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?

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.

'Buy Gold From Me . . .' (Jesus, to the 'Lukewarm Church')

They want to drive us to our knees.

Well, actually, I don't think they care how it affects us.  (But maybe once we are 'on our knees' we will begin to repent . . .)  I have believed, for quite some time, that the plan of the elite has been to break and humble America.  And with the level of arrogance and sinfulness we display (and are virtually unaware of), it is probably warranted.  Here's a good article about the tanking of our economy by so many 'inept' leaders and 'bad luck' and 'coincidental events'.  Yeah, you get my drift.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi146.html

(I know nothing about this author or website  and cannot confirm or deny anything found there.)



I believe we are living through the beginning of the fulfillment of the destruction of the capitalist world economy (Whore of Babylon). . . 'they will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.'

I believe that the prophecies will be fulfilled both figuratively and literally.  Keep in mind, what is happening can't happen without God's permission.  The sinfulness of our nation has become a stench to God and the time of His judgment has come to us.  Right now, we are in the  'eye of the storm'--a brief requiem of peace, a time for contemplation and, hopefully, repentance.

But 'brace yourself', 'hide yourself in God', because if America doesn't repent--and soon!--the world's capitalist economy will fail beyond remedy, and you will go down with it.

As The Beast (New World Order) rises up beneath the Whore of Babylon (capitalist world economy), in prophecy, the rest of the Scripture will also be fulfilled:  ' . . . they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.  For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose . . .'

It seems that everyone is preaching investment in gold.  That's great--if our national economy goes back to the gold standard.  But as a personal hedge--I don't know.  I may very well be wrong, but my gut tells me gold will not be your savior.  I seem to recall a verse, somewhere in the Bible, about people throwing their worthless gold in the streets . . .


If this is an orchestrated collapse of our economy (which I believe it is) and judgment from God (which I believe it is)--those who put their trust in gold will be dismayed.  Neither God, nor the elite, is oblivious to the fact that many people are investing in gold--the very sort of middle and upper-middle class people the elite are deliberately trying to bankrupt.  My suspicion is that they will 'cut you off at the pass'.

Who will be making the rules for the change to a new, world currency?  The same people that have orchestrated the dollar's collapse!  This is their plan to equalize standards of living worldwide while, of course, enriching themselves even more.  I don't think you're going to find a way around it!  Especially if it's a judgment from God!!

(Just a thought--who are you buying your gold from?  Might it be from wealthy bankers?  From the elite?  Who stands to profit now?  And who is the final winner if gold, somehow, loses its value before you can cash yours in?)

If people would spend half the time searching their hearts and praying, that they are now spending on trying to outsmart things they are seeing on the horizon . . .

Over and over again, God stresses that He will take care of those who put their trust in Him--that nothing else can be trusted.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills . . . He feeds the sparrows and clothes the lilies . . . He fed Elijah in the wilderness . . . He brought water out of a rock-twice-for the children of Israel . . . and sent them manna every morning for forty years . . . He brings you rain . . .and sunshine . . . and causes all the processes that create soil, fertile soil, for you to grow your crops in . . .


Please wake up!  Part of what we are being judged for is our arrogance, and putting our faith in ourselves . . . not remembering the God that is above us.

'In her heart she boasts, 'I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.'  Strange words . . . what do they mean?  How about this for a translation:

In her arrogant heart she believes, that because she is married to the king, she will see no hardship.

Can you see how this applies to America?  The western world is the origin of  The Whore of Babylon.  America is at her heart--American multinational corporations, our government (and our military, in the service of our economic 'interests'), our economy, etc.  America has seen great prosperity and blessing from God, for so long that we take it for granted.

I believe, deep in the American psyche, we have beliefs that we may not even be consciously aware of--but our actions and attitudes betray them.  We rightly believe we are married to the King of Heaven*.  We know He will never divorce us.  We know He will never die.  Therefore, we live as though we will never see hardship or judgment, because we know we are the 'apple of His eye'!  But we err greatly, because our hearts have strayed far from Him!

How long would a queen endure if she denied the king admittance to her chambers?  If she ran around with other lovers?  If she condoned horrible acts to be committed in his kingdom?  If she laughed, and scoffed, at the authority of her king?  If she exalted another as king, in his place?  (Think $$$$$ . . . )

So, to conclude the Scripture above:

'In her heart she boasts, 'I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.'

Therefore in one day  her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine.  She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.'

'When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.  Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry . . . They will say, "The fruit you longed for is gone from you.  All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered".

The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment.  They will weep and mourn and cry out:  "Woe!  Woe, O great city . . . in one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!"

Every sea captain and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.  When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, "Was there ever a city like this great city?"

'This woman that you saw (The Whore of Babylon) is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.'

And what is this great city, that rules over the kings of the earth (by way of the almighty dollar)?  Where was the 'World Trade Center'?  Where is Wall Street? New York City.  Not only is our economy going to crash and rise no more--great judgment is promised to the city where her power lies.  Today, that is New York City.

It is clear to me that New York City will perish in a nuclear attack.  Everyone will 'stand far off', 'terrified at her torment'.  'They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire'--an apt description of nuclear devastation.  'With such (great) violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.'

'. . . Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done.  Mix her a double portion from her own cup.  Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself.'

note: the verse does not say 'the great city Babylon', it says 'the great city of Babylon'--Babylon being the corrupt, worldwide capitalist economy that is based in America.

I don't know how soon it will happen.  If you live in, or near New York City, God may have begun to speak to your heart:

'Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.'

I have pondered whether this means to come out of New York City, or out of the capitalist money system.  I think it means both. (If you don't live near New York, yet God is speaking to your heart about depending less and less on the capitalist system, then that confirms it.) 

If God has been speaking to your heart about any of this, please comment.  What you say may be the confirmation someone has prayed to God for, about what they feel He is speaking to their heart.

It is clear that New York City, being the seat of the world capitalist economy, will sustain the physical attack--but not all the sins were committed in or by New York City.  I think, by being involved in the capitalist system (especially by way of Wall Street investments etc.) we become complicit in the crimes and atrocities committed by our multinational corporations, with the money we invest in them.  And, if we are involved, we will receive the plagues of judgment.

Now, to what extent do we need to 'come out' and when?  I don't know.  You will need to seek God for wisdom in that.  You already know, that at some point you will have to come out of it, if you don't want to take The Mark of the Beast'.  The first step of such a radical change in your life has to be making the decision to be willing, and getting used to the idea.  At the very least, I would say this warning reinforces the idea that you should not put your trust in gold but rather, in God.

It is always better to trust God sooner than later, and I believe there are blessings in store for those who do, that will be missed by those who wait until the last minute--if they are even able to discern what is going on, by that point.  (Remember, God will send a 'powerful delusion' upon those who don't love the truth.  How do you know that what I'm telling you today isn't the truth He is trying to send to you?)



* There is much evidence that America is descended from the 'lost' ten tribes of Israel.  If this is true, it confirms that we are most certainly experiencing God's judgment!

More info on that can be found here:
http://stevenmcollins.com/html/articles.html and
http://books.google.com/books?id=_7nnI5h_JU0C&dq=ten+tribes+genealogy&source=gbs_navlinks_s

(The book download is free)

(Again, I have no affiliation with these websites or the authors of these materials.  I make no profit from referring people to these sources.)

Beware Of The Second Beast!

(I know nothing about Scott Brown.  This is not a commentary on him in any way.)

As much of a relief as it is that another Democrat did not win the Massachusetts election--it is not time for 'back to business as usual'.  Never again should we let down our guard.  Although the win of a Republican was strategically important, it does not mean we are safe--not by any stretch of the imagination.

No matter how similar to us they may seem, there is something inherently different in most people that run for office--especially those that actually are elected.  That hunger for power and position is something that should be viewed with a certain amount of wariness on our part.  Besides that, they are human--and humans are fallible.  Power corrupts, and it spends a good bit of time prowling around the halls of our government, looking for an opportunity. 

Remember: there are two types of people, against whom no one can testify:

1. those who are innocent
2. those who leave no witnesses alive

We still live in perilous times.  No one can be trusted 100%.  I hope, through all the influential people whose corruption has been exposed--in politics, finance, etc.--over the last couple of years, that you will take the lesson to heart. 

The problem here is not one of political parties.  It is one of behind the scenes affiliations.  Hopefully you have learned from all that has been said about  'The Bilderbergers', the 'Trilateral Commission', and the 'Council on Foreign Relations', etc.  Hopefully you are now aware that there are powerful forces working behind the scenes.  The real problem is not Republican vs. Democrat.  The problem is with the elite that are behind them both.

I'm sure there is still MUCH more that could be exposed.  I imagine all that we have seen is only the tip of the iceberg.  There is something EXTREMELY suspicious about a bipartisan congress that would just go along with everything the president was putting forth--at least, at the beginning.  There is some kind of real power that brings that about--whether it be persuasion, bewitchment, or blackmail.  That power is still present in the halls of congress.  No matter who we elect, the real test will be what they DO when they get there.  In my belief, it is only the power of God that can truly stand against such evil and triumph. 

But don't be fooled!  The enemy (Satan) can pick a fine looking man, dress him up in robes, and give him a cross to hold out in front of him.  He may rant and rave against the powers of darkness, and give every appearance of being in opposition to them.  He may do miraculous things--signs and wonders. He may very well have the absolute endorsement of all the most respected religious leaders of our day.  But . . . that does not mean he is filled with the Spirit of God!!

The people behind the scenes will not relinquish power without a "hellacious" fight.  Nor will the enemy of our souls--who is the force that empowers these people.  His time is short, and he is desperate.  Never again--until Christ returns--will we be able to take a deep breath and relax.  We must always be on guard, vigilant, and discerning.

The pendulum swings both ways.  'The people have spoken!'  Expect to see more 'God fearing' candidates--more people running on religious ideals--and expect to see them winning.  Don't think that Satan, and the elites, won't make full use of that!  Expect them also to put forth candidates that are religious, that make claims of being Christians.  These are people without conscience--bodies without souls! 

The elite look at the people of the world without compassion--as mere problems to be solved, numbers to crunch, etc. They aim to purposely depopulate the world!  They are advocates of eugenics, genocide, euthanasia.  They see war as a means to prosperity!  This is nothing but a giant chess game to them.  They will put forth candidates that the people will vote for, and they count on the masses to be blind and gullible!  Expect a 'great awakening' of religious ideals to sweep the nation politically--but only some of it will be genuine! 

That being said--the real danger is that the one who does the most to unravel America may be a 'Christian'!!  Someone who claims to be a Christian.  But here is the problem:  there are more people claiming to be Christians today, than really are Christians, and we have been as naive as little lambs.  When someone tells us they are a Christian, we have taken them at their word--but 'by their fruit you will know them'!! 

If you look into the connections the Bush family has with the organizations mentioned above (and Prescott Bush with Auschwitz and Monowitz), you will see that they are among the elites.  They may call themselves Christians--and that is for God to decide--but I see them as wolves in sheep's clothing!  We believed we had a Christian president, but that is when the most of our liberties were stripped away--and we still have many people who haven't woken up to that!

Then along came Obama, claiming to be a Christian too.  Don't tell me, after all you've seen him do, that you don't believe he was a disciple of Reverend Wright!  He most certainly believes, and concurs wholeheartedly with, everything that man has to say!  Look at his voting record on abortion!  Look at his backing of the gay, lesbian, transgender agenda!  Etc., etc., etc.  He says he's a Christian--so what!!  HE'S A LIAR!!  Let the record show, this man has lied more than he has told the truth!!  If you want to know the real truth, you'd better look back on all he has promised--and expect the opposite to be in your future instead!  This man will look you in the eye and lie--and you'll believe it!  He has a powerful annointing of evil!

So, now the people have spoken and the pendulum will swing the other way.  Let me warn you of what may lie ahead.

Don't be surprised if our next president appears as a strong Christian, well respected, annointed--and maybe he has been, but somewhere along the way he fell into (or will fall into) 'secret sin'.  The enemy found a weakness and capitalized on it, seducing him into deep spiritual darkness.  Then, knowingly or not, he 'made a deal with the devil'.  And, let me tell you what--unless America has truly repented, this man will have God's endorsement to be our president. 

You can expect the 'Christian' leaders of the day to wholeheartedly back him.  A few Christians (there are Christians and there are 'Christians') will discern, by the Spirit, what he is and, in alarm, will try to warn people--but it will be of no use.  Today 'Christians' far outnumber Christians, and he will be one of them.  Today's backslidden, lukewarm 'Christians' will be completely comfortable with him, because that's the only kind of Christian most of them know.  It is said that 'we get the leaders we deserve'.

To add to the illusion--God's Watchmen may not speak.  If America does not repent, and God continues to visit judgment upon America, it may be, that at some point He instructs them not to speak.  Better it is for judgment to do its work and bring forth repentance, than for people to find a way to avoid it, and go to eternal destruction.

So now you know, and if your heart is right, you may discern it when it happens--you may even be one of the voices calling out a warning.  But if God has sent the judgment and the delusion, people will continue to blindly follow, and what is decreed will come to pass.  There is a time to speak--and a time to remain silent.  Let the Holy Spirit be your guide.


All that is just the prelude to what this post was to be about:  the second beast aka 'The False Prophet'.

Beware of the second beast!  All the attention these days is given to looking for the first beast and avoiding it.  The first beast will blaspheme God.  The first beast will make war against God's people.  The first beast will have authority over all the earth.  The first beast is an empire and whoever is its leader.

But it is the second beast that really causes men to be damned.  It seems to me that it is the second beast that takes center stage in world events. 

The second beast will exercise all the authority of the first beast.  The second beast makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast.  It is the second beast that performs great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from  heaven.  It is the second beast that deceives the inhabitants of the earth, by way of the signs he performs. It is the second beast who commands men to create an image in honor of the first beast.  It is the second beast who gives breath to the image of the first beast--so that it can speak and cause all who refuse to worship the image (itself) to be killed.   It is the second beast that causes everyone to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell--a mark which is the name of the beast (first or second?) or the number of his name (first or second beast?).

Especially take note of this:  The second beast has 'two horns like a lamb' but 'speaks like a dragon'.  We already know the dragon is Satan--but what about the 'two horns like a lamb'?  My interpretation of this (I could be  wrong) is that the second beast is a false Christianity, with two aspects (Protestant and Catholic?). 

With that possibility in mind, read over the paragraph above.  Keep in mind too, that the prophecy will be literally fulfilled--but perhaps not in the way we interpret and picture it, ahead of time.  Meaning: we tend to form a picture of how things will happen, based on our interpretation of what the verses say and, in hindsight, comparing events to the Scriptures, we will be able to see that things were literally fulfilled--but most likely, not at all how we had predicted!

I'll point out a few things that we might easily misinterpret, because they have many possible interpretations:

• will exercise all the authority of--in what manner will he exercise it?
  
• will exercise all the authority of--is this authority granted by man (such as by election), or is it granted by God, or both?
  
• makes the earth and its inhabitants worship--to what degree does he 'make' them do it?  Does he round them up in the night, or does he just say that they need to do it, or does he get them so riled up that they do it on their own (like at a concert?)?
  
• makes the earth and its inhabitants worship-- in what manner do they worship?  Do they physically bow down several times a day, as Muslims do?  Or do they just talk about it, and praise it all the time?
  
• fire to come down from heaven--is it real, literal fire coming down out of the sky?  Is it a fireball?  Is it lightning?
  
• commands men to create an image--how does he command it?  In an authoritative voice via television?  By passing a law? Does he command everyone?  Or does he just tell a few guys on his staff to do it, without fanfare?
  
• commands men to create an image--what is this image?  A statue?  A logo?  A hologram? Some marvel of future technology that we haven't seen yet?  Something so ordinary we wouldn't even think of it as fitting the Scripture?
  
• gives breath to the image--will it literally be alive, having its own consciousness? Will it be 'animated'? Will it just be something, powered by electricity, that gives the appearance of being alive?
  
• speak and cause all who refuse to worship the image to be killed--does it just stir up animosity against those who refuse, so that people hate and kill them?  Does it put a bounty on them?  Does it issue a fatwa?  Does it pass a law, that all must worship it, that carries the death penalty?
  
• cause all who refuse to worship the image to be killed-all who verbally say 'no'?  All who protest? Even those who just passively avoid it?
  
• causes everyone to receive a mark--endorses it?  Deceives them into it?  Shames them into it--calling them 'nuts', 'religious fanatics', 'superstitious'?  Legislates it?  Rounds them up in the night if they don't?

These are just some of the possibilities--ones I can think of. This should illustrate to you that there are MANY ways to misinterpret any or all of the things that will come.  The only way you will know is if God reveals it to you.  He may reveal the whole picture ahead of time, or He may only show us one step at a time--or He may keep it veiled and reveal events as having fulfilled prophecy after they happen!

I study, and pray, and seek the interpretation--but God has only revealed a few things to me.  What He has shown me instead is how many ways things could be interpreted, when looking ahead.  He has also shown me that even the most respected Bible scholars and 'prophets' have a lot of errors in their understanding.  I'm nobody special, so it's not surprising that He might not reveal it to me.  What is telling, is that no one really seems to know--at least, no one seems to know the whole picture.

So, if no one has the answers you are looking for--what do you do?  If, even at this late date, God has not opened the prophecies to our understanding, what are any of us to do?  What is important is to focus, not on events that you want to find a way to avoid, but on Him!  If you are serving Him, yet had never heard any of the prophecies, He would still show you the way to walk.  The people who will most quickly recognize 'The Beast', 'The Antichrist' and 'The Mark' are not the ones who spend the most time worrying about them, but rather those who dwell in His presence!  Trust that if you know Him and walk with Him daily, He will not let you be deceived, nor will you accidentally take The Mark!  He is fully able to guard what you have entrusted to Him!

The New Year's Gift

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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

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


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

Do Appeals For Donations Turn You Off?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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