, will later become mandatory  Seems to be a basic principle in life.
• Remember that if you don't use self control, you will end up under someone else's control  Another seemingly basic principle in life.
• Don't be proud and arrogant  Pride comes before a fall.  It's pride and arrogance that got America into this mess.  It's pride and arrogance that God hates.
• Don't be sucked in by flattery  Oldest trick in the book.  It works most effectively on those with low self esteem, excessive pride and arrogance, or narcissism.

Pastors: Who Are You REALLY Looking Out For?

My apologies to those who are dedicated, sacrificing Pastors who have the best interests of their people at heart.  To those of you who sincerely try:  God bless you.

However, some of you are being so helpful to the devil that he can leave your congregation alone and go on vacation!!

If you don't teach your people right from wrong, the truth from lies . . . if you don't preach about sin and repentance . . . who are you REALLY helping?

Sure, your attendance will be high, and you'll go through the motions of being a minister of the gospel . . . your political correctness will make you popular, but it will be an intricate dance to tell the truth without stepping on anyone's toes.  You'll be so busy with the latest program that you'll hardly notice that your old, faithful, Bible-thumping, Amen-corner Christians have departed.  The flurry of activity will distract you from the fact that you no longer feel God's presence in your church--or in your life.

Is your church 'lukewarm' towards God, towards truth, towards sanctification?  You are the one who sets the standard for your people.  They aren't going to achieve any more than you tell them you believe they can achieve.  If your church is lukewarm, it's because you allow them to be comfortable with being lukewarm!

Pastors:  If you don't teach your people right from wrong, don't maintain a higher standard for your congregation (and yourself), don't confront your people regarding their sins--do you really think you're helping them?

Don't you know, if you permit something, they think God permits it?  If you accept something, they think God accepts it?  If you remain silent about sin, if you don't point it out and call it for what it is--your congregation will assume that you condone it, and that God does likewise!

It would be nice if your people read the Bible--but you can't assume that they do!!  You need to shore up the foundations of their understanding--and then add the basic building blocks.  Forget the fancy trim and designer windows! Forget following the crowd!  Forget the latest fad!  Forget pleasing people--please God!!  Your people are falling into deception, and God is going to hold you accountable if you are not doing your job!

Satan has been waging a concerted attack against all that is foundational to the lives of human beings. He is setting the stage for his reign on Earth, as the head of a global government.  The day is fast approaching.  His reign won't last for long--but it will be devastating while it does.  How many of your people will be able to (spiritually) endure?  How many of their children have already been led far astray?

Unable to conquer truth, he is changing the definition and concept of truth, making it a relative term--something of little importance.  Unable to obliterate the family as fast as he'd like, he is attempting to redefine it as well, and make the family (as God designed it) obsolete.  He calls the idea of reality into question, teaching that it is something we create through our own will and imagination. 

When I say you need to get back to basics in your preaching--I mean the very foundations of our understanding of God and life!!  As obvious as these things may be to you--don't assume your congregation knows the difference!! They need to know there is a God!  There really is such a thing as absolute truth!  There are actions and beliefs that are right, and others that are wrong.  Jesus is the only way.  Etc., etc., etc.

If you don't teach your people what is sin, don't confront them when they sin, and don't hold them to a higher standard (because you don't want to make them uncomfortable?)--do you think you are acting in their best interest?  Sin and deception will ensnare them and pull them deep into bondage!  Which do you think is worse?  They trust you enough to put their spiritual well-being into your hands.  More than that--God thought highly enough of you, and trusted you enough, to place them in your care!!  Are you going to disappoint His faith in you?

Wake up and do what God has called you to do.  The hour is late!!  God is going to send a powerful delusion to those who do not love the truth . . . teach your people truth!! Teach them to love the truth, to search out the truth, to hold fast to the truth!!

You have labored long and hard--don't give up now that we are in the final stretch!  Forget what is behind and press forward with all your might!!  Your finest hour may be just around the bend!!

Homosexual Christians?

You can't be a follower of Jesus and be a homosexual.

I can't follow Jesus and be a thief, or a murderer.  If I am a thief and want to follow Jesus, I must leave stealing behind.  If I am a murderer and want to follow Jesus, I must leave killing behind. 

When we follow Jesus, we put our 'flesh' (sinful desires and actions) to death . . .  deny ourselves . . . 'die to' our old selves . . . are 'born again' . . . born of the spirit  . . . have a new life . . .  We become new creations! 

When we accept Jesus' death, on our behalf, we must come to Him on His terms. We confess our sins, repent of them, and don't practice them any longer.  He forgives our sins and washes them away, and we are made new.

You may argue that being a homosexual is who you are--I argue that is who you are because it is what you do.

Contrary to some people's arguments, people are not born homosexual.  If you have the normal XX or XY chromosomes, your gender is not in question.  (If you ARE a hermaphrodite, or have chromosomal problems, that's a different story.)

Here are reasons you may not feel comfortable with your gender:

• The way you are raised and treated.  
• The expectations or prejudices you are exposed to.  
• The popularity and promotion of homosexuality in our culture.
• Peer pressure.

But here are what I believe are the three most important factors:  being wounded in your early relationships, being molested by someone of the same gender (remembered or  not), demonic influence.

There are a number of ways these factors can work together, although any one of them can lead you to the conclusion, and feeling, that you are gay.  But, when they are combined, their effect is greatly multiplied, and you will feel an almost irresistible pull towards homosexuality.

One of the common ways it plays out is:

1. A child is rejected by his father (living with rejection is more damaging than being abandoned).  Young children trust adults and see them almost as gods.  If a young child is receiving the message, from an adult, that he is not worthy, he may disown himself (or aspects of himself).  If he is a bit older, he may hate the adult and vow not to be like him.  Either way, if a boy does not have a healthy relationship with his father (or an adult male), he will have an emptiness that will cause him to gravitate towards 'father figures' in his life.  This may be adult males, or boys that are older than him that seem more masculine to him than he feels. 

Here is where a problem begins.  Young, wounded boys are very alluring to predatory men (including pedophiles) and delinquent boys.  A wounded boy is a magnet for sick and perverse males, and he is soon going to end up in bad company.  He doesn't have to be molested to become homosexual--he may idolize the man or boy he follows, to the extent that he falls in love with him.  The whole issue is that he doesn't love and accept himself.

The irony is--some well meaning single mothers introduce predatory men into their wounded son's life, without being aware of it. A single mother has her own issues, and she may be very relieved to have found a man who shows a fatherly interest in her son. 

These are the worst situations, because the boy is unable to extricate himself from the relationship, and is unlikely to tell his mother what is happening.  He will likely be at the man's mercy for many years.  This man, given enough time, will likely mold the boy into a replica of himself.  Undoing the damage, if the grown up boy is willing, may occupy much of the rest of his life.

2.  Wounded boys are needy and vulnerable, magnets for pedophiles, and very likely to be molested.  They pretty well have a sign on their forehead saying "victim", which predators quickly home in on.  Each molestation makes another one more likely. 

The boy is molded physically, mentally, and emotionally by these experiences, and logically forms an identity as inferior, a victim, and as a homosexual.  He does not realize that someone else appointed this identity to him, instead he believes they recognized what he already must have been--not true!!  The only thing he was is needy and vulnerable.

3.  Demonic influence--I think this is one of the biggest reasons that homosexuality is so commonplace today.  Demonic forces promote sin in every form.  Demonic forces actively deceive, tempt, and seduce people into sin.  Just as we may have 'guardian angels', people are accompanied by demonic spirits.  Demonic beings act persistently in a person's life, usually to the extent that they are successful in luring him into sin. 

Demonic spirits can gain entrance to a person's life (not the same as actually being possessed) through things they partake of (including music, movies, magazines, etc.), through interactions with other people (who 'entertain' demons in their life), and by chance.  MANY of these demonic beings are with us, in our sinful culture today, and they are a powerful force behind the promotion of homosexuality.


Homosexuality is neither normal nor natural.  God says it is an abomination to Him.  He also says that, when He is totally disgusted with a person (to paraphrase), He will give them over to a 'reprobate mind' and homosexuality. 

With that in mind, does homosexuality really sound like something people are born with?  Do you think God would create someone that way, so that He would turn His back on him from the day he was born?  No.  Absolutely not!!  The temptation to homosexuality, however, may find its way into your life at a very early age.

I believe that part of the recent increase in demonic activity in America, is a concerted Satanic attack on children.  With a culture that lies to us and says that homosexuality is normal and that speaking against it is hateful (or criminal)--how many parents are going to steer their young children away from homosexuality when they are being tempted and deceived by demonic spirits (or other kids, or society, etc. for that matter)?

By trying to be 'politically correct', we are leaving our vulnerable children open to the most vile temptations and influences.  These sins, that we are afraid to speak against, have the power to imprison our children in chains of heavy bondage, and open the door to other powerful delusions and doctrines of Satan.

Parents:  we live in perilous, vile, and deceptive times--you had better get serious about protecting your children from evil!!

'Christian parents':  if you won't teach your children right from wrong, and the truth from a lie--who do you think will?  And who do you think God will hold responsible?

Believe That 'Each Of Us Has Our Own Truth'?

You can't be a follower of Jesus and believe that 'each of us has our own truth'.

If you believe this, you are like the sleeping crew of a ship that has lost its anchor.  You are drifting, unaware, and have no idea where you really are!

'Truth' is one of the most basic, fundamental principles in life!  Truth, absolute truth, exists--and there is only one truth!!  God is the author and embodiment of truth.  The Bible is the portion of the truth that He has chosen to reveal to mankind, to guide us through our lives on Earth.

For years, Satan attacked one truth after another, yet he only succeeded in deceiving some of the people each time.  But his plan calls for everyone to believe him (and to eliminate the ones that don't.)  Now the hour is late, and his time is running out.

He couldn't conquer truth itself, so it is no wonder that he has finally decided to attack and subvert the very concept and definition of truth!

I don't even know how to address this one--it's completely absurd. 

We live in a world where common sense has all but died, and where people think reality is just a creation of their own imagination.  They believe that if they change their thinking they can change reality . . . that if they deny something, it will lose its power to exist . . . that if more people, who desire the same reality, will join together, they will have more power to make it exist . . . that people who don't desire the same reality will hinder their efforts.  (This is why they will first ignore 'the opposition', but when that doesn't work will feel they must eliminate it.)

I'm not a philosopher.  I can't contort my mind through the mental gymnastics that are necessary to understand this way of thinking.  All I can say is that I know they are wrong, because I have found truth.  Not just my truth, THE truth.  It exists.  It proves itself.  It remains constant.  It povides a sturdy anchor.  It doesn't conform to me or my opinions--rather, it causes me to change and conform my opinions to it. 

When I found THE truth, it was very different from the opinions I held as MY truth. Yet, when I put them in the ring together, THE truth won every round!

You can live in an alternate reality if you choose (we used to call that 'insanity' . . .).  You can define truth for yourself, and occupy your mind with the complex mental contortions of philosophy--but not if you are a follower of Jesus.  And, whether you are or not, someday you will come face to face with THE truth.  It will reveal itself and your eyes will be opened.  Hopefully, for you, the day that happens will not be judgment day.

Expect To Be Popular?

You can't be a follower of Jesus and expect to be popular.

Trying to be popular is a trap.  When you try to be popular, you say and do what will please others. 

But, especially these days, people don't want to hear the truth, be confronted, feel uncomfortable, or face unpleasantness.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is all of these things: absolute truth, confronting us about our sin, a push outside of our comfort zone, the unmasking of evil.

Speaking of these things will not please others.  Yet Jesus says that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father.  If we remain silent before men, we can expect to hear Him say, on the day of judgment, "Depart from me.  I never knew you."


So, tell me then:  how can you be true to the gospel and be popular?

Follow The Crowd?

You can't be a follower of Jesus and follow the crowd.

Jesus says that the path to destruction is broad, and many people will take that path . . . and that the way to life is narrow, and few will find it.

He also says that He will lead you, direct your steps, and show you which way to turn.  No matter how many times you fall down, He will always help you up.


But you have to ask.  And you have to follow His direction. 

Christianity: It's always the same theme.  Will you obey God, or not?  That decision is made in your heart, and reflected in your actions. 

Find the will to obey God.  If you can't find the will in your heart anymore--ask God to give you the will.  Whatever His children need, He is glad to provide.

Have Sex When You're Not Married?

I'm sorry, but you can't be a follower of Jesus and have sex outside of marriage.

Sex outside of marriage is called fornication--adultery if one or both of the people involved are married.
A lot of people won't tell you this, because they are afraid they'll offend you and you won't go to their church.  But--this is what the Bible says, over and over again.

God has a very special and specific plan for marriage, between one man and one woman, and sex plays a beautiful and important part in that relationship.  This is the ONLY context in which sex is permitted, for the people of God.

A lot of people want to push it to the limit, debate over what is considered 'sex', and talk about 'gray areas' in regards to God's rules for us.  If that's you, consider this:  when we step outside of God's perfect will, into His permissive will, we are one step closer to sin.

People talk about degrees of sin, or big sins and little sins--the way I see it, sin is a progression . . . you step out of God's perfect will into His permissive will, a couple more steps and you are into sin.  Each further step draws you deeper into more and more vile sin.  BE ASSURED, you will continue walking, or being pulled, in one direction or the other!

Righteousness and sin each have a pull--like gravity, if you will.  If you cannot resist the pull towards sin when you are close to God, how do you think you will resist the pull deeper into sin once you've taken a few steps further away from God? 


Sin will pull you towards it, but God expects you to WALK towards Him.  He will not pull you.  You demonstrate your will by your action.  But He WILL meet you half-way!  You can't fight sin on your own!

My advice, and where I think is the best place to draw the line?  Anything that is going to arouse a feeling of desire is going too far.  Whether that's fantasies, touches, kisses, what you look at, what you listen to, where you go . . . whatever!  It is much 'easier' (not that resisting this is ever easy) to stop before you ever start!!

If you have already gone too far and want to stop--STOP!!  And be prepared for the fight of your life.  This is a temptation you will have to battle every day, from now on, unless God supernaturally sets you free from your biological programming.  Just because we are 'made that way' doesn't mean it's ok to live that way!

God calls upon His followers to set themselves apart . . . to demonstrate to the world that we live by a higher standard (not as animals do) and that Christians are imbued with spiritual power (from Him) that gives us extraordinary abilities and makes us overcomers!


Don't play with sin, don't give in to temptation!  Turn away from temptation and run to God!  You don't know what you're messing with!

There are no 'little sins' and 'big sins'.  Sin is just an outward expression of   'where your heart is at', of your will.   Are you walking towards God, or away from Him?  That is the real issue.  All sins lead to the same destination--because God doesn't judge our sins, He judges our hearts.


You cannot sample sin and not be drawn in!  Tempting is the bait that draws you into the web of sin, but its sticky, invisible threads will bind you tightly. Then the forces of evil will come and feast upon you, injecting poisonous deception, anger, and rebellion and sucking out of you every last drop of your innocence, goodness, love and sanity.

If you don't believe me--talk to someone else who has been there.  Once you sin, you will never be the same again.  God can heal you, but you will always bear the scars, and suffer the consequences, of the choices you make.

Believe That Allah Is God?

You can't be a follower of Jesus and believe that Allah is the same as God. 

It is very clear, if you compare the Scriptures (Holy Bible) and the Koran, that the Koran is the antithesis of Scripture.  The 'god' of the Koran (Allah) is known as Satan/The Devil in the Bible.

Believe There Are Many Ways to God?

You can't be a follower of Jesus and believe that there are many ways to God.

Jesus said that He is the ONLY way . . . THE way, THE truth, and THE life . . . no man goes to the Father but through Him . . . the only begotten son . . .sent by God, because He loves us all so much . . . because He wishes that none would perish . . . but that all would come to repentance and receive eternal life.

Why We Should Elect (Or Appoint) Lawbreakers To Be Leaders

Actually, I wanted to write a brief blog: 'Five Reasons Why Not To Elect (Or Appoint) Lawbreakers To Be Leaders'--but I decided that there were so many reasons not to, that it would be much briefer to write a blog on why we SHOULD elect lawbreakers.

The only good reason I can think of is to start a revolution, to overthrow the established government.  Because, people that don't follow the laws have demonstrated that they are in opposition to the government that was put in place to uphold those laws.  When a president appoints such people to positions of power, his agenda should be clear to all.

Was Judas set up . . . by Jesus?

Have you ever wondered about Judas? I have. Why did Jesus choose Judas, knowing that he would betray Him? Yes, in order to fulfill Scripture, Jesus needed to be betrayed . . . but wasn't it kind of a setup to choose someone for that role? After all, Judas ended up hanging himself. It's pretty well certain he went into eternity without forgiveness. How do we know? Well, no mention is ever made of him seeking forgiveness from Jesus--or even from the other disciples.

So how could Jesus choose someone to betray Him and be damned? Because that's NOT what Jesus did. Jesus chose Judas, a man who was at the doorstep of damnation, whose only hope of salvation was divine intervention in his life. Judas was very bad on the inside. He was just like you and me. Jesus chose him, to save him.

Before Jesus died to save all mankind, he worked intimately in the lives of twelve men, molding and shaping them. He put each of them in situations that tested and tried them, that gave them the opportunity to overcome their own personal sins and issues.

Peter, for example, came face to face with his pride, over and over again. He learned to live by faith, rather than by his own strength and abilities. Do you think it was by chance that Jesus came to him, walking on water that night? Surely it was confidence that caused Peter to step out of the boat--as well as his love for Jesus. But it was confidence in the power of his love for Jesus, not faith in Jesus Himself. And so, becoming aware of the wind, he began to sink--an object lesson for sure. When Jesus reached out to save Him, He chided him 'You of little faith, why did you doubt'? Little faith? He stepped out of a boat, in a storm, to walk on the water to Jesus! Great love, great confidence, great bravery--but little faith. God knows our hearts.

Again Peter had to face his pride, when Jesus was betrayed. We know the story. At the 'last supper' Jesus shared with His disciples, He told them that they would all leave Him, that very night. Peter was the most vehement in promising that he would not forsake Him, even after Jesus specifically told him that he would deny Him three times that night! Of course, that's how it turned out, and Peter's pride was finally broken. Regret is the hardest thing to live with. It is the closest thing to eternal punishment that we have in this life.

Jesus said that He had not come to condemn man. So, why did He tell the disciples they would forsake Him that night, if it was not to condemn them? (He had also told them that one of them would betray Him.) He wanted them to search their hearts. We know that eleven of them did. (Did Judas?) And yet, even after twice searching their hearts, they all declared with Peter, that they would not forsake Him, but they did. They could not truly see what was within their own hearts.

Scripture tells us that the heart of man is desperately wicked, and that if we would judge ourselves, we would all find ourselves innocent. The lesson here is that we need to let God judge our hearts, and then listen to what He tells us! Jesus specifically told Judas that he was the one who would betray Him (even then, the plans had been made), and told Peter that 3 times he would deny Him.* Yet, apparently, neither believed Him. We so badly want to believe we are good!

It is not what is outside of us that destroys us--it is what lives within us!! We should fear our own hearts most of all!! How dangerous, to have within us something wicked, to which we are totally blind, that can so easily lead us astray!! Scripture tells us to work out our own salvation--with fear and trembling!! (Fear and trembling, in my opinion, of how we aren't really as good as we may believe, and of the trouble our hearts can lead us into.)

So, we have two examples here, where Jesus personally dealt with a disciple, regarding what was hidden in his heart that could destroy him. And we see two examples of men, totally blind to the sinfulness of their own hearts, that pay no heed to Jesus' warning.

Back to Judas, and my contention that Jesus chose him to save him.

What will most surely bring a man to his knees? That which has the power to destroy him. While adultery or alcoholism may finally bring some men to their knees, true regret can break the pride of ALL men.

Judas was a man whose heart was not in the right place. Although that's obvious to us now, in hindsight, it wasn't obvious to anyone then. No fingers were pointed at Judas when Jesus said that one of them would betray Him. In fact, when Jesus specifically identified him as the one, the other disciples seemed oblivious to what He was saying. The chief priests and elders didn't approach Judas, seeing he was a wicked man (he went to them). No one knew what lived within his heart. He put on a very good outward show. But, as I've said before, if you deal in dishonesty for too long, you lose the ability to discern the truth from a lie altogether. I believe that Judas had convinced everyone, including Judas, that he was a good man.

Jesus chose Judas, knowing that he was a thief and a traitor, and knowing his motives and his issues. He called him into His inner circle and treated him just like the other eleven disciples. Judas heard the same teachings, saw the same miracles, took part in the same conversations--yet none of this opened his eyes to the sinfulness in his own heart.

So, Jesus put him in charge of the money bag, knowing he was a thief. Surely there was opportunity to feel remorse, walking with Jesus while stealing from it. Did Jesus set him up? Yes. Jesus gave Judas the opportunity to sin, feel convicted and repent, so that He could save him!**

But, apparently Judas felt righteous in what he was doing. Here was God, in the flesh, divinely intervening in his life--and Judas was unable to discern, in contrast, the wickedness within himself! How powerful is sin, to harden our hearts, and blind us to truth and love!

Judas' next opportunity for repentance came, at the 'last supper'. Scripture tells that Jesus said that the man who would betray Him 'is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish'. Then, dipping the piece of bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

It is important to know that Satan cannot just enter a man at will--the man must allow him entrance. What true follower of Jesus would even take the piece of bread from Jesus' hand, after what He had said?! Yet Judas felt justified (righteous) in what he was doing. And, with his perspective distorted by his sinfulness, he probably thought that this is what Jesus wanted him to do!! Surely the Scripture makes it clear that this wasn't the case.

Another opportunity, when Jesus tells Judas 'What you are about to do, do quickly'. If Judas had any misgivings, Jesus' words should have pierced his heart and caused him to beg His forgiveness.

It wasn't until after the deed was done, after Satan was done using him and had departed, that Judas was finally able to see what he had done, and he was seized with remorse. But remorse is a feeling--true repentance is action. Judas' remorse did not lead him to Jesus or the disciples to beg forgiveness.

Instead, feeling guilty, he tried to return the money and undo the deed. He went back to the corrupt priests and elders, and gave his confession to them. He had 'betrayed innocent blood' he said. Even then, he was unable to recognize Jesus as more than just an innocent man! For over three years he had walked with Jesus, yet was still unable to discern that He was God.

We don't know what motivated Judas to betray Jesus. Perhaps it was the fear of persecution--after all, Jesus was telling the disciples what was on the horizon. Maybe Judas, seeing bad times ahead, sensed that the time had come to decide where his loyalties lay--that it was time to 'get off the fence', so to speak, and save himself. Unfortunately, he got off on the wrong side. But even his remorse did not wake him up to that.

Yes, Jesus set Judas up--even giving him the final opportunity of betraying Him . . . because if anything could have driven him to his knees, could have caused him to repent and be saved, it would have been the torment of remorse over betraying his Lord. But his heart was so hardened by years of sin and deceitfulness, and justifying his actions to himself, that he was no longer able to repent.

That is a sobering thought! If it could happen to a man who walked, for over three years, with Jesus--who seemed righteous, to others, in his outward appearance--who saw himself as a righteous man--could it happen to you . . . or me?

Certainly!! Fear what may be hidden within your own heart--and fear your heart itself, for it is desperately wicked! Fear sin--for it has the power to take root in your heart, deceive your mind, and harden you to the point that you are no longer able to repent!!

We are all so worried about the bogey man outside--'The Beast', 'The Antichrist', 666 . . . the real enemy is within each of us!!

The Scriptures contain many parallels and foreshadowings, to help us understand. In the 'latter days' (in which we are now living), this story will be played out again--countless times. True believers, like Jesus, will be betrayed by those closest to them, and put to death. And like Judas, 'followers of Jesus' ('Christians') will be the ones to betray them, while believing they are acting righteously.

Satan takes a perverse delight in turning man against his brother: from Cain against Abel, his eleven brothers against Joseph, Judas against Jesus, the Jews against the early Christian Jews, the Catholic church against Protestants--to, in the future, the apostate church ('Christians') against true Christians ('radicals'?, 'extremists'?).

As I look at history, the 'unsaved world' hasn't proven to be the enemy of God's people to anywhere near the degree that 'God's people' have! All the striving seems to be from within! Sure, God's people may not be popular with the 'unsaved world', but the rest of the world looks a lot more like spectators to me, as those who call themselves by His name kill one another!

It was the Jews who called for Jesus' death, as the Romans tried to extricate themselves from the situation; it was the most religious of the Jews that called for the deaths of Jesus and the early Christians; it was 'The (Catholic) Church' (Christianity infiltrated and subverted by paganism) that persecuted true Christians during The Inquisition and the Protestant Reformation; Hitler (a Jew) that exterminated six million Jews; Ahmadinejad (a Jew) who wants to destroy the country of Israel.

(I am not anti-Jewish. If the truth were known about all who descend from all of the twelve tribes of Israel [not just the Jews/Judah] there would surely be much more to tell. My point is simply that Satan delights in turning people who claim to be God's people against each other.)


So, like a suspenseful movie with a twist of irony at the end, here's one way things may play out in the days ahead:

• WHO: 'mainstream Christians' / the 'lukewarm church' in the book of Revelation / the 'apostate church' / 'Christians' / 'followers of Jesus'
• WHY: believing themselves righteous, blind to their sin, eager to maintain a good reputation in 'the world', fearful because of prophecies they don't understand, fearful of persecution, believing they are in danger from 'the beast' and 'the antichrist', eager to compromise to have peace and safety, believing 'radical Christians' are going to get them in trouble too, believing it will ensure their safety
• WHAT: distance themselves from 'radical Christians' (Christians who actually want to live in obedience to Christ), verbally separate themselves from 'radical Christians' , vehemently and publicly disown them (think of Peter disowning Jesus)
• WHEN: when they start to become unpopular, when they feel persecuted verbally
• HOW: play into Satan's hand by betraying true Christians, handing them over to be arrested

Ok, so maybe now you're starting to worry about who will betray you and turn you in . . . but that's not the point!! If you ARE a true Christian (and we all think we are, don't we?) . . . being betrayed, arrested and/or killed will not destroy you. But acting out of your fear, rather than faith, might.


The real question is . . . might you be a Judas, and not realize it? 

  After all, in the end, it was Judas that was damned . . . by a life of little 'secret sins', justifications and dishonesty. . . unaware that his heart was so hardened that he could no longer tell right from wrong, or discern the truth from a lie, or know he needed to repent . . . blinded to his own sinfulness . . . pawn of the devil . . . sorry and miserable at the end yet, nevertheless, unwilling or unable to repent.

As the saying goes: 'be afraid . . . be very afraid' . . . of what lurks within.


*I think it should be instructive to us, that Jesus didn't plead with them, or warn them of the consequences for what they were about to do. He did not 'prolong the altar call', so to speak.

When a person is confronted, before they are sufficiently broken, instead of repenting they will harden their heart and create justifications for themself that serve to further entrap them in their sin.

I know America needs to repent, and I say so--but I have not felt a prompting, from God, to really put out a call for repentance yet. Instead, He has shown me that America is not ready for that call--that it would do more harm than good to put out the call now, by serving to harden people's hearts to the call, so that they would not heed it now, or later.

Something will happen to break America's pride, and then an even greater calamity will be on the horizon--at that point, people will be ready to repent. At that point, God will lead His watchmen to give the call.


** Likewise, the purpose of the law was not to save men, but to cause them to realize their sinfulness, by their inability to keep it, so that they could repent and be saved.

Haiti 7.0

I had recently heard someone speaking of God's judgments, and one of the things they said was that God always puts His signature on His judgments--and a lot of times that signature is the number 7.

When I heard about the earthquake in Haiti, and the magnitude being 7.0--I had to stop and wonder if it might have been judgment from God.  Then I wondered what it would be judgment for--and I thought of the widespread practice of voodoo in Haiti.

It shows no compassion to speak of disaster being judgment from God, after the fact.  And I can't say for sure whether it was or not.  In other posts, I have speculated about whether the earthquake may have been caused by our government.  If it was, it certainly would add to the cruelty, to say it was God's judgment and we were the 'hand of God' in causing it (if we did).

But the mere fact that it may have been caused by man, doesn't rule out the possibility of it being God's judgment.  God uses evil nations to carry out His judgment on other nations.  Hear me--he uses EVIL nations, and then He punishes them as well.

In the end, it is the meek who will inherit the earth--not the evil, reprobate souls who would take the life of another to further their own ends.

As I was reading news of the damage after the Haiti quake, there was mention of a woman.  She was walking around, with her hands in the air, looking up toward heaven and crying 'God have mercy on us, we are sinners!'. 

It made me cry.  I believe God's heart was moved with compassion too.

The God Factor

One sunny morning, a pilot sets off across the ocean for a distant land. His fuel tank is just large enough to hold enough fuel for the voyage, and maybe a hundred miles extra. Early into his flight, it comes to his attention that he has erred in his navigation, and is a couple of degrees off course. When do you suppose that pilot will make the necessary correction?

 If he corrects soon enough, he will only have flown a small distance more than planned. However, if he waits until later to correct, he will have to make a major change, and will have wasted much fuel going in the wrong direction. In fact, if he waits too long to correct, he will run out of fuel and meet destiny at the bottom of the ocean!

 America is on the wrong course! As Christians, we are losing our freedoms and rights at an amazing pace! The assault on our liberties was designed to be a blitz attack--so that by the time we figured out what was going on, it would be too late.
 
We had better start using all the freedoms we have!! For too long we have been voluntarily coerced to refrain from speaking, by the doctrine of 'political correctness'. Now, we are facing the likely prospect of 'hate speech' legislation. There seems to be a principle, that what you give up voluntarily, will later be 'set in stone' as law.  People, we can see the storm clouds gathering on the horizon--the time for denial is past!

If you are thinking that, by speaking out and exercising your liberties, it will just draw attention to you and create the persecution you would rather avoid, you may be right--but consider this: we have been quiet, we have been polite, we have been politically correct, yet we have been continually pressured to retreat, to 'cede more ground'. Now we are expected to be silent in the face of all sorts of abominations!
 
The hour is late, but speaking out now is better than speaking out never!  Sure, there is much opposition now--but do you think it will lessen in time?  

 If you find it too hard to speak out now, when it is merely unpopular--how will you have the courage to speak out later, when it is illegal? Don't count on being courageous tomorrow, if you won't act with courage today! Courage is built, gradually, upon past experience in being courageous. Conversely, giving in to fear and intimidation only tend to reinforce your tendency to be fearful and intimidated!
 
And, as Christians, there is one other important factor to consider--the most important one--the God factor!  It pleases God when people act for truth and righteousness, against overwhelming odds, relying on Him for help!!  God can do amazing things! 

 Do you realize, that if enough people in America repent, and plead with God for mercy, He may relent of judging America now?  Be it that He spares America, as an island in the midst of worldwide suffering, or that He postpones the inevitable--it is worth a try people!!  Do not give up hope in the mercy and compassion of our God!!  Have the audacity to trust in Him and ask great things of Him!!


We have failed Him and brought dishonor to His name!  Lets repent and act courageously!  Lets turn things around in America!! Lets wage war on ungodliness!  Lets make abortion illegal!  Lets turn the tide on homosexuality and the indoctrination of our children in the public schools!  Lets push back the unholy tide of Islam and restore Christianity to our schools and our courts!  God is big enough!!  He is the God of David,  not Goliath!  He is with the small and weak, that are courageous enough to try great things for His glory!!  Let us go forth to battle, with faith in Him!

 
Even so, we may die--but better to die honorably, in His service, than to die as cowards and faithless!  Mark my words, the days are coming when you will either deny God (by your words or your actions) or you will be put to death.  Your silence and retreat will not hide you--they will only serve to hasten the arrival of that day.

We Will Turn The World Upside Down!!

I was listening to a speaker, who was relating the story of a legion of Christian Roman soldiers who turned the Roman Empire upside down because they held to the truth and died for it. Instantly I compared that to what those of us who are living will endure. In typical 'woe is me' style, I said to myself "yeah, but we won't be turning anything upside down" (when we die as martyrs)--because I know that human civilization, as it has been, is in the last pages of the last chapter. I see no indication in Scripture, that the deaths of all the many martyrs (that will happen under the rule of 'The Beast') are going to bring about a great revival of faith, or change of heart. Sometimes it seems almost pointless, from a strategic perspective. (I am not always brave . . .)

So, as I was hearing this story of great courage and bravery that was, no doubt, meant to encourage me, I said in my heart "yeah, but we won't be turning anything upside down". And, instantly, the Lord spoke to my heart "you'll be turning the whole world upside down."

Then He brought to my remembrance, the Scripture that says there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and I realized that this final outpouring of 'The Faithful', will seal the fate of this sinful world, bringing about the return of Jesus Christ, to judge the wicked, and will usher in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Take heart. Although a single drop of water can not do much by itself, many drops of water carved the Grand Canyon . . .

Prelude To: Did We Do This?

Where do I even begin?

Several months ago, the question occured to me "I wonder if earthquakes can be created?". Of course, I was thinking along the lines of underground nuclear explosions, etc. Well, I found a lot more than I bargained for. Granted, a lot of it sounds far-fetched to the average person, but I do have a college degree in science and I think I have learned enough to at least rule out the utterly ridiculous. Of course, I am not an expert, and can not say with absolute certainty that any of what I've learned is true--but based on what I know, and my intuition, and prayers for God to guide me, I believe that it is.

The amount of 'stuff' that is going on behind the scenes is incredible! I have never ruled out conspiracy theories simply because they were theories of conspiracies. (Some people seem to think conspiracies can't possibly be true.) As far as I understand, a conspiracy is a plan, between two or more people, to do something that is wrong. How can that be impossible?--we see it happen every day!! So, I weigh any conspiracy theory on its own merits. (Even so, there are some that seem so far-fetched that I dread looking into them!)

A few years back, the Lord pulled the blinders off my eyes. Up until that time, I had always looked for the best in everyone, believed whatever I was told, and given everyone the benefit of the doubt. However, I learned that no one can be completely trusted, mankind is not inherently good and, in fact, some people are just plain evil! In spite of all the corruption that has been revealed, in our leaders, in the last couple of years, some of you have not yet had that revelation--you will probably not believe the things that I will be sharing with you.

One other thing you should know about me--I have never been one to follow the crowd. A lot of what I write about is probably not news to some of you--but others of you may think I'm just one more person in some kind of community of wackos, where all of us are just saying the same thing. (In fact, I have that opinion, true or not, of some of the people who are sharing the information I'm learning from! And I don't agree with everything everyone says--I measure it against my knowledge of God's word, what I already know, etc.)

However, the only communication I have with anyone else who shares any of these beliefs, is through several comments I've received through this site and my responses to them, which are posted on this site. I am a virtual hermit. I have a few friends I see on rare occasion, and I have some family. To the best of my knowledge, of these people, only one friend reads my blogs. My family and friends are either not interested in, or are too distressed by the things I am learning, to discuss them with me. The only sites I visit regularly are posted as links, in the right column of this page--and I watch Glenn Beck, although I disagree with a little bit of what he says.

In fact, my 'education' in all of what is going on, began about a year and a half ago with him. I had been watching Fox News regularly, but grew VERY tired of all the political commentary and speculation. Feeling like I wasn't getting the real news of what was going on in the world, I started looking elsewhere and discovered Glenn Beck on CNN. I remember being surprised, because I was of the opinion that CNN was not a conservative news source, and yet he shared most of my opinions! He was also revealing things that I was learning about elsewhere.

The other main source of learning for me comes from Steven Collins' website (to which I have a link in the right column). I was asleep one morning when suddenly Fox News came on my computer (I have no idea how. I had watched it the night before online, and the browser page was still open, but the video connection had been shut off). Anyhow--the news came on and woke me, with the commentator saying something that caused me to jump out of bed. To the best of my recollection, it was about 2 countries that were conducting joint military exercises. I had to 'google' the names of these 2 countries, along with the word 'prophecy', because I had a feeling it was something that I had heard before, regarding events prophesied to happen in the 'end times'. I had no idea of the journey I was about to embark upon.

When the Google search results came back, I realized I had a potential problem--how could I know which site(s) would actually have accurate information? I prayed for God to lead me, and chose Stephen Collins' site. Neverthless, I didn't throw out my discernment.

In subsequent days, I read and learned a lot, but I was still skeptical. He apparently believes that the US is descended from the 'lost' 10 tribes of Israel. This is something I had learned about (and believed) as a teenager--before I ever found Christ--by reading Herbert W. Armstrong materials (The Worldwide Church of God). My mother told me it was a cult. I don't know if that is true or not, but at the time I believed her and threw the things away.

So, when I read these assertions on his site, I was skeptical and I worried about his credibility, and possible connection to the WWCoG. (I decided to get more info about Herbert W. Armstrong, and I have to say that I would still be skeptical of any of his teachings. However, Mr. Collins, as far as I can tell, is not a follower of Mr. Armstrong. Because of what I've read of his writings, and additional information I have found, I am about 98% convinced that the 10 'lost' tribes of Israel are not really lost at all, and that the US represents the tribe of Manasseh.)

I continued to read his articles and posts, with caution. Eventually I became convinced (although I am not absolutely sure of everything he proposes) that his site is probably 'safe', and I have learned a lot there. As with any site, if you decide to check it out, use your own discretion and prayer. Mainly he keeps up with current happenings, that you may not get news of elsewhere--and correlates these events with prophecy.

So, I've said all that to illustrate that I don't have an agenda, and I am not just parroting the beliefs of some cult or bunch of wackos. I have felt, from the beginning, that it has been God leading me to what I am learning, because of the way that it started--and has continued. There is not one single website where I have gone and learned all of this. It has been a journey, with God taking me from one site to another, teaching me the right things at the right time.

In fact--some of what I have learned is from movies I watched, for entertainment sake, that ended up confirming things I had learned or leading me to the next thing. One of those movies--a story of two illusionists, introduced me to Nikola Tesla. When I found reference to him, a little further along in my journey, I already had knowledge of him and his work. When God is leading you, you know it--not by where you arrive, but by how He leads you along the way.

I feel I need to make that clear, because it looks to me, like a lot of the things I'll be talking about in the future would be easy to dismiss out of hand. Of course you need to pray and use your discernment regarding the truth of what I'm saying, and how it all fits together, but I hope I have explained myself enough that you will at least be willing to listen to what I have to say.

It was never my intention to start a blog--I just had to vent. The more I learned about things that were happening, the more upset I became. So, I started blogging. I have always enjoyed teaching about things that interest me, so I have continued with this. I know there are only about fifteen (at most) of you reading this, but that's fine. (Jesus said there would be 'few' that actually find the way, that 'many' travel the broad path to destruction, so I don't underestimate the value of reaching only a few.) I also know that He leads people to what He wants to teach them, so I trust that if you are here, He has led you. You may only visit my site to learn one thing, or He may park you here for awhile.

I don't claim to be a prophet--a watchman perhaps. I have just seen, throughout my life, that in many things I happen to be a step ahead of the crowd. I am not saying I should be followed. I'm not saying I'm special at all. I'm just saying I tend to become aware of things a little bit sooner than most people--and right now, time is of the essence. So, I'll share what I am learning with you, and trust that you will use prayer and discretion to decide for yourself.

The last couple of days I have looked into a lot of things, and I've learned a lot. So much in fact, that yesterday I had to just shut everything off and have silence for a few hours--because I was so overwhelmed with what I had learned. I just couldn't absorb anymore. I don't think I've ever felt that way before. There were several things I wanted to write posts about, but I just couldn't. I had no idea where to begin.

Today I received an e-newsletter from Chuck Baldwin. It ties in with some of what I have just learned, so I'm going to write another post and link this one to it. It concerns earthquakes, Indonesia, Venezuela and more--I won't know for sure until I write it!! Please check it out:

Did We Do This? (Haiti Earthquake, part 1)

Truly, ignorance IS bliss. However, the hour is late, so--may your eyes be opened to the truth, and may the truth set you free!