Defending Mohammed

          We have to give Mohammed credit: he started with only the wealth of his wife’s family and built an empire based on his teachings, the same as the Romans and the Greeks. The fortunes of Islam were gained, at first, by robbing the Jews.  It seems that the same thinking is rampant today.  The most prosperous country in the Middle East is Israel.  Perhaps that is the essential reason the Islamists want to take possession of it.

 

          Mohammed was exposed to both the old and new testaments.  He took parts of the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible, much of the old Arabian pagan religions, tossed in some Zoroastrianism, and came up with a religion that suited him.  We know that Mohammed was an Arab of the Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe.   He used, as his heavenly father figure, Allah which was the moon god worshiped by his family.  Jehovah created the heavens and the earth.  In that creation was the moon.  Why would you worship Allah, the moon god, instead of the creator of the moon?

Mohammad was subjected to misinformation by the deceiver, whom even Mohammad referred to as Satan.  Several times in his life he believed he was demon possessed but was talked out of this belief by members of his family.  We do know that Mohammad was exposed to the Gospel of Christ, although probably through the Gnostic slant (which is the view that you can become divine yourself).  Since Mohammad could not read or write, we can believe the stories about his receiving the stories about the old and new Testaments of the Bible through word of mouth by passing caravans.  The Koran states that Allah had no sons.  Jesus, as we know from the Bible, is the Son of God.  The pagan moon god, Allah, supposedly got together with the sun goddess and had three daughters.

 

          Islam is similar to Mormonism in its founding.   In both cases, an angel figure brought ‘the word’ to a single man.  In Mormonism, the supposed angel Moroni came to Joseph Smith.  In Islam the being ‘appearing to Mohammed’ pretended to be the angel Gabriel. We can see that Satan will use a proven method to establish his deceptions. 

 

          Supposedly taken up to heaven from the Dome of the Rock, “according to Islamic tradition, the rock is the spot from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven accompanied by the angel Gabriel.  Further, Muhammad was taken here by Gabriel to pray with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  After Muhammad's return, he called all who would believe him to join with him and be Muslim”[1].  I hope he got in all the fellowship he wanted with these three, because he won’t be able to communicate with them from Hell.

 

          Apparently Mohammed was an epileptic, who claimed Allah spoke to him during his seizures.  I have known several people with epilepsy and they don’t remember much if anything that happens during their seizures.  There were some Native American tribes that believed people who had seizures were touched by The Great Spirit. I just can’t believe that God would work through a disease state to issue vital information, but I could be wrong. 

 

          Islamists today say that the Bible has been corrupted.  This is hard to believe because we can prove that the Bible, except for some of the New Age Versions based on the Alexandrian texts, is the same today as it was in Mohammed’s day.  The Koran, on the other hand, can be proven to have been corrupted as there have been additions, subtractions and “abrogations”               to it.  A Moslem will tell you that only a Moslem, reading the Koran in its original language (600-700AD) can understand the Koran.  God says that unless someone is Born Again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God (30 AD).  Another plagiarized idea?

            I am not against the Moslems.  To be against Moslem’s would be against God (All have sinned and come short of the glory of God).   There will be former Moslems in Heaven just as there will be former gentiles.  Jesus gave Himself, once for all.  The kingdom of Heaven is open to all whom so ever will receive Him.  James 2:1 says: “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons”.  James 2:8 says: “If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well”.

          The real crying shame, and it is worth crying about, is that the deception Mohammed was under and caused him to miss out on a relationship with the True and Living God, has also caused millions to also miss out on this relationship, and be lost.  Christians must have compassion on those who are blinded to the truth.

 

          There are in reality two Islam’s: Regular Islam (the moderates) and the political Islam of the Jihadist’s.  The problem is that the Koran says there is only one Islam. 

 

          Mohammad used a method of teaching similar to what Jesus used: referring back to knowledge well known in the area because the stories referred to have been part of all the people’s lives.  Many of the stories mentioned in the Islamic scriptures do not explain what is behind them because the people knew the pagan stories they referred to.  Jesus, on the other hand, when He did His hinting (referring back), was referring back to things in the Old Testament.  What Jesus referred back to had a foundation in the Old Testament books of the Bible; whereas, Mohammad’s referrings were based on the pagan stories of the religions of his ancestors.

 

          Allah supposedly said that Mohammed was the same as any other man (Sura 18:110).   If that is true, Mohammed could not have been a prophet or apostle any more than any other man.  “It is no surprise to find that most of the elements of his religious upbringing were transferred into the religion of Islam and did not come from a ‘new’ revelation from Allah as Islam claims.”[2]   If Mohammed was a prophet, he should have been judged as any other prophet.  Everything a prophet said must come true or they would be judged a false prophet and be stoned to death.  Maybe we should require Mosques in the US to register as non-prophets.

 

          Since the Jehovah of the Bible and Allah are not the same, we must not confuse the issue by saying they are just different names for the same God.  Allah is the name of the ancient pagan moon god whereas the God of the Bible is the “Lord God Almighty”. 

 

          Although Islam tries to place Mohammed on the same level as Jesus, he was clearly inferior.  Even if he truly was a prophet and apostle of God, he would have been inferior to Jesus, who is God.  In the same way, the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament were inferior to Jesus because they were not God.  Some religions, such as Krishna and Islam, have invented stories in later years to elevate their deity to the status of Jesus; however, none of them died for your sins or rose from the dead (Jesus, having risen from the dead, was witnessed by over 500 people and was seen ascending up to Heaven).  The greatest form of flattery is imitation; therefore their actions simply recognize the true status of Jesus.

 

          Since he couldn’t write, how do we know what he said was written down?  How did he know what he said was written down properly?  Since the consensus is that Mohammed could not read, how could he have known what was written on the table of stone he received from Allah which is said to have been the Koran?  Supposedly, Allah wrote the Koran on a stone table and gave it to Mohammed.  This is, however, only one story about how Mohammed got the Koran.  Also, why, if the Koran was given in perfect Arabic as claimed, are there so many grammatical errors, words from other languages and why was it written in the dialect of Mohammed’s tribe? 

 

          The Muslim scriptures say that when Jesus returns, He will recant what He said about His divinity and His relationship with the One True and Living God as well as execute all those who will not convert to Islam.  Today, there are many stories circulating in which Moslems are being visited by Jesus in dreams and visions explaining to them that He is the way to a true relationship with God.  We must look into the motives and methods of the inventor of Islam.  In essence, Mohammed invented Islam in the following ways:

          1. The Pagan god Allah figure was around a long time before Mohammed and was the moon god worshiped by his family.  The moon god Allah was part of Ba-al worship. 

          2.  Mohammed incorporated quite a bit of the Old Testament and the New Testament regulations in the formulation of this new religion; although he distorted them.  Today we call this plagiarism.  Whatever suited his wants and needs was used, rejecting the truth of the Bible.

          3.  Many of the medieval traditions that were present in his day were included such as the traditional dress and treatment of women. 

          4.  The cult of the moon god, which worshiped Allah, was then transformed into a monotheistic faith by Mohammad. 

          5. The symbol of the crescent moon was adopted to help convert people in the Middle East. 

          6. Mohammad couldn’t seem to make up his mind as to which direction to face when praying; sometimes Mecca, sometimes Jerusalem, etc.

          7. Islam enriched itself by attacking other cultures; especially the Jews. 

          8. Mohammad adopted many pagan rituals and beliefs such as the evil eye, placing curses, fatalism and genies.

          9. Mohammed said that Jesus was a prophet of God and would come back to say how wrong He was, and that Allah is the true god.

          10. “Isa never was the Arabic name for Jesus before Muhammad came along. Isa is not the Arabic name for Jesus; it is the Quranic name for Jesus. 

The Christians never used Isa but Yasu' which is the proper equivalent of the Hebrew Yeshua.  That is not only a minor technical quibble.  There were Arab Christians before Muhammad.  Why does Muhammad not use the established Arabic name for Jesus but changes it to something else? --- disconnecting his quranic Jesus from the Jesus of the historical Arabic speaking church? Moreover, "Isa" is not a proper Arabic word at all.
It has no meaning in Arabic.”[3]

 

          We can see from the information available, that Mohammed, having been deceived himself, was at best a very disturbed soul.  I titled this Defending Mohammed because we must realize that he was not in control of himself, but rather under the influence of Satan.  During his lifetime he believed this at different times but was talked out of it by family members.  Perhaps, if it wasn’t for his outside influences, he could have come to Jesus and been saved. 

 

          If you don’t know Jehovah you know no God.  There is only one God, and His name is Jehovah.  The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all in Jehovah and they are one.  A god by any other name is no God at all.  “By thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shall be condemned.”[4]  By the Bible you can be justified, but by the Koran you will be condemned. 

 

          Islam is truly a religion, however, because something is a religion, doesn’t mean it represents the creator of the universe.  In Islam there is no:

1. Personal relationship with God

2. Salvation through Grace

3. Fulfilled prophesy

4. No personage interceding for you with God

5. No coherent scriptures, equivalent to the Bible

6. Holy Spirit to guide you

7. No Bible to show the Word of God

          The Arabs are not all descended from Ishmael, any more than all Moslems are descended from Abraham.  “Most standard reference works on Islam reject the Arab claim to Abrahamic descent.  The prestigious Encyclopedia of Islam traces the Arabs to non-Abrahamic origins. Even the Dictionary of Islam questions the whole idea that the Arabs are descendants of Ishmael.”[5]

          Concerning the control of women, Sura 4:34 says: Men are guardians over women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).—

          “Islam’s Role in American History: In a recent speech, President Obama declared that “Islam – like so many faiths – is part of our national story.” While his claim is “technically” true, it isn’t entirely accurate, at least not in the way he, or most Muslims would like you to interpret it. In his prepared remarks at this year’s Iftar dinner, Obama incorrectly pontificated:

As I’ve noted before, Thomas Jefferson once held a sunset dinner here with an envoy from Tunisia – perhaps the first Iftar at the White House, more than 200 years ago. And some of you, as you arrived tonight, may have seen our special display, courtesy of our friends at the Library of Congress – the Qur’an that belonged to Thomas Jefferson. And that’s a reminder, along with the generations of patriotic Muslims in America, that Islam – like so many faiths – is part of our national story.

It is true that Thomas Jefferson owned a Qur’an, so based on that, is it possible one could reasonably infer that Muslims were a vital part of America’s founding? Only if one was grossly uneducated about American history. You see, there were no Muslims waiting here in America when the first Pilgrims landed at Plymouth on December 21, 1620. There were none among the arriving Pilgrims. Even the first Thanksgiving celebration was entirely devoid of Muslims. In fact, their first appearance was shortly after we penned the Declaration of Independence.

How did they get involved at that pivotal point in our early history? It was a little event called the First Barbary War.

Until the American Declaration of Independence in 1776, British treaties with the North African states protected American ships from the Barbary corsairs (i.e. pirates). Morocco became the first Barbary power to seize an American vessel after our independence, which led directly to the creation of the United States Navy in March of 1794. While the United States managed to secure peace treaties, these treaties obliged us to pay tribute for protection from attack. Payments in ransom and tribute to the Barbary states amounted to roughly 20% of the United States government’s annual expenditures in 1800.

So why exactly did Jefferson own a copy of the Qur’an? That’s a bit of a trick question, as he did not own “a” copy of the Qur’an; he owned hundreds; perhaps even thousands of copies. After facing ongoing hostilities from Muslims and being forced to pay tribute to them equaling 20% of our total government expenditures for several years, Jefferson decided it would be wise to find out what we were truly up against, so he obtained a copy of the Qur’an. He was shocked and horrified by what he learned.

They were not content to simply live their lives and practice their faith. According to their religion, they were required to make war with anyone who didn’t live by the laws of Islam, and to demand that all non-believers pay jizya, the additional Islamic tax, or financial tribute, required of non-Muslims; something that hasn’t changed, even today. In other words, they sought to kill all non-believers or demand that they pay a tribute for the permission to exist.

As few people had encountered such barbaric practices in the modern world, this was a foreign concept to most, even the worldly Jefferson. So he set out to educate the American citizens about the magnitude of the threat we were facing. His answer was to print and distribute copies of the Qur’an so that everyone could understand the culture and religion of the Muslim people. This wasn’t just some group of thugs who wanted to steal a few trinkets. This was a murderous cult, bent on our outright destruction and enslavement. There was no negotiating; no common ground. Logic, compromise and decency was lost on the Muslims.

Their own scripture shows they are a hateful and violent cult, not the “religion of peace” that the PC police constantly claim. Here are just a few gems from the Qur’an:

“Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate.” -Qur’an 9:73

“Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous.” -Qur’an 9:123

“Muhammad is God’s apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another.” -Qur’an 48:29

“When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield strike off their heads and, when you have laid them low, bind your captives firmly.” -Qur’an 47:4

“Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number. God does not guide the wrong-doers.” -Qur’an 5:51

In response to a declaration of war on the United States of America by the Barbary Coast caliphates, Thomas Jefferson sent the USS Constitution to the Mediterranean in 1803. Then, in 1805, the Constitution supported the landing of Marines “on the shores of Tripoli” in an action that was subsequently immortalized in the Marine Corps Hymn. The Americans and their allies destroyed the harbor citadel at Derna, which served as the headquarters for the pirates.

The dinner to which President Obama referred took place on December 9, 1805, and Jefferson’s guest was Sidi Soliman Mellimelli, an envoy from the bey (chieftain) of Tunis who spent six months in Washington. The context of Mellimelli’s visit to the United States was a tense dispute over piracy on American merchant vessels by the Barbary states, and the capture of Tunisian vessels trying to run an American blockade of Tripoli.

The First Barbary War in 1801 and the Second Barbary War in 1815 led to more favorable peace terms ending the payment of tribute. After a resounding military victory, we were largely free from the terror of Islam for hundreds of years, but that was far from the end of its role in America.

Islam was responsible for bringing millions of men, women and children captured throughout Africa, to America to be sold into slavery. It showed up again during World War II; its followers supporting Adolf Hitler’s efforts to exterminate the Jews and conquer Europe. And of course, who can forget its pivotal role in atrocities like the Iran hostage crisis, 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, 1993 World Trade Center bombing, 1998 United States embassy bombings, USS Cole bombing, September 11 attacks, or the Fort Hood shooting, to name just a few?

So yes, Mr. President, Islam – like so many faiths – is part of our national story. But it is not a positive part.”[6]

          I think that most people would agree that Mohammed was a very sad personage.   He spent his life worshiping a god who never existed, much less offering a personal relationship, and he died without accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  It’s not that he wasn’t exposed to the message of Jesus.  We know that he at least heard stories about the old and new testaments, and even declared them to be the Word of God.  Because he couldn’t read or write he was unable to check out the Bible for himself.  He would have known that Deuteronomy 6 says: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” and “Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; For the Lord thy God is a jealous God ( implying vigilance and reverence) among you lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth”.  The “Hear of Israel” mentioned here also implies the Christians, which are branches grafted into the vine of the Hebrew God: the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon and of Jesus who is the “Son of God”.  The “Lord our God is one Lord” refers to the Trinity.

---

[1] Wikipedia

[2] The Islamic Invasion by Robert Morey

[3] Eric Barger

[4] Matthew 12: 36-37

[5] The Islamic Invasion by Robert Morey

[6]http://jeremyknauff.com/islams-role-in-american-history/

 http://bravepatriot.com/islams-role-in-american-history/   August 21st, 2012 by Jeremy Knauff  

 

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What Truly Sets A Person Free?

In today’s world, we often seem to relate our ability to live a successful Christ filled life to the level to which we can raise our understanding of a situation through the basis of labels and terminology. I am really seeking to gain an understanding of the relationship of the importance of the practice of labeling or defining everything and the degree of importance it may play in the final outcome of success that may be obtained in attaining a positive change, deliverance or healing in one’s life. For example, there is a teaching that one must label alcoholism as a disease, and it must be recognized as such before a person can be totally healed of this condition. However, to prove or disprove the validity of this statement of belief is not the ultimate goal of my search for understanding. Instead, I am searching for God’s overall view of any condition in life that could possibly be an obstruction to fulfilling God’s purposes in our lives.

Could it be that in our search to understand the conditions often found in our daily lives that we may be creating an imbalance between the importance of establishing terminology to define those conditions and circumstances in life as opposed to the importance or significance of one’s willingness to accept personal responsibility for our own choices, circumstances, actions, or conditions in life, regardless of what label or terminology that may be used to define any given condition? I happen to be a person that has a condition that has the label of epilepsy. Other possible labels are: seizures, fits, or terms such as sudden bursts of electrical brainwave activity. The cause of the condition could be a genetic predisposition, brain damage due to an accident, or even pressure in the brain caused from another source, or an abnormality in a certain part of the brain, etc.
In the Bible, demonic activity was presented as a possible cause when an account was given of a man was miraculously delivered and healed of epilepsy. Regardless of the cause, or whatever terminology may be used to describe the condition, the level of control attained over the adverse effects of the condition, is not dependent upon my understanding of the cause or the terms used to define it. I don’t deny that they may be helpful, but my understanding or even awareness of such terms or root causes do not take priority over the importance personal responsibility of my own actions necessary to be successful in overcoming its effect in my life. I must acknowledge that the condition exists and be willing to take whatever action is necessary to gain control over its influence in my life. In my case, I know that this is going to require personal commitment to make changes such as getting enough rest and the discipline of taking required medication. Without my acknowledgement and related choice of action, no level of dominion over the condition can be attained regardless of my understanding or acceptance of the validity of any of the terms used to define and describe it. I can’t deny that it exists in my life, but I don’t have to let it define me either.

According to the Bible, isn’t anything that separates us from God a sin? When God created the earth and all that is within it, He looked at it and said it was good. That says there was no sin or evil in it. It was the fall of man that opened the door for sin to exist in the world. God did not create it that way. Because of the fall of man, all of us are subjected to the consequences of sin in the world. Yes, bad things even happen to ‘good’ people. None of us is ‘good’ in the pure sense of the word, for none of us is free from sin. Only Jesus was sinless, and being God incarnate, He alone was qualified Him to be the sacrificial Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world for whoever would believe in Him as Savior and Lord.

Terms and labels for the conditions of mankind can often be used in perverted ways, resulting in the rewriting of what is right and wrong for the purpose of condoning what seems right in man’s eyes as opposed to recognizing the truths of God. We don’t like it when our sins of the flesh are called sins. Instead of calling the condition of gluttony a sin, we are much more comfortable with calling it an ‘eating disorder’. Lying is no longer referred to as a sin, but rather it is said that we ‘misspoke’. Homosexuality is no longer a sin, but rather merely a different or ‘alternative lifestyle’ that is just as valid, right, and acceptable as the ‘heterosexual lifestyle’. Some have even argued that being a homosexual is how God made them. According to that way of thinking, the alcoholic/drug addict who may have been born with a predisposition to becoming addicted to alcohol/drugs was also ‘created’ like that by God and so nothing is wrong or has to be changed to overcome the condition. Abortion, the killing of an innocent unborn baby, is not a sin but simply a woman’s right of choice. I don’t argue that there is never a reason to abort a pregnancy; however, though its original intent may have been prevention of the death of the mother, it has become a right to terminate the unborn for little or no cause, or simply because the pregnancy is viewed as an inconvenience, or even because it’s the wrong gender. When we get into the game of compromising the will of God revealed in the word of God, we set ourselves up as gods giving ourselves permission to rewrite right and wrong as it suits our own agenda at any given moment.

In my daily reading of the word, I found a scripture that was especially helpful to me for settling the question of what was more important between definitions and labels of conditions found among mankind and the significance of personal responsibility. I don’t mean to imply that this should be the answer for everyone, but merely that, for me, it seems to put my quandary about this subject into perspective. It is written: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; (emphasis mine) who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” (Hebrews 12: 1 – 4) For me this sheds light to my understanding. Any adverse condition of life could be labeled as a ‘weight’, ‘sin’, ‘disease’ (Did not disease enter the world as a direct result of sin in the world?) For me, this tells me my first response should to acknowledge the ‘weight’ as something that is detrimental in my life, something that I need to take action to do all that is necessary to cut it out of my life, or as the scripture says, to “lay it aside”.

For further insight and encouragement, I found helpful the following commentary notes concerning Hebrews 12: 1 – 4 written in the Life Application Study Bible pg. 2469 – 2470:

12: 1 “Their (the cloud of witnesses) faithfulness is a constant encouragement to us. We do not struggle alone, and we are not the first to struggle with problems we face. Others have run the race and have won, and their witness stirs us to run and win also. What an inspiring heritage we have.”
12: 1-4 “The Christian life involves hard work. It requires us to give up whatever endangers our relationship with God, to run patiently, and to struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit. To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We stumble when we look away from him to stare at ourselves or at the circumstances surrounding us. We are running for Christ, not ourselves, and we must always keep him in sight.”
12:3 “When we face hardship and discouragement, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. But we’re not alone; there is help. Many have already made it through life, enduring far more difficult circumstances than we have experienced. Suffering is the training ground for Christian maturity. It develops our patience and makes our final victory sweet.”
12:4 “This verse can also be translated, “You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” These readers were facing difficult times of persecution, but none of them had yet died for their faith. Because they were still alive, the writer urged them to continue to run their race. Just as Christ did not give up, neither should they.”

In addition, further assurance that our response and/or choices of action are of more importance than labels, terms, or definitions. We are encouraged to keep our focus on Jesus as our first and foremost priority as seen in the following scriptures: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4: 7, 8, 10) “Neither give place to the devil.”(Eph. 4: 27) “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (I Thess. 5: 21, 22) “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Eph.6: 10 – 13)

I am not presumptuous enough to expect others to come to same conclusions as I have concerning being set free from the “weight(s)” that can so easily ensnare and enslave us. I don’t claim that what I have determined for myself is a ‘program’ that others must adhere to. For the Christian, we all know that the first step in truly being set free from the conditions and temptations of life is to repent and be born again. For it is the gift of the Holy Spirit who indwells us and gives us understanding and power to stand against the temptations of the flesh, world, and Satan. If using certain terms, labels and definition helps one to gain understanding into a situation is helpful as a tool and step towards being set free, then I say by all means make use of them. But for myself, I choose not to place the use of terms in as having any top priority to be concerned about, and again I urge the use of terms can also be used to pervert and rewrite or rename conditions so as to depict ungodly views as right and Godly views as wrong in order to place the views of the secular world as acceptable and Godly views as mean, bigoted, intolerant and unacceptable. I refer back to such examples as discussed on page 2 paragraph 2 of this article.

My personal choice, with God’s help, is to focus more upon my need to recognize that I have a problem that needs to be removed from my life, no matter what term is used to describe it. According to my understanding, anything that may draw me further away from God is a sin and, for my own good, I must ask His help to “lay it aside” that I may rest peacefully (even in the midst of the storms of life) safe and secure under His wings of protection when the circumstances, conditions, and fiery darts of the enemy may seek to destroy me. He has promised me “life more abundant” if I will trust in and be obedient to Him. Does this mean that putting my trust in the Lord places me in a realm where I will never face trials and tribulations? No way, for I know Satan is real and he never gives up on trying to devour, destroy, and even kill any one that he can. The scriptures also remind us not to fear who or what can destroy the body (for it is only temporary), but to fear that which can destroy the soul. We will all exist for eternity, be it in Heaven or Hell depends upon whether we accept the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

I also know that I must submit all of my ways to the will of the Lord if I am to be successful in my daily struggles against the temptations of my own flesh. I know that if I make provision for ready access to harmful and destructive things, I am contributing to my own downfall. When it comes to bringing snacks and goodies (or ‘badies’, as in my case) into our house, for me they are detrimental and I struggle against the sin of gluttony. Someone else may be able to have a bag of potato chips, eat only a few, and a month later there’re still a few left. But in my house, if I ‘provide’ it, I am setting my own self up for failure. By my own hand, I have opened the door that leads to my own destruction. When it comes to some foods, I don’t seem to be able to practice the Godly principle of ‘moderation in all things’. For someone else, the trigger might be drugs, alcohol, pornography, gambling, adultery, and so on. It’s like choosing to buy a gun to shoot myself in my own foot, or worse. I just had a glorious thought. How wonderful it would be to ‘over eat’ from the word of God. Though I don’t think it’s possible to have too much of the word in one’s life. Like the scripture says: “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” What an absolutely glorious and fantastic meal, and the only kind that is truly satisfying to one’s soul. I think that’s what it must mean by ‘keep being filled’ by the Holy Spirit.

I don’t deny that Jesus has, and still does, miraculously deliver some from their situations, etc. But, for His reasons and purposes, that is not always the case. His ways are higher than ours. Some addictions, sins, weights, diseases, whatever you want to call them, can create such a stronghold in one’s life that one must seek the help of others in order to remove the destructive ‘weight’ from their lives. It could be one of those ‘thorns in the flesh’ that one may constantly struggle against. giving into it. No one ever promised us that life was going to be easy. The shame is not in failing to succeed in the struggle to succeed. The shame is giving up in the race to endure, and not even trying to overcome that which would ensnare us. I think the motto is, “If at first you don’t succeed, then try and try again.” Or as the scripture says, having done all to stand, stand. “With God’s help all things are possible.” All God asks of us is to have a willing heart, and He will help us through it all. He is not going to put your shoes on for you. Being a Christian does not mean one gets a free pass to just sail through life with no action on our part. It’s all a process. No one should be so prideful as to think that their sin is so great that the blood of Jesus is not sufficient to cover it. Seeking help from God and others is courageous, not a sign of weakness or something for which to feel ashamed. Letting pride stand in the way is itself a sin. Refuse to take part in it; get rid of it!!

Am I making the assertion that only Christians can be set free from addictions, disease, etc.? Absolutely not!! Am I saying that you have a disease as a direct result of sin in your life? No, not necessarily. I may have a disease simply because I live in a fallen world where disease exists as a result of the fallen state of our world. Remember, when God created the world, he said “It was good.” Mankind is the one that caused the fall of the earth giving entrance of disease, sin and other evils. Neither can we just claim; O, the devil made me do it, or act as if we have no personal responsibility when it comes to what we allow in our lives. We can’t always control all factors, but we can have control over our personal responses and actions as we learn to submit ourselves to the will of the Lord. We are not alone in our struggles. This is the way I look at it. The law of gravity exists and works whether one knows the word or even understands all of the labels that could be used to define and describe it. So it is with Godly principles. They work and affect the life of all who practice them whether they believe in the One who established them or not. Though a person may not trust in the Lord for things of eternal value, practicing Godly principles can make a difference at least in their temporary life on earth.

We have three scriptures posted in different areas of our home. Above the entrance to our family room it is written: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”(Phillip. 4: 13) On the back door exit it is written: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”(Psalm 139: 24) On our back porch you will find written the following scripture: “I am the true vine, and ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15: 5) Doesn’t that really say it all? Mankind can do his best to define, describe, and promote understanding, but in the end all depends on the power of the One who is the source of all deliverance and healing. In our kitchen there is written on a plaque a true statement, even though it may not be a direct quote from scripture, it asserts the following: “Earth hath no sorrow that Heaven can not heal.” May we always have a contrite heart that seeks the kingdom of God first that we might forever praise the Lord and do that which is pleasing in His sight.

Finally, this is my basic question; In seeking healing or deliverance from any adverse condition in life is it more important to accept a certain definition for that condition, or is the greater priority to recognize it as something that has either a positive or negative affect in my life. If it is negative, based on the wisdom of God’s standards, it is my responsibility to do all that I possibly can to rid my life of it, or at least reduce it as much as is possible, in order to live the “more abundant life” that God has purposed and intended for me. For me personally, I have concluded that the latter is of far greater importance whereas the former is simply a tool that may or may not be helpful in determining the final outcome in my life. With God, all things are possible, regardless of our human ability to have complete understanding. Some things in life may forever remain a mystery to us. I put my trust in God, not in the terminology created by mankind. Mankind’s ideas and thoughts are always changing, but God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Virginia Rahn

PS
Look at the Serenity Prayer which is relevant to many conditions in life:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

It seems to me that this prayer settles the point that definitions or labels are not of the utmost significance. The focus seems to be entirely upon seeking God’s help to recognize what needs to be changed and the power to change what can be changed.
I have a ‘condition’ that is said to be as a result of a concussion, yet the doctors shake their heads and have no specific definition, name, or cure for it. In spite of that, if I am willing to ‘change’ certain things, I can still lead a ‘reasonably happy life.’ So I don’t focus on whether it’s a disease, genetic disorder, brain damage, or whatever any one might want to call it, but rather upon doing all that I can, with God’s help, to live the ‘more abundant life’ that God has purposed for me, one day at a time.

Ginger Rahn

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Ezekiel’s Jump Jet

          I have been hearing for years that the beasts described in Ezekiel 1 were supposed to be helicopters.  As I read this chapter of Ezekiel, I realized that the facts might not fit that image.  It is my opinion that the Harrier Jump Jet, or a deviation thereof, would fit better.

 

 



[Harrier Jump Jets] Ezekiel 1:4 “And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.”



 

 



Ezekiel 1:6 And every one had four faces

Divided windshields?



 





 

Ezekiel 1:6 and every one had four wings.

 

 

Ezekiel 1:7 and their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

 

Ezekiel 1:8 and they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

 

 Ezekiel 1:9 their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

Ezekiel 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Ezekiel 1:11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

 

 

Ezekiel 1:19-20 and when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.  Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

 

Ezekiel 1:23 and under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

Ezekiel 1:27And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

Aircraft Carriers could carry a lot more planes if their wings folded out of the way and the planes could take off straight up.

 

Perhaps a plane, with all of these features, is on the drawing board.

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Pain

         Except for those few people who are “cursed” with the inability to feel physical pain, we all have and will have pain in our lives.  The pain may be physical or spiritual and sometimes the spiritual pain may be greater in intensity and duration than physical pain.

          Paul’s spoke of his, ‘thorn in the flesh’, but we can’t be sure what that thorn was.  It is assumed to have been some sort of physical ailment.  Apparently God never healed him of this affliction.   We do know that Paul suffered quite a bit of physical pain during his life as seen in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27: “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness”.  Despite all that Paul went through he said: "I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.  Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong".   “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure[1]”. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul again describes his physical weakness: “You remember why I preached the gospel to you the first time; it was because I was ill. But even though my physical condition was a great trial to you, you did not despise or reject me.”[2]

          People might say that the worst pain in the world is the loss of a child.  You might think that Jesus never felt that kind of pain, however, there is rejoicing in Heaven every time a person gives their life to Christ, because it’s one more time God has not lost another of his children.  My wife and I lost a daughter back in the seventies.  I can tell you that the experience was indescribable.  Candace only lived about an hour, but in that time I got to hold her little hand and pray for her.  I am sure that she is waiting for us in Heaven and the reunion will be wonderful.  I can’t imagine the grief God feels over each of those of His creation who reject Him and go to Hell.

          Suffering is not always brought on by Satan. Sometimes suffering is sent from the Lord, either to bring people back to what they should be or, as in the case of the Israelis, because they had turned their back on God and abused the gifts God had given them.  One thing we must never forget: Jesus was a crucified Rabbi.  The Jews were subjected to a great deal of suffering over the ages, but no one suffered anywhere near as much as Jesus did.  He knew what was ahead for Him before He left the Father to do the Father’s will, and pay the price for our transgressions.  Failure to recognize this fact is the disgrace of mankind since the crucifixion and resurrection.

          If someone ever tells you that you are not healed because you don’t have enough faith, “saturate that place with your absence”[3].  I was subjected to this kind of rubbish myself.  I had suffered a subtalar dislocation of my left foot.  That means, due to a fall, I had put my left foot on the side of my leg because of a separation of the ankle bones at the talus bone.  The doctors told me I would never walk very well again. Their group had done seven surgeries similar to mine and none of those patients were doing very well.  I said that, with the Lords help, I would do the proper exercises and walk normally.  After my recovery, I amazed the doctors by the extent of my recuperation.  I did tend to limp some when it rained, and that limping was used by some to say I needed to get right with the Lord and receive full healing.

          God does not give pain; He allows it – there is no pain in Heaven, however, it can be a teaching method used only on earth.  A Bible teacher once told me, we get sick because we have sinned against God, and because there are germs in the air[4].

          What greater pain is there in marriage than physical abuse, mental abuse or adultery?  All three are a fundamental break in the trust of the union of two souls that God has joined together as one flesh.  Wife ( and for that matter husband) beaters are not only committing an act against the one they are sworn to nurture, but also a sin against the Lord, who had sanctified the marriage.  In the Bible, mental control of your partner is spoken against as being witchcraft.  Many people don’t know the difference between fornication and adultery.  Fornication is the act of sexual sin committed before marriage whereas adultery is an act of sexual sin while married.  Each act is the joining of two souls.  Fornication is the sex act performed by people without the required blessing of marriage.  Adultery, on the other hand, is the joining of two people therefore breaking their vows to God and their spouse, which makes it twice as bad.  If a Christian should commit either sin he has dragged the Holy Spirit into it with him, because the Spirit never departs from him.  Do you really think it gives the Spirit of God joy to go with you into a strip bar or bawdy house?    

 

          We do know that the Lord will never allow us to suffer more than we can bear (the Bible says so).  Sometimes I wish He hadn’t made me so strong.  Although God did not heal Paul’s thorn in the flesh, Paul said that God’s grace was sufficient for him.  God never said we would be free from pain and suffering in this life.  What He did promise, was to be with us in all things.  “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”[5]

---

[1] 2 Corinthians 12:7

[2] Galatians 4, 13-14

[3] James Merritt

[4] Jean Mulholland

[5] Hebrews 13:5

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The Christian, Social Justice, And Human Rights Movements

Recently, I have been contemplating the subject of just what is the responsibility of the individual believer and the Christian body, the church as a whole, in promoting the agenda of social justice and human rights in the world at large. I first looked for a definition and list of some of the most prominent social justice issues of the day and found the following: Since social justice changes from community to community, it can only be defined loosely. The issues reflect movements that push for a greater voice and more representation for underrepresented or underpowered communities. Ideals held by many social justice advocates are egalitarianism, balance of power, social advocacy, public service, and diversity awareness. Social justice issues encompass many areas; therefore, I list but a few here just to promote an understanding for the topic I am attempting to present: racism, poverty, ageism, immigration policy, sexism, civil rights, mental health activism, homelessness, labor law, environmentalism and environmental justice, and so on. I felt the best place to start in my search for truth was in acquiring a definition of exactly what social justice is and then to work from there in trying to determine whether it is an area that is truly in line with the word of God, or if it is more nearly aligned with the agenda found within the secular world view. My overall purpose is to seek God’s perspective of the subject rather than man’s opinions and view. Becoming an advocate and activist in this area appears on the surface to be based on the idea of showing God’s love and care for one’s fellow man. The issues often seem to be worthy causes and one may even have biblical supported. Yet, as I take a deeper look, many of the foundations of this platform of thought and action, seem to have lies mixed with just enough truth causing even some mature Christians to be deceived by their subtlety of thought. Before one realizes it, we have been led astray from God’s righteous views by our own ideas of human compassion and mere sentimentality. We must constantly guard against following paths that deviate from the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s plan of salvation is based entirely on what God has done for mankind through faith in Jesus Christ, not upon the works of mankind. The danger seems to be rooted in the imbalance which tends to put the focus on works of mankind (making mankind the source of power), rather than looking to God as the source of all authority and power.

When I began searching for a definition for social justice, I discovered that it is a concept that is loosely connected to the idea of equality of man’s access to justice relative to a society’s definition of what is just and right. It involves the idea that for a society to be just, it must also be inclusive so that no individual or group of people is denied access to what is perceived to be equal human rights. On the surface this sounds all well and good, but for the Christian it can be an open the flood gates that will cause the erosion of the fundamental bases of our faith. For example, the assumption that all paths lead to god requires that one must be willing to cast aside the one main factor that makes Christianity unique and different from all other religious faiths; that is the belief that there is only one true God and all others are foreign and false gods. Therefore, a true born again follower of Christ can not view all gods as being equal to one another or that there are many paths to God. Christianity must be inclusive in that all are given the opportunity and freedom to choose to believe in salvation through faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, it is necessarily exclusive in that only those who choose to believe in and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord may enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. That cornerstone of the Christian faith can not be ignored or compromised in any way, shape, or form. The God of Abraham, the great ‘I AM,’ has made this point clear. Is it not written? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt.4: 10) “Have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) He has required that we love Him, serve Him, and obey Him and not go after the strange and false gods of the nations of other peoples. (Deuteronomy 10: 12 – 15) Jesus Himself said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.” (John 14: 6).

Many of the Social Justice issues of today, such as caring for the poor and needy, can easily be presented as Christian values. However, when ‘works’ become an end in themselves they become warped and out of balance. When Jesus walked on the earth, He did heal some, and prospered some with greater wealth; however, he did not go about and wipe out all poverty or all disease. In fact, He did command us to help the needy, but He also said that the poor would always be with us. The idea of distribution of wealth by a government’s power to tax and take from the ‘rich’ to give to the poor as a method of being fair is NOT equivalent to Jesus’ teaching that we should be charitable and make the personal and voluntary choice to be a cheerful giver and help the needy. Neither does it promote personal responsibility to work and be a good steward. Is it not written that a workman is worthy of his hire? Is it not written that if you do not work, you do not eat? Are we not supposed to trust in the Lord for all things? I have found no teaching in the Bible that says we should put our trust in the government. God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He has promised He will do. Anything the government decides to give they can turn right around and decide to take it away. The foundations of the teachings of Jesus Christ become perverted when they are used as a tool to exalt an agenda that is governed only by that which is deemed to promote the ‘common good’ in the eyes of mankind, for “a man’s ways are right in his own eyes.” Under a system devised by man, God, and that which is deemed pleasing and right in His sight, is then marginalized or completely ignored and reduced to a position of being intolerant and/or no longer relative or important within the society. Thus, God’s view of what is right or wrong is replaced with the peoples’ choice of what is right or wrong in the eyes of mankind in any given moment, time, or place. (Isn’t that ironic? The meaning of the word Laodicea, the term for the church of the latter days, means ‘the people’s choice.) This results in the development of a society that has forgotten God and His ways. The nation that forgets God has removed the ‘solid rock’ foundations of God, and chosen the foundations of ‘sinking sand’, leading to its own decadence and destruction. (Matt. 8: 24 – 27) “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to many people.” (Prov. 14: 34) “The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God.”(Psalm 9: 17) “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth the power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.” (Deut. 8: 18 – 20) “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…” (Psalm 33: 12)

The present body of Christ is sinking into the quagmire of these deceitful beliefs stemming from social justice and human rights that have often become out of balance due to their dependence upon looking to mankind, instead of God as the true source of power and authority. Our churches are often being turned into social clubs rather than true places of worship of the Lord. We are more and more being conformed to the world rather than being transformed into the image of God by the word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are becoming more and more willing to forget the ways of God and follow after any and all false gods. No longer do we seek the Lord and His ways, for they are now viewed as undesirable constraints that prevent us from following after our own hearts’ desires. In fact, if a Christian individual or local church body does decide to boldly take a stand for the righteous ways of God, they are demonized by the society and deemed to be intolerant bigots.

As the body of Christ becomes more silent and more humanistic, we can readily see that we are drifting more and more away from God and closer to the image of the one world apostate church system of the latter days. We are becoming the Laodicean church that is no longer the ‘salt’ and ‘light’ of the earth, drawing others to Christ, but instead are characterized by our sinfulness. “This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but lacking the power thereof (emphasis mine):from such turn away.” Remember, this is a description of the church. It is not hard then to understand why the world at large is even in a worse state of being for it will no longer have the church to look to as a better way of living this life, much less having any notion of real eternal life.

Look at what we have become. We are happy to be content to be a part of a church that, on the surface, looks as though the worship of the Lord is glorified. We clap our hands and tap our feet to the beat of the music that often creates an atmosphere more resembling the latest rock and roll band concert than an atmosphere that is truly involved in worshiping and glorifying God. We feverishly join in activities to be a part of the latest social and community activism, putting more emphasis on the importance of our own good works rather than emphasizing the importance of what God has done for us through faith in the redemptive sacrifice, death and resurrection of His Son. The blood of Jesus is even said to be of no importance or consequence. Hell is not a real place but only a symbol, and heaven is what you make of your own time on earth. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is deemed as of no significance and of little or no importance. Having a personal relationship with Jesus through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit is no longer considered even necessary for there are ‘many paths to God.” All gods and beliefs are equal, whatever you deem to be your own light and path to God is equal and equivalent to what Christ did on the cross. Instead, we can all come together ‘in one accord’, but now it is without the necessary power of the Holy Spirit. Now the power comes from the ‘brotherhood of mankind,’ and our ability to think positive thoughts. We can join together in collectivism, creating our own utopian society through community organization and our own ability to work for the common good of mankind. Churches are even being established upon surveys of the needs of the people within an area, rather than the importance of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and His redemptive power through a personal faith and belief in Him. “And Jesus came and said unto them, All authority has been given unto me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost.”(Matt. 28: 18 – 19) Instead of looking to God, we are content to look ‘inside ourselves’ for our own redemptive power. Who needs the leading and guidance of the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit when we have replaced Him with the power of self, or any other power from the atmosphere of creation around us? Who needs the word of God for instruction, correction, and knowledge of the truth? Now, we can look to ourselves to determine our own truth and knowledge of what is acceptable, for God’s view of right or wrong no longer exists. Now, creation, instead of the Creator, has become the center of our focus. Anyone can see that in the new green religion of environmentalism. Once again we are endeavoring to build our own Tower of Babel, exalting man’s will above God’s. (Genesis 11: 1-8)

Our churches are becoming mini social activist groups for community organization, social justice, and civil rights hotbeds of reform. Rather than being focused on the righteous ways of God, we are more willing to follow unrighteous ways to please our own unrighteous desires, and to exalt our own unrighteous philosophies. As Christians, we have become so desensitized to the reality of God’s righteous ways, that we are adapting our beliefs so as to come more in line with what is acceptable to mankind rather than taking a stand for the righteous ways of God. God has said that if a man sheds the blood of the innocent, then mankind should shed the blood of that guilty man (put to death- capital punishment). In stead, more often than not, capital punishment is being outlawed. “Thou shalt not kill” is more properly interpreted to mean “Thou shalt do no murder.” Pagan religions devalued the life of the unborn children allowing them to be put aside to die even after their birth. We too have now followed this same devaluing of life by making abortion legal for any and all reasons even up to and including the last trimester of pregnancy. According to statistics, out of all the pregnancies that are terminated only about two percent are truly based on a cause for actual protection of the life of the mother. More often than not, the other ninety-eight percent are merely based on the right of a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy, murder the life that has been conceived, because it was an inconvenient time, and/or pressures from the unwilling father or some other family or friend. In the past, a pregnancy was more often allowed to go forth and then the decision was made to keep the child or give it up for adoption. Now conceived life is not deemed as God said- that He has known us even before we were knitted together in our mother’s womb. Instead, that life has been relegated to the status of merely a blob of tissue that has no more purpose or right to exist than a parasite. Just like the pagan religions, we are even allowing the innocent bodies of live births to be set aside to die. We are gradually sinking to the same levels as practiced by the Nazis as they determined that an unborn child without a limb or some other disability did not meet their requirements for status qualified as fit for life. More and more people are choosing to live together instead of making a commitment to marry one another, thus defiling and destroying the very foundations of the family unit. Marriage itself is under attack in that it is no longer being defined as the union of one man and one woman. We are casting aside that which is pleasing in the sight of God for that which is “compassionate” and right in the eyes of mankind. These are but a few examples of how present day ideals of social justice and human rights are being used to pervert and compromise the word of God – even within the church itself. When the church itself is forgetting God, is there any wonder that the nation has fallen even deeper into a Godless and lawless state? Calling our actions ‘compassionate’ when they fly in the face of God is no excuse whatsoever for our acceptance of sinful characteristics as good when God’s word has signified it as being clearly evil. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 5: 20, 21, 23, 24)

Is it no wonder then that as the body of Christ, the church, becomes more Humanistic and less Theistic, we are seen to have little or no effect in the world? Instead, we are becoming more willing to cast aside our differences, mainly that there is but one true God and He alone has the plan for our salvation. We become watered down and have no vibrancy to attract others to Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life? In addition, we are stepping in line with the values and ways of the secular world, denying God all together or representing Him as being equal to and having no difference than any and all other gods. Church, we have no excuse!! No wonder God said of the church of the latter days: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth.”(Rev. 3: 15, 16)

Christians, true followers of Christ, we must be willing to take a stand for God and His Word even though it is no longer popular or politically correct to do so. Do we truly love the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul? Are we willing to be hated even as Christ was and is hated in the world? Are we willing to even be counted as a bigot and intolerant for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ? We have been commanded to love one another, but we have not been commanded to compromise the word of God or condone and accept that which is wrong in His sight. We can love the sinner without loving sin and trying to present it as good. Thank God, He continues to love us and forgive us even when we sin and do that which displeases us. The difference is found in whether we choose to practice that which is sin when we know it flies in the face of God. “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I knew you not: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”(Matt. 8: 21 – 23) Can we not see that this is the church He is talking to, and they are not even aware that they have forgotten Him and chosen to forsake His ways? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be among those that are told by the Lord, “I knew you not.”

Yes, good works do follow naturally out of a true love for the Lord. Can we not see that works, as they are used as a tool to promote compromise of the word of God and the development of the one world church where Interfaithism or Universalism (all gods are equal and all paths lead to God) is accepted, and exclusive faith in Jesus Christ alone as the only door to the Kingdom of God is rejected, must be recognized as a part of Satan’s plan to ready the world for the coming person of the Antichrist? This is but another ploy by Satan to destroy the body of Christ and its power to draw others to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are perilous times and we are perishing because of lack of knowledge. I speak not of the knowledge of mankind, but of the knowledge of the Lord which begins with the fear (respect and obedience) of the Lord, His statutes, commandments, and ways as revealed to us in His Word. It is through the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit that we are given empowerment to understand and do the word of God, to be doers, and not just hearers, of the Word. We must be willing to study His Word so that we will not be deceived by Satan, ourselves, or others. Too often those who profess to be followers of Christ are found joining together in causes that are totally against what the word teaches because they have been deceived by the “compassion” tool of mankind that is in opposition to the righteousness of the Lord. For example, it is written that the practice of homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. Yet, not wanting to appear as intolerant or a bigot in the eyes of the Lord, we are condoning the practice and define it as just a different life style that is to be accepted rather than viewed as sinful. Rather than staying true to the teachings of what is right and wrong in the eyes of God, we are making up our own excuses for calling that which is evil good even within the church. What harm we do to ourselves and others when we compromise the word of God just so we can do that which is pleasing in our own sight instead of being true to God’s word and doing that which is pleasing in His sight. If you and I Condone sin of any kind and declare it to be ‘acceptable,’ it does not promote repentance in ourselves or others, but only makes the way for it to enslave us that much more. Practicing sin is when I choose to continue in it even though I know it to be wrong. If I condone that which is sinful, doesn’t that also make me guilty of sin?

Christians, let us not join together with others to promote the darkness of the powers and principalities of this world. Put on the full armor of God; join the army of the Lord. Determine not to be a part of those who have the appearance of being believers through the practice of their traditions of religiousity, but lack the power that can only come as a result of walking with the Lord in a personal relationship with Him. Too many today are depending upon one’s own ‘good works’ which, apart from God, are without eternal value.

In addition, there are those who have a head knowledge, or academic knowledge, of who Jesus is, but lack the heart knowledge and therefore have never received the indwelling Holy Spirit of the Lord. He is the third person of the triune God and is the one who convicts us of sin and our need for repentance and salvation through Christ. He does not condemn us for our sin, but convicts us that we may confess and repent, turn away from sin and turn towards the Lord. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”(II Chronicles 7: 14)

As Christians, we must be willing to take a bold stand for Christ. Do not be deceived into putting your trust in anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ, who died and was resurrected that you and I may receive salvation by faith in Him and what He has done for us. Do not be deceived or receive any other gospel. His arm is always outstretched to you and I, and He is always willing to forgive us if we will but confess our sin, repent, and ask for His forgiveness. It is written: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches.” Rev. 3: 20 – 22

Finally, when it comes to the issues of social justice and human rights, it seems that such issues should be easy for a Christian to agree with. However, it isn't that simple, for the resolution to such issues always presents two sides to the same coin. One side, based on a biblical world view, has a solid and unchanging foundation upon which to stand concerning what is deemed right or wrong, for God is the same yesterday, today and forever; whereas the other side, based on a secular world view, has no true foundation for right or wrong for it is all relative to what an individual, group or society chooses to perceive as acceptable, and that is always subject to change at any given time and place. Christians must be on guard at all times to make sure that their decisions, as to whether to agree or disagree with a given point of view, are based on the unchanging word of God and not just what 'seems' to be just, fair, and/or compassionate in the eyes of mankind. Of course, there is always a price to pay for doing so. At the very least, it will provoke others, especially those holding a secular world view, to indulge in name calling like self-righteous, intolerant, and bigot. However, we must not shrink from taking a stand that is based on the word of God, endeavoring to do so with humility and love towards all, whether they agree or disagree with us. Remember, Jesus said that if we are not for Him, we are against Him. The true believer can not sit on a fence, for we can not serve two masters. By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we will either bring our thoughts and actions into line with what His Word teaches us, or we will continually compromise until we take a stand for nothing. "Study (the Bible) to show thyself approved unto God that you may be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Timothy 2: 15)

Ginger Rahn

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End Of Life

I had come to the realization that death was near several times in my younger years: each time with a sense of peace about it. I vividly remember when a tower fell on me I was sure I was going to die. I can’t describe the overwhelming peace and wonder that I felt at that moment. In the past ten years or so, I have faced death more than once: again with a sense of peace. My Maternal grandmother, shortly before her death at 96, told me it wasn’t that she didn’t love us all, but that she was tired of living. Her husband, lifelong friends and family members she had known for so long were all gone and her physical condition was a burden.

As I ponder the fact that through age and physical condition, death is looming, I am not in fear of it but rather look forward to it, because I know what follows. I do not value long life as I use to because it is my desire to be with my Lord: face to face.

I look on death, now, as a blessing of the Lord. I look forward to being with Him as my trial life, here on earth, is coming to an end and eternal life awaits. Death is simply a passing over from one state of being to another. There is no way for anyone to cease to exist. We are all going to live forever: our souls were created by God and there is nothing that can destroy that creation. He knew you before you were conceived in your mother’s womb; and has followed you throughout your lifetime.

Back in 1979, when I was ‘called to speak for the Lord’; I really didn’t know what to do about the call. I wrote a few articles, some songs for the Lord and served Him as I saw opportunity. Today I realize that at that point I was not experienced in life, or in the Lord, enough to be fully up to that challenge. Since 2006, when I began to write again, I have realized that the experience and knowledge I have gained, since the ‘calling’, has enabled me to know the heart of God better. I realize now, that 1979 was not the time to fulfill the call but rather to begin the process of preparing for it.

I have taken note, through experience, that Matthew 18:57 and Mark 6:4 are still in force. I have some friends and relatives that do not recognize any authority in my writings. Jesus said a prophet is not honored in his home town. Jesus brothers and sisters didn’t recognize who He was, until after He rose from the dead. I am not puffing myself up here, simply saying that it’s all right to disagree with what I say. Plus, when I go, I won’t be coming back to prove anything.

Apparently I upset my sister when I told her that I was ready to go to be with the Lord. I wish that I could make her understand my true feelings on this matter. She brought up all the old adages about people missing me and my children depending on me. How much pain and suffering, physically and spiritually do we owe our friends and family? I know that the way the world looks at me might be described as depression. This I assure you is not the case. I told my doctor the other day that I was not depressed but rather disgusted. I have seen enough in my lifetime of the changes in my country and the world’s attitude toward the Lord, that I am sick to death about it

My wife and I have discussed the future and planned for it. We have our wills in place and instructions set. We have agreed that we will spend the rest of our lives, as best we can, in the will of the Lord. However, when He is finished with what He has for us to do here, we are ready to go to be with Him. We long ago committed our lives to Jesus as Lord and savior; therefore we are assured of what is going to happen. Until that time, however, we will fight tooth and nail against any infirmity, disease state or attack of the Devil that would deter us from our purpose.

To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. This is the hope and expectation that I have imprinted in my soul. Those of us, who truly have this life outlook, are only restricted by one question: when is the Lord finished with me? When I have completed what He has for me to accomplish, I’m outta here. Dylan Thomas said: “Don’t go gentle into that good night…..Rage, rage against the dying of the light”. If he knew who God was, he would have known that you go into a new day, where the light is the light of the Lord that never dies. I will go to Heaven at a full run, shouting for joy.

Rick Rahn

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