The New Year’s Gift

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He Sent A Rainbow Made Of Corn

Do Appeals For Donations Turn You Off?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Things are going to be ‘tough all over’. Our economy is going to crash. You MUST start seeing things differently!! Capitalism is being purposely destroyed–and it is the will of God for this to take place!!

The sins that have been committed under this system, and justified by it, the way it has been misused and corrupted, the way it has deceived and corrupted so many and led them into sin, have brought about its judgment!!  We are experiencing a brief reprieve, but things are never going ‘back to normal’ again!!  Rather, things are going to get much, MUCH worse in the days ahead!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You Can’t Be A Follower Of Jesus And Follow The Crowd

You Can’t Be A Follower Of Jesus And Expect To Be Popular

‘We Know In Part And We Prophesy In Part’

While I haven’t been here at my cyberspace truth pitstop, I’ve been out on my own little truth journey through the worldwide web.  The Lord led me to a most interesting pitstop, which I have included in my  links (The Watchman’s Cry).

A lot of things that the Lord had revealed to me were confirmed there–and He is revealing more to me, in answer to my prayers.  I’ll share one interesting little item with you:

‘We Know In Part And We Prophesy In Part’

Fulfilled, in my life, in two ways.

1. ‘And that ain’t the half of it!’ None of us knows the complete picture.  We each only know a part of it.  None of us has the complete interpretation of all the prophecies.  He shows each of us, only a part.  Like an orchestra, each of us doing our part produces the whole.  Don’t think any one man is the source of all your answers!
2. ‘Write what you know.’ That was His word to me, in response to my concerns that there is so much I don’t know.  ‘Just write what you know.’  And as I have done so, He has been with me and has guided me, telling me things I didn’t know, as I write.  Filling in the blanks, so to speak.  My own knowledge forms the bare bones outline–His Spirit provides the substance, the style, and the intent, and weaves it together into a message that (I pray) will speak to you personally.  Part of what I ‘speak’ is what I know, part of it is prophecy.  (Though I don’t think I’m a prophet–just another watchman.)

Understanding Revelation

Enduring What Is Coming-Mental Preparation

Is The Government Tracking You By GPS?

When I heard this, it chilled me to the bone:

“Government law enforcement agencies issued 8 million requests to Sprint to track individual cell phone users’ exact GPS location. The cell-phone users were, presumably, all unaware, that they were being tracked.  This was just Sprint!”

Visions of ‘FEMA camps’ danced through my head and I felt weak in the knees . . . It’s really happening . . .  Then, thankfully, the Lord reminded me that Satan uses a spirit of fear to manipulate and disempower believers.  Even though the report was from a source I have trusted, I looked into it more.

I believe the explanation Sprint gives is credible:
Many (most?) of the requests were for the GPS location of people calling 911 from cell phones, and from criminal and Amber Alert investigations. Each request is a ‘ping’–a brief signal sent out to locate a phone (or computer).  Sprint adds “It’s critical to note that a single case or investigation may generate thousands of individual pings to the network as the law enforcement or public safety agency attempts to track or locate an individual.”

I am of the opinion that ‘law enforcement request’, in regards to GPS location, probably means that the computer of a police department makes contact with a computer at Sprint–perhaps much like the way PayPal is contacted if you are buying items online and select PayPal as your payment option.  It does NOT mean the federal government sent over 8 million subpoenas to Sprint for records of the whereabouts of particular customers.  I’m not saying it hasn’t sent out any–I don’t know.  But nowhere near 8 million, if it has.

If you are concerned about being tracked by GPS (which maybe we should be, although it is probably inevitable), then turn off the GPS tracking on your cell phone, if you can.  If not, you might consider looking for a phone without it. And remember, that handy ‘Onstar’ in your car does the same thing.  I don’t have a navigational system, so I’m not familiar with them, but I expect many of them can track your location too.

I don’t necessarily think that the people reporting this story are trying to create a false panic–but that could have been the result.  Too much of this, and not only will we fail to heed the call when there truly is a cause for panic, but we will lose our credibility as well!  (Let’s keep it for as long as we can!)

The tables have turned.  In a country where Christians once received the highest respect, we are now becoming a laughingstock.  Of course, that will happen, as the power of darkness increases during these last days.  The truth will be distorted, lies will be told, jokes will be made at our expense.  We will be ‘smeared’ and slandered.  But lets have it be because of the truth of the gospel, rather than for being fanatically paranoid at everything that happens.

When we hear something frightening, lets take a deep breath, and get all the facts.  It is entirely possible (probably even very likely), these days, that things are being/will be said and done to bait us into a potentially dangerous panic for which our government can take some kind of action against us.  This administration has demonstrated that it cannot stand opposition, so I don’t think that is being paranoid.

We know that a lot of things will take place that will have horrible end results.  However, that doesn’t mean that is the motivation for these things happening (at least not in the human realm).  Although it will be the case at some point, no one is ‘out to get’ Christians–yet.  Lets not create a self fulfilling prophecy.  We need to ‘pick our battles’ carefully.  And, we need to understand that a lot of these horrible things that are going to happen . . . are part of God’s will.  They are part of a bigger picture and plan.

God Wants Us To Go To War!!
The Gates Of Hell Shall Not Prevail Against Us

It’s Time To ‘Shake The Dust Off’ (Part 2)

We need to remember that our lives here on Earth are just ‘boot camp’. We were not intended to make our home here on Earth yet. We can understand how important this one brief life on Earth is for those who don’t have a place set apart for them, an eternal home, in God’s kingdom. But for those of us who have that promise–we need to keep things in perspective!! We can’t let panic over losing this Earthly life cloud our judgment!

Jesus has promised us that we will be persecuted–and that in these last days, many will die for their faith in Christ and their obedience to His word. We must CHOOSE not to be afraid, because we have His promise that He will always be with us.

For those of you who are afraid for others, who feel an overwhelming responsibility to try to save those on Earth from their sins: IT’S NOT YOUR JOB!! I too have loved ones that are not walking with God–people I would give my life for! Often (and maybe especially so these days) it is best that we step aside and let God work in a person’s heart. We in America are so strong willed and independent, that most of us resist any attempts to control us. It may be, that the more we say, the more we drive people away from Christ!

Wow, those are really radical things to believe . . . Let me explain. Jesus gave us the ‘Great Commission’ of teaching the gospel and making disciples throughout the whole world. The way I see it, with regards to all I know about God and His Word, having been a Christian for almost 30 years–we are to present the gospel, live the gospel, and LEAVE THE CHOICE UP TO THEM!

Am I so callous that I don’t care if most of the world chooses to go to Hell? No, and I want to address that in a couple of ways. Let me start with the one that’s going to matter the most to you: my belief is that people do not burn in hell for all eternity. If I am wrong, may God have mercy on my soul. (This is something you should study for yourself.)

Without Jesus, people do not have eternal life. People without Jesus will be judged by their works and thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the end of the road. Nothing that goes into it comes back out. It burns forever. But man, being ‘made from dust’, is consumed by the fire, once, forever. Without Jesus, people do not have eternal life.

What about Revelation 14: 9-11, where the Bible says that the ‘smoke of their torment’ goes up forever and ever? Clearly, the smoke being visible forever is to serve as a remembrance to all who see it. We see, elsewhere in the Book of Revelation, that prayers–made in the physical realm–manifest as incense to be burned, before God, in the spiritual realm (creating smoke). I believe the smoke spoken of here is symbolic as well.

Although in the physical realm it may be necessary, it doesn’t necessarily follow that in the spirit realm the burning must continue forever and ever for the smoke to go up forever and ever. In fact, when Babylon falls, it is said that ‘the smoke from her goes up for ever and ever’. Babylon is a physical city on planet Earth, which we know cannot possible burn forever.

We see, later in Revelation, that the beast, the false prophet, and later the devil, are thrown into the lake of fire. We are told that they will be tormented forever and ever.

No mention is made of smoke. They do not have physical bodies that would create smoke if they were burned. Nor is it likely that they will be sending up any kind of prayers that would manifest as smoke. They are thoroughly corrupt and are not able to repent.

It also makes sense that they would be tormented ‘forever and ever’ because they are eternal beings. Even fire does not destroy them.

In the same passage in Revelation (14: 9-11), it says that if anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand:

1. He will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath
2. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb
3. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name

(This proclamation goes out near the end of The Tribulation, before the seventh ‘trumpet judgment’ has occurred–I believe that the ‘seven bowls of God’s wrath’ ARE the seventh trumpet judgment.)

The seven bowls of God’s wrath follow this proclamation, fulfilling #1.

The first bowl of God’s wrath, is that ugly and painful sores break out on the people who have the mark of the beast and worship his image. This likely fulfills #3, that there is no rest for those who worship the beast and/or receive the mark.

#2 is not fulfilled by any of the bowls. It could be that it is fulfilled by the final judgment, in the Lake of Fire, but I believe it is more likely fulfilled by the sixth trumpet judgment:

‘Four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was 200,000 . . . the heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.’

One thing that is important to understand about the book of Revelation, is that things do not take place in the exact order in which they are told. There is a chronological order in the prophecy, but many of the visions serve as parenthetical statements–they go back to the beginning of a subject and get you caught up to where they were just spoken of in the prophecy.

This is much like watching a movie, when you see a subtitle ‘2 weeks earlier’, and then what follows is what happened 2 weeks earlier. (You may even follow it all the way up to the last event you saw in the main story.) Then you return to the main story and continue to go forward chronologically. Revelation does this repeatedly, as well as repeating certain events from different perspectives.

Back to the question, of whether I am so callous that I don’t care if most of the world chooses to go to Hell . . . stop and think about this: if someone hates God and what He represents–wouldn’t spending all eternity in Heaven, with God and Christians, be a hellish punishment for him?

Our character, likes and dislikes, are formed here on Earth. We will be fundamentally the same people in Heaven as we are here on Earth. This is why God works so diligently to form the proper character in us while we are here!

Our understanding of evangelism and eternal life has become really warped. We often, unintentionally, evangelize people by presenting the gospel as though God is desperately trying to meet His own needs by getting people to love and worship Him–or we try to blackmail them ‘into the kingdom’ by telling them they will suffer and burn in hell for all eternity if they don’t accept Jesus!

God wants people who CHOOSE to love Him and who value the qualities that He embodies! He is all about free choice. Understanding His respect of our free choice, can provide the answers to most of our questions about why He allows things to happen on Earth, rather than intervene. It seems to me, that He considers our free choice as something sacred!

There is a passage in Revelation (which means it is relevant for us today) that says:

‘Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.’

The way I understand it is like this:

‘Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.’

You aren’t going to change anybody. Present them the truth and let them decide. If they accept Jesus–make them a disciple! Otherwise . . . ‘Next!’ (move on).

Similarly, Jesus tells us

‘Do not give dogs what is sacred, do not throw your pearls to pigs.  If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.’

If someone is not interested in the gospel, shake the dust off your feet and move on, do not continue giving them more and more!  God’s Word and truth are priceless.  They are free to all who willingly receive them, but not to be wasted on those who don’t.

In I Corinthians 7 Paul says:

‘ . . . And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him . . . But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?’

I know from experience, that when you are married to an unbeliever, there is no peace in your heart when you believe that your spouse is going to suffer great torment in hell for all eternity. Nor does constantly bringing up the subject promote peace–yet how can you not? But, according to Paul, if your unbelieving spouse wants to stay married, it is possible to live peaceably together. The only way that can be accomplished is by respecting their free will.

This bears witness to my statement that it is not your responsibility to save anyone from their sins, not even your spouse!

Also, notice a couple of things.

1. No command is made to the unbeliever. The unbeliever has not submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ, and therefore receives no commands from the Lord.
2. The respect of the unbeliever’s free choice is so important that it even trumps the marriage vows, in that they may choose to divorce a believing spouse if they wish.

That may not mean much these days, but consider that God hates divorce. His command is that believers not divorce. (Moses had made a concession for those whose spouse is unfaithful–but Jesus said it was a concession, because of the hardness of their hearts; He would rather they forgive.) That should underscore how much respect God has for the free will of unbelievers*. He makes the rules, but He doesn’t make the decisions.

We don’t get ‘brownie points’ for converting people!! Present the gospel, live the gospel, and leave the choice up to them!!

Remember, Jesus has promised us that we will be persecuted–and that in these last days, many will die for their faith in Christ and their obedience to His word. CHOOSE not to be afraid! You have His promise that He will always be with you!!

*(Believers: your free will is to be submitted to God’s will.)

It’s Time To ‘Shake The Dust Off’
God Wants Us To Go To War!!
The God Factor

How Dumb Is That?

How very strange that we live in a country where truth is so hard to find. Not that the truth is rare, or somehow hidden–but rather, because those who know it would prefer not to mention it!

Although we are not running for office, we have allowed ourselves to be convinced that what we say should be ‘politically correct’.  How dumb is that?

And since when did we think it was admirable to be like a politician?


God Damn America?

Is America Going To The Dogs?

How Can You Say Your Way Is The Only Way?

‘How can you say your way is the only way?  There are so many ways to God, and everyone thinks their way is the right way.’  Sound familiar?

I’ll tell you why.  Because there IS only one way.  God’s way.  He gives you the choice, and leaves it at that.  No threats, no coercion.  It’s up to you.  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  No man gets to the Father, except by Him.  There is no other way.

(By the way–Allah is not God the Father, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.  Allah is Satan.)

Satan is in a battle with God.  He’s also narcissistic and egomaniacal.  It is extremely important to him that men either love or fear him (but in any case,  that they submit to him).  He calls himself God and has created countless ways for man to reach him.  He doesn’t ‘put all his eggs in one basket’ so to speak.  It’s almost as if he gets points for everyone who follows him–so ‘hey, whatever it takes!’ right?

God Wants Us To Go To War!!

Just Another ‘Blue Light Special’?

God Wants Us To Go To War!!

We are in a war!  It is a war in the spirit realm–a war between Christians and Satan.  The prize is the kingdom of Earth–where all mankind will be united under one leader.

The first ruler of this earthly kingdom will be The Antichrist.  He will make war on Israelites and Christians, because he can’t stand to have any opposition.  At the same time, there will be various wars, struggles, disasters, etc. on Earth, as this spiritual war manifests itself in the physical realm.  If you aren’t aware that, behind it all, there is one war in the spirit realm, you will probably be seeing many seemingly unrelated things happening.  You may be confused about many things, even if you study Biblical prophecies.  (In addition to Bible prophecies often being vague and confusing, Satan is actively creating as many other teachings, interpretations and explanations as he possibly can.)

What is important to remember is this:  The war is in the spirit realm.  The war is being fought directly between Christians and Satan, for control of the kingdom of mankind on earth.The only way you can fight this battle is by relying on Jesus.

Many of the details of what happens in the physical realm are given in the Bible.  However, little is specified about what is happening in the spirit realm.  I will give my best interpretation and opinions–based on my study of the Bible and being a Christian for nearly 30 years.

We are told in the book of Ephesians that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but spiritual powers of darkness.  We have to remind ourselves that what we see is only a small part of what is real.  The small part we see may not help us understand the unseen any more than a single leaf can give us a clear understanding of a tree.  The only way to see the whole picture is to study God’s Word and pray for understanding.

The book of Revelation tells that, when Satan was still in Heaven, the angels that were loyal to God fought him and the angels that had ‘crossed over to the dark side’.  Satan and his angels ‘were not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven’.  Then they were cast down to Earth. (Woe to us, because he is filled with fury since he knows his time is short).

The book of Daniel tells us that The Antichrist (empowered by Satan) will wage war against Christians and will be defeating them (in the physical realm), until the Lord comes and pronounces ‘judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High’ (Christians),who are then given the kingdom.

Just as earthly soldiers fight wars for their country, while their leader isn’t on the front lines-so will Christians fight to win the kingdom for God, while their  king-to-be (Jesus) waits in the wings.

If you are someone who has heard or read Bible prophecies, you’re probably going to think that’s wrong, because you know that Jesus will come to Earth and fight in the physical realm when he returns–before he is enthroned as king.  BUT, remember, the war I’m talking about is in the spiritual realm.  Jesus comes for the ‘mop up’ , so to speak (in the physical realm).

It is up to us,  who live on Earth, to do spiritual battle for the spiritual title to the kingdom of mankind on Earth.  So far, Satan and fallen man have the title, and are holding it firmly.  This is because we are not fighting in the spiritual realm, and Satan is walking all over us!!

Most Christians are content to ‘live and let live’ with regards to evil.  That is not God’s plan.  We are to be active in engaging and fighting evil, remembering that what we see in the physical realm is the fruit, while the roots are found in the spirit realm.  We need to go to the spirit realm to dig out the roots.  In order to battle in the spirit, we need to live holy lives.  Indeed, living a holy life is spiritual battle.  In some unseen way, it tips the balance of power towards the side of good.

Now, none of us is good, and none of us can live holy or do spiritual battle on our own.  It is only through depending on Jesus that we can do anything.  But it is important that we be doing spiritual battle.  We ARE in a war, like it or not.  Either we fight, or we surrender–every day.

So, where are we at right now?  We are in a spiritual battle with Satan, with glimpses of it, here and there, in the physical realm.  I believe that, because we have not been living holy lives, the balance has tipped in favor of Satan.  So much so in fact, that soon he will be able to pretty much unite the world under one puppet leader (The Antichrist) that he will choose, enthrone and empower.

Once The Antichrist is in place, God will allow him to have authority for three and a half years.  During this time he will do his best to win over everyone on Earth.  Those that he can’t charm, he will threaten.  In a continued escalation of force, those who are unmoved by his threats, he will persecute.  When that doesn’t work, he will punish and/or and execute.

Although he is blindly narcissistic and egotistical, I believe there may be another reason he puts so much effort into winning people over.  I think the worship he receives, from those he causes to submit to him, gives him more spiritual power.  (I also believe that dying for what you believe is very powerful in the spirit realm.  This could be a reason that he doesn’t simply execute his opposition at the outset.)

After some time of his ‘winning’ in the physical realm, by killing many Christians (in the physical realm we consider it a loss to die in battle), the balance of spiritual power shifts.  At the appointed time, God ‘calls the match’–in favor of the Christians. We are told that the Christians overcame Satan by the blood of Christ, their testimony, and by being willing to die for Him (and, of course, many did).

I think it may also be, in addition to the number of martyrs, that after real persecution sets in, the veil of deception we’ve been living under is lifted and we are able to stop denying the spiritual war we are in–and we get serious about living for God and fighting evil.

One other point, and word of warning I have to make:  Only those who fight will win.  If you fight to the end, without giving in or giving up, you win.  The days of being able to ‘sit on the fence’ spiritually are almost over.  You will get off the fence, or you will be knocked off the fence soon.  If you choose ‘God’s side’, you will have to fight–you cannot be on His side and ignore the battle.  If you choose God’s side, you have to live holy, and that is half the battle!

A Time To Kill

The Gates Of Hell