Category: Discipleship Essentials

Is the Covid Vaccine the Mark of the Beast?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lately I have become aware of a conversation among some followers of Christ asking the question if the Covid vaccine might be the mark of the beast mentioned in Revelation. I understand why someone might venture in this direction because of all the talk of vaccine passports and implanted nano chips. However, I believe asking such a question betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of salvation. Please let me explain.

First, let’s take a look at the relevant passages in Revelation.

He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17  And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18  Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666. Revelation 13:16-18 (NLT) 

Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand 10  must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11  The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9-11 (NLT) 

Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, “Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 2  So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Revelation 16:1-2 (NLT)

Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4 (NLT) 

And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Revelation 19:20 (ESV)

For centuries Bible readers have wondered about this mark and about the identity of the person called the antichrist. Modern technology has made it possible to envision the insertion of a chip beneath the skin that could act as an identifier and a sort of credit card for making financial transactions. I do not want to take the time to give examples of how this is possible right now.  You can do that research on your own time. What I am more concerned about is the theology behind fearing that receiving a vaccine might consign a person to the Lake of Fire.

I believe we should be far more interested in God’s mark than the one from the “beast.” All people who are born again receive what the Bible calls a “seal” in the Spirit.

The Spirit of God comes to live in and through those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ for all eternity, effectively sealing us as God’s property and guaranteeing us a place in the resurrection. Let’s look at some verses to this effect.

And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22  and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (ESV) 

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit was God’s “down payment” on the resurrection, so to speak. While we wait for that glorious event, we have the proof that God will complete what he has begun in us in the form of God’s resident Spirit. This mark or seal is invisible to the human eye, but fully visible in the spiritual realm, just as ultraviolet light cannot be seen with the human eye, but is nevertheless real.

God’s mark is far more powerful and important that Satan’s.

Our salvation in Christ is based on our being birthed into God’s family, which was made possible by Jesus’ paying the price for our guilt. Father God forgave us, declared us righteous in his sight, reconciled us to himself, and birthed us into his family.

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. John 1:12-13 (NLT)

No one is able to measure up to God’s righteousness through a perfect adherence to God’s commandments. The Bible says no one on earth is righteous before God. (Romans 3:10) The Law was always intended to reveal our abject spiritual poverty so that we would turn to God in our desperation and receive his solution, the Lamb of God, who died for the sins of the world. God removed us from the treadmill of performance-based religion and gave us eternal life as a free gift. Why then do we so easily wish to get back on the religious treadmill?

If we think that receiving a vaccine will somehow disqualify us from eternal life, we have never even understood the New Covenant. The vaccine may prematurely end our lives here on earth, but it will not short circuit our eternity with Christ.

The mark of the beast, if it is a literal thing, will be integrally part of denying Christ and worshiping Satan. The vaccine is neither of those things. Taking the vaccine might be viewed as a fearful surrender to an overreaching government bent on controlling every facet of life, but it is not an overt denial of Christ. I refuse to take the vaccine for a number of reasons, mainly health related, but not because I am afraid it might consign me to the Lake of Fire. In fact, it might actually help me get to heaven more quickly. I hope this article relieves you of any fears regarding this topic. Blessings, and please don’t take the vaccine, unless you are in a hurry to get to heaven…

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The First Fact Checker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. Proverbs 14:5 (ESV)

One of the cardinal sins God condemns is bearing false witness or lying. This is because God by nature always speaks the truth.

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Numbers 23:19 (NLT)

Jesus told us that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) All truth is God’s truth. Truth leads to life and freedom. As Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

God’s truth produces life and saves us from destruction; whereas the purpose of lies is to deceive and destroy us.

When God first created the world and put Adam in the garden, he provided every fruit tree for his food, except one, which was called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That one was off limits. God warned Adam that, if he ate from it, he would die. That was the truth. If Adam believed that truth and kept away from the deadly tree, he would live. In direct contrast, God also put the tree of life in the garden. If Adam ate that, he would live forever. This is the backdrop for the appearance of the world’s first “fact checker.”

Anyone who uses the worldwide web to gather information knows about fact checkers. These mysterious people, who supposedly know most everything and are completely unbiased, act as judges or arbiters of what is true and false. But just who are these people? What are their credentials? Can they be trusted? Do they speak truth or have a political agenda? Are they paid by the people they are protecting? Many never ask these questions. They simply accept what the fact checkers tell them.

I and many others refuse to accept the narrative being given to us by our government and the mainstream media and have turned to alternative sources of information. But even these must be regarded as potentially suspect. The truth can be hard to find. When we have alternative sources of information which contradict each other, how do we distinguish truth from a lie? It takes a commitment to truth, time and effort to research, and a reliance upon the Bible and the Spirit of truth to guide us. The sad fact is that human beings have an absolutely horrendous track record in this department. We generally are too lazy, too biased, too self-centered and self-reliant, and too easily manipulated.

One great indicator of what is true is what big tech is censoring.

They never censor anything coming from the Left, no matter how hateful. But when people from the opposite political spectrum are over the target, they get plenty of flak. We are living through a time when the truth has fallen in the street, to quote the words of Isaiah. (Isaiah 59:14) However, another Bible verse assures us that nothing can stop the truth. (2 Corinthians 13:8) For the truth to remain hidden, it must be actively suppressed, which God hates and will judge. (Romans 1:18)

Adam and Eve, newly created in a perfect world, never having been mistreated by God or deceived, fell for a lie that challenged God’s words and defamed his character the first time it was presented to them.

Satan appeared in the form of a snake and “fact checked” God. Here is how the conversation went.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2  “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3  “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 4  “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5  “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6  The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. Genesis 3:1-6 (NLT)

Satan “debunked” God’s warning, declared it to be a “conspiracy theory,” and made Eve think she was a rube for believing it. Sound familiar? Satan accused God of having an agenda of wanting to keep them back from something good in order to maintain his elevated status as the only one who knew good and evil.

In one bold faced lie, Satan, the first fact checker, undermined truth, demonized the truth teller, and manipulated Adam and Eve into making the choice to kill themselves.

The Bible warns us that sin leads to death. (Romans 6:16) Proverbs warns us about “snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:27) It seemed at first that Satan had been right. Adam and Eve did not fall over dead when they ate the forbidden fruit. It must have looked as if they got away with disobeying God, but appearances can be quite deceiving. Death indeed penetrated their being that day. It took years for physical death to follow, but spiritual death was immediate. Guilt and shame filled their souls for the first time, inspiring them to try to hide from God. But despite their outright rebellion and their horrendous death producing choice, God in his mercy promised to send a Savior. Hallelujah!

Satan still uses lies to ensnare and kill us. If we believe his lies and act on them, we put ourselves on a pathway to ruin.

And let us not over spiritualize this. Satan’s lies are not confined to the religious realm. Yes, it is true that he uses lies to persuade people to sin against God’s moral commandments, but he also seeks to destroy people physically and emotionally by leading them into making destructive decisions in the natural world. Smoking cigarettes might be a good example. There is nothing inherently sinful about smoking, but now we know that it is very destructive to our health. My grandmother became addicted after her doctor advised her to start smoking for health reasons. He did not mean to lead her to addiction and death, but he did. She died of emphysema later in life. Bad advice led to a bad choice that eventually killed her. I believe she is in heaven today because her faith in God sustained her, even in sickness and through death.

Let’s Get Practical

Today fact checkers are working overtime “debunking” the “conspiracy theory” that the Covid “vaccine” is actually or potentially harmful.

However, many reputable scientists and doctors have been sounding a warning against taking this injection for some time now, but the media and big tech are working hard to “debunk” their warnings. (I put some links below if you wish to read more about this.) Is this mRNA injection falsely labeled a “vaccine” God’s gift to mankind, is it a lethal bio-weapon being unleashed on humanity to depopulate the world, or is it something in between? What is the truth?  Should we get the vaccine, refuse it, or wait and see?

I am of the opinion that the so-called “vaccine” is at the very least a serious medical mistake being pushed upon a naive and unsuspecting public to make billions of dollars. At the worst it is a de-population bio-weapon. Regardless of whether I am right or wrong, I see no good reason for it to continue to be pushed now that so many serious side effects have come to light and the so-called pandemic is over for all intents and purposes, at least where we live.

Let’s ask ourselves some serious questions.

  • Why would anyone choose to allow whoever is behind this experimental injection to alter the immune system God designed for us?  Are we really smarter than God?
  • Why allow “scientists” to use us as their “lab rats” in a worldwide gene therapy experiment with unknown consequences, especially when the death rate for Covid is so low and there are low-cost effective medicines (HCQ and ivermectin) to treat it? Remember no mRNA injection has ever successfully passed animal testing because the animals did not survive.
  • Why trust people who have lied to us in the past?
  • Why “vaccinate” young people who have a very minuscule chance of contracting Covid but who run the risk of being harmed or even sterilized by the injection?
  • Why turn the human body into a manufacturing center for the most toxic part of the virus, the protein spike? Why indeed?

Can you imagine how Adam and Eve felt after experiencing the full impact of their fateful decision to believe the lie pushed by the original fact checker in the garden?

There was no “re-do” for them. They could only live with the consequences while depending on God’s amazing mercy. If I am correct, we are in the midst of a modern day garden of Eden type lie that is designed to destroy us. We are being told, “You will not die,” but thousands have already succumbed after receiving the “vaccine”. Some predict deaths in the millions before it is all said and done. I certainly hope that they are wrong.

Adam and Eve failed their test because they so easily mistrusted God, thought they knew better than God, believed a lie, and acted on it.

How are we doing? As for me, even if my conclusions are incorrect, I do not think I will ever regret voicing my legitimate concerns. In the past, that is what America stood for – freedom of speech. If I am right and people take heed, perhaps what I have written will save some lives.

We all must make our choices before God and live with the consequences, while depending on his mercy and grace to help us, even if we decide wrong. Thankfully, God is greater than all the schemes of man. (Psalm 2:2-9)

May God give us all the wisdom, courage, and faith to do the right thing.

Below are links to some resources on the purported dangers connected to the “vaccine”. These are simply samples. Do your own research. Don’t rely on Google, which is censored. Use Duck Duck Go for searches.

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Why it is impossible for some people to understand and believe the truth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus said some very interesting things about why people reject truth in the 8th chapter of John’s Gospel. The Jewish leaders for the most part opposed Jesus to the point of plotting to kill him. John records some conversations between our Lord and those leaders which highlight the tension and antagonism between them. Being a prophet, Jesus did not shy away from telling the truth to people, even when it produced a furious response. Below are some reasons the Lord gave why people refuse to listen to the truth.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33  “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” 34  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37  Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38  I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” John 8:31-38 (NLT)
  • The first reason that the Jewish leaders resisted truth was because it revealed that they had a sin problem. When we refuse to admit our need for God’s help it erects a barrier to the truth. The pride behind this refusal did not allow truth to enter their hearts. Jesus said that there was “no room in your hearts for my message.” The proud refusal to acknowledge our sin and turn to God for help is behind our hatred of truth.
  • Secondly, his listeners were tuned in to the devil. We get our information from somewhere – either God or someone else. In the garden of Eden, after God found Adam and Eve hiding from him, he asked them, “Who told you you were naked?” Satan has been speaking into the hearts of men, women, and children ever since. Jesus told the Jewish leaders that their inability to hear God’s words indicated they were listening to the devil. If we love the devil’s lies, there is no room in our hearts for God’s truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
“Our father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. 40  Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41  No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” 42  Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43  Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44  For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45  So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46  Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47  Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:39-47 (NLT)
  • Thirdly, people hate truth because they are not related to God. Although every person can claim God is his or her Creator, only people who have been born again by the Spirit can say that they are God’s children. Until we are born of the Spirit, there is no affinity between us and God. We cannot love the truth because nothing in us loves truth. We naturally believe lies because our “father” is the father of lies.

None of us can love God’s truth unless the Spirit of God does an internal work to change us on the inside, which is the essence of the New Covenant.

“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32  This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33  “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34  And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT)

If people have no interest in the gospel or are hostile to it, we can be sure that they have no room in their hearts for God’s message because their father is the devil and they are only able to hear lies.

We should never give up on them, however. God is able to use the power contained in the Word of God to transform hearts through the internal work of the Holy Spirit. Who knows? We may be given the privilege of sharing the Good News with a Paul, someone who is initially hostile but in whom God is working. That would have been I. Thank God my wife did not easily give up!

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The Dangers of Playing God

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prior to writing this article, as a good shepherd, I have tried to sound a warning to God’s “sheep” regarding the dangers associated with the experimental Covid “vaccine” by forwarding articles and videos to people who have showed an openness to such information. Yesterday, it suddenly struck me that there is also a theological reason not be “vaccinated.” Here is my attempt to share my thoughts. I hope it will help you decide what to do, if you have not already received the injections.

Satan, the being Jesus identified as the father of lies in whom is no truth, apparently came to a point where he decided to play God (Isaiah 14:12-15). He wanted to take over God’s throne, but it did not turn out well for him. If he could not be God, he decided to spread his misery and rebellion to planet earth and humanity. Being a liar, he used what he knew best to deceive Adam and Eve into disobeying God, promising her that doing so would enable her to become “like” God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5) The big lies Satan released upon these unsuspecting and naive humans were that God cannot be trusted to do the right thing, disobedience to God will produce good results, and sin will not result in death.

I submit that these are the same lies being used to trick people into receiving the experimental gene therapy called the Covid vaccine. We are being told that we cannot trust our God-given immune system, tinkering with God’s creation will produce good results, and altering God’s design will not result in death.

Indeed, Adam and Eve did come to know good and evil on a first hand basis, but it caused them to lose their spiritual link with God and introduced death into humanity. Adam and Eve were already created in God’s image, but they wanted more. They thought they knew best. It destroyed them.

At the tower of Babel, mankind once again tried to play God by building a tower to reach to heaven and make a name for themselves. (Genesis 11:4) God stopped that sinful work of pride in its tracks and scattered mankind over the earth by confusing their languages. Nevertheless, the Babel principle remains: humans still want to play God.

God sent his Son to actually elevate humans to the throne of heaven. The thing Satan covets God will give to anyone who puts their faith in the Son. This is why Satan hates believers.

Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, who became a human and came to earth to testify to the truth (John 18:37) and make a way for us to sit on God’s throne as co-rulers, enjoying his glory and authority forever. (Ephesians 2:6) The only way we get to enjoy these things is by entering through the doorway of repentance. To repent essentially means that we decide to stop trying to live independently from God and willingly surrender to Christ’s benevolent rule. It includes being sorry for having lived that way in the past and for all the wicked things we did and thought while in that mindset. Faith allows us to accept what Christ accomplished on our behalf – forgiveness, being made right with God, being restored to God’s family, being set free from all that enslaved us, and being given the rights, privileges, and authority of sons and daughters of God. We cannot earn this, steal this, or in any way accomplish this on our own. It is a gift pure and simple to those who will repent and believe.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:4-9 (NASB)

Unfortunately, those who refuse to accept the gracious offer of eternal life and sonship through the gospel still are trying to be God and steal his glory, thinking they know best.

In my opinion, one of the latest examples is the mRNA vaccine.

Instead of being grateful and awed by the immune system given to us by the Creator, men and women, who probably believe we evolved out of nothingness, fearlessly tinker with God’s creation in an effort to improve upon God’s design.

What could go wrong injecting a synthesized mRNA sequence into our immune system?

The following has been extracted from Moderna’s own website.

At Moderna, we are leveraging the fundamental role that mRNA plays in protein synthesis. We have developed proprietary technologies and methods to create mRNA sequences that cells recognize as if they were produced in the body. We focus on diseases where enabling targeted cells to produce – or turn ‘on’ – one or more given proteins will enable the body to fight or prevent a given disease.

      • We start with our desired sequence for a protein.
      • We design and synthesize the corresponding mRNA sequence – the code that will create that protein.
      • Before synthesis, we also engineer that mRNA sequence to optimize the mRNA’s physical properties, as well as those of the encoded protein.
      • We deliver the mRNA sequence to the cells responsible for making that protein via one of several modalities. Reaching different types of cells requires different delivery methods.
      • And, once the mRNA – the instructions – are in the cell … human biology takes over. Ribosomes read the code and build the protein, and the cells express the protein in the body.

I feel sure that many vaccine scientists believe that great good will come out of this new technology, which, by the way, has been falsely labeled as a vaccine. It is hoped that this new technology will lead to a cure for cancer and other diseases; but we must consider whether using it might be as when Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Will it release a “Pandora’s box” of disastrous consequences upon the human race? Many think this is a distinct possibility.

Due to the current Covid “pandemic emergency,” this “vaccine” was manufactured and distributed without having successfully navigated the normal animal safety trials, despite there being two known effective treatments for Covid – hydroxycholoriquine and ivermectin, not to mention vitamin D and zinc. These treatments have been suppressed by big pharma and the media to allow the vaccine to be introduced. (Here is a very good short video of a presentation by Dr. Ryan Cole on this subject.)

All previous mRNA “vaccines” failed animal testing because within several months the animals died or were severely compromised when exposed again to a wild pathogen against which they were supposed to have developed an immunity. (Here is a video segment by Dr. Tenpenny which exposes this – go to minute 21:35) Dr. Tenpenny warns that animals previously tested with other mRNA “vaccines” were permanently altered by the vaccine so that the virus actually penetrated their DNA by an irreversible process called transduction. Here is another good video interview on this subject with Dr. Lee Merrit.)

The big question before us today is this. Will we start seeing a massive death event in a few months experienced by all who have received the mRNA injection due to being primed to experience a fatal cytokine storm? We certainly hope and pray not. Time will reveal the answer, however. The verdict is still out. In addition, it is feared that many may develop various autoimmune disorders. We are already seeing people develop blood clots. Many have experienced other weird symptoms, including death. It is also feared that the “vaccine” can produce sterility in women. Spontaneous abortions have already followed some pregnant women who were vaccinated.

What is my point? It is certainly not to ring a death knell on behalf of those who already submitted to receiving an injection of an alien synthesized mRNA sequence. We hope for the best for all of you.

However, I warn those who are pondering whether or not to receive this experimental gene therapy that doing so is tinkering with God’s creation and submitting to a trans-humanist agenda. I personally think it is another attempt at playing God and thinking that we know better than God. I predict no good will come from this.

True vaccines use the body’s defense system. This shot alters it.

I don’t know about you, but I plan to stick with God’s design, not experiment with man’s.

Below is a wonderful video compilation of doctors from around the world sounding the alarm. We do well to take heed. It is found on Bitchute, one site that is not censored.

DOCTORS & MEDICAL EXPERTS WORLDWIDE WARN HUMANITY AGAINST TAKING THE COVID19 VACCINE

I understand that some of my readers will dismiss this article as being a “tin foil hat” conspiracy theory. We are living in an era when truth is hard to discern at times. I have sounded the warning. It is up to you what you do with it. We shall soon know who was telling the truth. We will also soon know the truth about the gospel. According to the Bible, when we die, we will all stand before Christ’s judgment seat. If we ignored his warnings and refused the gospel offer, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. Don’t refuse God’s amazing offer of eternal life through the gospel. If we miss that one,we will discover that we made the greatest mistake imaginable. If the vaccine kills us, that is only our physical life, as precious as that is; but, if we refuse the gospel, it will result in a spiritual death and an eternity without God, which is far worse.

Prayer

Jesus, I repent of my misguided attempt to live without you. I now choose to come under your benevolent rule. Please forgive all my sins and give me eternal life through your indwelling Holy Spirit. I believe you defeated death on my behalf when you rose from the grave. Thank you for loving me so much. Help me to serve you all my days and tell others about the good news. Amen.

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When Deception Rages like a Storm, What Is Our Anchor?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible warns that Satan has been permitted to release his lies in an overt effort to deceive the entire human population.

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8  but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9  And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Revelation 12:7-9 (ESV)

His lies began in the Garden of Eden and continue today in an unprecedented way, as his minions use all the tools of media and computer generated images to weave a shroud of deception over the world. There are alternative sources of information from the mainstream media, but even they often are guilty of deception. This is because sin has made us all deceivers, going back to Adam and Eve, who bought the lie that God did not have their best interests in mind. Since then the truth has always been questioned and lies are easily believed. That is the human condition.

It is only by God’s mercy and grace that anyone is able to escape this “matrix” of deception. The Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of truth,” and he works inside those whom God has called to himself to open their eyes and ears and hearts to perceive and believe the truth.

Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15  For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.  Matthew 13:14-16 (ESV)

Now those who have a God-given love of truth find themselves in a quandary. Where do we turn? What is our anchor in the storm?

As would be expected, God has given to us a benchmark of truth to which we can and must turn – the Bible. Jesus, who is God’s truth in human form, told us that the Scriptures are absolutely true and can be believed and followed.

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world 15  I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one. 16  They do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world. 17  Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. 18  Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. 19  And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart. John 17:14-19 (NET1)

Love for God’s truth is what sets us apart from those in the world who are not part of God’s people. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

Satan always works to undermine our faith in God’s Word. He did this in the Garden when he asked Eve, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) He does it now. Satan “owns” the public school system, the media, higher education, and much of the government. He uses these platforms to disseminate his lies and undermine truth and devotion to God at every level.

The only hope for us, the only anchor we have in the storm, is to rely on God’s truth that is found in the Bible and upon the Holy Spirit, the one who guides us into that truth.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13 (ESV)

The Bible and the Spirit testify to the One who is called the Truth, our Lord Jesus Christ. All truth points to him. Ultimately, our faith must be anchored in him, a person, the full expression of God’s truth to the world. (John 14:6) Faith in him anchors us in every storm and protects us against the devil’s lies. (Hebrews 6:19)

Prayer

Jesus, I feel confused and lost in a raging sea of deception. I turn to you. The Bible says you are the Truth and the only Way to the Father. I receive you and all you did for me when you died on the cross. Thank you for forgiving my many sins, for putting me in right standing with your heavenly Father, for setting me free, and for giving me your Spirit of eternal life and freedom. I give myself to you and acknowledge that you are my Lord and Savior. Help me to live the rest of my life for you. Teach me your truth and help me to be a disciple and fisher of men. Amen.

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Today’s Most Pressing Question: Who Is Lucy and Who Is Charlie Brown?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps. 16  The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence. Proverbs 14:15-16 (NLT)

Anyone familiar with the Peanuts cartoon strip knows about how Lucy routinely tricks Charlie Brown by removing the football just as he tries to kick it. She never changes, and he never ceases to trust her. Today we see much the same thing being played out in our nation. The mainstream media continues to lie, and the general public still believes their propaganda. There is now so much conflicting “information” that it is getting more and more difficult to distinguish between who is telling the truth and who is lying. Another way to put this is that we are no longer always sure of who is Lucy and who is Charlie Brown.

The MSM loudly and constantly declared that Trump colluded with the Russians for four or five years in an effort to prevent his reelection. Though proven wrong, the MSM never apologized or backed off, and, despite their proven lack of truthfulness, much of the public continues to believe their message. Now we are being told by the same proven liars that the last election was not stolen, that COVID lock downs and mask mandates are necessary and effective, and that the experimental “vaccine” is safe. Lucy is assuring us that this time she is not going to pull the ball away. Trust her, Charlie Brown.

Intelligent people whom I respect have been unwilling to heed the warnings of numerous doctors and other health experts against taking this “vaccine,” declaring that such warnings are rubbish, junk science, and conspiracy theories. Many have taken the vaccine, despite its not having passed the normal kinds of safety testing, ostensibly because they are desperately afraid of a virus with a 99.7% survival rate that is curable by using hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. If those who are doing the warning are correct, those who take the vaccine are gambling their future health that Lucy is telling the truth this time.

The most pressing question of our day is who is Lucy, and who is Charlie Brown? Who is telling the truth, and who is a conspiracy theorist or liar?

We are living in a time of unprecedented deception largely because we have become so clever at manipulating information. Germany under Hitler suffered from what is taking place in the US and around the world. It took a World War to deliver them. Perhaps God will be more gracious and merciful to us. Eventually the truth, at least in part, will be known. Until then, pray for the wisdom and courage to pursue truth, even when it is disparaged, persecuted, unpopular, and very inconvenient.

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Are We Open to the Holy Spirit Showing Us the Truth?

One of the most basic problems with humanity is our propensity to believe lies.

This was first manifest in the Garden of Eden when Eve readily fell for the serpent’s lies that God is untrustworthy, sin will go unpunished, and disobedience will not produce death. (Genesis 3:4-6) After this calamitous event, Satan gained an advantage over us. Our minds, which were already capable of quickly being deceived, became darkened through sin, making it even easier for us to be deceived. 

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18  being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; Ephesians 4:17-18 (NASB)

This horrible condition is the result of sin’s effect upon the heart.

A hardened heart is incapable of perceiving truth and engaging in faith without the help of the Holy Spirit.

At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26  "Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27  "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:25-27 (NASB)

Jesus made it perfectly clear that it is impossible to know who he is without the revelation that comes from the Spirit of God.

One of the earmarks of hardness of heart is a refusal to acknowledge our helplessness to know God without the Spirit’s help.

It is downright humbling and unnerving to grasp that we are unable to save ourselves. We do not like being dependent on someone we cannot control. In addition, we fear that God may not be willing to help us. We may come to him asking him to reveal Christ to us, but he may refuse. This is another lie from the Father of Lies in whom dwells no truth at all. Jesus told us plainly that all who come to him will find him. Period.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:37 (ESV)

Let us use some logic. If a person comes to Christ and asks him to reveal himself to him or her, that means, according the verse above, that the Father gave that person to Christ. Are you tracking with me? If not, reread the verse.

Therefore, if we ask God to reveal Christ to us, he will do it. Jesus will never cast away any honest seeker.

The following verse confirms this marvelous truth.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8  "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB)

As Jesus walked this earth during the years of his public ministry, he engaged in a process of discipling his followers to know him. He taught them the true meaning of God’s Word, demonstrated God’s character, and showed them how to operate in the power of God’s Spirit through healings, miracles, and deliverance from demonic oppression. All the while, he depended and waited upon the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to his disciples.

At times he expressed amazement at their inability to grasp God’s truth with hearts filled with faith.

When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24  And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25  And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" 26  He *said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27  The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Matthew 8:23-27 (NASB)

At other times, he praised them for being open to the Spirit.

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17  And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:16-17 (NASB)

Our initial coming to Christ and acknowledgment of his lordship requires the work of God’s Spirit in our lives.

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3 (NASB)

Every successive unfolding of truth also requires the Holy Spirit’s work.

The Spirit’s interpretation of the Scriptures is often at odds with ours, and we will find ourselves resisting God and his truth, unless we bow the knee to the Spirit.

Early on in church history, those Jewish followers of Christ who refused to bow to the Spirit found themselves opposing the fundamental truth of justification by faith. In Christ, those who believe no longer must fulfill the outward Old Covenant rite of circumcision to be counted among the righteous. Faith alone in Christ’s finished work is all that is required now because Christ fulfilled the Law on our behalf. When we put our faith and allegiance in him, the righteousness associated with his perfect obedience unto death is transferred to us. There is nothing undone. We are complete in Christ.

For Peter to begin to grasp this truth required the Holy Spirit to repeat a vision three times, which meaning he did not immediately grasp. It was only when Cornelius’ servants arrived requesting his presence in their Gentile home that Peter’s understanding began to be opened. The revelation was complete when he watched Jesus baptize Cornelius and his family in the Spirit, proving they were indeed God’s children and justified in his sight without ever being circumcised. Some people, whom history calls the Judaizers, never understood justification  by faith because their hearts were hardened against the Spirit of truth.

Stephen, the first martyr, laid this judgment on his murderers just before they stoned him.

You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. Acts 7:51 (NASB)

In the Last Days in which we live, we need the Holy Spirit and his gifts more than ever. If we do not learn to appreciate and listen to his voice, we are going to miss out on so much. The first coming of Christ was so fundamentally different from what the Bible scholars of that day expected that they found themselves opposing and ultimately murdering the promised Messiah.

Is it not reasonable to assume that Christ’s Second Coming and everything that will immediately precede it may be contrary the expectations of today’s Bible scholars?

God never ceases to amaze and surprise, and I feel confident that he will continue to do so right up to the end.

Do not be among those who think we have their doctrine and theology so finely tuned that we are incapable of being corrected. That would put us in the camp of the Pharisees. There is nothing much that is more dangerous than a smug student of the Bible who is closed to receiving new insight from the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is able to open our eyes to wondrous things in God’s Word that far exceed our narrow expectations and interpretations. Be assured that he will never contradict God’s truth, but he will unfold its depths and breadth causing us to worship our Lord all the more!

Prayer

Lord God, I acknowledge my ongoing dependence upon you for revelation, understanding, and the ability to believe and obey. I welcome you into my life afresh. Open my heart, eyes, and ears to see, hear, understand, and obey all that you have for me. I do not want to miss out on anything you are doing in these last days because my heart was hard. Allow me to walk with you without hindrance. Amen.

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT)

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Spiritual Authority in Times of Crisis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Times of crisis reveal who people truly are and what they believe and value.

Crises are God-given times for the promotion of those who have faith in Christ and revelation from the Spirit and the exposure of those who operate by human reasoning alone or from previously disguised corrupt motives. The American Revolution had such an effect upon the people of who lived in the colonies, and we are in such a crisis. It is estimated that only 3% of the American populace actually fought to win our liberties. More broadly, those who identified themselves as Patriots were likely 40-55% of the population. Loyalists comprised another 15-25%; while 30-45% remained uncommitted. In my own family, my 5th great grandfather, Jeffrey Beck Jr., fought with patriot militia in NC, but my 6th GGF, his Dad, Jeffrey Beck Sr., remained a loyalist, who supported the Crown by allowing Tory military leader David Fanning to use his ford over Deep River. We cannot know people’s hearts or motives. Perhaps he had no choice in the matter. To his credit, my 6th GGF fought with the Regulators at the Battle of Alamance in 1771 against government corruption; so, he was not a coward. He took an oath of allegiance to King George in the aftermath of that failed cause and remained loyal to his oath for the rest of his life. He raised his minor children, who were still living in the home during the Revolution, to be loyalists, which caused further family discord over the years. My point is that the American Revolution was a type of civil war that pitted neighbors and family members against one another, depending on where they came down on the issues according to their convictions. Everyone had to choose where they stood on the matter, and it was costly, sometimes fatal. When the war ended, patriots were rewarded with undying appreciation and honor for their willingness to put everything on the line for the fledgling nation. Loyalists suffered the consequences of their choice, too, and the uncommitted were likely held in some measure of contempt by those who risked everything in the courage of their convictions. The uncommitted hedged their bets, hoping to come out well, no matter which side won.

Jesus had something to say about such an uncommitted position.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. Matthew 16:24-25 (NLT)

Peter Block, in his book The Answer to How Is Yes, makes the point that we should not do things based on being able to figure out ahead of time if we are able to accomplish them. Rather, we should do the right thing, no matter what the cost, trusting that God will show us how to proceed once we start.

Faith launches out in seemingly impossible circumstances because it is the right thing to do, regardless of the potential pitfalls or dangers.

Those who fought as patriots took on impossible odds because they believed it was the right thing to do. Those who remained loyal to Britain probably also believed it was the right thing to do, and those who were the odds makers back then would have bet on Britain being the victor. Those who refused to commit to either side either had conscientious objections, did not understand what was at stake, or were simply afraid to pay the cost of making a stand.

The current election crisis is producing just such a scenario. We are in the midst of an attempted takeover of our nation by communist / globalist forces, and it is time for patriots to take a stand. Many are already standing with our president against seemingly insurmountable odds. Sadly others are avowed supporters of the coup attempt, either as knowledgeable Leftists or what the Communists call “useful idiots,” who have no idea what they are doing. A far greater number of people are either apathetic, confused, misinformed, or afraid to make a stand. Once this crisis has been resolved, there will be a reckoning and a reward, depending on who wins. God is revealing hearts in politics, families, and the church. Nothing will be the same after this is over.

I have friends who justify having a neutral attitude toward this conflict by proposing that it is more important to focus on the Lordship of Christ and the priority of the gospel. They seem to be overly concerned that any involvement in politics is putting a false hope in a human being, instead of trusting in God. This translates into refusing to publicly support Donald Trump and passively accepting whatever happens in the election, even if it is a fraudulent steal.

In my opinion, this is may be a misguided form of Pietism, which thinks that politics is dirty and anti-God and should be avoided. By holding this position, it reveals that they have accepted the Left’s doctrine of the separation of church and state and have become irrelevant in practical matters. Another less likely possibility is that this is nothing but well-articulated cowardice. If I knew an evil man had determined to kidnap, rape, and enslave my wife, you would think me a coward if I did not defend her with my life. If I told you that I was not going to get involved because I wanted to make sure that I kept my eyes on Jesus, rather than place my hopes on keeping my wife, you would rightly lose respect for me. Although this is an imperfect analogy, in a similar way forces are at work in our nation right now that are making a determined attempt to capture America and transform her into a socialist / globalist hell hole, stripping her citizens of their God-given rights and freedoms and destroying what our forefathers fought to create and preserve.

Those who maintain neutrality in such a time as this either do not understand what is happening, do not care, are too proud to admit they were wrong, or are afraid to make a stand. That is harsh, but I think it is accurate.

When Paul traveled to Rome in Acts 27 to appear before Caesar, the Roman Centurion who was in charge of the expedition made a poor choice to set sail too late in the year, even though Paul warned him that it would lead to disaster. Paul had no authority to make decisions. He was a prisoner who could only appeal to the person who did. His appeal was denied. Interestingly, the only person who had heard God speak regarding the matter was Paul. Everyone else was operating merely by their human reasoning, not knowing that a crisis in the form of a storm would soon expose their poverty of understanding. When the storm enveloped the ship which carried over 200 people, the Bible says that over time everyone abandoned hope of surviving, everyone, that is, except Paul. Here is what Acts records.

No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. 22  But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 23  For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24  and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ 25  So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 26  But we will be shipwrecked on an island.” Acts 27:21-26 (NLT)

God told Paul what would happen, which gave him insight and authority to know what to do in the crisis. In their hopelessness, confusion, and fear, the Centurion, crew, and passengers put their hope in Paul’s words and the revelation God had given him.

In times of crisis, those who hear God and operate in wisdom and faith are elevated into leadership.

Because the Centurion had the wisdom and humility to listen to Paul, everyone on the ship was saved. The crisis elevated Paul to a position of authority because in that moment his faith and ability to hear God provided everyone with hope and direction. He alone had something worthwhile to say. It is no different today.

Lots of people are saying lots of things about our current election crisis. Most of it is mindless blather and worthless to those who need to know what God says and wants us to do. We should be listening to those who have heard God and have faith. They are the only ones who have spiritual authority and something to say.

When King Jehoshaphat led the army of Israel into battle against seemingly insurmountable odds, here is what he told to them.

...“Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NLT)

We are in just such a time now. It is vital for us to believe the prophets, and the ones that I trust are saying that we should keep believing that God will pull this out for President Trump because much bigger things are at stake here than who is our next president. It is not a Republican – Democrat thing. It is a kingdom of God matter. Our Constitutional form or government may not survive under a Democratic presidency. Our freedoms may become a thing of the past. America’s call and destiny to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations could be thwarted. I believe that God still has plans for our nation, despite our many sins. If we will turn to him in repentance and faith, he will forgive us, save us, and give us a glorious restart as a nation. If we lose this battle, we will enter a very dark time.

Jesus said:

And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Luke 24:25 (NASB)

I issue a call to the Body of Christ today: step out of the gray shadow land of neutrality. Be either “hot” or “cold,” not “lukewarm.” If God has not spoken to your heart about the election, listen to those who have heard God. God is raising up prophetic leaders to help us through this crisis. Let us not miss this opportunity to be more than “sunshine” patriots. Let us be those who risk it all because it is the right thing to do. May God help us and grant us mercy.

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Abortion: Let’s Stop Empowering Lucifer

 

 

 

 

 

Our founding fathers believed that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. Great Britain disregarded its own laws in its attempt to force the colonies to pay harsh taxes in order to rebuild its treasury following what is known as the French and Indian War, whereby Great Britain expanded its power in North America and worldwide. The colonies believed they were being denied the rights of ordinary Englishmen because they had no representation in Parliament and no voice in what taxes they had to pay. Great Britain resorted to what had always worked before, demanding obedience to the authority of the Crown. When the colonies refused, things gradually escalated into war, one that launched a nation and a great experiment in representative government. The US Constitution set up a republic in which people could vote into office those who would represent them in the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government. From a biblical perspective, did God mean for government to derive its just powers from the consent of the governed, or is that a purely humanistic concept?

We can start with a well-known passage from Romans.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2  So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3  For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4  The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5  So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Romans 13:1-5 (NLT)

On the surface, it appears that government is not derived from the consent of the governed but from God. This has always been my position and that of many Christians. We clearly see from the above passage an important first principle. All authority originates and emanates from God. The reason is simple. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who by virtue of being those two things has all authority. We have ownership over what we create, especially if the continued existence of that created thing depends on our continually upholding it through our choice and power.

Any governmental authority that exists among created beings is derived from the Creator, since none existed before he created us nor does any exist outside of what he created.

The Creator delegated great responsibility and commensurate authority over his creation to his first humans, Adam and Eve.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV) 

The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. Genesis 2:15 (NLT)

Adam was made the governor of the earth to care for it and guard it. This is the purpose of government from the beginning, which Paul reiterates in the passage quoted from Romans above.

When government properly represents God, it will care for and protect its people against all who would bring harm. Anything that deviates from this purpose might be considered illegitimate. Certainly any government that violates its own laws must be so.

Our founding fathers certainly believed this about the government of Great Britain, when it failed to uphold its own laws or protect the rights of its people.

Satan, who is a created being, has no inherent authority, only that which has been usurped from others.

Passivity or foolishness on the part of the one having authority can allow others to manipulate, usurp, or otherwise use that authority for their own evil purposes.

We see this clearly in the case when Queen Jezebel used King Ahab’s authority to orchestrate the murder of Naboth and the theft of his vineyard. (1 Kings 21) We also see this in Genesis when Satan conspired to steal Adam’s authority by inciting him to rebel against the Creator. By deceiving him and Eve into disobedience against God, the first couple chose allegiance to Satan over God, ceding their authority to the devil.

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:16 (ESV)

He has used that authority over us malevolently.

It is vital that we understand that this transfer of authority came with the consent of the governed. In other words, due to their naivety and lack of fidelity, Adam and Eve chose to serve Satan and relinquish authority to him by becoming his slave.

Satan uses authority in a completely different way from God. Whereas the Creator imparts life and blessings, the devil only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)

God operates through truth, but the devil must always resort to lies, since no one would ever choose to serve him otherwise. God wants his people to consent to come and remain under his governance by telling us the truth and offering life. Unfortunately humans seem to be wired to naturally believe a lie and resist the truth. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit overcomes this in those who God has chosen to be his own. (John 6:44)

Satan lies to manipulate people to gain their consent to be governed malevolently by him. No one would agree to be robbed, murdered, and generally destroyed; yet, through skillful deception, Satan actually gets people to choose those things.

The devil promises to be our benefactor and friend, while actually destroying his subjects. He must laugh at us continually.

Lying or, to use the modern term, misinformation, is the key to Satan’s ongoing scheme.

Jesus told his disciples that knowing and practicing truth will set us free. (John 8:31-32) Satan uses bold lies to deny and hide truth. The bolder the lie the better, it seems.

God told Adam and Eve in the garden that if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they would die. The serpent categorically denied God’s truth, telling Eve that she would not die, but instead be like God. Eve fell for the lie hook, line, and sinker. The rest is a sad history of mankind’s lack of ability to discern or resist Satan’s continuing deceptions, even when we know that they always lead to death and destruction. Fool me once…

Let us now skip forward to our own time to see how this continues to work. If Satan only derives his authority and power from the consent of those he deceives into following him, then he must continually convince us to chose him over God, lies over truth, and death over life. A case in point is the abortion issue. Now that the Supreme Court is apparently on the verge of nullifying the unconstitutional Roe v. Wade ruling from 1973, the Left, which is largely an arm of the devil, is ramping up their resistance. Why is there such vehement insistence that women be granted the right to kill their unborn babies? Is it merely a staunch defense of women’s rights or something more?

Child sacrifice has long been enshrined in the worship of Chemosh and Molech in the Old Testament. We know from Scripture that idols represent demonic beings that empower them. Paul wrote this enlightening passage.

What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 20  No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. 21  You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. 1 Corinthians 10:19-21 (NLT)

All demons serve Satan, including those connected to Chemosh and Molech. These pagan deities demanded the blood of infants. People willingly sacrificed their children in order to gain some sort of occult spiritual advantage from them. There is one particularly intriguing passage at which we should look.

When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he led 700 of his swordsmen in a desperate attempt to break through the enemy lines near the king of Edom, but they failed. 27  Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall. So there was great anger against Israel, and the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land. 2 Kings 3:26-27 (NLT)

In this instance, evil power was released against Israel when the king of Moab sacrificed his son to the devil. This man willingly killed his son to enlist Satan’s power to defeat God’s people, which was granted. This was an extreme case which we may consider barbaric, but was it any less gruesome and horrific than modern day mothers choosing to execute over 60 million of their own unborn babies in the United States alone since 1973? The king of Moab wanted victory over his enemies. What do modern Americans want? Most of the time mothers kill their unborn babies to avoid embarrassment, inconvenience, career interruptions, or economic hardship. Some have more humanitarian reasons, such as protecting their own health in the case of extremely hazardous pregnancies. Most of these women probably have been deceived, as was Eve, into thinking that these babies are not really human beings at all, just blobs of tissue. They do not understand God says he knew them before the creation of the world and personally formed them in the womb. Those unborn infants may be just tissue to these mothers, but to God they are beloved children. Some have said they rejoice in their abortions, many others rue having aborted their child or children. Thankfully, God offers forgiveness, if we turn to him with a repentant heart.

Let us remember that, even though sometimes we must fight in physical wars, our ultimate battle is a spiritual one. (Ephesians 6:12) We are engaged in a spiritual battle between the kingdom of God and the realm of darkness and evil ruled by Satan. We understand that even though Christ dealt a death blow to Satan and his kingdom when he rose from the dead, God in his wisdom has permitted us, his people, to be part of the “clean up operation” here on planet earth. It is our Lord’s intention that his people have the privilege of crushing Satan under our feet. (Romans 16:20)

This verse references the promise made to the serpent in the garden way back in Genesis that one of Eve’s descendants would crush the serpent’s head. (Genesis 3:15) Many consider this to be the very first messianic promise in the Bible. Jesus fulfilled this already, but we his people will be part of the final act in this great cosmic drama unfolding over the centuries.

All will be over when Jesus appears in the clouds with great glory, just as he promised. Until then, we are living through an intense contest between two opposing kingdoms for the hearts of people. Each kingdom is enlisting the consent of people to be governed by their respective kings.

Each kingdom has a different leader, goals, sources of power, and ways of doing business.

Our Lord Jesus the Messiah is the captain of God’s forces in heaven and on earth. Satan commands his evil minions. God’s goal is to redeem and restore his fallen creation. Jesus is the Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Judge. Satan’s goal is to usurp God’s place, dishonor him, and destroy as many people as possible. He is a liar, murderer, thief, and destroyer. The source of power in God’s kingdom is the Holy Spirit. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth, but the Holy Spirit carries out and enforces his commands. God’s authority and power is expanded, so to speak, as more and more people acknowledge Jesus as Lord and come into agreement with his purposes and plans. Under the Spirit are legions of angels ready to do God’s will.

The source of malevolent power behind Satan is derived from what he stole from humans.

The devil only has power when humans have given it to him and continue to do so.

Satan is an enslaver. Everything he does has that as part of his plan. Despite how obvious is Satan’s hatred for mankind, we seem to be rather stupid in that we repeatedly fall for the same lies. In fact, many think of him as a benefactor. People under his thumb choose to serve and honor him, ensuring that the stolen authority he has remains intact. This is part of what is behind idol worship and the cult of Lucifer or Satan worship.

Cultures where the gospel does not have the ascendancy often have certain rites in place to appease the demon “gods” and keep them on “our side.” Some villages in Africa and Asia annually make sacrifices to these demonic beings, thereby memorializing the ceding of God-given human authority to the devil.

When people accept Christ as Lord, Satan’s power over them is over.

When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” 18  “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19  Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20  But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 (NLT)

Those of us who have have put our faith and allegiance in Jesus the risen Lord and King have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God. (Colossians 1:13)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he triumphed over Satan and his evil authority and power; however, just as God left enemies in the Promised Land for Israel to overcome in battle by faith, our Lord did not immediately remove Satan and his demons from the earth. Multitudes of human beings still willingly serve the devil.

God’s kingdom also operates through people’s willingness to declare allegiance to the true King, Jesus the Messiah. The gospel is a proclamation that God will forgive the rebelliousness of his people and restore them to his glorious kingdom, if they will accept his offer to be reconciled to him through Christ.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11  He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:9-13 (NASB)

The acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord, therefore, is the keystone of the gospel and the undoing of our alliance with Satan.

As more and more people consent to be governed by the Lord Jesus, Satan’s power and authority on earth is further weakened. Therefore, the proclamation of the gospel is our greatest spiritual weapon.

The door is still open for people to change sides and come back to God.

The enemy uses people to infiltrate and use the power and authority connected with human governments to further his kingdom’s objectives. There is a push across the globe to move us into a one world government that will be tyrannical, enslaving, and anti-God.

God’s government always produces freedom. Satan’s always enslaves.

The only way for Satan’s plan to work is for masses of compliant people to willingly surrender to it. Of course, this requires a massive amount of deception, since no one in his or her right mind would choose to follow the lord of death.

Just as some cultures repeatedly offer animal sacrifices to demonstrate their allegiance to the devil, we also have such a blood sacrifice in our country.

I believe that the power source used by the demonic realm has been child sacrifice through legalized abortion.

The Supreme Court’s decision to nullify Roe v. Wade is an answer to prayer and a direct threat to Satan’s power grid, so to speak. We should expect all hell to break lose as Satan’s minions try to stop this from happening.

How odd it seems to watch the Left violently protest for the right to kill babies. You would think this would be sufficient to “wake up” vast numbers of people to the horrors of child sacrifice. But just as Eve looked upon the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and thought it was beautiful, delicious, and able to make her wise, modern “man” looks at abortion as a “right” and an avenue to greater freedom and fulfillment, not for a moment understanding Satan’s horrific plan.

The tragedy of mothers choosing to destroy their own unborn children has to be one of Satan’s greatest deceptions and triumphs.

Our nation has been given a golden opportunity to rid ourselves of one of our most egregious affronts to God, the shedding of innocent blood. This great sin of the state sanctioned murder of infants keeps the threat of God’s judgment hanging over the nation like a sword of Damocles. Since Roe v. Wade was passed, which used the courts to bypass the legislative process and opened the door to legalized murder in this country, some sixty million unborn babies have been put to death. Most of this slaughter has been hidden from public view within the confines of abortion clinics and hospitals, but God has seen every last drop of innocent blood that has been shed. This blood cries out to God for vengeance. Thank God that Jesus’ blood cries out for mercy!

The Bible teaches that life is in the blood (Genesis 9:5). God holds people, cities, and nations accountable for the shedding of innocent blood (Numbers 35:33). The guilt for all the innocent blood shed by the abortion industry is shared by those who promote it to gain spiritual power, the politicians who champion it to gain and maintain political power, the providers – doctors, clinics, hospitals, and other medical personnel, who have tapped into the wealth this industry supplies, and those who procure their services for whatever selfish reasons. Our entire nation will be held accountable for what we allowed to happen under our watch. When judgment falls, even those who were not directly involved usually are affected. Sometimes the Lord’s judgment falls immediately, but often God delays judgment, allowing it to accumulate (Matthew 23:35-36). But we can be sure that God will not be mocked: we will ultimately reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7).

Thankfully there is hope for those who come to realize the horrendous nature of abortion and ask God for forgiveness.

The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). This is why Jesus had to shed his blood on the cross on our behalf. It was the only way to atone for our sins.  He offers to forgive anyone who comes to him in humility and faith, but unless a person or nation turns to God in repentance and finds forgiveness in Christ’s atoning sacrifice, he, she, or they eventually will encounter God’s wrath. I am understandably troubled, as I hope you are, when I contemplate how much wrath has been accumulating due to the travesty of abortion which has piled up such an enormous death count over almost fifty years.

If I am correct, the overturning of Roe v. Wade is an existential threat to the Left, because it will likely cause them to lose their “sacrament” of abortion and their source of evil power. If I am wrong about abortion being the Left’s link to evil power, I am not in error concerning its being part of a demonic plot to bring down God’s righteous judgment for the shedding of innocent blood upon our nation.

May God lift this horrendous weight of judgment from us as we repent and mend our ways at a national level. May God protect us from the violence and ugliness that the Left is sure to unleash upon the nation as we attempt to unplug them from their evil source of power and remove ourselves from God’s looming judgment. We cannot afford to be passive onlookers in this battle between light and darkness. The least we can do is pray and declare the truth to others.

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Countering Deception by Answering Life’s Crucial Questions: What Will Happen After We Die?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have now come to the last of our five worldview questions, which is: What will happen to us after we die? What is our eternal destiny, and what difference does it make? What we believe about our eternal destiny derives from what we believe regarding the previous four worldview questions.

Unless we are hypocrites, how we answer this final question will highly influence how we live.

Bad News

God created us in his image so that we can relate to him as worshipers who draw life and wisdom from him and fulfill his purposes for us here on earth, which are to be fruitful and multiply and to take dominion over and care for creation. God provided all we need to live happy, productive, and fruitful lives in fellowship with and dependence upon him. But that did not satisfy the first humans. They were deceived and lured into choosing to be independent from God, which sadly introduced sin, sickness, bondage, death, the corruption of the creation, and the distortion of God’s wonderful plan. Adam’s enduring legacy was sin, death, and destruction. God’s creation had been marred and his children sentenced to death. Satan gained the ascendancy and ruled as a tyrant. The situation seemed hopeless (Ephesians 2:12) because no one is able to live up to God’s holy standards or achieve the righteousness that would bring eternal life and reward. We all fall short. (Romans 3:21-24) Our sin earned (earns) for us the just sentence of death. (Romans 6:23) Therefore, every person should face a bleak and hopeless future, since at the Last Judgment we will all be found guilty of sin and rebellion against God and sentenced to the fires of hell.

Good News

The Good News is that God so loved his struggling creatures that he sent his Son, Jesus the Messiah, to save us from this horrible destiny. (John 3:16)

As the Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45), he lived the way God intended for the first Adam. Jesus also sacrificed his life as God’s Lamb, taking the guilt and punishment for our sins and rebellion upon himself, so that we could be forgiven and our relationship with God restored. (John 1:29) When he rose again three days later, he emerged from the tomb as the glorious, victorious Lord. Anyone who believes the good news that Jesus died for our sins and is now the risen Lord, will receive forgiveness, eternal life, and restoration to a right relationship with God! (Romans 10:9-13)

Through Jesus’, the Last Adam’s, resurrection, God inaugurated a new edition of humanity. (Isaiah 53:10)

All those who believe are born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3), who lives within every believer as the internal fountain of life, the revealer of truth, and the one who inspires, assists, and empowers us to live for God. (John 7:37-39) This new generation of people are inwardly motivated to serve God, doing those things which bring joy to God’s heart and blessings to other people. (Philippians 2:13)

How Should We Then Live?

Jesus taught his followers that everyone lives and dies, after which there will be a resurrection and judgment, at which we will be rewarded or punished for what we believed and how we lived. (Luke 14:12-14, Matthew 25:31-36) Those who are born only once (physically, naturally) will die twice. They will die a physical death and one day be consigned to the Lake of Fire, which is called the “Second Death.”

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)

Those who are born twice (physically and spiritually, through the new birth), will only die once – physically. Their eternal life and destiny are secure.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (ESV)

Jesus taught us to live in such a way that will maximize our eternal reward. (Matthew 6:19-20)

If we truly believe Jesus’ teachings and the gospel, we will live accordingly. We will put what God values at the top of our own priority lists.

True believers will sacrifice what we cannot keep in order to gain that which we cannot lose.

We will lay aside sin and selfishness in order to pursue the things that bring God glory and honor. We will make the Great Commission our top priority, because others need to find out about this amazing offer from God called the gospel!

John the Apostle summed it up very well.

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 (ESV)

How we live reveals what we truly believe. What will your life, your values, your priorities, your choices, and your actions say about you at the Last Judgment?

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