Breaking Generational Curses

Breaking Generational Curses

We have all seen how the physical characteristics of parents pass on to their children. You may have a big nose from your dad or your mother’s smile. You might be short or tall, light-skinned or dark based on the physical traits of your ancestors, but one thing is sure: much of who you are physically is influenced by heredity.

Heredity also has an influence on your talents, abilities, traits, and even how you think and behave.  We have all heard the phrase, “Like father, like son.” But did you know that it is just as true in the spiritual realm as it is in the natural?

Generational influences have the ability to bring blessings – or curses – to your life. An understanding of this reality brings the power to change not only your life but the lives of your family members as well.

Generational Blessings
Family is important to God, and it is clear that He does not think merely in terms of individuals but also in terms of generations.  Matthew 1:17 tells us: “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.”

When God looks at you, He also sees your family. He sees where you came from. He looks at your ancestors, and He looks at your children and grandchildren.

When making a covenant with Abraham, God never once said, “I’m going to bless you.” He always said, “I am going to bless you and your descendants.” An example of this is in Genesis 22:17-18, where God said, “In blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed My voice.”

Abraham obeyed God and was blessed, and his descendants were blessed, too, because blessings tend to run along blood lines.

Generational Iniquities
Curses also run along blood lines. In Exodus 20:5-6, God warns the children of Israel not to follow false gods, saying, “You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

The word “iniquity” means to be bent toward a certain sin, and we see that the iniquity of the parents is carried on to the children to the third and fourth generations. So, a child will be bent like his or her parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

They will all have an inner inclination toward the same certain sinful habits. Lamentations 5:7 says, “Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their iniquities.” In other words, even though they may be dead and in the grave, their iniquity is sticking with you.

Evidences of Curses
Deuteronomy 28:15-68 contains fifty-three verses listing generational curses. Here are just a few of the symptoms of curses listed there:
~ Poverty
~ Hereditary disease
~ Divorce
~ Child abuse
~ Sexual abuse
~ Domestic violence
~ Alcoholism
~ Drug addiction
~ Immorality
~ Adultery
~ Perversion
~ Depression
~ Confusion
~ Fear
~ Indecision
~ Panic attacks
~ Mental illness
~ Suicide
~ Destructive attitudes and behaviors

Each of these can be, but are not always, the result of a generational curse, and most have their root in idolatry and iniquity.

Many people, if not most, can identify some of these symptoms that have passed on from generation to generation. How about you? When you look at your family tree, do you see a pattern of any of these things?

Do you struggle with a particular sin and see a history of that sin in past generations? Maybe you’ve been told that the depression or fear you deal with runs in the family or perhaps you struggle with marital infidelity and can identify a pattern of affairs and divorce going back to a parent and grandparent. These could be symptoms of a generational curse.

The good news is that generational curses can be stopped today!

The Blood of Jesus
Hebrews 9:22 tells us, “According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” Here are two basic principles you need to know:

1) A generational curse comes through the blood line.
2) A generational curse can only be cancelled by blood.

It is all about the blood of Jesus Christ. In Romans 3:23-25 (NIV), we read, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice because in His forbearance, He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.”

To define “justified” in simple terms, you could say, “I’ve been made just as if I’d never done it.” This is possible only because God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement, or as Young’s Literal Translation puts it, God set Him forth as a “mercy seat.”

If you remember, the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant was where, once a year on the Day of Atonement, the priest would sprinkle the blood of animals. The blood was a barrier between the curse of the law and the people of the covenant.

The ninth chapter of Hebrews tells us that Jesus placed His blood on the mercy seat in heaven, not once a year, but one time for all of eternity to obtain eternal salvation for all who put their faith and trust in Him. Today, Jesus is to us a mercy seat.

It is extremely important to note that we must appropriate Jesus’ sacrifice through faith. Yes, His death on the cross paid the penalty and broke the power of sin for everyone from Adam to the last person standing at the end of the age. However, salvation is not effective in our lives until we personally accept Jesus’ sacrifice by faith and appropriate it for ourselves.

The same is true of deliverance from generational iniquities and curses. These are the “sins committed beforehand” mentioned in Romans 3:25, and just as salvation must be appropriated through faith, so must deliverance from generational iniquities and curses. Until you personally appropriate Jesus’ sacrifice through faith, it is not effective in your life, and the curse can remain.

Breaking the Curse
If you are living under a generational curse, it will be cancelled when you, through faith, appropriate the blood of Jesus for your deliverance.

You can pray and make this your confession:

Thank you, God, that generational curses are broken through faith in the blood of Jesus. I put my faith in the blood. I believe Jesus is my mercy seat and that His blood cancels the curse and breaks generational iniquities. I believe, by the blood of Jesus, that the generational curse from the law is canceled and broken off my family now, in Jesus’ name. Thank you that sins, bondages, and iniquities are cancelled, and the curse is stopped by the blood of Jesus. Thank you, God, that the blood of Jesus on the mercy seat is a barrier and that a curse can not pass the blood.  Amen.

Choose Life and Blessing
We saw previously in Exodus 20:5-6 how God visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth of generations, but did you notice the rest of that verse? It says that the blessing goes, not only three or four generations, but up to a thousand generations – and the blessing is much stronger than the curse!

How do we pass this blessing on to future generations? By loving God and keeping His commands – and it starts by choosing life and blessing

STICKS & STONES

If I were to title this talk, it would be “Sticks & Stones.” I’d like to start by reading two verses of scripture to add some color to the message:

The Lord said to Samuel “Do not look upon his appearance or in the height of his stature because I have rejected him. For the Lord does not see as mortals see for they look on the outward appearance. But the Lord looks on the heart”. (See 1 Sam. 16:7)

“Am I a dog that you should come to me with sticks?”

In the heart of ancient Palestine, is the region known as the Shephalah (Shfela) which is a series of ridges and valleys connecting the Judean Mountains to the East with the wide expanse of the Mediterranean plain.

It’s an area of historic and breathtaking beauty. It’s home to vineyards, wheat fields, and forests of sycamore and terebinth brush. The Shephalah is also of great strategic importance. Over the centuries, numerous battles have been fought for control of the region because the valley’s rising from the Mediterranean plain offer those on the coast a clear path to the cities of Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem in the Judean Highlands.

The most important valley is Ayalon in the north. But the most storied is the Elah Valley. Elah’s dirt bore witness to the arrival of the knights of the crusades in the 12th century. It played a central role in the Maccabean Wars with Syria more than a thousand years before. Most famously, during the days of the Old Testament, it was where the still fledgling kingdom of Israel squared off against the armies of the Philistines.

The Philistines were most likely from Crete. They were a seafaring people who had moved to Palestine and settled in along the coast. The Israelites were clustered in the mountains under the leadership of King Saul and in the second half of the 11th century B.C., the Philistines began spreading out and moving east winding their way upstream along the floor of the Elah Valley. The goal and enemy strategy were to capture the mountain ridge near Bethlehem and split Saul’s kingdom in two halves as a house divided will not stand.

The Philistines were battle tested, dangerous, and already the sworn enemies of the Israelites. Alarmed, Saul gathered his men and hastened down the mountains to confront them. The Philistines set up camp along the southern ridge of the Elah and the Israelites pitched their tents on the other side along the northern ridge which left the two armies gazing across the ridges at each other with the open valley below.

As strong as the Philistines were, neither army dared to move as attacking meant descending down the hill they were encamped, crossing the valley, and then making a suicidal climb up the enemy’s ridge on the other side.

Finally, the Philistines had enough waiting, and they sent their greatest warrior down into the valley to resolve the deadlock – one on one (manos-a-manos). He was a giant at least 6’9″ wearing a bronze helmet with full body armor…You know this story, but as Paul Harvey used to say: “Now you will know the rest of the story.”

He carried a javelin, a spear, and a sword and his battle attendant went before him carrying a large shield which was customary for the day to support infantry. The giant faced the Israelites and shouted out, “choose you a man and let him come down to me. If he prevail in battle against me and strike me down – we shall be slaves to you. But if I prevail and strike him down – you will be slaves to us and serve us.”

Well, in the Israelite camp, no one dared to move. Who could prevail and win against such a terrifying opponent? Then about that time, a shepherd boy who had come down from Bethlehem to bring food to his brothers stepped forward and volunteered! Saul objected to his request and stated, “You cannot go against this Philistine and do battle with him, for you are a lad and he is man of war from his youth.” But this non-assuming shepherd was adamant: “I have faced more ferocious opponents than this” he argued. When the lion or bear would come and carry off his sheep from the herd, he told Saul, “I would go after him and strike him down and rescue it from its clutches.

The traditional underdog narrative between David and Goliath will begin to unravel as we look closer at this great conflict and story. Was David really the underdog hero as many stories are told and sermons are preached?

Saul relented and the shepherd boy (shaking in his boots cautiously made his way down the hill). No! this shepherd boy ran down the hill toward the giant standing in the valley and stating: “Come to me that I may give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field.” Thus began one of history’s most famous battles and misconceptions of the position of ‘underdog’. The giant’s name was Goliath. The shepherd boy’s name as most of us know was David.

David and Goliath is a true story about what happens when ordinary people confront giants in their life. By giants, I mean powerful opponents of all kinds. From armies and mighty warriors to physical or emotional disability, misfortune, addictions, marital and financial issues, and various forms of oppression. Each verse of this event tells the story of all of us – whether famous or unknown, ordinary or brilliant, wealthy or poor, and those who have faced an oversized challenge and have been forced to respond.

Should I play by the established rules or follow my own instincts? Should I persevere or give up? Should I strike back or forgive? Through this story, I want to explore two ideas. The first is much of what we consider truly valuable in our earthly stay arises out these great conflicts because the act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness within the abundant life.

Secondly, is that we consistently get these kinds of great conflicts or adversities wrong and, more often than not, misread them. We misinterpret them due to our past and natural frames of reference just as Mary thought that the Lord’s body had been “stolen” out of the tomb when Jesus had, in fact, been resurrected.

In other words, we express much of our faith from the places of our past natural experiences rather than from the spiritual promises found in the Word of God. Giants are usually not what we think they are. The same qualities that appear to give them great strength are often the sources of their greatest weakness.

We need a better understanding of God’s template of facing the giants in our lives and there is no better place to start that journey than with the epic confrontation between David and Goliath 3000 years ago in the Valley of Elah.

When Goliath shouted out to the Israelites, he was asking for what was known as ‘single combat’. This was a common practice in the ancient world as two sides in a conflict would seek to avoid the heavy bloodshed of open battle by choosing one warrior to represent them in a dual.

The 1st century B.C. Roman historian Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius (author of 23 Books of ancient history) tells of an epic battle in which a Gaul warrior began mocking his Roman opponents. This immediately aroused the great indignation of a man named Titus Manlius Torquatus, a youth of noble birth. Quadragarius writes that Titus challenged the Gaul to a dual. He stepped forward and would not suffer Roman valor to be shamefully tarnished by a Gaul. Armed with a legionary shield and a Spanish sword, he confronted the Gaul. Their fight took place on the bridge over the Arno River in the presence of both armies amid great apprehension, just like in the Valley of Elah. Thus, they confronted each other – the Gaul, according to his method of fighting – with shield advanced and waiting in attack. Titus, relying on courage rather than the established skill, struck shields against shields and threw the Gaul off balance. While the Gaul was trying to regain the same position, Titus again struck shield against shield and again forced the man to change his ground. In this fashion, he slipped under the Gaul’s sword and stabbed him in the chest with his Spanish blade. After he had slain him, Titus cut off the Gaul’s head and tore out his tongue as it was with blood upon it and placed it around his own neck.

This is what Goliath was expecting. A warrior like himself to come forward in hand-to-hand combat. It never occurred to him that the battle would be fought in anything other than the terms he had prepared for. To protect himself against blows to the body, he wore an elaborate tunic made up of hundreds of overlapping bronze fish-like scales. It covered his arms and reached to his knees and probably weighed more than a hundred pounds. He had bronze shin-guards protecting his legs with attached bronze plates covering his feet and wore a heavy metal helmet.

He had three separate weapons all optimized for close combat. He held a javelin made entirely of bronze, which was capable of penetrating a shield or even armor. He had a sword on his hip, and as his primary option, he carried a unique short-range spear with a metal shaft as thick as a “weavers beam.”” It had a cord attached to it and an elaborate set of weights that allowed it to be released with a powerful force and accuracy.

To the Israelite, this extraordinary spear with its heavy shaft and long and heavy iron blade when thrown by Goliath’s strong arm, seemed possible of piercing any bronze shield and bronze armor together. Can you see why no Israelite would come forward to fight Goliath from natural eyes and a natural perspective?

Then David appears. Saul tries to give him his own sword and armor so at least he’ll have a fighting chance but David refuses. “I can’t walk in these he says, For I am unused to it.” Instead, he reaches down and picks up five smooth stones and puts them in his shoulder bag. Then David descends into the valley carrying his shepherd’s staff. David used the gifts and talents that the Lord gave him rather than using what was unnatural or from another’s calling.

Goliath stares at the boy coming toward him and is insulted as he was expecting to do battle with a seasoned warrior. Instead, he sees a shepherd, a boy from the lowliest of all professions who seems to want to use his shepherd’s staff as a laughable weapon against Goliath’s sword. “Am I a dog” Goliath says gesturing at the staff – “That you should come to me with sticks?”

What happens next is a matter of legend. David puts one of his stones into the leather pouch of a sling and he fires at Goliath’s exposed forehead. Goliath falls and is stunned. David runs toward him; seizes the giant’s sword and cuts off his head. The Philistines saw that their warrior was dead, and they fled as the Bible states.

“The battle is won miraculously by an underdog who by all expectations should not have won at all”. This is how we have told or explained to one another this story over the many centuries since. It is exactly how the well-known phrase “David and Goliath” has come to be embedded in our language, conscious, and culture as a metaphor for improbable victory. But the problem with that version of this event is that almost everything about it including its perceived revelation is entirely wrong!

Ancient armies reflected three kinds or types of warriors. The first was cavalry – armed men on horseback or in chariots. The second was infantry – foot-soldiers wearing armor and carrying swords and shields. The third was projectile warriors or what we would understand today as ‘artillery’. These artillery skills would be expressed on ancient battlefields as archers and slingers.

The Slingers had a leather pouch attached on two sides by a long strand of rope. They would put a rock or a lead ball into the pouch, swing it around at increasingly wider and faster circles and then release one end of the rope hurling the rock forward. Slinging took an extraordinary amount of skill and practice, but in experienced hands, the sling was a devastating weapon.

Paintings from medieval times show slingers hitting birds in mid-flight. Irish slingers were said to able to hit a coin from as far away as they could see it. And in the Old Testament book of Judges, slingers are described to be accurate within a “hair’s breadth.”

An experienced slinger could kill or seriously injure a target at a distance of up to 200 yards. The Romans even had a special set of tongs just to remove stones that had been embedded in some unfortunate soldier’s body by a sling. Imagine standing in front of a major league baseball pitcher as he aims the baseball at your head. That’s what facing a slinger was like. Only what was being thrown wasn’t a ball of soft cork, strand and leather – but a solid rock.

History has also shown us that the sling was such an important weapon in ancient warfare that the three kinds or types of ancient warriors at that time would balance each other. This would be similar to each dynamic or expression in the game of rock, paper, scissors. With their long prods and ground pikes and armor – infantry could stand up to cavalry. Cavalry could in turn defeat projectile warriors because the horses moved too quickly for artillery to take proper aim. And projectile warriors were deadly against infantry because lumbering soldiers weighed down with armor were sitting ducks for a slinger who would be slinging projectiles from over a hundred yards away.

This is exactly why the Athenian expedition failed in the Peloponnese War. The Athenian heavy infantry was decimated in the mountains by local light infantry – primarily using the sling. Russia was defeated by tribal Afghanistan using the same methodology. Goliath is a type of heavy infantry. He thinks he is going to be engaged in a dual with another heavy infantryman. Our gravest error is fighting evil on evil’s playing field and expectations. In the same manner as Titus Manlius’ fight with the Gaul – Goliath states, “Come to me that I may give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field.” The key phrase is: “Come to me.” In other words, Goliath means, come right up to me so we can fight at close quarters. When Saul tries to dress David in armor and give him a sword, he is operating under the same assumption and carnal understanding. He sees or envisions David fighting Goliath hand to hand.

The reason King Saul is skeptical of David’s chances is because David was small, and Goliath is large. Saul thinks of power in terms of physical might, past frames of reference, and doesn’t understand that power comes in many other forms and expressions. Adhered rules of the mind generated by our past natural experiences are meant to be broke! Spiritual strength (prayer) speed (obedience) and maneuverability (prophetic utterance in alignment with the Word of God) will always overcome natural and brute strength in overcoming our giants in life, relationships and careers as we are more than conquerors.

David, however, has no intention to honor the traditions of man, traditions of single combat, the establishment, and the means of established warfare. When he tells Saul that he has killed bears and lions as a shepherd, he does so not just as a testimony to his courage, but to create another testimony as well (Folks can dispute your doctrine all day long, but they can’t dispute your testimony). David will fight Goliath the same way that he has learned to fight large and wild animals as a projectile warrior. David, without hesitation, runs towards Goliath because without armor, he has speed and maneuverability. He puts a rock into his sling and whips it around and around; faster and faster at 6-7 revolutions per second while aiming the projectile at Goliath’s forehead – the giants only point of vulnerability.

Modern examples and calculations reflect that a typically sized stone hurled by an expert slinger at a distance of 115 feet would have hit Goliath’s head with a velocity of 112 feet per second. This is more than enough to penetrate his skull and render him unconscious or dead. In terms of stopping power, that would equate to a medium-sized modern handgun. We find that David fired and hit Goliath within just one second. This range of time so brief that Goliath would not have been able to protect himself and which he would have been stationary for all practical purposes.

I mean, what could Goliath do? He was carrying over a hundred pounds of armor. He was prepared for a battle at close range where he could stand strong but immobile warding off blows with his armors and delivering a mighty thrust of his spear. He watched David approach first with scorn, then with surprise, and then with what could only have been genuine terror as it dawned on him that the battle, he was expecting has suddenly changed shape. The prophetic application to this statement is paramount to churches and our personal future success against adversity and the adversary.

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I come against you in the name of the Lord, and the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Twice, David mentions Goliath’s sword and spear as if to emphasize how profoundly different his intentions really were. He then reaches in his shepherd’s bag for a stone, and at that point, no one watching from the ridges from either side of the valley would have figured David’s victory improbable. David was a slinger, and all in attendance knew that slingers beat infantry hands down. Goliath had as much chance of victory over David as any bronze age warrior with a sword would have had with a Green Beret armed with a 45 automatic pistol. Folks, this wasn’t even close!

David the underdog? Really? I don’t think so! As stated earlier, there has been much misunderstanding and what has been passed down from generation to generation and the true essence of what happened that day in the Valley of Elah. David is representative of you and me in that we have been redeemed by Christ and empowered by Holy Spirit which should reflect a different perspective than the world’s perspective in overcoming giants and obstacles (relationships, health, finances, emotions, abilities). It also reveals preconceived notions and folly in regard to genuine power and what is already and readily available to us as kingdom citizens.

We can take this story and apply its lessons in many areas of life. Again, what we perceive as a strong and undefeatable adversary or situation – It’s pronounced strength is usually its greatest weakness in being defeated, and it is defeated by declaring God’s promises.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

By: Danny Korakas with permission to use.

PROPHESYING THE LOVE OF GOD

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins … and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” (1 John 4:10; 2:2)

A prophetic declaration of the love of God to the whole world is about to be unleashed with a fury of fire to melt the hearts of men. We may at times forget how to love, but God “so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son.” (John 3:16). As bad as the world may seem at times, God has not forgotten or given up on the world. With a love so radical, so forgiving, so sacrificing, so fierce; how could He possibly give up on humanity? His heart radically burns for the child and the orphan alike. His heart is overflowing for the Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, and Spiritualist. His passion is that ALL would be saved and come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:4) God sends His love to us, “in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

There are many people in the world today that are deceived by false religions and worship false gods. When people in India and much of the Orient look into the face of their gods, they see mean and evil countenances with sharp teeth and claws. There is a sense of hatred in the faces of these hideous idols created by the imaginations and hands of man. Is this really a ‘god’ that you could love and feel loved? The gods of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Aztecs, and other ancient cultures were even more diabolical looking and had an appetite for human flesh – even child sacrifice. How could these gods have possibly created the LOVE that burns in your heart or the love of a parent toward their child? You can only create what is within you as a creator.

You will find upon review that all pagan religions and writings are void of a God that loves them. It is completely alien for the Muslim to know that God created them for a loving and intimate relationship and that He loves them unconditionally. The only benefit that Allah could offer a pious Muslim woman would be that of a ‘heavenly prostitute’ for a controlling man or even a cold-blooded murderer. My dear Islamic friends, who really is your god? What is the nature of your god?

The Greeks and Romans were serving a myriad of gods who were waiting to strike them with a lightning bolt at the first instance of weakness or failure. For the intellectual or strong Greek, these gods took great joy in trying to trick mankind so as to prove their supremacy. It was as if the gods were playing a sort of cosmic game with mankind for their amusement. How could it be that a “God” could truly LOVE them? We need to realize how revolutionary the love of God was to humanity at this time in history.

There’s a famous Confucian story that some missionaries discovered when they arrived in China. It’s a story of a young man of a wealthy father who one day stole a large portion of his father’s wealth and ran away from home. He took the money and wasted it in riotous living. The years passed, and finally, it was all gone, and he came into destitution. Finally, through an intermediary, he appealed to his father to take him back again. With open arms, his father accepted him back into the home and prepared for him a great feast. Does this sound familiar? As they sat feasting together, all eyes were fixed upon the son. There was a big smile beaming on the face of the father, which broadened as a look of horror suddenly spread across the countenance of the son. The son grasped at his throat, finally realizing much too late that he had been poisoned! Confucius says, “So it shall be with every son that dishonors his father.”

How infinite is the gap between this story and the story that Jesus told of the prodigal son. Jesus came to reveal and display the Father’s love to humanity. Jesus stated that He came not to condemn the world but to save it. (John 3:17).

The state has taken the role of god to meet the ills and hardships of life under the guise of socialism and communism. A new generation is being indoctrinated across Western Hemisphere universities to embrace equal outcomes over equal opportunities. The embrace and indoctrination of this deception is relevant today even though history has proven the true equal outcomes are murder by the millions, mass persecution, mass starvation, and bondage to protect the state or party at all costs…Sacrificing individual freedoms and creativity. True freedom and the abundant life are only found and realized within the Love of God.

The heart of the Lord and His word to the church today is simple. Humanity will become like and resemble in their actions the gods that they choose to serve through vain imaginations. I believe that it was Alexander Hamilton who said, “People deserve the government that they have, for it is a reflection of who they are.” Trying to change an Islamic country through nation building to a form of democracy will never work as long as the people remain oppressive in their core religious and societal beliefs. Violent and oppressive people produce violent and oppressive governments, whether secular or religious.

Jesus came to personalize a loving Father and God to humanity – His creation. People seem to have a difficult time moving in the pure beauty of faith and need to see and experience things with their natural senses. God even overlooked our lack of faith and completely revealed Himself in Jesus Christ that we could look and gaze upon His love for us. Jesus shows us what the nature of God is like in Word and deeds.

Jesus presents to us a love so fierce and so powerful that it would have to finish its course on a cross dying for our wellbeing and salvation. Has another god or even secular government ever proclaimed this depth of love in such sacrificial kindness let alone suffer death on yours and my behalf? This astounded the world at this time with utter shock. Maybe it still does today for a few who are in awe that we are dearly loved by the origin of our existence. Are we casual and numbed to the love of God by the toxicity of religion, the busyness of life, and our soulish appetites that have created religious duty rather than spontaneous and passionate love?

Suppose that I came home to my wife Carole with a dozen long stemmed roses. Carole would say, “O Danny, thank you. They are beautiful.” As she is about to hug me, I hold out my hand and say, “Don’t mention it. It’s my duty.”

Well, what has happened here? The roses only have meaning if they are given spontaneously from my heart. Actually, without the spontaneity of passionate love, the gift of roses actually belittles her. God did not perform a duty in His appointment with the cross. The Rose of Sharon died for us out of a passionate love for relationship. On the other hand, the “dutiful religion” we see and experience so much of is a far cry from the dying to ourselves that Christ set as an example of love for us to follow and extend to others.

I realize that many reading or hearing this have been beaten down and abused by the trials of life. Life is benevolent. It is difficult, violent, and malevolent. A great many people, even though surrounded by many people, are lonely and feel isolated in the purpose and meaning of life. I know more than a few believers who are in financial difficulty, marriage issues, emotional struggles, and wonder if anybody really cares. Some have suffered lay-offs and job closings after years of faithful commitment and may even feel that God has abandoned them.

Those who are parents understand the care and love we have for our children who have been hurt, wounded, and even marginalized. It is a love that reaches and extends out in the midst of every facet and depth of need. It even extends to a child who is wayward and has run away from his or her family. We can try to imagine the love of the greatest and most caring parents, but it pales in comparison to the measure and unimaginable depth of God’s love for us.

Because of His great love toward us, we hold within us the greatest of treasures and inheritance – His Holy Spirit. We are the Ark of His covenant. What made the Ark of priceless value was not the acacia wood overlaid with gold. Nor was it the tablets (God’s law), Aaron’s rod that blossomed (God’s power and authority), or the jars of manna (God’s provision). It was the manifest presence of the Lord.

No other “god” has given humanity the gift and inheritance of His Words, His power, His authority, and His perfect provision. Even the essence of His holiness God has provided to us who believe. “Be holy for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) But the most astounding gift is that He gave us Himself! Like the Ark of old, His presence gives us value, meaning, and purpose. Of all that God could have chosen to call Himself, He simply said, “I am LOVE.” When God fills us with His Spirit, He fills us with His love. God is telling us in His Word who He is. The words leap off the pages revealing to us His very nature. When we speak of caring we know that God is charitable, but He is not “charity.” When we think of justice, we know that God is just, but He is not “justice.” However, love is different. God IS love. Love is the revelation of the Father’s very nature and being

“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and
he who abides in love abides in God, and God in Him.” (1 John 4:16)

Finally, we have those who do not believe or have faith in any “god.” Actually, these individuals exhibit some of the ‘greatest faith’ among the peoples of the earth. The Bible says that we are all without excuse and that God has revealed Himself to every man through something down deep in the spirit of within us. (Romans 1:20) To believe that there that is no God takes a tremendous amount of faith considering the complexity of love.

I can understand the scientific argument for evolution or the Big Bang theory as one who truly loves astrophysics and quantum mechanics. It makes perfect sense to me when I contemplate it on the surface. But as I dig deeper with understanding into the complexities of everyday life within the observable world, I find serious faults and discrepancies in this “faith.”

Imagine if I were to take all of the atomic and molecular particles in the entire expanding universe and combine it into one massive entity. In our scientific and natural understanding, we would obviously have the greatest source of power and mass conceivable. With this tremendous entity of observable power, could we or “it” produce just one drop of LOVE? Even those who believe in evolution must hold that everything has a starting place or origin. The question that the faithful atheist must answer is, “where was the origin of love and emotion?” Where did the freedom to experience and have passion come from?

The most intellectual and brilliant minds of men can justify and argue against the origins of God’s creation. However, trapped within the confines of a finite mind, they have failed to understand the origin of the greatest gift given to man – The LOVE of God. “God IS love.” And the love we express and experience from others can only have its origins within the heart and nature of God. It is His love for the whole world that permeates the hearts of mankind and gives them the ability to love others.

Jesus said that the whole world would know that we were His disciples by our love for one another. Does the world, your neighbor, your family know that you are Christ’s disciple

Where Are the Men of God?

How do young men navigate and flourish in today’s western culture and society within a very overt agenda of de-masculinization?

With the heavy weight of guilt based on ‘our’ past history as brute force oppressors is upon us today as men in a very real and tangible way… What are we to do and how do we respond under such social pressures and false narratives? The sad cultural arrangement that young men are having to navigate, is the weaponization to de-masculine society through media and educational organizations. This cultural shift and demonization to marginalize young men is unparalleled in the chronicles of Western history.

Addressed by whom? Maybe the Christian Church is a good place to start?

Like Marxism which began with a group of demented ‘men’ who would butcher millions for the sake of the party ideology – the horrors of this demonization embraced by elites to sway young minds will migrate from men to also affect women in a relatively short time once rooted in the social conscious.

Young men play rough and tumble from birth. They are more active and aggressive for the benefits of grooming them to work physically, protect family and community, and to be competitive to reach a level of creativity or invention which bring some forms of comfort to a very uncomfortable and sin-ravaged world. Yet, the goal of today’s social push is to control young men into a form of docility and obedience that will ultimately lead to social decay, family disorder, and communal collapse.

The narrative that the west (founded upon biblical precepts which has brought 3/4 of the world out of object poverty is an oppressive patriarchy hell-bent on the use of power, is not just society’s greatest challenge – it’s the greatest challenge for the Christian Church to be sustainable over the next 30 years. Marriage will be seen as a form of oppression or even slavery. Political disagreement will amount to war. Businesses will view each other as thieves and enemies. All the while, it is competition that makes us great and rise to unparalleled heights.

Although I’m in the renewable energy marketplace, I view it as developing science and technologies rather than a political football or socio-political ideology – Yet many are worshipping Mother Planet to reign supreme as the goddess that all will bend the knee. This is contradictory to the nature of young men as they are builders and constructors. The key is inventiveness to create better solutions of sustainability rather than believing that we can somehow destroy something far greater and older than ourselves.

The human race strangely sees itself in the mirror as its own worst enemy in arrogantly believing that it can destroy the planet after eons of geological, solar upheavals and ice ages. You and I (all of us) are now the threat to this strange goddess as we search for some strange ecological utopia that never existed if we’re to look at real and observable science. Again, “Mother Earth” and the matriarchy must be protected from the ambition, competitive nature, and dominating oppression of the Father and Patriarchy at all costs.

The divine Logos is rejected and hated by the deconstructionists embedded in the halls of government and universities and embrace the tenants of Marxism while turning a blind eye to the millions of lives brutally killed and individual freedoms stripped bare. The beginning of reprobate minds on a mass scale is attempting to advance a kingdom of deception as the Kingdom of God advances. So, our young men suffer in this sea of uncertainty as their preordained DNA for adventure is crushed into a false narrative of social pressures to feel regret and loss of identity which is devilish in nature.

The Christian Church has whimpered in addressing this life and death battle which has been waging for the last three decades. The church must welcome and remind its men (especially young men) that they have a godly woman to find, a business or garden to tend, a family to grow and protect, an ark to build to navigate future promises, to be more than a conqueror, and providing a ladder to heaven for their families and those at arm’s reach. We must encourage this advancement as the world is a cruel and hard place to carve out an abundant life. Trying to do this stripped of masculinity is unsustainable and will be realized as impossible.

The church must proclaim with bright lights that young men are welcome here! We welcome you here not only because of the gospel and salvation through Christ; but also, that we have very, very high expectations from you to reach the highest purpose of your life with integrity and honesty… To truly manifest the abundant life for your wife and children. It’s time to shed off the cloaks of compromise, indulgence, and outdated institutions with its deep roots into that which have died and of things past and long gone.

We need young men in the church to get fixed, to help fix us as you we are designed to do, and together aim for the highest mark of our callings as men of God. For ourselves. For our wives. For our children. For our friends. For our careers. For Christ.

STICKS & STONES AND BROKEN BONES

If I were to title this talk, it would be “Sticks & Stones.” I’d like to start by reading two verses of scripture:

The Lord said to Samuel “Do not look upon his appearance or in the height of his stature because I have rejected him. For the Lord does not see as mortals see for they look on the outward appearance. But the Lord looks on the heart”. (See 1 Sam. 16:7)

“Am I a dog that you should come to me with sticks?”

In the heart of ancient Palestine, is the region known as the Shephalah (Shfela) which is a series of ridges and valleys connecting the Judean Mountains to the East with the wide expanse of the Mediterranean plain.

It’s an area of historic and breathtaking beauty. It’s home to vineyards, wheat fields, and forests of sycamore and terebinth brush. The Shephalah is also of great strategic importance. Over the centuries, numerous battles have been fought for control of the region because the valley’s rising from the Mediterranean plain offer those on the coast a clear path to the cities of Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem in the Judean Highlands.

The most important valley is Ayalon in the north. But the most storied is the Elah Valley. Elah’s dirt bore witness to the arrival of the knights of the crusades in the 12th century. It played a central role in the Maccabean Wars with Syria more than a thousand years before. Most famously, during the days of the Old Testament, it was where the still fledgling kingdom of Israel squared off against the armies of the Philistines.

The Philistines were most likely from Crete. They were a seafaring people who had moved to Palestine and settled in along the coast. The Israelites were clustered in the mountains under the leadership of King Saul and in the second half of the 11th century B.C., the Philistines began spreading out and moving east winding their way upstream along the floor of the Elah Valley. The goal and enemy strategy were to capture the mountain ridge near Bethlehem and split Saul’s kingdom in two halves as a house divided will not stand.

The Philistines were battle tested, dangerous, and already the sworn enemies of the Israelites. Alarmed, Saul gathered his men and hastened down the mountains to confront them. The Philistines set up camp along the southern ridge of the Elah and the Israelites pitched their tents on the other side along the northern ridge which left the two armies gazing across the ridges at each other with the open valley below.

As strong as the Philistines were, neither army dared to move as attacking meant descending down the hill they were encamped, crossing the valley, and then making a suicidal climb up the enemy’s ridge on the other side.

Finally, the Philistines had enough waiting, and they sent their greatest warrior down into the valley to resolve the deadlock – one on one (manos-a-manos). He was a giant at least 6’9″ wearing a bronze helmet with full body armor…You know this story, but as Paul Harvey used to say: “Now you will know the rest of the story.”

He carried a javelin, a spear, and a sword and his battle attendant went before him carrying a large shield which was customary for the day to support infantry. The giant faced the Israelites and shouted out, “choose you a man and let him come down to me. If he prevail in battle against me and strike me down – we shall be slaves to you. But if I prevail and strike him down – you will be slaves to us and serve us.”

Well, in the Israelite camp, no one dared to move. Who could prevail and win against such a terrifying opponent? Then about that time, a shepherd boy who had come down from Bethlehem to bring food to his brothers stepped forward and volunteered! Saul objected to his request and stated, “You cannot go against this Philistine and do battle with him, for you are a lad and he is man of war from his youth.” But this non-assuming shepherd was adamant: “I have faced more ferocious opponents than this” he argued. When the lion or bear would come and carry off his sheep from the herd, he told Saul, “I would go after him and strike him down and rescue it from its clutches.

The traditional underdog narrative between David and Goliath will begin to unravel as we look closer at this great conflict and story. Was David really the underdog hero as many stories are told and sermons are preached?

Saul relented and the shepherd boy (shaking in his boots cautiously made his way down the hill). No! this shepherd boy ran down the hill toward the giant standing in the valley and stating: “Come to me that I may give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field.” Thus began one of history’s most famous battles and misconceptions of the position of ‘underdog’. The giant’s name was Goliath. The shepherd boy’s name as most of us know was David.

David and Goliath is a true story about what happens when ordinary people confront giants in their life. By giants, I mean powerful opponents of all kinds. From armies and mighty warriors to physical or emotional disability, misfortune, addictions, marital and financial issues, and various forms of oppression. Each verse of this event tells the story of all of us – whether famous or unknown, ordinary or brilliant, wealthy or poor, and those who have faced an oversized challenge and have been forced to respond.

Should I play by the established rules or follow my own instincts? Should I persevere or give up? Should I strike back or forgive? Through this story, I want to explore two ideas. The first is much of what we consider truly valuable in our earthly stay arises out these great conflicts because the act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness within the abundant life.

Secondly, is that we consistently get these kinds of great conflicts or adversities wrong and, more often than not, misread them. We misinterpret them due to our past and natural frames of reference just as Mary thought that the Lord’s body had been “stolen” out of the tomb when Jesus had, in fact, been resurrected.

In other words, we express much of our faith from the places of our past natural experiences rather than from the spiritual promises found in the Word of God. Giants are usually not what we think they are. The same qualities that appear to give them great strength are often the sources of their greatest weakness.

We need a better understanding of God’s template of facing the giants in our lives and there is no better place to start that journey than with the epic confrontation between David and Goliath 3000 years ago in the Valley of Elah.

When Goliath shouted out to the Israelites, he was asking for what was known as ‘single combat’. This was a common practice in the ancient world as two sides in a conflict would seek to avoid the heavy bloodshed of open battle by choosing one warrior to represent them in a dual.

For example, the 1st century B.C. Roman historian Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius (author of 23 books of ancient history) tells of an epic battle in which a Gaul warrior began mocking his Roman opponents. This immediately aroused the great indignation of a man named Titus Manlius Torquatus, a youth of noble birth. Quadragarius writes that Titus challenged the Gaul to a dual. He stepped forward and would not suffer Roman valor to be shamefully tarnished by a Gaul. Armed with a legionary shield and a Spanish sword, he confronted the Gaul. Their fight took place on the bridge over the Arno River in the presence of both armies amid great apprehension just like in the Valley of Elah. Thus, they confronted each other – the Gaul according to his method of fighting – with shield advanced and waiting in attack. Titus, relying on courage rather than the established skill struck shield against shield and threw the Gaul off balance. While the Gaul was trying to regain the same position, Titus again struck shield against shield and again forced the man to change his ground. In this fashion, he slipped under the Gaul’s sword and stabbed him in the chest with his Spanish blade. After he had slain him, Titus cut off the Gaul’s head and tore out his tongue as it was with blood upon it and placed it around his own neck.

This is what Goliath was expecting. A warrior like himself to come forward in hand-to-hand combat. It never occurred to him that the battle would be fought in anything other than the terms he had prepared for. To protect himself against blows to the body, he wore an elaborate tunic made up of hundreds of overlapping bronze fish-like scales. It covered his arms and reached to his knees and probably weighed more than a hundred pounds. He had bronze shin-guards protecting his legs with attached bronze plates covering his feet and wore a heavy metal helmet.

He had three separate weapons all optimized for close combat. He held a javelin made entirely of bronze which was capable of penetrating a shield or even armor. He had a sword on his hip and as his primary option, he carried a unique short-range spear with a metal shaft as thick as a “weavers beam.” It had a cord attached to it and a elaborate set of weights that allowed it to be released with a powerful force and accuracy.

To the Israelite, this extraordinary spear with its heavy shaft and long and heavy iron blade when thrown by Goliath’s strong arm, seemed possible of piercing any bronze shield and bronze armor together. Can you see why no Israelite would come forward to fight Goliath from natural eyes and a natural perspective?

Then David appears. Saul tries to give him his own sword and armor so at least he’ll have a fighting chance but David refuses. “I can’t walk in these he says, For I am unused to it.” Instead, he reaches down and picks up five smooth stones and puts them in his shoulder bag. Then David descends into the valley carrying his shepherd’s staff. David used the gifts and talents that the Lord gave him rather than using what was unnatural or from another’s calling.

Goliath stares at the boy coming toward him and is insulted as he was expecting to do battle with a seasoned warrior. Instead, he sees a shepherd, a boy from the lowliest of all professions who seems to want to use his shepherd’s staff as a laughable weapon against Goliath’s sword. “Am I a dog” Goliath says gesturing at the staff – “That you should come to me with sticks?”

What happens next is a matter of legend. David puts one of his stones into the leather pouch of a sling and he fires at Goliath’s exposed forehead. Goliath falls and is stunned. David runs toward him; seizes the giant’s sword and cuts off his head. The Philistines saw that their warrior was dead, and they fled as the Bible states.

“The battle is won miraculously by an underdog who by all expectations should not have won at all”. This is how we have told or explained to one another this story over the many centuries since. It is exactly how the well-known phrase “David and Goliath” has come to be embedded in our language, conscious, and culture as a metaphor for improbable victory. But the problem with that version of this event is that almost everything about it including its perceived revelation is entirely wrong!

Ancient armies reflected three kinds or types of warriors. The first was cavalry – armed men on horseback or in chariots. The second was infantry – foot-soldiers wearing armor and carrying swords and shields. The third was projectile warriors or what we would understand today as ‘artillery’. These artillery skills would be expressed on ancient battlefields as archers and slingers.

The Slingers had a leather pouch attached on two sides by a long strand of rope. They would put a rock or a lead ball into the pouch, swing it around at increasingly wider and faster circles and then release one end of the rope hurling the rock forward. Slinging took an extraordinary amount of skill and practice, but in experienced hands, the sling was a devastating weapon.

Paintings from medieval times show slingers hitting birds in mid-flight. Irish slingers were said to able to hit a coin from as far away as they could see it. And in the Old Testament book of Judges, slingers are described to be accurate within a “hair’s breadth.”

An experienced slinger could kill or seriously injure a target at a distance of up to 200 yards. The Romans even had a special set of tongs just to remove stones that had been embedded in some unfortunate soldier’s body by a sling. Imagine standing in front of a major league baseball pitcher as he aims the baseball at your head. That’s what facing a slinger was like. Only what was being thrown wasn’t a ball of soft cork, strand and leather – but a solid rock.

History has also shown us that the sling was such an important weapon in ancient warfare that the three kinds or types of ancient warriors at that time would balance each other. This would be similar to each dynamic or expression in the game of rock, paper, scissors. With their long prods and ground pikes and armor – infantry could stand up to cavalry. Cavalry could in turn defeat projectile warriors because the horses moved too quickly for artillery to take proper aim. And projectile warriors were deadly against infantry because lumbering soldiers weighed down with armor were sitting ducks for a slinger who would be slinging projectiles from over a hundred yards away.

This is exactly why the Athenian expedition failed in the Peloponnese War. The Athenian heavy infantry was decimated in the mountains by local light infantry – primarily using the sling. Russia was defeated by tribal Afghanistan using the same methodology. Goliath is a type of heavy infantry. He thinks he is going to be engaged in a dual with another heavy infantryman. Our gravest error is fighting evil on evil’s playing field and expectations. In the same manner as Titus Manlius’ fight with the Gaul – Goliath states, “Come to me that I may give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field.” The key phrase is: “Come to me.” In other words, Goliath means, come right up to me so we can fight at close quarters. When Saul tries to dress David in armor and give him a sword, he is operating under the same assumption and carnal understanding. He sees or envisions David fighting Goliath hand to hand.

The reason King Saul is skeptical of David’s chances is because David is small, and Goliath is large. Saul thinks of power in terms of physical might, past frames of reference, and doesn’t understand that power comes in many other forms and expressions. Adhered rules of the mind generated by our past natural experiences are meant to be broke! Spiritual strength (prayer) speed (obedience) and maneuverability (prophetic utterance in alignment with the Word of God) will always overcome natural and brute strength in overcoming our giants in life, relationships and careers as we are more than conquerors.

David, however, has no intention to honor the traditions of man, traditions of single combat, the establishment, and the means of established warfare. When he tells Saul that he has killed bears and lions as a shepherd, he does so not just as a testimony to his courage, but to create another testimony as well (Folks can dispute your doctrine all day long, but they can’t dispute your testimony). David will fight Goliath the same way that he has learned to fight large and wild animals as a projectile warrior. David, without hesitation, runs towards Goliath because without armor, he has speed and maneuverability. He puts a rock into his sling and whips it around and around; faster and faster at 6-7 revolutions per second while aiming the projectile at Goliath’s forehead – the giants only point of vulnerability.

Modern tests and calculations reflect that a typically sized stone hurled by an expert slinger at a distance of 115 feet would have hit Goliath’s head with a velocity of 112 feet per second. This is more than enough to penetrate his skull and render him unconscious or dead. In terms of stopping power, that would equate to a medium sized modern handgun. We find that David fired and hit Goliath within just one second. This range of time so brief that Goliath would not have been able to protect himself and which he would have been stationary for all practical purposes.

I mean, what could Goliath do? He was carrying over a hundred pounds of armor. He was prepared for a battle at close range where he could stand strong but immobile warding off blows with his armors and delivering a mighty thrust of his spear. He watched David approach first with scorn, then with surprise, and then with what could only have been genuine terror as it dawned on him that the battle, he was expecting has suddenly changed shape. The prophetic application to this statement is paramount to churches and our personal future success against adversity and the adversary.

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I come against you in the name of the Lord and the Lord will deliver you into my hands and I will strike you down and cut off your head. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Twice, David mentions Goliath’s sword and spear as if to emphasize how profoundly different his intentions really were. He then reaches in his shepherd’s bag for a stone, and at that point, no one watching from the ridges from either side of the valley would have figured David’s victory improbable. David was a slinger, and all in attendance knew that slingers beat infantry hands down. Goliath had as much chance of victory over David as any bronze age warrior with a sword would have had with a Green Beret armed with a 45 automatic pistol. Folks, this wasn’t even close!

David the underdog? Really? I don’t think so! As stated earlier, there has been much misunderstanding and what has been passed down from generation to generation and the true essence of what happened that day in the Valley of Elah. David is representative of you and me in that we have been redeemed by Christ and empowered by Holy Spirit which should reflect a different perspective than the world’s perspective in overcoming giants and obstacles (relationships, health, finances, emotions, abilities). It also reveals preconceived notions and folly in regard to genuine power and what is already and readily available to us as Kingdom citizens.

We can take this story and apply its lessons in many areas of life. Again, what we perceive as a strong and undefeatable adversary or situation – It’s pronounced strength is usually its greatest weakness in being defeated, and it is defeated by declaring God’s promises.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

BROKENESS – A KEY FOR SUCCESS

To many of us, including myself, the phrase: “Broken before Blessed” is understood as a scriptural principle and process that God uses in our lives that is necessary for individual growth. I realize that many, especially those not in Christ may not fathom the thought that the Lord may use breaking or brokenness in our lives as a means of blessing in many forms.

I believe that brokenness is a growth process that all of us will have to go through in the course of our lives at various seasons. I have learned that the eventual benefit is not to resist the breaking – but to recognize and embrace the breaking. The breaking of our pride, our self-righteousness, and our self-reliance must come before growth is imparted and testimony is released to change the lives of others.

The prophetic “breakthrough” that we are looking for in our individual lives and corporate environments can only come through a complete surrender of our soulish natures. The “broken before blessed” principle is experienced in Genesis 32 and presented from an incredible event in the life of Jacob. At the time of this event, Jacob’s only real concern was for himself and a self-serving nature for much of his life. When Jacob was a teenager, he cheated his brother Esau out of the family birthright and privileged inheritance. Esau had become so furious that he determined to kill Jacob as soon as their father Isaac had died. Since Jacob had no chance against Esau in a hand-to-hand fight, he left home and traveled several hundred miles to separate himself from his brother. The good news is that God was not done with runaway Jacob!

In Genesis 32, Jacob finally begins his journey back home and, on the way, he received word that Esau was planning to meet him with 400 men. Of course, Jacob was afraid for his life, and he prayed for it! With word of this, he split his traveling party in two groups and sent some ahead to Esau with reconciliation gifts in the hope of appeasing the situation.

Jacob thought that he could buy his brother’s forgiveness and we see this in many marriages, in our children, and in business today. Jacob not only tried to buy forgiveness, but he put his family in front of himself as a kind of safety barrier between himself and his brother. I believe that between the lines, we can read the “cunning” plan of Jacob was to save his own skin at the expense of his own family in case Esau refused his gifts. The name coward certainly comes to mind.

It was while Jacob was alone at his campsite that a man came and began to wrestle with him. It is interesting to think what might have been said or done to provoke this fight. We know from other verses of scripture that this was no ordinary man or angel. Jacob was wrestling with the pre-incarnate Son of God in the form of a man!

Jacob was literally wrestling with God, but what’s really cool is that God was wrestling with Jacob! Most who know the scriptures realize that Jacob had learned many lessons from his many mistakes – but like many of us, he still had a way to go before he was thoroughly broken of his selfish nature and conniving disposition to always get or to have his way. And so, God met Jacob right where he was at and wrestled him person to person. Mano-a-mano.

Could it be that God is wrestling with us in certain areas of our lives that are essential for us to reach our destinies and full potential like Jacob? Are there areas in our lives that need to be wrestled with and broken down? What is God wrestling with me over? Am I embracing or resisting? We notice that the wrestling match was NOT over in a few minutes, although it very easily could have been with the Lord as the opponent! The Lord could easily have overpowered Jacob as He could us, but Jesus loves us enough to give us a will to learn and to choose. Of all the descriptions or titles that God that He could have chosen to call Himself, He simply said that “I am love.” It is impossible to give or receive love without free will. So, the Lord, in His divine plan and purposes, will patiently wrestle with us within our free wills in order to break us down of “SELF.” I realize in my life that my greatest enemy is not some dark evil or external force, it is ME.

I can only thank the Lord that He wrestles with all of us with longsuffering and patience. It was now near dawn after hours of wrestling that the Lord finally put a move on Jacob that would forever change his life and even in the way that he would walk. This move of God caused what seems to be a slight dislocation to the ball joint of his Jacob’s hip or thigh. This was a touch from the hand of God in a critical area of Jacob’s life. The point is that he would no longer be able to ‘run’ from his problems and mistakes. A touch from God within the battles of our minds may be painful, but it is a necessary part of the breaking and a growth process to obtain tremendous blessing.

The paradox is that the breaking process is the path that leads to abundant blessings. Not only was Jacob no longer able to run, but he was no longer able to wrestle. He had wrestled with God all night and at this point, he could only cling or hang on to God to prevent hitting the rock bottom of the ground. Jacob finally realized his helplessness and weakness along with his dependency and mercy from the one whom he was wrestling.

Jacob now would have to face his fears. He could no longer run from Esau and the only thing that Jacob could do was to hold on and ask for a blessing from the Lord. This was a turning point in Jacob’s life. Each one of us must likewise come to this same point of what we’re wrestling with in order to really experience all of the blessings, destiny, and anointing that the Lord would have for us in reaching fullness of life. So many times, it seems that the areas of our greatest natural strengths are the areas that the Lord will touch and “dislocate.”

The reasoning is so we will be dependent upon Him rather than our own strength. The Bible says that “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 It’s also worthy to note that the Lord specifically asked Jacob his name. Was it that the Lord needed to know? Of course not. Jacob had to know and own up to who he truly was and what the name ‘Jacob’ meant which is, “deceiver or supplanter.” Jacob fulfilled the meaning of his name perfectly; he spent his entire life to this point deceiving and conning others and the greatest con job of all was promoting a false spirituality.

By saying and confessing his name to God, Jacob openly confessed and came to the realization of who he truly was at the core of his being. Confession and the realization of who we truly are is the beginning of experiencing the fullness of the blessings of God. Trust me, I know firsthand! The stigma of the old name was removed, and Jacob was given a new name – “Israel.” Jacob was no longer a “deceiver”, but now, one who “persevered with God.”

We notice in Gen. 32:28 that Jacob prevailed with God. This does not mean that Jacob won the wrestling match, but rather he realized his defeat and held on to the only source of hope that he had. This breaking process worked a miracle in the life of Jacob as it does and will for us today before we leave this gathering.

Jacob now realized that God Himself had touched him. Jacob tried his best to get the “stranger” to reveal Himself by asking for His name. His name was not given, nor did He disclose Himself to Jacob as he did to his grandfather, Abraham. Could it be that Jacob still had something more to learn? I sincerely believe that the Lord revealed Himself to Jacob as time went on and Jacob would develop an intimate relationship and reliance upon God that would carry him from one blessing to another as he grew older. In any case, Jacob was a changed man and would give birth to the nation of Israel.

Jacob would now fulfill his purpose as a godly husband, father and man of God. The Lord would go on to say in the book of Hebrews that “He loved Jacob” rather than calling him “Israel.” God loves you and I wherever we’re at in life – even in our self and sin nature. Even in our emotional hurts and physical pain.

Regardless of our past mistakes, God loves us and desires to touch the areas of our lives that need to be dislocated to impart blessing. The Lord desires that we hold onto Him and allow His strength to hold us up., Even when our strength has given up. The Lord desires that we face the problems and people in our lives that we have run from. The things that we fear most. We must be the ministers of reconciliation that the Lord has called us to be. He desires that we face our past mistakes and pay our unpaid debts to those we owe in both word and deed, just as Jacob did.

Remember that the breaking process must come before the blessing. This picture of the life of Jacob should serve as an encouragement that the sun will rise and shine upon those who have wrestled with the Lord in the nighttime hours of life. Jacob would walk with a limp for rest of his life. Yeah, he was broken – but he was blessed beyond measure. He could now face his past and his problems and God would reward with favor and forgiveness. Jacob’s relationships were restored, and he would now experience the promise of the abundant life.

Written by Danny Korakas

Permission granted to use, share, and modify to the glory of Christ.

THE SOUNDING OF HOOFBEATS

THE SOUNDING OF  HOOFBEATS“

“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:25-29.

So what are we to make and take from these verses of scripture? Who is Holy Spirit speaking to?

“Once more I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:6 -7.

When we combine these companion verses, God states that He will will shake the Earth, the heavens, the land, the seas, as well as the nations. This is a tremendous event to think about. I believe that our imaginations can be stretched to the limits in just trying to understand and visualizing these statements. Again, the Earth, the heavens, the dry land, the seas and the nation’s are to be ‘shaken’ by the power God. What does this mean or look like? What should we expect?

Before we continue any further, let me pose to you a question that is based on scripture: Do you believe in the judgement of God or Jesus as Judge? I ask because in my experience of visiting various churches, conferences, bible studies as well as reading much literature – very little speaks to or pertains to the judgement of God. The modern culture or attitude in the church is that it’s not really socially proper to speak about God’s judgement in such stark terminology. In other words, let’s stay away from that painful subject. I would venture to say that many Christians avoid the reality of Jesus as a judge altogether. It’s almost like the judgement of God will offend people or frighten people. “We won’t get them to listen to the gospel if we talk about the judgement of God.” Likewise, avoiding judgement allows us to retain our spiritual ‘winks’ such as accepting the chronic sexual promiscuity within the ranks of our youth and the next generation of the church.

Jesus stated in John 16:8 “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me;”

According to John, when the Convictor of the world comes, He will convict the the world of three things: Of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement. As I see it, these are the three unchanging and engraved realities upon which all true Christianity is based: Understanding sin. Understanding righteousness. Understanding judgement. We are severely and spiritually malnourished without a deep understanding of these three foundational principles.

If we ask what sin is, we can simply deduct that it’s everything that is not righteous. In other words, all unrighteousness is sin. So we can easily conclude that there are just two possibilities in every thought and action in our lives – sin and righteousness. And if a thought or action is not righteous – it is sinful.

Some may still ask what sin is as if it’s a personal opinion. But if one were to ask what is ‘crooked’ – all I would have to do is hold up a straight line and state that anything that departs from this, whether by a little or by much is crooked. The same is true with righteousness and sin. God has held up a line of righteousness and it is Jesus Christ… The Word of God. Anything that departs from that – little or much, is sin. How we have based or lived our lives on these precepts whether by sin or righteousness – we will face the judgement of God.

There is one appointment that every one of us, past and present will keep. It will be the judgement of God and not one of us can escape this fact and reality. The good news is that there’s two different judgements – The judgement of condemnation and the judgement for those who’ve received salvation through Christ Jesus. The first will receive the just condemnation by the life they chose to live and the later will receive their just reward and not by anything that they have performed, but by the gift of grace through simple faith in the finished work of the cross. But, everyone of us will stand before the judgement seat of God. Listen friend, it is foolishness to live as if it were not so. I have first have knowledge as I have received great grace!

I realize that these types of offerings for your discernment are not comfortable or even pleasant to hear or read. Nonetheless, it is the climax of our faith and the blueprint for not only eternal life with the Father, but also the blueprint for navigating the waters ahead on our personal and corporate journeys.

Mankind traveled on horses for centuries before the onset of the industrial age. Calvary on horseback was still active as late as World War 1. Jesus as Salvation and Judge is given to us by the Apostle John in the Revelation as a horseman as we vividly see in the ‘Four Horsemen’ as they ride out to fulfill their commands and missions.

“Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” (Let’s note right here that the horsemen were commanded to “come” by Heaven. They are not the result of things that have happened on Earth. Many prophetically inclined people fail to see this. The initiative comes from God alone upon His throne) And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”

This particular crown in its context and meaning is not a royal crown but a wreath or a victors crown. It was a crown something like we would see adorned by an Olympic champion. Much of our end time doctrine will be dependant upon how we define this White Horse and its rider. For me personally, it is a vivid word picture of Jesus Christ riding out with the Gospel to all the peoples of the Earth. The Messianic prophecy or the revelation of Christ in Psalm 45 wonderfully illustrates Jesus as this rider who is unconquerable and nothing on Earth can or will stop Him:

“My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty. (I believe that it’s correct in assuming that this is no ordinary human conqueror because they are not marked by humility, truth and righteousness) And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; The peoples fall under You.”

We know that the King’s enemies are Satan and his horde and maybe the arrows are representative of salvation and the piercing conviction of Holy Spirit? It is Holy Spirit that pierces and draws the hearts of humanity unto repentance and thus causing people to fall or bow before Him.

When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” (Again, notice that this horse was commanded by God in Heaven. It’s important that we understand this or we’ll get a false perspective of what’s happening on Earth) Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”

Could this horse and its rider represent ethnic conflict? Something is released by this horse and rider even in the midst of modern or civilized thought, education and history to look back upon. Something is released that provokes and causes people groups to hate people groups and nations to hate nations and cultures to hate cultures and one race to hate another race. These various prejudices have not improved through time but have become more and more deeper entrenched in self-serving ideologies. You should not be surprised or taken aback of what’s unfolding racially and culturally as I believe that not one nation will be spared of this outworking of the flesh nature. What would things socially look like when the Red Horse rides through the United States with it’s many nationalities, racial groups and cultures that refuse to integrate into its established Judao-Christian values? What is currently expressed on the surface is somewhat still socially congenial, but what is the true heart condition of the unredeemed within the races and nations of the Earth? Will even the elect be deceived if it were possible? Again, this horse was ordered from heaven and it is a part of judgement. Remember that the Revelation of Jesus is the revelation of the judgement and ultimate victory of Jesus.

When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

It should be obvious to even the non-Christian that this horse and rider points to shortage and the rationing of goods and services. A denarius was a working person’s daily wage. In order words, a working person at this time will make just enough money to feed themselves and that’s it! But what does ‘do not harm the oil and wine” mean? Could it be that the oil and the wine are to be reserved for the rich? In the midst of this global environment of shortage, will there be those who are living in luxury? I believe so and we clearly see it happening in the world today. The poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer in regard to available resources. Except for some wonderful exceptions (and these are exceptions!) the rich do not care for the poor… They care for themselves. They are gripped by this spirit and rider in their self-love.

When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Again, this horse and rider should be obvious in its mission and points to famine and ultimately, wide spread death that will affect a fourth or 25% of the Earth’s population. It’s important that we recognize that there are two riders. The first is death and the second is Hades. Death claims the bodies of humanity and Hades claims the souls of men. It’s also important to notice that authority was given to them and this authority came from God and from the throne in His judgement.

It’s my hope that you’ll consider these four horses and their riders. I also hope that you’ll see the prophetic message for God’s people saved by grace through Jesus Christ – that the White Horse has to stay in front of the other three horses as they race toward the end of days. There are family members, friends, neighbors, work associates that have yet to receive the precious blood of Christ for their redemption and salvation. We need the Rider upon the White Horse to ride before us firing the arrows of conviction and repentance in our homes, communities and nations before the other rider’s directives and mission has progressed too far and these terrible judgements fall upon mankind. All of us should be praying and have a deep passion that the White Horse will get there and to those whom we love before lawlessness and civil war is realized.

PROPHETIC IN-SIGHT 2021

Isn’t it a dynamic time to be alive for those who are seeking the Lord? And those who have eyes to see are going to see the glory of God moving in the Earth on behalf of His people in 2021. 2020 began an outpouring of vision for believers to naturally see the forces of darkness that have now become exposed. 2021 will be a year and outpouring of spiritual vision for the church to see and understand what must soon take place.

Do you know that you and I have two minds? Do you know that our daily battles are waged between these two minds? Romans 8 tells us that we have a mind of the flesh (our carnal mind) and the mind of the Spirit (the mind of Christ). The mind of the flesh hates the mind of the Spirit because your flesh hates the purposes of God. There’s allot of flesh in politics and government today. There’s allot of flesh in our educational institutions today. There’s allot of flesh in marriages today. There’s allot of flesh in race relations today. There’s allot of flesh in business relations today. There allot of flesh in spending habits today. The agenda of the flesh hates the agenda of God. 

Only the word of God can subdue the mind of the flesh and when the word of God is removed from our societies and cultural values… What should we expect? We should expect a growing carnality and social division which is at enmity with God. Do you know that we have Christian parents of 16 year old high school kids buying them brand new mustangs and camaros. Why? This is carnal and not teaching kids about real life and the real world. And we wonder why young people in America have become entitled, resist hard work and don’t understand stewardship. I’m not trying to hurt anybody’s feelings. I’m trying to say that God has a specific and detailed plan and we need to clearly see what that plan is.

The antichrist spirit has a detailed plan and that plan is on full display and understood by those who have spiritual vision. Those with eyes to see into the spirit realm understand that the antichrist agenda is to acquire earthly kingdoms by two means: deception and premature death. We have deception right in the middle of the camp that goes by the name “Christian” and promoting an evolving gospel. 

The flesh-centric church is promoting a watered down gospel to be more friendly with our modern culture… Just like those who are currently promoting an evolving Constitution. The gospel and the Constitution are not designed to evolve. They were written and designed to keep those in check who are demanding its anti-christian evolution. There’s now an evolving salvation message that presents several different paths to heaven outside of the cross of Christ. This isn’t just now being promoted by the Pope within the Catholic church, but also by once proud protestant denominations. Lord help us.

And the b side of Satan’s agenda has always been to kill what has been conceived both naturally and spiritually and preferably while still in the womb. Satan tried to kill the Messiah as an infant. Satan tried to kill Moses as an infant and on and on. The modus operandi has been the same throughout history. Satan tries to kill everything that advances the kingdom on Earth at the earliest stage of conception whether it’s a business, a dream, or a vision. And as I said, preferably before it’s birthed or comes to fruition. Satan tried his best to kill the rebirthing of Israel as a nation through the Nazi regime. But, God’s agenda and what He’s birthing in you for the advancement of the kingdom cannot be stopped.

The purpose of spiritual vision is to move us from information to revelation. It’s to see the kingdom advancing in power and to be an active part and participant in its movement… Especially in the midst of doubt and deep societal darkness within the antichrist agenda. 

In seeking the Lord for prophetic direction in this region – I’m seeing that the snare of ‘Rationalization’ will be the frontline of our personal and corporate battles as the days ahead unfold. I’ll speak prophetically about rationalization in our lives, as the church and this region a little later in this message. But I want to first speak a bit about spiritual vision as you and I will need this anointing to understand its prophetic meaning and impact as 2021 unfolds.

I believe that the Lord is and will provide a greater anointing of vision in our lives at this hour. Mine included. I believe that a heavenly salve is being applied to our eyes and that His advancement and agenda will become increasingly clear in our understanding and lives. We will no longer see dimly as looking through a glass darkly. We will not be fooled by angels of light offering counterfeit social solutions leading to bondage and moral bankruptcy lest we, the elect in Christ become deceived ourselves. No, we will see face to face the snares that have been set before us.

Do you really believe that God would have his children blind, uninformed or placed at a disadvantage? Of course not and that’s not how we raise our own kids even in our sin nature. But most importantly, we need spiritual vision to see the blessings that the Lord has for us in 2021. The primary purpose of spiritual vision is to see our blessings and victory. Seeing and understanding what must soon take place including the antichrist agenda is very important. But, the priority of spiritual vision must be focused on the goodness of God, His love and His desire to bless us. The story of Mary Magdalene as she approached the empty tomb is a good example of missing a promised blessing by a lack of spiritual vision.

If you’d like to follow along, the Bible tells us starting in John chapter 20 verse 1: “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 

The Bible says Mary “saw” that the stone had been rolled away from Jesus’ tomb and that someone had taken away the Lord’s body. First of all, was this an accurate statement that Mary had just spoken to Jesus’ disciples. Did somebody actually take or steal the Lord’s body? 

Obviously, the answer is no and that Jesus had been resurrected in power. What Mary had seen was according to her vision in the natural realm or what she discerned from a natural perspective based on her past frames of reference. Mary was formulating a conclusion leading to a false belief based on her past natural experiences in life (in other words, he’s not there so somebody had to have taken him) rather than a spiritual or prophetic promise foretold by Jesus of being raised on the third day. Without spiritual vision, Mary’s past natural experiences wrongly influenced her ‘right now’ spiritual insight. 

Can you see that right now, that schools have taken on the agenda to tell our children what gender they can be? Can you see right now that lying has become a socially acceptable means to promote one’s agenda with no consequences? The normalizing of lying in our culture will be America’s open door for the antichrist culture to advance as Satan is the father of lies. The sword of the Spirit has come to rightly divide and define the father we will choose to serve. The Father of Heaven or the father of lies?

Can you see right now that many are promoting sexual immorality and transgenderism by social conditioning to normalize these behaviors and to prosecute you if you disagree? Can you see right now that many parents (even those in the church) are now winking at their kid’s sexual promiscuity and premarital sex for the sake of acceptance and popularity? As I said earlier, only the word of God can subdue the mind of the flesh and what does the word of God say about these matters? Let’s be honest, is the gay agenda, the feminist agenda, the media agenda, the entertainment agenda, the education agenda, the government agenda – are they God’s agenda? God deeply loves the person but cannot look upon the sin. We cannot see God face to face and realize our blessings with open sin and rebellion in our lives. 

Simply complaining about these social ills will not solve anything. Actually, our complaining will make matters worse as complainers in the Bible were never blessed, but rather, wandered in wilderness circles. We need vision to understand the cause and effects of societal sickness and exercise the power of prayer through faith which is the seedbed for revival. Are we praying for what we’re complaining about? We’re having prayer conferences. We’re having prayer meetings. We’re reading books on prayer. But, as the church – we’re not praying.

The Greek word ‘saw’ for this event Mary had seen in the original translated language is “Blepo” which means to casually or naturally see. In other words, our natural human vision. Nothing more and nothing less.

Continuing in verse 4, “Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple (John), and were going to the tomb. So, they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.”

 The Greek word for ‘saw’ that is used in this verse and for what John observed is the exact same Greek word ‘Blepo’ that Mary had previously based her assumptions on. We see little progress yet in discerning the resurrection and the supernatural events Jesus had foretold concerning Himself and the church. We also notice that John didn’t go into the tomb and because of his natural and distant perspective, John’s spiritual understanding would also be limited to what he ‘saw’ with his natural vision.

Continuing in verse 6-7, “Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 

We now read that Peter chose to go into the tomb and the original Greek word for “saw” in this verse is the word ‘Thereo.’ It should be obvious that the Greek text and word ‘Thereo’ reflects the English translation of the word ‘theory’ in our modern vocabulary. We have some progress as Peter draws closer and he’s pondering the event that he’s witnessing, but we do not base our faith and spiritual understanding on theory and assumption. Amen.

Continuing in verse 8, “Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he SAW and BELIEVED.” John saw and believed! The Greek word translated for “saw” in this verse is, ‘Eido’ which means to see with understanding or revelation.’

It’s no accident or mistake that we have three different Greek words for the exact same modern translation for “saw” in this short passage and event. Eido is the spiritual vision and understanding that the Lord desires we possess right now as we continue to experience the kingdom of God moving on earth as it is in heaven. Something immediately snapped in John’s life and he now saw into the reality, power, and love of the Spirit realm. Once spiritual vision was imparted, it would continue to increase and mature in his life, culminating in the Revelation of Jesus Christ – the Spirit of Prophecy. You and I, this region, this state, and this country needs a prophetic revelation of Jesus Christ and guess who that’s coming from? From me and you!

With that said, revelation is only active or effectual to others when its power is revealed in our own personal lives. In other words, ‘revelation’ means: to be revealed to another. Revelation always has a source and we see this illustrated in the vision of Jacob’s ladder (if the Holy Spirit is in us and if we are to do greater works than these – then we are the ladder. It is the agenda of heaven in Christ and the Holy Spirit continually flowing to and through us as the church to reach the unsaved and our communities) but we can only impart to another what has been received and revealed in our own personal lives. (You are the 2nd coming of Christ – Christ in you, hope of glory)

We simply can’t give to another what we don’t possess ourselves. Anything less is just good information rather than heaven sent and life changing. Look, good information isn’t a bad thing, but it’s not revelation. It’s kind of like a clock hanging on the wall in a store. It’s value to keep time is true in and of itself. But until we purchase it and take ownership of it – it presents no real value to us nor to those at arm’s reach.

The bible says that, “The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show his servants (you and me) what must soon take place. You and I have been appointed and anointed to see and understand “what must soon take place.” Why? to be a source solution (the ladder) from heaven to others! Sharing what we read is wonderful. Sharing what we see is better. Preaching what we write is wonderful. Demonstration what others see is better.

The antichrist agenda comes as counterfeit light to cloak its darkness and I believe that our country has become so corrupt and dark at the current hour that new leaders coming into church will either be sent directly from Heaven’s influence or directly from Hell’s influence. I guess that the one good thing about this is that lukewarm church leadership is on the way out. And you know, this is how God typically deals with generational removal and change – He doesn’t annihilate it, he simply let’s it die out. Both secular and spiritual leadership is going to be either white hot for righteousness or red hot for evil. The battle is on and both the windows of hell and the windows of heaven have been opened. The spirit of Ahab and Jezabel changed the culture, morals and values of the United States over the last 60 years and the spirit of Manassah is at the gate. 

Manassah destroyed an entire generation of people in the nation of Israel by leading them into serving false gods, state sponsored child sacrifice, idolatry, and silenced the prophets by death when they publicly confronted his abominations. He tried to repent and ask forgiveness once judgement had been passed upon him, but it was too late. He corrupted and destroyed an entire generation and he had a meat hook driven up his nose and out through his cheek to be dragged in chains to Babylon to be ostracized. If he fell along way – well, his face would be ripped off. 

Even though this humiliation brought him to repentance – the spiritual, cultural and social damage had already been done and that nation’s generation sealed it’s fate by it’s debauchery and turning their back on God. You know, our nation should be thankful for us Christians. We’re not better than other people, we’re just better off. We have help and I like that!

If we don’t know or belong to Jesus, we won’t understand revelation because all revelation knowledge pertaining to the church and His kingdom is given to Christ. With that said, The Father is not interested in us knowing everything. He’s interested in us knowing Jesus. If we know Jesus, we’ll know what must soon take place as a byproduct.

Going back to the prophetic word that the Lord has put upon my heart for this region – the flesh-centric mindset of rationalization was the downfall of the first two humans: Adam and Eve. They desired the knowledge good and evil separate from God. If we’ll be content with God and seek him first, then He’ll give us revelation and knowledge for our benefit. As I just touched on – there’s no point in God explaining things or giving understanding to us if we don’t belong to Jesus. 

You’ll find in the Bible that when God calls someone His friend, whether it was Abraham or his friends (such as his disciples in the upper room) He says, ‘I no longer call you servants, I call you friends.” Once Jesus calls someone His friend, He will then bless that person with vision in regard to navigating future or prophetic events. Again, what father or parent desires that their children be unprepared and blind to upcoming danger? Think about that. How much more with God?

Truly, those whom I trust as my friends are the people that I reveal my heart and give liberally the greatest prophetic revelation. It is not a particular gift of my Spirit as I can give these to anybody at any given time according to my purposes. But an understanding of the times and the seasons and what will and must soon take place. For I will always have friends or witnesses on the Earth to proclaim and rightly provide direction for my church. I intimately share with my friends and those who draw close to me. Can you see that those called my  ‘beloved’ are always those who have a revelation, vision and the understanding of the time and times and how to apply wisdom to my people in navigating them? 

Abraham was called my friend and I revealed to him the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and how to save his family. Daniel I have called ‘highly beloved’ and understood the events that must soon take place and which you will need at this hour to see and understand. John I have called my beloved and it was John that I have given the greatest revelation of what was and is to come. John was always near to my heart and it would be John whom I would entrust much in the shadow of the cross. You know, Jesus entrusted his own earthly mother to John.

The appetite to rationalize within the carnal mind can be traced as far back to the fall of man. The following verses in Genesis chapters 2 & 3 if you’d like to follow along will provide us some insight into its corrupting power.

The bible states in Gen. 2:15-17:

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord commanded the man, saying, “of every tree in the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die. 

If there’s one thing that our flesh nature craves – it’s to do something that we’re told we shouldn’t do and it begins at childhood. Remember that 60s Three Dog Night song “Momma told me not to come.” Momma was addressing our appetites and it wasn’t for her apple pie. 

God never intended nor created humanity to deal with the knowledge of evil. Horror movies are popular but they’re an abomination to our spirit-man, yet many are drawn to the openings of these dark portals into our soul. Because evil was both a natural and a spiritual reality due to Lucifer’s rebellion in heaven and being cast to the earth – the tree of this knowledge had to be a real and present danger within Adam and Eve’s view. Satan’s rebellion in heaven was a spiritual reality and being cast the earth was a natural reality. The tree that represented the reality of both good and evil had to be in the Garden because it was real. The serpent, the father of lies didn’t need to tempt them into overt sin. He just needed to draw out their carnal or flesh nature apart from God within their freedom to choose.

I believe that Joel 2 has a twofold meaning when it says that “in the later days, the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.” What does “all flesh” mean? Since we know that many have and will reject Christ and a great falling away will also occur – I believe that the Lord will also pour out His Spirit on all of our flesh – our flesh nature within the church to become without spot and wrinkle. Then – our sons and daughters will prophesy. Come on somebody! God will pour out His Spirit upon our flesh in the latter days and today is your’s and my latter days! The Bible says that the Lord is coming back for a glorious church. Somehow and some way we’re going to get there and it will take God pouring out His Spirit upon all of our flesh in the church.

“Do you know what the first temptation of Jesus was after fasting in the wilderness for 40 days and terribly hungry? It wasn’t to turn those desert stones into bread in his hunger – it was “if you are the Son of God”… Turn these stones into bread. It was, “If you are the Son of God,… cast yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple for God will give His angels charge over you.” The devil got Eve to doubt herself and God’s promises with this tactic. But it didn’t work with Jesus. Jesus quoted what was written in the word of God which subdued the temptations of the flesh and carnal mind even in His humanity.

Continuing in Gen. 3:1-4:

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘you shall not eat of every tree in the garden’?” Now listen to what the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it lest you die. (Let’s stop right there. Did God say, “nor shall you touch it?”) Then the serpent said to the woman, “you will not surely die, For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Already, we have a lie and it’s a tactic of lying that the devil still uses today… Twisting and adding to the word of God. God did not say that they could not touch it. Only that they were not to partake or eat of it. Eve was lied to by somebody.

In all fairness, did mankind (Adam & Eve) know what a lie was? Did they even have a past frame of reference of what a lie was? Come on y’all. The answer has to be no. So, I believe it’s completely fair and reasonable to look at this event as the woman being presented with two ‘perceived truths’…One from God and the other from the serpent since they didn’t even have the understanding of what a lie was…Stay with me.

Mankind did not ‘fall’ when they ate of the forbidden fruit. Rather, they began falling when they rationalized God’s words not to partake of it. They rationalized God’s word for a counterfeit promise that was pleasing to the carnal mind. It’s kind of like this: Imagine that I’m standing on the roof of this house. The instant or second that I step off the roof – I am falling. Hitting the ground is the consummation of already falling and the impact of its pain. 

Mankind fell the instant or second that they rationalized God’s word and promise. The partaking of the forbidden fruit simply consummated their state of already falling and impact of their self-inflicted pain. The prophetic application is two-fold: First, rationalization is the snare and deception that leads to a fall in all areas of life. Millions upon millions are rationalizing their way out of heaven and into hell this very day. 

Satan’s bait doesn’t have to be obviously bad or evil and it rarely is to the mature believer. It’s oftentimes packaged as a good rationalization to distract us from God’s best and genuine purpose for our lives. Remember, one of Satan’s primary agendas is to kill the birthing of God’s purpose and vision for your life before it’s conceived and he’ll tempt your flesh nature to abort it through rationalization.

Secondly, we must embrace God’s word and promises and then release and rest in them to manifest by faith. Look, you may have some serious issues right now and looking for any rationalization or means to fix it. But maybe, you’ve got to start believing in the unbelievable! If you’re in a unbelievable circumstance or in the midst of unbelievable problems, then you’ll need to start believing in previously unbelievable solutions! Come on somebody.

Continuing: “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, (in other words, not just what was good, but to make one wise in what was evil) she took of its fruit and ate. Now here’s the kicker – She also gave to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 

Adam, as the head of his household and husband stood right there and watched that snake lie to his wife. He stood idly by and watched his wife eat it and then decided to have some for himself! The mind of the flesh always covets what its told it can’t have.

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; (They noticed they were naked. Why? Because they now noticed potential evil and unfaithfulness within their nakedness. Before this they were covered in the glory of God! They were clothed and covered in his righteousness) and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”

Carole and I moved here from the Georgia coast and we know what it feels like to touch a fig and its leaves in the cool of the morning. The leaves are a far cry from feeling like silk pajamas. The bible says that upon seeing their nakedness, they made aprons or coverings of fig leaves. Well, this was the first time that man had ever been chaffed and there were no Duluth breathable britches around at that time. The first thing the devil got us to do after losing God’s glorious covering was to chafe ourselves. Think about it…It was the first time that man had an itch! You know, this was the first time man had to scratch.

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Well, instead of repenting in their fallen, chaffed and itching condition – Adam showed his flesh nature in bright lights. He points and says, “She did it!” She’s the one who tempted me and made me take a bite! The woman wasn’t much better – it was that snake who tempted me and it’s the snake’s fault! You know, the devil made me do it! Well, we’ve got a whole lot of blaming and finger pointing going on but no ownership and repentance.

It’s always better to blame somebody else than to admit our mistakes. It’s always better to gossip about somebody else to feel better about ourselves and our own bad choices. Somebody needs to hear this – gossip is a murderer. Gossip is a killer of trust and faith. Gossip sets a curse in motion by our words which never fall to the ground. Do you think sound waves just decide to stop moving because they’re not heard with natural ears of flesh and bone?

If we could time-travel and go back in time to walk with Jesus as he was approaching Jerusalem to face the cross, we’d see that he stopped and cursed a random fig tree that wasn’t even in season to produce figs for seemingly no reason. But there was a reason. We, you and I were created through, for and by Christ. Things may have gone completely different for Adam and Eve if repentance rather than rationalization was their response to the Lord in the midst of disobedience.

You see, Christ can go back in time and the pain of facing the cross must have paled in comparison to the pain of facing those fig leaves. The pinnacle of His creation for relationship chose to separate and hide themselves from his love and mercy. Jesus couldn’t help but remember that it was the fig leaves that demanded the blood soaked tears of the cross and his shed blood. 

Revelation is not a cosmic thought like a light bulb going off in your head – it’s an expression of the Holy Spirit that is continually hovering above us waiting to be seen. Mantles in the Old Testament were placed over a person to receive a particular anointing. But in the dispensation of Christ’s grace and gifts, we must choose to come under mantles in obedience. Why? Because the anointing is already available and its hovering in this room right now!

The Lord is calling forth a people and church with prophetic vision and revelation to understand his heart…A commissioned people who clearly see that the same resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead and the same Holy Spirit whom works mightily in us has already enabled the church (you and I) to actively advance the kingdom. But remember that the kingdom is not advanced through compulsion, but by the overflow of our compassion! It is Spirit-led. Do you know that there’s a difference in being spirit-filled and being spirit-led? Being spirit-filled is a free gift of grace. Being spirit-led demands a choice and obedience.

Social resistance and even persecution on various social and institutional levels will continue to wage war upon truth in this country and this statement is growing legs as I speak as fake news, fake beliefs and fake faces with lying tongues rule the day. 

However, these challenges will drive God’s people into great and awesome feats of prophetic utterance and evangelism which will define the eternal legacy of the church. Look, the bible says that Jesus is coming back for a glorious church…This is a fact, it’s going to happen and to get there – there’ll be a whole allot of shakin goin on. But we know the story and we’ll get there. Amen.

Now being open to deeper vision and revelation doesn’t mean being flaky and unscriptural. All revelation and prophecy must align with the Spirit and person of Christ and biblically confirmed rather than simply following the crowd of post-modern and strange man-made doctrines. 

Our work has just begun and a new anointing and mantle of prophetic based evangelism is awaiting us. Notice that I said awaiting us. Whatever the issue and wherever the environment your feet may take you – the anointing is awaiting and present ahead of your footsteps and fully available to address any issue and to change the temperature of any environment. We just need to see it and purposefully come under it as we cultivate a lifestyle of awareness… Seeing what is happening in the spirit realm. Our weapons are not natural, but spiritual. How can you use a spiritual weapon without seeing the spiritual battle?

This message is to prophetically confirm the releasing of prophetic based evangelism and the soon arrival of the five-fold manifestation or effective leadership to seal it. And I prophesy that this house will be an integral part of its implementation and a recipient of its benefits in this region. 

A prophetic empowered evangelistic expression has been commissioned and we need to be prepared to steward its anointing. Listen, this empowerment is not coming, it’s already here and the Lord is promoting and confirming those who have been elevated from the called and into the power of the commissioned.

We need to understand what happened in Moses’ life when he moved in presumption from a position of being called (he was called and yet he was rejected by his own people whom he was trying to set free from bondage) to that of the commissioned and empowered to bring the mightiest nation of his time to its knees. You were called to many things the day you were born. But commissioning is spirit-led and in God’s timing. Even Moses needed to understand God’s timing when he got ran out of Dodge.

Vision and revelation is the essence of the expressed prophetic anointing in its full release. This is the transition from the church age to the kingdom age. You have been elevated from the called to the commissioned. You are begging transferred from the church age to the kingdom age.

Do you know why many saints in the Body of Christ don’t evangelize or prophecy in the public forum where it’s needed the most? It’s because they fear man. If we, as born again Christians fear others, it’s because we are too much in love with ourselves. Come on somebody! I’m not here to hurt anybody’s feelings. I’m here to love you into the truth. Many times, we fail to see or realize this and we are all guilty to some degree or another. When the Lord deals with the love of one’s self (to protect one’s pride from being rejected) – He simultaneously addresses the fear of man. Simply put, the fear of man and rejection is but a symptom of self-ish love.

Overcoming our love and protection of self is an important key to our prophetic maturity and destination as a witness and disciple of Christ. The burden for souls is the signature of our kingdom DNA. 

As I wind this message down, Do you know that demonic entities always prefer détente to open warfare? If your old enough like me to remember the cold war with the Soviet Union, a system of Détente was often agreed upon through various treaties to prevent warfare. Détente means, if you don’t mess with me – I won’t mess with you (as far as you know) and life is great! Demonic entities always present the rationalization for détente as opposed to open warfare to mask their weakness and to neutralize our true strength in Christ. A church in neutral or in détente in regard to evil is no better than a dead church. Amen?

 if you’re a Christian – you are part of an eternal plan and adventure. You have a special job or function. You have a special commission and place that you rightly fit in and an eternal purpose that nobody else has. You have a responsibility that nobody else can carry out. And the second detail is how much you’re worth. Do you really know how much you are worth? Let’s suppose that you’re trying to sell something such as a house. And let’s suppose that the market comps reflect that your house is worth 60k dollars. But since you bought it for much less, you would be happy with 50k. But what is the house really worth? It’s really worth what somebody is willing to pay for it and it’s that way with just about everything in life. You can put any price tag you like on that house, but it’s only worth what somebody will pay for it and no more. 

Likewise, your worth is what God was willing to pay for you. What did He pay for you and what did he purchase you with? It was the priceless blood of His only begotten son – Jesus Christ, which is a payment that is infinitely valuable. It is something on which you cannot attach a price. And if you can get a vision that God was willing to pay the price in the blood of His son to redeem you – you’ll never doubt or have a problem of self-worth again because you’re worth what God was willing to pay for you. 

My hope and prayer as we move into this new year is that you and I would see as he sees…That we see Jesus in his glory. That we see the church as the bride of Christ. That we see the world around us with prophetic revelation and understanding. That we see each other in the love of Christ and that we see ourselves as a treasure and person worthy of his shed blood. 

FALSE THRONES AND FALSE ALTERS

False Thrones & False Alters

A word given by Christ, the Spirit of prophecy. Please do not receive this as self-righteous on my part as I am a sinner saved by much grace and in need of that same wonderful grace daily. This is simply my understanding of what I’m hearing in my Spirit from the Lord in regard to a very important section of scripture speaking to the agenda of antichrist within the hour we’re living and the church’s weak response and knowledge of the stated agenda. Hopefully, this will be a good starting point for the people of God to gain a better understanding of the antichrist agenda yesterday, today and tomorrow. Please see the attachments at the end of this article for clarity and confirmation of the signs and signs through time that reveal the location and territory of Satan’s throne and alters.

Revelation 2:12-17 states, “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’

“I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.” Again, these are sharp words to say and it sounds like the neighborhood (“where Satan’s throne is”) wasn’t all that great either.

“And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.” Note that where Satan lives or dwells is strongly reiterated the second time.

The Bible tells us, “These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword.” Let’s say for reference that you received a letter like this and these words were the introduction – I’d imagine you’d get a little bit concerned. For instance, if I wrote a letter and said, “Dear Fred, this is Danny and I’ve got a gun.” I’d wonder if he’d really want to read the rest of the letter! Stop and think about the sharpness of these words of Christ.

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth”. In other words, this was not an idle threat and Jesus was going to use that sword if need be.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

We may raise our eyebrows at these words of Jesus, but the church at Pergamum is a very interesting and a relative example of some if not many churches that may be right in our own backyards today. The city of Pergamum still exists today as Bergama. Likewise, the city of Smyrna (the previous church addressed by Jesus in Revelation chapter 2) also or still exists today whereas Ephesus and many others do not. Have you ever wondered why some of the landmark churches no longer exist? Could it be because Jesus stated that if they didn’t repent – He would take the candlesticks from among them? What’s worthy to note, is when the church goes away – the city-state goes away with it. Jesus’ prophecy came true as there is no church there today. Yet, the church at Smyrna (known today as Ismir) still exists and has about 250 Christian churches. Is there a reason? Of the seven churches in Revelation, only those that were persecuted still exist today and the ones that were at ease, dogmatic and lost their first love for God – no longer exist in any fashion. So, Pergamum or Pergamus known today as Bergama is still there today for some very interesting reasons, even if undeserving!

The word Pergamum comes from two Greek names. Per and Gamos. You may not know it, but we still use those two words today. Per – means to mix something together and usually not very good such as ‘pervert’ or ‘perversion’ which again – is the act of putting or mixing two things together that aren’t very good. The word Gamos we still use today but as a suffix such as ‘polygamos’ and where we get the words polygamy or polygamist. Or, monogamous which means ‘marriage’ or to be married to one person. If you’re a polygamist, your ‘poly-people’ or married to multiple people. So, Pergamum or Pergamus in translation means to have mixture in your marriage.

The church is the Bride of Christ and is to be monogamous. We’re to have one bridegroom and Paul writes to the Corinthian church in 2 Cor. 11:2, “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ”. But the church and city-state of Pergamum became mixed and mixed up. Interestingly, the mass persecution of the church eased by the 4th century and you’d assume that everything would now be great and the church would flourish. Actually, just the opposite happened. Once the persecution stopped, the church started to get into real trouble – because when people are dying for the faith, people are only going to become Christians for the right reasons!

Jesus always told us to die to self and to live for Him. But, what happened in the 4th century when Constantine became emperor? He not only cancelled out the persecutions and made it illegal to persecute Christians by the end of his reign, but actually encouraged people to become Christians and gave them tax benefits! He actually appointed Christians to high positions in the Senate and system of government. He even made pastors tax exempt! So, there were major incentives to being a Christian coming out of the persecuted age of the church when Constantine was emperor. There’s certainly nothing wrong with this! But, by the end of his life, he was also appointed leader of the church and in numerous ways this is a dangerous precedent and position to get in when the head of country is also the head of the church. At this time, the church and the state started getting really mixed and mixed up! The mixing of the church and the secular state together is not Jesus’ kingdom and Jesus’ kingdom is not a kingdom of this world. Thus, we always and historically get into sociatal tyranny and eventual bondage when the government is also the church and vice versa. The end result and tragedy is that they influenced each other with a toxic mix of secular control and dogmatic religiosity.

It’s imperative that we stay engaged as Christians in regard to socio-political and socio-economic matters that affect our lives and the lives of our children. However, we must also with vigor, differentiate the state from the church. We mustn’t mix up our politics with the kingdom of heaven and this is a tempting trap by Satan to trip is up and distract us on a daily basis… Especially for people like myself who enjoy and even feel called to a degree in political frameworks or public service at this point in my life. But again, it can’t be mixed and must be clearly understood and separated from the kingdom and church. After all, we have no record of Jesus following a particular political party. Actually, when he was given an option of picking one, he didn’t pick any of them. Jesus remained loyal to what His Father called him to do. It’s a very dangerous outcome when we mix up or attempt a marriage of two diametrically opposed kingdoms as history has proven. Joseph and Daniel are good examples of how God can use Christian men and women to fulfill his purposes in state governments that are secular humanist. Daniel didn’t protest and revolt. He simply presented godly conduct which manifested as godly wisdom which garnered godly favor with the ungodly. Once we develop favor through godly conduct – we then possess the power of influence.

In John 18:36, Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

Jesus could have called his angels and nipped everything socially and politically in the bud, but rather, he stood for truth. Pergamum was a major Hellenistic center and was a center for Greek culture and religion in Asia Minor. Its culture flourished there and was economically successful. Likewise, Pergamum was the first to ally itself with the Roman emperors going way back even before the time of Christ. So, Pergamum was very loyal to the Roman emperors and was also the first place that the Roman emperors were worshipped as gods. It started there and then spread throughout the empire. As stated, it was in Pergamum that emperor worship started and so people there had agreed to worship Caesar as god. By the end of Constantine’s reign, there was sort of the same social construct because of something called the Pontificus Maximus was implemented. It’s result was that the head of the church was also the head of the state and at this time everything was so mixed together you ended up with allot of weird social stuff happening because both church and state can now render judgment and put a person in prison. The church and the state could now execute a person to death by decree. Everything was so mixed up that you had forced conversions. In other words, “you will become a Christian or I will kill you” because the state/church legislatures mandated it. At this time in history you had to become a Christian because the state made you become a Christian! Christianity is eternally lifesaving, but is this really a good societal environment to live in? Or, is this a horrible situation to live in? Then again, “Christianity” in name only is not Christianity at all. Once a religion is embedded and thoroughly mixed and rooted within the state, it’s almost impossible to remove it, yet, it’s very easy to change the dictates of the “god” by those who wield state power. This is the end time mixture of a pseudo religion becoming the state. There are religions today that are state run under the banner of Islam in which individual and gender freedoms are heavily prejudiced and spreading feverishly around the world with nobody raising an eyebrow.

Emperor worship started here and Pergamum was also according to the Greeks and then the Romans (the Greco-Roman Pantheon) the seat of Zeus. There was a massive alter to Zeus at Pergamum where people were expected to worship. For those who may not understand mythological god’s, Jupiter is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Zeus. Rome, for the most part retained the Greek gods and just simply renamed them. But the crux of the Satanic application is that the Greeks copied Babylon in regard to their gods and false religions. Rome simply became the new surrogate mother to continue to birth the same demonic entities, doctrines and influences that were birthed in the lands of Babylon by Nimrod.

Babylon was conquered by Cyrus the Great of the Persians in 538 BC. When the Persians took control of the Babylonian kingdom, all of the Babylonian priests of their religion left Babylon and went to you guessed it – Pergamum! So, Pergamum became the bastion of the Babylonian religious system. This should present some sure warning signs as Babylon was the birthplace and seat of false religions and false gods. If we go back in scriptures before Gen 12, we’ll find that the Tower of Babel was built and the first antichrist figure (Nimrod) constructed the antichristal system of government and false worship. Nimrod’s false and counterfeit religion included the worship of corporate secularism along with fallen angels and Satan himself and it all has its origins in Babylon.

The people who knew God at the beginning and direct descendants from Adam and Eve – why would they worship any other god(s) when they clearly knew that there weren’t any? Obviously, it took a period of time for people to start worshipping these spiritual and antichristal beings. Genesis 10:10 states that the beginning of Nimrod’s ‘kingdom’ were the towns of Babel, Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh in the land of Shinar.

First, what does the name Nimrod mean? It comes from the Hebrew verb marad, meaning “rebel.” Adding an “n” before the “m” it becomes an infinitive construct, “Nimrod.” (see Kautzsch 1910: 137 2b, also BDB 1962: 597). The meaning then is “The Rebel.” Thus, “Nimrod” may not be the character’s name at all. It is more likely a derisive term of a type, a representative or a system that is epitomized in rebellion against the Creator, the one true God.

So, to reiterate, the false teachers went from Babylon to Pergamum and embedded within the Greek culture which was the most advanced, influential and mobile at that time to spread it’s influence. Even though Turkey is the geographical area today, it was Greek in territory and culture at this time. We know from history that Alexander the Great conquered the whole area of Asia Minor and so it became Greek and then eventually the Romans took it over and all the Romans did as stated, was adopt the same gods and simply renamed them. Zeus was renamed Jupiter but was the same god with the same religious connotation as the highest god going all the way back to the system of Nimrod which is the same antichrist system of worship because Pergamum is where Zeus was enthroned and where the people had erected his alter.

But notice that Jesus didn’t call it Zeus’ throne. He calls it: “Satan’s throne.” We also notice that Jesus doesn’t call Pergamum a place where Zeus lives. Jesus is equating the worship of Zeus or Jupiter here in Revelation 2 as the worship of Satan. And if we follow that back to the Babylonian religions, that’s exactly what it is… It’s the worship of the devil…The worship of Zeus – the one who claims to be the number one god… Satan himself.

The actual Alter to Zeus was excavated by German archaeologists in the 1880’s in Pergamum. They dug up this huge structure that was dedicated to Zeus called Zeus’ throne, but Jesus refers to it as, “Satan’s throne.” To reiterate, Jesus doesn’t call Pergamum the place where Zeus lives. No, he calls it the place where Satan or the devil lives. It’s clear that Jesus is equating the worship of Zeus or Jupiter to worshipping Satan. Again, it’s the worship of the one who claims to be the number one god.

We can easily trace this system of worship back through Babylon and then through Greece and then through Antiochus Epiphanes as spoken by the prophet Daniel who set up the Abomination of Desolation at the Temple Mount in 165 BC and what did he do? He put Jupiter’s alter aka Zeus’ alter or, should we say, Satan’s alter on top of God’s chosen site to represent his throne! Satan always desires to place his throne above God’s throne which is why he was cast out of heaven in the first place. Isaiah 14:12 states: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.”

So, Antiochus Epiphanes set up the throne of abomination on the Temple Mount and when Hadrian, the 14th Roman emperor came to the Temple Mount – he destroyed it and stated that Rome would rebuild it, but instead, built a temple upon it for the worship of guess who? Jupiter! Once again, a temple or throne was set up by Satan on top of God’s throne because God stated in Jeremiah. 3:17 “At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.”

Zeus’s alter, or shall we say, “Satan’s throne” that was excavated can be seen online by a quick Google search as it’s on display in the Berlin Museum. it’s a large structure in the shape of a temple throne with colonnades (pillars) and steps leading up to it. The appearance is like a massive throne. As stated, it was excavated and piece by piece was moved to Berlin and reassembled by Italian specialists and is still on display today as of 1889 with a museum built specifically for it. Note that 1889 is the same year that a certain man named Adolf Hitler was born. Coincidence?

When Hitler finally came to power, he had an architect named Albert Speer build a monument to the Third Reich (Hitler’s governmental system) which was copied from none other than Zeus’ alter or Satan’s throne and constructed in Nuremberg. Coincidence? The antichrist spirit that moved through the great worldly centers of power from Babylon through Persia; through Greece, through Rome and then to Berlin, Germany in the 1930s. The spirit that settled in Berlin was for the destruction and annihilation of the Jewish people (coincidence?) whether Jew or Christian. It always has been and it is the antichrist sprit that emanates from Satan’s throne or alter that darkens the heart of man to commit such human atrocities.

I realize that they’re just buildings, but it’s the spirit behind them that matters. So, Jesus writes to Pergamum and says, “where Satan has his throne.” Could it be that Satan has a throne on Earth? Satan is not omnipresent. Only God is. Isaiah 66:1 says, “Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?” Satan has locality because he’s not omnipresent. He is a spiritual being, but he’s based somewhere rather than existing in the ether. So where is he based if he’s not omnipresent? Where is he based now? 2 Thess 2:4 says, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

We know that he will be based on the Temple of God’s holy place. It is prophesied that he will set up camp on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Why? Because he’s no longer in Berlin and he’s always desired to have his throne above God’s and that’s always been his plan and we (the church) are a very big inconvenience to that plan. The good news is that Jesus will return and be enthroned on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem per God’s redemptive and restorative plan. Psalm 2:6 says, “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” Again, the goal of Satan is to set up his throne above God’s for the purpose of destroying God’s people. Sadly, far too many Americans are ether ignorant or too spiritually lazy to see and understand what’s unfolding before their glazed eyes as the state methodically chisels away at religious freedoms. Satan throughout history has and will set up his alter and throne wherever he can destroy the people of God and that includes Christians and Jews and I cannot stress this enough because as the days grow shorter to Christ’s return, so will the intensity of this plan grow as it did in the early church. A secular and counterfeit religion with fanatical adherents is methodically waging war against the true church of Christ. Fact.

It seems absurd that Satan actually thinks he can change what God has ordained. But we must remember that Satan, although clever, is deranged much like Hitler was. Hitler thought he could still win World War 2 with virtually no army and the allied troops enclosing in on all sides. The original derangement syndrome didn’t start in politics and Donald Trump. It started in the mind of Satan and he’ll take as many people out with him as he can.

Continuing in Revelation 2:12 “He is the one with the sharp double edged sword.” Why does John write of a double edged sword? Because although the church and the state of humanity can create mixture, Jesus can divide them back into God’s government and order. The sharp double edged sword that comes out of the month of Jesus is always the Word of God and is always to bring a form of division. Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Listen to Jesus’ words in Luke 12:51, “Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.” God will not allow His bride to be in a mixed marriage. God will not allow His church to be married to the world and Himself at the same time. He will not allow a secular state to control His church. He will bring his Word to divide it and to recognize that we do not belong to that, but that we belong to Him. We must differentiate between being a part of something and belonging.

Rev 2:13: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

We also need to understand that at this dispensation in time, the start of mixture and worldliness began manifesting in the church. You wouldn’t know if someone was a real Christian or not simply by attendence or membership. You didn’t even know if someone was a real pastor or not because everything was mixed together with many worldly elements contrary to the Bible. You wouldn’t even know if it was a real church or not and only a generation later in the 5th century, the church that had begun in the upper room was unrecognizable and resembled more of what we would recognize as Pharisees and Sadducees (a mixture of state and religion sprinkled with worldly hypocrisy and man-made doctrines). Are many churches and denominations today becoming mixed, liberal and unbiblical due to socio-political and socio-economic pressures and influences?.

Jesus again mentions “Antipas.” Who’s Antipas the faithful witness? Well, we really don’t know much of who he is, but we do know what his name means in that “he stands against all” and historical tradition has stated that he was martyred on the brazen-bull at Zeus’ alter for preaching the Gospel and casting out demons. Judging by his name and Jesus’ words, we can assume that he stood up to the mixture and worldly affairs of the church. I believe that he stood for the church of God through Jesus Christ and he was killed because of it.

So eventually, the ‘church’ itself and ironically, began persecuting its own. The church started to imprison people. The church started to wield secular type authority that hadn’t been given by the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God. And finally, the church started putting people to death!

You’ll find throughout history that God will always use people in mighty ways that stand against these satanic systems and behaviors and that seek to preserve the sanctity of the church… The Bride. When Martin Luther stood up against this very spirit, he stood up and said, “here I am, I can do no other so help me God. If you cannot convince me that it’s in God’s Word, I will not accept it.” Do you accept abortion via your vote? All Satanic influences upon society have two common denominators: Usurp God’s throne and the sacrifice of children.

So, the church brought persecution on its own and Constantine moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople. Essentially, he moved the capital from Rome back to Turkey – the original seat of Satanic power in Babylonian Shinar back to Asia Minor. The system came back home to Babylon and the original kingdom where Nimrod came from in the first place. It came back to where Antiochus Epiphanes came from in the first place. Back to where the origins of Satanic worship was in the first place. When you read or think about Rome in the Bible, it’s actually the offshoot of the original antichrist spirit seated in Asia Minor. The Roman empire lasted a thousand years longer in Turkey (Byzantium) than it did in Rome. Coincidence?

So what’s up with my focus on Turkey and is Turkey important in regard to the words of Jesus in Revelation 2? Nimrod’s original system and kingdom was in the areas we know today Syria, Iraq and Turkey and loyalty to the state was a person’s measure of spirituality. In other words, if you’re loyal to the state, you’re a good and acceptable “Christian”. But where is that in the Bible? By 325 AD, Constantine had relocated the center of the Roman empire back to Turkey. If you look at today’s Turkish flag, what is on it? It the exact same symbol for Baal worship used in the ancient and Old Testament world (a star seated in a crescent moon). There’s even coins and other social expressions that have the same symbol on them. Look, Baal is the equivalent of the devil in scripture. Baal is Satan. Now, you can argue that star seated in a crescent are just symbols and I’ll agree that they’re just symbols. But when you choose the symbol of Satan himself as the symbol of your national flag and identity, we all should have some serious questions. Obviously, this symbol represents more than the flag of Turkey and you’ll see this symbol everywhere around the world from antiquity and even moreso today. It’s the symbol of the moon god. Or, the Arabian moon god that goes by another name such as “Allah.” It’s synonymous with the name of Baal – The one who claimed to be God but wasn’t God – the false and counterfeit god. The symbol of antichrist…The symbol of the devil himself and that symbol was used in other ancient cultures to worship darkness such as the Mesopotamians, Babylonians, Assyrians and others which can also be found by quick Google searches on archaeology. But the catch is that it’s being seen today more than ever. I believe that it’s the symbol of antichrist and it’s the symbol of not only Turkey, but numerous state and secular humanist identifications. Is it coincidence? Byzantium was based in Turkey and the Ottoman empire ruled over Israel longer than any other nation. These empires from the time of Nimrod in Babylon to modern day Turkey are presented by their deeds as antichrist empires. Remember, it is always about the destruction of God’s people and these empires or kingdoms were the physical places of Satan’s alter and throne. How do we know this? It’s because of one clear historical fact – the control of Israel whether it’s the Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Canaanites, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Ottomans. The seat and purpose of the Dome of the Rock should be obvious to every believer. Again, it’s control not only over just geographical Israel, but also the people and to set up a counterfeit throne over the one true God’s throne. I believe that the scriptures point that these nations and systems will be judged as antichrist systems.

Rev 12:14 “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality”.

Once this worldly and sensual stuff starts mixing in with the church and begins happening, and even though there were some who were standing against it – some if not many were just going along with it. But Jesus strongly addresses the doctrine of Balaam and Balak who were teaching in the church! We must realize that in context, these are church leaders and pastors. They have to be people in authority or they wouldn’t be teaching or allowed to teach in the early church. You can read all about Balaam the son of Balak in Numbers 22 and they are also mentioned 3 times in the New Testament (Ref. 1 Pet 2:15, Jude 1:11). Jesus addresses these errors and teachings and clearly states that “I’ve got this against you” to both those teaching it and those agreeing to it. Likewise, we see and experience it in the humanist church today.

Note that there’s two people – Balaam and Balak. One is a leader of a nation and the other is a prophet. In the book of Revelation you will always find physical entities or systems in groups of two. There is a beast and a second beast. There is Jannes and Jambres. There is the Antichrist and the false prophet. Satan will use sets of two as one will have legal authority while the other will have spiritual authority and will use these two persons (i.e. antichrist and false prophet) Likewise, he’s currently using the spirit of Balaam and Balak to deceive God’s people as spirits of light as if even the elect might be deceived and get them to worship Satan or its system.

Acts 14:11 “Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things”?

Balaam spoke some of the most accurate prophecies recorded in the scripture and yet his motives were dark. He was unrighteous in his heart but had incredible prophetic insight and gifting. The world will follow the Antichrist and the false prophet because of supernatural or should I say, unnatural power. Don’t be amazed at people’s miraculous powers. It’s only by their fruit that you will recognize them as true or false and not their gift. Look, the Antichrist will raise someone from the dead. The Bible states that he will be mortally wounded but will be miraculously healed. He will call down fire from heaven, and he will be able to do miraculous things – but he is the devil incarnate. Don’t be deceived by people with miraculous powers with no fruit and no mention that their abilities are by grace through Christ and Christ alone.

Balaam stunk of rotten fruit as his ministry was for personal gain. Balaam only went somewhere because he would get a reward. He only ministered if he was going to get paid for it. That should check you right there. A true minister of God will share His Words regardless of the reward. But Danny, times have changed. No. No. They have not changed and neither has God’s Word. Now, this isn’t to say that folks in the ministry should not be paid! Quite the contrary as a labourer is worth his due and we are commanded to support those who are equipping the saints. It’s the spirit and dark motives of those seeking reward and prostituting God’s Word for monetary gain or power. But a true minister will go to wherever God calls them and will bring the Word whether they’re paid or not. Likewise, the words will glorify Christ and not compromise the scriptures. Love for all people is our great commission. Yet, we are not to accept homosexuality, abortion, gossip and premarital sex with a wink.

Secondly, Balaam enticed the Israelites to sin and that it was okay… You’ll just be forgiven by the next animal sacrifice. In other words, it’s okay to have sin in the church… Just perform a couple hail Mary’s. But the words of Jesus here in Revelation state that it’s not okay to have sin in the church. The Lord himself told his churches to repent and we must understand that God will not allow sin in his church lest a form of judgment come upon it. Food sacrificed to idols (idolatry) and materialism which is running rampant in the modern church is addressed by Jesus to repent from.

The spirit behind Balaam allowed sexual immorality in the church. I sincerely believe that there’s not been a time in history since the resurrection of Christ where sexual immorality is overlooked and accepted in the church as it is today. A generation ago only 5% of people were divorced and now it is over 51%. It’s become common and the church has compromised purity as a marriage requirement. Homosexuality is made common through a barrage of media, entertainment, academia and has taken up residence in the church. The Bible is clear on homosexuality as sin and a abomination to God. Look, God loves all people but can’t allow sin in His presence and the church. Romans 1:26 says, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error.” Sadly, the topic is rarely discussed and the questions are not asked. If it’s not the fear of losing seats and money – then what is it? Worldliness? Maybe. But let’s hope it’s not a ‘church’ ignorantly worshipping on the steps of Satan’s throne and alter.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_and_crescent

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pergamon_Altar

PRIDE: THE ULTIMATE VIRUS

Have you ever wondered how God views our social conduct and character in today’s world? I’m sure that many different answers could be given and many books have thrown their hats into the ring to explain the downsides of the human condition at this time in history. Some of these opinions state social causes. Others reflect economic causes. There’s many loud voices stating racial, governmental, political, educational and media causes. With such a broad topic in speaking to the human condition, let’s focus on the state of humanity and the social fabric within the United States to narrow our reach. The church has always been God’s primary concern, but God has also had a lot to say about nations in the Bible. Maybe the reasoning is that borders are not so much about geographical landmarks as they are a defining of collective values and morals.

I’ve found it very interesting that I’ve been led lately to read many books or chapters in the Bible that have references to earthquakes. While I don’t claim to be an expert of end time eschatology and don’t really put allot of stock in modern doom and gloom prophecies, I do believe that ‘earthquakes’ in our financial systems, economic systems, health systems, educational systems and social systems are being felt stronger and stronger. It also seems that the Bible uses the parallel of earthquakes and righteous judgment to address God’s opinion concerning many of these same systems and how humanity conducts itself within them. It shows us that God cares about the social and spiritual cultures that we create as nations.

I believe that something has tectonically shifted in American social and even church culture that tolerates and even encourages what was once just a generation ago thought of as unimaginable as cultural norms and conduct. How humanity naturally interacts and conducts itself with each other is always the effects of a deeper spiritual root cause. The root cause of which the Bible has much to say about is the degeneration or corruption of human character and conduct. There is one common denominator in human character or personal conduct that is woven all through scripture that draws God’s strong disapproval and even wrath – PRIDE. If there’s one thing that God has been dealing with me about at this time in my life, it is pride, and I don’t believe that I’m alone as God seems to deal with sin among His people in carte blanche ways. Pride is a personal battle that never ends this side of heaven. It is the cross that we all must face and if we don’t take it up and defeat it by dying to our self nature – it will certainly hinder and even destroy God’s best and purpose for our lives. God is always patient, kind, and loving. He never condemns me. But, He is certainly in my business as I write this and dealing with me and exposing my pride.

Why? Because He simply hates it, and He’s insisting that I change and deal with it! There’s a good way to deal with pride and to gain victory over it. It is to confess our sins as a starting point. Maybe confessing our sins is kind of falling out of normalcy in the church or thought of as a little outdated? Look, if we’re honest, we do a poor job of recognizing and confessing our own sins. Oftentimes, we’re far better at recognizing and pointing out the sin in others. Is there a reason for this mindset and neglect of personal confession of sin? The Bible states to “confess our sins one to another” and to “pray for one another that we may be healed.” The profound wisdom of the scriptures applies to all of us because it’s hard to stay proud when we’re recognizing and confessing our sins.

The humanist nature in all of its pretentious glory is pride. I believe that it is central to everything that God is addressing in our lives and in the church as believers in Christ. Genuine revival will never come to the church without fervent repentance from pride. On the same hand, I don’t believe it’s wise to air all of our dirty laundry to just anybody, but we do need people in our lives to whom we can confess our sins too.

Although we don’t see this much in today’s church and seems to be thought of as sort of old-fashioned, it is the key to putting to death pride in our lives before it destroys us. I encourage you to try it. Especially husbands in relationship to our wives. If there’s one thing that a husband doesn’t want to do, this is it! Yet, I’m thankful that I have a wife that I can confess my sins to and I’m likewise thankful that she’s been patient and merciful with me just like God has. My hope is that you and I will have a totally different view and understanding of the destroying affects of pride after reading this message than before. If there’s one thing that we should truly fear in the current days where fear has such a grip on humanity – it is pride.
I certainly will not claim that I’ve achieved success in overcoming pride at this point in my life, but I do understand it more clearly now and I’m on a path of victory over it through Christ.
When I survey the church – ministers and laity alike, I see manifested pride infecting many and showing the outward symptoms like a cultural virus. You see, in the church today, we can get away with pride. It’s not really considered sinful anymore and if we’re honest, its become a human quality to be emulated or even confidently admired. Could it be that many have become more socially conditioned to reflect the culture of the world, which sees humility as a weakness and pride as a strength? Many say that pride goes before the fall, but that’s not true. The Bible says that pride goes before destruction. It’s a haughty spirit that presents itself before the fall. None of us should be flirting with self-destruction because of a socially conditioned mindset. The truth is that I’m writing or speaking this to you from a place of personal experience. I’m not discussing the dangerous nature of pride as if I’ve somehow gained victory over it. I haven’t! But I am thankful that I recognize it in my life which is the first step in overcoming it. The most amazing thing in this work of God in my life at this time is His patience and long-suffering with me. Recognizing sin in our lives leads to conviction, which leads to repentance which leads to forgiveness and healing.
Our sins need not be adultery, stealing, lying, fornication, gossip, and so on. It is pride that God emphatically hates and which is so commonplace and takes up residence in so many of us. The reason why the Lord hates pride is because it leads to carnality. After all, God does possess strong feelings. Have you ever thought about God having strong feelings? The Bible presents to us very clearly what God loves and what God hates. A good example is found in the book of Malachi in which God states, “I loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated.” And the reason is because Esau represents the pattern of carnality so well.
The self destruction of carnality is brilliantly addressed by the writer of Hebrews saying, “Here we have no continuing city, but we look for one to come.” At any time when we begin to act, speak and live as if this world is our home and we have the mindset of worldly permanence – we are infected with carnality. Again, this deep and timely work of God in our lives doesn’t need to be a ‘big’ sin. But, God is addressing our loss of vision toward eternity which is the antithesis of carnality and not living in the consciousness of our life from an eternal perspective. God doesn’t hate us, but He does hate the carnality that is within us which is the offspring of pride. Your destiny and created purpose is at stake. Pride affects how we live and the legacy that we choose to leave behind. Pride is the killer of God’s testimonies through us and is so dangerous and destructive because we’re typically the last to know that we’ve been eaten up by it. After all, pride consumes its own mother. The thing that God genuinely hates in our lives is pride!
2 Timothy 3:1-5 says, “But know this, that in the last days perilous or stressful times will come (Why? Because humanity will collectively begin to exhibit certain personality and social traits. We need to understand that it’s humanity itself that will create perilous times and not God. Again, it will be the decline of human character and conduct. Sadly, it’s progressive in nature and can’t be stopped. Nor, can these socially collective behaviors be reversed. In other words, once corruption starts, it is irreversible. We can temporarily halt or slow down corruption, but we cannot ultimately stop or reverse it. For instance, any fruit or vegetable once separated from its vine immediately begins corruption and if you leave it that way – it’s corruption will fully manifest to rottenness. You can pick a beautiful peach, but leave for a week or two and it’s corruption and ugliness will soon become apparent. As I just stated, we can slow it down and I see the church as a type or kind of a refrigerator which has only slowed down the inevitable human condition of these particular ‘last days’ as pride becomes more infectious and prevalent. God in His love and plan of salvation didn’t reverse the course of natural corruption. He’s far too much of realist for that. But He has an eternal cure for our corruption and it’s the New Birth through Jesus Christ. The Bible says that any person that is in Christ is a new creation! The old corrupt ways have passed away and all things in our lives and nature have become new. The New Birth does not possess corruption as it is eternal in its nature and originated by God Himself. In other words, there is not a single element of corruption in the New Birth or being born again.
Continuing: “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
You have a choice today to remain in eternal corruption because of pride which is the second death. This is not the physical death of our corruptible flesh that we are all appointed to. Rather, a spiritual and eternal death outside of God’s free gift of salvation though faith in Jesus Christ. Another option is to simply hang out in the refrigerator of the church and simply be content with the conversion experience rather than becoming a disciple of Jesus. Conversion is just the beginning or the doorway. Becoming a disciple and the character of Christ-likeness is the purpose or destination of our conversion. It is the New Birth that removes the scars and rottenness of corruption. It provides us the means of victory over pride and self-love. If you don’t know Christ today, it’s probably because of pride. Please consider giving your life to Christ right now. There isn’t a better time unless pride is speaking…