When the Curtain is Drawn Back

January 2019

When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:    But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.  For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. . . . Ps. 92:7-9

We are taught stories at a young age that reveal the mysteries of life to guide us from youth, if we retain them.  Such a lesson is the story of the big bad wolf that came to blow down the houses of the three little pigs.  He blew down the house of straw and the one made of sticks because they were weak in structure.  When the wolf came to blow down the house of bricks, it was too strong and withstood his attack. This lesson teaches us to build strong houses or lives that can withstand the storms of life.  Important lessons can be learned from simple childhood stories.

Several more complicated lessons can be learned from the lengthy story of the Wizard of Oz.  Who could forget the end of the story?  The long, tedious journey of Dorothy and her friends brought them before a menacing wizard that made them shake in their boots.  When Dorothy’s dog pulled back the curtain, a shocking sight was revealed to them.  The menacing voice behind the curtain was really a small, weak old man using a magnified voice to create fear in those who heard him. He was revealed as a fraud and imitator. Things can seem menacing or impenetrable but that may just be the curtain.  The wolf is not always so smart and the evil curtain is not always as invincible as it appears.

The scripture written above reveals a truth about the end of a menacing enemy.  First appearances may seem foreboding and impenetrable but it does not mean it will withstand the force of time or pressure.  Scriptures in Psalms and Proverbs give us the wisdom of age-old problems.  They reveal our most earnest needs in life and our fear at the challenges of an enemy.  God reveals in Psalms and Proverbs that He both supplies what we need and conquers our fear.  The lessons of our youth, which brought us hope, often need to be repeated to our more mature self because of the many times we have failed the test and the challenges to our faith.

The innocence of the Garden of Eden gave way to the evil that was waiting behind the curtain when disobedience was accomplished.  We have had to deal with that evil throughout life as it has risen and fallen.  When it rises to an overwhelming force where it looks like it will destroy us, there is an invisible force behind another curtain that causes it to subside because the Overseer behind this curtain is neither timid nor powerless to help us.  Childhood stories gave us hope that evil could be overcome but the terrorizing fear in adulthood may not always withstand the fear with youthful hope.  Amazingly, God has told believers that they must come to Him as little children (Mt. 18:3); yet adults often choose to internalize their fear that unconquered will cause tumors, heart disease, cancer, strokes as well as many phobias and other diseases resulting from fear.

Ancient Israel had an experience with a curtain that had hidden behind it the means of their deliverance and instruction.  As long as they obeyed, God kept them safe.  In the midst of their camp in the wilderness, they built a place of worship called the tabernacle that was surrounded by curtains.  They stepped within the borders of the curtains to interact with their God.  They brought an offering behind the curtains from their bounty in penitence for sin  and found God’s mercy extended toward them.  Once a year, God extended an opportunity to meet with Him for a fresh start.  The high priest would go behind the curtain into the holy of holies to meet with God on behalf of the people.  If he was a clean representative of the people, he would meet with God and receive favor and the removal of the sin from Israel.  If he had not properly prepared himself to meet with God and was unclean, he would die behind the curtain and the rope attached to his leg would be used by the people to pull him out from behind the curtain where the glory and presence of God abode.  The nature of God was always that He was good but the people and the priests received the consequences of their actions.  This practice left a lot to be desired and God had in mind a better way that was to come down through the ages of time in Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice and perfect priest.

When Jesus came into the earth, Divinity was wrapped in a curtain of human flesh.  God was extending mercy to all mankind.  Jesus walked the earth for 33 years, repudiating sin and rebuking evil.  His mission was to overcome evil with good.  Evil seemed to have won when the evil one provoked man to pierce the flesh of the Holy One on a cruel cross until Jesus died.  What seemed to have been the end was only a new beginning though. When darkness pierced the curtain (the flesh of Jesus’ body), it rend the veil between man and God that released the Holy Spirit.  The darkness of sin met with the mercy of God revealed in the Holy Spirit that dwelt behind the curtain in the tabernacle. The barrier between God and man was removed so man could approach his God for himself without the intermediary of a high priest. Sin and the devil had lost and man and the Holy Spirit had won by the power of God.

Jesus paid the price for the removal of sin and evil. The Holy Spirit abides with us today in an intimacy that neither the tabernacle nor the flesh of Jesus could.  The tabernacle was limited to a particular place and time as was Jesus when He walked the earth.  But today the Holy Spirit can be everywhere at the same time and available to whomever needs Him.  The Holy Spirit is also a curtain now that hides the saints of God from the evil that is without. We know that the devil is an imitator of God, so he hides his workers behind a curtain too.  The source of evil is often veiled and it can be difficult to discern where it is coming from or what hand has dealt the fatal blow.  It can often hit us from various directions until it seems overwhelming.  No amount of darkness though is hidden from the All-Seeing Eyes of God who watches over the earth and His children.

When those that possesses the Holy Spirit of God commune behind the veil with the Father about the evil in the earth, God rolls back the curtain of darkness to expose the evil with His light.  We no longer have to wait on the high priest of the tabernacle or the once-a-year intervention.  God’s power is immediately available to all His children.  Satan, who manipulates people and operates in darkness, is revealed when the curtain of darkness is pulled back by the light of Christ Jesus.  Behind that curtain is a weak and defeated enemy who has already succumbed to the power of Christ’s resurrection.  The truth that Satan is already defeated is a truth he wanted kept a secret but it is one destroys the fear of his lies.

The three little pigs need not fear the big bad wolf anymore because they dwell in a house strong enough to withstand the wolf’s attack.  One version of the story has the wolf trying to sneak in the house by the chimney and ending up in a pot of scalding water on the fireplace that provides a wealth for the three little pigs when they sell his hide.  The menacing wizard behind the curtain was powerless as is the devil against the child of God. Jesus came veiled in a body of flesh and blood to destroy the devil that had the power of death and Jesus delivered believers from a lifetime in the fear of death.

The wolf has brought a breath of fear against the nation of America and the wisdom of God has allowed some houses of straw or sticks to fall.  There were houses built on false teachings; lust of money, sex and self-fulfillment that fell when exposed to the light.  America’s nature of infidelity was revealed when God pulled back the curtain of false religion and exposed false doctrine, fraud, idolatry and sexual immorality in the pulpit and priesthood.  He pulled back the curtain of government and exposed racism, discrimination, fraud, organized crime, hatred, sexual immorality, lies, national disloyalty, ignorance and pride.  He pulled back the curtain of business and exposed fraud, theft, sexual immorality, greed and treachery.  God has allowed America to see that it has poor leadership in homes, schools, government, businesses and its churches  Their weaknesses came because of failing to acknowledge and uphold the power of God in their leadership.  God did not expose these weaknesses for America’s defeat but rather for America’s repentance.  Even though these weaknesses could cause the nation to fall, it is God who determines whether it stands or falls.  His decision depends on the nation’s decision on repentance and turn from sin.  A drowning man must make the decision between fighting for life and giving up to die.  The fight for America depends on giving up the fight against God and dying to sin so there can be a rebirth.  The unethical nature of America is no better than the nations to whom it once stood as a shining light on a hill or beacon.

Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. Prov. 11:34

God reveals man’s sin in the open when he fails to heed the various warnings sent to him to repent. At every church communion, God asks that believers examine themselves and determine if they are suitable to commune with God behind the veil.  God both allows and helps His children to discover their own sin so as to repent and be delivered from that which can cause death.  It is the love of God that reveals our sin to us.  Every Israelite that came to the tabernacle with an offering for sin was acknowledging to the priest that he was a sinner deserving death but was requesting mercy instead. The priest accepting the offering was supposed to be sanctified for the purpose of receiving the offering for sin and standing as an intermediary between God and man even though no human has ever been worthy for this task.  Judgment was temporarily prevented by this system of repentance and forgiveness of sin.  The resurrection of Christ from the dead for our sin has replaced the Israelite system with the new system of Christ’s own blood offered once for the sin of every believer.

Today Christ requires man to confess sin in intimacy with Him through prayer and in some cases to another believer to receive forgiveness.  Christ will reveal our sin to us in the privacy of our prayer in communion with Him when our heart is tender enough to hear.  Those that resist this option will have the opportunity to be told their sin by another person or circumstance.  Strong resistance against confession of sin brings more sternness from God to make one aware of sin and allow opportunity for repentance.  This is the mercy of God.  Prophets may be sent to a people refusing to heed God’s warnings.  They stand as an intermediary between man and the judgment in the Old and New Testaments.  God has always shown mercy toward mankind to get them to return to Him before destruction.  Noah preached for 120 years before the destruction by flood that wiped out the whole earth.  God loves the creation He has made and He said it all was good after making it.  Romans Chapter One tells us that even the wicked on which wrath will fall have had God revealed to them through nature itself testifying of God and that they are without excuse.  God is willing to reveal Himself to all that seek Him in sincerity and forgive all sin through Jesus Christ’s blood shed on the cross.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Pe 3:9 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Jo. 3:16-17

God has allowed the curtain to be pulled back to reveal the sin of our nation, leaders and people so that we can receive the forgiveness made available to us through the ripping of the tabernacle veil to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior of the world, where we can find mercy in our time of need.  If the veil of our heart has been rend to reveal our personal need, then God has allowed us opportunity to humble ourselves in His presence to receive His mercy and grace.

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WHY THE FATHER OF THE PROSPERITY MOVEMENT REBUKED HIS DISCIPLES

December 13, 2018

How it Started

If we traced the present prosperity movement back to its springboard, we would find Kenneth E. Hagin and his many teachings on spiritual gifts and church leadership.  Many of today’s prominent evangelical teachers sprung from the lineage of the Kenneth Hagin faith movement. While the public’s distaste for prosperity teachers does not disqualify Hagin or his teachings, it does help us to discover how we got where we are today.  Hagin told the story in his books of a spiritual encounter that brought healing, inspiration and revelation of Jesus Christ while he was bedridden as a little boy. His experiences led him to establish a teaching/evangelistic ministry in 1949 and a school in 1974.

Hagin’s teachings excited a sluggish church movement where preaching the gospel did not seen to work out very well for the preacher or the people.  As preachers were working as itinerant preachers, travelling around to churches declaring the word of God, they suffered lack of provisions in their personal lives.  Pastors were experiencing the same general problem of lack while trying to be faithful to God in ministering the Word.  Evangelists would stay in the homes of church members or leaders who welcomed them in their spare room with free meals.  They were often ill paid for their services by poor churchgoers or duped by the hosting church leader.  It was a system in need of repair as the faithful were sometimes being mistreated by those to whom they ministered.

Kenneth Hagin wrote in his books about his own experiences with being defrauded and suffering lack while trying to faithfully serve God.  He wrote of how he went to preaching engagements in faith believing God for traveling expenses, housing and funds to support his family back home.  He recalled the difficulty he experienced when pastors did not give him his fair share of the offering raised from his preaching and how he suffered financially.  He wrote that he addressed the problem to God and was given revelation into God’s plan for financial prosperity.  God never intended for his servants to suffer poverty while ministering for Him and He began to show Hagin His true plan for their financial well-being.  Hagin, of course, began to teach his own followers what he had learned and the Word of Faith Ministry was launched.  Ministers would stand on God’s word and believe God to respond with a supply of their needs if they were faithful.  Not only did they begin to operate in a faith walk with God for meeting their needs but they taught the people to believe by faith as well for their own financial blessings.  Because the people believed that they, too, would be delivered from poverty if they gave the preacher of their resources; they began to give greatly in expectation of a sizable return for their generosity, as they still do today.

God was surely faithful to bless the giver who trusted Him according to His word.  Kenneth Hagin became a well-known preacher/teacher and prospered with his new teaching.  He appeared to be humble and obedient to God in execution of the word.  People were seeing the miraculous moves of God through faith and the Word reinforced the teaching of Hagin.  Kenneth Hagin began to have large followings and multitudes of meetings to teach spiritually hungry believers who needed real answers from God.  Hagin was not the first teacher of faith, healings or miracles, but most of today’s sensational teaching sprung through a host of his followers.  There were other well-known evangelists, faith healers and word of faith preachers during this period as well.  Some widely known preachers of faith during that time were Kathryn Kuhlman, A. A. Allen, William Branham, Jim and Tammy Bakker and Oral Roberts, and others.

Error Detected and Addressed

We know that he best laid plans and intentions can go awry.  Where some ministers saw answers to prayers and help for their true service through Hagin’s teaching, of course, there were some who saw an opportunity for great wealth and fame through teaching the bible to uneducated followers of Christ.  There were so many churches where few really understood the word but they taught in faith what they had been taught and many people followed in fear of the consequences of disobedience.  Many local churches taught the saints about the horrors of hell without much emphasis on the grace of God.  The new liberty and blessings taught by the Word of Faith churches were a welcomed alternative.  The Word of Faith churches and movement grew in size and followers.  In 1974, Hagin began his school called Rhema Bible Training Center that greatly promoted the Word of Faith teachings, commonly called the prosperity movement.

Hagin wrote a book addressing how his teaching was being distorted and, in some cases, straight out erroneous or false teaching for nefarious reasons.  He made an effort to give correction to the churches that had strung up from his original teachings.  This book was entitled: “The Midas Touch: A Balanced Approach to Biblical Prosperity”. Hagin, who born in 1917, died in 2003 shortly after publishing this scathing book repudiating the misdirection of his message.  Shortly before he died he called a meeting of his closest followers, who had carried his teaching into large national and international ministries and movements of their own, to come hear his message in repudiation of their erroneous teaching.  Hagin had convened a special meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the campus of Rhema Bible Training Center, the Fall of 1999 to rebuke followers for manipulating the Bible to support what he viewed as greed and selfish indulgence. The topic was: Excesses and error present within the “prosperity” message being taught by the major Word of Faith ministries.   The report is the meeting was attended by well-known teachers of today:  Kenneth Copeland; Creflo Dollar; Jerry Savelle; Jesse Duplantis; Mac Hammond; and Steve Parson.  There is a long list of prosperity preachers today that sprung up from the original teachings that are a who’s who of the religious world.  They are also the who’s who of the world’s millionaires and privileged possessing multi-million dollar homes, cars, ministries and personal airplanes.

The wealth of prosperity preachers, the poverty of the givers and the distaste to believers because of these preachers appear to be a 180 degree turn from the original teaching and intents of Kenneth Hagin.  The end results we see today in the practices of prosperity preaching must have been the incentive for Kenneth Hagin to call the meeting with his followers in 1999.  He must have foreseen the error and damage to the church and the gospel message that we are experiencing today.  Prosperity teaching has gone from the modest teaching of faith to the fragrantly outrageous swindling of the people (2 Pet. 2:3).

In 2007, the United States Congress through Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), tried to rein in the abuse but several of the preachers in question stood up in rebellion to the inquiry, questioning the validity of worldly authority into their spiritual affairs.  Some of them refused to disclose their financial accounting.  It is true that spiritual authority exceeds worldly authority when the spiritual authority is sound and righteous; but when spiritual authority is in error, it is God who brings judgment to His stewards.  God can use any person or means to bring correction.  When the wicked reign long and there is no outcry by the people, it is not proof that God is pleased with them.  Jesus taught:  “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch (Luk 6:39)?”  They are both thrown on the trash heap.  God does not always reconcile his accounting books overnight.  There is a throne of judgment awaiting each of us to be judged by the Lamb of God for our deeds (Rev. 7:4; II Cor. 5:10).

Distorting the Bible Authority

Ministers can choose to evade the biblical process where God ordains oversight for local pastors.  Unbiblical positions of pastors who rule over worldwide or multiple churches are not authorized in scripture by Jesus.  Preachers often in error use titles of pastors, while they minister as world-wide evangelists.  They misuse the title of prophet while pastoring and evangelizing nationally and internationally.  They may call their office pastor while running multiple churches, national and international businesses with regular interactions with politics.  These are all unlawful actions of the church simply because they are not authorized by Christ or scripture.  If you wonder why Christ has not corrected this behavior, it is because He gave authority to the church to correct spiritual behavior. Jesus will be our final judge of obedience.  Apostle Paul called out Apostle Peter’s sin. The prophet, John, called out Herod’s sin.  Prophet Nathan brought a correcting message to King David.  Even Israel challenged some of their own tribes to war because of setting up another altar (Jos 22:10).  When no correction is brought by God’s people, He throws them all on the trash heap as He has done over and over in scripture.  Korah’s theft and rebellion under Moses’ leadership brought death into the whole camp (Num. 16).  There are nations and governments today that still stand after betrayal of their covenant with God but to what avail?  We have seen various countries and nations that once stood strong on biblical values that now have horrible internal violence and reputations on the world stage.  Many of these formerly Christian nations appear God-forsaken, turned over to a reprobate state or set for enemy destruction. This is the conclusion of rebellious nations.  What a horrible fate for anyone who has ever loved God but a rebellious heart and a seared conscious is insensitive to the things of God.  Reprobate preachers can continue in religious activity, having no standing with God and rule over people at their mercy without the presence of God (Tit 1:16).  Even though it seems merciless for God to leave them in this condition, God never leaves a true believer, who will be led away from such places. This is the end Hagin probably sought to prevent occurring for those he taught.

In the early 80’s, I began reading Hagin books and listened to his tapes.  I attended a Hagin conference once, bought his Rhema bible, watched prosperity television programs and attended some conferences by his ministers.  While diligently seeking God through local church attendance, personal study , outreach ministry, donating funds and attending conferences; it all came to a miserable end.  Fortunately, I also had a connection with God that picked me up from where I had fallen and led me to the right path.  I observed as the movement grew by leaps and bounds and continued to examine the teachings because there were few others who could provide advanced biblical knowledge during that time.  My heart and prayer goes out to all of those still caught up in the error of this movement from which God delivered me.

Many people whether believers or non-believers have discovered the error of this group of Christians but the movement has become so big that it even encompasses top government leaders enthralled in this practice.  Some evangelicals who endorsed the current U.S. president are leaders in this movement, who now appear to have been blinded-sided by the accusations of unlawful collusion with a foreign nation, sexual immorality and financial misconduct.  Some of these evangelicals mirror the president in their multiple marriages/divorces and their pursuit of greater wealth and prestige. The U. S. President is believed to have had some early training in the positive thinking teaching of Norman Vincent Peale, a forerunner of faith teaching which led into the greater leaps of faith for wealth by the prosperity movement. Jesus warned against the lust for material things and this vulnerability and lack of moral compass seems to be the glue that holds this group together.  They have denied the true love for God, gospel truth and moral conscious in their pursuit of greater wealth.  Religious followers seem to envy these prosperity preachers’ extravagant homes, churches buildings and lifestyles and they pursue these leaders and methods like lottery tickets, believing their lucky day too will soon come.

Kenneth Hagin’s book rebuking his followers was called:  “The Midas Touch: A Balanced Approach to Biblical Prosperity, 2003.”  It is reported and evidenced by subsequent behavior of Hagin followers that they did not take heed to his rebuke or his advice to change their ministry approach.   Hagin did not deny of his original teaching on prosperity but reproved the ungodly balance in pursuit of profit for preaching.

The current prosperity teaching is a practice of religious abuse or abuse of power.  Jesus very blatantly rebuked the religious leaders of Jerusalem for this very practice (Mt. 7:15; Mt. 2314-27) and the Old Testament priests (I Sam. 2:16) had a similar abuse of religious authority.  The authoritative position and power of religious leaders over people make correction a very difficult prospect.  The greatest tragedy of this practice of abuse is that it brings a reproach on God’s name.  Believers willing to give to God are disappointed when their giving is not fruitful as promised.  These preachers then accuse the giver of lacking enough faith to receive a blessing like they did.  They bring a reproach on the church and the name of Christ.

One way of looking at this practice is revealed in the saying that “a fish rots from the head down.”  It implies a failure of an organization’s leadership.  Corrupt leadership in church effect the spiritual condition of the people and makes it difficult for members to escape its snare. Because the church is the head of a community of people and the head of God’s authority in earth, its corruption rots everything in its path.  With the influence of prosperity preaching in the high ranks of government, its influence runs throughout the nation and at every level.  What the evangelical preachers did in offering God’s favor, adding authenticity to the current president, was to add spiritual corruption to our nation when they put an anointing on a scandalous candidate to be head of our nation as President of the United States of America.  Their prayers gave spiritual empowerment to a corrupt vessel.  Is there any wonder the nation is struggling with spiritual battles of good and evil throughout the land. ‘Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain (Psa 127:1). Our current difficulties mirror the problems of biblical King Saul while he walked in disobedience with God and brought failure and trouble to the whole nation.  King David was both a spiritual and political leader in Israel and his sin brought death and destruction to Israel (2Sa 12:9). King David’s punishment brought death to his child, disinheritance to his heir, violence of war and a period of humiliation from his beloved son.  In another sin of David, God’s wrath poured out a sentence on the people of David’s kingdom:

2Sa 24:13  So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.   2Sa 24:15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.

The bible examples of King David show the damage to a nation when the leader sins.  The impact of the leader’s sin is shown in the Old Testament kings and the effect on the people under their authority.  Where the power and authority of the leader should bless the people, we have seen that they can be a curse to the people instead.  People under authority of leaders are advised by God to pray for those over them and the example above proves why it is so important.  Our destiny can be wrapped up in the leader’s destiny.  Absolute power corrupts absolutely and the love of money is the root of all evil. Therefore, when these charismatic leaders take sole authority, their greed for money makes them a cancerous double assault against the church and infect our world.

The false set up of most of these churches makes it difficult to correct because the pastor is often both the leaseholder and chief financial officer. God’s correction has to be exercised either from within the church through true believers or from outside authority.  The sole power of these leaders has made both types of correction very difficult.  Hagin probably did all he could to correct this error and he cannot be held responsible for the high jacking of his teaching.  It takes truth to reveal error and the more truth is revealed the greater chance some victims may have to escape.  The persistence of American news reporters in revealing corruption in our government despite the President’s criticism has been the saving grace to our American democracy in the midst of the Russia scandal.  Church dissidents must be equally persistent to correct their church corruption or flee idolatry to prevent their own destruction. We have seen recently some churches that have stood up against church abuse by the pastor but it is difficult and rare.  Churches that are set up with proper oversight can save their people from abuse by bringing correction to a straying leader.  We see Apostle Paul bringing proper correction to the churches he established in II Corinthian Chapters 3 through 15 and there should be elders in each church to help guide and correct the local assembly.  Teachers, pastors, bishops nor evangelists are given world-wide or final authority in Jesus’ church.  The book of Ephesian clearly states that the church structure was built on the foundation set by prophets and apostles with Jesus Christ as the final authority revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone…

Jesus clearly committed the church to His apostles who established and guided the church by the words they received from Christ, the Lord.  Old and New Testaments reveal the sacrifices made by prophets and apostles under the strict tutorage of the Lord’s guidance and how He led them as they led His people.  The close relationship between God and His apostles and prophets, along with the discipline He mete out to them, make these leaders of a different quality than local pastors.  Local pastors can advance to higher offices but Christ does the calling and sets the order of His church.  The gospel is based on sacrificial service to God by those that follow Christ but the prosperity preachers are seeking their wealth and privilege now here on earth for their service and denying the principle of sacrifice and suffering that comes to test every believer as Apostle Paul taught and revealed through his life.  Prosperity preachers neglect this teaching because they falsely emphasize an easy life of comfort in Christ that many desire.

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Jas 5:10

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2Ti 3:12

The nation of America has had the knowledge and freedom to exercise biblical truth but is now seeing the matured fruit of the prosperity gospel message metastasize in chaos, darkness and confusion for the nation. The prosperity movement has been accepted by a President who appears to believe the greatest gift is wealth and is being guided by religious leaders who are motivated by their own wealth and fame.  The bible clearly ask: How can two walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3). They have followed a false gospel and false god through temptation of wealth and fame, which temptation Christ refused (Mt. 4), and it has led a whole nation toward imminent ruin and jeopardy by an angry God that the nation swore to obey.  The punishment for choosing another god is severe…ask biblical Israel who were sold into bondage again and again (Deu. 28:36; Joe. 3:8). Wisdom pleads for the Christian believer to search out the truth and turn from error, which Satan always sweetens with just enough truth to entice the unlearned.  Kenneth E. Hagin both taught and wrote a book to bring the erroneous teaching to the attention of those that would follow succession of his ministry but the truth was already written in the scriptures that Christ instructed all men to read for themselves.  Jesus always taught the believer to live by faith in the Word of God but He warned against the pursuit and love of money (Mt. 4:4; Mar 8:36).  The choice has always been and will always be: choose whom you will serve.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  Jos 24:15  (KJV)

You cannot serve two masters: God and money.  For you will hate one and love the other, or else the other way around. Mt. 6:24 (TLB)

What To Do When Evil Sits In The High Place?

November 2018

Most of us know from childhood teachings that there is right and wrong behavior and consequences rendered for choosing what is wrong, but the great dispute of our society today is determining what is actually right or wrong.  It seems to vary based on the concepts and teachings of those who consider the matter.  The morals of our society derived from home teachings or personal opinions have branded us with a certain frame of mind and value system that is difficult to uproot.  Our capitalist society no longer wants to support old biblical concepts or moral absolutes that came from allegiance to God and that established our government and nation because it could stand in the way of pleasure or profitable gain.

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?  Mat 16:26

There was a time when people believed concepts of heaven or hell as moral restraint and final destination for life’s deeds.  Belief in a Sovereign God, who rules earth and man’s life, was accepted in most civilized societies of early Europe and America.  People were so persuaded in the idea of a Sovereign God and of eternal damnation until many nations following the crucifixion of Christ established government religions like the official adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire in AD 380, and the subsequent Christianization of most of Europe.  After the crucifixion and appointment of apostles, Peter’s ministry in first century AD Rome  became the foundation of the Christian church that was later called the Catholic Church.  The Catholic Church’s message was taken world-wide as missionaries were sent out to teach and convert sinners.  There was zeal to take truth into all the dark places of the earth.  From those early Christian beginnings, nations established religions that were endorsed and directed by kings and emperors; some of whom became ruthless toward the people and forced leadership change, even though they professed Christ and endorsed the Catholic Church.

The Holy bible tells us of the righteousness and holiness of God as the Creator of the world and of the glory and majesty of heaven as the angels shower God with worship and praise.  Scripture revealed that the head angel of heaven, named Lucifer, led worship to God until evil was found in him.  This evil being led an uprising with other angels in conspiracy to overthrow the throne of God so that he could rule in God’s place.  This anarchy ended when Lucifer and his cohorts were kicked out of heaven by the Sovereign God, who rule supreme in heaven and earth.  The anarchists were evicted out of heaven and thrown down to earth where they then set out to corrupt earth and torment the children of God.

Satan sought to control the high place of heaven and now has access to earth and the hearts of mankind.  His evil influence tempted the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, to disobey God and caused them to lose fellowship and peace between mankind and God in the Garden of Eden.  From that point to this, mankind has had to deal with his evil influence in the affairs of man.  Satan still envies God’s authority and seeks to establish a kingdom that will compete with or overthrow God’s authority and that is why man is both a potential tool and enemy.

The opening chapter of the New Testament shows Satan’s temptation of Jesus Christ after a 40-day fast in the wilderness.  Satan took Christ upon the pinnacle of the temple and later offered Christ all the kingdoms in Satan’s possession if Jesus would just bow down and worship Satan (Mt. 4).  Christ, of course, refused every temptation and successfully passed each test in obedience.  We see revealed in this story, power that the devil possessed to tempt Christ and all mankind to sin against God.  Apostle Paul taught that: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12).”  So when we run into wickedness, we need to realize it is the power of Satan working in souls that have fallen victim to his influence.  That is the reason why we have to identify Satan’s work and learn how to fight.  Our fight is not against man, whose soul God loves, but against the enemy in the person whom the evil spirit has taken captive.

Jesus warned us about the wit of evil men “…for the children of the world are in their generation wiser than the children of light (Lk 16:8).”  Jesus commended the unjust servant when caught for theft because of the wisdom he used in negotiating a way of escape from judgment. His evil skills were compared by Christ with the lack of wisdom in the children of God.  It was a point of shame because the children of God possess the advantage by their access to the omnipotent power and knowledge of God.  The children of God are actually more powerful than the devil’s children but the wisdom and power of deity is available to both.  Paul taught whose wisdom believers should choose: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness (Rom 6:16)?”

There was a time when erratic behavior of individuals such as listed in Mark 5 was thought to be mental but Jesus taught us the root of certain types of problems can be spiritual dysfunction.  The very nature of some fights are spiritual battles rather than a societal, political, or mental issue that can be solved by practitioners of the medical, mental or psychological profession.  The Christian community has the advantage of Christ’s teaching and should be able to minister to people who are afflicted with spiritual abnormalities resulting in unnatural behavior in our communities.  Unfortunately many of our churches have advocated their religious responsibilities to mental health professionals who medicate, incarcerate or label people that could be otherwise set free by competent spiritual ministry.

Left to their devices people with great spiritual abnormalities can take on positions of high office where their subordinates have no power to resist.  This can occur in high offices in government, religion or society, where many have been discovered in great mischief only after much damage was done.  It is hypocrisy when this is found in churches. But Apostle Paul taught that “… Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light (2Co 11:14).  The devil loves to hide in the high places because that is what he is used to; but people should have their eyes open and seek proof of Christ’s presence in their religious leaders. The Catholic Church is now wrestling with pedophilia in priests that has been covered up by religious leaders for decades.   Business leaders are being confronted with criminal prosecution for sexual misbehavior that has long been condoned as acceptable business practice.  We see presently in the highest office of the land a man that a majority of America has called a narcissist, liar, thief, unpatriotic and unfit for office; yet there seems to be nothing anyone can do about it.  Because the office of president, the standard bearer for the nation, is the highest law enforcement office in America, there is no higher government office that can rein in unlawful actions.

Could it be possible that God, who orchestrated lawful governing of men from the instructions given Moses by his father-in-law, Jethro, had no remedy for this type of problem?  Contrary to the beliefs of the American people, God never made the president or any governmental representative the final authority in the land.  Godly spiritual authority has always been commissioned by God to discipline corrupt governmental authority.  For all the love God showered on King David, He did not condone David’s sin against Uriah when David took the man’s wife to bed and had the husband killed.  God in that situation raised up a spirit-led servant called a prophet of God who went to David as the mouthpiece of God to confront and convict David of his sin against God and the people.  David’s sin was judged by God and punishment was dispensed to the highest officeholder in the land.  We saw God in scripture (Dan 5) personally smite a heathen king for pride and arrogance and even use the finger of God to write a warning message on the palace wall for another.  When Israel and Judah’s leaders and citizens could no longer be corrected and brought back to godly discipline, they were all turned over to the enemy for punishment. God will always judge sin.  We see King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, delivered into bondage to Babylon around 587 BC, his sons killed before him, and his eyes put out in captivity to his enemy (2Ki 25:7). The vast majority of Americans believe like the Israelites did that they possess superiority above all other people and could not be overtaken by enemy nations because of their relationship with God; but God favors present obedience, rather than symbols of past obedience.  So evil in the high place of the people of God is an affront to God and represents punishment, not favor.

God sent Jesus into the earth to restore power back to mankind for rule over the earth and righteous judgment of the behavior of man.  Jesus restored righteous rule through establishing the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The saints have power with God through prayer to bring intervention in the affairs of the earth.  Jesus clearly made it known to His disciples that they were to exercise righteous justice in the earth through the Holy Spirit’s power given to all who believed in Christ. That power extended through the use of righteous government officials brings people into submission to God’s authority as stated in I Peter 2:13.   Only through transferring the power of God to unrighteous worldly authority could the church stand powerless to exercise justice in the land.  And this we have seen performed by the church when it surrendered its authoritative power to the government for tax benefits! The story of Daniel teaches us that even an idolatrous government could be converted to God through holy intercession and petitioning of God in prayer.  The story and Jonah and Nineveh teach us that even the worst of nations can repent and be saved.

Americans have seen governments around the world trample on the rights of their citizens, denying their rights to religion, property, entrepreneurship and speech.  We recently saw government leaders in foreign countries travel into countries outside of their borders to kill opponents who spoke against their leadership.  American leadership cannot freely and openly do those types of crimes…yet.  America is headed in that direction though because right now no person in America has power of restraint to the highest office in the land when it promotes lawlessness.  The political problems of our nation now typifies the experience of a frog being slowly boiled to death.  The frog, which had the power to jump out at any time, became oblivious to the temperature change as it was being cooked to death by small increases in heat until it was too late.

God gives the church ability to recognize the enemy’s ways long before they are fully formed and the church should respond on first attack.   The devil used laws to first restrain prayer from American schools in 1962 and the church was silent, squashed the church voice through tax breaks in 1954/1987,  outlawed corporal punishment of children in 2014, removed the Ten Commandments from the public square in 2017, changed moral standards on marriage in 2015 with a silent church, contained individual Christian voices through erroneous religious teaching, divided the country by poor spiritual guidance and finally allowed hijack of the government through poor spiritual guidance and appointment of immoral administrative, judiciary and congressional leadership whose pursuits was enrichment rather than righteous rule that jeopardize American people by internal and external threats.  The mouth and hands of America have been tied in a knot and there is little help of saving her unless the church becomes convicted of sin, repent and cry out to God.  Politics cannot save America!  Jesus came as a spiritual Savior, not a political one.  Neither presidents nor congress have the ability to overcome their own lust for power and money to do what is right.  Righteousness must rise up against unrighteousness in order to restore justice.  Only the church was given”… power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy… (Lk 10:9).”  Only the church was told by Jesus that the gates of hell would not prevail against her (Mt 16:18).  That is why many churches had to be deceived and persuaded into following money rather than God. The bible teaches that the root of all evil is the love of money, which all Americans have been led to pursue at any cost (1Ti 6:10); but God is not mocked, nor defeated.

When the spirit of Satan infiltrates a soul, his characteristics will be manifested in those who are taken captive; so we must be able to identify the traits of Satan in order to understand his work in man and the atmosphere.  He hides his hand but we can still recognize him by his characteristics.  We can recognize the evil spirit that is Satan through his fruits as Jesus explained in Matthew 7:15.  Anger, hatred, lying, greed, disruptions and selfishness are some of his major tell-tale signs but he also deals subtly as well because the devil is crafty.  The book of Galatians gives us a list of the characteristics of the enemy at work.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication (unmarried sex), uncleanness, lasciviousness (lustful/wanton/lewd/ girl-chasing old man), idolatry (worship of idols, not God), witchcraft, hatred, variance (inconsistent), emulations (envious/imitation), wrath (vengeful), strife(bitter/angry disagreement), seditions (inciting people to rebel), heresies(opinions contrary to tradition), envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)

The book of Galatians goes on to tell us that the fruits of the spirit of God is love, joy and peace.  So we can identify what the evil one looks like in the high place and the low place.  Once an evil tree matures it cannot hide its fruit any longer and it has to manifest what type of tree it is.  Jesus taught us that a good tree does not produce evil fruit.  Once we know what we are dealing with, the children of God should know how to pray about this wickedness as taught in Ephesian 6.   We are the Daniels of our generation praying to God over the sin of our own life and that of our nation.

If the church waits for the government to overcome the devil and his work in our nation, then we give the devil free rein to do his work and gain control over the church Jesus died to establish.  If the church sleeps in apathy, apostasy, and continues its lust for material possessions, the devil laughs at Christ’s church as it sits powerless to fight.  The church cannot continue to preach a powerless gospel that has no conviction of sin because it wants to please the people who fill the coffers for prosperity preachers.  “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2Ti 3:13).”  Too many church leaders have fallen into Satan’s snare and been persuaded that their riches are proof of their success in God; when Satan, too, rewards with wealth temporarily those that will follow him.  It is temporary and it comes with a great cost eternally.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way…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. (2 Th 2:7, 10-12).

America appears roped and tied as it has fallen into the hands of an enemy hidden through the ages in the flesh and through the greedy power-seeking ways of man.  Satan’s great test to Jesus was the temptation of power and wealth, which all America craves.   Satan’s best temptation is the lust for material pleasures and worldly power, which Jesus freely gives to the obedient.  Jesus said that the people of this world are much wiser than the children of God and it seems to have proven true as Christians have sought wealth over God.    Have the children of God taken on a new lover and tossed aside the Savior of their souls for an evil ruler who will accompany them into eternal damnation?  Is it possible that the American Christian church can be revived back to God to save itself and the people from the enemy who desires the high place of God and Christ’s heritage for himself?

Jesus declared that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church and even when Elijah cried against the sin of Israel God replied that He had 7,000 that had not bowed to Baal.  Baal was a Canaanite false god known as an adversary to the Hebrew God.  Elijah defeated the Baal worshipers on Mount Carmel in the test for the True God (I Ki 18:21).  Elijah performed this test to show the people that it was the True God that they should serve, not Baal.  People cannot be saved until they repent of sin and they cannot repent if they do not know they have sinned.  The mission of the preacher and prophet is to show the people their sin and lead them to Christ for redemption. Jesus loved the sinner so much that He was willing to give his own life for their eternal soul.  Salvation has been purchased for the one who will turn his heart to Christ in repentance.   The devil has already been defeated through Christ’s death and triumphant resurrection.  Those who have been overcome can be restored if they cry out to God because He has promised to hear (Zec 13:9).  The earth belongs to God and Jesus has already purchased it back from the devil, but the people of God must be vigilant, rising up to fight for their own soul and for the nation wherever the devil has taken an unlawful position in the high places of God’s dominion.  The devil is a ferocious unrelenting adversary who will not easily surrender, but God will fight with us and for us with all power.  The victory is already won for those on the Lord’s side but they must stand in faith.   Victory is ours if we keep fighting until we overcome in battle.  It is a battle we are equipped for.  We are the children of the Most High God; and when we fight, we win.

America at the Precipice of Crisis or Victory!

November 5, 2018

The Astuteness of American Founders

The founders who established the nation of America were people who possessed biblical and world knowledge as ministers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, soldiers, inventors, doctors, and teachers.  They were scholarly, though not perfect. From their knowledge of the bible’s intent for governing mankind and the reality of man’s rule over people, they devised a government that was an amazing and unique cross-section between the two concepts.  Equality of rights, access to provisions and a land of freedom for all men is a God-idea found within the pages of the bible.  America would be a land where God would rule over mankind through the heart with governing laws guiding conduct toward each other.  The practice of various religious faiths derived from the Word of God with biblical instruction was the basis for continued growth that would provide moral guidance for proper relationship between neighbors.

We often say the founders framed the constitution, which implies a picture being formed within the frame.  If the founders were the framers, then their descendants are forming the picture within the frame.  Have we done a good job in forming the picture they framed for us?  They gave the ideas and principles that formed the frame of our nation.  They exercised the first government and congress that illustrated what they intended; and they believed our religion, laws and brotherly love for each other and country would guide us in maintaining the plan for justice and equality for all.

American Arrogance

The crises we have in America today reveal our understanding of their ideas and principles as well as our motives in handling the nation that the founders entrusted to us.  When we compare the original plan with the position we find ourselves in today, the difference reveals whether we are on or off course.  They designed a system for equality in access and provision based on people working together for the common good but we have turned it into a bounty for aristocracy like the countries the settlers fled.  An opportunity for fairness has turned into an organized conspiracy of greed for a ruling class.  God was to reign as supreme in this land, but now we have capitalism as supreme and God’s rule has been evicted.  The greedy desire for money and power has caused an evil underbelly to be revealed mirrored to those of past European homelands.  The great fear though is that the American zeal to excel over other nations will now lead her to destroy herself and other nations.   America’s greatness has the potential to corrupt the world because it embodies similar ego, knowledge and ability to Napoleon or Caesar in their day.

The advantage America held above other nations was its people ability to freely explore and imitate the character and deeds of Christ.  America had the liberty to freely experience God without restraint of man’s rules and laws.  The availability and benefit of all past scholarly knowledge has somehow led America to evict her God and choose man’s rule like other nations.

What happened to America?  It had all the advantages of past nations and more.  Where did America fail?  America’s failure was in becoming so great that she no longer felt a need for her God.  She replaced God with her own ingenuity.  The God that led Christopher Columbus across the waters and George Washington in battle against past tyrants and the God who established and supported this nation through many disasters, wars and uprisings is no longer needed because man has “got this”.

The difference between America and other nations has been the liberty to worship God in truth through Christ.  Why did that advantage fail us? Here is a biblical scenario to consider.   In pursuit of the Promised Land, some of the tribes of Israel arrived at a plot of land they wanted to occupy (Num. 32).  They wanted to sit down and enjoy their blessings before entering Canaan Land, but Moses had forbade it and Joshua refused to allow it.  It was important to the mission that the Israelites continued fighting until victory was won for the whole nation of Israel before they settled down and enjoyed their spoils.  In American land is available and wealth is obtainable but the God’s spiritual mission is still incomplete.  Moses instructed the Israelites to continue the battle until victory was won for all and then the tribes could return to their land for rest.  The American spiritual battle has not been completed.  The goal of equality of rights, access to provisions and a land of freedom for all men in America has not been achieved as long as the strong restrain the weak.  Moses, as a prophet of God, and his follower, Joshua, were spiritual leaders of the people who established the rule of equity for all the people.  Our Spiritual Joshua, Jesus Christ, which America chose to follow, gave the same command for equity for the people of God as Christ’s Church.  Jesus taught that the blessings were available for all God’s children and He came to defeat the idol worshipers and oppressors who downtrodden the faithful.  Jesus declared in John 3:16… whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  They could expect to have life and that more abundantly.  The message of the gospel that the founders promoted in this land was a message that God gave Jesus so all people should have equal access to the Father with blessings of inheritance now and in eternity.

Religious Error

American Christianity has promoted a gospel that is based on a leadership like past European nations where the poor support a leadership of wealth and power that is accessible only to the upper class and shuts out the lower class.  The lie of American Christianity is not the true gospel of Jesus Christ that promotes well being for everyone.  Some Christian leaders have obtained their portion of the blessings of God and have shut  the door to other seekers (Mt 23:13).  Some spiritual leaders set themselves up as the example of faithfulness through finances provided by the poor (Mt 12:40) and have joined in with governmental efforts that discriminate, oppress, overtax, and defy inheritance to poor citizens. This practice mirrors some past European governments who used spiritual and legal authority to oppress its citizens.

We have in leadership in America a hierarchical, unchristian society that exploits the people while claiming to be better than its neighboring countries.  It has turned the gospel on its head!  Even though this statement may appear to state corruption in every church, it does not preclude the minority of people who still choose to serve the Lord while a majority has cast a heavy shadow over the nation.  John’s Book of Revelations prophesied the error that would be found in many Christian churches who would not follow Christ’s ways.  There are variety of reasons leaders in the Christian church would defraud the people but here are some: greed, prejudice, ignorance.  All of us understand the nature of greed because it shows up even in little children that want more than their fair portion.  The bible wrote about the greed of the priesthood in Old Testament scriptures and it operates pretty much the same today.

Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.  And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. 1Sa 2:15-16

This Old Testament sin was followed up even in the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. We see in the New Testament Jesus rebuking the religious leaders for greed and hypocrisy and casting out the tables of greedy merchants in the temple.  The nature of man to lust for unfair gain is prevalent in every generation.

We see in scripture God’s special people whom He would bless and shower with His inheritance and they were selected to the exclusion of other people and nations.  It was the ministry of Jesus Christ that opened up the rights and privileges of God to all that would accept Christ as Savior. The prejudice that kept one outside of the blessings of God was unbelief in Christ.  So as a Christian nation of believers, every person has a right to the blessings of God that He has so freely showered upon the nation of America.  Who would dare deny God’s children the benefits of His kingdom goodness?  America has dared to defy the very God of the nation His right to bless His children equally.  It is a prejudice that God has not authorized and will not long tolerate through unjust men any more than Jesus tolerated the treachery of the temple.  Apostle Paul taught the Galatia church about equal access to the blessings of God though spiritual inheritance and against fleshy prejudice.  All nations had access into the family of God and blessings through Jesus Christ.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Gal 3:26-29

Lastly, one of the reasons that our religious leaders may have led believers astray could be a lack of knowledge.  Our society today believes that proof of one’s knowledge is a degree from one of their formidable learning institutes.  The more acclaim the institute had, the more esteemed the graduates of the institute.  However, Saul of Tarsus was a religious student of the highest degree taught by the teachings of Gamaliel, a Pharisee doctor of Jewish law held in great esteem by all Jews.  Yet when he became an apostle who received revelation knowledge from Jesus, Paul denounced all his Pharisaical teachings for the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

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 in 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…Php 3:7-9

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 1 Co 1:19

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…1 Co 1:27

The experience of Apostle Paul reveals to us the priority of knowledge given by God through revelations over that which is taught by man’s knowledge.  Man’s knowledge and teachings come through the filter of other men’s choices and prejudice and cannot be compared to the value of pure revelation knowledge that comes from the mind of God.  Therefore, those that do not seek the advantage of knowledge revealed by God do not have the type knowledge that led the first disciples, who led the first church and believers in Christ.  That same knowledge is available today to all who seek it.  That is where, like the children of Israel, religious leaders must push beyond the material blessings that are immediately available and strive for the goal and high calling in Christ Jesus that brings liberty to the body of believers before sitting down to enjoy one’s own pleasure.  Many of our religious leaders in America have chosen the vanity of their own wealth above the necessary needs of the body of believers they were assigned to guide to Christ.  Because of the greed and envy covetous of worldly men, some leaders have pursued wealth and forsook following Christ.  They have changed the goal of church to the pursuit of wealth and promoted a destiny for the nation to one of capitalism and greed. There is still opportunity to pursue God in truth for those that seek Him, but the nation is quickly being turned over to a religious/monarchical abuse like past European nations, which hindered liberty and exercise of faith in God. This practice mirrors service of a god called Baal, where material wealth and sin is preferred over worship of the True God.

The failure of religious leaders to pursue God has caused the nation of America to go backward into darkness, rather than forward into the liberty that all men desire.  We know what the darkness looks like because it surrounds us in nearby countries where monarchs rule, oppress, extort, imprison and kill those who oppose their rule.  That is the direction in which the nation of America is headed…back into darkness, if she does not come to her senses before it is too late.  We see the hierarchical power in our churches and government as they have begun to lord over the people like past European governments and church leaders.  Jesus taught against the practice of lording over people in Matthew 20:25-27.  We also see today the combining of church and government rule through the evangelical leadership which advises, endorses, and directs the American presidency.  We see the empowerment of the rich over the lower class as laws are made to protect a hierarchy of wealth over the needs of lower class people. These are the types of traditions and ways of past European rulers that the first settlers of America fled and fought to prevent the reign of European authority.   Americans who have not studied its past history and the overthrow of past oppression or studied the scriptures to understand the liberty that it is available, may not realize the danger America is approaching.  Where Christ has had reign, any opposition to His reign becomes Antichrist in nature and draws us closer to a destructive end no one wants.

Blind Submission

The peasants of past European rule knew they were being robbed and oppressed and they knew who their oppressors were unlike Americans today who still naively believe America will always be fair, godly and lawful toward its citizens. The eyes of Americans have been brought into blindness by lack of knowledge, greed and spiritual ignorance.  This lack has shown up in American leaders at all levels as the pursuit of personal wealth has led its people astray.  Personal wealth was supposed to be the goal or reward for a life of obedience and service but some leaders have put the cart before the horse and ensnared themselves and others.  The crises we face every day in America are God’s way of giving us alarm of great danger ahead if we continue on our present course.  All the history that America has seen and read stands as a foreboding of where America as a nation is headed.  How can we not know of biblical Israel’s fall, the pride of Rome, the lascivious nature of Greece, or the tyranny theocratic government that sometimes led England?  How can we not remember past presidents, congressmen and company CEO’s that were corrupt toward the American people?  How is it that we cannot see the discrepancy between our church and the bible?  Because hearts have departed from the God, Who demanded to be first in our lives; a spiritual darkness and deceiving spirit has been released in America to bring the people into a sleep that slowly leads to inevitable death that comes to all who reject God.  As the cry goes out to “Awake” will any hear and heed the warnings that danger is ahead?  God never gave sole authority to leaders in our churches or in our civil government. Leaders were always supposed to be godly people chosen from among the best of us and answerable to God and the people.  Christ gives each believer the power of God operating inside his own soul for kingdom rule and authority.  The people of God are held accountable to pray for leaders and bring correction with the word of God in love.  Prophet Nathan corrected King David (2 Sa 12:1).  America’s submission and obedience to leadership could be her fatal flaw whereas Peter taught and illustrated that it was better of obey God than man.  A submitted an ignorant follower makes easy prey for gullible false leaders and the prophesied Antichrist and true leaders should warn God’s sheep.  The last days’ warning given by Christ and the apostles were of wayward hearts and false leaders.

False teachers will always use fear of their power to paralyze the believer. Where leaders have questionable behavior and cause for examination (See Jos 22), Jesus taught it was an opportunity for testimony.  Christ both answers for and defends His servants.  Paul chose to give a cheerful answer when questioned (Acts 24:10).  Apostle Peter’s behavior was checked by Apostle Paul because Peter showed prejudice and spiritual error.  We must always reserve the right to be corrected.  The Book of Proverbs teaches that wise men receive a rebuke and are made wiser but fools hate it.  God has given to the believer and His church “power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt” them (Lk 10:19). They are admonished to put away fear because Jesus delivered the believer from fear.  False leadership does not prevent the God of the bible from rising up to defend His people of faith but the people of faith must reject fear and rise up with the sword of their God to defeat the Goliath that comes against their soul.  God does not need an army to fight against the enemy.  Daniel prayed a heathen king and nation into recognizing his God.  Esther interceded for her people.  Gideon rose up and fought idol worship to lead his people back to truth.  Elijah put the nation to the test between their false gods and, Jehovah, the True God. Job held on to faith despite his persecution and Moses was willing to take the charge of God over his own perceived frailties.  What are you willing to do for your own soul and your nation?

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. Dan 11:32 

 

America – Ready To Be Judged!

October 2018

Whether Americans believe there is a Creator or not does not really matter to the existence of an All-Knowing, All-Powerful Creator God, who reigns in heaven and who is the Maker of all things and final judge of us all. What we know about the Creator is much like what we know about parental authority:  they were before us, they make all the rules and will render the final decision of our behavior to us.  The wisdom of King Solomon of the bible (Son of King David, a man after God’s own heart) told us: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted… (Ec. 3:1-2).”

We all are familiar with the cycle of life that includes birth pains, birth, maturity and death.  Solomon identified many seasons and cycles within life but mostly, he expressed the beginning and the end of all things.  It is important to know that everything under the sun that has  beginning also has a predetermined end.   Solomon went on to declare, “I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work (Ec. 3:17).”  King Solomon’s wisdom, which was a gift from God, explored the purposes of all things and concluded that it is all vanity in the end. The man who had the highest position in the land and more wealth than all men, paused to consider those that were without any.

“So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.  Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive (Ec. 4:1-2).”

After examining the power of the mighty and the lack of power for the oppressed, he determined that death was better than life.  During his lifetime he had opportunity and wisdom above any man to evaluate every aspect of life and he came to a conclusion:

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. Ec. 5:7-8

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ec. 7:7-8

It behooves us all to take wisdom from someone who has had the best of wealth and wisdom and reap his lessons because few, if any, of us will ever gain his abundance  of wealth nor ever gain his wisdom.  How does Solomon sum up his exploration of life?  Here are some excerpts:

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. Ec. 7:15

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. Ec. 12:13-14

We see in this book of wisdom that God gave to the highest position of His chosen people the best of wealth and ability to consider all matters pertaining to life and then allowed him to relay it to all mankind in this book.  Even King Solomon, who had the ability to understand life, had to live it out and be judged for his actions in the end.  But wisdom’s road map is revealed by God for all to follow.  He shows us the right path and advises us to take it.  The lesson is that despite the highest abilities and greatest wealth that we all strive for; our work, soul and intents will be judged by God at a set time.

We know of America’s birth, the providence it experienced to be set aside for pursuit of life and liberty under God and all the declarations made to God by the founding fathers upon its inception: “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  It is those declarations made to God by men that America will be judged by God to determine if it has complied with those vows.  Vows are very important to God:  “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay (Ec. 5:5).”  The declaration of unalienable rights for all men to enjoy life and liberty  within American borders in devotion to God are promises America swore to uphold and is what America will be judged for.  The nation made those vows and the whole world heard them, some of whom have sought to follow America’s example or crossed waters to enjoy them who will also sit in judgment against her treachery to those vows.  America’s actions against other nations and the immigrant prove that she has lost her way!

Creator God set out a plan and put it before His chosen people that He would bless the faithful with riches and wealth and America has received riches and wealth.  He also promised that the wicked would experience deterioration and horrible punishment before final destruction.  America is now somewhere in the process between punishment and final destruction.  The mercy and compassion of God cannot be overlooked.  Even in a sentence of destruction, God gives man time to consider his ways and change his mind. God actually fights for us and with us for preservation, not willing that any should perish.  Apostles Paul and John taught us about the loving forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ. The Book of Revelations, written more then two millenniums ago, reveal that the final judgment does not come without instruction, warnings, deliberations and then punishment poured out in sequential waves.  We are very familiar with the judgment of our courts but less aware of God’s judgment.  The judgments of our courts can be purchased and wrangled by wealthy men, but God cares for none of that.

At this hour where many have come to the rightful conclusion that the soul of America is being tried, there is still time to consider the nation’s sins and turn around.  “…What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God (Mi 6:8)?  We saw that Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Amos were sent by God to warn and declare the punishment of nations.  Prophet Jeremiah was ordered by God to pronounce judgment against Judah, Israel, and the gentiles, Philistines, Moab, Ammonites and Babylon.  But before the heathen nations were to be destroyed, God first reasoned with and judged the people of promise.

The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,   Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,  Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.  Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.  But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.  Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day. Jer 44:1-6

Jeremiah prophesied and grieved over his own people when he saw them fall into desolation as God promised for their disobedience.  All of these things that transpired thousands of years ago is well-known history for America who was established from the reigns and lineage of many kings but set free from bondage to follow God with her whole heart.  How has this nation fallen into the same sin when there was so much knowledge and teaching about this past?  It is because the wicked nature of mankind is unchanged even though many leaders call themselves “Christians.” Christianity has risen to the forefront in the world, where it is no longer considered weak and inconsequential and even been recognized by the White House and its presidents, where it originally found sovereignty in America.  However, it has been soften and diluted until it now oppresses the poor, immigrant, widows and children.  Some profess hatred for the foreigner, fatherless, and prisoners.  Some ranks of it call out some sin as being more hideous than others, contrary to the teachings of Christ.  They profess God while disobeying God and declaring others must obey the letter of the law they teach, much like the Old Testament Pharisees and Sadducees who Jesus declared were hypocrites.

Jesus was upset with the ungodly Jewish leaders and denounced them.  It was a just system corrupted and perverted to favor greedy rulers, who failed to guide society into justice and morality.   They had perverted God’s way and deceived the people.  Jesus rebuked these leaders in Mt 23:13 for not wanting to enter into heaven nor allowing others to do so.  He went on to accuse religious leaders for devouring the poor and widows while establishing their own self-glory.  The Jewish leaders had uncontested control over the people in governing, benevolence and spiritual matters.  They led corruption in all aspects of righteous living for the purpose of self-gratification.  For all these sins and more which did not follow God or the founding fathers, God sits in judgment to declare His verdict upon a disobedient nation.

As America has sat in judgment over nations and people, now she must stand or fall before her “Judge”.  America has long been ruled by affluent old white men “white fisted” with power that have chosen to devalue the disadvantaged that God has valued and scorned the weak, women, children, the poor, immigrants and widows.  In America, the affluent, with or without Christianity, have made a pact to stand in power against the underclass and devour them for their resources.  This is the same power of the nations judged by God before America was formed and it is the same force that Jesus came to defend the poor and disadvantaged against.  In all this, God allows America time to repent and turn around before final judgment. He appeals to the highest and least that someone might intercede for a nation gone wrong.

We see individual people and organizations pleading for America’s soul and to be relieved of its leaders’ hardened hearts.  Some white women and weak Christians who were complicit now also cry in outrage.  The conundrum we face is that leaders are appointed over people according to their nature or simplified: people get the leaders they deserve.  This dilemma reveals the requirement for the whole nation to repent.  As the people contend for the heart of leaders to change, they must also repent and change.  We saw in the story of biblical Nineveh (Jon 3:3), the whole nation repented of sin and was spared.  Daniel prayed for his people but he, too, had to confess sin.  This problem involves all of us because all of us are party to its ways and will suffer the consequences of America’s sin.  Judgment is imminent unless we turn around.  Now that God has pulled the cover off of America’s long hidden sins of genocide, slavery, abortion, prostitution, rape, greed, corruption, authority abuse in religion and government, religious idolatry or apostasy, pride, racial hatred, treachery, aristocracy, gender bias, lies, etc., and exposed it to all American citizens and placed them before the cameras of the nation and world; none can claim ignorance and must all repent and turn to Christ for salvation and deliverance.  “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (Jo 3:17).”   I pray that the nation of America will see her sin, as we all must do, and receive the conviction of sin that God grants to those that would repent in their season.  May God save America!

MESSAGE TO AMERICA – The Real Reason Jesus Came – Unity From Division – The Big Lie!

September 2018

I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!  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.  Lk 12:49-52  

 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?  So there was a division among the people because of him.  Jo 7:40-43

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Mat 10:34–39 

Most everyone has heard the famous Rodney King statement: “Can’t we all just get along?”  He stated this in 1992 after being beaten by police during the Los Angeles riots.  That is what we think will make life better, if we all could just get along and get over diversity and individuality and just be one.  We have seen it on television in the Star Trek Borg.  Everyone got along with no individuality.  They were a collective with one purpose, one mind. The Borg approached new nations and told them:  “You will be assimilated.  Your uniqueness will be added to our collective!”  Then they would dismantle the uniqueness of the individual as they added that nation and its characteristics into their collective.  With a single purpose and directive to be bigger and better than anyone else, they would move on to rule and destroy other nations.  That sounds like the nation of America. She wants to assimilate every other culture into her collective and make them like her as she becomes bigger and better than everyone else.  But is that God’s purpose?

Contrary to the goal of making America great and bringing us all into one people, Jesus did not come with that purpose in mind.  He said He came to bring division and a sword (Mt. 10:34; Lk. 12:51).  It sounds so contrary to our way of thinking about God.  Surely, He wants us to get along.  We must bear in mind that God said His ways are not our ways and vice-versa. Is it possible that our ways of unity is not His way of unity.

Let’s go back to the history of the bible and see what is going on.  There was peace and unity in the Garden of Eden with God until the serpent came along and deceived the first family.  After the intervention of evil into the peace of the garden, division came between God and mankind.  There had been unity between God and man prior to the serpent’s coming.  God wanted peace and unity but evil destroyed it.

We see in the story of God’s first interaction with Abraham, the progenitor of the Children of Israel, that God called him away from his family and brought separation rather than togetherness with Abraham’s natural father and siblings.  We see Jesus declaring later in Mt. 10:21:  “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.”  What could all that be about?

Evil had corrupted the earth and men were at war one against another.  God sought to bring unity back in the family through the bloodline of Abraham. There was unity among them for a time but the power of evil was a constant disruptor. We saw in the story of the biblical towns of Sodom and Gomorrah a type of unity of the people but it was a unity of doing evil together. Their unity in wickedness brought their total destruction by God (Gen. 19:24).

Why Is There a Constant Cry for Unity and Is it God’s Plan for Us?

Jesus came to do the will of the Father but He claims also to have come with a sword and division rather than unity.  How do we explain the seemingly controversial mission?  God appealed to His people, the Israelites, over and over to repent and return back to Him over a period of thousands of years, but they continually rebelled.  Yet God had mercy on His people and remembered His promise to the family of Abraham.  Looking from heaven upon the plight of His children in bondage, He heard their cry of agony and purposed to bring deliverance.  The deliverance was not to come by unity but by division and a sword as Jesus proclaimed.

A sword would come to punish evil doers and divide His people out from the evil doers. “Lk 12:51- Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division…” When Jesus came to Jerusalem, He did not come with a fighting sword of metal.  He told His follower, Peter, to put up his sword in a time of physical danger.  Jesus came with the sword of the Word of God and it would divide believers from unbelievers.  Truth would separate the lie and liars from those who held the word in sacredness.  Parents would have to choose God over their children and children would choose God over their parents.  The decision of faith over unbelief would divide families rather than bring them together.

Where Does the Lie of Unity Come From?

Just like the Star Trek movie about the Borg entity, there is an effort today for us to assimilate into one mindset and get along.  Satan led a rebellion against God in heaven to set up his own kingdom against God’s rule. He is still trying to do that today! It is the purpose of Satan still to prove that he is bigger and better than Father God.  It is Satan who wants to organize the whole earth as his domain.  He accomplished a certain unity at the Towel of Babel, until God destroyed it.  He had brought a unity in Sodom and Gomorrah too until God set those cities ablaze.  He tried again and again through unity of religion, war and dictatorial efforts to unite a people for himself; but the Sovereignty of God always intervenes.  God stands supreme over Satan’s efforts and the work of evil is always thrown down, eventually.

In our day in America where there is a theory for all citizens to serve in a democracy of unity, Satan again has a stronghold on people’s mind to bring unity through faith in democracy rather than through faith in God.  Democracy, however is failing to bring about its goal of a people living in equality and unity as the Declaration of Independence states.  The oppressive nature and history of some sectors of the people refuse to allow equality through religion.  Their unchanged hearts cannot bring all people into the fold of their pseudo Christianity.  Their Christian teaching varies from Scripture and hardliners refuse to cooperate.  Efforts to bring everyone under a democratic or republic banner has turned into straight out warfare as hardliners refuse to abandon their party principles.

We see in America an effort like the Borg to assimilate every nationality in the nation to a philosophy that unites us into one.  It sounds great except this unity is contrary to God’s righteous plan. The nations that formed America and that maintained its unity for all these years did so at the sacrifice of the individuality of their beliefs.  They fought for unity of nation over their religious beliefs. They sacrificed or compromised some beliefs to form a united front against common enemies to their unity.  Now that the unity of whites in the nation has been obtained, they cannot allow uniqueness to separate us.  The square pegs must fit into the round holes.  Unity of nation or unity of the white race has become the banner, thus the slogan of white supremacy.  Compromises continue as religions realize that the unity of nation must survive at all cost.  Christ had a different way.

Churches that were staunch opponents of homosexuality have compromised and accepted its legality for the sake of national unity.  Past separating issues of gambling, lottery, pornography, prostitution, adultery and abortion have given in to the normalcy that is called the white Christian American church.  The nation’s Christian church has settled into a tolerance of immorality rather than sanctification.  These compromised positions usher in a common unity that has brought America closer to one another in everyday decisions of life while pulling down the very concept of one’s individual right to faith and conscience.

What is the Impact of the True Gospel in America

America is not so unique.  It is a nation of multi-faceted people who are trying to promote nation and themselves.  Other nations such as Britain, France, Spain, Rome, Greece and German, etc., have had the same goals.  These nations who enjoyed past greatness arose to power and eventually encountered the Sovereign God of the universe who examined and judged their path to greatness as He will also do with America.  The nation of America started out recognizing God as Supreme over the nation but has since abandoned that belief for faith in its own power.  It, too, will have to answer to the “Sovereign One” who is greater than man.

The Gospel vs. America

The nation of America has taken a portion of the gospel message and promoted it for self-glory.  America claimed to be Christian but white Christians promote themselves rather than Jesus.  Pseudo-Christianity poses as true Christianity but only Christ can unite us.  Some preachers purchase million dollars planes at the expense of believers and claim it is needed to preach the gospel even though Jesus never used extravagances in His ministry. Even the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem was borrowed and most likely returned to its owner after use.  Jesus accumulated money in His ministry but it was given to the needy whereas ministers in America take money from the needy to heap upon themselves riches for mansions and planes.  The gospel of Jesus in America has been perverted for the wealth of preachers.  Jesus foretold of this false gospel and its preachers so no believer should be caught off guard (Joh 10:10).

As the nation of America has become more and more wealthy, it has given itself over to the will of the rich and oppression of the poor.  As with any nation, God still watches over the needs and cries of His people and He still helps the defenseless.  America believes that God is on its side and that it has no reason to worry but God always sides with the righteous poor and defenseless.  American white Christians have not seemed to come to the realization that Jesus did not come for the rich or the religious.

Why Jesus Came

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isa 61:1-3

Nowhere in this declared purpose of Christ does it state that Jesus came for the purpose of the rich oppressors.  America is under the rule of the rich and the oppressed are the poor, immigrants, prisoners, orphans and widows, which Jesus came to seek and to save.  These are the very people God has purposed to protect and for whom He will seek vengeance.

Jesus came to Jerusalem and preached to the poor.  He did not set up meetings with the rich or establish great temples for His ministry.  He walked among the poor, hungry, lonely, oppressed, sick and bereaved and promised them rest.  Before Jesus could start His ministry He encountered the opposition of Satan trying to deter His ministry. Christ set out in ministry to deliver His people from bondage and torment.

Christ counseled the poor, persecuted, hungry and mourners that the kingdom belonged to them.  He assured them that they were the blessed. He spoke “woe to the rich and religious hypocrites.” The poor that believed in Him were encouraged, counseled and instructed.  They were told to wait on His deliverance while He pulled down strongholds.  Christ came to tear down Satan’s unity.  People have to decide whether to enter Christ’s kingdom or Satan’s kingdom.  This decision has divided homes, cities and religious institutions. Christ came to divide the wicked from the righteous.  He came to separate the wheat from the tares (Mt. 13:30).  His light would reveal the darkness and pull the cover off it.  Jesus came to liberate the captive; not help rich oppressors.

In our nation, the rich are the oppressors but they also claim to be true Christians just as the rich and religious leaders of the Jewish temples.  Jesus did not condone them, rather Jesus called them out as greedy dog that never had enough.  He told them of their fate and eternity in hell because they destroyed those that put their trust in God.  Isaiah declared that Christ would come to proclaim “the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn (Is. 61:2).”  We hear the religious crying for the return of Christ but Amos spoke for God when he asked: “Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light…I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me…I will not accept them…But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream (Amo 5:18-24).”  Amos goes on to declare that the people’s god was Moloch (to whom they sacrificed their children) and He would carry them away in captivity.  The prophet Amos declared God’s displeasure with His promised people and foretold judgment for their sin and rebellion.

Like nations pass, many of America’s religious leaders and the wealthy believe that they are the righteous and in arrogance proceed to do their own will, rather than repent.  Christ came to comfort those that mourn of the sin in the land and to bring them relief as He goes on to judge the wicked.

What Was the True Message of Jesus

Jesus brought a hopeful message to those that were to be judged.  Every soul was told to repent because the kingdom was at hand.  The righteous poor, the wealthy and the wicked had the same opportunity to repent, turn around and be accepted by God.  Every soul was told to love God with all their heart and soul and strength.  Obeying the Commandments to love God and neighbor would mean turning from selfishness, arrogance and pride, which God hates.  If the rich would love their neighbor and share with the needy, the cry of the poor would not bring God’s wrath upon them.  Like the rich young man who would not follow Christ because of his riches, they are hindered by their greed and lust for more (See Mt. 19:23).

The rich believe their joy is in their material possessions but God wants them to find their greatest joy in things eternal in Him.  Christ taught that the just shall live by faith, but the rich are dependent on their own wealth.  Jesus taught: “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these thing should be added unto you.”  The rich are seeking the things first and have little or no dependence on God.

Christ came to set His people free from the bondage and captivity they were under from the rich, oppressors and Satan’s kingdom.  Today is no different.  Believers, the poor, widows, prisoners, immigrants and orphans need deliverance from the rich oppressors and Satan’s kingdom.  However, many that oppress the defenseless today do not consider themselves as ungodly.  Just as the rich Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees thought themselves righteous, so do many religious leaders today.  Just as the rich man thought he should be acceptable to God when Christ came, many rich today think their charitable deeds (tax deductible) will make them acceptable to God.  They are like many “Christian” politicians who believe they are doing a good service for God and man though they do not have a changed heart..  The word declares that only what we do for Christ will last and God still requires a broken heart, a contrite spirit (Ps. 34:18) and works from a true heart for Christ.

Many people of our nation are as the rich young man that had too much wealth to pursue Christ.  The gospel message of the poor in spirit, the meek, merciful, mourners, persecuted and peacemakers have gotten lost in the riches of today’s American church.  People have been deceived and Satan is well on his way to bringing about a religious unity that has nothing to do with the true gospel message of Christ.

Is it too late for the church of Christ to turn around and remember Christ’s true message or will it continue to follow a false Christ and unite under a religious banner that is actually the Antichrist one world religion that is destined for damnation.  Remember Jesus has already defeated Satan!  The message of forgiveness in John 3:16 is for all mankind who would forsake the evil way and choose Christ as their Savior.  None who seeks salvation is too far gone to be saved. Every sin was put on Christ’s cross so that each of us could be forgiven of our sin and come to a Holy God through Christ.   God reaches out to every soul regardless of nationality, color, culture, sin, age, gender or race and invites them to enter in through Christ, the Lord.  Today can be the new beginning and first day of the rest of one’s life.  “Except a man’s born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).” Be born again into the right kingdom where God, the Father, is Master, Jesus is Lord; where the Holy Spirit leads and you are a child of the Most High God.  As an heir of God, all things are yours.  The Shepherd promises to provide for His sheep, and there is no lack in Jesus, who has inherited it all.  While we have joy and fellowship in Christ in this life,  Jesus says our mansions are being prepared in heaven and we will spend eternity in His presence with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Pet. 1:8).  That will be true unity!

UNACCOUNTABLE

August 2018

Multi-Layer Government

The nation of America, which was established by people who escaped European authoritarian governments, was set up with a multi-layered form of government that is answerable to the will of the people it governs.  We have a republic form of government ruled in a “multi-people rule” democracy rather than a “single-person rule” monarchy, “religious ruled” theocracy or a “ruthless authoritarian” dictatorship.  The people of our nation make their voices heard through representatives, who then select other officeholders, all of whom are ultimately responsible to the will of the people.  Because the nation is answerable to the people, it is of utmost importance that the people stay engaged in the process, has a window into the work of their representatives and holds them accountable.  It is apparent that the financial success of our nation has caused the American people to withdraw from the tedious work of staying in tune with their representatives’ action and whether or not their values, integrity or transparency is reflected in policy.  It is always easier to lie down and let someone you trust to be in charge of leadership but trustworthiness should not be taken for granted.

Unjust Government

The unintended effect of the lack of public participation in the political process is that representatives have been free to stay in office and make contacts and agreements that serve their own interests without public visibility or accountability.  In absence of the public’s continual engagement, we have come closer to the authoritarian type of government than anyone ever wanted.  Representatives, on a smaller scale in local and state politics, have taken authority to perform and enact whatever they feel is best upon the people without their participation and without concern for their best interest.  This has put the people in a position of submission to unjust laws and policies of which they may be directly opposed.  As the nation has awaken to the pressure imposed upon them by these leaders and their illegal and unjust practices, they have risen to the same realization as the first settlers who ultimately threw off European rule because of its oppression rather than sensitivity to their needs.  We have witnessed protests and uprisings in the streets because of the injustice of American leaders on people at various levels.  Leadership lack of sensitivity to the people is showing up at all levels of authority in American business, religion and politics.

Uninvolved Citizenship

What the American people may not have realized is that their own lack of protest on the lower levels of responsibility in their homes, churches, communities, cities and states have given rise to the very visible irresponsible, authoritarian and un-American positions that are showing up in the highest levels of our government.  We all have to take responsibility for our part in the failure to hold leaders accountable to the people. Many of the unethical political leaders served in positions unchecked in society before they became political leaders.  President John Adams stated: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

In defense of individual citizens of America, many may have not been taught or been misled to believe they have no power to call their leaders in check where they have gone astray.  Leaders have often tried to demand complete submission to their leadership; and the people of America, long infatuated with the glamour of movie stars, have wanted to look up to people of power.  From the times of early movies, affection developed for those who dressed up for public admiration.  As America developed popular religious, social and political leaders; lack of responsibility and accountability began to be expected as Americans looked starry-eyed at leaders.  Leaders became more important than average people. Consider the Camelot atmosphere of the President Kennedy days.  Public leaders were expected to be more intelligent and knowledgeable than those in everyday home life who were too busy with day-to-day duties to give themselves over to study of these complicated fields.  Citizens began to rely on public leaders in a blind faith.  That is why America finds herself today bound to leaders in authority to whom they must submit their will.  That is the definition of authoritarism:  blind submission to authority.  Examples of such notable personalities are: Genghis Khan, King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, Napoleon Bonaparte, Father Junipero Serra, Queen Isabella I.

Why Complete Submission to Authoritarians is Wrong?

The breakdowns of systems are often occurring over time rather than overnight. America did not arrive overnight at its present dilemma of having top government officials in questionable financial, business and personal relationships that could bring them in submission to foreign dictators.  The pattern has been practiced and perfected in American culture for many years and at various levels of leadership.  Once accepted in lower levels of society and publicized it was an easy track to progress to state and national acceptance.  Organized American systems have proven to be both an advantage and disadvantage that can be used as a stairwell for misuse of its systems.

Americans are accustomed to submitting to authority over city, state and national governance by persons who may arrive in those seats through unethical means and gain compliant subjects. The problem though is how then does one remove an unethical leader after being made acceptable through the process. We have all heard the stories and difficulties of other nations trying to remove an unjust leader and know it is a messy proposition.  We have heard of the harsh rule of King Henry VIII, (England 1772-1791), and the abrupt removal of Queen Marie Antoinette (France 1755-1793). The history lessons of other nations present warnings and wisdom for us.  We certainly see through history the wisdom of not allowing such authoritarian leadership in our society in the first place.

Why Checks and Balances Failed?

Our nation has a democratic process and a multi-layered system of checks and balances operating from local to national leadership.  The recognition of the present dilemma and fear of America coming under Russian influence through its president has our people energized to search out how it could have happened.  There are so many threads running through our government and nation that any one of them that becomes corrupt has the potential of undoing this close-knitted political process.  We have recently watched as some legislation seemed to have come up overnight to the forefront when, in fact; groups, lobbyists and political leaders had a planned strategy for decades.  Once a leader has been overcome by corrupt influence, his or her power is already established and the resistance necessary to change is like rowing upstream.  Again corruption seldom occurs overnight but people in close proximity, for one reason or another, failed to alert others in the line authority about the danger.

Failure of employees, laypersons and citizens to alert authorities of potential threats is a fault in our system that has rewarded compliance more than standing up for what is right.  We have scorned people and called them out as being a snitch, rat, traitor to the group, uncommitted, or failing to be a team player, etc.  The concept of team player has been so promoted in business and sports so that any dissenting voice is considered treasonous.  Businesses have promoted training sessions that advanced the theory of being a team player and upholding the group at all cost.  This was not based on any moral standard and has no biblical background.  Businesses are primarily geared to watching their profit margin more than protecting ethical positions.  Recently a long-standing national bank learned the difficult lesson and suffered the consequences of promoting profit over ethics.  As business strategies have infiltrated every sector of our community to gain success, moral values have been pushed back as unwelcomed.  Our moral standing in religion, community, businesses and politics have fallen victim to these business strategies.

How Adherence to Truth and Religion Should Have Protected Us?

Faith in God is a laughable concept to most in our community today because of the public failure of so many of our religious leaders, who were in fact taught by the for-profit religious institutions and schools.  Many business, legal and politically systems were actually developed through an outreach of religious systems of the church.  The Law of Moses encompassed all area of the community as he outlined how the people of faith would be governed.  Christianity, which was developed out of that faith, continued to establish godly systems that would protect and govern the people.  The outgrowth of Christian churches developed into charitable organizations, hospitals, schools and businesses that were formed from a moral foundation and system of values.  When these systems became prosperous, they began to throw off their religious foundation and moral values.  Unfortunately today teachings on prosperity, religion, business success and democracy are on a collision course; and those that try to keep them linked are compromising Christian faith.

The truth that Jesus brought was a rebuke of religious leaders and merchants who had compromised the faith.  His teaching admonishes us to go to the one that we find a fault in and discuss it one to one.  He publicly rebuked the religious leaders, political scoundrels and business exploiters.  The Jewish leaders of that day had a combined responsibility for the law, religion and collecting money. The religious leaders joined forces with their foreign leaders to exploit the people under them for profit while failing to obey biblical requirements themselves.  This is a circle of human failure that repeats itself throughout history.  We have seen the religious and political groups join forces of corruption in our past history, in our present; and it is prophesied to be the ruin of the nations in the end times as the antichrist utilizes it for his evil advantage.

When Jesus told us the love of money is the root of all evil and to rather seek first the kingdom of God so other things could be added; He was speaking to people very much like us.  The same things Jesus told His audience applies to us today and we would be wise to translate them into our times.  That is the job of religious leaders in our communities and their failure to do so is the weakness of our nation.  We are seeing some persons in public office stand up for integrity under pressure and we are seeing some fail.  The Christian gospel has always been that rock on which one could stand up for truth and believe God would preserve us as He did Abraham, Elijah, David and Hebrew boys through corrupt and ungodly societies.  The truth will eventually rise up and those that stand and wait for it will be on the right side as was Mandela through many years of turmoil and suffering while Africans fought to throw off ungodly rule over their nation.  God will always side with the righteous but who is on the Lord’s side?

Where is God’s Church?

Jesus came to bring restoration of the righteous ways of God, the Father.  He taught disciples who were to teach the nations how to follow God in righteousness.  Jesus died for the healing and transformation of nations through the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit was sent by the Lord to lead and guide us into all truth.  Godly leaders have the responsibility to teach God’s ways to society but some have been diverted or corrupted along the way and chose to serve their own needs rather than the people committed to their charge.  Some became powerful in authority like the European leaders that the first settlers fought against to form a free nation.

America, born of European descendants, has slipped back into that old European pattern of corrupt religious and government leaders who conspire against the people.  The people of Europe were subjects of the king but Christians are subject to their God, who is King of Kings.  The authority Jesus left His disciples is the authority to uproot and throw off the devil’s power, wherever it is found.  The Christian church should not allow the devil to sit on the throne of authority in the church or civil government, which both originated in a Righteous God.  Righteous indignation should rise up against the devil’s seat in the church and the godly layers of authority in the church provides a method for removing ungodly leaders as Paul did in 1Timithy 1:20 – “Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”  Christ is in authority of the true church and He has given authority and empowerment to His people to occupy in righteous authority until He returns.  We hold that power and authority for His namesake.  This power is biblical truth, not a form of dominionism that distorts truth.

When the church rises up to cleanse and purify itself, then the saints can be a positive force in cleansing the land of corrupt political leaders through a stand for truth that will make the devil sit down or leave town.  God told His people that they would be the head and not the tail but God’s people are not acting like they are the head or walking in Christ’s authority. God is holding His disciples accountable for the state of the earth and He has declared that judgment would begin at His house. The world cannot cleanse itself.  Timothy taught:  “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, throughly furnished unto all good works (2Ti 3:16-2Ti 3:17).”  If the church would throw the devil out of the House of God then we could proceed to throw him also out of authority in our nation.  But the truth is that the corrupt government learned and gained power through a corrupt church.  Consider how the religious leaders promoted Rome’s judgment to crucify Christ.  That is where repentance and change must begin.

God has revealed to America in the daily news that corruption is found in every layer of American society and authority and a cleansing is needed.  Correction must come to God’s church first.  Shake it off saints!  Throw off the devil and his work.  Let your voice be heard.  Stand up and God will stand with you.  We are not to be found hiding from the devil but instead standing up and fighting his tactic until Jesus comes.  We are accountable to Christ for the power He has invested in us to heal, deliver, set captives free and establish His righteous Kingdom on earth; not through unrighteousness or violence, but by love.  Christ’s blood was shed for our victory and His power is left with the true church.  Where is God’s church and what is it doing?  Stand up Church!

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.  Lk 9:1 

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Lk 10:19