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!!

What Does The Devil Look Like?

I recently praised a little girl for taking the time to thank God for her food.  I added that some people don't think about God very much.  Her response shocked me: 'Because they think they are Him?' she asked.  Kids can say some really profound things!


A child recently asked me 'What Does the Devil look like?'  I interpreted that to mean: 'How can I know it's the Devil if I see him?'  A very good question.


As I was explaining that nobody knows what he looks like, and mostly you know if it's the Devil by how you feel in your heart, I was asked if he was white.  I had to chuckle.  'Some people would say so',  I responded.   I added that others would say he was black and some would say he is red.   Then I explained that he might look like a shining star, or like a dragon, or a snake.


It's not something we can pin down.  The Scriptures say that he can 'even appear' as an angel of light, from which it can be inferred that isn't how he usually looks.


He is also referred to as a dragon, in Revelation, and a serpent, in Genesis, which seduced Eve to sin (and resulted in all serpents being cursed to crawl on their belly).   That would infer, prior to that curse he had legs.  A 'serpent' /snake with legs could be describing a dragon here too.  And, there are other places in Scripture that translate the word 'serpent' or 'dragon', depending on the version of translation.


Satan, the Dragon, was thrown down to Earth, from Heaven, when he rebelled against God.  He is referred to, in some places, as 'Leviathan' and is said to live in the sea'.  Chapter 41, in the book of Job, is completely devoted to the description of a dragon. I don't know if this is describing Satan, or just any generic dragon that lived on Earth at the time.


Children don't have any problem believing this, but most adults probably see it as pretty far-fetched.  We are used to seeing angels portrayed as little, naked toddlers with wings, or as women with blond hair, arrayed in white silk, with wings on their backs and halos on their heads. How in the world did we settle on these images? 


Unless I'm forgetting something, the angels that Scripture describes are mature, masculine beings--or 'living creatures' that look like amalgamations of different animal and human parts, with wings, and many eyes all over their bodies!


Jesus also, in Revelation, appears as a lamb that looked as if it had been slain.  Apparently 'shape shifting' is the norm in the spiritual realm.


Which brings me to the reason I took the time to write this post: some of the things that we see in the years ahead may seem to be straight from a science fiction novel!


I suspect this for several reasons:

1. In studying the book of Revelation, it is clear to me that the demon spirit that either is (or will possess the man who is) the Antichrist, is not Satan.  Rather, it is a spirit whose name is Apollyon.
2. Shape shifting is part of the tradition of sorcery.
3. I sense that Satan is using Hollywood to desensitize us to horrendous looking beasts and shape shifters.

So what does Apollyon have to do with it?  Maybe nothing.  But I have a hunch that he is a demon with a nonhuman appearance, and that he is included in ancient folklore. 


Apollyon is the 'Beast out of the Sea' in Revelation 13, and is the same beast we are speaking about when we say 'The Mark Of The Beast'.  We also refer to him as 'The Antichrist'.


Although his description is similar to the description of Satan/The Dragon in Rev. 12, they are not the same.  He is however, the same beast that is described in Rev. 17, upon which the Whore of Babylon rides. 


Here it is explained that he 'once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction.  The inhabitants of the earth . . . (who aren't Christians) . . . will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.' (emphasis mine)  'The beast who once was, and  now is not, is an eighth king.'  (This refers to a vision involving 7 kings that come before him.  He is the eighth, and final king to rise from that kingdom--the Antichrist.)


Anyhow, my interpretation of the verses above gives me the idea that he may have a nonhuman appearance and be found in the writings of ancient man.  I don't think my other two reasons need explanation.


Ultimately though, if we are walking with the Lord, we will recognize him by the response of our spirit.  Will Christians that aren't walking with the Lord recognize him?  I don't know.  I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.  Will nonChristians recognize him?  Definitely not.  (Although perhaps those that are involved in the occult will--but that's a whole different story.  They may know he is a demon, but who know what twisted beliefs they have regarding what that means.)


Here is how I know for sure than nonChristians won't recognize him:

• '. . . but the fatal wound had been healed.  The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.' (emphasis mine)
• 'All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.'
• 'Because of the signs he (the second beast/false prophet) was given power to do on behalf of the first beast (Antichrist), he deceived the inhabitants of the earth.'
• 'For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.'
• 'The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.  They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.  For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.'

I don't like to devote a lot of my time to speculation, but I thought it worthwhile to post this--in the hope that you will keep an open mind, and be willing to 'think outside the box' when it comes to prophecies. Most of all, I'd hate to see you have your mind so firmly made up about how things will happen that you fail to realize when they do.


We don't know for sure how the fulfillment of prophecies will 'look', but I expect in a lot of cases it will be so mundane that it would be easy to miss--or so unbelievable and astonishing that we will be caught off guard!


Extraterrestrials . . .
Angels, Demons & Raising The Dead

Deathbed Conversions

I think deathbed conversions are a crock.  I doubt the sincerity of someone who waits until their dying breath to call out to God for a pardon because suddenly they can see what lies ahead.  I think it's an insult to God and an abuse of His grace.

My attitude reminds me of someone else's:  a guy who had a brother that insisted on having his inheritance early, and then ran off and blew it partying and whoring around.  He was understandably irritated when, after hitting rock bottom,  his brother decided it was time to come home.  After all, he'd stayed home and had to pick up the slack. 

But, as I look at the father of these guys, I see a man who is running down the driveway to meet his son.  He welcomes him back and showers him with gifts.  It's not that he loves one of his sons more than the other--it's that this one was lost, but has come home.

So, if that's the way God feels (and I know it is, because Jesus told the story), then I'm just going to let it go.  If God isn't offended, then why should I be?

However, If you're that one who's lost, and you are planning to wait until you are on your deathbed to make that commitment, consider this: sin will harden your heart.  Every time you feel the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart and you pull away, your heart gets a little harder.  By the time you are on your deathbed (if you even get that chance), you may not be able to muster the repentance you need in order to be forgiven.

Beyond that, the stakes are even higher now!  God is sending a powerful delusion to those that refuse 'to love the truth and so be saved'.  He sends them this powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie of the Antichrist and be condemned (those who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness).

The time for taking God's grace for granted is nearly over.  Who knows. . . this may be YOUR last chance!

The Gates Of Hell Shall Not Prevail Against Us
It's Time To 'Shake The Dust Off'

The Drunken Whore (Part 1)

No one can hold the title forever.  One thing is certain--when you have something valuable, someone else will want to take it away.

As the American economy swirls down the drain and American society melts into chaos, powerful leaders of the shadow government (corporate/government/banking alliance whore) behind the Western World sit back and watch.  But they have sown the seeds of their own destruction.

In the final chapter of their plan for world dominion, they have set in motion powerful forces to bring America to her knees.  Once she is there, they plan to hold out a benevolent hand to lift her up.  This is when they will put in place the capstone of their planned world government--or so they think.

They must be starting to panic a bit now.  Once the forces of chaos are brought into play, no one can control them.  They are beginning to find that their groomed and sponsored messiah is not beholden to them.  For, along the way, he learned to despise them, and he formed alliances of his own.  They are but a mere stepping stone on his way to power, and soon he will grind them to dust.

Their narcissism has deluded them. They sowed the seeds of contempt, rage, and revenge amongst many peoples of the world when they extended them the same 'benevolent hand' that they plan to extend to America. 

They financially enslaved them by pitching great and wonderful projects to them that they could never afford to repay.  Then they loaned them the funds, with many strings attached, and took charge of the implementation.  They played to the greed of the leaders and conquered them, financially enslaved their people, and looted their natural resources.  Out of this have risen rebel groups and leaders--often the dictators that later foment the most hatred towards America.

They have come to believe that they are the divinely appointed keepers of all mankind, and for years they have been constructing a global hierarchy with themselves at the top and everyone else subservient to them.  But we do not all share their delusion and they have made enemies for themselves wherever they have gone.

Because America is the home of the multinational corporations, and the American government complicit in imposing their agenda, America has become the enemy.  America, rightfully or not, has become the face of oppression for most of the world. 

Most Americans, while unknowingly enjoying the spoils of the conquests, don't have a clue what is going on. Or haven't, until recently. Now that it has happened here (subprime mortgage crisis . . . ) America is waking up and beginning to tear at the flesh of the corporate/government/banking whore. 

At the same time, because of HER vile deeds, international coalitions are forming against America.  Fierce, vengeful, dictators have arisen in different countries, in defiance of her tyranny over them.  They are drawing into their camp those from all over the world who have a grievance against her.

While she is drunk on the wine of her conquests and gorged on the delicacies of her plunder, her enemies are encircling her.  They make their preparations and arm their outposts, gradually moving in on her.

As her economy crumbles and her people descend upon her, she rouses, but she is in a stupor and does not know which way to turn.  Her enemies watch, and continue their stealthy approach.  Famished, they lick their lips, creeping ever closer . . .  mere feet away and undetected . . . in a moment, they will pounce upon her.

(Continued in Part 2: An Attack On America Is Imminent!)