Philippians 320

Beneath the Indigo sky

2009-06-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

Such moments are beyond description. While they are not dependant upon any particular set of perimeters in the ambience, I usually find them around the midnight hour while everyone else is vacationing in the land of Nod. I step outside this dwelling space which was fashioned according to the designs of another and venture into the silent night. The air is void of mechanical enhancement and pure; reflecting that which the Creator had ordained for the moment at hand. Overhead is a canopy that almost takes ones breath away. Untold millions of stars inhabiting the firmament; announcing to all with eyes to see that "God is." He fills the heavens and has positioned each one according to his perfect design.

Suddenly, all of the days campaigning to maintain an address in the land of the living becomes as nothing. The itineraries, the quest after wood hay and stubble, the choreography which the conformists to this world expect of us, seem like petty exercises that distract one from the issues of life. I raise my hands into the night sky; the hunger to be closer to our God is so intense that it's almost painful. The distain for those weights and sins that cause separation from the inhabitor of eternity becomes more pronounced. All that matters now, is to be close to Jesus. To let go of every shread of lusting and just abide in the presence of the Almighty. All other allegiances have been released as the undescribable peace of God permeates every part of my being.

Indescribable bliss. I could just stay here forever; abiding in the presence of the Lord Jesus, engulfed by a state of absolute contentment. Of course this would be very selfish. The citizens of this temporal world are in desperate need of the words of life which have been entrusted to everyone who is born of the Spirit. These times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord prepare us for the contests that lie ahead, while reminding us that our journey through the wilderness of sin is ever so brief. The trials and tribulations, the seasons of scarcity, the lonliness incurred by all who have determined to give their all, "worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

If tomorrow finds us here, there will be work to do. As we venture out across this alien terrain, we're certain to encounter priceless souls who know not the Lord. We're certain to come upon those who stand in want for basic necessities. We'll encounter eternal ones that have been severely damaged by hirelings who cared not for the sheep. The landscape is overflowing with broken hearts, broken lives and those who are at their wits end. Just as we once were before the hour that we first believed upon Jesus. But tonight, beneath this indigo sky, I stand before the Lord and sing with the tongues of men and angels. I stand as one who once was lost, but is now washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. Here in this secret garden, I loudly proclaim the sheer awesomeness that is the Holy One of Israel. "My God, How Great thou Art."

Blessings always in Jesus name.

"While He May Be Found"

2009-06-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

Luke 16:31 "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

This is the final verse in the account that Jesus tells us of concerning a "certain rich man." (Luke 16:19-31) A man who fared sumptuously and had everything that this world had to offer, but never gave consideration for his Creator or that he would someday leave this world. He had the testimonies, the law and the prophets, but never believed beyond a theological comprehension, to the saving of the soul. As this post is read, that rich man, and countless others, are in a state of everlasting despair as the tender mercies of God will never pass their way again. They are conscious and mindful of the life that they once had and the decisions thereof. They remember every divine appointment which God arranged on their behalf during that brief time on the surface; compelling them to believe on Jesus, his only begotten Son. The memory of every invitation and the ensuing rejection will forever torment them, every bit as much as the unquenchable flames from which their is no reprieve.

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.'

There are countless arguements that people will fill their mouths with that oppose the ways of life; some even going to incredible lengths to deny that God even exists. (Here's a question; if there's no hereafter, why does it matter what one believes?) It's just another phase of the age old phenomenon where people love darkness rather than light and as such they go out of their way to put God out of their memory. Rather than search the scriptures; sincerely desiring to know truth, it becomes easier to adapt the old idea that they were simply written by men and are full of contradictions. The initial verse mentioned in this post is astonishing. The rich man desired that someone would go and warn his brothers about their pending doom if they didn't turn from their ways. He knew that they wouldn't give ear to the divinely inspired word of God, but thought that, perhaps if a messenger came from the other side, they would consider. Not so, according to Abraham. The problem isn't the integrity of scripture; the word of God endures forever. The problem is that folks simply love darkness and have no desire to know the Lord. Not even a messenger from beyond would be able to persuade one who was so contrary minded.

And so, day in and day out, year after year, folks will continue in their delusions as they continuously work on their earthly kingdom. Buying and selling, learning and growing in prestiege, working feverishly to "arrive" but only to fine that the expected satisfaction has moved on to something else. Something that may or may not be obtainable. At verious intervals along the way, they are confronted with truth; be it a preacher, a tract, an ambassador for Christ who sees the bigger picture, or the unexpected death of someone close to them. (Ecclesiastes 7:1-2) Constant reminders that, this life has an end. Regardless of ones arguements or campaigns, the day comes when the final breath is released and the soul enters the realm of the everlasting. There is a day of reckoning in which time has expired and ones eternal abode has been forged. At the moment of departure, all of ones status becomes as nothing. The degrees of learning, the trappings, the memories of a comfortable life in this world lose all relevance. The only thing that matters is "does their name appear in the book of life?"

Revelation 20:15
"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake
of fire.

The intent of this post is to bring to the forefront, the seriousness of this issue. Each of us are one day closer to our eternal reward than we were yesterday. Tomorrow is not a promise to anyone, but each of us will stand before a holy God. If ones sins have not been washed away by the blood of Jesus, there is no other remedy. This post is also intended to remind every saint, including its author, of what's at stake. We tend to unwittingly get caught up with the events of the day and forget that there are souls in eternity today who were alive and well yesterday. A soul who isn't reached today may not have another opportunity. May we all let go of those things in our lives that are of a frivilous nature and be about our Fathers business.

Blessings always in Jesus name.

Ecclesiastes 8:8
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it."

Isaiah 55:6-7 "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

It's Good To Be back

2009-06-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

It's been almost 27 months since my last posting on this blog as my endeavors have been almost exclusively at GRACE COUNTY Operating two venues became something for which time didn't allow. It still doesn't, however, Lord willing, I want to bring this forum back into relevance.

Time is a limited commodity. Not only in the prophetic sense as we are witnessing scriptural fulfilment, but also in a natural realm. None of us are promised a tomorrow to be about our Fathers business in this world. Opportunities squandered today may never come around again. This truth would be all but unanimously agreed upon by all, and yet we live our lives as though this present reality will go on indefinately. The illusion of continuance has held up for as long as we can remember. (we're still here) While the have a logistical understanding that tomorrow may not find us here, this possibility doesn't register with our heart.

For those outside the ark of safety, it causes them to not consider spiritual matters such as "if I leave this world tonight, where will I be?" For the saints, it causes us to not take seriously the issues of life and death that confront us daily, such as the neighbor, the co-worker, the aunt, the nephew, or the girl next door who doesn't know Jesus. "We'll get to them" we tell ourselves as our adversary, the devil works feverishly to run ut the clock. As I kickstart what was my first ever blogging forum, I would encourage every saint to draw extermely close to the Lord Jesus, let go of every hinderance and seek to be in his perfect will.

Blessings always in Jesus name.

Now is our Salvation Nearer

2007-03-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

This is just an encouragement to all who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. That we should give all diligence to ensure that our hearts are firmly established. The times are indeed perilous and we truly don't know what a day may bring. I pray that each day we would strive to draw ever closer to the Lord ans strive to do all that we can to reach those who are outside of the ark of safety. Thie is what truly matters. When all is said and done, only those things which are done for Christ will remain.

This site hasn't seen much activity as of late. I want to change this as I'll be cutting back somewhat on the other one, which is hectic. The other site is called "Grace County" and can he accessed at the following address:

www.timbob.wordpress.com

In these times, we have no idea how much longer we will be active in the blogosphere, but while time remains I strive to lift up the name of Jesus, be an encouragement to those of like faith, and encourage any who are not born again to consider the things that are written. Jesus came into the world to save sinners and is faithful to forgive any who come to him in sincere repentance. Repentance is a "being sorry for" your sin and asking Jesus to forgive you. All have sinned which places us all in the same boat of needing a Savior. He shed his blood on Calvary to pay the sin debt of the world. Your sins have been paid for, but it's up to you to receive this gift.

When all is said and done, nothing else will matter but our standing with the Almighty. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ; a fact tha should light a fire under every saint and be a warning to all who are not in Christ to please come to him before it's eternally too late. He will save anyone who will call upon him in sincerety.

John 6:37-40 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

If you are reading this and have never accepted Jesus into your heart, please do it today. Salvation is a prayer away but tomorrow is not a promise. My sincere prayer is that if you don't know him, that you would ask him into your heart and that your name would be written down in the book of life.

Revelation 3:20 "Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Hold Fast That which is Good

2007-01-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

Today is January 20, 2007. I just placed a link on Grace Couny about the situation with the saints in Iraq. The address is long, so instead of retyping it, please go to Grace County in the links and it's in the current top posting. Or type in the address

www.timbob.wordpress.com

Perilous times are here and we're getting it from every angle. The falling away is taking place, but it will become a stampede, I think, when things begin to fall apart as they must. If you know Jesus as your Savior, please don't let such words get you down; only down on your knees in prayer; the place that we all need to be as we see these things approaching. Jesus really is returning. Eternity with joy unspeakable lies just ahead. Don't faint; don't let the events of this world or it's seductive campaigns lead you astray. I fear that the times ahead are going to be so traumatic that every one of us will be caught off guard to one degree or another. Stablish your heart and trust God completly as he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Malachi 3:16-18 "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then they shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth god and him that serveth him not.

Saints; we need to speak often one to another to encourage and exhort each other. We need to most of all, get as close to the Lord as we can possibly get. We dare not follow from afar in these final moments of the age.

The Greatest Show on Earth

2007-01-07T07:07:00.000-08:00

Websters has a compound definitions for the word "show." The second set would fit here.
2-show: demonstrative display, outward appearance, a false semblance.

Revelation 13:13 "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men"

Revelation 16:13-14 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

These verses describe two time frames in which demonic power will bring forth miracles for the sole purpose of causing men to follow them. In earlier posts (Confusion of Forces and Confusion of Forces II) the differecne between true and false miracles was discussed. True miracles from God will bring glory to God and will result in a deliverance or revelation. The name of Jesus Christ will be glorified in each case. For example, the blind man in John chapter 9 had a twofold purpose. First, Jesus healed him and this man could now see all that was around him. Second, God was glorified as he gave this man sight. And such is the case today when someone is healed from an illness or deliverd from an oppression of any type. Freedom is received and God is glorified. But the false signs of the wicked one will bring no deliverance or freedom. On the contrary, they will cause the world to wonder after the beast and receive his mark so that they can continue to purchase beer and pretzels.

Ours is a culture that's well accustomed to "watching things." In a few weeks, Americans will sit in their assigned recliners and watch the super bowl. Folks are mezmerized by entertainment and theater; staged events that have no bearing on realiy, but woo the spectators. Lately, there's been a form of programming called "reality shows" in which folks are placed into a staged set of circumstances and it's classified as "real" Too much of the news reporting today is an abundance of theater and shallow on content; analyzing various aspects of events but never getting to the bottom of things. (I guess that such should be expected. We really can't expect CNN to understand the implications of the eagle nation of Daniel chapter seven being engaged in a deployment along the Euphrates and Hiddekel (Tigris) Rivers. The significance of these rivers is mentioned in a post done way back in July or August called "Principalities Powers, and Angry Bablyonians. (I think that's the one)

This is a common topic on this site because the deceptions are real and the stakes are eternal. The world is set for "prime time" in which the man of sin will make his play and the final phase of the last days will be set in motion. The one thing that we must be ever so careful of is to ensure that our hearts are firmly established. This also has been mentioned before; that the illusions will be so strong as to appear to disprove the faith of Jesus through signs, miracles, science, and common sense. The devil always appeals to elements of fleshly understanding and insight.

I cannot seem to impress this one thought enough; that being enough to where I feel in my heart that I've adequately impressed it. Our faith will be tried in the coming days and months like no other time. Using common sense reasoning will no longer work and those that truly "KNOW THEIR GOD" and have that personal intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will be the only ones who will be able to stand.

Hebrews 5:14 "But strong meat belongeth to them that are full of age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

The time to develop discernment is the present. This is a daily prayer of mine; asking the Lord to grant discernment to all that love him as the days are filled with voices and doctrines like no other time in history. I'll use a secular example to explain this. Do you remember the second Indiana Jones movie. (I think it was 1984) Near the beginning, this lady was chasing after a diamond around the floor of this night club while a brawl was in progress. A container of ice cubes hits the floor and suddenly, this diamond is lost in the midst of these ice cubes. That's a good picture of things today. This will grow even more intense at the end draws ever closer.

James 5:8 "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

The world is filled with a host of various doctrines; many of which appear christian and many that appeal to almost any liking. They all serve the same purpose, that being to obscure the gospel. This is warned of in scripture and one must give it the utmost of attention. I ask the Lord daily to please reveal to me any place where I am proclaiming error, and the courage to admit to it when I know of it. The bible is my final authority on all matters, but I'm far from perfect and Gods word is infanitly deep. (Jeremiah 33:3 and James 1-5-8) There is one thing that I know is contrary to much of todays teaching but I believe to be the accurate deciphering of scripture. That's the timing of the rapture which I believe takes place after the tribulation. I always ask anyone to not take my word or simply follow the scriptures that I use to support this, but to check it out on their own. We all must take a Berean approach to teachings as the times are dark and men are not enduring sound doctrine. Two more passages.

Revelation 22:18-19 "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Three things that can be learned from this.

( 1 ) God speaks through his word. He preserves his word for every generation.

( 2 ) He severely deals with anyone who adds to or takes from his word. Any who uses his word in deceptive fashion or for causes others to doubt its authenticity.

( 3 ) We are all going to be judged by the things that are written in the word of God and as such diligent study is imperative. My fervent desire is to cause any who passes by to seek the Lord and spend time searching the scriptures. One more verse; one that should cause us all to think and continuously examine ourselves.

Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

A deception will appear as ironclad accuracy and yet it will be a lie. Saints of God, we all need to walk in the Spirit at all times and hide the word of God in our hearts. Everything is soon to be shaken and mens hearts will be failing them for fear as the end times prophesies come to pass. If you're born again, please don't let this get you down. The darkest hour is always before the dawn and Jesus is soon to appear. Hold fast the profession of your faith and I'll close with the following verse.

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Please commit this verse to memory.

The Hour of Temptation

2007-01-02T22:37:00.000-08:00

All of the following verses are of great importance to this subject.

Isaiah 57:1 "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

Matthew 16:25 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

Luke 21:36 "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

Revelation 3:10 "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."

Revelation 21:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

Temptation is a defining moment in which a person is presented with an opportunity to embrace that which resides beyond the will of God. The first incident of temptation transpired in the garden of Eden (Genesis Chapter 3) when the serpent beguiled Eve to eat fruit from the tree that God forbid to be eaten from.

Genesis 3:4 "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die."

As you read the account, a number of aspects are worth bringing up.

( 1 ) The serpent was subtle. The devil knows how to seduce another and he proved it when he convinced a third of the angels to abandon their first estate and follow him in rebellion against the very Creator of all that is. He is a smooth operator to be sure.

( 2 ) The fruit was desirable. It appealed to the fleshly desire to eat that which is good. Undoubtedly, all of the other fruit in the garden was good too, however, this fruit looked especially good. Just as the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

( 3 ) It would provide access to the knowledge of good and evil. Knowledge will cause one to harbor pride. This is why the apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh. It was to keep him from being exalted above measure, in light of all the revelation that God had given him.

I Corinthians 8:1 "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth."

There's an unavoidable connection between knowledge and pride and this aspect was included in the serpents pitch. As you know, Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, sin entered the world, and they were cast out of the garden. All of the sorrows, torment, wars, deseases, heartaches and devastation that's in the world is the result of this temptation.

Another instance of temptation, one that we must all give heed to, involved Jacob and his brother Esau. Genesis chapter 25 sets the scene. In verses 29-34, Esau comes in from the field and is faint. (at the point of death) He asks Jacob to give him some pottage and bread which leads to the following exchange.

Genesis 25:31-32 "And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

Esau sought to save his life in this world (see Matthew 16:25) and as a result he made a very bad decision. He sold his birthright for a morsel of meat. His heart was set on the preservation of the physical.

Hebrews 12:16-17 "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."

The account of Esau is really important as it provides an example of the mechanics of temptation; that being the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All of these were present, both in the garden and in the situation involving Esau.

Temptation lies in wait just every corner and can come at you when you least expect it. The devil knows your weakness and he knows precisely when you're the mose susceptible to persuasion. At this moment, temptation will present itself and suddenly, a decision will be required of you. Do you please God or do you seek that which the flesh delights in.

As I write this, the stage is being set for the greatest temptation to ever confront the inhabitors of the earth. You know it as the mark of the beast. Nearly everyone has heard of it, nearly everyone knows what the number of the beast is, and almost everyone knows that one must not take this mark. The time is fast approaching in which the antichrist will be in power. He will seduce the population of the world and make christianity look like a relic from the pages of history. Arms will stand on his side and he will cause craft to prosper. He will institute the mark; without which you will be unable to buy, sell, work, or function in society. He will seek to kill anyone who refuses to take the mark.

Revelation14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of god, and the faith of jesus."

The beast system will appeal to all of the elements previously mentioned. It will fulfill ones desire to preserve their physical life, it'll appeal to common sense, it will seem to be another example of "better living through chemistry" and it will make anyone who rejects it to look like a backwards thinking bonehead. The pitch for the beast system will be so enticing that the saints will have to stand by faith and faith alone. If you're born again and you have the Holy Ghost abiding within, don't worry. Jesus will never leave you. The next verse is quoted often here, so lets write it down again.

Daniel 11:32 "And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits."

These times are upon us. The world is coming together through an array of social, economic, and geopolitical manuverings. The various things that are transpiring here in the Eagle nation of Daniel chapter 7 are very telling. The NSA, which monitors all phone calls and internet proceedings, the shadow government, invasive monitoring systems, and soon "customized chips for all." Everything is coming together quickly. While there is still time, we must be about our Fathers business with an utmost sense of urgency. TIME IS RUNNING OUT ON THIS AGE!

The return of Jesus Christ is at hand. As I close out this post tonight, I would ask that you keep this in the forefront of your mind. Too many of us have become dull of hearing as this has been talked about for generations. The moment will arrive when Jesus returns and every eye shall behold him; including yours. The moment will come when every knee shall bow and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, including yours. If you have never asked him to save you from your sins, please, for your own sake, do it today. Before you finish reading this post, turn to Jesus who is ready and willing to forgive you of every sin, regardless of how terrible it is. If you're already born again, it's imperative that you draw increasingly closer to God and look to him always. Don't follow afar off. The times are perilous and soon everything will be shaken beyond measure. Look to Jesus and don't worry about the storm. He will abide with you always. I'll close out with two familiar verses.

II Corinthians 4:17-18 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Mystery Babylon Theater

2006-12-31T21:35:00.000-08:00

II Thessalonians 2:7-10 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."

As I was typing in that familiar passage of scripture, the words "love of the truth" came to mind. If you're born again and you love the Lord, you must develop such a deep love for truth, that you'll pursue it unconditionally through prayer and study of the word of God. A desire to be rooted in truth that won't allow you to simply follow any teaching without checking it out for yourself. You'll develop a discernment as you wholeheartedly seek the Lord and seek to be in his perfect will. Taking a persons word at face value is dangerous to be sure.

The year 2007 just arrived in the eastern time zone of the United States. When I came out here to post, I saw a news headline stating "As 2006 comes to a close, the American death toll in Iraq reaches 3000." Three thousand souls who went forth, never to return. This number is small in comparison to the more than fifty thousand names that are etched into the Vietnam Memorial. Nonetheless, a soul is priceless. A single soul being lost is a tragedy. This situation in Iraq is growing increasingly unstable and our troops are caught in the middle of it. The prophetic significance is undeniable as the stage is being set for the man of sin to make his move.

As you read through scripture, one will often come across the question "when shall these things be?" This question is one that's repeated throughout the ages and is still asked today. Even in Revelation, when the fifth seal is opened, those in heaven who were slain for the word of God ask "how long O Lord, holy and true?" Several generations have believed themselves to be the last generation, so one might observantly ask "what makes this time any different than all of the other times?" One will contend that we've always had wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, floods, famines and a host of events that appear apocalyptic. While this is true, it's also true that there are a host of issues that set this generation apart from any other. Here's a few.

( 1 ) GLOBAL VILLAGE. The fact that the nations of the world is so interconnected into an economic colossus is very telling. Billions of dollars trade hands and shift from one country to another; not by physical means, but through a series of electronic signals that proclaim "we're the equivelent of this number of currency units." This global village is also demonstrated right here in the land of Blog. While I think it to be really cool to communicate with saints from other countries whom I'll never meet in this life, I also know that such an aparatus as the internet is a despots "dream come true." Everyone placing their innermost thoughts onto the web for all to see. Right now, it can be used to further the gospel or any agenda that one may wish to further. Eventually, it'll be used to "round up" the terrorists. At some point, christians will fall into the category of "terrorists."

Revelation 13:7 "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds and tongues, and nations."

It must be remembered that in this hour of temptation, we will be prevailed over in the physical realm. The trial of your faith works patience and a far more exceeding weight of glory.

( 2 ) YOU'RE ON CANDID CAMERA. I recently read a report that in the UK, the average citizen will appear on a surveillance camera an average of 300 times per day. I'm certain that the US is catching up as the department of homeland security implements the agenda of those in power. This doesn't take into account all of the camera phones that are in circulation. Years ago, (in the eighties) the police force in south Bend IN started up a program in which average citizens would receive a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of a fugitive. This sounds like a nice idea, and indeed it has been responsible for the capturing of thousands of criminals. This aspect is good, however, the very nature of implementing an "informant" mentality is unbelievably dangerous. With these camera phones everywhere that people are, there's no more privacy and I can only imagine a nationwide program such as the one in South Bend and a number of other cities. Big brother has eyes everywhere.

( 3 ) THE GOD OF FORCES. There will be the coming together of a world religion. Already the ecumenical movement and the general "can't we all just get along" mentality are moving this process forward. Pastors who place numbers in fron of accuracy when it comes to what they proclaim or to whom they'll bid godspeed. I remember reading recently about a church in the Pittsburgh area that invited a Muslim cleric to deliver a message. Truth has become a "thing of the past; a token of a bygone era" in too many instances. The one world religion will not be christian in any way. It will draw folks away from Jesus and will have great signs and lying wonders accompanying it. The lie will overwhelm those who know not God and obeyed not the gospel. In the book of Daniel we see a glimpse of this religious system.

Daniel 8:25 "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."

I think that this will be an earth-based wiccan style religion that will dominate the earth as "he shall cause craft to prosper." The groundwork for such a system is already done. Ours is a generation that's fascinated by "shock and awe." This fascination with incredible sights will be the undoing of millions. The antichrist and false prophet will have plenty of shock and awe as they put on the "show to end all shows." (The devil knows how to put on a show and draw a crowd.) It'll be like watching a supernatural fireworks display as the simple proclaim "Ooooooh! Aaaaaaah! WOW! Did you see that? Who can make war with him?"

Daniel 11:32 "And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."

( 4 ) CHIPS AHOY. As if cameras in the corner of every public space isn't enough, the implementation of "chips" the size of a grain of rice is invasive to the uttermost. With these chips you will be able to take part in commerce, hold a job, get medical care for you and your household, unlock your door, start your car, keep your identity secure, and most of all; if ever, the government needs to find you, they'll know exactly where you are, every minute of every day. The time will come when without this chip, you'll be completely cut off from the economic infrustructure. The technological hurdles have been cleared and the programs are moving ahead at full throttle. You may say to yourself, "I'll never take that." I hope that you maintain this same resolve, regardless of the consequences in the physical realm. This is hard to talk about, but it is a prophetic event. I have four kids and I love them dearly as any father does. Nonetheless, I know that when the mark arrives; be it a chip or something even more invasive, you cannot take it. No matter what the cost is in the land of the physical. The Lord has given me peace concerning these events as I know that he'll never leave us nor forsake us. When the moment of trying arrives, his grace will be sufficient.

( 5 ) NEW WORLD ORDER / SHADOW GOVERNMENT. Our governing officials seem to speak increasingly with globalist rhetoric. It doesn't matter what party is in charge. This has been going on for some time, but during the past ten years, incredible leaps forward by the globalists have trabspired. David J Meyer talked about a visit to the cencus bureau website. It displayed the next cencus questionaire, and it asked questions such as "what time do you go to work? When do you get home? 72 questions in all concerning every aspect of life. The fine for partial or total non-compliance is $1000 per unanswered question.

One more observation before I fall asleep. (I can't fall asleep; I still want to post on www.timbob.wordpress.com if I can stay awake) Why is there a Luciferian all-seeing eye on the back of our dollar bill? I've always wondered as to why that symbol was chosen. Perhaps, the designers of the dollar bill finished up with their presentation when they saw a blank space that needed something. So they chose a Luciferian "all seeing eye." I cannot believe that this is a coincidence. While our founding fathers were mostly men who professed to be christians, there were also tares that sought a more sinister agenda. In due time, everything that was done insecret will be manifest in the light.

Well, time to go. Happy 2007 to all. I don't know what the year has in store, but I know that very soon, this illusion of peace and safety will come crashing down. When that happens, it'll be the wrong time to decide to stop following the Lord Jesus from afar. We all must strive to draw nigh unto him today and every day that remains. With this, I'll leave with one final verse.

I Peter 4:7-8 "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

She Blinded Me with Science

2006-12-29T04:28:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Websters offers us the following definitions:

EDUCATION: the action or process of educating or of being educated to

KNOWLEDGE: the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience of familiarity.

WISDOM: ( A ) accumulated philosophic or scientific learning ( B ) ability to discern inner qualities and relationships: INSIGHT

AUTHENTIC KNOWLEDGE. In these days of unparalleled deceptions and shifting sands of doctrine, it has never been more important to discern between true knowledge and fallacy; between truth and that which is counterfeit. For example, if a person goes to college and earns an electronic engineering degree, this would constitute legitimate knowledge. It would provide one with a skill in which they would be able to provide a service and secure an income. In such instances, the biggest pitfall (and it is a big one; make no mistake) is that this knowledge would puff them up and cause them to not see the need for God. But the knowledge itself is neutral; it can be used either for good or for evil.

FALSE KNOWLEDGE. This would be anything that runs in direct opposition to the word of God, such as the theory that every living thing on the face of the earth evolved from single cell organisms via the process known as "natural selection." This is the theory which is embraced by many to explain how amoebas transformed themselves into multi-cell organisms, developed a brain, acquired the ability to swim, grew lungs, moved onto the beach, sprouted legs, developed coats of fur, learned to walk upright, developed complex language structures, figured out how to write down events and ponderings, formed communities, invented the internal combustion engine, merged into a "global village" and began blogging on the very network that will one day be instrumental in the enslavement of the whole population. They place this theory into a context of 4 billion years in an attempt to obscure the rediculousity of it all.

Websters offers us another definition:

MODERNISM 1: a practice, usage, or expression peculiar to modern times 2: a tendancy in theology to accomodate traditional religious teaching to contemporary thought and especially to devalue supernatural elements.

Ours is a culture that's doing everything in it's power to remove from memory the God who inhabits eternity.

I Timothy 6:20-21 "O Timothy, keep that which is commited to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen"

THE ELEMENT OF FAITH. This is an ever present factor. For example, it takes real faith to believe in evolution. It takes a real commitment to the big bang theory to believe that everything in the universe started out as a unit of matter the size of a baseball which exploded and formed all that one can observe and that which must be there because of the way that the universe behaves but cannot be seen. (dark matter, dark enegy etc) The wall of faith begins when something has to come about from nothing. For example, "where did the baseball sized mass come from. Another universe? OK. How did it all get started? There's no formula to explain how something comes from nothing and yet we have an entire universe of "something."

Many will use the hundreds of billions of galaxies to proclaim that "God couldn't possibly have done all of this" when, in fact, those hundreds of billions of galaxies declare that "God is; and his ways are past finding out."

John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

SPIRITUAL WISDOM. This wisdom, when based on truth, is above all other wisdom. You can become the greatest quantum physics professor that the world has ever known, have rooms in your house devoted to the display of your trophies and certificates, but if you die in your sins, you'll spend eternity in a lake of fire along side everyone else who rejected the gift of salvation. You can survive without understanding the laws of physics. You can get by without a college education or without having a handle on algebra. You can manage in life without being able to locate Ireland on a map of Ireland. But you CANNOT inherit eternal life without repenting of your sins and accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Matthew 16: 26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

II Timothy 2:15-16 "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness."

II Timothy 3:15-17 "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

The biggest pitfall is that knowledge will tend to pull a man away from his Creator, who holds in his hand the very breath of life, and false knowledge will cause a man to deny that his

creator even exists. False knowledge will always have physical backing as it appeals only to the natural man. Even the false religions of the world will ultimately pander to the flesh. A good example of this would be Mormonism. They believe that you are married to your mate in eternity just as you are here. This is a blatent pandering to the physical nature of folks but is contrary to the word of God. (I'm not trying to single out mormons; but my sister is a mormon and as a result, I've learned some things about them)

Mark 12:25 "For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."

Through the lens of scripture and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, discernment between truth and fallacy is obtained. This is truth; that GOD IS. He has always been God and he will always be God. "How can this be?" Well, when you can figure out how billions of galaxies emerged from a baseball size piece of matter; you'll still be unable to figure it out in the natural. There's no formula in the linear universe to explain such a phenomenon; it has to be accepted by faith.

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

God reveals himself through his word. A visit to Luke 16:19-31 will provide a perfect example of the authority that God places in his word. This rich man probably had a wealth of earthlt knowledge, but he neglected the councel of God. In hell (I'm power paraphrasing here for the sake of time) he asked that one would go back to warn his brothers about hell. Abraham told him that they had Moses and the prophets.

Luke 16:31 "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

Gods word is forever settled in heaven and shall never pass away. His word surpasses all that folks think they understand. I would urge any passer by to examine these things as you will be held accountable. That rich man has been in hell for over two thousand years with no end in sight; all because he neglected the councel of God. I pray that you will take heed to this. Jesus died for your sins and will save you if you call upon him and ask him to. All have sinned and all of us deserve hell. Jesus went to the cross on Calvary to pay for your sin with his own blood. Please don't put this off.

Let the Dead Bury Their Dead

2006-12-27T08:55:00.000-08:00

This reply that Jesus gave to the grieving son in Matthew 8:22 must have caught all of those within earshot completely off guard. This man had just lost his father; the man who raised him and molded him into the kind of citizen that he was. He must have had great respect for his father who was now gone, and he went about planning for his burial. This is the case in any instance when a loved one leaves this world. He wanted to follow Jesus, but asked to be allowed to take care of this piece of business first. Let me go to Matthew to give a better illustration of this and its significance in these final hours of the age. (The status quo is coming down quickly)

Matthew 8:18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

In short, Jesus was on the move and he told his followers, "Let's go over there. This meant that he wasn't lingering; he wasn't waiting for anyone to go and tend to some last minute business or to bid someone farewell.

Matthew 19-20 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

In other words, he told the scribe that it wouldn't be business as usual. He wouldn't have a certain dwelling place night after night and he would have to live by faith alone.

Matthew 8:21-22 "And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

This man made what would appear to be a very common request. He was already a disciple, however, he wanted to honor his father who had raised him up, but was now gone. Jesus instructs this man to follow him and let others tend to that. It of utmost importance that we put our relationship with the Lord Jesus above everything; even the events that we think are monumental. Jesus was departing to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and if this disciple had gone to bury his father, he would have returned to find Jesus gone. When the Lord instructs us to do something, it's for a reason. The next verse sums it up.

Matthew 8:23 "And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him."

His disciples followed him. When Jesus got on board the ship, they got on board too. Wherever he went, they went to unless instructed by him to go to a specific place for a certain span of time. They didn't take vacations or have days off. Their relationshiop with the Lord was ongoing and ares should be the same. The concept that we are not our own is lost in much of the preaching today. We all dwell in a vessel of clay and have a different law working in our members. We all strive to die daily to our old nature and become increasingly Christlike. Yet many not only struggle with these battles, they feast on teachings of prosperity and name it and claim it. Last week the pastor of the largest church in America was interviewed by Larry King. He says, basically that God wants you to have it all. Forget that it may take your heart off of the eternal. Forget all of the warnings throughout scripture that warn of the pitfalls associated with prosperity. (Some folks can handle wealth; most cannot.) I listened to this guy for five minutes and went about other business.

As you read the gospels; as you spend time in them meditatively, you learn of just how radical Jesus was as he called men to discipleship. He was the particularly hard on the religious folks who took pride in their years of study and their status among the citizenry. (Actually he was just honest) He turned the world upside down as he called men to "forsake all and follow him. This steadfast commitment is of the utmost importance. Any lingering idols within our hearts will cause us to stumble when things are going nutty. The example of the man who had lost his father displays the level of commitment required of us and the importance of ensuring that our commitment is steadfast. Another familiar example of this can be found in the parable of the ten virgins.

Matthew 25:1-4 "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps."

Two things of interest here. The oil is representative of the infiling of the Holy Ghost. The lamp gives off light in a dark space. A lamp that has no oil in it will be useless in a dark space. It will cause the one holding it to look as though they're prepared, but when the time of trying arrives, the lack of preparedness will become blatently obvious. It is urgent like never before to ensure that we're walking in the Spirit at all times. (The importace of this cannot be stressed enough as the consequences are eternal)

Matthew 25:5 "And while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

This verse gives us a picture of the church at the end of 2006. Everyone is asleep; even those who ponder these things daily struggle to not become overcharged by the temporal things of this life. I really believe that when things begin comming apart at the seams, the saints with oil in their lamps will be prepared; even the ones who may have been thinking along pre-tribulation rapture doctrines. Those who neglected time with the Lord and were following afar off will be woefully unprepared for the hour of temptation that will come upon the whole earth.

Matthew 25:6-8 "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out."

This passage ought to be sobering to any who is atuned to the times that we are in. These are times in which the great falling underway has begun and will pick up steam in the days ahead. This is no time to be walking about with an empty lamp as Jesus warned us that the days just prior to his return would be more traumatic than any other time in history. Thesie are times when you absolutely must follow the Lord Jesus completely; regardless of what family members think, regardless of what neioghbors think, and even, regardless of what the brethren think. We must have oil in our lamps or we will stumble.

Matthew 25:9 "But the wise answered, saying Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves."

The wise don't have enough for another; they cannot carry one who isn't prepared.

Matthew 25:10-13 "And while they went out to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch ye therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

As I was copying these verses down, the term "go and buy" kept coming to mind and I remembered the verse in Revelation in which the Lord Jesus offers councel to the Laodiceans.

Revelation 3:17-18 "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

I councel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white rainment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and annoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see."

There's several potential posts rolled up into these two verses. These folks in Laodicea were content; they had riches and goodly things in abundance. They became half-hearted in their relationship with the Lord. I have often wondered what happened to this church after they received the letter from John. We have no way of knowing, but I hope that they came to repentance. Riches will pierce you through with many sorrows and these preachers who teach nothing but success in this life (prophets of profit; another future post) are causing millions to not prepare for the times ahead. "Your Best Life Now" is a book that you can find in almost any store. The title tells me enough to not mess with it as the focus is here instead of the hereafter.

The conclusion is this; follow Jesus with all of your heart and all of your being. If he reveals to you that you are to leave your city, travel to Ouagadougou, stand in the city square, and wait for an elderly widow woman to come by and give you instruction, DO IT. "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."

As I write this tonight, I see many areas in which I need to grow. I see many areas of my life in which the Lord still has a lot of work to do. I praise him for all that he has done in my heart and I know that he is faithful to complete the good work that he has started. I pray that you're seeking him ever so fervently and that your heart is stablished. This age is coming to an end and the glorious appearing of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ is at hand. The great and terrible day of the Lord will soon come to pass. Great for those who are born again and watching. Terrible for those who seemed to have "more important things" to do instead of seeking the Lord while he may be found. I pray that you're fully trusting in the blood of Jesus this hour.

Coyote Stew

2006-12-25T00:27:00.000-08:00

Luke 6:25-26 "woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did they of the false prophets."

This passage of scripture could lead into the discussion of a number of issues, ranging from "living to eat" to the pitfalls of being "popular" in the world. (Here is wisdom; if everybody's doing it, don't do it) I'm going to focus on the excess part as Americans heep to themselves treasures for the last days like no other nation. As a whole, we spend more than we earn and we have a national debt that reaches to the stars. Today we're going to give presents one to another, and rejoice in the incredible increase of trappings. Folks will claim that "Jesus is the reason for the season," however I think it would be more honest for many to proclaim "The Season is the Reason for the Season" as it would be more reflective of the general attitude. (a couple of days ago I read a post that said "the tilt of the earth is the reason for the season") I think that many will place a nativity scene in their yard but their heart is far from the Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners. They sing Jingle Bells, Winter Wonderland, and Frosty the Snowman, while decking the halls and engaging in "combat shopping." They cover the house with lights and decorate the Baal bush...er...I mean...Christmas tree in an attempt to recreate the ambience of Christmases long long ago.

My family and I are as guilty as anyone of this materialistic approach to things; more than we would like to admit. The attitudes that one acquires when everything has always been readily available. Few in this country have any idea of what it means to go without; to not know where their next meal is going to come from. (Not all of us, but most of us.) The title for this post comes from a phrase that's common in our particular household. Whenever leftovers go unconsumed, we'll take them out past the fence and dump them in the field behind the house. We call this "feeding the coyotes;" knowing that these leftovers will be gone in the morning. We have the chunkiest coyotes in Michigan living in the fields and woods surrounding our property. Sometimes when you clean out the refrigerator, you'll find the meat loaf from last week, the tuna cassarole from last month, and the grey fuzzy thing, sitting on a plate that growls when you go to remove it. This becomes the coyote stew that keeps the canines coming back for more. It amazes me that a family of six can throw out so much food. We're not overly careless and yet a lot of stuff goes to waste while millions in the world have no idea of what it feels like to have a full stomach. I don't want to sound like a socialist or a promoter of any political agenda. This is simply a casual observation of a condition that Jesus told us would exist until his return.

Matthew 26:11 "For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always."

As I write this post tonight, I'm getting on my own case as our household doesn't do all that it could do when it comes to being charitable. This is a condition that needs to be corrected in our household along with many others. Many of us are like the rich men that were, out of their abundance, casting in to the treasury. We tend to give God the leftovers. They might be big leftovers; depending upon the reserves that one has available, but they're leftovers just the same. The heart attitude is one of "I don't need this" instead of "somebody needs this." The attitude of the heart is what God looks at. He made heaven and earth; he's not impressed by the stuff that you think is yours that you think you're giving back to him. He is pleased, however, when you just give because you have true compassion for another. I don't know how this post got steered into this direction but lets run with it.

Luke 21:1-4 "And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in hither two mites. And he said, Of a truth, I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."

This is such a priceless lesson if we can grasp the significance of it. This lady, first of all, loved the Holy One of Israel. By casting in all that she had, she may very well have gone without food for a time. She forfeited "basic necessities" to help out a stranger. She had no idea as to what those two mites would go to but she had a heart to please God and she was faithful in a way that few would be. This falls into the catagory of not loving the things of this world even more so than tithing. For this I turn to another familiar event.

Luke 18:18-21 "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up."

This guy really wanted to please God. He had kept the commandments from the time of his youth. You don't do that if you have no reverence for God. The fact that he came to Jesus and asked such a question indicated that this was something that he thought on much. "Where am I lacking?" He had, however, an idol in his heart; a weight and sin that beset him when Jesus brought it to light..

Luke 18:22-23 "Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

He loved his stuff more than God. I have to wonder to myself if I'm as sold out as I think. If the Lord revealed to me that I was to work tons of overtime in January and give the entire amount of the months income to an orphanage in Guatamala, how would I react. It would be a test to be sure and I can't honestly say that I would definatly pass. To just say "OK Lord; I love you no matter what and you know what you're doing." And then do it. I fear that most of us would fail such a test. Jesus was trying to do something for that young ruler; to bring him in to a closer walk with the God who is from everlasting to everlasting. To bring him to a sweet place of total trust in the Lord; regardless of the physical situation or the shrill voice of conventional wisdom.

Luke 18:24-27 "And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needles eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

That last verse encourages us to keep pressing on. This is one of the reasons that I tend to get on the cases of the prosperity preachers. A couple of days ago, one was on Larry King proclaiming "God wants you to have it all." He was focusing on this world and causing his followers to pierce themselves through withn many sorrows. Riches will change you; this is an unavoidable fact and why we're told to love not the world.

Psalm 62:10 "Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them"

Just imagine for a moment that tomorrow morning, a guy comes to your door with one of those giant cardboard checks for 500 million dollars. All yours! You would be physically unable to maintain the same mindset that you had prior to that moment. It's simply impossible. Praise God that he doesn't allow us to be tempted above what we are able. I for one couldn't handle that kind of money. I have a "standing prayer" if you will; asking the Lord to not allow anything in my life that will take my focus away from him. I'm most likely not a Job. It's easy to proclaim "though he slay me, yet will I trust him" but when the heat is on, you find out if you really believe it.

Matthew 6:19-21 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

God wants you to have eternal life in the world without ending. This world is temporal, along with its "time honored traditions of men" and stockpiles of wealth. I need to close this out as it's 5:20 AM and I haven't been to bed yet. I pray that these things would be taken into consideration and that we all would strive to remove anything from our lives that would cause us to stumble. That we would draw closer to the Lord Jesus Christ with each passing day; even when those around us think it strange that we run not with them to the same excess of riot.

OH! ONE MORE THING! A few hours ago, I heard about a shooting in a shopping mall in Florida. One person went into eternity as a result. They interviewed this lady who said "It's terrible that this had to happen on the day before Christmas." OH; so if it had happened in May, it would have been better? A soul going into eternity is serious; regardless of what day it takes place on. You may say "Well you know what she meant." Yes I know what she meant. She meant that if this had happened in May it wouldn't have been as noticable. We place an excessive amount of emphasis on a date. The virgin birth is an intregal part of the gospel on every single say. Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

At the Twilights Last Gleaming

2006-12-21T06:21:00.000-08:00

John 9:4 "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work."

Any casual observation of world events; be it cultural trends, political upheaval, distress of nations, economic pitfalls (such as "what happens when then Chinese dump all of their greenbacks) or a general unspoken consensus that the status quo will always be, reveals that we are heading into some very turbulant times. This conclusion isn't simply the result of a guy with a non-mentally stimulating job allowing his mind to wander in the wee-hours of the morning. (Wee? I have no idea if that's the proper spelling as I've never in fourty two years had a situation where it was called upon in print) This is a condition that is prophesied of throughout scripture. During the captivity of the children of Israel in Babylon, the prophet Daniel saw these events in a series of visions. He had no idea as to their meaning, but he understood that the final generation would need the information that he was shown. He faithfully recorded everything that the Lord showed him.

Daniel 12:13 "But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."

This final verse in Daniel tells us specifically when the visions would come to pass. The book of Daniel is, in a way, the old testament version of Revelation in that it deals primarily with the end of days; insofar as this dispensation is concerned.

"PEOPLE IN MOTION" I been hearing a news report over the last several days where in Briton, the vast majority youth surveyed, listed celebrities and sports stars as the people that they most "look up to." I don't know what the statistics are here but we cannot be far behind . A trip to your locat supermarket is evidence of this. Almost every supermarket checkout that I've ever gone through has on display the same magazines. This tells me that these things sell. You have "People Magazine," where you can learn about the movie star who is cheating on their spouse and is now carrying the baby of the rock star who is now in therapy for cocaine use. Or if you're feeling adventurous, you can pick up "Weekly world News" (or whatever it's called) and read about the aliens who landed in Washington and have taken over the bodies of all of the democrats and are now plotting to annihilate us all. You NEVER see such magazines as Scientific American, Popular Mechanics, or anything of a really serious topic. Even the so-called "news magazines" are more about entertainment than substance. (Not to mention that their "substance" is only feeding the mindset that will cause folks to accept the man of sin.) You'll find almost nothing that will cause a person to ponder things of significance. You will, however, be able to read about Miss USA and her wild time or whatever. CNN can't drop it. Every time I go into the break room, there it is again. Folks fill their minds with the latest hollywood gossip while the last vestiges of the republic are being swept away. The worlds population is dancing to a satanic orchestra while the "mother of all deceptions" is soon to carry away millions who considered "entertainment news" to be real news. (Seriously; news about celebrities is reported as though the fate of the world rests with Brittany Spears or Michael Jackson.)

A recent example of this mentality took place at work. Last summer, management determined that the monster radios (the ones with their own wheels) that folks were keeping at work as to ensure that they could hear it in every part of their particular department, needed to be removed as the noise level had gotten out of hand. A few weeks later, a shift wide meeting was held in which the state of business (precarious in the automotive industry) was talked about. They talked about the importance of double checking every component that goes out, the general outlook of the indusrty and the build schedules which determine how much work is available or who must take a layoff. In other words, issues that will determine whether or not we can all make our mortgage payments next year. The enthusiasm was mediocre at best. That is, until, during the question and answer time, someone asked about when the monster radios would be allowed back in. Suddenly everyone was awake as this topic dominated the remainder of the meeting. I was surprised that Channel 3 out of Kalamazoo didn't have a camera crew there. "This just in; Monster Radios are staging a comeback at American Axle!" It seems trivial, but it's just another example of the American mindset in the year 2006. (This mindset is actually shared by only a segment of the plants workforce, however, that segment is very vocal. Incidentally, the radios are back and louder than ever. Truly Gods grace is sufficient for any situation; no matter how annoying the situation is)

II Thessalonians 2:7-12 "For the mystery if iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

That sounds harsh! Don't look at me; I didn't write it. If I had written it, you could simply blow it off. But the fact that it appears in scripture means that it's 100% accurate. Anything in biblical prophesy that hasn't yet come to pass you can be certain that it will. There WILL be a one world beast government that will, for a time, make war with the saints and prevail against them. As I was copying the above verse, a thought came to me. When the Restrainer is taken out of the way, the door of grace will close. The saints will have to hold to their faith like never before as the antichrist and false prophet deceive the whole world. This means that if you're waiting for things to get bad before you give your heart to Jesus, you are playing a very dangerous game. When the antichrist appears, the saints who have the Holy Ghost abiding within, will recognize him and have their hearts established. The world will "wonder after him" as he will have all of the common sense solutions to all of the problems facing the world. He will use common sense, coupled with false signs and wonders to "debunk christianity" and set himself up as the savior of mankind. He will seduce the whole earth and everyone will proclaim "Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" He won't have to force people to receive his mark; they'll line up for it in order to buy groceries for their household. The english language doesn't contain adequate words as to describe just how perilous these times are.

Revelation 13:16-18 "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."

This is all coming down faster than you can imagine. The daylight is almost gone. I want to touch on something, even though 98% of the church disagrees with it. These delusions which the antichrist will roll out before the world, will be so strong "insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." A lukewarm christian who was following the Lord Jesus afar off would be hard pressed to suddenly "get right with God and be willing to lay down their life for him. This is another reason as to why I don't subscribe to the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. It's a smooth thing, but an error that's causing millions to live half-hearted lives. One more passage of scripture (unless something else comes up) and I'll close.

Matthew 24:21-22 "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elects sake those days shall be shortened."

That's not talking about lukewarm christians who were sitting in a bar when the rapture took place. That's talking about those who love God wholeheartedly and have kept the faith of Jesus Christ despite all of the devices of Satan. If these folks were raptured out before the tribulation, why do the days have to be shortened for the elects sake? Just something to think on. Please think on this along with the times that were in and the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of the vast array of topics that cause folks to think, ponder, and tell their friends, this is the one event that really matters. JESUS IS RETURNING AND EVERY EYE SHALL BEHOLD HIM!

Please check these events out in scripture as they are coming to pass. This is merely a list of the most familiar passages of scripture.

Daniel chapters 7-12, Zechariah chapter 14

Matthew chapters 10 and 24, Mark chapter 13, Luke chapters 17 and 21

II Thessalonians chapter 2, I Timothy chapter 6, II timothy chapter 3

Revelation

As the Waters Cover the Sea

2006-12-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

Jeremiah 31:34 "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

Without a doubt, you have, at one time or another, heard someone ask the question, "If God is real and he's so loving, how come there's so much violence and suffering in the world?" How can he allow such things to go on?" This is a question that's almost as old as human history and one that has a very simple answer. The answer is sin. Since the fall in the garden of Eden, Satan has been the god of this world and he walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is the father of lies and is the architect of every wicked contraption.

I Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

When Jesus went to calvary, he paid the sin debt of the world. When he entered the center of the earth, he stripped Satan of all authority once and for all. When he rose from the dead three days later, he took the keys of hell and of death with him. Satan has been defeated once and for all and soon this architect of rebellion will take up his eternal abode in the lake of fire. The only thing that he can do presently is play the role of "spoiler." The devil and his minions work tirelessly to keep folks from coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, thereby inheriting the eternal fellowship with God that they forfeited. This dispensation will soon end at the battle of Armageddon when Jesus returns in the clouds of glory. The beast and the false prophet which, by this time, will have deceived the whole world, shall be cast into the lake of fire. Satan will be bound for a thousand years in the bottomless pit during which time he will be unable to deceive the nations.

Something that is never talked about much, because it's more than a thousand years away, is that Satan will be loosed for a little season following the millenial reign. He will go out and deceive the nations one final time and folks who never before experienced temptation will begin to think evil thoughts against God and the saints. Many of them will rebel and compass the saints about. At this time, fire will come down from God out of heaven to devour them and Satan will join the beast and false prophet in the lake of fire. The telling of the millenial reign of Christ, the short season of temptation, and the white throne judgment can be found in Revelation chapter 20.

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Councellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

This verse prophesies of the coming of Messiah and gives us a picture of just what kind of a ruler he will be when his kingdom is established on the earth. Today, in the world, you find heads of state which have differing agendas. Some are socialistic and some have a theocratic view. Some ask for "clarification" of the Geneva Convention, while others are "classic despots." There are a few who are ligitimately concerned for those under their authority. When Jesus rules, he will be the perfect King. (He is perfect in every way) He was tempted in all points as we are and yet never sinned. He is pure, just, and truly loves us. If you read the sermon on the mount in Matther chapters 5 through 7, you gain incredible insight as to the nature of God and a good picture of what the millenial reign will be like with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in complete control. Can you imagine for a moment, what it would be like to have a president with such qualities? We've never had one because all have sinned, including politicians. (really? lol) The whole world will operate on the basis of the two great commandments which are as follows.

Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Ponder that for a moment. Each person loving their neighbor just as they do themselves. No more "It's all about me" attitude; no more incidents of people securing selfish desires at someone elses expence. EVERYONE will love their neighbor as themselves. It sounds too good to be true, but when Jesus rules and Satan is bound in the bottomless pit, this will be the reality of life on earth. I know that in these posts I talk often about the coming tribulation. I do this because very few are even "thinking about," let alone "preparing for" the deceptive times ahead. In this post, however, I want to focus on the time just after the tribulation because it's going to be beyond awesome.

I Corinthians 2:9-10 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."

The more that you think about the goodness of God; the love that he has toward us and the incredible times to come, this world, with all of its empty promises becomes increasingly strange and "desolate." You begin to feel like a sojourner who's just passing through; looking for a city "which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." The frivilous things of this life lose their appeal as you begin to grasp the concept of the world to come. Forever with Jesus who gave his life for us so that we could be with him for all of eternity.

Revelation 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

The overcomers; those remnant saints who remain faithful to the Lord Jesus despite all of the deceptiveness of this world, will reign with Jesus during this time. This is why I consistantly talk about having our affections on the world to come and not loving this present world. It's not a matter of legalism or that of trying to bring folks under control. It's a matter of life and death; not only in this world, but in the world to come. If you love this world, you'll sell your birthright for a morsel of bread. Loving this world not only seperates you from the supernatural joy of being in fellowship with the Lord Jesus, it hinders your ability to make proper choices in the times of temptation. I would encourage every saint to lay aside every weight and sin and to make your calling and election sure.

Habakkuk 2:14 "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."

During the millenial reign of Jesus, there will be no need for missionaries or evangelists as the knowledge of the God of heaven will be everywhere. There is one thing that will need to be taught to those who are born during the time of the millenium. These folks will never face temptation as you and I do. To them, thoughts of rebellion will be totally alien and they will need to be aware that a time will come in which such thoughts will enter into their minds. I want to cover this briefly, although, as mentioned earlier, it's over a thousand years away.

Revelatio0n 20:7-9 "
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the bredth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."

From these verses, it sounds as though most of the population will fall for the deceptions of Satan and will rebel against the wonderful kingdom that has been in place for a thousand years. They will rebel against the rule of Christ and set themselves in array against the saints. This will be the absolute final rebellion as Satan is cast into the lake of fire along with the beast and false prophet, who up until now, were the only two in there. Following this will be the great white throne judgment.

Revelation 20:12-15 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

All of the things of this life that men hold in high esteem will amount to nothing on that day. It wont matter how popular you were or how much education you acquired. It wont matter how much money you made or how big your house was. The only thing that will matter on that day will be "DOES YOUR NAME APPEAR IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?" If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, PLEASE do it today. Tomorrow is not a promise and eternity is a long long time to be sorry. Nothing in this world is more serious than your standing with the God of all eternity. He will save you if you ask. Jesus died to save you, but he can only save you if you ask him to. PLEASE CHOOSE WISELY.

Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

The Girl Next Door

2006-12-13T22:15:00.000-08:00

I venture into this post tonight with apprehension; knowing that the potential for being misundertood is great. When discussing issues; especially those in which deeply entrenched traditions are involved, one must abide totally within the context of scripture. One must allow the word of God to go forth as his word is truth and life. The thoughts of men are shifting sand, but the word of God is steadfast and unchanging.

Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

This is the time of year when Christmas cards are sent between acquaintances and our family is no exception to this. One arrived this morning and I couldn't help but notice the stamp. It featured a familiar "renaissance style" picture of Mary holding the child Jesus. In this picture, Mary is featured wearing a mystical looking blue and gold hooded garment and the area behind her head was illuminated. It's a picture; the likes of which we have all seen countless times throughout our lives. While this picture is well known, it likewise demonstrates some traditions which are contrary to scripture and this is where I want to be really careful as I progress into this post.

Oftentimes, scriptural truths are compromised as the traditions of men get mingled with fact and thus creating a perception that's not entirely accurate. Christmas is just such a situation in which a number of unscriptural things are intertwined with truth. A prime example of this is when you see a nativity scene and the wise men from the east are present also. The wise men of the east show up sometime later as the following verse will attest.

Matthew 2:11 "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."

Another example is that which was depicted in the stamp; giving glory to Mary instead of the Lord Jesus. Mary was indeed a chosen vessel and lived in accordance with the law, but she was a person just like everyone else. She was to be married to Joseph and was probably in her teens at the time of the angels appearing as this was the common age for marriage to take place. Joseph and Mary were very average people who would never stand out in a crowd. This next verse takes place when Mary goes to visit her cousin Elisabeth who was, at that time carrying John the Baptist. As you know, upon hearing of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb, Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she speaks the words in Luke 1:42-45. Mary responds to this as follows:

Luke 1:46-48 "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."

As you read on through verse 55, one can't help but think that this was the moment in which Mary really began to grasp the scope of what was taking place. (Oftentimes, a person can know of something without actually grasping the significance of it.) The time of Messiahs appearing was at hand. The hope of Israel and the world was leaping from the pages of prophesy and into the realm of the here and now.

The virgin birth was a supernatural event in every sense of the word. This is a truth that many have tampered with in some really contrary ways. Nonetheless, it did take place as was prophesied. This had to be the case in order for Jesus to be able to pay for our sins.

Matthew 1:23 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

This is a truth that has been under asault ever since the days that Jesus walked upon the earth. The fact that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh; and that his birth into the world was a supernatural event. This is the reason that I often bring up I John chapter 4 in which we are admonished to "try the spirits to see if they be of God."

Luke 2:19 "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."

Mary was a ponderer. She observed, and made mental notes of the events that were taking place. In the above verse, she ponders the words of the shepherds. In Luke 1:29, she wonders of the angels salutation. (Up until that moment, her life had been 100% average) In Luke 2:33, Joseph and Mary both marvel at the words spoken by Simeon. One can only imagine that such was the case when the wise men arrived and in every instance where something transpired which was contrary to "average." Another truth that's not readily known is that Mary had other children later on. We don't know how many, but it was enough that the family went a days journey as they returned from jerusalem, before realizing that Jesus wasn't with them. One can almost hear the ensuing conversation.

"Isn't he with you?"

"I thought he was with you."

"Is he in a desert place?"

"There goes our shot at the parents of the year award." They return to Jerusalem and after three days, they find him in the temple, talking with the doctors who are stunned with his knowledge of scripture. As I was writing here, I was doing my own pondering. They spent three days searching Jerusalem. I wonder if, during that time, Mary was thinking on the things that transpired at Jesus birth until it dawned on her; "The Temple! We need to go check the temple!" Scripture doesn't give the details of the search, only what Mary said when they finally found him.

Luke 2:48 "And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing."

The doctors, who had studied the law since the time of their youth were fascinated as this twelve year old boy ran scriptural circles around them. Joseph and Mary were equally amazed.

Luke 2:49 "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business?"

John 1:14 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

One more verse and I'll close. This scene takes place at a wedding feast in which there is no wine. Mary instructs the servants as follows:

John 2:5 "His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."

Those words would apply to us all "whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." Mary was undoubtedly a lady with a sweet and curious spirit, but she was just like all of us. She never sought her own will and in scripture, all glory is given to Jesus who is the Son of God. He alone was tempted in all points as we are and was yet without sin. He alone was able to shed his blood for us. Three days later, he rose from the dead, and he has the keys of hell and death at this very moment. While Mary was indeed a godly lady, she was never prayed to or worshipped. This is why the picture that was on the stamp that I mentioned at the beginning of this post is contrary to scripture.

The word of God, the Holy Bible, will never lead you astray. It's the gauge by which we screen everything; to determine if it's truth or error. In this age of strong delusions and well entrenched traditions, we must give all diligence to ensuring that we're lining up with scripture and not with something that's contrary in nature.

One more observation before closing this. It takes place as Jesus is on the cross.

Luke 19:26-27 "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then he saith to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."

It's not clear from scripture, what has happened to Joseph, but Jesus ensures that someone takes care of Mary after his departure. In those days, being a widow was an incredibally rough life and this disciple took care of Mary from that day on. Actually, little is written of the physical relatives of Jesus. We know of James, the Lords brother, and we also know that he had brethren who didn't believe on him at the time mentioned in John 7:3-5. The primary focus is to be on the Lord Jesus Christ, who is from everlasting to everlasting, and who paid for our sins with his own blood at Calvary. Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega; the first and the last.

Shadow People (The Remnant)

2006-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Revelation 13:15-18 "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their forehead: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."

Every ten years, the United States performs a census on the population which is used as the basis for drawing congressional districts, alloting financial resources, and what have you. Every time that this process is undertaken, the questionaires become more intrusive as to the information that is requested. Another problem that takes place is the effort to count all of the homeless, all of the aliens, and those who slip under the governments radar. These folks are in the population, but they don't show up on paper. Counting the homeless and those who are in this country illegally is a nearly impossible task. Many of the homeless are drifters and many of the illegal aliens work for cash; conducting business just beyond the all-seeing eye of big brother.

Every tyranny strives to bring the population under complete control as to remove any resistance to its being. Weapons will be confiscated, contrary literature destroyed, and "papers will be issued." In Nazi Germany, you couldn't travel anywhere without papers as the regime tried to keep track of those residing within its borders. Today, in 2006, the methods of tracking the population are far more intrusive. (Joseph Stalin and Erik Honecker would have been delighted to have had such an array of devices at their disposal.) Cameras are at every corner in nearly every town; in fact I recently saw a statistic in which the average British citizen appears on camera 300 times a day, as they go about their business. I don't know what the average is in the US but I'm certain that were catching up with our "ally in the war on terror" as we must "protect the citizens from the threat of Islamic extremists." As the years have come and gone, a culture of surveillance has been quietly established under the banner of "security." Folks will do anything for a little peace and safety; a little "peace of mind" if you will. This desire will play into the hands of the man of sin, the "antichrist" perfectlly when he makes his move to control the world and become the object of mens "worship.

Daniel 8:23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentances, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."

Revelation 13:4 "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?"

Just a note concerning this verse. Worship "cannot" be forced because it is a condition which exists in the heart. It really has little to do with words themselves, however, words will usually reflect the content of the heart. Worship is the voluntary adoration of someone or something.

When this man of sin is in power, he will have control of the whole earth for a short season. (until he is broken without hand at the return of Jesus Christ) He will cause all to receive a mark; without which they will be unable to partake of the economic system. A person who receives the mark has "sold his birthright for a loaf of bread." A person who partakes of this system has sealed their doom as they "love their life in this world." CAN YOU SEE WHY THE BIBLE TELLS US TO LOVE NOT THE WORLD? Love of the world will cause a person to make REALLY BAD CHOICES, such as bowing down to Lucifer in order to take part in what appears to be "prosperity under the new world leaders regime." This is why I write so much about this; because the saints are not preparing for the days ahead. Most believe that God is going to give them a pass that no other generation of saints had and take them out of here before anything "hard on the flesh" comes into play. I know that in many other places, the church is undergoing incredible persecution; specifically in Eritrea, Uzbekistan, Darfur, and throughout the middle east. In the United States, however, the church is fat, lazy, comfortable, lukewarm, and heaping unto themselves teachers who constantly tell them "Don't worry, we're not appointed unto wrath and we'll just name it and claim it until Jesus comes."

Right now, the wheat and the tares are growing together. Soon, when everything is shaken to its core and the man of sin makes his move, the wheat and the tares will forever part company. I feel like a broken record; I wasn't even planning to post this morning as I need to go get hay for the goats. But this is too much on my heart to let go. We're primed to see a falling away of biblical proportions "LITERALLY" and the saints in America are primarily concerned with making sure that their christmas play is a success.

In the days to come, as in past generations, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will mean physical death at the hands of wicked men; oftentimes as they claim to be serving God. This is not doom and gloom; this is something that Jesus talked about on a regular basis. Before he ascended into heaven, he told Peter specifically "Peter; when you're old, they're going to kill you." (I'm paraphrasing) From that moment on, Peter lived out his days knowing that he wouldn't die of "natural causes." If you read through the gospels, you'll see that Jesus consistantly steered toward the eternal. He preached the kingdom, healed the sick, cast out devils and "paid for our sins with his own innocent blood on an old rugged cross." He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He often warned of the pitfalls involving the love of this world. He admonished us to "let the dead bury their dead, and follow him." Really spend some quality time in the gospels. And then, try to imagine Jesus Christ, our Lord, preaching to the folks at any one of the "megachurches" that dot the American landscape.

Daniel 11:32-35 "And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed."

The remnant will be strong and do exploits. They will reside outside of the "powers that be" and will refuse to take the mark. The antichrist will make war with the saints and prevail against them for a short season. The remnant saints will keep the faith of Jesus Christ regardless of the physical consequences. These days will soon be upon us. The "war on terror" has provided a great opportunity for the installment of an intrusive surveillance system; the internet being an intregal component. You can be certain that every syllable ever typed into the system is stored somewhere. (Even the deleted stuff that you thought was gone forever.) The NSA monitors all activity on the internet along with all other communications in an effort to "identify terrorist activity." This information will inevitably be used against us as the global governing entity comes into its own. "Here is the patience of the saints" To endure unto the end and not be moved away from our first love. To keep our eyes and our hearts steadfast on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is returning to set up his kingdom. To not be soon shaken by the events that will be unfolding before us in the very near future.

I read an article that told about how the implementation of chip implants will progress; beginning with felons and those with mental illnesses and progressing step by step through the rest of the population until EVERYBODY WILL NEED ONE in order to engage in society. I pray that every saint of God would be alert to the closeness of the hour. Don't think to yourselves that "they've been saying this stuff since I was a kid." The technology is now here and the cause is here also. It's happening even as I write this. THE CHIPS ARE HERE and soon, you're going to need one if you want to hold a job, buy groceries for your family, see a doctor, or operate a vehicle. Well, I need to go for now. Please draw close to the Lord like never before; abiding in him and being attentive. Eternity is in the balance and you must be ever so sober minded as things unfold. Two more "very familiar verses" and I'll close.

Isaiah 26:20 "Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors behind thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."

Luke 21:19 "In your patience possess ye your souls."

We Were Like Them That Dream

2006-12-10T04:05:00.000-08:00

Revelation 22:1-5 "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, there was the tree of life, which bare all manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."

We live in a time of unparalleled lukewarmness and of "supposing that gain is godliness." An age in which we are witnessing the gathering of the tares into a one world religion and the remnant struggling to stay awake. The assault upon truth is relentless as the bible declares would be the case as the time of Christs appearing draws ever closer. I recently saw a listing of "alterations" that the "new king James" bible makes as it supposedly "Translates Gods word into modern English." The word "repent" is removed several times along with "Lord" and a host of others. Gods name of "Jehovah" mentioned throughout the old testament is removed all together. I cannot personally verify the list as I use only the King James version. (It has never failed yet) I do know, however, that Gods word has been twisted by would be deceivers ever since the beginning. In fact it started when Lucifer convinced a third of the angels to follow him instead of the One true God who is from everlasting.

Oftentimes it can be a struggle to keep from being caught up in the mechanics of religion and the traditions of men. It's ever so easy to become overcharged by the present reality; that which we interact with daily, and not remain focused on the Lord Jesus and the world to come. This is why I started off with the beginning of Revelation chapter 22. We absolutly must remain focused of the everlasting and not allow ourselves to be caught up in the sideshows of this generation. When you talk about the time when this world is no more, it's perceived as "doom and glom" by many. (Doom and gloom or not; this world has a limited number of days and almost all of those days have come and gone.) For those who have been to Calvary and acepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, the times to come are to be glorious beyond anything that we can ever imagine. A world without ending dwelling in the presence of the Lord for all of eternity. If thinking about this doesn't put a song in your heart, some heart searching is in order. In fact, heart searching should be an ongoing practice for us all as the smallest missteps can be disasterous. (We all have a different law working in our membrs and must "die daily" to self. It's a matter of life and death.)

Romans 8:16-19 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God."

How often do you find yourself thinking on the world to come? Usually when times of distress are upon us, we tend to think on it more than when things are running smoothly. Take a moment and just ponder the first moments in eternity. All of the trials of this age are over. None will be "wanting" for basic necessities. No more infirmity; no more bills, no more timepieces, no more heartache, no more being pressed out of measure. No more deadlines, interviews, or appointments. Never again having to run in circles tending to all of the tasks of living day to day. Never again will you have to lock a door or set an alarm. Never again to endure the grief of a loved one having been taken from you. Never again to be violated by another or to be outcast by those that are so close to you. No more lonely nights and no more days consumed by vanity.

Revelation 21:4-6 "and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the first things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these things are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

True and faithful. You can be sure that if you have been born again, a most glorious eternity awaits you. In this life, tribulation will abound. In fact, the closer that you get to the Lord, the more that you will experience in the way of toil and trouble. The trial of our faith works patience and will never be that which is beyond our ability to endure. Even if you find yourself in a situation where the powers that be would put an end to you, Gods grace is sufficient. Jesus Christ is faithful and true; a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. A faithful creator who shed his blood, willingly, for us when we were in total rebellion. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. What a wonderful Savior we have and what an incredible eternity lies just beyond the realm of atoms; for those who know Jesus.

Today is December 10, 2006. This time of year, you will often see the proclamation "Wise men still seek him." If you have never been to Calvary; if you have never truly repented of your sins and asked the Lord Jesus to save you, please do it while there's still time. As you're reading this, there's still time, but you never know when time will expire. Salvation is yours for the asking, but you have to ask.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

So shall we ever be with the Lord! This is the glorious hope of the saints. This is the moment that we're all waiting for. Until then, we all should be busy about our Fathers business. When this life is over, our works will follow us and we'll all wish that we had done more. (I'm pointing a big finger at myself at this very moment.) To labor all the more diligently for those things of everlasting significance and not be overcharged with building earthly kingdoms. When we are in eternity gathered around the throne with the saints from every tribe and generation, all of the stuff in this life will seem as a distant dream that took place a long time ago. Like a dream, this world will pass away; nowhere to be found, but the world to come will be for ever and ever.

Daniel 12:2-3 "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

James 5:8 "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."

"They Straitway Left Their Nets"

2006-12-07T04:50:00.000-08:00

II Timothy 2:4 "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Hebrews 13:12-14 "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come."

There's an old song that most of us have sung countless times entitled "Trust and Obey." For there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. To come to a place where we trust him unconditionally and have no confidence in the flesh. It's a concept that, while some of us grasp it a lot faster than others, ( I'm of the slower end of the spectrum ) all of us spend a lifetime learning it in full. I've mentioned before concerning the man that I met in New Orleans in 1985. This man seemed to have no certain dwelling place; he just "travelled" from one place to another proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. He literally lived in a state of continual trust. I remember thinking to myself how awesome that would be; to be in so close to the lord that you can just "go to this place" or "go to that place" without giving thought to the questions of "where will I stay, how will I find work, what will my family think, or any one of a thousand questions that cause us to stand when we're told to run. Once again, I'm pointing a finger to myself as I struggle with this every bit as much as does everyone. Those of us in the western democracies (so called) struggle with it even more as all of the trappings of life are right at our fingertips. As a result, we trust our education, our employment, our acquaintances, political entities, everything except the God who fills heaven and earth and holds in his hand the breath of life. Few of us ever learn to fully "let go and let God." To launch out into the deep and "take no thought for the morrow."

The company that I work for has been offering buyouts as they trim their workforce to match the decreased demand for their products. Like many Americans, I'm married, we have four kids, a host of critters, and all of the expenses of an average family. Taking the buyout would seem to be a big mistake in the natural but I did seriously pray over it. To be honest, I would like to have been told in a dream "Timbob, I want you to leave American Axle, take your family, go to the city of Ufa in Bashkortostan, and when you get there, I'll tell you what to do." Well this never transpired and the buyout package expires today. Of course now, it would really be a step of faith as leaving American Axle would be a move completly void of any monitary reward. I would like to think that in such a situation I would be obediant, however, without it actually transpiring, I cannot say for certain, as to how I would react. While all of us would like to convince ourselves that we're ready to "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth" we learn the truth when called upon to put our profession of faith into action. To be where he wants us; even if it makes absolutly no sense. This is why I began with the two verses at the top of this post. To live for the Lord Jesus Christ; trusting him in all things and leaning not unto our own understanding. Our understanding can't even see into the next day, but God declares the ending from the beginning. If we can learn this; really get it into our heart of hearts, how much more peace and joy we would have.

Revelation 21:1-4 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

Ponder that for a moment; what it's going to be like when we are in the presence of the Lord forever. All of the disappointments, all of the betrayals, all of the sufferings of this present life will be as a distant far away dream from long long ago. This is why I find myself continuously urging that we would all get our affections on the world to come. You make the statement "It's all going to burn" and folks take it as being "doom and gloom." Even christians have trouble with it. I know because, on a number of occasions, usually at church, in the area outside of the sanctuary when folks are discussing their lawn, their trip to Jamaica, sports, and every irrelevant topic under the sun, I will bring it up in an attempt to steer the conversation toward the eternal. It always catches folks totally off guard. (Always; without fail) First of all, it's true. This is all going to melt with a fervent heat. Second, if you know Jesus as your Savior, why do you concern yourself with it? To be truly heavenly minded is life and joy that can never come from a physical source. As mentioned in previous posts, when you're truly heavenly minded, you'll be much more diligent in your Fathers business. When you truly have your sites set on the everlasting world to come, the Lord can tell you "Take a flight to Eritrea, stand in the central square of the city of Asmera, and tell this people about me" and you wouldn't give it a second thought. (Currently in Eritrea, roughly 10% of the christian population is incarcerated.) As you set out to do this, you can be certain that folks would call you a dingaling. You can be certain that most of the christians would also call you a dingaling; siting a thousand reasons why "this cannot be Gods will."

Matthew 16:24-26 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

John 12:25-26 "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

These are "hard verses" when you have affections in this life, but when you really get this down in your heart, you'll know what it is to be truly free from the rudiments of this life. To be focused steadfast on the Lord jesus Christ and serve him with what the world would call "reckless abandon." Only then are you really in a position to be fully utilized. "They straitway left their nets." When these disciples met Jesus, they left dad and the boat; casting aside the only life that they had ever known. They had no idea as to what would happen but they knew in whom they believed. As we come to the end of the age, it's all the more urgent that we remain steadfast. That we would continually examine our hearts to ensure that nothing contrary to truth has set up shop. To say "Behold I am here Lord" when he calls and not make up some excuse. It's my sincere prayer that we all would run with patience the race that is set before us.

Philippians 3:7-8 "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."

Hebrews 12:1-2 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

A Ripple on the Sea of Infinity

2006-12-04T04:38:00.000-08:00

Psalm 90:2-4 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night."

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

I mention these verses from the bible to demonstrate something. Before the heavens and the earth had been created, there was no dimention of time. Time doesn't have any standing with that which lasts forever. Time didn't become a factor until something with a temporal nature came to be; like the heavens and the earth. We know that God is from everlasting; having no beginning and no ending. This is a concept that, TRY AS WE MAY, we simply don't have the capacity in our finite minds to grasp. We know that it's true, but to even make an attempt to explain how such a concept is possible is to venture into the realm of the unattainable. This is why I find it fascinating when various sects and profigators of doctrine attempt to put God in a box and declare to all that they have it ALL FIGURED OUT. We learn of him through scripture and he reveals things to us as we seek him in fervent prayer. He truly does get sweeter and sweeter and his ways are indeed incredible. Yet we could never understand it all.

As a person begins to grasp, in some small way, the awesomeness of God, there's also an accompanying realization of just how insignificant this world is and how irrelevant, from the perspective of time, a natural life is. A life itself is not irrelevant in any way. Jesus came into the world and died a torturous death at Calvary to redeem those that were lost. But as far as the span of time in which a person walks the earth, it's but a speck of dust, floating in the vastness of forever. Your time in the land of the physical is but a gentle breeze on a lazy summer afternoon. The next passage of scripture, I refer to often, however it explains just how temporal this life is.

I Peter 1:24-25 "For all flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass witherth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

I recently found a list of men who "conquered the most miles" in their military campaigns which they used to enlarge their borders. For example, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered 720,000 square miles as he brought large swaths of the european continent under his domain. Attila the Hun conquered 1,450,000 miles, as his empire encompassed central and eastern Europe along with the western Russian plain. The "mother of all conquerors" is Genghis Khan, who, ruled conquered a vast empire of 4,860,000 miles as large swaths of Asia came under his control. To this day, the world has never seen such a vast conquest of territory by a single individual. (that is until the one world beast government comes to power. In it's brief time of being, it will encompass the world.) Here's the proverbial question that one should ponder. "Where are they now? Attila, Napoleon, Hitler, Alexander, Genghis, all of these men who put together mighty emipres are now in eternity and their legacy confined to the pages of history. Their empires are gone with only a few ruins dotting the landscape. Yet each of them has an eternal soul that will live on forever in eternity and the brutal truth is this. If they didn't know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they are in everlasting torment at this moment, right along with the rich man that Jesus mentioned in Luke 16:19-31. This rich man who had everything that life could offer, has now been in hell for over two thousand years. In the story, Jesus gives us the name of the beggar, Lazarus, who suffered much in this life and died, looking for the promise. He doesn't mention the name of the rich man. When God doesn't mention your name, you are in a perilous situation and you need to turn to Jesus, who died for your sins, before it's too late. (Incidentally, Lazarus has been in the presence of God for over two thousand years now)

Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Revelation 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which was the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

There will be no heros on judgment day. There will be no athiests, no revellers, no excuses, and no jesting. The white throne judgment is where those who didn't accept Jesus Christ as Savior will be judged according to their works. The book of life contains the names of all who accepted Gods free gift of salvation; those who came to know Jesus in this life. If your name doesn't appear in the book of life, your name becomes thoroughly insignificant.

Revelation 20:15 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Does it sound scary? If you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior, you should be terrified. But as you read this, you're obviously still in the land of the living and that means that if you turn to him now, you can escape the wrath to come. You may not live to see the sun rise tomorrow morning, however, right now, you can in sincerety, confess your sins (all have sinned, none is righteous) repent of your sins, (be sincerely sorry and turn away from) and ask the Lord Jesus to save you. He shed his blood on an old rugged cross and paid for your sins along with mine and everyone elses with his own innocent blood. The work is already done; he's just waiting for you to come to him. If you do this, you will be ready to face tomorrow; even if tomorrow doesn't come. If you give your heart to Jesus, you will come into the greatest relationship that you will ever know; that being with the King of glory who is always as close as the mention of his name. He never takes vacations and he knows them that love him.

Ezekiel 18:31-32 "Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."

Luke 21:33-34 "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surteiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."

Infinity. This is what I began this post with; a discussion of the everlasting realm of forever. From this day forth, there will never ever be another moment in which you don't exist. From here into the eons afar off, there will never be another moment when you are not you or a moment when you simplt cease to be. A soul cannot cease to be; it's an everlasting entity. Where you spend that eternity is completly up to you. If you look around you and take note, things here aren't going particually well. The things coming to pass; the things that will soon fulfill the scriptures are perilous to be sure. Even if the end was hundreds of years away, your end can come at any moment. As I write this, I have no promise that I'll get to work this afternoon. I have no guarentee that I'll ever see my family again. Don't take this wrong; I love my wife and children more than you can imagine. When you see things from an everlasting perspective, the love and concern that you have for your own takes on an entirely new dimention. When you, by the grace of God, begin to see the bigger picture; that being the temporal nature of this world and the power of the world to come, you'll have compassion like never before; not only for your own family and friends, but for all; regardless of how contrary some of them might be. Each true saint will remember back to when they were lost and undone. If I had died in August of 1983, I would be, at this very moment, in hell along with the rich man, and every other person who neglected such a great salvation. That understanding causes you to see folks differently. As I close out this morning, I pray that any passer by would take these things into consideration.

Matthew 18:11-14 "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and n ine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."

John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

The final two chapters in Revelation, (21 and 22) tell of the world without ending that is to come. I would urge all to read it. If you've read it a thousand times; go and read it again. The word of God never grows old; it only grows sweeter. In these perilous times, it's all the more important to keep our hearts on the world to come.

Revelation 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

One more note; this post mirrors "Which Built Desolate Places" in many areas, but the concepts are well worth bringing back to the forefront.

Into the Gauntlet

2006-11-30T04:52:00.000-08:00

Daniel 12:1-3 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of troubles, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

This is a passage of scripture that I refer to often, however, there's a specific reason to referring to it here. The saints of God; those who have been to calvary and know Jesus Christ; we need to keep our hearts on the world to come and be aware of the things which are coming to pass. The end time events which are coming to fruition even as you read this will be more tragic than any other notable events in history. I'm striving to avoid debate over rapture timing in this post; it's being written for anyone who "has ears to hear" concerning this matter. My exhortation to all is to pray over, and search the scriptures. Do it with all sincerety; take off the goggles of tradition encased in doctrinal teachings and really "hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches." You owe it to yourself to seek the truth and not just follow the concensus. If the concensus is accurate than uphold it, however, if it's an error, you're setting yourself up for shipwreck. A "white lie" can destroy you faster than cyanide.

In referring to the end times, the bible speaks primarily in broad concepts which often get misassigned to various events in history. For example, if you lived in Europe around 1939, it would have been "blatently clear to you" that Adolph Hitler was the man of sin. While it is true that Adolph Hitler was a foreshadowing of the man of sin, he wasn't the one to cause the whole world to follow him. While he, like the antichrist, had a charismatic personality coupled with a very occultic belief system, there was never a false prophet to perform false signs and his regime never consumed the whole world. He did enter peaceably, but conquered through war until his demise. Nonetheless, the picture set forth by the Nazis gives us a blueprint of how the beast government will operate. (You may not know this, but Adolph Hitler was elected into office)

Daniel 8:23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

What does this tell us? Simply this: in the last days there will be a vile person who will put himself into the fray. Until that moment he will operate in the shadows. He will have an extensive understanding of the occult and will use these entities to his advantage. Just a note concerning this. Anyone who'se playing with ouija boards, tarot cards or any form of divination, consulting with mediums, or whatever it is that one might do for the sake of "fun" or so called "enlightenment;" you are interacting with entities which are unbelievably dangerous. Entities which may pose as a "spirit guide" or an "angel of light" but in reality, want you to share their fate; that being an eternity in a lake of fire. There are people, very close to me, who have been ruined by such forces.

Daniel 8:24 "And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

This man will be very powerful but the power wont be of himself. He's going to destroy and "be prosperous" for a season. He will make war with the saints as also told in Daniel chapter seven and Revelation chapter thirteen. I believe that this is the time in which the great falling away will take place. The "great falling away must transpire before the man of sin is revealed. As I write this, I realize that 98% of the church is expecting a pre-tribulation rapture. (I'm sorry; it came up and must be addressed) When the man of sin is revealed, and these folks find themselves still here, I wonder how many will still hold to their faith; knowing of the events that they had been told would only befall the carnal christians who were "LEFT BEHIND." In the days to come, the faith of the saints will be tried in ways that we can't imagine and it's imperative to establish the heart NOW! You must understand how deceptive this man will be. He will be empowered directly by Satan. Satan is so deceptive that he caused a third of the angels to abandon their first estate in heaven. He's a smooth operator and we live in a generation that's fasinated by "smooth operators." Smooth talking preachers draw tens of thousands as they proclaim an earth-based fleshy gospel that keeps the heart anchored to the "here and now" instead of longing to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This verse is packed full of insight. Once again, there's a reference to the occultic background that will be made to prosper during this time. If you look at the United States, our culture is already on board. Movies, books, and television programs which feature diverse forms of sorcery, extraterrestrials, or anything with a supernatural theme that's apart from God, top the lists of popularity. This gives us a clear picture as to what's lurking in the hearts of men these days. The one world religion that will emerge from the "big ecumenical tent" derived from every faction under the sun, will have a very anti christian theme supported by false signs and lying wonders. It's going to look like the "real dea"l and undiscerning will flock to it. As I write this, the pope (you know, the next to the last one) is visiting Turkey in an effort to "unite" islam and christianity. As this process unfolds, both here and in other venues, it will take on a nature that's blatantly anti-christian. I was just pondering this. We quote the verse where "strong delusions" are mentioned, on a regular basis. But when you begin to analyze the various facets, it boggles your mind as to the scope of it. Truly, the stage is set; this cannot be denied.

Also learned in this verse is how the man of sin will destroy through peace. The ecumenical movement is one of peace. (Can't we all get along?) The United Nations professes to be an entity of peace. Peace should be breaking out all over. We know that peace is definately NOT breaking out all over, however the antichrist will instill a pseudo peace and the masses will flock to him. He will also magnify himself in his heart, according to Daniel 8:25. He may come across as one who only wants to serve, but in his heart, he will be king and his policies will reflect this self-perception.

"HE SHALL BE BROKEN WITHOUT HAND! What does this mean? Simply this. Jesus Christ will return with the saints. The antichrist; along with all who follow him will be utterly destroyed by the brightness of his coming. Yesterday I did a post on the other site on what happens when folks have a close encounter with God. It can be viewed at:

www.timbob.wordpress.com

The Day of the Lord will be a day like no other day in history. The false prophet will send forth devils working miracles to draw the armies of the earth into battle at Armageddon. It is at this time when Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords will appear and utterly defeat them. The beast and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire and Jesus will establish the millenial reign. This will be a time of heaven on earth as complete righteousness covers the earth. In an earlier post I remember commentiong on what it would be like if everyone just abided by the principles set forth in the sermon on the mount. (Matthew chapters 5-7) When Jesus reigns, this will be the norm. There will be peace on earth. The devil will be locked up in the bottomless pit and unable to deceive the nations. (Until the thousand years are over and he must be loosed a short season. This is a different topic that will be equally important as that moment approaches.)

The conclusion is this: Jesus is returning sooner than you think. Prior to his return there's going to be unparalleled tribulation in the world. Tribulation so horrific, that if the Lord didn't return at the appointed time, there would be nobody left alive. In other words, the population of the earth would drop from 6.5 billion down to zero. FOR THE ELECTS SAKE those days are shortened as there will be some standing here who shall not taste of death until Jesus returns. Saints of God; we need to stay focused on the things that REALLY MATTER and not get caught up in all of the frivilous sideshows of this generation. These things are coming to pass. Establish your heart, seek the Lord Jesus Christ wholeheartedly and abide in him continuously. Don't go wandering off. (I wandered off once. It was very dangerous and definately NOT FUN) The hour is upon us; this I feel with an urgency like never before. My sincere prayer is that anyone who should pass by this would seriously ponder these things.

Mark 13:35-37 "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, watch.

Revelation 16:15 "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

If They had Stood in My Councel

2006-11-27T21:37:00.000-08:00

Jeremiah 23:26-29 "How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"

We live in an era in which falsehood lies in wait around every corner; a problem that has existed throughout history. The devil offers up an array of false teachings to obscure the truth of Gods word. These delusions always appeal to the flesh and usually contain a healthy dose of "smooth things" to make them easier to swallow. A pristine example of this would be reincarnation. It appeals to the flesh because it suggests that after death, you get to come back as a new person and "DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN." It's also a smooth thing because there is no judgment and no consequences for a self-serving lifestyle. There are also prophets who claim to represent God who speak smooth things. I don't remember the name or the source, but there was a report of a televangelist who, prior to the war in Iraq, prophesied that we would have a swift victory and that "NOT ONE AMERICAN would lose their life." Well that's definatly a smooth saying, however, in hindsight, it's tragically false as the loss of 2800 Americans will attest. A true word from the Lord will always come to pass; be it a pleasing thing or a not so pleasing thing. If a person proclaims that God showed them how such and such will take place at a particular time and it doesn't come to pass, that person spoke a vision of their own imagination.

Proverbs 14:25 "A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies."

Truth can be unpleasent and even brutal at times, but it will lead to the deliverance of the hearer who takes heed. Likewise, a lie will lead one down the road to perdition every time; regardless of how pleasing it sounds. I'm going to venture into something that most will disagree with, however, the pre-tribulation rapture falls into this category. It teaches that the church is going to be taken out of here before anything too crazy comes to pass. We won't have to endure; we'll be just sitting in our recliners watching "something" and suddenly, be raptured. Then the tribulation will begin. This error is causing MILLIONS to not prepare themselves spiritually for the times ahead. They're not drawing ever closer to the Lord Jesus; in fact many of them are quite comfy in this present world as they heap to themselves treasures for the last days. This is something that I talk on quite often because multitudes are not ready to stand the fiery trial of their faith. This teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture will lead to the shipwreck of many. As I have asked before, please don't take my word for it. I'm a sinner, saved by grace, who sees through a glass darkly, just like every saint. PLEASE search it out "diligently" and "prayerfully." DO NOT follow another person blindly without examining what they're proclaiming.

Jeremiah 23:21-23 "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my councel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

These's so much packed into these verses. These prophets didn't seek the word of the Lord. They didn't spend time in sweet communion with the most high; they just ran and proclaimed "thus saith the Lord." Their words didn't turn people from their sin as verse 22 will attest. But if they had waited on the Lord, he would have used them to proclaim his truth. (Of course, proclaiming truth often led to one being ostracized and, in many cases, killed.) Truth will reveal a problem such as sin and the wise will take heed to it. A lie will cover up a sin or a fault so that the hearer "feels better" but is still lacking much needed understanding and deliverance. The problem is merely "covered up" and will continue to grow.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19 "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Psalm 119:1-4 "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with a whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently."

This is such a basic statement, however, folks get into all kinds of trouble when they abandon the word of God. Staying in the holy bible diligently and allowing the Holy Ghost to reveal things to you will keep you from going astray. Any vision or revelation; if it truly comes from God, it will line up with scripture as God is not the author of confusion. When you search the scriptures, you are "standing in Gods councel."

Job 38:36 "Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

Matthew 10:27 "What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops."

James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

This is the other facet of receiving revelation from God; just talk to him. Come before the throne of grace in sincerety, and ask for understanding. Ask in faith; believing that He indeed will answer your heartfelt prayer. Fervent prayer and bible study. I know that it sounds so elementary, but we're all too negligent in both. Both are needed to stay in the truth of the gospel. (Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God) As you look out across the doctrinal landscape, it would appear that precious few are seeking the Lord Jesus in a fashion that's untainted by the philosophies and traditions of men. If two folks have differing views concerning a verse of scripture, you can be certain that at least one of them hasn't heard from God.

John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your rememberance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

True councel. True revelation. This will come as you stay in fellowship with Jesus and follow as close as you can to him. As you seek him with a pure heart continuously, he really will "shew thee great and mighty things." As we come into the time of strong delusions; the likes of which the world has never experienced, we all must be diligent in proclaiming truth. Were in an age when folks don't adhere to sound doctrine, but instead, collect teachers and smooth talkers who go about peddling their latest ten part series on how to be financially prosperous in this life.

This is a little off topic, but I was thinking tonight on how so much of the teaching today focuses on this world; name it and claim it along with the assumption that gain is godliness. The "stuff" becomes the focus. You know what's in a persons heart by the words that they speak.

I John 5:5 "They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them."

When you are born again and watching; when you love the Lord Jesus Christ and long for his appearing, this will be your conversation. If you love the trappings of this life, you'll seek to talk about the accumulation of stuff. Stuff that's all destined to melt with a fervent heat and be no more. In closing, let me just reemphasize the importance of staying diligent about the things that we know to stay diligent about. In this fast paced world of running to and fro, it's easy to let these things slip. To say within ourselves "I really must get to sleep; it'll be alright if I don't get into the bible just this one night. Of course, one night leads to two nights and then two weeks. I'm speaking from experience as the flesh man likes his slumber. He also doesn't like blogging at 3:30 am like I am now. Nonetheless, I really like to blog; to just take that which is on my heart and put it "out there!" One more passage and I'll close for now.

Isaiah 55:6-9 "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Hello again. It's now 12:20 PM here in Constantine. I just found this report on Steve Quayles site and it ties in perfectly with this post. It involves the purpose driven "phenomenon" and it shows just how fast this end time senario is coming together right before us. Here's the link.

www.newswithviews.com/BeritKjos/kjos67.htm

Which Built Desolate Places

2006-11-24T20:07:00.000-08:00

Psalm 39:5-6 "Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them."

Ecclesiastes 2:11 "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun."

Isaiah 41:29 "Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

We are a generation that's not unlike any other to pass through the valley of decision. We are facinated by the works of our hands. We take pride in our acedemic achievement, pride in our econnomic status, pride in our physical attributes, and we think to ourselves "WOW! LOOK AT ALL OF MY ACHIEVEMENTS!" We compare ourselves to our neighbors continuously, we have award ceremonies so that we can honor our own, we worship the strongest athletes, and we're facinated by the lives of the movers and shakers. We try constantly to "keep up with the Jonses" and we obsess over the accumulation of trappings. The seemingly odd title of this post is taken from Job 3:14. (KJV) Job was a man with incredible wealth in this world and yet didn't allow it to come between himself and God who holds in his hand the very breath of life. His steadfastness in the face of adversity testified to all that he understood the temporality of life on earth. (One thing of note. When Job suffered the loss of all that he had along with his very health, he didn't know that he would ever be restored.) And so it is with each of us who dwell in this present world. Your time in this life can come to an abrupt conclusion when you least expect it. (Eternity is only an aneurysm away) No matter what you accomplish or how much you acumulate in this life, when your final breath has passed, it'll stay right here in the realm of the physical. The more that you accumulate, the more that your relatives will have to squabble over when your days under the sun are completed.

Job 14:1-2 "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not."

Christians get caught up in this same mindset way too often. We suppose to ourselves that gain is godliness, we concentrate on building earthly kingdoms and we get so "busy" that we don't take time to really seek the Lord as we should. To really get our affections on things above. ALL OF US do this to one degree or another. Much teaching today is of a fleshy nature; focusing primarily on being successful in this life while neglecting the weightier matters such as true charity, holiness, evangelism, and keeping your heart with all diligence. Instead of trusting the Lord to add unto the church daily such as should be saved, many compromise their message in order to bring in an increasingly larger crowd. Then they can construct a larger building to more effectively minister to the itching ears of thousands. Desolate Places! Where the word of God has been replaced by the doctrines of men. This is not to say that every church with a congregation of thousands is compromising the gospel. As in all cases, you'll know them by their fruit. If you uphold truth, in sincerety, you may not draw large numbers, but the ones that do come in will be serious about the things of God.

Philippians 3:7-9 "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found of him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

The apostle Paul had been, prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, a pharisee who had status and prestige amongst his contemporaries; a "Hebrew of Hebrews" if you will. When he came to know Jesus Christ, he counted it all as nothing. The more that you have your heart set on the eternal world to come, the less you'll be drawn to the temporal things of this life. This in turn will result in a more fervent stirving to be about the work of the gospel. You'll find yourself increasingly "disconnected" from the insignificant elements of the day as you draw increasingly closer to Jesus Christ who is from everlasting to everlasting. When you really begin to understand just WHO HE IS, you'll have a really difficult time in trying to be excited about the basketball season. Not because basketball, in itself, is a problem; you'll just understand how irrelevant it is in comparison to matters concerning the souls of men. Every day, souls are entering eternity. The decision that one makes concerning Jesus Christ will determine where they will spend that eternity. It is expediant that we be about the work of proclaiming the gospel; to instruct those that oppose themselves that Jesus Christ came into the world to save us from our sins. That he's no respect of persons and is rich unto all that call upon him.

I Corinthians 3:13-15 "Every mans work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is. If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any mans work shall be burned, he shall sufferloss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

IT'S ALL GOING TO BURN! Everything that you see, hear, touch and smell will one day cease to exist. I say this often because I'm not sure that we really grasp it. Since we entered the land of the physical, everything has continued on from the time of our forefathers. Yet none of us have a guarentee that we're going to be here tomorrow. Anything can happen. If you're born again, the thought of being absent from the body and present with the Lord should put a song in your heart. Our foremost striving should be the proclaiming of the good news; that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Not the wisdom of men, not a ten step program, but the word of God. As I wrap this up, it's my sincere prayer that we all would be about our Fathers business. This posting is of a very elementary nature, but it involves a very serious matter. To watch and pray without ceasing while we lay up treasure in heaven. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21)

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Shadow People

2006-11-22T04:45:00.000-08:00

Websters dictionary defines "shadow" with the following definitions. ( 1 ) Partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body. ( 2 ) A reflected image. ( 3 ) shelter from danger or observation. ( 4a ) an imperfect or faint representation ( 4b ) an imitation of something ( 5 ) The dark figure cast upon a surface by a body intercepting the rays from a source of light. ( 6 ) Phantom ( 7 ) Dark ( 8 ) A shaded or darker portion of a picture. The definitions go on, however, this gives us a really clear picture; one that portrays the nature of those who operate in the world of the "not readily observable" with an agenda that seeks only to destroy.

Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

II Thessalonians 2:7-12 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

This passage of scripture offers a very sobering glimpse into the array of pitfalls that confront the final generation. Jesus described it like this.

Matthew 24:23-24 "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

The deceptions of the last days are going to be like those of no other age before us. For one, there will be miraculous happenings that will take place at the bidding of the deceiver. Unlike the true gifts of the Spirit, these signs will seek to shock and awe people into abandoning the faith of Jesus Christ and following a lie. While the gifts of the Spirit are real and very much at work today, following signs alone and using them as the lone guidepost concerning ones standing with God is dangerous. Know this; that the the true gifts of the Spirit will always line up with the bible. We're also told in scripture that we would "know them by their fruits." The world has never seen an array of deception as it's experiencing today. If you think it's bad now, wait until the Restrainer is removed. The "I John Chapter 4" test is a sure way to know where someone is coming from.

II John 7-8 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward."

Deceptions can be placed into four categories.

( 1 ) Secular delusions. This would include agnosticism, classic atheism, and "science falsly so called" such as evolution, big bang-based astronomy, or any teaching that uses the physical world that is seen, to explain how the physical world came to be. This delusion causes one to feel that we've matured beyond the seemingly silly world of "make believe" as scientific observation is the way in which the secrets of the universe are to be unlocked. There is no acknowledgment of a spiritual realm. Most folks who fall into this category are generally unhappy. (If seventy to one hundred years in this life was all that you had to look forward to, that would be very depressing; especially when you're old and your kids drop you off at a nursing home. Sign me up! lol.)

( 2 ) Paranormal delusions. This would include alien interraction (such folks are no doubt interacting with something, but it's not who they think) past life recollections, anyone possessing psychic abilities such as remote viewers (divination) dowsers, (divination with a crutch) fortune tellers (divination with a bigger crutch) mediums, or anyone claiming to have supernatural gifts apart from God. These occultic practices may or may not be contained in a religious structure. (The devil is an expert at customizing lies to "fit any need" and as of 2006, our culture is thouroughly saturated at every level.)

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee."

( 3 ) Religious Delusions. One of the biggest success stories in all of "delusiondom" is the establishment of Islam. Just a glance at the news on any given day and one will see just how destructive this system is as it's considered honorable to strap a bomb to yourself and blow up innocent civilians in the name of allah. This is NOT the God of the bible, and yet this doctrine dominates the entire middle east. Other examples would be hinduism, buddhism, Taoism, or any "ism" that denies the deity of jesus Christ. Each will have its own telling of who they think Jesus is but will, in every case without exeption, deny his being a part of the Godhead. These sects, often referred to by the media as "the worlds great religions" have two functions. They keep entire regions of the world in bondage to a lie, along with the accompanying traditions, and they cause confusion as many will ask "Which one is right? There are so many beliefs; how can we ever know?" These religions can never set a man free from sin; they only hold one to the trappings of a religious structure and the traditions of men that have passed from one generation to the next.

( 4 ) Pseudo Christian Delusions. This is where the elect of God have to be extremely careful and be ever so sensitive to the Holy Ghost. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:5 that many would come in his name but would be preaching "another Jesus" if you will and would cause many to stumble. Once again, the "I John chapter 4" test is error proof. The Mormons are a good example of this type of delusion. They have a squeaky clean family friendly image that they display for all to see while they teach that Jesus was once a mortal man just like us. Jesus Christ is from everlasting to everlasting; he has no beginning and he has no ending. Every group in this category will deny the deity of Christ without fail. If you dig into their doctrine, you'll find that they preach "another Jesus." There's also the attack on the scriptures as we have more "versions" than one can count. The infalliability of the word of God is imperative. If one part is wrong, it's all suspect. This is a slippery slope and in Revelation 22:18-19, a stern warning is given to those who would seek to "alter" Gods word. Perhaps Joseph Smith should have been reading his bible instead of sticking rocks into his hat and "deciphering" them. (This is another form of "divination.")

Well, this post has really diverted from its original intent which was to discuss the movers and shakers of the new world order. Those individuals in extremely powerful positions who answer to nobody and manipulate events to their liking. And yet it's not totally removed in that religion will be a major factor as the man of sin comes to power. It will be a one world "non-christian religion with supernatural "confirmations" that will cause the whole world to swallow it "hook line and sinker" It will appeal to "common sense" and will cause folks to have a "warm fuzzy feeling" as at last "WE CAN ALL GET ALONG."

As you watch events unfold, the hidden agenda of a global governing entity becomes ever more transparent. The European Union, the United Nations, the North American Union with the border busting NAFTA superhighway soon to link us all together, and the refusal (I mean REFUSAL) to secure the borders as it would impede the globalist agenda. In additon, we have the NSA which is at this very moment starting a second file on me, the "chipping" of people right down the road as RFID technology becomes more widespread, and the cashless society which is at the door. "After all, we must know "who's buying what" in order to stop the terrorists." Every program instituted by the globalists will have a "logical" reason for its being. These people are beyond natural affection and out of sight for the most part. They work in the shadows while the media is busy playing donkeys and elephants. We just had elections in this country but it really makes no difference as to who we "think" is controlling things. These events are prophesied and will come to pass. Incidentally, starting on November 30 and running to December 3, all of the major credit unions and banks are installing all new security software systems that will be tied to the homeland security dept. This was reported on Steve Quayles program last Monday evening. The system continues to manifest despite elections, or public opinion, and with no regards to the constitution or the laws of the land.

I have noticed as has anyone, that cell phones are everywhere. Folks is some instances go into "withdrawl" when they're not in contact with others 24/7. I know of only a two or three people who don't have one. Well, that cell phone can be pinpointed within a few feet, anywhere in the world. If you have it with you, they can find you. Everyone is profiling themselves right here; on the internet, everyone has credit cards, and everyone is busy running faster and faster to keep up with the frenzy of day to day living. The population is prepared for the mark which will seem like simply the logical "next step" in the evolution of better living through science. Unlike any other time in history when it was thought to be "the end" this present course of events is unsustainable in the long term. (Or in the not so long term for that matter.) As we see things coming to pass, the picture is becoming clearer and the man of sin will make his final move.

Thing are wrapping up. FAST! Today is the day to get right with God. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as savior and Lord, please come to him today.

I John 1-9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Saints of God; please please please get your affections on the world to come. PLEASE stop following afar off. When everything "goes down" the last place that you want to be is afar off; walking along leisurely as though you'll never see trying times. (We're not going to be here syndrome) Jesus is coming at the appointed time and not a second later. The time is now to stablish your heart as truly THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND!

Things Too Wonderful for Me

2006-11-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

Albert Einstein once uttered the statement "The human mind is not capable of grasping the universe. We are like a little child entering a huge library...The child knows that someone must have written those books. It does not know who or how" This is an incredibly profound observation from a man with a predominatly humanistic view of things. While his actual beliefs concerning the spiritual realm may be the subject for endless debate, one thing is for sure. He recognized the vastness of the creation and struggled to make sense of it all. Here's what the apostle Paul told the Athenians.

Acts 17:22-28 "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars hill and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."

Without a doubt our God is an awesome God! The creation declares that "God Is" as do the scriptures. Have you ever seen the "Hubble Deep Field" image? This image was taken several years ago when the Hubble telescope was aimed at the emptiest portion of sky that could be found and allowed to gather data for a period of days. (I think it was "days") The result of this peering into the emptiest portion of sky revealed millions of galaxies previously undiscovered. They filled the image. This universe; just the visible portion alone, is on a scale of immensity that we cannot even begin to fathom. This physical matter makes up what scientists believe is less than one percent of what is. Dark matter and dark energy are thought to make up the rest. This doesn't even begin to take into account the spiritual realm which exists beyond the directly observable. The more that is known about the universe, the less we understand it. And yet this is nothing in comparison to how big God is who fills the heavens that he created. When you really think about how he inhabits "all of eternity" and yet knows the number of hairs on your head, the only thing that you can say is "WOW!"

Psalm 148:2-5 "Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.

Job 38:31-35 (Read this entire chapter to get the "whole" of it) Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion theeof in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightenings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

God fills every aspect of all that is. From the most remote galaxy down to sub-atomic structures. His ways are truly past finding out. And yet he has made a way for us to know him. That way is through Jesus Christ by whom the worlds were created.

John 1:10-12 "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

In your natural state, you are separated from God. All of us have sinned and none of us deserve to be with God. But because Jesus Christ came into the world, lived a sinless life, and shed his blood on the old rugged cross to pay for our sin, we can have eternal life through him. Because of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, we have access to the Father through faith. In other words, this AWESOME GOD that inhabits eternity wants to have a personal relationship with you. Such a great salvation is yours for the asking.

There is nothing in this world that can even come close to having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There is nothing in this life that can offer lasting joy and perfect peace. The peace of God that passes understanding is real. There is power in the blood of the Lamb to forgive sins. That blood is as powerful today as it was two thousand years ago. That precious blood will cleanse you from all sin if you accept Jesus as your Savior.

Gods ways are not our ways. His ways are so far above ours that we could never write their formulas and place them all in a cleverly written text book. But when you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, he will begin to grant you understanding and wisdom. True wisdom that comes from the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding"

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."

I have to close in a few moments, but please consider the things here. Read Matthew chapters five through 7. Here, as throughout all of the gospels and all of scripture, you begin to see the nature of God. Jesus is the express image of the Father his ways are awesome. Can you imagine if everyone lived by the principles that Jesus taught? (sinful men are incapable of doing this) There would be peace on earth in a moment. That wont take place until he comes back, but it testifies to just how perfect his ways are. The book of Proverbs tells of the incredible common sense wisdom that God gave to King Solomon. GOD IS BEYOND AWESOME. There really aren't words in our vocabulary to accurately describe how great he is. Let me close with one final verse.

Romans 11:33-36 "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his councellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen"

The Patience of the Saints

2006-11-17T04:51:00.000-08:00

Luke 12:51-53 "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law."

Luke 21:1619 "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls."

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Let me propose a question that has been asked before but is worth thinking on. "If Jesus was to walk the earth in a body of flesh as he did 2000 years ago, how many churches do you think he would be invited to preach in?" I would contend that the condition of things in this day are very reminiscent of those during the days of his earthly ministry. In the postings of this particular stop in the blogosphere, you will find talk about some things that are "hard on the flesh." I don't talk much about prosperity, or the philosophies of men, and I try to avoid gnat straining over totally insignificant matters. Usually any talk concerning geo-political events is done in relation to their place on the prophetic timeline. I strive to cause any passer by to ponder the things that are coming to pass, to get right with God, and to be aware of the "perilosity" (don't bother looking that up in a dictionary) of the times. Perils from false doctrines, perils from the lust of the flesh, perils from this present world with its ever enlarging arsenal of diversions and perils from falling into a state of spiritual slumber.

I don't want to park here for too long, but the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine has come to fruition as virtually the entire evangelical world has taken it to heart. (I really wasn't planning to go here.) Like all such teachings, it's a "smooth thing" (Isaiah 30:10) Anytime that you try to admonish someone to be prepared for the times ahead, they always resort to the "escape clause." They will usually intervene with "Oh brother, don't you know? We're not going to be here when those things take place. All of those scriptures throughout the bible are for the jews and the carnal christians who didn't name it and claim it very often because they didn't have enough faith." (Yes; I'm being a little sarchastic) Before going on, let me list some scriptures, in case you really want to check it out for yourself. PLEASE with much prayer in sincerety, CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF. Don't take ANYONES word at face value, including mine, as we all see through a glass darkly.

Isaiah 26:20....Daniel 7:21-27....Daniel 8:23-25....Zephaniah 2:3....Matthew 24:22....Matthew 24:29-31.... Mark 13:20....Mark 13:24-27....Luke 21:28....I Corinthians 15:51-52 (at the last trump)....I thessalonians 4:16-17 (at the last trump)....I Peter 3:10 (day of the Lord)....Revelation 12:11....Revelation 14:12....Revelation 15:1-3....Revelation 20:4-6

This concept of going through the tribulation is rough at first. When I first understood it, I asked the Lord in sincerety "If this is true, please let me embrace it and prepare us for the times to come. It was then that I truly started to learn to be "in the world but not of the world." Things that used to get to me just don't get to me anymore as my sights are truly on the world to come. My primary concern here is the salvation of souls; that folks would come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

For anyone who has ears to undrstand this, we are going to be cast out as evil by friends, family members, co-workers, and anyone who reject the truth. Let me propose a senario, that's not really as far-fetched as it may seem. I recently read an interview with a retired Chinese general. He stated that the Chinese military strategy is very similar to the tactics employed in the martial arts; to attack at the pressure points. Just suppose that the Chinese have drained everything out of this country that they can drain and it's time to move to the next level. A nuclear air burst at the proper location could render every electronic system in this country useless. All of our electronically stored records, banking, personal, etc. GONE. All of our security systems down and our military totally incapacitated. No more internet. No more blogging about the end of the world. (or anything for that matter) Can you even begin to imagine the result of this. Complete economic stoppage; total unpreparedness by the vast majority of citizens and an ensuing societal breakdown that would make the aftermath of katrina look like "spilled milk" in comparison. (This is not to make light of the Katrina tragedy as it resulted in hundreds or even thousands of precious souls going into eternity.) All of this from one detonation and this doesn't take into account the growing list of nations that dislike us or the porous borders that will allow passage of practically anyone who wants to get in for whatever reason they want to get in for. The point is this. Our present situation can dissolve in a matter of seconds. (Get out of the cities)

It will be a chaotic situation of like manner (exactly how it will come to pass, I don't know. We just need to watch and know that every event is significant) that will facillitate the man of sins rise to power. This man will be smooth, cunning, have a pleasent personality, quick with a zinger here or there, and he will "put things back together" again. Peace will be reinstituted and men will, at that point "sell their birthright for a loaf of bread" as they receive his mark. The faith of many will be shipwreck as they had no idea that they would ever face something like this. Read II Thessalonians and Revelation about how the false prophet will perform supernatural signs. There will be events taking place that will not only seem to disprove christianity, but will make it look totally "buffoonable." (Don't look that up in a dictionary either) Anyone maintaining the faith of Jesus Christ will become a laughingstock as a result of the seeming abundance of "tangible proof" to the contrary. The stage for this transpiration is already set with the political correctness mindset, eccumenical teachings, sensitivity training, "UFO" sightings, and what have you. This nation which calls itself "christian" is only a small step away from "wondering after the beast" as is the entire world.

Revelation 13:5-8 "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

All who don't know Jesus Christ as their Savior "will" worship this man of sin. Let me state this one thing again. If you can't live for the Lord Jesus Christ now, how are you going to die for him when that will be the cost of not submitting to the antichrist government? This idea that only the carnal, lukewarm christians will be here; that they will suddenly get right with God and endure the strongest delusions that the world has ever seen is erroneous. If you're not close in to the Lord now; if you're following afar off, you're going to be ill-equipped to stand in those days. "Those days" are upon us. I read a report recently stating that in ten years, all British citizens will have a chip implant. It sounds so logical, so safe and secure. So conveinent to have everything, your bank account numbers, medical history, personal profile, security access, (no more fumbling around for keys) everything at your fingertips; LITERALLY. The system is in place; the technology is perfected, the pieces are coming together at a phenominal pace.

I brought up the verses at the beginning for this reason. When this all comes down, those friends, family members, and acquaintances who don't know Jesus will turn on you. When you refuse to accept a mark and cannot buy for your household, you will be made to look like a criminal. In those days we will have to completly rely on God. We will have to have our hearts thoroughly established if we're to not be taken by the events that are coming to pass here.

Again these are not necesarily pleasent things to think on. We know that such events are coming to pass, even though the exact details of how and when remain somewhat unclear. The basics are in place. The situation in the world at this present time simply CANNOT go much longer. Saints of God, you can get by without a new boat. You can survive living in an apartment or even a tent if you had to. But you cannot stand in the hour that we're living in if you follow afar off. You and I absolutly MUST abide in the True Vine and hide the word of God in our hearts. I repeat this often even though you know it because we all need reminding, lest we get too busy with things and become negligent.

Jesus Christ is returning. This is what really matters. We need to look to him continuously. If you look at the storm, you'll sink. FAST. Look to Jesus who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. We all know people who are lost and we must pray fervently for them and do everything to win them for Christ. To have our conversation on things above and to not be drawn in to frivilous communications. This is an area where I struggle daily but with so many souls hanging in the balance, we must lay such things aside. As I write this morning, I,m talking very much to myself as anyone. We all need to stay focused. Well I'll be going for now. I may be posting a little less often in the times ahead as there are things that need to be tended to. Let me close out with a very familiar passage.

Matthew 7:13-15 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

"Iraq"nophobia

2006-11-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

Zephaniah 2:15 "This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand."

This verse is making reference to the Assyrian city of Nineveh; that judgment is at hand. As you can see, they had a haughty attitude that took comfort in their physical ability to defend themselves against all that were around them. "I am, and there is none beside me." They adhered to a heart felt feeling of invincibility; an illusion that cannot deliver in the day of trying. Every great empire that has ever risen on the earth experienced a span of time in which the illusion of invincibility encompassed them. The Egyptians seemed unbeatable when the children of israel were in bondage to them. The Babylonian Empire experienced it as did Medeo-Persia, followed by the empire of Alexander. The Romans took empire building to a new level; constructing roads to all points of the empire to grant easy access to the far-flung provinces and establishing a western-style of governance that is a model to this day. To view the Roman Empire at the peak of their power one could ask "who can make war with them?" They were the lone superpower of their time and were never defeated by a larger empire. Their demise came in the form of hundreds of little invasions as barbarous tribes poured across their borders. This was further complicated by an increasingly shallow mindset on the part of their citizens, for whom pleasure became their foremost ambition. Eat, drink, and be merry. (Or sex, drugs, and rock and roll.) The Romans, along with all of these past empires eventually came to pass. Despite each one having a space of time in which they seemed "unbeatable," all of them were eventually brought down.

Daniel 2:20-22 "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him."

Psalm 113:4 "The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens." Something to think on. You look into the universe and see the billions upon billions of galaxies; each containing an average of a hundred billion stars. Gods glory, which has no beginning and no ending is above all of it. Our God truly is an AWESOME GOD.

I write this because the United States; at least those that you talk to seem to believe that we're simply "too big and powerful" to fall. For those who live in this country, the idea of America being brought down is simply "negative communications from the doom and gloomers" or else it's "conspiracy talk from the black helicopter crowd." This illusion goes on, even with the evidence of a nation in decline all around us. Outsourcing has reached every industry, effecting both white collar and blue collar workers , our borders are incredibally porous which means that we really have no idea of who'se here or what they're up to, our middle class is under assault from every angle, the nations of the world are becoming increasingly hostile toward us, and we have a host of of emerging threats, too numerous to mention, that could trigger an economic disaster." Here's a thought. Suppose that a nuclear air burst brought down our entire array of electronic systems. This country would come to a complete standstill and pandemonium would become the order of the day. With the proliferation of nuclear capabilities, this isn't necessarily just a senario for a Tom Clancy novel. (Truly we have no continuing city here)

In 2003, the United States sent forces into Iraq, most believing that it was simply another theater in the global "war on Terror" Most expected a nearly effortless victory as our troops rolled into Baghdad with the cheers of jubilant citizens "grateful for liberation" ringing in their ears. As President Bush stood on an aircraft carrier and declared an end to major combat operations, it seemed as though things were really "going our way." Most expected Iraq to transition quickly into a western-style democracy. Today, we are mired along the banks of the Euphrates in a situation that almost none of us could have imagined just three and a half years ago, that being a civil war with no end in sight. To further add fuel to the fire, a host of other nations have their hands in the cookie jar as they desire to thwart the efforts of the United States in pursuit of their own agenda. And so we find ourselves in a nonwinning situation. If we keep our troops there, our casualties will continue to mount. If we pull them out, who knows what would happen as there would be no resemblance of a stablizing force in this volatle region of the world.

We are quickly approaching the end of the age and every event that transpires, regardless of how insignificant, is, taking place in accordance with this very fact. This places increased relevance on this war in Iraq; a situation which, as mentioned in earlier posts, has the eagle nation of Daniel chapter seven bogged down along the banks of the Euphrates. The real tragedy is that thousands of people are losing their lives as this conflict rages on with no end in sight. Souls for whom Jesus gave his life are going into eternity, never to pass this way again. Along with those who are being lost, there's a growing list of those suffering life altering injuries; physical and mental. I remember one morning hearing a lady tell about her husband who was in the national guard. He was an engineer for a foreign auto manufacturer with plants in the US. They flew him from plant to plant as he could remedy problems that nobody else could solve. While on duty in Iraq, the vehicle that he was riding in ran into a crater left by an ordinance and he suffered severe head trauma. This man now has to struggle to fold laundry. He's giving his all to recover as much as he can, but his life has been forever altered by a conflict that, each day, adds more names to its register of victims.

Last nights posting on Grace County (www.timbob.wordpress.com) is entitled "Priceless Souls" Every soul is an eternal being in that they will live forever. If a soul goes into eternity without Jesus, they will spend eternity separated from the God who created all that is. Like so many others in previous eras, we, as a nation, tend to take action without considering this. When civilian lives are lost, we call it "collateral damage." In the eyes of God, nobody is collateral damage. Each one is made in his image. We get so caught up with vain philosophies and the pursuit of vain glory that we lose sight of this very basic thing. This doesn't mean to lay down and let your enemies run over you; it just means that motives and consequences need to be thouroughly examined prior to engagement. In the case of Iraq, there was already a desire to depose Saddam (Saddam was a murderous dictator by the way; this must be completly understood) and when the attacks of September 11, 2001 transpired, a "window of opportunity" was made available to fulfil this desire. Today, in November of 2006, Iraqs future is very much "up in the air" and the shift in political power in Washington will almost certainly lead to a timetable of withdrawl. In other words, those who are lined up against us need only to lay low for a few months longer. Again, the situation in Iraq really has no "good answer" to it. My prayer is that individual transformations will take place as the gospel is presented. Jesus Christ alone is able to transform a person into a new creation.

Well I need to close for now. Things are turmultuous; not only in Iraq but all across the world. It simply means that scripture is being fulfilled and you can expect things to get a whole lot more turbulant in the days to come. Do I say that because I like to talk about depressing things? Not at all. I mention it because it's true and I pray that you'll be alert to what's coming. That you'll examine yourself and see where you are in your relationship with Jesus. When it's all said and done, this will be the ONLY thing that matters. If you don't know him, there's no time like the present to come to him; to invite him into your heart and ask forgiveness for your sins. All of us have sinned; don't let the devil tell you that you're beyond hope. If you're reading this (and you obviously are) you are not beyond hope. I will close this out with some verses concerning this very fact.

I John 1:7-9 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

I Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me."

Sticks and Stones and Dead Mens Bones

2006-11-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

Matthew 23:3-5 "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be bourne, and lay them on mens shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments."

Matthew 23:27 "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all unrighteousness."

The pitfalls of these final moments of the age are numerous to be sure, however, one of the most dangerous of all is the false teacher. A false teacher will make you feel like everythings alright when everything is definatly NOT alright. They say all of the right phrases, they cry when they're supposed to cry, and they repeatedly tell of their desire to simply reach the lost. They will most likely have a never ending parade of teaching series that can be obtained for a "love gift" of X number of dollars. They will appeal to the flesh; talking much of success in this life and how you can be blessed with an abundance of material goods. They will use particular scriptures which refer to material blessings while ignoring the ones concerning holiness and those which focus on the world to come. They will repeatedly explain how "LOVE" of money is the root of all evil but not the money; right before they begin talking about prosperity. As mentioned on so many occasions, prosperity itself is not the problem; obsessing about it is. When it becomes the dominant theme in a preachers message, there's without a doubt, an attachment (love) for the things of this life. These folks sell books, CDs and DVDs by the millions. This present world is continuously emphasized while the one to come is placed on the back burner with a "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" mentality coupled with a chorus of "we're not going to be here in the tribulation."

They love this world. They talk about this world because that's where their heart is. (You can't hide what's inside.) They appear righteous, but they focus on carnal things in their teaching and conversation. With so many teachers and preachers out their and a church on every corner, you really have to abide by Hebrews 5:14 and stay grounded in the word of God. Stay as close to the Lord as you can and "learn of him." Then, you'll have discernment when someone comes along with a gospel which is "not another" but is altered just enough to lead the simple into many hurtful lusts. When you obsess over the acquisition of things and success in the physical realm you "pierce yourself through with many sorrows." (I Timothy 6:10) These next verses should make your hair stand as they tell of false teachers.

II Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

Understand this: the devil knows how to "PUT ON A SHOW!" Know also that he will always pander to the desires of the flesh. (Genesis 3:6)

Acts 20:29-31 "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."

One could do an entire series of posts on that passage of scripture. If you ever wondered why Paul was betwixt, the answer is here. He knew ( not suspected; KNEW) that after he departed, false teachers with an alternate agenda would seek whom they could draw away from the truth. One more set of verses before I conclude this post.

II Peter 2:1-3 "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be even spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

Some points to bring out here are as follows:

1: They come in privily; they'll sneak in undetected.

2: They will deny the Lord Jesus. I John chapter 4 covers this in detail

3: Many will "buy" into their teaching and will speak evil of the truth.

4: They will appeal to the flesh; through covetousness.

One final note. As the age concludes and the "big inclusive tent" of the one world religion manifests before our eyes, those who truly love the Lord Jesus Christ and long to serve him are going to be ridiculed. The false religion will make "perfectly good sense" in the physical realm as once again, the devil knows how to put on a show and appeal to the flesh. Those who live a holy life and don't subscribe to the views of this world religion are going to be ridiculed as being narrow-minded and lacking in love for their neighbors. (Their name will be "cast out as evil.) I really sense an urgency on this; we are going to be made a laughingstock to the point that if you're not firmly rooted in the truth, you'll never stand. There will be false signs and lying wonders that will seem to verify those teachings which are false as the tribulation unfolds. I really believe that there will be "developments" in the world, be it an illusion of alien contact, pyramids on Mars, or what have you, that will seem to disprove christianity. I cannot put into words just how deceptive these times will be; times that are right at the door. The population is already prepared to receive such illusions. In the previous post, there was mention of how dangerous it is to follow a person or a ministry to the point that it comes between you and the Lord jesus. Each one of us MUST search the scriptures daily and pray without ceasing. I sound like a broken record, but this cannot be emphasized enough. I must go for now but please take these things to heart.

"Title" Waves

2006-11-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

Matthew 23:5-7 "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi."

John 5:43-44 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seeketh not the honour that cometh from God only?"

Some titles serve the function of announcing the trade or office of an individual such as "Doctor O Brian, Governor Granholm, Sergeant Shultz, or Pastor Jones. These titles serve only to inform the hearer of that this person is either a practitioner of a particular skill or that they occupy a particular office. They are, for the most part, neutral; providing they don't invoke pride on the part of those bearing them. We call President Bush "President Bush" because that's his official capacity. Unfortunatly, however, we tend to have a facination with titles in that many of us like to take them on for the sake of putting on a show, or we like to follow someone who has taken upon themselves a particular title. You've heard the phrase "I'm going to make a name for myself." As a result, people obsess to be noticed for the single purpose of receiving honor from their peers. Rappers will continuously try to outdo each other by coming up with increasingly cooler sounding, purposely misspelled names in an attempt to stand out from the other cool sounding misspelled names. Every famous performer has a stage name that's designed to project an image for that individual. In short we love to give ourselves names and we love to be associated with folks who have a favorable identity.

This is, in reality, a form of idolatry; worshipping the creature and giving no place to the creator. A t- shirt featuring a particular band is designed primarily to identify with the image of that band or to tell the world that you attended their concert. (Otherwise, you wouldn't have wasted $40 on it when you can purchase a "Fruit of the Loom" for only $5.) When you go into the plant where I'm employed, you'll find that a large number of the employees are wearing Harley Davidson attire. (Nothing wrong with harley Davidson; I'm only using this example to make a point) They are telling the world that they really like Harleys. About three years ago, a guy at work asked me "when are you going to get your Harley?" I sarchastically replied "I don't know; maybe after everyone else sells theirs." In short we like to identify with physical entities and as a result, a person will spend $200 on a Red Wings jersey because it's an "official" jersey.

Christians have the very same problem; although many would never admit to it. It's a problem that goes all the way back to the first days of the church and was addresed by the apostle Paul

I Corinthians 3:3-7 "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife,and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

Today, this problem is rampant. Folks are quick to broadcast their title. Sometimes we will do so simply to let someone know of our stand concerning doctrinal issues. Other times, it becomes a source of pride. Folks will loudly proclaim "I'm a baptist" or "I'm UPC" or "I'm Church of God" I really believe that in most cases, this comes from an attitude of pride in a title; a fault that I have been guilty of in times past, when fellowshipping with particular churches. (spiritual pride is unbelievably destructive) In additon, we will tend to identify with a particular ministry instead of striving to identify with Christ. Partnering with a ministry for the purpose of forwarding the gospel is commendable, so long as they are grounded in truth. There's a real danger, however, if that particular ministry takes the place of Christ.

Let me address a pitfall here before continuing. This is not to suggest that you embrace every form of doctrine with a "can't we all just get along" attitude. There are scores of hereies and blatant false doctrines which "appear christian" but are not to be associated with. Today we have a move of "eccumenicalism" that's seeking to unite everyone under a "big tent." It sounds nice; it sounds so inclusive, so warm and fuzzy. In truth, it's laying the groundwork for the one world religious system that will embrace the man of sin. It'll seem like such a wonderful, understanding, tender hearted religion, while the remnant will be looked upon as "cold hearted, narrow minded, and backward." You can be sure that the ministers of this false religious system will be very skilled in misusing the scriptures and the simple will go on into perdition. I'm venturing into a future post here, but this is coming to pass at this very moment. This is why the following things are stressed so adamantly.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.

STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD.

TRY THE SPIRITS; TO SEE IF THEY BE OF GOD.

EXAMINE YOURSELF CONTINUOUSLY.

DO NOT FOLLOW A MAN OR A DENOMINATION

FOLLOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BE SENSITIVE TO THE HOLY GHOST.

WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION.

LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT AND SIN.

SET YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE.

KEEP THY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE.

II Timothy 4:2-5 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; b ut after their their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy inistry.

One cannot adequatly stress how perilous these times are. I know that I've swerved into a second theme here, but it's important; EXTREMELY important to be sure that you're following Jesus Christ and not a title or a preacher. A preacher can fall. Titles will have no standing in eternity. On the last day, you're not going to be asked about your title. The only thing that will matter will be "is your name written in the book of life?" When all of the theatrics and debating are past; when the last sermon has been preached and the final seconds of time are history, the only thing that will matter will be this one thing. IS YOUR NAME RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?

Search your heart and establish your heart. Be assured that no flesh will glory in the presence of God. Silly pride and vain glory are deadly as a viper. This post may be enhanced later, but for now I'll close out with this.

II Corinthians 5:16-17 "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; hehold, all things are made new."

Revelation 5:2-5 "And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."

The Last Vestiges of the Republic

2006-11-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

Daniel 7:23-26 "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end."

This passage of scripture tells us of the one world government that "will" be in place at the end of the age. The major events that you see developing are all contributing factors to facilitate the establishment of this "global empire." In a few hours, Americans will begin to participate in the mid-term elections. As is the case with every election cycle, there's been much speculation over who will be victorious and who will be defeated. Control of congress is considered to be up for grabs; a belief which has added intensity and nastiness to many of the contests. Power does strange things to people; regardless of the letter in parenthesis that follows their name. Another source of possible contention is "electronic voting" a process by which your vote is recorded on a chip and there's no written backup. If the voting machines should "crash," or be compromised by someone whose intent on altering the elections outcome, the actual count would be "somewhere in the Dieboldesphere." There's unparalleled potential for fraud, accusations of fraud, law suits, and demands for a "recount" without so much as a hanging chad to consider. If the machine indicates that Suzy Q received 10,000 votes and Guy Smiley received 9,999, then Suzy Q wins. It may well be that Guy Smiley received more votes, however, there's no way of finding them. No recount; nothing to verify the results. This will sound bizarre, but the best thing that could happen in this election cycle would be to have a total fiasco. To have such a complete meltdown of the election process that electronic voting would be given a permanent residence in the museum of bad ideas.

As I write this, I don't know what will transpire when all of the dust has settled. I think that the elections will be relatively uneventful. There will be accusations of fraud in various sectors, but they will go unreported, unverified, and therefore will never leave the arena of speculation. I expect that the electronic voting machines will "perform" well enough that their use will be expanded in 2008, if an election takes place in that year. (The end really is here) This non-traceable form of ballot casting; will ensure that from henceforth, only the "right people" will be elected. I think that for now, the republicans will retain a majority in both houses, however, it has virtually no impact on the present reality; that being the fulfillment of scripture. We are heading, step by methodical step, into a global government. According to scripture; a source with an accuracy rating of 100%, the whole world will "wonder after the beast." This will come to pass regardless of who emerges victorious from the 2006 elections as the system is already in place. You're interacting with a large piece of it at this very moment; that being the internet that Al Gore invented. It's the primary method for transferring currency all across the globe and you can be certain that every keystroke that you have ever made online is recorded somewhere. I'm certain that I have a file at NSA based simply on some of the "key words" that are repeated often in my posts. Without a doubt, they're making a list. They know who will comply with the "New World Order" and who will cause problems. Without a doubt, all of us have been profiled.

Recently, during a news broadcast, I saw a commercial that exemplified the ongoing conditoning of the population toward the idea of a "chip." It showed a very crowded cafeteria at lunchtime. Everyone was moving very quickly; getting their lunch, going to the cashier, swiping their credit card without stopping, and then heading back to wherever. Eventually, a guy comes up to the cashier and tries to pay with cash. This causes everyone else to stop suddenly and food goes flying in every direction; thanks to this "old fashioned dingaling." Already, our culture is well adapted to making transactions in the electronic realm in the form of credit. We are moving steadily into a cashless society and eventually, a "chipped society."

Here's something that I expect to happen as the final deception unfolds; although it's not by direct revelation. (It's a pondering) As you know, the garden of Eden, the serpent told Eve "Ye shall not surely die." He told the exact opposite of what was true. And as you know, Eve saw the tree; that the fruit was good and being wise seemed good also, she took of the fruit and ate. She also gave to Adam, who was with her and knew what was happening. (There are so many lessons in this account.) I expect a similar situation to transpire when the mark of the beast is instituted. The false prophet will say "this isn't the mark of the beast. This is a national security device. After all; either you're with us or you're with the terrorists" Folks will believe it as they will "need to provide for their families." In addition, it'll appear to be a logical way of ensuring ensuring safety as nobody will have to worry about their identity being stolen. If one of the kids comes up missing, why there's a big screen in a global monitoring center with a dot on it; telling the world where he is. Furthermore, I wonder how many of those who are waiting for a pre-tribulation rapture will fall for this deception. I can hear the arguement. "Well, this can't be the mark of the beast because that takes place in the tribulation and everybody knows that we're not going to be here in the tribulation." The teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture seems to become more dangerous by the day as it's embraced by almost everyone. This teaching, combined with a love for the trappings of this life and a general lukewarmness toward Christ makes for a spiritual "molotov cocktail."

Isaiah 26:20 "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."

We are at the end of the age. All of the events that you hear about are leading to the battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ is coming and every eye shall behold him. Are you ready for that moment? Will you be among the elect gathered from the four corners of the earth or will you say to the mountains and rocks "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Tragically, few are watching, even within the ranks of professing christians, and most will be taken totally by surprise when things fall apart in the physical world. Jesus warned us to eatch always, and yet most of us are overcharged with a world that's soon to be no more. I have to go fo now, but I'll put in some links that deal with some of the events of the day; primarily dealing with the new world order and related topics. Please use discernment as not everything on all of these links is 100% accurate. Nonetheless, there is much to ponder.

www.educate-yourself.org/nwo/

www.infowars.com

www.policestate21.com

www.blackboxvoting.org

www.spychips.com

www.endtime.com

"Before Abraham was, I Am"

2006-11-05T03:19:00.000-08:00

When Jesus spoke these words, the "religious foks" took up stones to cast at him, but he went out of the temple and passed them by. There are two critically important things that one can learn from this event. First, Jesus Christ is God; manifest in the flesh. Second, they could not lay hands on him as it was not the appropriate time; proving that Jesus laid down his life willingly. As the song goes, "He could have called ten thousand angels." Today, we have the gift of eternal life, free for the asking, because he went to the cross and paid for our sins with his own blood.

Nearly every type of doctrine and religious system has a belief concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. They will call him a "great teacher" or a "great prophet" or nearly anything from the category of "greathood." Yet when it comes down to who he really is, there's an underlying denial of his deity. They will call him the Son of God, but will attempt to place him into a "secondary category" if you will. They deny who he really is and as a result, preach "another Jesus." Here's what Jesus said to Philip as he explained who he is.

John 14:8-11 "Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the father in me: or else believe me for the very works sake.

The four gospels testify to who Jesus is; that he is both the Son of God and that he is God. When he healed the sick he would say "be thou healed." He didn't have to call on another name; he simply healed those who were in need of healing. Likewise when he cast out devils, he simply cast them out. They knew who he is and had no choice but to depart when he ordered them to.

Here's a fact to keep in mind. The devil can only go as far as God permits him to. For example, the devil was allowed to afflict Job with sore boils, but was not permitted to take his life. In like manner, when Jesus told a devil to "go" it had to go! The book of James declares that the "devils believe and tremble." (James 2:19)

Luke 4:40-41 "Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ."

If you are born again and have a personal realationship with Jesus, this all should sound very basic to you. I bring it up, however, because the entire gospel rests on this single fact. Jesus Christ is who he says he is. Understanding this is of utmost importance as we live in an age with every form of doctrine imaginable circling the globe at lightening speed. Jesus warned us of the major deceptions in the last days.

Matthew 24:5 "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Many will come appearing to proclaim the gospel, but will be, in reality, teaching "another gospel." If you talk to a Jehovahs witness, (I wouldn't advise it) they will have no problem saying "Jesus is the Son of God" But if you ask them more directly, they will deny that he is God manifest in the flesh. Their denial is so great, that they have their own version of the bible that they use to uphold their doctrine. It's called the "new world translation" and is made to look like simply a "modern version" of the scriptures. The enemy has various methods of twisting scripture and, as a result, we have more "translations" today than one can count. Do you ever wonder why that is? Do you wonder why so many today view the new translations as being "more accurate with the original Hebrew and Greek?" Likewise, the King James version is no longer widely used as many consider it to be "lacking in accuracy." (A slippery slope to be sure) The devil has been attacking and twisting the word of God ever since he told Eve "Ye shall not surely die." He has been deluting the word of God and attempting to draw away from God ever since "pride" was found in him. He is so deceitful that a third of the angels kept not their first estate and followed him in rebellion against the God of heaven who is from everlasting and created all things. When Jesus rose from the dead, he stripped the devil of all authority once and for all. Ever since then, the devil has attacked the deity of Jesus Christ through false religion, wisdom of men, and "another gospel."

Galatians 1:6-7 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."

Jesus Christ is from everlasting to everlasting. He has no beginning and he has no ending. This is the truth that the enemy has sought to hide since the beginning of the dispensation of time. I need to end this post for now, but will leave with some verses to consider. These should be very familiar if you're born again, but they bear repeating as we're in an age where sound doctrine is increasingly rare.

Colossians 2:8-10 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"

Hebrews 1:1-4 "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

I Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

I John 3:16 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Revelation 22:12-13 "And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."

Worlds Unseen

2006-11-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 11:3 "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

Websters Dictionary describes "infrared" like this: "Situated outside the visible spectrum at its red end-used of radiation having a wavelength between 700 nanometers and one millimeter." Websters dictionary describes "ultraviolet" in like manner: "Situated beyond the visible spectrum at its violet end-used of radiation having a wavelength shorter than wavelengths of visible light and larger than those of x rays.

What does this mean? It means that what you can see is a very small portion of what actually is. Let me take this a step farther. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. Astrophysicists have determined that some of the farthest galaxies seem to be approaching the speed of light. Suppose that our galaxy was moving at 40% of the speed of light in one direction while another galaxy was moving at 61% of the speed of light in the opposite direction. We would never see that galaxy in the physical realm. (Here's a thought; suppose that one was coming toward us with the same perimeters. It would be the proverbial "they never knew what hit them." We would experience the effects of it before we saw it) In other words, astronomers and quantum physicists try frantically to place into a box, a reality that they have no physical way of observing in full.

These folks, along with most of our educators, will tell you that the universe began with a "big bang" and while they can observe wery little of what actually is, they have concluded that this part of the mystery is established. (Here's another thought; if the big bang theory is accurate, why isn't there a giant void in the place where it happened with all of the matter speeding away from that area like a ripple in a pond? We should be able to pinpoint exactly "where" the big bang transpired. And why is everything speeding up?) They call it a "theory" but they treat it like a fact; using it as a basis for additional theories. To further complicate things, a number of these people claim to be athiests and give no thought to the possibility of a spiritual realm. That's because the existance of a spiritual realm would completly shatter all of the precariously balanced theories of the day. There's no physical explanation for a conscious entity that has been in existance forever. There's no mathematical equation for such a concept of "not having a beginning." This is a concept that none of us can really grasp as everything that we observe has a cycle of "coming into existance, abiding, and then ceasing to exist." And so the theories continue to become increasingly complex. Are there other universes? How does dark energy come into exixtance? What makes up dark matter? Is string theory a viable option? On and on it goes as the accuracy rating of scripture continues at 100%.

II Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

I Corinthians 1:25-29 "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things that are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence."

As I post on this blustery midwestern morning, I cannot present to you, any mathematical "proof" of the existance of God. I cannot place him into a carefully prepared format and give you the measurements. Therefore, I will use scriptural references; a source that, as mentioned a moment ago, has an accuracy rating of 100% without fail. (Sounds considerably more stable than "string theory")

Romans 1:20-22 "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, Being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

Everything that is seen, is the result of spiritual occurrances, and as a result, there are bound to be things transpiring that make no sense if you restrict yourself to physical boundaries. Notice also in the above verses that spiritual attributes came to play. (1) unthankfulness; failure to acknowledge God, and (2) pride. The imagination took off and they "called themselves wise" Here's some additional passages that warn against worshipping the creation over the creator.

Deuteronomy 4:15-18 "Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude of the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth."

I brought these verses up to set the stage for the following verse.

Deuteronomy 4:19 "And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

They worship what is created; they spend a lifetime trying to unravel the mysteries of the physical world while denying the one who created it all. The spiritual realm doesn't answer to the laws of physics. There's no mathematical equation that explains "From Everlasting to Everlasting" And yet God is from everlasting. There has never been a time when he "wasn't" and there will never be a time when he "isn't."

John 4:23-24 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

Isaiah 57:15 "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

I need to be wrapping this up for now; although it may be expanded later. If you don't know Jesus; if you think that this is all merely an exercise in theology, I would urge you to really examine it. In the early eighties, I was a "very confused teenager" with a love for astronamy and a fascination with almost every kind of paranormal phenomenon known. If you knew how incredibally messed up I was back then, you would really have to conclude that God is real and that he really can transform a person into a "new creature" through Jesus Christ. I still look up into the stars on dark nights, however, instead of wondering about all of the "alien civilizations" that must be out there, (a topic for a later post) I now have a one on one relationship with the one who created it all. You may ask "How can one entity create all of those galaxies; billions and billions of them?" Well; if you've been in existance for all of eternity past, you can do a lot. Time has no eternal standing. But rather than engage with endless questions, ask God, "in sincerety" to please show you his truth. In September of 1983, he did just that for me and I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. When all of this present physical reality is but a memory, I'll be with the saints; rejoicing in a "world without end." I really hope that you'll accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and will be there also.

Looking Unto Jesus

2006-11-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

Psalm 63:1-2 "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."

King David was called "a man after Gods own heart." He steadfastly sought the Holy One of Israel and didn't look to another. Other than the incident involving Bathsheba, he remained consistant; knowing that the Lord God is "a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) He was an example of how we ought to be in this age when men don't adhere to sound doctrine, but rather, heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. (II Timothy 4:3) We live in an era when ideas and images can circle the globe in the twinkling of an eye and can be distributed throughout the population of the whole world with very little effort. For example, a student in Waziristan can log onto the internet, type in philippians 320, and read this post only seconds after it's published. The internet, along with the media, will no doubt be instrumental in the distribution of the "big lie" that will cause the world to wonder after the beast.

Never has it been more important to keep our eyes on jesus and not become sidetracked by anything. There seems to be a neverending supply of sideshows and distractions that would get us involved with frivilous debates and questions instead of seeking the Lord Jesus in prayer and staying in his word continually. I watch christians become obsessed with the political process instead of preparing their hearts for the days ahead. (Just a note; with the introduction of electronic voting, accurate elections have been relegated to the pages of history.) I watch those who claim to love the Lord jesus Christ become overcharged with material gains and "pierce themselves through with many sorrows." (I Timothy 6:10) We see a falling away taking place as entertainment takes the place of true worship and time spent around the altar. These things will accelerate as the illusion of peace and safety gives way to the sudden destruction that's told about in I Thessalonians.

I Thessalonians 5:2-4 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief."

This is a theme that comes up quite often in both blog sites. To keep our eyes upon Jesus and not to be overcharged with the happenings of the day. In this age of incredible delusion and unbelievable shallowness, we must remain focused on the world to come. This we do, despite an environment that's coming increasingly hostile to the gospel.

Romans 13:11-14 "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore dast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."

Being sober-minded and serious in this hour is imperative, as is living a life of true holiness. Not putting on a show, but living for the Lord Jesus in all sincerety as a true remnant, determined to finish the race that is set before us. In other words, to just BE REAL! I have to cut this post short as I must go into town, but please keep your focus on Jesus and don't go chasing down rabbit trails that lead one into the realm of irrelevency.

Colossians 2:8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ"

I Timothy 1:4 "Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godlt edifying which is in faith: so do."

The Gathering

2006-10-31T04:55:00.000-08:00

II Corinthians 5:6-9 "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, wilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."

John 14:2-4 "In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."

Jesus came into the world to save sinners; that we, through faith, might have eternal life with him. We don't deserve it and we cannot earn it any more than your children could ever "earn" your love. You love them regardless of what kind of a mess they get into and you would do anything to keep them on the right track. It's a tragedy today, that most of the preaching seems to be focused on the present world; on material gain and the accumulation of "stuff." As a result, few seem to have their affections on things above; on the eternal realm of the everlasting. We should have our affections on the Lord Jesus Christ and earnestly desire to be with him. If your heart is contrary to this, some searching is in order. The Apostle Paul wrote about this desire to be with the Lord in his epistle to the Philippians.

Philippians 1:21-24 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful to you."

Paul had a completly Christ centered and unselfish attitude. He describes his fervent desire to be present with the Lord Jesus Christ; a desire that you should have if you're born again. He also expresses his love for the church and his desire to abide in this physical realm to address their needs. (This was the only reason that he had any desire to abide in this present world; to spread the gospel and minister to the saints who were needful of sound doctrine.) And such it is with us. I for one, would like very much to be present with the Lord Jesus at this very moment. This world is very much "not" my home and it's getting stranger every day. On the other hand, I know a lot of people whom I love dearly, that are not ready for eternity and I desire that they would know the Lord. To know him not as merely a historical figure or as someone far removed from the present, but as the risen Savior who desires a personal relationship with them. When it's all said and done, nothing else matters. I quoted this very recently, but here it is again as it amplifies this very thing.

II Peter 3:12-14 "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless."

Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

"World without end." The world to come will never ever end. That means that in ten trillion years, it'll still be in existance, although the concept of "time" will pass away with this present world. The human mind cannot even fathom such a concept; astronomers search the skies in search of how everything began and how everything will end up because they cannot grasp the concept of everlasting. They never consider that there's a spiritual realm and all that they see is the result of spiritual events. (God spoke the worlds into existance) The world to come will go on forever and as such if you know Jesus as your Savior you should be excited by just thinking about it. Your should rejoice when you think about the gathering of the saints together with the Lord jesus Christ. I know that I'm rambling a little, but read this next familiar passage.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

"So shall we ever be with the Lord." What an absolutely glorious thought. We'll never again be absent from the Lord Jesus Christ. This corruption will put on incorruption and we shall be changed in an instant. If you know Jesus; if you have the promise of eternal life abiding in you, NOTHING in this world should ever "get to you." I know that we all struggle with this to one degree or another, but everything down here will come to pass. "It's all going to burn: literally!"

This is why I get perplexed by preachers who concentrate on material gains in a world that's soon to be no more instead of telling the saints to "LOOK UP; your redemption draweth nigh." Read what Job said concerning the world that's to come. (even though he was lamenting his then current trial of faith)

Job 3:17-19 "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master."

Just a side note before continuing. The book of Job and Psalms, along with other portions of scripture, have such a flowing "poetic like" nature to them; you can only find it in the King James version.

We, in our fallen state cannot even begin to comprehend such a world where there's absolutly no sorrow, no wicked devices, no pride, no more parting and nothing that causes heartache. Yet it's real and it will abide forever. Saints of God; please stop naming and claiming a new SUV, a new house overlooking the ocean, or a new whatever it is that has taken your eyes off the world to come. SET YOUR HEART ON THE LORD JESUS AND YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE!

One of the biggest tragedies of all can be found in a nursing home such as the one that my dad is in now. These folks worked all of their lives; gained all that they could possibly gain, many had very rewarding careers, and now, as their days on earth approach their natural ending, what did it all mean?

Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

I've bounced around a little this morning but the conclusion is this: Jesus is coming. This world will pass away but the one to come will abide forever and ever. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, rejoice as the gathering of the saints is soon to take place.

Matthew 24:30-31 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Please strive to be ready for that moment. Revisit the last two chapters of Revelation; get them deep into your heart. Let me close this out by referring to the event that the apostle Paul mentions in II Corinthians 12:1-4.

"It is not expediant for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago. (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

Confusion of Forces II

2006-10-29T04:44:00.000-08:00

We are coming into the most perilous time in the earths history; a fact that I bring up continuously. I don't want to sound redundant, however, few in the world today really take it to heart. For those who don't know Jesus , it's nothing more than the same type of "doom and gloom" that we've been hearing about for centuries. For most christians, in this country at least, they subscribe to the "we're not going to be here" doctrine and therefore, they don't actively consider this matter. In other words, the abundance of warnings given throughout scripture go unheeded by the masses and as a result, very few are preparing themselves for the days ahead. I'm not talking necesarilly about physical preperations such as stocking up your bomb shelter, although I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone from doing so. I'm talking about spiritual preparation; seeking the will of the Lord Jesus, and having your treasures laid up in heaven.

II Timothy 2:4 "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

As we enter into the tribulation, the wheat and the tares will part company. As I write this, it's easy to say "I'm a christian" and to get into a church with a jazzed up worship service featuring all of the bells and whistles of your average rock concert. Such places draw thousands and as a result, we have the megachurch phenomenon of today. When the end time events told about in scripture are in full swing, you can expect a great falling away of "biblical proportions." The tares will never be able to stand and the carnal christians are going to find themselves in dire straits as they never gave thought to those things which they suddenly find themselves confronted with. The christians who follow after signs instead of the Lord Jesus will find themselves in a very confusing situation which brings me to the intended discussion topic of this post. There are real miracles and there will be false miracles; a situation not unlike the days when Moses went before Pharaoh. Here's a sampling of true signs.

Mark 16:16-17 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Ant these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

The gifts of the Spirit have an important role; the deliverance of folks from the power of the enemy being foremost. The gifts of the Spirit will always result in people coming to or drawing closer to the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, when a person is demon possessed and you cast that thing out in the name of Jesus, a deliverance takes place. A person is set free from a bondage that they had no ability to rid themselves of. (In such cases, it's imperative that the delivered person give their heart to Jesus after deliverance. Read Matthew 12:43-45 and Luke 11:24-26) The gift of tongues is the initial sign that a person has received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It's also important in prayer as we don't always know what to pray for and we need to be continuously refreshed. Here's some verses concerning this.

Romans 8:26-27 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

I Corinthians 14:2-3 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."

Once again, the Holy Ghost will always draw people closer to Jesus. He will not bring honor to a person or a ministry. Jesus Christ will be glorified. This is one of the ways that you can discern between real and not real.

Jude 20-21 "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

As for taking up serpents, this is spiritual warfare that we engage in 24/7 as the enemy is continuously coming at us. I know that some churches in the Appalatians practice "snake handling" but I think that doing such may be tempting the Lord. Likewise, the Lord can protect us if we drink any deadly thing, however, don't go trying it intentionally. The apostle Paul was struck by a viper on the Island of Melita (Malta) as he was bringing firewood. He didn't know about the vipers presence. In this, Jesus Christ was glorified as the people who witnessed the event expected Paul to be done for, and another opportunity to share the gospel arose. Laying hands on the sick is a gift of the Spirit and in this, once again, Jesus Christ is glorified. When Jesus was on earth healing all that were sick and casting out devils, God was glorified. People came from miles around to see him. This brought glory to the Lord; a fact that is ever so important to remember as we come into the time of strong delusions.

False signs and wonders have one function only; to draw people away from the Lord Jesus. They don't offer any form of deliverance, they only serve to "shock and awe" people into following a lie. Here's some exapmles of false signs.

II Thessalonians 2:9-12 "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Two thoughts about this. One: if you don't get sin out of your life; I mean strive daily to live a holy life, you'll be in danger of following a strong delusion. In I John we're told that if you love Jesus, you'll want to live for him. Two: during the reign of the antichrist, christians are going to be "prevailed over" in the physical world. To many, this will seem to disprove the authenticity of their faith. They're going to be made to look like the proverbial "cog in the wheel" as the man of sin puts the world back in order. (The devil can only appeal to the flesh)

Revelation 13:12-14 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worshiup the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth bu the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live."

These signs do not deliver. They don't set men free. They lead men into a delusional hope that will end up in a lake of fire. I cannot stress enough how perilous these times are. If you don't give your heart to jesus; if you hold on to sin, if you love your life in this world, if you continue going about your daily activities as though nothings ever going to change, you'll believe a lie. The antichrist is going to appear as a type of "messiah" He's going to bring the world into a new age of "enlightenment" and do away with the seemingly "backward thinking" christians and anyone who doesn't get on board with his plan for a new world order. If you have been watching the in-roads of new age thinking into our society as of late, you can see just how easy it will be for men to "wonder after the beast."

If you don't know jesus, please turn to him now. If you've been following afar off, please draw nigh to him. Get as close as possible. The lies of the age are going to be so strong as to deceive even the very elect. Please give this matter all diligence. Search the scriptures and search your heart. I'll close with what Jesus told us in Luke 21:19. I quote it a lot, so let me quote it once again.

"In your patience possess ye your souls"

Truth or Consequences

2006-10-26T22:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not exactly sure where this post is going to lead, however, I've been thinking tonight about the incredible amount of deception that's in the world today. As I write this, I uphold the holy bible to be the infalliable word of God and the basis by which all else is judged. I use only the King James version as all of the others tend to "alter" important passages; especially those which proclaim the deity of Jesus Christ. This is compounded by the fact that many christians prefer newer translations; claiming that they are "more accurate." The accuracy of the word of God has been under attack ever since the serpent told Eve "ye shall not surely die." I believe that there is one God who made all that is and that he is from everlasting to everlasting. He has manifested himself to us in three persons; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. These three are one. I Timothy 3:16 explains it like this.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

This establishes that the Lord Jesus Christ is who he told us he is in the bible. He is the Son of God; he is the express image of the Father. His name is above every other name. This is the name that you must call upon to be saved. This is the name that baptism should be done in. Colossians 3:17 says:

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

John 8:58 reads:

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

This fact, that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, is the single most important aspect to consider when discerning between truth and error. I bring this up because today, the world is filled with every kind of doctrine imaginable, ranging from the blatantly pagan such as hindu or wicca, to those with a christian looking facade such as mormonism or Jehovahs witnesses. They seem really honest, and they use nice sounding words. Further investigation of them, or of any false teaching, and you'll find a denial of the deity of Jesus Christ. Here is the admonition that the apostle Paul gave us in Colossians 2:8-10

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Anyone who tells you differently is preaching another Jesus; an occurance that We're warned about in Galatians 1:6-9. I remember back to the second friday in September of 1983 being in my folks living room at about 11:30 am. This was the moment that I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I understood that I was a sinner, deserving of hell, and that Jesus Christ had paid for my sins on Calvary so that I could have eternal life through faith in him. Not works, not a ten step plan, just simple faith. From the hour that I first believed, there were pitfalls. Almost instantly, the enemy whispered in my ear "oh, this will only last for a few days and you'll be back to your old self again." I determined all the more that I was serious. Later, I went to visit my sister who has been a mormon for years and guess what? She wanted me to become a mormon because "the bible contains inaccuracies" and they claim to have the "restored gospel." Mormons also believe that Jesus was created if I remember correctly. They attack the deity of Christ along with the infalliability of the word of God and sound "christian" while doing it. I knew very little concerning the scriptures , but something seemed "wrong." I didn't understand, at that time, the way in which the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth and will let us know when something's erroneous. He will always be in agreement with the word of God and will bring to rememberance that which we've read. He will always lift up the name of Jesus. We are instructed in I John 4:1-3 to try the spirits:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is in the world.

I talk about this because, the present confusion in the world concerning truth is soon to get far more confusing in the days ahead as the final showdown approaches. Mark 13:22 tells just how deceitful the times will be it will be.

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

We need to walk in the Spirit and hide the word of God in our hearts more diligently than ever. Not the teachings of man, the word of God. Examine everything; make sure that what you believe is scripturally sound and not just doctrinally "in line." It's a slippery slope when you follow a man and "hope" that he's telling the truth. If you've never received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, you need to be seeking it. It's for today; it's for every generation according to Acts 2:39 and you really need to be endued with power from on high. The days ahead are going to be nearly unbearable as the age comes to it's end. I'm not trying to sound negative; but a wake up call is very much in order. Tornados are negative, but if one's coming toward the house, I want to know about it so that we can get everyone into the basement. Jesus told us that prior to his return, there would be tribulation like the world has never seen. It'll be worse than both world wars, Stalins purges, the civil war, the turmoil in the Congo, the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the war in Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge reign of terror in Cambodia, the French Revolution, the Spanish civil war, and Saddam Husseins regime all rolled into one. It's going to be so bad that if the days weren't shortened, there wouldn't be anyone left alive. YOU NEED TO BE ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH! Read Matthew 10:19-20

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

Jesus is coming sooner than you think. I know that we've been hearing it for years. There are things transpiring in the world today that have never happened before such as global surveillance, chip implant technology, an emerging one world governing entity, most of our business transactions being done electronically, electronic voting that will forever ensure that the "right people" will be in power, and everything being hooked together via the internet. Trust me; every word that you've ever written on line is stored somewhere. (Here's a thought. Every word that you've ever spoken is also recorded in heaven.) The November issue of the Last trumpet newsletter talks about this in great detail. Here's another link to it along with links to other sites which expose some of the false teachings which are popular today.

www.lasttrumpetministries.org/2006/November2006.html

www.my.homewithgod.com/mpowell/Cultsexposed.html

www.sliceoflaodicea.com/

www.watchman.org

www.endtimepilgrim.org/corrie.htm

Well, I have to go for now. The things mentioned here; please search the scriptures and pray fervently for understanding. Each one of us should abide by James 1:5 which reads

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Euroclydon

2006-10-25T04:37:00.000-07:00

Luke 21:25-27 "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Mens hearts failing them for fear, and looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

Daniel 12:1 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

Hebrews 12:26-27 "Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

The preceeding scriptures tell of the times right before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. One thing that can be gathered from these is the fact that everything is going to be turned upside down. Currently, there are areas of the world that are in unbelievable turmoil such as the middle east, Darfur, Congo, Americas inner cities, Myanmar, and a host of other hot spots that are too numerous to mention. Yet one can find areas of relative stability and stay out of places that are experiencing such distress. For example, the area that I live in is a rural setting where the deer almost outnumber the people. (Maybe they do) We don't have devastating earthquakes or hurricanes, and the crime rate is lower than many other parts of the country. (although, last night, they found a meth lab in the plant where I work. One normally wouldn't expect that anyone would place such an operation in a high profile area such as a factory.) Nonetheless, this is a relatively uneventful area, as is much of Babylon...I mean America these days. Folks will be aware of turmoil in other places but never think that it can happen to them and thus, they proclaim "peace and safety" while heaping treasure together for the last days. They climb corporate ladders, save up for college tuition, plan their retirement, enlarge their homes, pull down their barns to make room for bigger ones, and never ponder for a moment that it all can come crashing down with little or no warning.

Have you ever been in a storm at sea? When I was in the navy, we found ourselves in a massive storm about 250 miles east of the New Jersey coast as we were heading for the Mediterranean. One thing about it; when you're at sea, everything is shaken equally. There's no place to escape the effects of the storm. It was so intense that as we passed over the swells, the front edge of the flight deck would hit the surface of the water. (Our ship was an LPH, less than half the size of a full aircraft carrier. Still, it was impressive) This storm lasted for about four or five days and when it was over, we had lost helocoper blades, trucks off the flight deck, ammo lockers that were bolted down and other items too numerous to list.

I bring this up because, when the great tribulation is in full swing, there will be absolutly no place to run and escape those things transpiring on the earth. I've heard survivalists talk about safe zones in the United States and elsewhere. There won't be any safe zones when this hits and it's going to catch most of the population totally off guard. In fact, it's going to take most christians by surprise as they were told for years that they wouldn't be around to witness such events. (the pre-tribulation rapture theory appeals to the flesh. It goes down smooth and makes one sleepy) I really believe that even those who are daily observing the progression of events will be surprised by the degree of chaos that will ensue. This doesn't mean panic and if Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord, you have absolutely nothing to be fearful about. You need only "endure to the end" Hold fast the profession of your faith steadfast unto the end.

If you think about it, there's really no place to run now. The "war on terror" has facillitated the implementation of extensive surveillance systems throughout the country and the NSA has absolutely no oversight as to what they do, much like the IRS. Here's a few things to ponder concerning this. (It's a rabbit trail, but here we go anyway)

(1) Do you remember the Mark Foley scandal? I remember CNN showing some of the instant messages. (not the really nasty ones; just the basic simple things) Their ability to retrieve those messages suggests that everything that you've ever written or done on the internet is stored somewhere. Even the stuff that you delete is stored somewhere. "They're making a list."

(2) Remember the president asking for "clarification" of the Geneva Convention; a treaty that never needed it before? It tells us that the rule of law isn't upheld by those in power, who have already displayed their disdain for human rights by using other countries to torture prisoners.

(3) Define "terrorist" Suppose that you belong to a group that the government one day decides is a terrorist group? Suppose that you're going around telling people that Jesus Christ is the only way to have eternal life and they decide that you're a "terrorist" because you're going around "terrorizing" people? Jesus told us about incredible persecution that would preceed his return; persecution that is already taking place in much of the world.

(4) Cell phones. If you carry one, they can pinpoint your location within an area of several feet; no matter where you are. The police state mentality is well in place and will only become more intrusive in the days to come.

(5) Chips ahoy. It's the final step as they track your every move and it'll be made to look like a desirable thing to have.

Have you ever watched a bull riding event? Before the gate opens, the rider is on the bull, penned up in a tiny area where the bull is almost going bonkers as he wants out. This is how the forces of darkness are today. We can see the forces of evil at work in the world and while each day is darker than the one before it, they're still being held back. When the Restrainer is taken out of the way and the man of sin is revealed, this world will enter will enter the most dangerous period in history. When the abomination that maketh desolate takes place, this world will seem to be coming apart at the seams as judgments are poured out on the antichrists kingdom. Jesus told us very specicically that the days to come would be worse than any other time in history. Read Revelation 13:7-8

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Nowhere to run; nowhere to hide. Falling rocks cannot hide you either. Only by giving your heart to Jesus can you be saved. There is no other pathway.

Acts 27:31 "Paul said to the centurian and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."

I need to close this up, but let me part with a few verses that will be very familiar to anyone who is aware of the times that we're in. Saints of God; stablish your hearts! This cannot be stressed enough. "In your patience possess ye your souls."

Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

Revelation 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Revelation 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and the lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

Revelation 22:20-21 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Confusion of Forces

2006-10-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

In the seventh chapter of Exodus, we find Moses as he confronts Pharaoh concerning the captivity of the children of Israel. In verses 10 through 12, Aaron casts down his rod before Pharaoh and it becomes a serpent. This is followed by the sorcerers and magicians of Egypt "doing so with their enchantments." (Although when the event was finished, the sorcerers and magicians had to go and get new rods because their old ones had been consumed) In verses 20 and 21, Moses and Aaron smite the the river and it is turned to blood in the sight of all, the fish die, and it stinks. In verse 22 we find that "the magicians did so with their enchantments." Next, we find that in chapter eight the the Lord brings the plague of frogs upon the land at the hand of Moses. Once again in verse 7 it reads "And the magicians did so with their enchantments." These are the only three incidents during the plagues that the Lord brought upon Egypt that the magicians were able to "do so with their enchantments" however those three incidents are very telling and they underscore a very real danger that's present today. The Egyptians were obviously in contact with some powerful entities and were able to perform things which had no physical explanation. This must have been confusing, initially at least, to those who saw the Lord work miracles at the hand of Moses and then to see the magicians do likewise. As you know, the rest of the ensuing plagues brought Egypt to complete devastation and those events could not be duplicated by either the magicians or the sorcerers.

Today we find that the concepts of magic and sorcery have captured the fascination of millions in the world; a fact that can be established by simply looking at the popularity of Harry Potter, Narnia, or anything that centers around magic. In fact, Narnia exposes the depth of this deception as many christians flocked to its viewing, thinking that it was a christian movie. (I'm puzzled as to how these professing christians arrive at that conclusion) In short we have a world that's being groomed to embrace the man of sin (antichrist) and many undiscerning christians are allowing themselves to be set up for the great falling away. Without a doubt, apostasy and lukewarmness is rampant in the modern church and becoming increasingly widespread. Nonetheless, the actual "great falling away" as told about in I Thessalonians I believe, will transpire when the man of sin is revealed. Lukewarm fence sitters will be totally caught off guard as they allowed their discernment to become obscured by embracing such things as Narnia along with a general refusal to "come out from among them and be ye separate". These folks will be completly unprepared for what's told about in I Thessalonians 2:9-12 which reads:

Even whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For thgis cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This passage of scripture tells how dangerous it is to continue to live in sin and reject the Lord Jesus Christ. It also has a warning to those who claim to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord, but don't abide by Hebrews 5:13 which talks about those who "by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." It's a dangerous thing to just "go with the flow" in an age when so much deception is permeating the very atmosphere. With the level of technology that we have today, one can formulate a lie, place it on the internet or on television and cover the entire world with it in a matter of seconds. A good example of modern deception would be anyone that proclaims that there are many paths to heaven; an inclusive idea that would indeed appeal to most, but is a lie because Jesus Christ is the only way. All have sinned and are deserving of eternal separation from God. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away sin. If anyone tells you that there's another way, they're speaking a lie. Here's a link that tells about some of the pitfalls of this age, many of which have a christian facade.

www.watchman.org

Amos 8:11-12 reads "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." We find this taking place today as folks run here and there "heaping unto themselves teachers, having itching ears" Seeking out smooth sayings and comforting words that cause one to feel good about themselves as they continue in their wicked lifestyle. Very few, today, abide by I Thessalonians 5:21-22 which reads:

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

And so, we find ourselves in the year of 2006, with halloween only a week away and millions of Americans embracing the images of darkness thinking to themselves "it's just a day for having a little fun. What harm can come from it?" Let me propose a question. Would you allow your child to go trick or treating wearing an Adolph Hitler costume? I'm thinking that unless you're a complete dingaling, you probably wouldn't allow it. Why? Because Hitler was an evil person; responsible for sending millions of souls into eternity. And yet you allow them to take on the image of witches, demons, ghouls, and anything else that comes to mind and you think nothing of it. "It's just a game." Most folks, including many christians, have no understanding as to the dangers of taking on an image of darkness. When you transform yourself into another image, you are taking on the characteristics of that image. It's not a game and the devil is playing for keeps; to keep as many from the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ as he can. As I try to wrap this up, let's go to Revelation 13:13-15 which tells about the second beast that comes up out of the earth.

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had a wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

There are so many lessons there as to the workings of delusion that time wouldn't permit one to go into all of them. Notice the operation of an "image" The image will "speak" and "cause all who don't worship the beast to be put to death" In Revelation 15:2, we read about those who had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his "image" and over his mark. One more thing before I close. The two witnesses will also be on the earth as told in Revelation chapter 11 which will have power to shut heaven up that it rain not and turn water into blood. Once again, this is going to be confusing to those that know not God; having chosen the pleasures of sin for a season. After the testimony of the two witnesses is completed, the beast that rises out of the bottomless pit shall kill them and the world will celebrate by sending gifts to each other. Three and a half days later, the Spirit of life from God shall enter into them and they shall ascend into heaven. I apolagize for paraphrasing. Please read Revelation chapter 11 to get the full account of this event. Mention of the two witnesses is also made in Zechariah chapter four.

Time is running out. IT REALLY IS RUNNING OUT! If you don't know Jesus, PLEASE turn to him now. Don't put it off even for a few hours. You never know when your final moment will take place. Jesus died on a cross and shed his blood for you; to pay for your sins along with the sins of the whole world. He rose again on the third day and all power is given unto him. He will save you if you ask him in sincerety. Regardless of your past or how wicked you may feel, he can, and will save you from all of that if you'll call upon him.

If you're interested in some in-depth understanding as to halloween along with the workings of occultism in the world today and endtime events as they are unfolding, the following links to David Meyers website are very informative. Also check out Kjos Ministries and demonbuster. Over on the Grace County blog site, listed in the links column, there's a number of additonal sites that are quite informative. Above all else, however, stay in fervent prayer and diligently hide the word of God in your heart.

www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract10.html

www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract_2.html

www.lasttrumpetministries.org

www.crossroad.to

www.demonbuster.com/index2.html

www.lastdaysmystery.info

www.endtime.com

Be Strong and Do Exploits

2006-10-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

John 11:9-10 reads "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him"

I quote this because there is a darkness that's falling across this land like never before. The grandiose delusions that are beginning to manifest will become so convincing as to "deceive, if it were possible, even the very elect." These are unbelievably dangerous times; not so much because of the physical tragedies that will come to pass, but because of the deceptions that will cause all, to receive a mark on their right hand or their forehead. They will, for a morsel of bread, sell their birthright and seal their doom. I've been thinking on Daniel chapter 11 tonight as it tells about those saints who will be alive during the tribulation. I'm aware of what most people believe concerning this and I would ask you to really examine it for yourself. Here's a link if you're interested in some things to ponder.

www.endtimepilgrim.org/post-tribrap.htm

Do you ever ponder what we're going to face in the days ahead? We know that the whole world is going to wonder after the beast saying "who is like him? and Who can make war with him?" I don't think that necessarily means who can come against him militarily, although arms will stand on his side. I'm certain that it means he'll seem like such a nice guy and he will seem to make everyones life better that you can't possibly be against him. Here's a recent example of a similar situation. Do you remember the death of Pope John Paul II? Folks came from all over the world, stood in line for days on end and wept uncontrollably as they passed by his body. They literally worshipped this "wonderful man of peace" and all of the reporters told of how great he was. Can you imagine the scene if one had gone in there and stated that this man held beliefs which were contrary to scripture? That person would have been made to look like a cold hearted, insensitive buffoon. Well this is the exact reaction that christians will get when they take a stand against the antichrist. They will be made out to look like the scum of the earth as they proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 1:18-31) The attitudes are already in place as new age thinking with it's "many paths to heaven" and "man is basically good" teachings sound like nice things to a delusioned populace that has no anchor of truth. When you tell people that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (which is true) and that few are going to come to him (which is also true) they will think you to be suffering from "srcewloose syndrome." When this situation comes to fruition, it will be quite obvious as to who the real saints are and who was pretending.

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:12)

In Daniel 11:32-35 we see how things will be for the tribulation saints. Some primary points are as follows: (these are just casual thoughts; please check it out as reading scripture is far better than anyones comments on scripture.)

(1) Be strong and do exploits. They will walk in the power of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit will be manifest among them. If you're not walking in the Spirit, you'll be in serious danger of joining the great falling away of carnal and lukewarm believers. Please, if you've never received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues seek it diligently. You really need to be empowered from on high and it's a promise to all who believe.

(2) They will instruct many. I imagine that a few who heard the gospel of jesus when they were younger will be ready to listen, along with some christians who were expecting to be out of here when this all came to pass. These folks will need to be in touch with those who have understanding as they didn't prepare for such times as this. (an interesting note; I know of folks who don't claim to be christians, yet they notice the world situation getting increasingly worse. They like to discuss these events and their significance even more than most christians.)

(3) They shall fall by the sword, flame, captivity, and spoil. In short, there going to be killed in various fashion, none of which are pleasent to the flesh. This should not be frightening to those who know their God. Jesus has promised to be with us always. Just as he was with Stephen in Acts chapter 7.

(4) Holpen with a little help. A few will probably try to hide them or get food to them. This may be referring to when they come in contact with other saints. (There's going to be a great falling away when the antichrist is on the scene and true saints will be hard to come into contact with.)

(5) Many will cleave to them with flatteries. They will sound like they agree with them, either to sooth their own conscience or to set them up for betrayal. The apostle Paul told about "perils among false brethren" (II Corinthians 11:26)

(6) Trial of faith. Some will fall and they will have an opportunity to prove that they really believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You won't lay down your life for something that you don't believe. (Remember Revelation 12:11) This is much like the third point

(7) Trials will purge them and make them white. Trials bring you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ and will bring saints closer together also. It's similar to how soldiers in a combat situation will develop a bond with each other that never would have transpired in a secure environment.

In conclusion, things are undoubtedly going to be incredibally turbulant, but Jesus will never leave us or allow us to be tempted above what we're able. Just a side note here, I've often had situations arise and I would find myself praying "Lord, this is too much for me to deal with." I have to repent because that's an inaccurate thought. He'll never allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear and that prayer suggests that I think he did. It's something that I find myself having to watch out for. Jesus will be with us always; even unto the end of the world. We need to strive to be as close to him as we can be and stay in his word. Delusions are coming that would appear (in the physical realm) to disprove the gospel of Jesus Christ; we must be ready for this assault. "Hold the Fort" as the song goes. Let me close out with Jude 20-21

"But ye, beloved, building up your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

The Edge of Seventeen

2006-10-19T04:37:00.000-07:00

On October 28, my oldest daughter, Morgan Lee, will have another birthday. As is the case with every parent, one ponders such times as this; how quickly they've grown, and the road that's ahead of them. It goes without saying that the world is a far more sinister place than it was in 1982 when I crossed the same threshhold. Evil men and seducers have waxed worse and worse; just as the bible said would happen. The world is merging into a single governing entity; just as the bible said would happen. The great falling away is ongoing as many today no longer endure sound doctrine but rather, heap unto themselves teachers, having itching ears, just as the bible said would happen. As a result, Morgan is maturing into a far more deceptive world than the one that existed on my seventeenth birthday, a mere twenty four years ago. In additon to Morgan, we have three other children whos names are:

Megan Marie- age 13

Matthew Edward- age 11

Ryan Lane- age 8.

As you can imagine, their well being is formost on my mind as is the case with every parent; not only in the physical world, but, more importantly in the spiritual realm. Each one of them has an eternal soul that will remain LONG after this present evil world has melted with a fervent heat. We tend to throw the bulk of our effort into preparing them for the world that is now, but will soon not be, while neglecting the more important issues. I'm as guilty as anyone concerning this and we all need to give heed to the things that are of real importance. This doesn't mean that you take your family, head to the tallest mountain, and sing "I'll Fly Away." (even though the moment of our Lords return is always in the forefront of our mind) It means that you put your priorities in the proper order. In other words, planning for the road ahead is indeed important, however, even the best laid plans won't amount to a hill of beans if today should happen to be your final one on this earth. Believe me, I'm not trying to sound negative, ( if a person is born again, leaving this world is absolutly not a negative) I'm just trying to be brutally honest. Here's a few verses to explain where I'm coming from.

(Proverbs 27:1) Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

(Ecclesiastes 2:16) For there is no rememberance of the wise more than the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? As the fool.

(Matthew 10:28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Just a thought before continuing. If Jesus was to be on the earth in a body of flesh today, how many churches would invite him to preach?

(II Corinthians 4:18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

(II Corinthians 5:10-11) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made minifest in your conscience.

(I Timothy 6:7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (read this whole chapter; it's very enlightening, as is all scripture.)

(James 4:13-15) Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

(I Peter 1:24-25) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Here is the conclusion of this post: You are here for a very short time. Your time here can come to an end with little or no warning, You will stand before God and give an account of the things done in this life. It's good to have a plan for this life as we each are in this world and have to live day to day. But know also, that you may never see your plans come to fruition. The only thing that really matters is "DO YOU KNOW JESUS?" If you have never asked Jesus to forgiove you of your sin; to come into your heart and save you, please do it today. Eventually your final day WILL play out and then, all of your best laid plans will be nothing more than just that; "plans" that never came to be. But if you give your heart to Jesus, you'll have joy unspeakable in this life; be it long or short, and when it's over, eternal life with joy that you can't even begin to imagine. Please choose wisely.

If I had gone into eternity when I was seventeen, I would be in hell at this very moment with no hope whatsoever. There are no second chances after this life is over; there's no such place as purgatory and you don't reincarnate as somebody else. These are doctrines of men which have no scriptural backing. If, however, you sincerely ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and save you, he will do so at the moment you ask. Your name will be written in heaven and you'll be a new creation in Christ. He paid for your sins on the cross so that you could live forever with him in eternity. Please accept the gift of eternal life before it's too late

The Beginning of Sorrows

2006-10-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is a powerblog as time is very pressing, but I wanted to comment on a few things before going to work today. First off, the situation in North Korea, I believe to be a diversion to the weightier matters of the day such as the true intentions of the Chinese and Russians. Again, if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, these events are not things to worry over, but are rather "indicators" or signs of the times that we're in. I find it fascinating how the United states government, along with all of the other UN members, treat the Chinese as though we're all on the same page. They have this "global community" mentality that will soon facillitate the man of sin who will seem to "put everything back together" after everything has seemingly fallen apart. It's all coming to pass before our eyes, while we're busy with every kind of silly diversion imaginable. The rhetoric against the North koreans is deafening, but I expect that it won't proceed much farther than words. You can be sure that the Chinese have other ambitions in this matter. (As do the Russians but that's another topic)

As for the Iranians, this is most likely where our next conflict will be as those in charge are planning to implement the apocalyptic senario that will bring about the twelth imam. They REALLY REALLY believe this and their actions will be in accordance with this belief. I really think that the Iranian situation is far more dangerous than what's transpiring in North Korea, although, anything that North Korea develops will eventually find its way into Iran. As you watch the situation in Iran unfold, along with the ressurgance of taliban activity in Afghanistan and the "CIVIL WAR" that's raging in Iraq, you can see how the war on terror is coming apart piece by piece. Most officials in Washington have concluded that we need a change in policy, but have no idea as to what kind of a change is workable. In other words, "we're stuck." The real tragedy of all of this is that thousands of unsaved souls are entering eternity with no remedy. THIS IS THE REAL TRAGEDY! Saints of God; pray fervently like never before as everything is going to be shaken to its core. That includes this country also. We have this notion that we're in no real danger, despite the 911 attacks and as a result, the slumber party continues on. There are also indications that the Syrians are busy with military preparations as they forsee military engagement in their future. The list could go on and on but you get the picture that kingdoms are rising against kingdoms as Jesus said they would do.

As for this country, there's a darkness falling across the land; a darkness that one can almost "feel." Do you remember the book "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. I read it in high school back in the early eighties and it dealt with a the members of a family in Holcomb Kansas who were murdered in their house one night by two guys who happened to be passing through the area. The crime was so shocking that it drew national attention for months on end. My understanding is that the author of the book was on site while the trial was going on; writing in real time. This was a crime the likes of which used to take place maybe once every fifteen years or so. Not so in 2006. We have just had another round of school shootings. A family of four, the parents and their two children, all shot multiple times along a Florida interstate. Yesterday, I saw in the Kalamazoo paper where a 22 year old man murdered his parents and three teenage sisters in Iowa. The wickedness of this generation is almost beyond belief, and yet we know that it's going to only worsen in the days ahead. Look to Jesus while there's still time. Turn to him in true repentance and ask him into your heart before it's too late.

As I glanced at the news earlier, the pundits were busy punditing and the politicians were busy politicing; looking to turn any event into political gain. The election is less than a month away, and I have no confidence in the flesh. The electronic voting systems that are coming into play district by district will ensure that "honest elections" will most likely never again transpire in this land. Jesus Christ is coming and every eye shall behold him. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord; please saints, don't lose sight of this. Hold fast the profession of your faith unto the end. The turmoil of the present is as nothing when compared to the glorious eternity that's just ahead. Let go of the flesh pots of Egypt and LOOK UP! Please pray all the more fervently for those who don't know Jesus that you rub shoulders with daily. As for me, I'm striving to be more sober-minded; a continuous struggle for me. Remember Thessalonians 5:16-24 reads:

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearence of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Sweet Hours of Prayer

2006-10-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

"Pray without ceasing." This is the admonishment that's found in I Thessalonians 5:17 and it has been a goal of mine for quite a while. To spend every available moment with the Lord Jesus in prayer as he is always ALWAYS as close as the mention of his name. He knows every thought, every need, every struggle; he is a faithful creator who loves us and is intimatly concerned for us. If there's one thing to think on, it's this; that we never walk alone if we're born of the Spirit, and there's nothing too difficult for God. There's absolutly no situation that's out of his control. We will undoubtedly have trials and tribulation in this life and it may seem at times as though we're in dire straits. But if we'll stay in Gods word and stay in a state of continuous fellowship with him, his perfect peace will abide with us and he'll bring us through without fail. Even though we know these things, it's always good to hear them again. Psalm 37:25 is one of those verses that you hear quoted often, which reads:

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

I have been seeking to spend every possible moment in fellowship with Jesus; be it at work, driving down the road, mowing the yard or whatever I may be doing. I would like to say that I've been successful, however, like most, distractions abound. In fact, it seems as though there are more distractions than ever as the spiritual war, that takes place all around us 24/7, is ever intensifying. The devil and his minions are fighting Gods people like never before. This is just all the more reason to press in; to give all the more diligence in seeking the Lord Jesus. We need to be alert to the ever so subtile devices that the enemy uses to hinder our prayer life, because it's in the prayer closet that strongholds are pulled down and captives are set free. James 5:16-18 reads:

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnistly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."

It almost makes no sense. We know how awesome time spent in sincere prayer is, we know that it's the place where battles are won, and yet we struggle to make time for it as we should. We tend to allow every kind of distraction available to keep us from our time with the Savior. We don't have time to play games in this late hour as I Peter 4:7-8 will attest. It reads:

"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

Did you notice that in the in James 5:16-18 and in I Peter 47-8, we're instructed to pray for and love the brethren who are in the same battle as us? To be in one accord with those in whom we have fellowship and "let brotherly love continue."To seek the Lord wholeheartedly and lift up the saints as the world is falling apart all around us. There is no doubt in my mind about this; that the battle lines are becoming increasingly clear. We all need to become prayer warrors as the world is preparing to receive the big lie that the antichrist will profigate. Pray for discernment; pray for the saints, and pray all the more fervently for those around you who aren't ready to go into eternity. With so many souls hanging in the balance, this is as serious as it gets. I try to target those unsaved persons with whom I have continuous contact; that the Lord would grant wisdom in talking with them. I have a history of saying the wrong things at the wrong time and not speaking out when I need to. Walking in the Spirit is so important; not only for ourselves, but for those around us who need Jesus. I pray that we all would strive to be in continuous fellowship with the Lord with more diligence than ever before. Jesus really is returning. The more that we understand this, the more that we'll be about the business that really matters.

If Thine Eye Offend Thee

2006-10-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

As I write this morning, the topic is one that I can relate to, personally, from a "don't let this happen to you" perspective. Proverbs 4:23 reads "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" I quote this verse often because we are in an age of unparalleled deception and many are in grave danger of being overcome by temptation. In an E-mail sent out by Millenial Voice Ministry, Pastor Pretlow spoke about the hour of temptation and how so many are toying with disaster. They do this by allowing little "thoughts" and "images" to linger in their minds. They will "entertain" wicked desires for a brief moment before casting them down. As time goes by, those "moments" will become gradually longer until, finally, discernment is obscured and sin, that was once a thing of the past, comes roaring back with a vengance. I was in a miserable backsliddeen state for over thirteen years because I began to entertain thoughts and eventualy, sexual sin became manifest. There was a time in which I was so "sure of myself" concerning spiritual matters, that the very idea of falling into sin was a danger that I didn't really take seriously. When opportunities arose, I tumbled. I praise God that I've been married for over fourteen years and I love my wife very much, but being "afar off" from the Lord Jesus for such a long time was depressing beyond description. It's SO IMPORTANT to not give any place to the devil. It's so important to keep our thoughts pure; to cast down imaginations, no matter how benign they may seem to be, that serve only to exhalt flesh. This is SO URGENT; I cannot stress it enough. The great falling away is currently ongoing and iniquity abounds. The very airwaves all around us are saturated with pornograghy, hatred, envy, sorcery, pride, and every form of evil imaginable. Pastor Pretlow mentioned the string of school shootings that have taken place over the past two weeks. People are going nuts; demonic posession is far more rampant than most of us can imagine. PLEASE SAINTS of the MOST HIGH GOD; diligently do the things that you know to do. Pray fervently, fast, and stay in the word of God. Jesus Christ is the True Vine; we are the branches, and if we don't abide in him, WE WILL DIE. There's no "maybe" about that. Here's some very familiar verses that need to be revisited.

Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

I Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Matthew Chapters 24 and 25 (please read them over again)

Ephesians 5:11-12 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done in secret.

Hebrews 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try nthe reins, and give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their own lives unto the death.

I know how familiar these scriptures are to those who spend time in the bible and the list could go on. We live in an age where prosperity and success in this life are dominate issues in much of the teaching that goes on. Sin is rampant in the church and we must all keep our guard up. I praise God for granting me a space of repentance when I went into rebellion. We dare not get so overly confident in our spirituality that we let our guard down for a second. Trials are going to come; temptation will always be lying in wait, the devil will continuously walk about as a roaring lion, this battle will be waged as long as we have another law working in our members. I pray that as this age comes to a close, we would all have a testimony like the apostle Paul in II Timothy 4:7-8 which reads:

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Jesus is returning for a bride without spot and blameless. I pray that this would be consistantly in our hearts and that we would look to him as we are going to be together for all of the ages before us; world without end.

The Wind Bloweth:

2006-10-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

In I Kings 17:1, we are introduced to Elijah the Tishbite as he confronts Ahab. We have no written record concerning his life prior to this event, however, we can conclude that he walked with God and was sensitive to the Holy Spirit. In scripture, he seems to just "come on the scene" at the appropriate time. We can gather that this was commonplace when reading of the conversation that he had with Obadiah. He told Obadiah to tell King Ahab, that he would see him on that day. Obadiahs reply was "If I do that, while I'm gone, the Spirit of the Lord will take you elsewhere and Ahab will do me in" (I'm super paraphrasing here but the story can be found in I Kings chapter 18) A person who is really close to the Lord will do things and go places that make absolutly no sense to the physical realm. Jesus spoke of this to Nicodemus in John 3:8 which reads:

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Many examples are found in the new testament such as in II Corinthians 12:2-4 where Paul tells of a man who was caught up into paradise. In fact, as Paul is telling of the incident, he mentions not knowing if he was in the body or out. In Acts chapter 8, Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch about the Lord Jesus Christ and the eunuch, upon believing, was baptized by Philip. Verses 39 and 40 read:

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

If there's one thing that is needful today, it's walking in the Spirit and not trusting in the things that we can see and touch. We tend to put faith in our jobs, our education, technology, psychology, ten-step programs, political entities, anything and everything except the Lord who fills heaven and earth. As this age reaches its apocalyptic conclusion, it's more important than ever to hear the still small voice and then, upon hearing it, "just do what he says to do." It sounds so easy and the principle is indeed a very basic one, however, the flesh man hates having to do something that requires trusting in that which isn't seen. As a result, most of us never "launch out into the deep." We hug the shoreline, we entangle ourselves with the worlds system, we find our niche in a local assembly,we establish our career path, we become consumed with living day to day, and we "plateau." Not growing; not necessarily slipping back, just being "average." We conform to those saints with whom we have fellowship and we "mark time." The herd mentality is unbelievably dangerous; especially in this age of Laodiceanism and apostasy.

We really need to seek out the old paths and really seek the Lord. Here's a heart check for us all; myself included. Remember the rich ruler in Luke 18:18-27? What would you do if the Lord made it clear to you in no uncertain terms that he wanted you to do this? To cut all of your ties, sell everything, and go to another country; lets pick Eritrea. I fear that most would walk away sorrowful. All of us are too tied to this life; ALL OF US have too much confidence in the flesh. We gather with the saints,we spend time in the prayer closet and have an awesome time in the Lord, we search the scriptures, we proclaim truth to those around us, yet most of us are more entangled with this life than we realize. This issue requires seeking the Lord diligently as to line up with his will.

I remember back in 1986, I was in the navy and our ship was in New Orleans during the Mardi Gras "thing." We met a man who literally lived by faith. He went from town to town spreading the gospel, and seemed to have no ties to any one place. The meeting on that night wasn't a very long one. Nonetheless, as we went our separate ways I thought on this. How awesome it would be to just go from place to place; no ties to this life, just trusting God and being obediant. That would be so awesome. The time may well come when we will have no other choice. When the beast government is in place and economic activity requires a mark, we'll have no choice but to trust God and remember I Peter 4:19 which reads:

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator.

That's a hard verse to most and even though it's in scripture, you'll probably never hear anyone preach from it. Our life is in Christ; not this world. As I write tonight, I'm semi-distracted as Jeffery Epstein from "Americas Truth Forum" is on Coast to Coast talking about the situation with North Korea and Islamic Fundamentalists in this country. THE ARM OF FLESH WILL FAIL. We all know the scriptures concerning the end of this age and what is soon to befall the whole world. WE MUST GET CLOSE TO JESUS! We neglect this at our own peril. Please seek the Lord wholeheartedly and lay aside every weight and sin that would beset you.

Circles in the Sky

2006-10-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you." These are the words that Jesus spoke in Matthew 24:4 as he began to expound on the events that would be transpiring on the earth prior to his return. The first thing that he mentions is to beware of deception. I talk about the end times a lot, because we are living in them. Just as Simeon most likely talked about the first coming of Messiah; the Holy Ghost having revealed to him that he would lay eyes on the Savior, we are living in the time of Jesus return and therefore, we think about it often. (Well; a few of us do, at least) Usually when you talk about the tribulation, I've noticed some will get a little uncomfortable and will finally reach for the "escape clause." They will interject "that's interesting; boy I'm glad we're not going to be here because we're not appointed to wrath." They will dismiss Daniel chapter 7, Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 14:12, Revelation 15:2-5 Revelation 16:15, and Revelation 20:4-6 as applying only to Israel and to those who couldn't live for Jesus, who will now have to die for him to be saved. As mentioned in earlier posts, "If you can't live for him in time of peace and safety, how are you going to lay down your life then?" The timing of the rapture is not an issue dealing with is a person saved or not. I fellowship with a church that holds the view of a pre-tribulation rapture, as do most, however, they understand the scriptures concerning "what must I do to be saved?" They believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit. The issue concerning the rapture is merely a question of timing; just as questions of timing came up when Jesus was with us in a fleshly body. (such as in Acts 1:6) I talk about it, however, because it will determine how you prepare spiritually for the days ahead. In earlier years, I was guilty of placing more faith in the pre-tribulation rapture teaching than in the Lord Jesus who has promised to be with us always. I was fearful of having to face anything like what the early church faced and so, like most, I embraced the pre-tribulation doctrine; memorizing the two primary verses used to support it. The timing of the Lords return is also a source of deception if one isn't ever so careful. Normally I'm leary of internet prophesies because there are so many out there and anyone can say anything. I bring this one up though, because, it depicts just how deceptive these days can be. You may believe it or not believe it; I'm just linking to it. www.stevequayle.com/News.alert/06_Prophetic/060825.rapture.html Is this vision real? I don't know; I wasn't there. Nonetheless, it shows just how dangerous the times are. Please ponder something for a moment. Just suppose, that tomorrow, a series of earth-changing events begin to take place, men begin to go crazy, a man with "all of the answers" steps in and brings restoration, he requires everyone to receive a mark "for their own protection" or whatever reason they use, and the church is still here. How many of us would be a little perplexed by, and very unprepared for, this situation? This is why I talk about it; to get anyone who may pass by here to think, to pray, and to search the scriptures. To focus on the things that really matter. To truly look to Jesus; the Author and Finisher of our faith. To pray that we may be accounted worthy to escape these things, but also to be ready for whatever may come our way. As I write this, christians are being killed in various parts of Asia and Africa for their faith. This has gone on ever since Abel was slain. Only four people were on the earth and we already had our first murder because someone wanted to enter in another way. And so it goes on, even today, as they that kill us will think that they do God a service. (I apolagize for paraphrasing a little) Jesus will NEVER EVER leave us hanging out to dry. Whatever we may have to go through, he's right there with us, while on the other side, thousands upon thousands of saints from every tribe under heaven are cheering us on. "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelation 6:11) Saints; my question is simply "Do you really love the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you really truly love him and is your treasure laid up somewhere beyond the blue? If so, then whatever transpires here isn't such a big issue. Our primary purpose is to be a light shining into a world in desperate need of a Saviour. I pray that whatever amount of time we have left, we would give all diligence to reaching the lost and praying ever so fervently for those around us who aren't ready for eternity. Jesus IS coming. When he appears, we shall be like him. This corruption must put on incorruption and this mortality must put on immortality. I pray that you would think on these things and keep your heart with all diligence.

Just a supplemental point. We are not appointed unto wrath; this is true. If you're born again and you love jesus, Gods wrath doesn't abide on you. However, the devil hates you and will try to destroy you. Your faith may have to undergo fiery trials; just as the early saints were tried. Read about the church of Smyrna. Jesus told them specifically that they were going to have tribulation ten days and some of them would be imprisoned and killed. They were not appointed unto wrath, however, their faith was tried by fire. Read II Timothy 2:4.

Sinister Stew

2006-10-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure exactly how to begin this as there are so many aspects to the way that everything is coming together. I was going to make some links to various articles concerning microchip implants, but there are so many out there; all of being very ominous as to what befalls this generation. The best thing to do is to do a google search on "human chip implants" and read on from there. Here's one that stuck out as I was reading. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002835871_chipimplant01.html It tells of a man in Seattle who took one and is fascinated with the way he can access things almost like magic. It seems to me that the term "magic" is being heard with increased frequency these days. As I was at work tonight, I was thinking on the "big lie" that will deceive the entire world. Already, the undercurrent of occultism is permeating every area of our culture; even churches. One only has to look at the success of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Narnia, the Star Wars movies, and nearly anything having to do with the forces of darkness to know that the culture is being transformed from one of a predominatly christian heritage into one of a dark mystical nature. These things have a "drawing you in; captivating effect" on unsuspecting folks who don't know Jesus as their Saviour, or are totally lacking in discernment. (This explains why so many professing christians are fascinated by Narnia.) As I was pondering this tonight, I remembered reading an article about chip implants (It may even be in the provided link; I'm not sure) in which the recipient exclaimed "It's so cool! It's like you wave your hands and abracadabra; the door opens." Anyone reading this post please note that WE ARE IN VERY PERILOUS TIMES AND DECEPTION IS ON EVERY CORNER! The fascination with the occult world, the fascination with the latest gizmos to come out of "Gadgetopolis" the ever increasing pace of life, the mind-numbing so called "entertainment" of the day, the "it's all about me" attitude that even finds its way into the church via "purpose driven", and "prosperity" teaching, and the neverending pursuit of peace and safety through the institutions of man. All of these things are pointing to one catastrophic and prophetic conclusion. The man of sin is preparing to come into the arena and cause the world to follow him. The conditioning of the population is nearly complete and if you don't know Jesus, you will believe a lie. I believe that the coming delusions are going to be so strong and convincing that anyone still believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and maintaining their faith in his word will be made to look like a total imbecile. (The preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness) I almost expect scientific "proof" to be wheeled out that would disprove christianity. Here's a senario; especially for pre-tribbers, but really for anyone who professes faith in Jesus. Suppose one day, there's a press conference at the Jet Propulsion laboratory in Pasadena CA. A group of scientists step onto the platform and set up some photographs. "These photos were taken by the two Mars rovers and the first one shows an ancient brick road; going for several feet before disappearing under the sand. The next few photos reveal ancient ruins and one even has some form of "writing" on it. It looks like ancient Egyptian or Mayan. And here, we have what appears to be a pyramid, piercing the desolate martian landscape." How is your faith holding up now? The time is coming in which faith in Christ is going to bring unimaginable ridicule as scientific "enlightenment" appears to provide "concrete"answers to the questions of the ages. I don't know that an illusion of ancient martian civilizations will be called into play, but it's possible. Do you remember the Soviet Union? (It's still there, by the way, and contrary to the peace and safety chorusters, it's still dangerous) In the past, the institutionally sanctioned method for handling christianity, was to treat it as a mental disorder; commiting many of the saints to psychiatric "hospitals" for treatment. There really is nothing new under the sun and these patterns will only intensify as the end approaches. So what can be gathered from all of this? Get close to Jesus and be sensitive to the Holy Ghost more than ever. I mean really strive to be as close as you can be. I know that a lot of these posts have the same theme, but it's important like never before. Isaiah 26:20 reads "Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." Here's another idea. Tomorrow as you head out to gather with the saints at your local fellowship, spend some time at the altar before things get started. It's far more important than hearing brother So and So tell about his vacation. (Nothing against brother So and So; it's just that we obsess about many trivial things) This age really is coming to an end. Look to Jesus; he promised to be with us always. I pray that when this age is finished we all would have a testimony like the apostle Paul who stated in II Timothy 4:7-8 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing."

The Last Day

2006-10-05T06:18:00.000-07:00

It was the day before the flood. They awakend that morning and planned out the day that lay before them. For some, it meant tending to the crops in the field. For others they were building a new house as their family had outgrown the old one. (They undoubtedly had huge families in those days.) Many were travelling from one place to another place; either to trade, to visit, or to obtain wisdom from an elderly sage in a distant land. Some were making garments and some were creating various forms of artwork. Nearly all were preparing their children to eventually take their place in the world when they became adults. Community leaders gathered to plan out the cities that were inadequate for the fastly expanding population. There were weddings to take place and infants were born. Some went into eternity on that day. It was a day like any other day. It was just like all of the days before it. There was, however, one thing that stood out. Just outside of the community, there was a "goofy old man" who had been loading animals into a large "barn...boat...looking thing." He had been there for years talking about the end of the world. Today, however, there was very little activity over there. But not to worry. There's so much that we have to get done; there's simply no time wo wonder what has become of the old man with his "crazy ideas" There were too many "important" things to get done; no time to wonder if there is a God and is he happy with all of the violence and sin that has permeated the culture. They never stopped to consider if perhaps the old man outside of the community might be onto something. Something important. Well as you know, nobody listened to the old man with a boat loaded with animals, escept for his wife, his three sons, and their wives. The next day, water began to fall from the sky; something that had never happened before and suddenly, some of the people recalled the old mans words. They rushed out to where he had been but all was quiet. He was inside and the door was closed. Well, you know the story all too well; everyone has heard the story of Noah. Everyone has heard about how nobody listened to him until it was too late. The old world was destroyed by water because of the wickedness of man. Fast forward to the twenty first century AD There have been untold numbers of warnings about the end of the world. There have been prophets and teachers, and evangelists criss-crossing the globe to get the word out about a Saviour who came to save sinners. A Saviour names Jesus Christ who paid for our sins to save us from being lost forever. He's soon to return and those who don't know him will cry out to the rocks "fall on us and hide us from him that sitteth on the throne." Yet everyone is busy climbing corporate ladders, preparing for exams, building nest-eggs, purchasing houses, planning vacations, running here, running there, taking pride in their sophisticated lifestyle, and doing everything under the sun to keep from thinking about eternity. Anything to keep themselves entertained while the end of the age is approaching rapidly. They ignore the signs and tune out the preaching of the word of God. Even though the signs are everywhere that you look. You have to be careful so that you don't trip over them. Here is the conclusion to this. We are coming into the most devastating period in the history of the world. It's going to be so horrific that you most likely won't live through it. If you don't know Jesus as your Saviour, you'll believe a lie and will follow a slick counterfeit. He'll restore order but you'll have to give your heart to him and receive his mark. If you do that, there is no more opportunity for salvation. Just as Noah couldn't open the door to those who were clammering to get in as the waters rose, the "mark" is a final act of disobediance to the God who created all things and made a way for you to escape. Today is October 5, 2006 and the time is 10:25 am here in Constantine. The time of salvation is now. The time for you to turn from your sin and ask Jesus Christ to save you is now. Does it sound a little scary? If you're not born again, you should be terrified. But it's the fear of the Lord that will bring you to him. Like the song goes "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed." If you don't know Jesus as your Saviour, I pray that you would turn to him now and that this would be the hour that you first believe.

You'll Never be "Here" Again

2006-10-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a "mixed bag of thoughts" post. First of all, if you're awake at 1:00 am eastern time, you may want to tune in to Coast to Coast AM with George Noory. Starting in the second hour, he's going to be talking with Jerome Corsi, author of "Showdown with Nuclear Iran." This guy has really good insight into many events of the day; not only the Iranian situation but also the emergence of globalism, NAFTA, and a host of other topics. His articles can be found at www.humaneventsonline.com/search.php?author_name=Jerome+R.+Corsi Normally I wouldn't advise tuning into Coast to Coast if you are discernmentally challenged, but this interview should be very informative. The program is on hundreds of AM stations across the country. As for the title of this post, I saw an article at www.physorg.com/news79094343.html about how our local group of galaxies is travelling at nearly one million miles per hour heading toward the "Great Attractor" supercluster of galaxies. This really has no bearing on anything but I bring it up for two reasons. One, I have always enjoyed astronomy as the firmament really does proclaim what an awesome God we serve. Two, it gives a physical picture of how time is fleeting. When a minute is gone, it'll never come back. Just like you will never stand in the place twice. For an example, suppose you leave your computer and come back an hour later. You're now in a place that you"ve never been in before. While you were gone, the earth travelled in its orbit around the sun. While that was taking place, the sun was moving in its orbit around the galactical center. As that was transpiring, the galaxy was moving through space at nearly one million miles per hour. And so it goes on continuously. This means that you are now almost one million miles away from where you were when you got up to leave your computer. You're in "uncharted territory." LIterally. Just like you can never get back to where you were, you can never retrive lost time. Therefore we ought to be diligent about serving the Lord Jesus Christ and utilize each day wisely. Again, as in everything that I put down, I'm pointing a finger at myself as fall way short of using time as wisely as I could. (For example, I blog more often than I should.) For my final segment of thoughts, I haven't tuned into any news this morning, but a lot of oddball things are transpiring. The shootings at the amish school house are beyond shocking and beyond description. It amazes me, still, how a person can have a completly normal demeanor, and on the inside, he's posessed. How do you defend against such situations? The only defence is to know Jesus as your Saviour. Then, if something happens, you're ready to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. The days are getting darker and there's been a host of shootings in the past weeks. It's as though something is getting ready to break. Then we have the E-mail scandal in Washington and the only thing that comes to mind is the verse in I Timothy 5:24 which reads "Some mens sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after." Know this; that God knows every single E-mail, every thought, every intent of the heart. You don't have any "dirty little secrets" that God doesn't know about. But if you'll repent and ask Jesus into your heart, he'll take away your sin and give you a new heart. In other news, the dow hit a new record yesterday. What does this mean? Nothing really. More talk of peace and safety, a little more proclamation of "the party is never going to end." The situation in the middle east is still going as it has been going for some time now. Mesopotamia is in a state of civil war, attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan are increasing, and I wonder if Waziristan will have a seat at the United Nations (beast government) in New York. "Nation shall rise against nation." Jesus is coming. This is the one truth that really matters. Jesus return is at hand. If you don't know him, please turn to him today. You may not live to see tomorrow. This is not to sound "gloom and doomish," this is basic reality. You do not know when you will take your final breath. The only thing that matters is "Do you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour?"

Behold, I am here, Lord

2006-10-03T07:19:00.000-07:00

As I begin here, my thoughts are scattered in so many directions. Never has it been more urgent to seek the will of God and be obeidant; even if obediance means doing something that's the exact opposite of "conventional wisdom." I cannot stress this one salient fact enough. THIS IS COMING TO AN END! This age is on the final page of the final chapter. Just a passing glance at the days news will reveal that mens hearts are growing darker and the mystery of iniquity is soon to be in full swing. There's been another string of senseless shootings such as the kid in Montreal, the two sheriff deputies in Florida, the school principal in Wisconsin, and yesterday, the Amish girls in Pennsylvania. While I don't know anyone in the Amish community personally, I have interacted with them many times over the years as there are many in this area and in northern Indiana. They're honest, hard working people and I have the utmost of respect for them. Without a doubt, when the economy collapses, these folks will be the ones who know how to survive. (again, not if, but when. "Except those days be shortened") When I was growing up in the seventies these things didn't happen; at least not in rapid succesion as they are now. II Timothy chapter three says it all. Every soul is priceless and every person is made in the image of God. The devil has been blaspheming God and seeking to destroy his image ever since he fell like lightening. PLease pray for the families of the victims mentioned above. The stage is being set. The transpiring events; the random violence, the conflicts in the middle east, the economic undercurrents, the emergence of a surveillence system that makes one wonder if privacy has gone the way of disco (good seventies analogy) the RFID tracking technology, chip implants, electronic voting where there's no paper trail (accurate elections are a thing of the past) genetically modified foods, terminator seed technology which makes a farmer 100% dependant on the seed company; all of these things are being orchestrated by the powers of darkness, The devil and his minions working in unison to cause the world to receive their representative, the antichrist. They will have a season, but it will be a very short season as Jesus is returning and will destroy them with the brightness of his coming. So, in the meantime, what do we do? If you're not a christian, REPENT! Ask Jesus to forgive you of all of your sins and to be your Lord and Saviour. And be serious about it; he WILL save you if you ask. If you're born again, seek Gods will with a fervor like never before. This is serious time. Lay your own designs aside and really ask the Lord Jesus "What would you have me to do? Here am I Lord." I'm facing this on a number of fronts. On a personal level, I have unsaved family members; a situation that weighs heavily upon me. The plant is offering buyouts and I'm wondering if this is the time to make a move. (The arm of flesh will fail; don't lean on it too heavily) Sunday, I visited a church that's been on my heart to visit for two years but I kept getting sidetracked into others. I now am confident that it's the place that I'm supposed to be at this time. All of these things require fervent prayer and fasting. To really lay our all on the altar and allow the Holy Spirit to "alter" us. And please please please, SET YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE! Have you ever read Philippians 3:20, the scripture for which this site is named? It says "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." This is where we ought to keep our conversation. Think about the world to come, think about your GREAT SALVATION, think about being with Jesus for all of eternity in a world where divine peace and love is everywhere. Where all of the saints, from time of Abel, throughout the old testament, the earliest christians, those who came out of great tribulation; all who LOVE JESUS gathered together with him. "And so shall we ever be with the Lord." The title of this post was the response that Ananias gave the Lord Jesus in Acts 9:10. It ought to be our response as well.

I Discerned among the Youths

2006-10-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

We live in a most percarious age; one in which a person can take a lie, package it, place it on the internet and it travels around the world in seconds infecting anyone in it's path. With over six billion people on earth, the scope of falsehoods and delusions is rampant. I remember as a kid back in the 1970's thinking "there's so many denominations; how can anyone know which one is right?" This sense of discouragment is magnified a thousand times today and it helps to explain the upswing in lawlessness, occultism, and every form of evil that one can imagine. Islam is conquering Europe one disgruntled youth at a time as the nations on that continent have pushed God out of their conscience. When a nation turns its back on God; the one who can either establish or throw down a nation at will, you can be certain that the devil will have a counterfeit waiting to fill the void. Everywhere you look, "new age thinking" is taking hold as the world is being prepared to receive the man of sin. Even many churches teach new age methods and the undiscerning congregation eats it up. David J Meyer made an interesting observation in his October letter. (see the link in the previous post) He stated that when a person gets away from a steady prayer life and bible study, the first thing to go is discernment. This discernment deficiency will set in completly unnoticed by the individual who has unwittingly allowed other issues to eat away at quality time spent with the Lord. It's one of the oldest tricks of the enemy as he works to neutralize your relationship with the Holy One of Israel. Hebrews 5:14 reads "But strong meat belongeth to them that are full of age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." In other words "use it or lose it." I've stated it before but here it is again "Don't place a man between you and God." Try the spirits to see if they be of God. Search the scriptures daily and pray continuously. Jesus told us "Take heed that no man deceive you" because he knew how rough things were going to be in this age. Lies are packaged and made to look like truth and with a generation so removed from biblical teaching, it's a recipe for calamity. And a calamity it will indeed be when you lose your footing. As the world is ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, christians have a firm foundaton that has passed the test of time, because it is timeless. The sweet Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth and bring all things to our rememberance; always lining up with the word of God. The pitfalls are everywhere; even in the churches. They appeal to the flesh and make perfectly good sense if you're not grounded in the word of God. So while you've probably heard it a thousand times, let me repeat it again "pray without ceasing and stay in the word of God.

State of the Union

2006-09-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

Good morning in Jesus name. I should be in bed now as tomorrow is Sunday and I'm minded to visit a new church in Sturgis. (Not new, but I've never been there) I just posted on Grace County and then copied the October newsletter from David Meyer. If interested in reading it, here's a link. www.lasttrumpetministries.org/2006/October2006.html There's so many events that are coming together at this moment that it's amazing that anyone can be still slumbering. I talk often about the end times; not in explicit detail, but more as one exhorting any passer by to prepare for the comng of the Lord Jesus. To prepare spiritually for what is the most dangerous age in the history of dangerous ages. Americans have this notion (I know because I hear them proclaim it daily) that the party is going to go on for ever and ever. We, as a nation really do have a "I sit a queen and am no widow" mentality. We take pride in calling ourselves the "lone superpower; why if anyone crosses our path, we'll just nuke them back to the stone age" That haughty attitude is rampant as we really feel that we're "just too strong militarily" to ever be defeated. (How's that liberation of Mesopotamia working out?) It's not much different that the prevailing attitude of the Romans who were, in their time, also the worlds "lone superpower" The Romans were not defeated by a bigger empire. They fell apart from within and their borders were overrun by the Lombards, Vandals, and a host of other peoples until there was no empire left. I am convinced that Americas downfall won't be over the course of decades or centuries, but over the course of hours. Read Revelation chapter 18. If that doesn't describe this country, it's close enough to be alarming. That is unless you know Jesus, then you shouldn't be caught off guard by the events that are taking place or by those that are about to. I would imagine that some of the posts on here would be considered unpatriotic or overly obsessed by the end of days. Let me address both. As far as patriotism, I am as American as I've always been, although my true citizenship is in heaven ever since I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I'm also aware that America isn't what it was when I was growing up. It's being eroded from within as immorality is rampant and the financial state is in turmoil. Jobs are being lost that will never come back. (My job is standing in line waiting.) Incomes are down, foreclosures are up, and the borders are wide open. I hear pundits debate on how many people are here illegally. The truth is that they have NO IDEA of who's here and what they're up to. Or maybe the government does know what they're up to and they're allowing it. One thing is for certain. "On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand" Those lyrics have never been more true than today. As for the charge of obsessing about the end times, dear passer by WE ARE IN THE END TIME! This is the final act. The world that you grew up in no longer exists as the beast government is coming together piece by piece while you're busy with your fantasy football league. You've heard the warnings for years about the return of Jesus and the perilous times proceeding his appearing. The warnings will soon come to an abrupt end and when they do, I pray that you know Jesus and are close to him. Well it's late. REALLY; it's late in every way that it can be late. I must get to bed, but please think on these things. They'll either cause you to go nutty (mens hearts failing them for fear) or they'll cause you to "seek the Lord while he may be found." I pray that you'll do the latter.