Falling Away....

I read some stories recently about some prominent christian leaders and musicians who appear to be losing or have have lost their faith.

So let's talk a bit about Christian 'celebrities'.

There is some great Christian music out there, but it is in my view, essentially a business. It runs on money, contracts, ticket and record sales, etc. As Christians have done their best to emulate how the world does things, it is hardly surprising that the way the world does things runs directly into the lives of Christians and their celebrities. They get media attention, get the best seats in Church, are fawned over just like the world. In short, in mainstream Christianity there is little really to fundamentally distinguish what calls itself Christianity today from the world, other than a few sermons preached on Sunday and a few political slogans and stances.

Why is this? I can tell you that it was in those early days of my walk that I got a bad... no nasty taste of American Christianity. I had negative experience after negative experience. I went to a Christian College and saw little of Christ in it. It really set my faith back - almost to the point of no return. But you know what? Later when I came back to the Lord do you know what I discovered from the Lord? That only a few of those whom I met or came in contact with were actually born again. Had actually been born of the Spirit and had been baptized in the Holy Spirit. They had an emotional experience, but not a genuine regeneration that can only come from above.

Brothers, that struck me like a bolt of lightning that these Christians were 'social Christians', but were not really part of the body of Christ. Remember I was kind of young and really was on fire for the Lord and just did not understand how these so called Christians behaved the way they did. It really mystified me. They spoke like Christians and had their own Christian jargon, but the reality was that (in retrospect) many of them just were not saved.

I say these things not because many of you don't know this. But because I see this as going to be a growing problem in the Church. People 'falling away' from the faith, having a crisis of faith and others just out and out apostatizing. Get ready because I am here to tell you that in the west, I think it is going to be par for the course. But in other nations in the third and developing world as well as in places where there is severe persecution, I think Christianity will spread like a wildfire on field of dry leaves. Here in the west there are too many distractions, too much materialism, too many people who are preaching the gospel for the income it generates... and for some they are doing, very, very well financially. Meanwhile the meatier things of Christ get lost in the translation because they are not 'monetizable'.

You see a disciple that lasts is one that first of all has been truly born again. He knows God. God has made his home inside the believer and at some point in time, Christ has revealed himself to him (John 14:21-23; Luke 10:22). He knows his God. My problem was that I just figured everyone around me particularly at my so called Christian college had the same experience. They hadn't and their lives as time passed showed it clearly.

It is kind of funny because decades later, some of my extended family attended the same college I did and what they had to say about that school probably should not be repeated in public where youngster may read it. What I will say is that they came away with an even nastier taste than I did. I left disillusioned, they left more than a little angry. Mind you I cannot and will not blame the School or its administration for this state of affairs. For the most part, I think they tried to provide the right environment. No, I think the blame rather lies on the whole social/financial structure of much of mainstream American Christianity.

My point this morning is an important one. Churchianity and its fruit is not likely to last long. Genuine Christianity and its fruit has a much, much better chance. But genuine Christianity may be rarer in the west than many may imagine.

The emotionalism of Churchianity will fade, but the light, nudgings, and guidance of the Holy Spirit do not fade, provided one has the Spirit. If one does not, when things get hot, they will fall away, apostatize and otherwise forsake the gospel.

Now I say these things so that all you are prepared for the things that are to come. There is going to be a mass apostasy and this is something our Lord and the Apostles warned us of. We must not be shocked. Saddened, yes, shocked no.

It is a key signpost for the return of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Let no man deceive you by any means:
for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, t
he son of perdition; Who opposeth
and exalteth himself above
all that is called God, or that is worshipped;
so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
(2Th 2:3-4)

Be blessed, all of you in Christ.

Spiritual Battle Lines: Separation

In these times, it is my hope that I can provide not just information and godly perspective on the events of the day, but also some firm spiritual encouragement and from time to time, admonitions for these difficult and strange times. One of the more important admonitions I think that will be key to spiritual victory in the years ahead is to do as the Apostle commanded and to come out from among the lost and be separate. This was not one of those 'optional' things that were commanded of the saints.

 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial?
or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? f
or ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said,
I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you,
(II Corinthians 6:14-17 [KJVA])

For we who are older, I think we all understand this. But as the days pass, we may find that we may begin to feel a bit isolated from the world around us while they party, get drunk, take dope, fornicate, sodomize and yes, worship devils as though nothing were wrong with these things. As you all have noticed, the moral compass of this nation and the world in general is shifting and not for the better. We must do as the Lord bids us and remember that we are holy unto our God and we just have to be separate from the world as well.

The sin and evil in our world - its like a spiritual Ebola virus. We are most unwise to spend time in or even around an infected village, we could easily catch what they have. This is how we must look at sin and evil. It is a disease, a spiritual disease that those who have it almost never know they have. Their own consciences should tell them, but they often don't as many don't seem to have one. As Paul put it, they have seared it with a hot iron (1Tim 4:2). I think what Paul is trying to say is that there are some who are past the point of no return, they really do not understand right and wrong any longer and probably never will.

We have to look at this like a spiritual battle. What kind of soldier spends time in the enemy camp, laughing it up with the enemy? Could you imagine US soldiers just before the Battle of the Bulge hanging out with the Nazi's in a campfire sing-a-long, just before hostilities? A good General would take those soldiers and have them locked up in the brig... at best or taken out and shot at worst. There is too much at stake on the eve of a critical battle.  For we who put our trust in Jesus Christ, the stakes are eternal.

In a spiritual sense we are in a battle against the forces of darkness, against principalities and strongholds of Satan and his fallen host of spirits. Brothers, it is key that we understand this aspect of our walk with Christ. Satan is busy converting masses of humanity into his cause and people have no clue as to who or what they are serving. This is because Satan is a master deceiver. He will deceive the WHOLE WORLD (Rev 12:9) and could take down the very elect as well, if it were possible (Matt 24:24).

We as Christians must remain true to our God stand firm with our brethren, our real brethren and come away from the lost, apostates and those who preach false and misleading doctrines. This was one of Paul's points in 2 Timothy, chapter three when he went on talking about false teachers and noted Jannes and Jambres. These two men are not specifically named in the Old Testament as it was passed down to us, but who are accepted to be the magicians who opposed Moses before Pharaoh.

Paul is clearly referring to men who oppose God's ministers and in the case of the aforementioned personages, were servants rather of Pharaoh than of God. But false prophets and false ministers exist everywhere in our world - they serve the state or other masters, not the Lord. They are certainly a serious problem here in the US, where a kind of churchianity rather than Christianity is preached.

If Christianity today has little real power and appeal today, it's because much of Church leadership has ceased to obey the God they claim to adore.

The distinctions are often subtle and not easy to determine, particularly with new believers. But various 'new teachings' have permeated much of American Christianity, We have pastors in some denominations performing all manner of unbiblical acts.  We have pastors living like kings in multi-million dollar mansions and others preaching hate or close to it from the Pulpit. We as Christians must be discerning and not let ourselves be deceived by many of the deceiving spirits that have permeated mainstream churchianity. We must not allow ourselves to be fooled by these kinds of religious institutions or leaders. These are difficult times and as Christ and the apostles warned us, deceivers are out there in force for these are the last days.

Let us all keep in mind our heritage in Christ and our place in God's kingdom and what he expects of us all. One is holiness. The Strongs Greek word for it is Hagiamos.

G38
hagiasmos hag-ee-as-mos'
from 37; properly, purification, i.e. (the state) purity; concretely (by Hebraism) a purifier:--holiness, sanctification. see GREEK for 37

It is a state of purity and sanctification and it is a requirement for the saints. It is not an option. Was it not the Lord who said, be ye holy, for I am holy (1Pet 1:16)? This looks very much like a command to me.

What we must never, ever do is adopt a 'holier than thou' attitude, to put ourselves on some kind of spiritual pedestal, looking down on all of the 'sinners' around us as the Pharisee's were known for doing and Christ firmly rebuked them for it. True holiness recognizes that we are sinners and we are forgiven and must reject our sinful life of the past and embrace righteousness, holiness, humility, truth and peace in Christ. We must separate ourselves from those influences that defile us.

Well, I wanted to post something along these lines and felt led to do so this morning as our world slowly slips into madness and former pastors how openly proclaim their apostasy and rejection of Christianity to the world.

We must not catch the spiritual infection that is running rampant in the world today. This infection is hitting the Church as well and confusion rather than sound, biblically based doctrine these days reigns supreme in the 'pop culture' of the American Church.

Let us all take heed to ourselves. Deceit is everywhere and only a foolish man thinks he cannot fall victim to it.

Grace and peace to you all in Christ!

Brother Mark

The Day Before Thanksgiving

This time of year is special for many of you as you get a chance to see family. I do hope you all get to spend quality time with family and friends. Many of you will be traveling on Wednesday and will be away from your computers this weekend.

I may have some intermittent updates this weekend, but honestly... I spend far too much time on computers and really need to get away from them for a while.

But what I do want to leave you this long weekend is just some verses, some passages of scripture with very little comment.

A Psalm of praise.
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD,
all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us,
and not we ourselves; we are his people,
and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
 and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him,
and bless his name.
For the LORD is good;
 his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.
(Psa 100:1-5 - KJV)

Remember David's song of thanks?

Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the people.
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him,
talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name:
let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Seek the LORD and his strength,
seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works
that he hath done, his wonders,
and the judgments of his mouth;
O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob,
 his chosen ones. He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
Be ye mindful always of his covenant;
the word which he commanded to a
thousand generations; Even of the covenant
which he made with Abraham,
and of his oath unto Isaac;
And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law,
and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan,
the lot of your inheritance; When ye were but few,
 even a few, and strangers in it.
And when they went from nation to nation,
and from one kingdom to another people;
He suffered no man to do them wrong:
yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
Saying, Touch not mine anointed,
and do my prophets no harm. Sing unto the LORD,
all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.
Declare his glory among the heathen;
his marvellous works among all nations.
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised:
he also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the people are idols:
but the LORD made the heavens. Glory and honour
are in his presence; strength and gladness
are in his place. Give unto the LORD,
ye kindreds of the people, give unto
the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD
the glory due unto his name: bring an offering,
 and come before him: worship the LORD
in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him,
all the earth: the world also shall be stable,
that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad,
and let the earth rejoice: and let men say
among the nations, The LORD reigneth.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof:
let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at
the presence of the LORD, because he cometh
to judge the earth. O give thanks unto the LORD;
for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation,
and gather us together, and deliver us from the
heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name,
and glory in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD
God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the
people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.
(1Ch 16:8-36 - KJV)

We all have much to be thankful for. We have homes, food, clothing and much more. This is much more than many have. Why then do we all have a tendency to be dissatisfied? In my 60 years of life, one of the biggest and most important lessons I learned is this - to be happy, one must be content and thankful to God. Contentment - real contentment gives a man a lot of peace. Men are often pricked and pained by the lust for more; for money or driven by ambition and the lust for wordy praise. But if we learn to remain where God wants us to be and be content in that place - truly content in God, we will find peace and contentment in him.

The fear of the LORD tendeth to life:
and he that hath it shall abide satisfied;
he shall not be visited with evil.
(Pro 19:23 - KJV)

But godliness with contentment
 is great gain.
(1Ti 6:6 - KJV)

So on this Thanksgiving let us thank the Lord for what he has done. The protection he has given to all of us. Many in California lost their homes this year due to fire. In Albania today there was a big quake that took many lives. You could be one of the many refugee's trying to get into Europe or the US because you are fleeing horrible circumstances in your own country. Brothers, let us cese with murmuring and grumbling. The Lord really hates that. Rather, let's look around us and give thanks for what he has given us and for many of us, even if we are having some trouble, if we look around at how many are forced to live in this world... we have very, very much to be thankful for!!

Let your conversation be without covetousness;
and be content with such things as ye have:
for he hath said, I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee.
(Heb 13:5 - KJV)

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned,
 in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
I know both how to be abased,
and I know how to abound:
every where and in all things
I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me.
(Php 4:11-13 - KJV)

So dear brothers and sisters. The news these days may not be very encouraging and I know I do report on a lot of things that don't necessarily make the heart leap with joy. But the truth be told I am not discouraged in the least. God is with me and with each and everyone of you as well, as you walk with him and do his will.

So let us not be downcast but be thankful for what he has done for all of us!!

Habakkuk Part XIII

Habakkuk closes his prophecy with a prayer of thanksgiving and rejoicing. He is going to rejoice in God even in hard times, which the passages clearly envision. This is clearly a day of future trouble that he anticipates and does so rejoicing in his God. Yes, things will be dark, there will be famine as food is clearly seen as being scarce. But he will rejoice in God, not just God, but the God of his salvation. Yes, even amidst the terrible judgments that God has pronounced on his people and this dread king's advance, the Prophet rejoices and by extension exhorts God's people to do the same when such things come to pass on a people.

I cannot help but pass on these words out of the Preachers Homiletical.

The prophet contemplates famine, failure, and desolating death. Though God usually provides abundance and variety, he can reverse this action and suspend the course of nature (Psa 107:31-43). Health may fail, friends be removed, plans be frustrated, and privation be felt. Dependent are we from first to last.

Resumption of his gifts establishes God’s claim to ownership. (Illus. Abraham’s offering of Isaac.) The fig-tree without blossom, the vine without fruit, the olive destitute of oil; the barren fields, the smitten flocks, and the empty stalls; impressively tell us that the Lord God Almighty is the Absolute Proprietor. - The Preachers Homilitical

Now the Cambridge Bible makes an interesting comment that these last three verses of Habakkuk could be a later addition and that the book and his Poem actually end at verse 16. I do not think this is so, this is a special kind of poem-song that was probably known by its rambling nature (Sigionoth see verse 3:1) and this probably explains the change in tone as well as any other explanation. The prophet probably wanted to end this work on a positive note rather than a negative one and these three verses do that very well - despite it all, I will rejoice in the Lord!!

Here he acknowledges who gives him his strength. It's God! He will make him swift like a gazelle and he can move to the mountains, where there is safety.  This is probably what is meant by mine high places. He will be able to get up there fast. The swiftness and moving in these places can also denote a kind of freedom. The reference to 'mine' high places could denote a look forward to the time of Israel's return after judgment and having fled from the enemy. My view is the passage is more of a generalization, than any specific prophecy of the future. The last stanza in the last verse clearly marks this as some kind of song, though again we can only guess at the musical style.

Conclusion

Habakkuk is a prophet of note. His prayer shows us his inner feelings and personal frustration over the way things in Israel were going and God's seeming inaction. He cried out the Lord of sin and even violence and the Lord did not seem to hear him. Then begins an exchange between the prophet and the Lord. I think that what we can take away from this book is very practical and probably a bit less 'end time prophetic'. The big lesson I think? That being frustrated is natural. God's greatest men often felt it as well as depression. The key is always to never succumb to it, never let it steer us away from our purpose. Habakkuk even in his frustration determines never to leave his post.

I will stand upon my watch,
and set me upon the tower,
and will watch to see what he will say unto me,
and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
(Hab 2:1)

Yes, the prophet continued to stand watch despite his deep frustrations. This is how we need to be. No matter what we may be seeing, how dark things many look, we must be ready to continue on with our God appointed tasks and not shirk our duty, not throw in the towel in anger or frustration.

The Biblical authority of the book is not in question, but there remains much controversy as to who Habakkuk was, when he died and where he was buried. I would however be remiss in not pointing out that he is mentioned in one Apocryphal book, Bel And the Dragon. You may make of the passage what you wish, I will pass on the relevant verses in that book purely for your information. (Bel and the Dragon 1:33-42 [KJVA])

Again, you must make of this story what you will. While I think the apocryphal books are great for shedding light on history in some places, and can be a source of encouragement in others, some of them are more like fables and so great care needs to be used when reading them. I only pass this along as this is another reference that has survived where the prophet is mentioned.

Brothers, let us keep this wonderful little book in mind when God begins to levy his recompense on fallen men, particularly here in the western world that has enjoyed God's bounty for so long and have so often shown God not a spirit of thanksgiving but open contempt for him.

Whatever befalls the nation or our world, we who love our God should always give thanks and rejoice on the Lord who is the source of all good things.

Persecution Watch

In Iran, where protests are ongoing, a Christian has begun his sentence for evangelizing. They sent him to a place known as a hotbed for Islamic militancy.

As part of a larger prison sentence delivered in 2013, Ebrahim Firoozi, 33, was sentenced to two years in exile in Sarbaz, a frontier town on the Iranian-Pakistani border known for its isolation and prevalence of Islamic militant groups.

The sentence, which will expose the convert from Islam to extended periods of danger and isolation, was meant to keep him “from having a positive influence on people and to stop him from fellowshipping with the people in the Tehran area,” a source at advocacy group Middle East Concern (MEC) told Morning Star News. - Morning Star News

For those of you interest Middle East Concern also has a report on this.

For many of us, we will be badly mistreated by our families for our walk with Christ. Here is one such story out of the ICC.

Mumbedde Sula is one of many Christians facing persecution in Uganda. Unlike other East African countries where the main perpetrator is the Somali-based terror group, al-Shabaab, families are the leading persecutors in Uganda. They often use physical violence, poisoning, rejection, and false accusations in an attempt to turn new converts back to Islam.

Despite all that Sula has suffered at the hands of his family, though, he is part of a much larger heavenly family. The faithfulness of Robert Muhando and his church as they supported our brother in his time of need was a true demonstration of Christ’s love for Sula. It is what we are called to do for our Christian family in the midst of their suffering. We are thankful to Robert Muhando and his church for intervening and granting Sula’s release. Please continue praying for Mumbedde Sula as he goes through this trying time. Pray that his faith would remain strong and that he knows he is not alone. - ICC

In another interesting development on the persecution front and from the same Organization, the ICC is reporting that the Trump administration is considering conditioning foreign aid on the state of religious freedom in the potential recipients country.

Religious freedom? It means freedom to believe or not believe without the state coming in and forcing or pressuring you one way or another. We Americans take it for granted. I think many atheists do as well because in some countries Atheism is a crime and in still others, is punishable by death. So for those of you who think religious freedom is not an issue that is important to you. You probably don't know it, but it is. This is an issue that we should all fully support.

I have no interest in seeing anyone threatened with a gun to their head, a threat of economic deprivation, prison or the loss of their children because of their religious beliefs -  whatever those  beliefs may be. We had many centuries of so called 'Christian government' in Europe and torture chambers and burnings at the stake were too often the result. The sad part is those things were used on other Christians!! The founders of this country were wise when they allowed for the freedom of religion, but inserted the establishment clause - no state sponsored religion. We don't need the state telling us what to believe. Too many Americans take this for granted and don't realize that in many places in the world, this is not the case. You can literally wind up with a rope around your neck for not believing 'properly'.
 

In Mexico, a pastor was gunned down in the State of Chihuahua. His name was Salvador Atilano Galaviz Morales and according to news reports.

A European Non-profit has an annual report on Christian discrimination. The organization is called The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians In Europe. Ordinarily I would not provide a hotlink as EU laws on hyperlinking after the news laws recently passed are still very fuzzy, but the report itself has permission for wide dissemination, so I will link to it. It can be found here. This is not your typical report, so those of you who follow the persecution stories regularly at your major sites that cover it, will find this report very good because it deals with those many incidents inside Europe that are not reported to the world at large. Stories include abortion, parental rights, destruction of Christian symbols, hate crimes and more. Most of these are things that have not been covered here or much elsewhere here in the US.

Christians in Canada are called upon to pray for persecuted Christians.  In Turkey a pastor was murdered.

Brothers, The way I see it. The Church in the west is indeed in crisis, but the Church - the part of it that is under fire, being persecuted and otherwise suffering, is growing and strengthening. There are a lot of people in nations that are under the gun so to speak that have kept the faith and know the cost of salvation.

Many bear the marks of persecution on their bodies and hearts.  We in the west too often give Christ our scraps, not all of ourselves. Our residual money, time and efforts. This is the witness we are leaving the world - Jesus is only worthy of our leavings. Not so with those in many places in Africa and Asia. It's all not nothing with them. In many places, you proclaim Christ and you are literally taking your life into your own hands. Your own brother may stab you, your wife poison you or the cops may come and burn down your home.

So we in the western 'Laodicean' Church should learn from our brothers in these far off places. We must strive to enter into the strait gate, not just seek (Luke 13:24). Let us lay aside all of those weights and encumbrances, those bad relationships and unholy jobs and sources of revenue and set our faces firmly towards Jesus Christ and turn our backs fully on this wicked world system with its treachery, greed, hate and the growing spirits of murder and insanity.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things shall
be added unto you.
 (Matthew 6:33 [KJVA])

Brothers, let us all continue to pray without ceasing.

I Have Chosen You...

Today, let's leave behind the news of the day... and there has been some interesting developments and talk about the really important things - our souls.

Early this AM I was thinking about the state of the Church and how messed up so much of it. I was concerned about what is happening to Christianity and how those who don't know Christ but want to know God could find him and not get sidetracked with some of the follies and false doctrines that fill so many sermons and Church gatherings today. I say this by way of just humble concern for the Church, not to slam those ministers who are doing the best they can with what they have in sometimes impossible administrative constraints placed upon them. This is often so. Priests and pastors often want to shout out what needs to be said, but if they do, they could lose their jobs, be removed from their position in the Church, etc. The church boards, regional committee's and archbishoprics will indeed, force them out.

Then the Lord just said those words to me above 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you'. It is God that does the choosing, not you and I and he has chosen us out of this world.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you.
 (John 15:19 [KJVA])

Did you know that you were really chosen? Yes, God chose you, you did not choose him. He is sovereign and has chosen a precious few to fellowship with him as sons. God's power and wisdom and even most of his purposes are far, far beyond what we mortals can understand. But before the world was made, he chose us and while we are here, he wants to mold us into something that reflects himself, like any father would a son before we come into our spiritual inheritance.

For his own purposes the Lord allows 'devils' into the fold. Yes, he does. Don't believe me?

Yes, at times the Lord allows devils in our midst for his own purposes. Sometimes they are revealed to us before, sometimes afterwards sometimes never. He knows what he is doing. Yes, the devil is allowed to do many things, remember Job.

Yet God knows all. He knew us from the beginning and this is a fact that we should never lose sight of. We should always weigh the eternal over the temporal. Nothing down here will last forever, nothing. It is very temporary; people fighting and killing one another so they can 'own' something that they cannot carry with them to their tomb, but willing to slaughter whole families, cities even countries in order to enrich themselves for the fleeting moments they live on earth.

All God is doing is allowing men to men choose the evil they often are so enraptured with. The effect of the evil in the natural order is only temporary, but the spiritual damage they do to themselves is eternal. For one day, a new heaven and a new earth will be created. Ownership of things down here? I look at it more like rent or a lease because I have yet to see a U-Haul van roll up to the cemetery with the earthly goods of those who departed. Even if it did, what good would it do them while they are laying in a box stiff, cold and decomposing?

But what God wanted to impress upon me was that the Lord knows those that are his.

He knows how to guide his sheep where they need to go, like a good Shepherd. God uses human institutions to bring about his good will, but he is not wholly dependent on them. God, not the Church is sovereign. God is perfect, the Church is quite imperfect and often greatly errs. If God has to work around the administrative structures of the Church he can and will. God will never be constrained by the errors of men.

Yes, my concern is for the Church. I am concerned about how dark forces use the Church and Christian leaders to lead or give support to social movements that have nothing to do with the gospel. Yes, it concerns me because the Church as I see it, is too often being used by and in bed with the world and consequently makes itself more and more useless to God.

We are to come out of this world, not be its instrument. This is one reason there is such spiritual hostility to the genuine Christian. This is what is meant above in John 15:19, Christ has called us out of this world, the devil is the prince of this world. He wants what he thinks is 'his' back, that would be the truly born again believer. We are no longer under the curse of sin and death, but are now part of the brotherhood of light and love in Christ Jesus.

So let us all be certain that God knows how to get a message to those whom he (not we) has chosen. And while the Church can often be a hindrance to a person coming to truly know the risen Christ (as opposed to the many false ones), such a thing is hardly impossible with God. Even now we see how God is moving in the Arab world, giving people dreams of visions of Jesus.

I suppose my problem when I showed such concern for souls was that I was not thinking clearly and I was actually selling God short! In this work of salvation he does not really need any of us, but will certainly use us if we choose to yield ourselves to him and his will.

Well, I felt led to share that with you all this AM.

May God richly bless all of you in Christ and remember, God has indeed CHOSEN YOU!

Habakkuk Part XII

Here the prophet as he continues to recount the works of God of old shows how God often turned the swords of Israel's enemies upon themselves. The passage above may be a reference to the episode with Gideon, when every man's sword was turned against his brother (See Judges 7:22) or when Jehosaphat prayed to the Lord and encouraged those with him in the Lord and won a great victory when their enemies began to slay one another (2Chr 20:18ff).

Brothers and sisters you have no idea the kind of things God will do for us if we obey him, trust him, praise him and thank him, both before and after his miracles. God is always way ahead of us. We think that our situations have caught God off guard. Nothing can be further from the truth. He knew about the situation that we are confronted with long before we were even born! I am always amazed at the way God brings salvation to his people. He can and does protect his people, he certainly did it for me when my enemies were gathering to tear me limb from limb. They did not know that I have a God who was not going to let them do it. He can do the same for you as well if you take a page from Jehosaphat's book.

Because I think this is so important that we all remember, particularly when hard times come, I will pass on the prayer and prophecy that preceded the deliverance of Jehosaphat.

And Judah gathered themselves together,
to ask help of the LORD: even out of all
the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation
of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD,
 before the new court, And said,
O LORD God of our fathers,
art not thou God in heaven?
and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen?
and in thine hand is there not power and might,
so that none is able to withstand thee?
Art not thou our God, who didst drive out
the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel,
 and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
And they dwelt therein, and have built thee
a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying,
If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword,
 judgment, or pestilence, or famine,
we stand before this house, and in thy presence,
 (for thy name is in this house,)
and cry unto thee in our affliction,
then thou wilt hear and help. And now,
behold, the children of Ammon and Moab
and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade,
when they came out of the land of Egypt,
but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;
Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come
to cast us out of thy possession, which thou
 hast given us to inherit. O our God,
wilt thou not judge them? for we have no
might against this great company that cometh
 against us; neither know we what to do:
but our eyes are upon thee. And all Judah
stood before the LORD, with their little ones,
their wives, and their children. Then upon
Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah,
the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah,
a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the
Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;
And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah,
and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat,
Thus saith the LORD unto you,
Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of
this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
To morrow go ye down against them: behold,
they come up by the cliff of Ziz;
and ye shall find them at the end of the brook,
 before the wilderness of Jeruel.
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle:
set yourselves, stand ye still,
and see the salvation of the LORD with you,
O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not,
nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them:
for the LORD will be with you.
(2Ch 20:4-17 - KJV)

When we set our hearts right, trust in our God and make supplication to him, he will hear us. Yes he will, just as he did in this instance and in many others in our Bibles and in the lives of the saints, then and now; recorded in books and not recorded. This is why we should not fear, fret or freak out when the devil comes our way with his hordes to do mischief to God's people.

Here Habakkuk seeks to remind Israel of the Lord's mighty deeds of the past and he does this in anticipation of the fear now coming on Israel over the Babylonians and their dreaded king. The prophet wants to bring to mind God's ability to save, his power and his miracles.

In verse 15, the prophet refers here to the exodus and the way God delivered his people by parting the sea for them.

Our God is a God of power and miracles to those who love and trust him.

When I heard, my belly trembled;
my lips quivered at the voice:
rottenness entered into my bones,
and I trembled in myself,
that I might rest in the day of trouble:
when he cometh up unto the people,
he will invade them with his troops.
(Hab 3:16 - KJV)

The Judgments of God caused the prophet to become sore afraid. Some expositors think the prophet here refers to the previous judgments of God that brought awe to the prophet. Yet others (Adam Clarke) think what he is referring to is the current state of affairs and the coming of the King of Babylon to take the people away to captivity. This is actually I think what is being referred to as the last part of the verse alludes to. The prophet here admits to his own human failings and is afraid of the news of this warrior Kings coming. But from my humble view, the text is not 100% clear. Nevertheless, what ever the meaning the prophet seeks rest in the day of trouble and the arrival of this army.

Do we trust in God in times of trouble? When the hand of judgment falls on our country as it surely will if it does not repent, where will our hope be? In whom will we put our trust? Can we confidently call on God in faith having been constant and true to our God? Or will our hands be full of dishonest gain, our beds with lovers who are not our spouses, our homes filled with drugs, idols and other things that represent the pollution's of this world? God is watching how we live and is measuring us up.

God will hear the prayer of the humble, dutiful servant but will plug his ears up to those who plugged up their ears to him.

I also will choose their delusions,
and will bring their fears upon them;
because when I called, none did answer;
when I spake, they did not hear:
but they did evil before mine eyes,
and chose that in which I delighted not.
 Hear the word of the LORD,
ye that tremble at his word;
Your brethren that hated you,
that cast you out for my name's sake,
said, Let the LORD be glorified:
but he shall appear to your joy,
and they shall be ashamed.
(Isa 66:4-5 - KJV)

In the day of trouble, God will hear his people.

Brothers today I want to close this by saying whatever circumstances you are in, be encouraged. Have a new job with new challenges? Be encouraged. God is with you! Kids got a new teacher in school who is troublesome? God knows. Be prayerful and most importantly be encouraged. Getting ready for an out of state move? Be encouraged. God knows your situation to the full. Lay your cares on him. Remember the ways God has looked out for his people in the past. He is the same God, just as powerful, just as loving and watches over those whom he loves. In short...

Be encouraged!!!

Brother Mark

Persecution Watch

The Palestinian Authority Recognizes a Christian Evangelical Group (World Evangelical Alliance), according to Media reports. This is great news for the Gospel and for Christians who live in these territories. This recognition gives them new rights.

Religious Freedom in Sudan? It could happen...

JUBA, South Sudan (Morning Star News) – In another sign that Islamist elements hostile to Christianity in Sudan could be reined in, the minister of religious affairs has reiterated that Christian properties confiscated under the previous regime would be returned.
Acknowledging that Christians were persecuted and endured “very bad practices” under the regime of former President Omar al-Bashir, Minister of Religious Affairs Nasr al-Din Mufreh on Sunday (Nov. 3) was quoted in International Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat as saying property stolen from Sudanese Christians would be returned through court proceedings.

Mufreh also had told media in September that confiscated church properties should be returned... Story Continues at Morning Star News

The news is not all bad out there, lets pray that Sudan opens up and follows through on this and other similar initiatives.

In India, a US pastor is still under arrest after traveling there on ministry. His name is Bryan Nerren and I am sure he would deeply appreciate your prayers. There are several stories on the net from both secular and Christian news sources on his plight.

The EU Court of Human Rights opposes the deportation of an Afghan Christian back to his homeland. Persecution.org as well as many other has the story.

Also in India, It appears that police have put some house Churches under surveillance in order to discourage worship. Morning Star News Reports. Also from that most excellent little site is a story that is being carried by others as well, of Nigerian girls who were kidnapped and tortured being returned, after a ransom was payed, according to the reports.

In Ukraine, the contested part of it, there has been some important developments that have been covered by Forum18.

(Forum18) Worship is banned in all Protestant churches and Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Halls, as the unrecognised Luhansk People's Republic bans exercising freedom of religion or belief without permission. Courts punish those leading unapproved worship. Prosecutors are investigating an Orthodox priest on "extremism" criminal charges. With no permanent resident priest, Catholics hold Mass by Skype. With bans on clergy visiting, many communities suffer isolation. - Story continues at Forum18

Time would fail me to speak about the persecution in China, North Korea, what is going on in Iran as well as Algeria. So much of the world is aflame with hatred of Jesus Christ and his followers. But we should never be shocked nor surprised.

 If the world hate you,
ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
  If ye were of the world, the world
would love his own: but because
ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world,
therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you,
The servant is not greater than his lord.
If they have persecuted me,
they will also persecute you;
if they have kept my saying,
they will keep yours also.
(John 15:18-21 [KJVA])

For many 'christians', their religion is a more of a social statement or a cultural or even a political issue. But for real Christians, those who have been born from above and know Jesus Christ as he promised to know them (see John 14:21), they know that being a Christian at times is a hard walk, fraught with many dangers and tribulations as well as with joy and peace. They know that these admonitions of the Lord are not theoretical, they are real.

 Yea, and all that will
live godly in Christ Jesus shall
 suffer persecution. But evil men
and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived.
(II Tim 3:12-13 [KJVA])

If you know Christ... really know him, you just have to get used to the idea, persecution is going to be part of your life to greater or lesser degree's until you go home with to be with God and Christ. If you are going to be down here for any length of time as a Christian, sooner or later persecution will come your way.

But let us always remember to pray for the persecuted wherever they may be or whatever station they are in life.

Nehemiah XLIII

Here the prophet continues on his poem/prophecy about the exodus. The bow God was going to use for Judgment, was naked. That is, it was taken out of its scabbard and was ready to be wielded. This is poetic language that shows that God will indeed avenge and in this instance, protect his people according to his promise (oaths of the tribes, even thy word). Verse 10 describes the parting of the sea for the children of Israel. Yet the first part of the verse which references the mountains is not. The prophet here seems to draw on events that took place and others that will take place in no particular order. The prophet here is mostly extolling God's power and wonders on behalf of his people.

Thou didst march through the land in indignation,
thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
(Hab 3:12 - KJV)

Here the prophet speaks of God marching through the land in anger. God is very upset and goes after the nations in his wrath. While the passage may have some apocalyptic overtones, it is probably more in keeping with the clearing of the land of Canaan for his people, as in Joshua's day.

K&D seems to think these whole poem is one of the coming redemption of God's people and less about the miracles of the past, but whose imagery draws on those bygone miracles in this vision of the future. This idea may be seen to some degree in the following verse.

Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people,
even for salvation with thine anointed;
thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked,
 by discovering the foundation unto the neck.
 Selah.
(Hab 3:13 - KJV)

Again, unless one looks at this carefully, the reference of the past to a future fulfillment could be lost. Here the ancient reference is clearly to Joshua, who was indeed God's anointed to take the tribes of Israel into the promised land. But what is the connotation of the word anointed?

H4899
mashiyach
maw-shee'-akh
From H4886; anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint); specifically the Messiah: - anointed, Messiah.

It is where we get the word Messiah.

The prophet in the second part of the verse is almost certainly referencing the episode in the moves against Pharaoh and Egypt where the first born of every home was slain. Clarke remarks that this move left no hope for the families as the household heir had been cut off.

At the prophets Selah, let us all pause and consider just how powerful, awesome our God is and what how he deals with his stubborn and recalcitrant enemies.

Babylon

(Note: This was written a couple of years ago for insiders. I say these things as a long time student of Bible Prophecy. I hope you all - saved and unsaved are able to understand what is at stake and what the Bible has in store for the world we all live in. Know this - your belief or disbelief in these things are not going to effect them transpiring.)

When Babylon falls, the world will wonder. When Babylon falls there will be great weeping. When Babylon falls the world will change significantly and a new global system will be instituted. Now none of you here needs to ask me who Babylon is. To me, this is not a matter of opinion and or speculation.  These things are spiritually discerned.

This is also true of Gog And Magog (see Ezekiel Chap 38 and 39). There are and are going to be a plethora of sites playing up that Russia is Gog and that a major invasion of Israel by Russia is right around the corner. I am not buying it and neither should you. A thorough look at the passage in Ezekiel and the companion passage in Revelation (Rev 20:7ff) do not clearly predict any such invasion BEFORE Christ returns. No reasonable extrapolation of the description of Israel in those passages in Ezekiel could possibly line up with Israel's current state right now, with terrorists, knife stabbings and great giant walls to keep out Palestinians. The passage in Ezekiel make it plain that she will have no walls and that she is dwelling in a peace Israel has never had since 1948, but will only have during the millennium.

I say these things because there are those who will wrest the scriptures and get people most confused in these times of trouble. If in doubt go to the Bible, read it and the words (EXACTLY) and don't make the mistake of so many and reinterpret the clear meaning of the words to fit your own preconceived notions or to be popular with the religious crowd. That is the way to error, not truth.

The central focus I want to talk about is Babylon. The mother of Harlots. How she goes out.

She goes out violently, suddenly in the space of 'one hour'.

What do I think is going on today? I think the world is going to undergo continued changing and shifting and leaders around the world are going to begin to quietly and not so quietly set up a post-US world order. But the US is not going to go quietly. So the enemies of this nation are going to hatch a plot to overthrow us, suddenly violently and utterly.

These rulers will do this at the bidding of God, even if this fact is unbeknownst to themselves. Those shiftings are already apparent and those are things I have been posting to all of you insiders here for many years. The signs of a shift can be seen in many different things, the rise of SCO, Russia, China. The slow move of the EU to create her own army and independent foreign policy, its slow growing need and closeness to Russia and China. These are all potent signs of a world that is hedging its bets and shifting away from America.

When these leaders finally get ready to do away with Babylon, they will hatch a plot and set up 10 kings, 10 'overseers' if you will, who will, from all we can gather from the scriptures, be transitory figures whose sole purpose is to force a transition to a post 'Babylonian' world order under the ruler ship of the Man of sin, false prophet and the devil.

 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings,
which have received no kingdom as yet;
but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
 These have one mind, and shall give their power
and strength unto the beast.
(Rev 17:12-13 [KJV])

 And the ten horns
which thou sawest upon the beast,
these shall hate the whore,
 and shall make her desolate and naked,
and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will,
and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast,
until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
(Rev 17:16-17 [KJV])

I think we have some time before that happens but let me leave you with this. As I read the ancient prophecies, I see the attack upon America coming from the North. Arrows we see in those old prophecies? I see missiles? Babylon? I see us as the daughter of it.

Come down, and sit in the dust,
O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground:
there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans:
for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
(Isaiah 47:1 [KJV])

Yes, there is a good reason that John the Revelator is doing what he did and showing us a Babylonian empire. Remember, there was no Babylon in his day. Rome ruled the world and the Babylon of Jeremiah and Isiah had long faded into the history books. John who gave us this vision in heaven of the woman, is describing a SPIRITUAL entity. An entity that also had an earthly kingdom that exists in the last days right in the run up to the 42 month system of the antichrist. It is an entity that I have long held is a spiritual stronghold that has existed in many places before. John's description is her final place before the Lord comes.

We know her characteristics and I will not rehash them here, other than to say this. She is arrogant and sits at the pinnacle of global power and does not think she will ever be removed from her perch. God has other plans.

 
And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever:
so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart,
neither didst remember the latter end of it.
Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures,
 that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart,
 I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow,
neither shall I know the loss of children:
But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day,
the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee
in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries,
and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.
For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said,
None seeth me.

Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee;
and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from
whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.
Stand now with thine enchantments,
and with the multitude of thy sorceries,
wherein thou hast laboured
from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit,
if so be thou mayest prevail.
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels.
 Let now the astrologers,
the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators,
stand up, and save thee from
these things that shall come upon thee.
Behold, they shall be as stubble;
the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves
from the power of the flame:
there shall not be a coal to warm at,
nor fire to sit before it.
 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured,
 even thy merchants, from thy youth:
they shall wander every one to his quarter;
none shall save thee.
(Isaiah 47:7-15 [KJV])

Keep in mind that the passages of Isiah 47 are directed not so much at Babylon but at the DAUGHTER of Babylon. But because the spiritual entity behind each is the same, they could easily apply to both.

This whole passage is descriptive of the ancient Babylon no doubt, but like the Mother, so is the daughter. She is puffed up with pride and is having a really good time. They were trusting in their own peculiar brand of sorceries. Babylon is well known for Astrology but they certainly had other forms of divination. This is what they trusted in. Like America trusts in her Freemasonic traditions. There are some of the highest places in our government that one will have great difficulty in holding without being a Mason or a Masonic affiliated organization. There are many in power who dabble in all manner of witchcraft, necromancy, astrology and outright devil worship.

The Daughter of Babylon is blindsided. When her destruction comes she is not going to know from where it comes nor will she be prepared. All of her intelligence agencies, her major 'deep state' contractors. They will not see this coming.

If the 10 kings are a bit of a mystery, this may be one of the reasons why. They destroy Babylon and she has no clue as to the plot. They rise up for a exceptionally short period of time for one specific purpose.

So you ask me how does Babylon fall? I say, Suddenly and without aid.

God's people on the other hand will be given divine unction as to the time as there will be a call to leave Babylon before she goes. 'Come out of her my people' (Rev 18:4), is a command and like all such commands God's people will know it when they hear it and will obey it when it is uttered.

Blessings to you all in Christ and may he watch over all of you in the difficult days that lie ahead for the those 'called out' ones (who serve and obey Jesus Christ) and for the world.

---End two year old excerpt

***

I say these things not because I take any pleasure in seeing this nation fall or wish her harm, but to lay out to you where the trends we are already seeing in America will lead her.

Also this is why I can't get all upset about the sins, corruptions, abominations, trends, craziness etc., going on in DC and throughout the nation. I care, but looking around at what America and Americans are rapidly becoming, I have to distance myself from it and them so that I do not soil my spiritual garments. What is happening to this country is as predicable as prognosticating the symptoms of someone with a dreaded, fatal disease. One physical horror follows another until they die, barring a miracle. America could fix what is wrong with her if she and her people wanted to. The problem is they don't want to. They want to flip God the bird and go on with their drug abuse, sexual perversions and licentiousness, their hate, their wars, their thefts and their murders.

Neither repented they of their murders,
nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication,
nor of their thefts.
 (Rev of John 9:21 [KJVA])

We are not there yet, but one day, it will become a habitation of devils (Rev 18:2). But today, people want devils. Look at the rise of witchcraft and devil worship in the US and the western world!  Today is Halloween. Did you know that it is fast becoming one of America's most popular holidays?

In conclusion, Let us all be sober and watchful. Know the times and understand the spiritual lay of the land. This is a battle and those who don't know that will be shocked when an enemy shell winds up blowing up in their vicinity, and they are laying in a foxhole riddled with shrapnel. 

May God bless you all. Those who need light, with light. Those who need love, with love. Those who need wisdom, with wisdom and those who need guidance, with a lamp of God's word shone upon the path on which they should follow.

For Bloggers

I hope bloggers, particularly Christian ones, but bloggers from all over the country and from all peaceful political persuasions can profit by what follows. I hope my views will be helpful and my offbeat sense of humor offends no one.

This is election season and woe be to those who blog who don't know the danger blogging can bring, even here in the USA. What follows are a few links and a rework of several longer posts written for insiders. If it does not flow well, it is because it is a rough edit of several posts on subjects that touched on this.

Let's start with the positive. The FBI has warned those who run political campaigns on the danger this election poses. There is a danger. A big one not just to campaigns but to bloggers who are supportive of political candidates, particularly if you have large followings.

Protected Voices

The FBI has a great page on the issue. What do they mean protected voices? Mostly political campaigns. But anyone who blogs politically should be aware. Moreover, the tips on the page are good for anyone and everyone. So check it out. They talk about router hardening, VPN's, social media, ransomware, browser settings... the gamut.

If you remember a few days ago I told you what I was working on this summer. It was basically some aspects of this. The election season is upon us and well, you know what that can mean.

But all of you would be wise to look at these issues carefully for yourself. They are good security tips that all should take note of.

Don't take the cyber-threat lightly. They can do a lot of damage to you if you are ignorant of the threat or too lazy to take simple precautions.

On that note, I do want to give a little explanation of some of the changes on the site since summer.

This summer was kind of a major behind the scenes redo of the site. It mostly involved me taking down the bulk of several thousand files on my server. I had a lot of very old files and articles, audio and more that was dated... very dated. It was time much of that stuff went. Some will eventually return, but not this or next year. I plan on re-working and updating some of the prophetic materials and some will eventually return to the public page, others will remain for insiders. The basic flow of the site will however remain the same. Daily updates for insiders and 2-3 times a week with much smaller updates for the public.

Again, I will explain  that this is for many reasons, the age and relevance of some of the old stuff was a big reason for the change. But the other quite frankly was the upcoming election cycle. I just get the impression this is going to be the nastiest election the nation has ever witnessed, and if these impeachment proceedings are of any indication, it will be very, very nasty.

That means that bloggers could very well be targeted. GOP bloggers by DNC operatives and vice versa. Foreign nations will get involved, though they will probably mostly be targeting campaigns and election officials. But those who have influence on the prevailing narrative (large sites with large followings) will almost certainly be attacked in some of the ways they tried to get me. They'll follow you around, break into your home/place of business, hack your router, computers, physically harass, digitally harass - mess with you at your local establishments and just try and make your life miserable for the crime of using your rights as an American to speak freely.


So I decided that this time around, I will deliberately keep a very low footprint and profile during the election season. I went from several thousand files a few months ago to now 55 49 on the public page (that includes graphics). I have also removed the archives for now.

For me right now, lower traffic numbers are better. I don't want political activists linking to my material and get this site any more on the radar of these 'deep state demons' than I already am.

A recent report may be of interest to all of you. It's called FBI: Still Spying On Dissent

It gives a lot of history on how they surveilled many organizations, including Black Lives Matters, Standing Rock, Occupy Wall Street, etc. The danger is that in this Presidential election cycle, people inside these deep state agencies will set up law abiding Americans in order to be put under just this kind of surveillance. I don't want to single out the FBI they are not the only ones bloggers need to be worried about.

Just remember this - in the lexicon of the devil, laws (including surveillance laws) are meant to be broken and in some of these agencies they have more than their fair share of 'devils' in them. But let me make this very clear. There are many fine, hard working and honorable people who really are trying to do the right thing in these agencies as well. I don't want to focus in on the bad and let the good go unrecognized.

Please understand, this is not paranoia, these are the kinds of things that are part of the tradecraft of those who work in the worlds intelligence agencies. They just are not supposed to be using those tools on law abiding Americans. But in today's hyperpoliticized environment and the low grade/quality of people now working in these agencies, this is the result. Drop arms to terrorists and attack law abiding Americans.

So yes, there have been some pretty big changes here and at first some very polite complaints about old pages that went missing (from non-insiders). 

But I have gotten the site about where I want it on size and footprint. In January 2021, we will revisit the public page and then move forward, but not before.

Other bloggers seem to be throwing in the towel, the threats and harassment have gotten to be too much. Harassment and threats contributed to the sale of Pando.com.

So keep these things in mind - you may not think you are having an impact, but you are and if they are coming after you, you can be certain you are.

My point is this - if you have a big site that deals in any way with politics - Be warned. Your careful observance of federal, state and local law is not protection from persecution or even prosecution. If they want you bad enough they will have you in jail for crimes you never even thought about committing before you know what hit you. They will smear you, destroy your rep and make it so no jury on earth will acquit you, despite the fact that they have no evidence against you.

Yet my suspicion is that after what they tried to do to me and a few others, there may have been some significant positive changes in how they deal with bloggers and journalists as long as they are not leakers of classified data and are not in bed with foreign powers. The problem is that men who have 'special skills' can make it so that those truly innocent bloggers look like (via a false trail of evidence) they are one or the other, just to get them put under surveillance, when in fact they are neither - just a blogger that someone wants to silence.

***

If I thought the country was really worth saving and the people in it would really profit by what things I share with insiders, I would put more stuff up here. But I have moved past America. I care about the country, but see where she is heading. Like I told my sister a few nights ago when we were talking, I feel like a guy in a lifeboat in the North Atlantic, right after the Titanic just hit the iceberg. I can see the first smoke stack slowly being submerged into the icy water and the drunken fools who were partying and living it up before the accident begin to finally realize just how much trouble they are in. From that lifeboat I can also know that before long, all that will visible where that huge ship was, will be a calm, cold sea.

We are the titanic, and we who are sane and sober (about 30% of the population) can see major icebergs our ship of state are heading into. But the captain, be he Democrat or Republican continues to drive the ship full steam ahead right into that icerberg (National Bankruptcy). Meanwhile, the first officer is trying to knife the captain (think impeachment hearings) so he can have the joy of trying to get more speed out of the engines. One can only wonder if we have passengers on board or escapees from a lunatic asylum because no one is pushing the captain to change course or reduce speed.

That may be too cynical for many of you. Perhaps it is. But one look at what passes for debate in this country and the often downright deranged hyperpolitical environment that has beset the nation, I can have little hope that the nation will survive as a free and prosperous people. The country's enemies have done a number on America and Americans. The problem is that in my view, most Americans are too dumb or are too stuck in their partisan dysphoria to figure out just how much their anger and hate-filled stupidity has helped those foes, both inside and outside of the country.

I will keep my focus on those things that matter to Christians - real Christians - not this cacophony of confusion that called itself the Church here in America and continue to keep the better posts for a small group of mature and praying Christians and watch the sinking of the Titanic from a safe distance; more as an ongoing tragicomedy than anything I can positively effect. I simply refuse to be too depressed about all of this nor will I lose my sense of humor. Watching crazy people can be both tragic... and funny.

I have done my share for this country and if this new generation of Americans cannot get their minds right about what made this nation what it is today, then frankly the country is not worth saving and my efforts will have been spent for nothing.

The biggest problem with America today is not Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Mitch McConnell or Nancy Pelosi, its millions of Americans who don't care enough about the country and their own future to use the remaining embers of their often damaged brains to see and think more clearly about what we need to fix and fix now in this country and understand and respect the nations common future, left and right, black and white.

Rather than fixing these common solutions we fall into the political trenches and fire political and economic shells at our own countrymen. This is exactly the kind of social environment this country's enemies have spent so much time and effort to bring about.

It is my hope that we maintain a healthy diverse, but respectful debate in this country. That all sides can have a say and do so safely and freely.

Note that I said hope, not prediction.

Prophets

Today, I want to spend a bit of time just talking generally about prophets. I lay no claim to being one. So let's get that straight first. When the Lord called me to this unusual ministry, he did not say prophecy, he said write and warn. It's why I don't do talk radio, sermons, 'words from the Lord' or YouTube interviews. It is not within the scope of what God told me to do. He said write, so that is what I do. I cannot rebel against what he wants me to do. I tried that once and as you can see... I am still writing(!)

But when God sends in a prophet, it means that whomever he is addressing is in need of serious correction. This is how the Old Testament Prophets operated. When Israel sinned, God sent them warnings, often in nature (ie, famine) or in the political realm (war or threats thereof) but he often sent them prophets to warn them as well as to what the Lord wants them to do or cease doing. Our Bibles are full of the warnings of the Prophets.

From Enoch (Jude 1:14) to Moses onward, men of God whom God specifically chose to fulfill a ministry of prophecy went forth and spoke the words that God gave them to speak. And this is an important aspect of prophecy. A true prophet speaks in the name of the Lord. His words are not his, but are the Lord's words to whomever the message is addressed. We, or at least I often look at prophets in the Old Testament sense, as addressing a wayward people gone astray after sin and idols whom the Lord is trying to get back on the right path so that they can escape punishment and judgment. We see this kind of prophet in Jeremiah, Ezekiel and of course in the books of the minor prophets.

In the New Testament, their job is the same though a bit different. God has ordered prophets in the Church. Yes, he has though today a real one will probably be thrown out on his ear in a great many assemblies.

 And God hath set some in the church,
first apostles, secondarily prophets,
thirdly teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues. Are all apostles?
are all prophets? are all teachers?
 are all workers of miracles?
(I Cor 12:28-29 [KJVA])

In the New Testament, at least as it effects the Church, they have a specific ministry within the Church. But when they speak, the people were to judge what the message they had was weather it be correct. We find that in (1Cor 14:29). This probably is not so much to determine falsity but perhaps to give another prophet a chance to expound upon or give a complimentary revelation, though censure is in order if there was error.

Here the prophet is to minister, not to the wayward and the lost; or to those in rebellion against God as in the Old Testament, but to guide, comfort and build up the body of Christ. That is his job within the body of Christ. He can often warn of impending trouble for some, as Agabus did for Paul and in predicting a major drought in the book of (Acts 11:28, 21:10).

Why am I writing to you about this today? Well, we can all see how the world is changing and not for the better. The people on this earth, with many notable exceptions, are becoming more and more removed from God. They are getting violent, crazy, hateful, drug addicted and perverted. There is a cruelty about in the world today. A stubborn, recalcitrant, spirit seems to be taking over the world and its governments. The incendiary language we see in many of the world's capitols is a sign of our troubled times. Men spout off words of violence and arrogance, without thinking that God may have something to say about whatever controversy has stirred them up. They have placed themselves many times as 'judge and jury' with no regards for right, wrong or just what God may think about what is going on.

I look at our leaders on both sides of the political aisle, but particularly on the left and what I see is not only a disregard for God, but open contempt for him. Knowing his ways, they have foisted on the nation an epidemic of sexual licentiousness and confusion that now is effecting the children. What has happened to the nation that once honored and respected God? We have changed and changed significantly and not for the better.

But most Americans don't want to step back and look at where we are as a nation, spiritually and morally. How far we have fallen. They look about the nice city streets, the nice cars and homes, the good jobs, etc and see no problem. That is until you begin to look under the covers and see where decay is already taking place in the country. Look at the rise of diseases in many of the Nation's major cities, due primarily to a growing epidemic of homelessness. The administrative incompetence in so many places and its political and administrative leadership. The decline of the US military because she cannot attract and certainly not keep good recruits. They are often driven out with the current obsession with political correctness. The way its going, our military will be the most politically correct, sexually liberated and diverse corpses ever to be defeated on a battlefield.

The nation is in trouble. Though many see it, but no one wants to come to the God who blessed this nation with all of the blessings she now enjoys so that he might bring healing to the nation. Yes even to much of the western world. Instead we insult him with our arrogance, hatred of God and our growing licentiousness of many different varieties.

But given where the nation is at right now spiritually and where she is clearly heading, when will God send in the prophets? When will he send in those mighty, fearless men of God who will go out and proclaim what it is God wants to tell the nation, west and world?

I think it not so long when such men begin to rise up. Some 'minor' prophets have appeared, many were not really walking in the spirit, fell by the wayside and went into error. Others have been attacked by satanic elements operating inside of other religions, secret societies and even Americans intelligence and law enforcement communities. Prophets have many enemies. They can and will come at them from directions that most never even considered. This is why they need a strong divine covering in these treacherous and evil times (See 2Kings 6:15ff). Satan and his ministers will stir up all the hounds of hell to tear one down once he starts his ministry, particularly if it is effective and people start to repent.

Who will be that prophet?. We can only guess. He could use a well known pastor or evangelist, but I don't think that likely. Many of them are too hooked in with the system to come out and be separate from that system to minister the way a true prophet should.

He may choose a foreigner or a man of little and no repute to prophecy to his people. I have always suspected one such man who came to America (and died many years ago) from abroad and he could see the real America. This is one thing I can say after living abroad for 10 years of my adult life. When I came back I could 'see' things about America that Americans just were not capable of seeing. Now understand, I don't want to get into the whole 'down on America' and negativity thing. But the reality I saw was that Americans are for the most part, very strange people. They don't seem to know how to think - I mean really think (use their own brains rather than recite what they heard or the opinions of others). Moreover many are so materialistic, superficial and narcissistic. They don't see these things in themselves and many get offended when you point these things out. Collectively as a nation we are exceptionally violent, reaching for our massive weapons arsenal at every minor incident on the planet that angers someone who has too much sway in DC.

My point is that much of the problem with America and Americans is not seen by Americans, particularly a great many, probably most Church-goers. Many of them are caught up in their own pursuit of American materialism, careerism and pleasure seeking.

No, I suspect God may raise up a prophet, but he may be a foreigner, a person from abroad who has known persecution firsthand, knows and trusts his God and who will do as the Lord commands when he tells him 'Go and prophecy to the people in the Churches as well to the Nation of America and tell them....'

Such a person will probably minster for a few years and be secretly killed (made to look like an accident or illness) by demonic forces.

The slaying of prophets is nothing new.

From the past...

Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?
and they have slain them which shewed
before of the coming of the Just One;
of whom ye have been now
 the betrayers and murderers:
(Acts 7:52 [KJVA])

For the future...

And in her was found the blood of prophets,
and of saints, and of all that
 were slain upon the earth.
 (Rev 18:24 [KJVA])

One of the key traits of someone under demonic influence is their willingness to betray... particularly those whom God has sent. This is why the man whom God sends to the nation will probably be murdered and betrayed by other men who pretend to be Christians and friends, as our Lord was betrayed.

How will the world treat God's two witnesses when they come onto the scene?

I will tell you.

 And when they shall have finished their testimony,
the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit
 shall make war against them, and shall overcome them,
and kill them. And their dead bodies
shall lie in the street of the great city,
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,
where also our Lord was crucified.
And they of the people and kindreds and
tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies
three days and an half, and shall not suffer
their dead bodies to be put in graves.
And they that dwell upon the earth shall
rejoice over them, and make merry,
 and shall send gifts one to another;
because these two prophets tormented
them that dwelt on the earth.
(Rev 11:7-10 [KJVA])

It will probably be a while before these two witnesses show up on the scene and prophecy, but it may not be so long before God sends some witnesses here to the US to warn the nation of its errors and what God has in store for such a nation that refuses to change its ways.

I suspect that these prophets messages will be sent to the nation more by way of Divine courtesy, than any real expectation that the nation as a whole will repent. I don't think it likely, but some individuals souls and even institutions may indeed be convicted and do as this coming prophet bids.

...for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

 (Rev 19:10b [KJVA])

Habakkuk Part X

Impeachment Watch

Well, I don't want to write on this today, but feel led to do so. This post may wind up in some form on the front page (MSW)

Where is this going? Will they vote articles of impeachment? I don't know. I cannot answer that. What I will do is make a few observations from my own non-partisan perspective. It's true, I am not a Democrat and I am not a Republican and am emotionally detached enough from both parties to give a perspective that those with significant emotional, political, financial and psychological investment in one or the other party are incapable of making. I hope my views are helpful.

First of all, impeachment is as much a legal process as a political one. We must not ever forget either aspect of it. If the House were full of Republicans, there probably would be no inquiry. But since it is filled with Democrats, there is one. Many on the left have been looking for dirt on Trump - impeachable dirt on the President for some time - really since he came into office and before. The real issue is less about pure partisanship I think as it is about the terrible disappointment that many Democrats and their wealthy donors felt when Mrs. Clinton did not win the election in 2016. Even before President Trump took office, operatives with loud voices and lots of money were working very hard to find a way to overturn the results of the election. Ultimately, this is how I see the current obsession with removing the President. It has far less to do about any crime the President may or may not have committed, but to undo the results of the last election and ensure that whomever the DNC puts up as their nominee has a fairly clear road into office in 2020. Trump should not be underestimated by those on the left. They did that once before and came away bitterly disappointed... with an emphasis on the word bitter...

But this lingering bitterness and these attempts to undo and overturn the election are doing the country tremendous harm. The actions of those on the left are in my view very damaging to the long term political stability of the country. Understand, I am not saying that the House does not have a right and duty to investigate wrongdoing by a sitting President. It has both. But I personally think this particular inquiry is, based upon the few facts that have leaked out into the media, including a transcript of the President's conversation with a foreign leader is not very sound in its basis for its initiation. While the prevailing narrative in the media is one of 'righteous indignation' of one whistle-blower at the behavior of the President, the actual conversation itself does not appear to veer even peripherally, into the criminal, at least not to my non-legal mind.

It can be and has been characterized by the Presidents enemies as a crude attempt by the President to enlist Ukrainian help to find dirt on the former Vice President's son, and by extension, the former Vice President himself. But such is only one, dark and probably politically motivated interpretation of things. A far more reasonable one goes more like this. The President has held up aid money from Ukraine. One of the biggest concerns that the US has with doling out aid to Ukraine has been the systemic corruption that has racked the nation both before and after the Revolution/coup and before and during the Trump administration. It is not a little issue. It is one of the biggest sticking points in relations between the two nations right now.

Should the President just hand out hundreds of millions of US dollars to a country like this? Should not some degree of due diligence be made about where some of the previous aid money has gone?  Should we hand over a few hundred million dollars to Ukraine only to find out it all went to some rich Oligarch to build a new wing in his mansion, or purchased planeload of heavy weapons to some of the heavy militarized fascist groups in Ukraine who openly praise Nazi-ism? Or have the money laundered so that plane loads of dope can be purchased? Or even laundered back into the US and its political system? Should the President not at least ask that these things be looked into? Should he be prevented from doing this just because an investigation may involve his political rivals?

Just because he is a Republican, does that prevent him from doing his job when it comes to looking into Democrats? Granted, politics probably did enter into the President's inquiry with the Ukrainian President, but when all of that money at issue, questions should be asked... even about Democrats who have lamented long and loud about the Presidents alleged corruption. What about them?

Now that he is doing his job regarding both foreign aid and possible political corruption what happens? He gets an impeachment inquiry. Why? Because of the perception that he is playing politics. Well, as shocking as it may sound, politics is what DC is all about. When Bill Clinton was impeached, I think the Congress was right in their inquiry. but frankly his behavior while most disappointing on many levels did not veer into textbook criminality. Yes, he was wrong, but no, he did not really break the law. Sex between two consenting adults is legal in America, even for the President.

So to me, the politics are real, but lets get to the law. Did the President break the law by asking Ukraine to look into Biden's son? I just don't see it. Yes, somewhere deep in federal regulations you may be able to contort something and try and make it apply. But I just don't see anything overtly criminal in what he did.

But the bigger issue I see in this whole affair is that it is just continues to cement America's path on the road to internal political destabilization, something many of America's enemies have worked long and hard to bring about. By Leftwingers listening to the rants on news networks and blogs with gossip, rumor, innuendo and fake news... lots of fake news, they become enraged at the real and purported misdeeds of the President and then call their Congressmen to 'demand' that they impeach the President.

Rightwingers are just as guilty as many knee jerk support every move the President makes. There is just too much hyper-partisanship. What does this hyper-partisanship do? It cripples the thinking processes of adults and turns them into unwitting propagandists, willing to speak and spread anything - truth or lie, that will bring about a desired political end. In this instance for the left, the impeachment and removal and the undoing of the 2016 election results.

Many are just not interested in the facts, they never accepted the election results of 2016 and never will. This is what makes the current environment so dangerous for us all, for when the people cease to respect elections, leaders cease to be chosen by them. That is when genuine political instability sets in.

Once before we had a very divisive election in America and the election of that President was one of the key reasons why America went into a literal Civil War. That President's name was Lincoln. They talked about his backwoods vulgarity and his crude ways, not unlike they do with this President. This was the opinion and mindset of many from the South. Mind you, I am not comparing the two as both being 'Great Presidents', but rather only to point out that crudeness does not necessarily make for a bad President and let's face it, President Trump can at times be rather crude.

What I don't want to do or become is some great defender of the President, politically speaking. He has done more than a few things that have really upset me. Such as his overturning of Net Neutrality and the way it was done. The way the CPFB has ceased to have the kind of relevance that the last President wanted it to have, having been born in a mortgage crisis that put many an American out of their homes via some very questionable legal moves taken by large corporations. That agency was set up to protect you and me. The last President did not get enough credit for the creation of that agency.

Then there are the things I have liked that he has dealt with, if not necessarily the way he went about it. The border is one issue I see that way. I think it is long overdue someone dealt with that long standing crisis. It is an organized crime crisis, a drug crisis, a humanitarian crisis and political crisis all rolled up into one. It is great that something is being done, not so great the way he has handled it, even if just the PR of the program. As stated before, I love immigrants, they are what this country is all about. If you are not a Native American you are an immigrant or the son of an immigrant. We cannot turn our backs on them. But we should not let those who commit crimes to get into the country and 'jump the fence' ahead those who use the legal system and go by the rules to obtain residency and citizenship. No one ever likes to talk about those who apply legally and go through the administrative and legal hurdles for citizenship. Too often, the political tears are only shed as they can be used to strike out at the President, as with illegal immigration.

My view is that we need to know who is coming in here and what their plans are. With the problems we have with gangs, drugs and stories of some of these gangs and their infiltration of local police departments, why should the President not be concerned about what is going on at the border? Unlike the others up there in DC, he has not been derelict in that most important duty. But yes, in a PR sense and the perception that has been created about moves along the border. One gets the impression that gas chambers and incinerators are being used on immigrants, if you listen to some. The saddest part is, some simple minded people actually believe such things or are willing to spread such rumors for a political end.

Finally the President has moved America in a very different foreign policy course. Peace talks instead of troop deployments has characterized his moves in this arena. Such policies makes any President, regardless of political party some very powerful enemies. Remember JFK.

What Goes Around...


It does indeed come around again at you. I speak here not so much about impeachment of a Democrat or Republican. No, there is a bigger picture here that needs to be seen. America for many years was really into destabilization, regime change and other covert means of changing governments or just bringing in chaos to those governments it did not like. There is a long, long history that can be found on the web (though that is getting harder to do). The words 'regime change' have often been used by American political leadership.

What the US has done to others is slowly happening to the US. The winds of political destabilization are blowing over our system and I see no way it will end, except in tragedy. Mature leaders and wise men are few and demagogues are plentiful in 21st century America. Men who can see past the partisanship and their immediate political future and see where any path that they may take could take the nation seem to have been eviscerated from our political system. Such men and women are not electable. People now want a leader who will 'go after' the other party, the Christians, the Gays, the Muslims, the Conservatives, the Liberals and use government as a tool for a manufactured enmity that cannot possibly lead to any kind of political utopia, but rather to the fires of political violence - these are more and more the leaders Americans seem to want into office. 

The political gun powder of political destabilization is already being poured into the keg, it only takes the adept lighting of the fuse at the proper moment, probably by political forces within our own government but who are under the influence of foreign powers to ignite it at the proper time. And the great American political experiment that most of us take very much for granted, will come to an end - a free people who can freely elect a government and live in peace one with another despite many religions, racial and cultural differences - E Pluribus Unum


All sides need to step back and re-evaluate the current political crisis. The election is just a year away. If the nation really wants a new President, it can have one. If it does not, they can re-elect Donald Trump. What I see more and more and what troubles me is that some just don't want to deal with another election with Donald Trump running, so they want to fix that situation to make sure he doesn't and can't.

Impeachment at this time over this issue to me is not a wise move. Not with the ill social winds blowing in the nation. We need leaders on both sides who can calm the restless, angry and misinformed natives, not inflame them.

Brother as the scriptures say, a house divided against itself cannot stand and unless more Americans come out of their political and ideological bunkers, neither will America.

Soiled, Defiled And Rejected

This piece is meant soley for genuine Christians who love the Lord Jesus Christ and have turned their faces fully and completely to the task of striving to enter into the strait gate, and not merely seeking to (see Luke 13:24).

Today, we are going to leave the news, chaos and madness of the present age behind and talk for a while about some spiritual matters.

As I write on news daily, it becomes apparent to me that our nation, this nation is not salvageable. Sure many think it can be saved and turned around. I don't want to argue with them or discourage them from any work that God (rather than they themselves) may have called them to. Rather I want to deal with a couple of issues specifically regarding our times.

The key problem that we believers will face in these times is one of spiritual defilement and having our garments soiled. Just before God lowers the boom on Mystery Babylon, he warns his people to come out of her. He says get out lest you share in her plagues.

 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying,
Come out of her, my people, that ye be not
partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
  For her sins have reached unto heaven,
and God hath remembered her iniquities.
(Rev 18:4-5 [KJVA])

There is a clear separation that God demands from his people in Babylon. Some believe it is a physical separation, others a spiritual one - my own view is that it is largely both, but the second is by far the more important. I say it is more important because a person who is steeped in sin and evil but leaves Babylon physically is still on his way into God's wrath. But a person who has kept themselves pure, even in the midst of great wickedness, if God does tell them to get up and move out, there will be no hesitation in so doing, in fact, such a person probably has already sought the Lord about it long before the command went forth. But like all things, timing is everything with God.

The issue of spiritual defilement is an important one. It is one that we must always keep in mind. What can defile us? What can make us unacceptable to God?

For whoremongers, for them that
defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers,
 for liars, for perjured persons,
and if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine;
 (I Timothy 1:10 [KJVA])

If any man defile the temple of God,
him shall God destroy; for the temple
of God is holy, which temple ye are.
 (I Corinthians 3:17 [KJVA])

 And he said, That which cometh out of the man,
that defileth the man. For from within,
out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
 adulteries, fornications, murders, 
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
 lasciviousness, an evil eye,
 blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
 All these evil things come from within,
 and defile the man.
(Mark 7:20-23 [KJVA])

We are to be unspotted by this world and its wickedness (see James 1:27).

I say these thing with a specific idea in mind. Far too many of us spend far too much time trying to save America or the world system for that matter, or trying to fight the social war going on out there. I know many of you with kids want people like me to be more vocal and try and get people roused up to fight many of the trends on our society. The things happening in our government or schools and with our children. I feel for those of you who want me to do that. But I do not feel led to help lead crusades to end this or put a stop to that in our society. My first love is for God, Jesus Christ and his kingdom, not this present system.

Some of you want me to support one candidate who will drop bombs on children so that they can stop teaching transgenderism in school, or want me to go ballistic against one party who has a good abortion stance so that that same party can start new wars and create a new wave of refugees, cripples and deaths.

Those of you who are willing to turn a blind eye to one abomination in order to stop another, you too are guilty of defiling your garments. Evil is evil and the devil is a master at getting people to support it. That is why this country is on a downward spiral today - the ethical, moral and spiritual trade-offs people make.

Christians are by no means any kind of exception. You see, while many are out there fighting the social battle (cultural war), they have forgotten the spiritual battle. They are fighting legal battles in the natural and forgetting the source of our power as Christians, that being God and the source of many of the issues that our world faces, the devil and his host of fallen angels. Going on and on about about the evils transpiring in society, that is not my job. Yes, at times, that is exactly what God wants me to do. But other times... most of the times, it simply is not.

I know many of you have kids and are concerned about things or are working jobs where you are treated like dirt because you are a Christian. I am not unsympathetic. I am however only somewhat concerned about it. Why is that? Why am I not enraged and outraged?

Because this is a sinful world and it is full of sinners and if you did not know, this let me break it down to you - sinners have a tendency to sin. That is what they do. Should I be shocked when a dog barks, a cock crows or a sinner sins? Brothers, these things are about as shocking to me as turning another page on the calendar at sunrise. It's expected.

Please understand, I am not complacent about sin and evil, not in the least, but when I fight these evils, I don't do as the world does and try and start a media/internet campaign of signatures and letter writing, I don't try and go on some billionaire owned TV station who will probably only contort what I say when all is said and done.

No, I go the Lord in prayer and when necessary, enjoin others to do the same when I think it meet. This is where our power comes from. It comes from the spiritual world and the spiritual battle going on behind the scenes of which we are only vaguely aware. This is where so many Christians miss the point. This is a spiritual battle that will only be won with spiritual weapons. The devil is real good at getting us to misdirect our energies into temporal battles. He does this for a reason. He is genuinely afraid (terrified may be a better word) of the effectual prayer of a righteous man (Jam 5:16). He knows that when old man Jones or grandma Smith gets on their knee's and starts praying, the Kingdom of hell starts to shake and shudder under the weight of their supplications.

But my concern is that in the desire many Christians have to save America using temporal tools, they become defiled. You who hate abortion and vote accordingly, do you support murder and vote accordingly at the same time? You who are deeply worried about trends in sodomy, do you support bribery and corruption by default? You see, we must be careful who or how we lend our support and time. We may honestly think we are doing good, but in reality we may be doing a lot of harm when we don't fight these battles the way God wants us to fight them.

Can a person so deceived by the devil to support say, the razing of Christian villages and the enslavement of Christian women get into the Kingdom? No, such a person has been deceived and is in serious danger of being defiled. We are to have nothing to do with the works of darkness. NOTHING. We cannot point a finger of accusation at those who support sexual licentiousness, when our own deeds point to support of a trail of innocent blood. God will hold both groups to full account.

Then there is the issue of America as a whole. What is God's opinion of her? Is he in love with America. I rather think not. I think he has honored her and blessed her because she was such a blessing to others and was so very useful in spreading the Gospel message around the world. But as we have more and more forgotten and even reviled the God of heaven, so God has also noted it.

I say these things not because I take any pleasure in seeing this nation fall or wish her harm, but to lay out to you where the trends we are already seeing in America will lead her.

In conclusion, let us all be sober and watchful. Know the times and understand the spiritual lay of the land. This is a battle and those who don't know that will be shocked when an enemy 'shell' winds up blowing up in their vicinity. and they are laying in a foxhole riddled with spiritual 'shrapnel'. 

Let us be good servants of the Lord, keep our eyes open, obey the voice of our God and do those things he commands us. Let the issue of spiritual defilement always be on our minds when we go out into the world. Let us be holy, pure, humble, merciful, full of love, but also watchful, careful and not so quick to open our mouths.

God is not going to let the defiled into his kingdom any more than we would let portions of a toxic waste dump into our living rooms. It messes up everything. That is what a defiled person does, he messes up everything. Such people are not going to heaven. If you want a scripture verse on that, here it is.

May God bless you who love our Lord Jesus Christ.