How long does one hang on to hopes, dreams, and visions that may not come to pass?

 

How long does one hold on to “hopes, dreams, and/or visions” of things one believes were placed in the heart by the Lord? Good question! A question for which I have yet to find an answer…

I have not actually counted them, but I’d say that I’ve written more blogs on my yet unfulfilled “hopes, dreams, and visions” than any other subject. I’m still holding on to them even though there is no visible movement towards seeing them fulfilled. I think that perhaps I’m delusional…(hey, it’s a possibility, right?!)

I see the Lord’s hand of judgment on the horizon and I’m certain that it is just ahead of us. In the midst of that certainty is the hope that I will be part of what what has been known as The Evening Light Church. Unless that church rises judgment is upon us. In other words, the only hope we have as a nation or as a church is if all Christ – followers begin to flesh out the Scriptures in THE ways that Jesus and the disciples fleshed them out. Oh, btw, far too many American Christians don’t know how Jesus and the disciples fleshed out God’s Word because they never read God’s Word. Perhaps I should say that far too many professed “Christians” never read, study, meditate on, and/or seek to apply the Scriptures in their own personal lives. It would not take too many trips through the Bible to concur with “my” assessment. We live in a time of extreme biblical ignorance and illiteracy.

Having said that, I long for a time when some of these things would happen -

 

• I wish there was a deeper and more biblical teaching and understanding of what the whole of Scripture teaches about spiritual gifts. That which has been taught for generations only serves to put God in a box, holds the church captive and causes the average believer to be impotent. That has occurred because preachers and teachers have failed miserably to teach parishioners proper interpretive methods. That, in turn, has led to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Therefore, the pews are chock full of folks who are idle and paralyzed.
• I wish there was more time devoted to warfare praying. I wish that when we pray we would actually pray God’s Word back to Him for the lost, for wide spread healing, for the stronghold(s) of false, pagan, and demonic false religions that are ever increasingly covering our nation in a deep blackness that few even recognize.
• I wish the church understood the real root and essence of unity and the power of the Holy Spirit in bringing biblical unity to the church.
• I wish we had a renewed sense of the Holiness of God and His demand (not just a suggestion!) that we be holy as He is.
• I wish that ALL Christians would be able to testify of the things God did for Jeremiah in 15:16 and what He did for the disciples in Luke 24.

Over the years, I’ve written much about practical ways that a church could actually work (in the power of the Holy Spirit) to bring some of these things (and many more!) to reality.

I will end this post as it began. Conventional wisdom would suggest that I should move on and try to figure out something else to do other than wait on some dreams, hopes, and visions that have more than likely been conjured up in my own head, rather than being placed in my heart by God. But, I’ve never been conventional. I may go to my grave, unless Jesus’ comes, believing that regardless of how old I get and how much of my strength now is gone – someday, the Lord may see fit to bless me with the fulfillment of that which burns in my heart.

Beating a dead horse…that’s still alive…

Beating a dead horse…that’s still alive…

I may be making an incorrect assumption when I make a cliché the title of a blog post. I assume that everyone knows what “beating a dead horse” means. If not, it means that what I am writing about in this post is something I’ve written about countless times but the issue still exists. I am so passionate about it that I can’t let it go. I know my posts, whether here or on Facebook, make little if any difference but I hope that if I keep speaking about it that some may actually take time to consider it, check out the facts, and at least believe there is enough evidence to seriously analyze the foundation on which a church tradition is built.

The “dead horse” that I keep beating is called “easter.” There is enough evidence to support the necessity of the church actually having the courage to address whether or not the Christian community should in fact celebrate a holiday that is pagan in nature. Beating a dead horse is a misnomer actually because each year “easter” seems to get “bigger and better.” I keep speaking against it even though there is little interest in talking about all that is connected to the celebration of “easter.” (I’ve written over 215 words already and haven’t even addressed the issue – as usual, I digress. Now to the matter(s) at hand.)

1. The word “easter” doesn’t even exist in the Bible. Most Christians don’t know that. If they do know it, there is little if any attention given to serious discussion about why we’d celebrate a holiday that doesn’t appear in Scripture. Well, I suppose I should qualify that statement. The word “easter” appears only in the King James Translation in Acts 12:4. Without getting into a textual analysis, the word rendered “easter” should be “Passover.” The King James Version is a poorly translated text in many regards but this is one of the most grievous errors in that it has single – handedly given rise to and propagated an event for which there is no biblical or extra – biblical support.
2. There is enough evidence that the word “easter” refers to Ishtar, a pagan sex goddess, that to use the word and to enter into a celebration supposedly about Jesus’ resurrection but also mixing the hunting of “easter” eggs and the story telling of an “easter bunny” should leave the church appalled and devastated that we have bought in to one of the most idolatrous practices in human history. (I would suggest merely doing a web search for the words, “easter,” “Ishtar,” and “Tammuz” for starters. I’m sure David Pack will appear somewhere in the search. Reading his article should sound some alarms.)
3. Rarely do I engage Christians in the discussion of “easter” who introduce any knowledge of places where Scripture or even extra – biblical sources would support or show that the disciples and subsequently the first century church celebrated the Resurrection of Christ as an annual event. There is ample support that they met on the first day of the week because Jesus had risen from the dead and their lives were living testaments to that resurrection 7 days a week.

There are other issues that Christians need to consider when looking honestly at what we do (or don’t do) in light of Scripture but they seem to pale in comparison to the worship of a pagan sex goddess once a year. Over the years as I “boycott” such an egregious misunderstanding of Scripture, I have been asked “What difference does it make…what’s the big deal?”

I can list those things that make it a “big deal.” As I said, making a celebration of the Resurrection of Christ an annual event called “easter” is not the only thing that may be grieving the Holy Spirit in the American church but I suggest that it is at or near the top of a list.

Here are some other issues that should receive honest discussion -

Why are there not wide – spread healings?

Why have we replaced a biblical understanding of repentance and being “born again” with the mere assimilation into a localized community of faith?

I just had lunch with two Mormon missionaries. I have several Muslim friends both here in the U.S. and abroad. Why have we let pluralism which is necessary in a free and democratic society but is adversely poison to the Christian church rule and dictate our conscience born of God? In other words, why have we traded the Gospel and the God revealed in Scripture to be overshadowed by pluralistic ideas that rob us of our determination to change culture which includes false religion? If we weren’t creating our own religious system divorced from first century doctrine and practice would not the Christ of the Bible dominate our culture and society and break the yoke of bondage of false religion? Something is keeping that from happening. Why are we impotent? Why are our hearts not broken for the lost?

I suggest that the celebration of “easter” grieves the heart of God and He weeps over our ignorance, arrogance, pride, and overwhelming desire to fulfill our own flesh. With His broken heart, a judgment more intense and deadly than Western Christians in general and American Christians in particular can imagine is at our door.

Our solution – hide brightly colored “easter” eggs and give “easter” baskets filled with chocolate to help our kids know about and believe that God become flesh dwells among us, but desires to dwell in us. Sounds like a winning combination of images to me…(need I say, “tongue – in – cheek?)

Things haven’t changed…I wonder if they will?

 

I haven’t written in a long time.

November 27, 2012 to be exact.

And, this is all I said in that blog –

Unfulfilled dreams…

…have rendered me more tired today than I can even express…

and yet, I dream on…

Things haven’t changed in four  months…

I don’t know what to say except to express disappointment. No one really wants to read about that – disappointment that is. No one wants to type in an internet address and read about someone’s heartache. Blogging is common place now. Most blogs are interesting to say the least and more than likely dynamic by anyone’s standards.  My blogging fare consists of my ramblings, musings, and often my odd brand of satire. (Most would characterize “my brand” of satire as nothing more than old fashioned sarcasm.) Of course, “I” believe it to be satire…but then I would wouldn’t I?

I haven’t written in a while and not sure I know why I’m writing now. I wonder about a lot of things. I wonder about my life. I wonder about what could have been, what is, and what may or may not be in the near and distant future. I suppose mixed in the wondering is an element of doubt and fear. I wonder about the church. I know that the American church is just a small part of the larger world – wide body of Christ but I have no personal contact or experience with the church outside the U.S. So, when I wonder about the church it’s the American church that comes to mind.

I feel tired. Sleep won’t take care of the fatigue and ache that is deeper than my skeletal frame. My spirit is tired. My heart aches. I know of nothing that can bring me rest or ease the deadening, numbing ache that pounds just beneath the smiles and chuckles that comprise human interaction throughout the day. I smile. I chuckle. But cloaked and covered by that which is expected in human interaction – that which is superficial because reality is abandoned for the lighter fare of positivity is the constant deadening and dulling of an aching heart. Bewilderment, confusion, doubt, fear, and disappointment overshadow the hopes of the future born in the past.

Seeking the mountains that were capped not by snow but by the hopes of legacy has, at least at this point in time, been an exercise in futility.  Seemingly swallowed up in and by the shadows cast by those mountains – the valley has become a home of sorts. A surreal and out – of – focus existence where the days merge into one mass of time where reason and logic elude consciousness.

Faith is the food and water of life in the valley. A better day in another world is kept in mind as the day’s mission in this world is just putting one foot in front of the other. Questions come in the valley. Answers do not. Questions do bring a response however. That response echoes through the valley and returns as a painful reminder that I don’t understand and won’t. That is the response by the way – “I don’t understand and won’t.” And yet, there is strength to simply put one foot in front of the other.

There is no longer any strength to believe that the mountains can be scaled or that the peak can grow larger because steps bring one closer. Life can be lived in the valley. In fact, with time as it is, life must be lived in the valley. Acceptance is not a bad thing I suppose. Acceptance is reality. What is, is, and acceptance can stop the bleeding caused by chasing that which will never be.

I was going to write about the American church. At least that is what I’m supposed to write about next since my thesis points me in that direction. The sun is going down in the valley today and sleep will soon come. Talk of the American church will have to wait. I’ve indulged myself quite enough for one post. I’m tired and will continue to wonder about disappointment – both for me and the church. I’ll hunt with that dog tomorrow…or the day after that…

I am so tired today…

Unfulfilled dreams…

…have rendered me more tired today than I can even express…

and yet, I dream on…

I don’t know how to begin this post. There are so many vital issues to discuss and really, they are interconnected in such a way as to open the door for much more material than can be shared in one posting.

“Talking points!” Most Americans who have endured the campaign rhetoric over the last year understand what a “talking point” is. It’s actually a decent way to highlight the most important issues that one would want to communicate with someone else. Rarely, however, are the underlying principles related to the talking point brought into play. That is, it’s important to know the whole story – the back story of what is highlighted in the talking point.

I’m going to share some talking points in this post. I will need to provide commentary on my own thoughts and feelings, but won’t get to the whole of them today. I may not get to them at all. Or, I may not provide enough information to help my readers understand why I make the bold statements of principle I do. I’ve been misunderstood before. I’ll probably be misunderstood in the future…

Having said all of that, I guess I’ll just jump in…

Yesterday, Barak Obama was re – elected. I can’t think of anything worse for our country than to have someone who, regardless of what his supporters say and regardless of what people believe is a socialist/communist and a lover of Islam. I see no evidence whatsoever that would make me believe that we as a nation will not be taken down roads that lead to places we never dreamed we would go. The roads will dead – end into subdivisions of chaos, fear, and destitution. In other words, we are headed for days that no one could believe if they were recorded before hand on a Netflix DVD and played over a game system. It’s going to get ugly – very ugly and the nation that folks my age remember, will be lost and so changed that it will be unrecognizable. The changes will be irreversible. What will be lost will never be found or regained. God gave us the president we deserve.

I voted for Mitt Romney. But please, make no mistake, I did not vote for Romney because I believe that he had any greater ability to change the slide towards judgment that our nation is on. I don’t believe that someone eaten up by false religion (which is demonic in nature) could save our nation from the problems we face. I voted for him because as a Republican, he represents the values that I believe in. I believe that the government is like a creeping cancer that is consuming us. Its tentacles stretch from Washington D.C. into an ever larger part of our lives and soon we will be strangled by this octopus of darkness. Republicans have traditionally been against abortion; they seek to protect the traditional family and family values; and believe that high taxes negatively impact a nation’s economic health to the point where an economy is damaged or destroyed. I believed that Romney would have at least pointed us towards those things, if not moved us directly to them. Morals and traditional, orthodox, biblical Christianity is as foreign to Mitt Romney as it is to Barak Obama. So, my support then, of Romney, was of a temporal nature not of a spiritual one.

The state elections this year saw more states approving same – sex marriages and the legal use of marijuana. IF we make it to 2016, the trend will only continue. Again, once these policies are set in motion, they will not because they cannot be reversed. That is evident in our acceptance of abortion. If God’s wrath was poured out on these things in the past, He will again, respond in kind to those nations who ignore HIS righteousness.

I believe that judgment is at the door. When I say judgment, I speak of it as being from God and in the same vein as the judgment that was pronounced on Israel, Judah, Egypt, Babylon, Nineveh, and every other nation that intentionally abandoned a faith in the God of the Bible and lived out that faith. This judgment will be that which will result in the loss of our freedom and perhaps even the loss of national sovereignty. When that happens; when that kind of judgment is poured out on pagan idolatry, people suffer in ways that we refuse to believe can happen. American sovereignty is precariously poised at the very edge of just such a precipice so wide, deep, and long that escape or return will not be possible.

How is that judgment going to come? My understanding or interpretation of the Bible is not flawless. From what I have come to understand and believe about that which will bring America to its knees in repentance will probably include terrorism inside the US at the hands of Muslims. This terrorism could be preceded or proceeded by multi – theater military conflicts that have the potential of escalating to the point where nuclear weapons will be used. Our nation will more than likely become even more indebted to China; and our military will continue to be dismantled to the point of being weaker than at any other time in our history. All of these things will place everyone in the world at risk of great harm. We’ll see…

God may yet spare us. But not through the systems of men that would include politics, government, or earthly, temporal wisdom. The Lord may yet spare us if the church cries out in prayer as defined, described, and fleshed out in places like Exodus, chapters 1 -6 and 2 Chronicles, chapter 7.

And at last –

God may spare us if American Christians admit that they are so biblically illiterate and ignorant that they cannot even recognize God’s hand in the affairs of men (“men” equaling men AND women). It is not even remotely possible for anyone who claims to believe in God’s Word to know what God is doing, or, what He’s about to do unless and until they know what He’s done. Any Christian who claims to believe in the Bible and yet cannot provide a correct and cohesive summary of the biblical timeline; cannot provide information about the history of Israel, or understand the basic message in principle of the Old Testament prophets is delusional and living life locked in a euphoric stupor.

After the election there was, on Facebook, character bashing from both “sides.” There were attacks on folks who supported one candidate over another. There were a LOT of posts that rightfully stated that no man, political party or other governmental system could save us and some even quoted a Bible verse or two. That’s nice isn’t it? You know, sounding authoritative because a Bible verse was quoted. Unfortunately, ignorance and the failure to flesh out the Word that’s quoted un – substantiates and even eliminates any credibility the “quoter” hoped to impart by the text. How sad that folks use the Bible to reflect malice towards others or, to try and reveal their own self – righteousness.

Stuffs comin’ and we ain’t ready…

Have the horses from Egypt and the foreign wives been worth it?

I started blogging, I think, around 2001. I’ve kept a journal since 1973. When a friend introduced me to on line journaling, my initial reaction was one of incredulity. I couldn’t imagine posting things I really believed on the internet for all to read. But, as the number of posts grew, I actually began throwing caution to the wind and began bearing my heart and soul about things that mattered to me. I was often misunderstood and therefore criticized. I will never forget that one of my most pointed comments came (via email) when I began closing my comment section so that comments could not be made on posts. THE most pointed (and scathing I might add) comment came when I returned the email and explained to my critic that on most things that emanate from my own heart, someone else’s comments are irrelevant. My blogs, were then, and are now, a way to express my heart, thoughts, and feelings and what someone else thinks or believes about my heart is simply not important to me. Someone else’s comments are probably even less important to anyone reading my blog. Basically, I am not interested in knowing what anyone thinks about what I post. I am sorry if this offends you. Really, I am. But a blog is like a radio station that plays a genre of music that you don’t like. The button is there so that one may change the station, or, turn it off. Consider this blog, radio station WBLG. (WBLG = “Woody’s Blog.”) If you don’t like what I say, or are upset that I don’t accept comments – it’s ok, just hit the red “x” at the top right of the page. No harm done and no hurt feelings! Hey, I am old enough, and I have been spouting off long enough to not be offended when someone thinks I’m a bit (or a whole lot) off my rocker. If you do stay – I hope something I say, makes you think. You may not agree with me, but at least think about it and come to your own conclusions. I don’t want to be offensive. I am passionate about what I believe however and feel a degree of urgency about sharing it.

My Facebook posts are often a bit cryptic for lack of a better word. I mean them to be. Even if one does nothing to try and unpack the comments, at least, hopefully, for a minute, the comment will cause some thought. A few days ago, I started a couple of discussion threads about buying horses from Egypt. Here are some of the reasons I posted the questions/comments.

We’ve been buying horses from Egypt for a long time. We’ve been marrying foreign women for a long time. God’s judgment, I believe, is at the door.

God’s Perfect Will

I am writing to two groups of people; to believers in general, but then, to a greater degree, the church group in which Gayle and I have grown up. I begin with a question/statement; I wonder if we really believe the God revealed in Scripture (both Old AND New Testaments), or, have we designed and created our own “god.” Let’s track just one part of Israel’s story. In the “tracking” I think my question/comment may be clear. Let’s look at the “horses from Egypt” issue and from where in the story it originated.

First, it was never God’s perfect will for Israel to have any other “King” but Himself. During the 330 plus years of the Judges, Israel decides that they want to be like other nations. (They had always flirted with and been in captivity to other nations for over 330 years – hence, the story of the Judges.) But, now, at the end of Judges they wanted to seal the deal so to speak and be under the rule of a king. So, God’s permissive will is seen as He tells Israel that in the future, they will ask for and be given a king like other nations (Deuteronomy 17). God tells them to never trust in Egypt, especially in their horses, nor marry foreign women. (Of course, it wasn’t just Egypt that Israel was not to ally with or depend on – it was any nation!) Many parts of this story are brought to fulfillment when Samuel reminds Israel of the price they will pay if they pursue the whole earthly “king” idea, but they disregard this last warning and demand a king. So, God, again in His permissive will says, “OK, you want a king? You’re going to get a king! And, he will not only collect horses from Egypt, but will someday seek a military alliance with them.” Your kings will marry foreign wives and, that whole mindset will, O Israel/Judah, be your downfall” (Paraphrased thoughts from Deuteronomy 17; 1 Samuel 8, and the back stories of both Israel and Judah prior to their destruction.)  I will try to tie this “back story” of two ancient nations to our lives today, but there’s something else that should have insulated Israel from the misery that they experienced in their history. As Moses is laying out what Israel should and would do, we learn that God also commanded the king to keep his own copy of the law and to read it often (Deuteronomy 17). Enter the wisest and perhaps most foolish…

I am assuming that you know the story of Solomon. Solomon, David’s son, assumed the throne after David. Four of the stories of Solomon’s life that always come to my mind are: his cry for wisdom, his judgment before two women that saved a baby; the construction of the first Jewish temple; and, his prayer of dedication for the temple that in itself was prophetic. Solomon had his own copy of the law, and one could only assume that he’d read it. And yet, Solomon bought horses from Egypt, and married foreign wives – lots of them. Even though Solomon asked for and received wisdom, he acted foolishly. It cost the Jews their united kingdom. After Solomon’s death the kingdom split. Ten tribes moved north and retained the name Israel. Two tribes remained in Jerusalem and became Judah. Although it took a long time, both countries fell to foreign powers. Israel was swallowed up by Assyria and was never heard from again.

So, what has this to do with us, and how do I associate Israel’s commerce with and alliances to Egypt with the U.S. today?

Let me summarize it in this way (actually, the whole of the story and the associations between Israel’s history and the U.S. at this point in history would be book size); but, perhaps this post will help you understand my original question/comment threads on Facebook.

God has made rules that apply to any nation at any point in history.

If that nation breaks the rules, God demonstrates love, grace, and patience that go beyond anything any human can even conceive.

At some point, whether we want to believe it or not, God says, “Enough is enough,” and judgment comes.

America has broken the rules that brought Israel (first), and then Judah to their knees and their ends were horrible and their suffering was horrific.

The breaking point (the point of no return) for Judah came under the reign of Manasseh. This evil king sacrificed children to a pagan idol. The Chronicles account reveals that Manasseh repented and found grace in God’s sight, but the damage was done. Josiah, Manasseh’s grandson did lead one of the greatest revivals in Judah’s history and the people misunderstood this final burst of blessing. Judah thought that their evil had been forgotten. God told Josiah that He would honor his devotion but judgment would come. A little over a decade later, judgment came.

That’s why I said earlier that even Christians have created a god that is not the God of the Bible. We have slaughtered our unborn (and the day is coming that it will be acceptable to kill a baby at birth). Do we honestly believe that God will never do anything about the murder of the unborn? If God does not change, and if God is the God of the Bible, what lies ahead?

Do we think that God will always look the other way when we actually accept gay and lesbian lifestyles as acceptable? Will God ignore the acceptance of false religion, witchcraft, and the secular humanism that has become the interior fixtures of our churches? Will He excuse our sin born out of ignorance of His Word? I talk to and interact with a lot of Christians in any given week. I can count on one hand the number of “Christians” who speak of what may lie ahead and what the church MUST do in the face of certain judgment. We laugh, shop, plan, execute plans, entertain, and involve ourselves in absolutely worthless activities and all the while dark clouds of the unthinkable drape around us.

America – we have purchased horses from Egypt and married foreign wives. We have misunderstood God’s grace for His acceptance of our idolatry.

The war machines of Babylon and Assyria are rolling towards us at an alarming rate. The blood of the slain is about to flow in our streets. The walls are broken down, the temple has been looted and the altar of sacrifice lies bare.

We are about to vote for the next President of the United States. I believe that if Obama is re – elected our doom will have been sealed. I also believe that Mitt Romney’s religion is demonic at its very root, core, and foundation. I support Romney SOLELY because of his stance on major issues that may buy us time and give us a chance to execute that which the Bible says we must do if salvation is to come. Is it too late? Only the Lord knows. Is it close to being too late. I believe it is.  Let me repeat the short paragraph above this one;

The war machines of Babylon and Assyria are rolling towards us at an alarming rate. The blood of the slain is about to flow in our streets. The walls are broken down, the temple has been looted and the altar of sacrifice lies bare.

 

Who CAN be saved? Good question!

Jesus had a conversation with a young rich man. This young man wanted to know “what good thing” he had to do to gain eternal life (Matthew 19 NKJV). Jesus told him to sell his possessions and give the money away. The young man wasn’t willing to do that and “went away sorrowful.” Jesus told his disciples that it was very difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom and they were “astonished.” They then asked Jesus, “[w]ho then can be saved?”

Who then can be saved?

Don’t we ask this question? Or, maybe we don’t ask! Maybe by our words, thoughts and deeds we actually flesh out the answer to the question. Maybe our lives say, “There are people who cannot or will not be saved so why pray for them much less share the gospel with them.”

As I write this blog there are new waves of demonstrative hatred against the U.S. that are sweeping across the Middle East and North Africa. As I watched video footage of riots in the streets and attacks on U.S. Embassies that have resulted in the loss of American lives, I see thousands of Muslim men, consumed with hatred and anger. That hatred and anger emanates from hearts hardened by a faith in and worship of a false and pagan god inspired by satan himself.  I guess I am bewildered by the lack of discussion among Christians about the Gospel’s power to change ALL hearts. I am amazed that in no time of requests for prayer, or prayers  (accompanied by fastings), are made for those trapped in a centuries old struggle for the souls of precious persons for whom Christ died. I never hear anyone talking about witnessing to Muslims with the confidence that God always honors His Word and it (His Word) always accomplishes all that the Lord wills – and that God desires all to be saved! Oh, yes, we would probably say that Muslims could be saved. Our thoughts however, and our words and actions say otherwise. In actuality, I don’t think the church believes that Muslims can be or will be saved by the same Jesus that died for the sins of mankind; rose again, and is Lord of Heaven and earth. If we do believe, we never talk about it and I never hear of any attempts made to even witness to them.

So, who then can be saved?

Let me share with you how Jesus ended this particular conversation with the disciples – an end that we should never forget! Jesus said,

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The “Wild Donkey” is still buckin’ – kickin’ – and bitin’

Today is 9/10

“I remember where I was when…” There are events in our lives that are so significant – life changing – that we really do remember where we were, what we were doing, or who we were with when a life altering event takes place. Our minds bookmark the event and attach appropriate thoughts, feelings, sights, smells, and/or sounds to that event. Any number of things can trigger the memory. I have an “I remember story” that evokes different thoughts, feelings and emotions for me than perhaps those of millions of others worldwide that also remember.

On 9/11/2001 I was on my way to work. I was about 15 minutes from the auto dealership where I worked. I rarely listened to the radio at that time of the morning as I wanted to be quiet and try to hear from the Lord. However, I switched it on that morning and discovered the news that the U.S. was under attack. It would be several days before the identities of the jet plane hijackers were confirmed. During that time the events that transpired on 9/11 took me on a journey that caused me to examine some things I had believed (and still believe) about Jesus’ coming. A missing piece of information connected to what I believed about the end of time was neatly and logically inserted into my eschatological jig saw puzzle.

My theology about Jesus’ coming doesn’t fit in or match most scenarios and models that are currently taught. I understand that. And believe me when I say that I frequently think about and rethink what I believe. I listen intently to the views and teachings of some of the world’s brightest and most popular teachers and preachers. Theologians have packaged the three most popular views on the end of time and labeled them: (1) Pre – millennial, (2) Post millennial, and (3) A millennial. Within these three major views there are of course varying ideas about specific events and elements which causes some degree of confusion and controversy within the body. Generally, I would classify myself as “a millennial” because I just don’t find biblical support for the other “views.” The “millennial” teachings just don’t make sense to me. I was born into fellowship with a faith community that talks a lot about Jesus’ coming, but we leave it at that…we talk about it as we would talk about rising gas prices. We are all fairly certain that gas prices will rise, we just don’t know when or how much they’ll rise. What has that to do with 9/11? I’m glad you asked…

I said my end time scenario doesn’t fit current models or theories. Let explain why. Prior to 9/11, I believed that there were 5 specific events that needed to happen before Jesus’ coming. In no particular order they are:

• The Gospel bring preached in every nation
• The destruction of Damascus
• The enemies (tares) of Christ eliminated
• Israel coming to believe in and confess Christ as the risen Lord
• And, all nations coming against Israel

Now, there are a lot of people that also believe those 5 things but they necessarily attach all the other millennial elements to the whole of their teaching. I don’t. I don’t believe in a rapture of the church; in a beast, or mark of the beast; or the restoration of the temple sacrifice, or, a 1,000 year reign, etc., etc., etc. So, prior to 9/ll, I had 4 of the 5 of my “last days list” pretty much figured out. The one that stumped me was the last one. I couldn’t figure out what would make all nations come against Israel and how that would unfold. I couldn’t believe that Western Europe in general and the U.S. and Canada in particular could or would ever be persuaded to align themselves with those who would oppose Israel militarily. 9/11 changed all that. Ishmael changed all of that…

Most Christians that I know have no clue about the significance of Abram/Abraham’s inability to wait on God to fulfill His promise. He and Sarai/Sarah took matters in their own hands and gave birth to a “wild donkey.” Ishmael, the “wild donkey” has been and always will be in contention with his brother Isaac. Isaac as the child of promise is at risk today, just as he was then. He is at risk because his brother hates him. Both literal and spiritual Israel (Jews AND Gentiles) are at risk because the “wild donkey” will buck, kick, and bite until all of his enemies are destroyed…or…so he thinks. This prophecy is being played out right in front of our eyes and yet Westerners and Western and American Christians have been duped by the devil into believing that Ishmael is a peaceful man at heart, just a little rowdy from time to time.

And then there is David. David’s sin caused God to curse him AND all those who would come after him. God said that “the sword would never depart” from his house. Isaac has every right to defend himself from the “wild donkey” and defend himself he will. With David’s house armed with a sword that will be wielded until the end and the “wild donkey” chomping at the bit to take the sword away…we have the conditions set for a global conflict that most likely could involve nuclear weapons. And yet, here we sit, all engrossed in and consumed by our own lusts of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life.

But, I still haven’t explained how 9/11 filled in the last piece of my puzzle. Nothing could make the West; the NATO allies; or America (leading the way) come against Israel. Nothing that is, except blood in our streets. If the U.S. continues to resist Ishmael’s demands to join him in destroying David’s house, we could be strangled by the price of oil. (Who of us could pay $20 or more for a gallon for gas?) If that doesn’t work, could a significant number of Ishmaelites living here in the U.S. become radical fundamentalists and wreak havoc in our streets?

With the chaos created here, on our soil by 9/11 what if just 10% of the 6 – 8 million son’s of Ishmael became radical? What if their target was the spiritual house of David as with the literal house? Would America cave? What will gas prices and murder in the streets bring? For me, 9/11 filled the gap. For me, Ishmael, the “wild donkey” stomped the last piece of the puzzle into place. The picture is now complete.

Judgment is at the door…

Jesus told some Jewish leaders a startling piece of truth. He said that they had come to wrong theology and doctrine because they didn’t know the “power of God.” Of course, in context, Jesus was referring to their refusal to believe in the doctrine of a resurrection. But any error in doctrine or theology comes intrinsically from not knowing the Scriptures as was the case in the context of (Matthew 22). Ultimately, the Sadducees’ and the rest of Israel’s rejection of Christ led to its destruction. Jesus said (in Luke 19) that because Israel did not know “the time of their visitation” Jerusalem would be destroyed.  They didn’t know the power of God because they didn’t recognize God when He came to them. They didn’t recognize what God was doing and what He was about to do because they didn’t recognize what He had done. So it is today.

I have had only small pockets of influence over the past few years. My last pastorate was in 1995 but I have continued to teach small Sunday school classes and teach small group Bible studies in various settings. For years I have pleaded with small groups of persons to read, study and seek to flesh out the Word after seeking the Lord for a ravenous hunger for His Word. I have asked persons the same questions that really are at the heart of the problem(s) Israel had prior to God’s judgment. I have asked, “How can we know what God is doing or about to do, unless we know what He’s done?” I have no empirical data to back this next statement/observation up, but I would go out on a limb and say that never in the history of our country, has there been any more biblical illiteracy than today. For that, we are blind to what is happening all around us and, in the theme of this blog; we are blind concerning the issues that surround the persons running for the office of president.

I couldn’t say this any more clearly – I believe that God’s judgment on America is at the door.

Why? Because….

…the American church has, for generations, talked about a god that is not revealed in Scripture. They have done so because they do not know the Scriptures any more than the Jewish leaders Jesus rebuked when He was here in a physical body.

Millions of people talk about god. The two men running for president, (and, for the sake of clarity, let me make sure you, my reader, know to whom I am referring – Barak Obama, and Mitt Romney), while talking about god, do NOT and are not, talking about THE GOD of the Bible! And yet, Christians on “both sides of the political aisle” think that when they speak of god, gthey are talking about the God of the Bible. And, while these two men are talking about the god, they are NOT speaking of God of the Bible. They are NOT! Is it even conceivable that the church could speak of god and not be talking about the God of the Bible? If it is possible, then could millions of people who claim to be Christians be deceived into thinking that when the Obama and Romney talk of god that THEY speak of the God of the Bible? Such, sadly, is the case. Because Christians do NOT read, study or apply the Scriptures a great deception has settled over the church and we do not, in fact, cannot discern the desperation of the times in which we live. So, who IS the God of the Bible?

It’s really VERY simple – THE GOD OF THE BIBLE IS REVEALED IN JESUS CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE!

Yes, that’s right. The Bible teaches us that God, is fleshed out in Jesus Christ. That means that our GOD IS CHRIST! Christ is God in the flesh! NO other god is God. Simple huh? Yes, but millions of “Christians” have lost sight of HIM and therefore are steeped in ignorance and are blind and therefore do not recognize that disaster beats at our door as a Tsunami.

So, here me! Neither Barak Obama, OR Mitt Romney are Christians. They cannot be. DO NOT BE DECEIVED! I can find (yet) no real evidence that Obama is, in fact, a Muslim. (If he was, praying five times a day, publicly and verbally testifying of the Muslim creed (the Shahada), etc., would be part of his public life for their cannot be a “private” life of and for a true Muslim.) However, I do believe that there is ample “evidence” that Obama is sympathetic to Islam and groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood. This apparent  sympathy towards Islamic influence means that Obama is as pagan and operates in  the spirit of anti-christ as any leader we’ve ever had. Period. (Please, understand, I did NOT say that Obama IS the Anti-Christ. If you don’t know MY theological roots, I approach this and connect issues from a Wesleyan/Armenian and Church of God Reformation (a millennial) point of view!) Barak Obama is a godless, paganistic leader who neither understands the framework on which our nation stands or is able to have the best interests of America at heart. He is an instrument of evil. The churches response MUST be to pray for him that he would be saved. Elected or not, Barak Obama and his family needs to be saved. The ONLY hope for him is that he trust in and confess Jesus Christ as GOD. To merely talk about a god is to be hopelessly lost in his sins.

Now, what about Mitt Romney? Mitt Romney is a Mormon. Romney can talk about god, about Jesus, about family values, etc., but Mitt Romney’s “god” – his “Jesus” IS NOT THE GOD OR THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE!! Mormon’s talk about the Bible, but they believe that the Bible is inaccurate and in fact is NOT THE WORD OF GOD. The Book of Mormon, and their other “holy books” not only overshadow the Bible, but they are in fact, to be believed and trusted in MORE than the Bible. Mormonism is not a “Christian” religion. It is a cult and completely bound by demon forces that have millions deceived. WE MUST PRAY THAT MITT ROMNEY (AS WELL AS OTHER MORMONS) WOULD BE DELIVERED FROM DEMONIC DECEPTION AND BE BORN AGAIN!

Here’s the scary thing –

THE CHURCH IS ALSO DECEIVED!!

Many Christians will vote for Romney because of the hope that he will rescue us from the horrific financial crisis our nation is in. So, economics supersedes righteousness. Many will vote for Romney because of his family values and other conservative principles. Never mind that he believes he is on his way to becoming a god of his own planet. Never mind that for generations Christians have turned to politics to restore true biblical righteousness in our nation – again, because the church is biblically illiterate. So, the church will vote for a pagan, godless, cultist, because he is dressed up in pseudo – Christianity. In truth, if he is elected, there will be an emissary of satan in the oval office.

So what is our choice? Should we vote at all?

Our choices must be based exclusively on temporal values rather than ANY connection to biblical righteousness whatsoever. Of course, speaking from a temporal point of view alone means that we would vote for the candidate who espouses our views on family values and other conservative social, economic, and cultural concerns. Of course I am talking about Mitt Romney…

BUT –

Because he is a pagan, deceived by satan, HE WILL DO NOTHING, IN FACT, CAN DO NOTHING TO MOVE US CLOSER TO A DEPENDANCE ON THE BIBILCAL GOD REVEALED IN JESUS CHRIST.

The ONLY hope is for the church to wake up, repent, and cry out to God for mercy, salvation, healing and deliverance. The slide towards judgment has already begun, and God’s judgment may in fact be manifest in the choices we have for our national leader? What things cause me to believe that God is about to say, as He did with Israel, “enough is enough!”

Abortion. One of the KEY elements for God’s righteous anger against His people was the killing of children. Whether outside or inside the womb, God does not and WILL NOT turn His face away from the murder of approximately 50 million babies. The Democrat position on abortion continues to support “choice.” I believe that, by every indication, God has had enough.

The GBLT dilemma has overtaken our nation. While there is talk of protection for the traditional (and biblical) definition of marriage between a man and woman, the poison has already seeped into our culture and it MAKES NO DIFFERENCE what a president, congress, or supreme court says about the issue. Let me repeat – IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!!! To say that marriage is between a man and woman does nothing to restore biblical relationships to the nation. It’s mindless rhetoric. Here’s the truth of what the Bible says about relationships regarding the family –

• He HATES DIVORCE! (Did you know that there is as much divorce IN the church as outside it?????????????) Here’s the hard truth of that – IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR TWO CHRISTIANS TO DIVORCE!!!!!!! The ONY possibility for divorce between people who claim to be Christian is that one or both of the individuals is in a backslidden condition.
• He HATES two people (even if the two people are heterosexual) merely living together and not married!
• HE HATES FORNICATION AND ADULTERY!

GOD HATES SIN!

When people are proud, arrogant, stiff – necked, and rebellious, judgment is sure to come!

The church is proud, arrogant, stiff – necked, and rebellious and because it is stone cold and asleep, judgment is upon us.

America is at the door of destruction.

How will the destruction come? And by whose hands will it come. Well, obviously, at the Hand of God, but by what agency will He use? (Notice that I didn’t say “what agency MIGHT He use?) For me, the case is settled.

While we are busy worrying about economics (only so that we can maintain our materialistic, pagan, godless life style), and while we are busy trying to get one godless, pagan, evil, presidential candidate elected over another, ISLAM continues to spread like cancer. Islam will be that which brings America and the world to its knees.

But that is a blog for another day…

This November, here is our choice – to obey, or NOT obey this (2 Chron. 7 – NKJV):

¹² Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³ When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, ¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵ Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. ¹⁶ For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. ¹⁷ As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, ¹⁸ then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.’

¹⁹ “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, ²⁰ then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

²¹ “And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and this house?’ ²² Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.’”

Death and dying – life and living…

Yesterday, Gayle and I attended the funeral of a long time friend. I have attended a lot of funerals in the past. When I attend a funeral, obviously, death is swallowed up in victory as the Bible says. That is what I share with Christian folks with whom I talk and try to encourage. Funerals, however, are events that are wrapped in a package of doctrine born from my theology about death and dying, and life and living. Even my own eventual and inevitable death was just a part of what I believe to be true about everyone. Yesterday was different. Yesterday, it “hit me.” I am going to die. If Jesus does not return, then someday I am going to die. I looked around at the people who had come to pay “last respects” to my friend. (Gayle and I were part of that group.) This may sound about as morbid as one could think, but I imagined myself in the casket at the front of our church. I’ve never done that before, you know, imagined myself as lying dead with people coming to think of my life, what my life had meant – what it had been, and where I had gone to spend eternity…

I wonder about that these days. I wonder about what my life has been and where I’m going. (I know where I’m going by the way!) I know that all we estimate of our temporal lives lived out between two fixed points in time may not be absolutely true. I do know that perhaps if we stopped along the highway of life somewhere in the past to help someone else – that matters and only eternity would reveal whether it did or didn’t.  But for the most part, our lives may not have turned out the way we thought when we began thinking about life. (I really began to think of life and death long after my teen years, because as a teenager, I was making a lot of money and life was about spending it – I thought of pretty much nothing else I am so sorry to say.) I thought I would be in a much different place than I am at this point in my life.

So, when folks are coming to say their good – byes to me, I wonder what they will remember about my life. I wonder if my journey will have mattered the way I imagined it would thirty plus years ago. Death, I think, is not the issue. It’s how we lived out this life and how we used the resources God gave us. No Christian really knows what paradise and heaven are like. I mean, we have hints given to us in and with the limitations of temporal language – but what earthly words could ever describe the heavenly and the infinitude of life hereafter. The issue is the living of life.

I often hear folks confidently proclaim, “No regrets.” I have regrets. Lots of them. I am glad there are no places to comment on this post or others I have written, because I wouldn’t want any reader to think they had to say to me what I would share with others who had begun to think and feel as I. I know I’ve had an impact on a few – I’m just saying that I am way on the other side of the halfway point in my life and what if the finish line is closer than I imagine. While I do trust in God and know where I’m going, where I’ve been is not what I had hoped for. (Not good writing mechanics but descriptive of what I want to say.) When folks gather to think about death and dying, and life and living as a result of my own passing from “death to life,” I hope that I’ve left them something more than the reading of an obituary and the customary receiving line at the end of the service. Can I be sure that there will have been more? Honestly, I am not sure, which brings me to a line I’ve used in the past. I am not afraid to die, I am afraid I will have never lived.