GRACE INSPIRATIONS

Deuteronomy 28:6... Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. Topics: Relationship With God Keywords:- Blessing(s) , Love Of God , God's Word , Benefits... Scripture Reference: Deuteronomy... God Daily Loads You With Benefits... In the Jewish community, the promise, “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out”, refers to being blessed in the affairs of one’s daily life, whether in or outside one’s home. So here, God is saying that you are blessed in your everyday life. Do you believe it? Do you believe that every day, your family and work life are blessed? Or do you think that you are blessed only during Christmas when you receive your gifts and year-end bonus, or when you get that promotion you have been wanting? Perhaps you think that the blessed life only begins when you meet the man or woman of your dreams! No, my friend, you are blessed every day and you have God’s Word for it. Psalm 68:19 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!” And because God’s Word says so, believe that every day of your life is loaded with benefits. Every morning, when you get up, believe that it is a day that the Lord has made, and rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24) Start the day expecting it to be loaded with the benefits that God has prepared just for you. At night, when it is time to sleep, know that you will be blessed when you get up in the morning because there will be another load of benefits from your heavenly Father, who so loves you unconditionally, waiting for you! You can’t make your blessings happen. But if you will just believe what God has said in His Word and act like it is so, the blessings will manifest in your life. In fact, God wants to bless you more than you want to be blessed! His Word declares it: “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out…Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!” Beloved, believe God’s Word. Believe Him for the blessings and you will find yourself loaded with His daily benefits! Thought For The Day: Start the day expecting it to be loaded with the benefits that God has prepared for you.

God's Judgement and Human Error

 Much confusion and wrong teachings exist among believers and non-believers in relationship to judging and God’s judgments. This must be sorted out if we are to go on to maturity, because God’s judgments are a basic reflection of His nature and character. So also are our judgments. Therefore, we want them to be in harmony with God.         As we have covered, Jesus never said we should not judge others. It is apparent in the context of the parable in which Jesus said this that He never said not to judge. Rather, Jesus said not to try to remove the speck from another’s eye until we have gotten the log out of our own eye. So we are not to judge others until we have first dealt with our own issues in the matter. It is a truth, with many historical examples, that hypocrisy leads to the worst kind of unrighteous judgment. Therefore, we must always examine ourselves in a matter before trying to correct others.          We have covered how assuming that we know the motives of others can distort our judgment and thereby lead to unrighteous judgment. However, this does not mean we do not judge our own motives. It is important we do. So what should be our motive? Love and the redemption, reconciliation, and restoration that love always seeks. This is why I do not trust my own judgments about anyone who I may have something against unless I know I have forgiven them and truly love them. We will not be able to judge our enemies correctly unless we love them. As I have repeated a few times, this is clear in Philippians 1:9:        And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in true knowledge and all discernment.          “True knowledge,” or knowledge that is true, and “all discernment” can only come when our love is “abounding.” Anything but love will distort our discernment of others. However, our love must be united with God’s love, and not just certain human sympathies that can be the result of ungodly soul ties and other bases for deception. Mere human compassion can lead to unsanctified mercy, which is giving mercy to the things God condemns. Many Christians get deceived when they follow their own human emotions or motives, instead of being united with Christ.          “God is love,” so we can be sure that all of His judgments are motivated by His love. That does not mean they are not severe at times, even when it involves condemnation or destruction. Again, some stumble when trying to understand this because they are trying to apply their definition of love instead of God’s definition. This is why understanding is required, which is “standing under”—implying that we can’t really understand someone else until we are standing in their place. Again, we must, therefore, stand under God’s place, seeing with His eyes, if we are to understand His judgments.

Draw Near To Jesus Christ

We have been addressing the elements or characteristics that make up the greatest Christian life. Of course, this is from my perspective, and others may have different ones. That is the beauty of the body of Christ—we all “know in part,” so to get the whole picture, we must put what we have together with what others have. I would count that as another characteristic of a great Christian life—the humility to be open and teachable so we can learn from others.             It does not mean you do not a have sound biblical foundation, or that you compromise your convictions when you relate to others who may have other persuasions on some things. It is the humility to realize that you do not know it all, or have the whole picture without considering the parts others have.          I have lain out in previous articles how I think the greatest Christians are those who love the Lord the most and pursue Him and the understanding of His ways with a whole heart. One of the greatest of these that I got to know by studying history was Count Ludwig von Zinzendorf of Germany.          One of the first accounts of Zinzendorf’s life was when he was eight years old. Invading Swedish soldiers broke into his house and opened the door to the room where he was praying. They were so taken aback by the depth and conviction of Zinzendorf’s prayer that they backed out of the room and then out of the house.           Zinzendorf was obviously very wealthy, possibly one of the wealthiest of his time. Yet historians call him “the rich young ruler who said ‘yes’” because he gave his entire fortune to promoting the gospel. William Carey, who is often called “the father of modern missions,” rejected that and said that Zinzendorf was the true father of modern missions and had been his own inspiration.          There are many remarkable anecdotes about Zinzendorf that other great Christians have shared who knew him. One characteristic that stands out even from the earliest stories about him was his personal love for the Lord, and then his friendship with Christians from diverse denominations and movements. One of his best friends was a Catholic bishop. He had others who were part of movements that were very anti-Catholic. Zinzendorf simply refused to base his relationship to others on church politics, but rather by their love and devotion to the Savior and what he called “the basics,” or basic Christian doctrines.          Zinzendorf took a lot of heat for some of his relationships, but he never abandoned them. He wanted to be the friend of all who he considered to be true friends of Christ. He also, though being very wealthy, spent most of his time with refugees and others from the lower classes. He was drawn to those who were drawing near to Christ regardless of the external issues of their life. That, I think, is another characteristic of a great Christian life.  

Famous on Earth Less Famous in Heaven

To live a great Christian life does not mean you must become famous. Some of the most well-known people on earth could be the least known in heaven. Likewise, the most well known in heaven could be the least known on earth. Having a great Christian life is not about fame. Rather it is having a life that is pleasing to the Lord and hearing on that great Judgment Day, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (see Matthew 25:21 NKJV).      Great Christians are the ones who find the true Christian life. This life is the greatest adventure that one can experience, and we are all called to be a part. If we walk with the Lord as we are called to do, our lives will be the most interesting and compelling we could ever live. Nothing is more fascinating than God, and nothing is more exciting than following Him.      Christian history is rich with accounts of those who followed the Lord, making them some of the most remarkable people to ever walk the earth. Even so, it is likely some of the greatest never made it into our earthly histories. These are not lost as they will certainly have made the eternal history of heaven, the one recorded in The Books of Life. These are the true history books that have documented human history accurately. Having our names recorded in them is worth far more than any treasure in the earth.       Even so, we have been blessed that the lives of many great ones are recorded for our edification today. These are our spiritual fathers and mothers, and studying their lives is one way we fulfill the commandment to “honor your father and mother” (see Deuteronomy 5:16). This is the only commandment with a promise of longevity and that life will “go well with us” if we obey. Better than just having an enjoyable life is having one that makes a great impact for the King. We will have eternity to enjoy the Lord, but the Scriptures make it clear that this life will determine who we are and what we do for eternity.       History came from the words His-story. We will understand on the Judgment Day how all human history really was about Christ. As we are told in Ephesians 1:10, all things will be summed up in Him. How are the things that we are now engaged in related to Him and His purposes? The degree to which they are engaged with Him will determine whether our life on earth was great or not.

The Apostle of Faith.

Smith Wigglesworth 1859 – 1947      British evangelist Smith Wigglesworth had one of the most extraordinary ministries of the 20th century. He continues to be a great inspiration to evangelists and believers around the world who believe the Lord still heals and delivers.      Born into poverty in Yorkshire, England, Wigglesworth worked in the fields and factories as a youth. Ultimately, he became a plumber. Illiterate until he married Polly Featherstone in 1882, his wife used the Bible to teach him to read. They resolved it would be the only book they would read.      While not considered a man of great learning, Wigglesworth touched the world with an uncommon faith. He had a rich and varied spiritual background. Born again at eight years old, he was taught by Methodists, Anglicans, Baptists, the Plymouth Brethren, and the Salvation Army.      When Wigglesworth began to preach, he became popular fast and eventually left his job as a plumber. In 1907, during the Sunderland Revival, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues. The Pentecostals quickly adopted him. He spoke at the Assemblies of God events in England, and later received credentials through the Assemblies of God in America.      Wigglesworth taught that God healed by simple faith, but he also considered many sicknesses as demonic. He called cancer “a living evil spirit.” His controversial methods sometimes involved hitting, slapping, or punching the afflicted part of the body. Wigglesworth often punched those suffering from complaints in the stomach with such force that the person was knocked across the room. When challenged, he said that he did not hit the person, but rather the devil he saw behind the sickness.      Without question, Wigglesworth had a rough and challenging style. He considered it unbelief to pray for someone more than once, and he removed people “full of unbelief” from the platform if he recognized they had already been prayed for. Even so, it was hard to argue with the results. Word of remarkable miracles spread through newspaper and magazine accounts, including reports of people being raised from the dead. His wife, Polly, was one of those brought back to life.      Wigglesworth’s ministry took him to a number of European countries, as well as India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, several Pacific Islands, and America. In every place, he became a sensation and attracted large crowds. Like any noteworthy ministry, he had detractors and was often vilified. This only seemed to grow the crowds. The hope of God moving again in power was greater than the fear the cynics sought to spread.        Wigglesworth never wrote a book, but some of his sermons were published. His life prompted others to write inspiring books about him. His simple but powerful faith inspired multitudes, touching them by the power of God flowing through him. Some credit the great Healing Revival that broke out in 1948, the year after his death, to the seeds he had sown.      No doubt this simple but extraordinary soul compelled a generation to believe that the Lord is the same as when He walked the earth. He still loves people and heals them. Smith Wigglesworth rightly earned the title by which he became known— “The Apostle of Faith.”

THE BORDER WAR

In the prosecution of a crime, you look for a motive, means, and opportunity. Those with the motive to kill Americans and destroy America now have the means and opportunity because of the failure of their government to secure their borders. It does not take a genius or a prophet to know their enemies are not going to let such an opportunity pass by, and the U.S. government is leaving the front door open to the enemies, just like the front door of the White House was left open.        they are more vulnerable to terrorist attacks now than they have ever been. U.S. will soon pay a terrible price if this is not addressed with the greatest resolve. The most basic responsibility of the federal government is defense, and the most basic defense of a nation begins with securing its borders. Just like what Donald Trumps campaign about securing borders is very vital to reckon with. U.S. government leaders are presently guilty of the most basic dereliction of duty or treason. It must be one or the other. The Dream:        On the night of October 17, I had a prophetic dream. It was about a “gate of hell” that has been opened into the United States. “Gates of hell” are the doors that hell uses to gain access to the lost souls. We have one of the biggest of these open into our country right now—our Northern border in Nigeria, the menace of Terrorist attack by Boko haram insurgency and also the Gate of hell is opened wide to the middle east - used by ISIL to win souls to hell, spreading their network to take over Europe, the ISIL plans is to occupy every high position of political power in government offices in all Europe by migrating throughout the borders to enter this good countries to spread venom in the land.        This does not mean that everyone illegally crossing the borders is a terrorist or has evil intent. It is likely that just a small fraction want to do harm, but this is enough to wreak havoc on the entire country and soon. In the dream, I was shown the unimaginable consequences the Israel will suffer from their closest enemies the Middle-East plans to eradicate Israel from the planet if they could, if their borders are not secured very soon.      Also the dream began with a gang of Terrorist that crossed the European borders to attack the people. They herded together everyone on the country, including family and workers. There were several children. Then with diabolical cruelty, they raped and tortured them. Then they killed them all in the most cruel, diabolical way imaginable. What they did to the children was the worst of all. Then they left with great excitement and celebration to attack another city. This was done in broad daylight. They did not seem at all concerned that they might be caught.       Then it was as if I was high over the land. I saw waves of Terrorist everywhere in Europe. Some appeared to be military units of ISIL, sweeping across the south and western Europe. It was like a great plague as they were pillaging, plundering, raping, and murdering. It was an invasion that threatened more Europeans than any previous war in history. I was surprised I did not see any U.K /U.S. military intelligence response to this invasion.        Even though the invaders were pouring into every Southwestern state, there was a special focus on Germany. They seemed to have a special hatred of the Germans. After Germany, it seemed their rage was directed toward Hispanics and Americans. This was understand since most of the invaders were Muslims and haters of the Christians and western world, but this is what I saw. We know that the insanity that came upon Rwanda turned Rwandans against Rwandans for even slightly perceived differences. In this kind of evil rage, reason can be very twisted. What I witnessed was a raging and insane brutality like the earth may have never faced before in Europe, if care is not taking by allowing terrorist to flood their borders.        ISIS and other terrorist groups were part of this horde, this migration was an ISIS led operation. In fact, the other Islamic terrorists who were involved in the middle east crisis were shocked themselves by the level of migration they witnessed in these recent times. I knew that what I was seeing was the evil spirit of modern terrorism mixed with ancient spirits of a deep and powerful witchcraft from some of the middle-east countries. The main evil spirit that was driving this was ancient, possibly rooted in old civilizations. When this mixed with the evil of terrorism, it became a concoction of evil like the world has never seen.         I woke up with a most startling supernatural manifestation in my room that I still do not understand. I know it is significant, and I will share it when I am given understanding.      This Can Be Prevented:          Many prophetic warnings are given so that we understand the schemes of the devil in order to foil them. What I saw in this dream will happen if quick, decisive action is not taken to secure borders now.          Days before I had this dream, I saw that America is in a Valley of presidential Decision between now and next year. When I asked what decisions they had to make, who will take the Presidency mantle, whose plan sought the Americans perfectly well, some say its Hilary Clinton, maybe they want history to re-write itself by given whitehouse to a woman in first time, or the business man billionaire Donald Trump, whose agenda is to close the borders and wipe out illegal immigrants, but I did not get an immediate answer yet. However, when I had this dream, I knew it was the answer. If the U.S. And the Europeans government does not secure their borders very quickly, every Americans and Europeans will be living in a constant danger from terrorist attacks very soon.          Prophetic timetables do not revolve around U.S. elections, but the upcoming elections are right in the middle of this time of decision that they have been given. every election from now on would be more important than the previous ones for the future of their country, including mid-term elections. This has proven true. If they don’t vote the right person, then they are voting for evil, because evil will fill every vacuum that the righteous allows. They must pray that securing borders becomes a major issue in the elections and that those who see and understand it are elected. E.g. "DONALD TRUMP"          There are other fateful decisions that will be made that will determine whether or not they will suffer the onslaught that I saw in the dream. We will know by the end of the year if the right ones were made to take over the Whitehouse. If not, then we will know it is time to prepare the U.S. homeland for the war that is coming. When serious preparation begins, a spirit of mockery will be released by the enemy to thwart it and keep them vulnerable.         The Christian Response: As Christians we must not walk by fear but by faith. We must wake up, but we must also resolve that we will not take action out of fear. Fear is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit. If we are led by fear, we are not led by the Holy Spirit.           When the Lord told of all the things that would come upon the world at the end of the age, He told His people to do two things: first to stand up and then look up. It is time for the righteous to stand up. The scariest thing in all of Scripture is the lake of fire. We are told in Revelation 21:8 that the first group thrown into the lake of fire will be the cowards. There is no place for cowardice in Christianity. It is time for Christians to stand up and demonstrate the faith we have in the One who is above all rule and authority and dominion. As Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10, if he still feared men, he would not be a bondservant of Christ. No true servant of the Lord can be ruled by the fear of man, but rather by the true and holy fear of the Lord.          It is time for the righteous to look up and see that the Lord is on His throne. He is not wringing His hands in worry, and neither must we. He is preparing for His kingdom to come and so must we.          We are commanded to pray for our leaders. We are not told to just pray for the ones we like or agree with, but the ones we have. We must pray for our present leaders, that they will wake up and be given wise counsel so that this gate of hell into the countries is shut. That is the best of all scenarios.                               There is much more to discuss about natural, practical preparation for what is coming into the World, but spiritual preparation is far more important. As Christians, we know that Satan cannot cast out Satan. The rage I saw coming upon Americans from the Islamic terrorist leaders who had allowed this was diabolical. Responding in rage is not the answer and will only multiply the access evil has in our country. Our non-Christian neighbors do not know this, and many will get caught up in this rage. Rage and revenge will try to fill America, yet Christians must stand up against this evil too.                  One of the major purposes of the United States is to be light to the nations in confronting one of the ultimate evils of the human heart—racism. It is one of the ultimate evils because it is the result of the ultimate evils of fear and pride. We become racists because we fear those who are different from us, or we think we are better than others because of externals. We are warned, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (see James 4:6 NKJV). The grace of God is more valuable than any earthly treasure. We should therefore resist pride in every way that we can. This begins with resisting thinking we are better than others because of the color of our skin.        The United States has had terrible racial problems in history. They still have major problems, but they have confronted them and made remarkable progress overall, even if they continue to have occasional, serious setbacks. The U.S. is a nation that is made up of all nationalities, and that has been one of our greatest strengths. They need to build on this strength.       When the Lord was asked about the signs of the end of the age, one of the first things He said was, “Nation will rise against nation” (see Matthew 24:7). The Greek word translated “nation” in these verses is ethnos from which we derive the English word “ethnic.” He wasn’t talking about countries fighting each other, but that one of the biggest events at the end of the age would be ethnic conflicts. Possibly more than any other nation, America is now positioned to be a standard to the world of the power of ethnic groups living in peace and harmony with one another. It is the devil’s intent to reduce America to a most deadly ethnic conflict. Christians, not the government, will determine which it will be.       We are commanded to love our neighbors. The commandment does not specify their nationality, or even whether or not they are legal neighbors. If we love our neighbors, we will protect them from any threat, and as Christians we must resolve to do this. As Christians we must resolve now to stand up for and help any vulnerable people.      The truth is that the Hispanic people are some of the easiest people in the world to love. Of all the ethnic groups America is made up of, Hispanics would rank at or very near the top of those who have been the greatest blessing to America. As we are told in I John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear….” If we are obeying God to love our neighbors, then we will not fear them regardless of any ethnic differences. If we love them, we will help protect them.      We must resolve now to grow every day in faith, not fear. We must resolve that we will grow in love and not fear. We must resolve to grow in the peace of God, not anger. Then the joy of the Lord will be our strength.   Summary:          “If you do not change your course, you will end up where you are headed.”          Even so, we do not have any time to waste. If the right decisions are not made by our government leaders to be decisive and resolute in defending the countries the lead by securing and providing for the people, then they have failed us all as a government. "especially in West Africa countries were poverty is on a play" Nigerians suffers the worst of getting good electricity, roads, good medical care, no cheap insurance policy that make sense, transportation system is messed up, and over 60% of the African leaders don't do their jobs as promised during their campaigns.          for the U.S. Let them all make the right decision to vote in the upcoming elections. Because of ISIS, national defense has risen to the top of the issues, and it should be. They are vulnerable as a nation, just as security breaches to the European borders should be a clear sign. The hedge of protection around our country is being removed by our leaders doing the things that we are warned will cause this to happen. Let us pray for our leaders to turn back to God or be replaced by those who will.          The only thing that will ultimately save our nation is another Great Awakening that turns the nation back to God. This onslaught across all European borders did turned European against one another. If this is not stopped, then it can still be lessened by wise leadership and wise preparation.            The most important preparation of all is for every Christian to truly elevate God’s house above the White House, or any other house including our own. We must seek first His kingdom, which means that all of our major decisions should consider the purposes of God above any other purpose. His kingdom is built on a Rock that cannot be shaken. If we have built our houses on this Rock, we will not be shaken either.

WHAT BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

“Thou shall neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” – Exodus 22:21 For some, including Rev. Robert H. Stewart, pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, that verse in Exodus tells us pretty much all we need to know about national borders, immigration policy and the controversy over Barack Obama’s threat to use executive orders to provide 30 million green cards to illegal aliens living in the U.S. Father Stewart told his flock it’s time to look upon those spilling over into the U.S. from across the southern border with compassion. And who could argue with compassion and mercy? It’s always good when people consider the moral implications of public policy. So the Bible is a good place to start exploring the right and wrong of immigration laws. But seizing on one or two out-of-context verses in the Bible does not make for the kind of comprehensive moral case you would expect of those urging “comprehensive immigration reform.” The Bible actually has a lot of say about national borders, foreigners, citizenship and the law. For starters, I challenge anyone to check an exhaustive online or offline concordance for the word “border” or “borders” to get an appreciation of how many times God’s Word references these terms. While not all of them are relevant to our discussion, I count 169 references, most of them making the point that God really cares about them. Is that surprising? He cares about boundaries between nations. In fact, it is God Himself who invented nation-states back in Genesis 11. Why did He do it? It seems He scattered the world’s population and created the diverse languages in an effort to subvert man’s efforts to unite in a global kingdom under a false universal religion. Keep in mind, this took place before God created the nation of Israel. Interestingly, one of the prime motivations of those behind the promotion of borderless societies is this very same notion of regional government and global government and the breakdown of nationalism. What was wrong at the time of the Tower of Babel remains wrong today. That should be clear to anyone and everyone whose standard of morality is the Bible. Remember the Tower of Babel story? It seems there was a man named Nimrod who attempted to set up the first world government and the first false religion. Experience more of Joseph Farah’s no-nonsense truth-telling in his books, audio and video products, featured in the WND Superstore After the Flood, God decreed that man should scatter across the whole earth and be fruitful and multiply. But, about 100 years later, a large contingent of men, under the leadership of Nimrod, whose very name means “let us revolt or rebel,” decided they would settle in Shinar and build a tower to make a name for themselves. God foiled this plan by scattering them around the world and creating new languages among the new nations that were thus established. Make no mistake about it: Nation-states are an invention of the Creator – a deliberately chosen device to serve His purposes. That’s what we’re told in Acts 17:26-27: That God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord.” The purpose of nation-states seems to be to restrain Satan’s efforts at creating his kingdom on earth. That will happen eventually – only when God Himself permits it in His timing, as shown in Revelation 17:17: “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” But nation-states serve another purpose as well – to be God’s instruments on earth for meting out justice and providing protection for the people (Deuteronomy 17:14-17). Ultimately, the political debate about borders and illegal immigration is a debate about national sovereignty. You have heard it said that if we don’t have borders, we don’t have countries. It’s really true – especially when two countries very different from one another in language, culture and economy share a 2,000-mile border as do Mexico and the U.S. But, as the Bible shows, it’s not just a political issue, it’s a moral issue – it’s an issue, ultimately, of right and wrong. But, first, what about those selective biblical citations used by apologists for illegal immigration? There’s much more to consider. I have prepared two previous “Bible study” commentaries on this topic for those who want the complete picture: a Bible study on immigration; another Bible study on immigration. Countless Bible studies have been conducted in America in recent years using some familiar citations about “strangers” and “aliens” and applying them to our current controversy. Let’s take a look at those – in context. There are many more like Exodus 22:21. Leviticus 19:33-34: “And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” Exodus 23:9: “Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:19: “Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Some churches and synagogues have stopped right there after reading that last verse and decided they know all they need to know about their duty as Christians and Jews to illegal aliens. “We’re supposed to treat them just like one born among us, according to the Bible,” they proclaim. “That means amnesty. It means all the benefits of citizenship.” But is that true? Is that what the Bible is actually teaching – or is there some nuance that is being lost in the translation? You can develop some really bad theology – not to mention politics and morality – by reading the Bible out of context, by not fully understanding what is being said to whom and about whom. Strangers that sojourn with you or live with you do not equate with illegal aliens. In fact, the corollary here, in each and every case, is that the children of Israel were “strangers” in Egypt. That’s why they were to treat their own “strangers” well, because they knew what it is like to be “strangers” in a foreign land. Clearly, then, what it means to be a “stranger” is to be a foreigner. In the case of the children of Israel in Egypt, they were invited and, at first anyway, were honored guests. Later, they would be oppressed by a generation who “knew not Joseph.” But they were certainly not trespassers. They were certainly not in Egypt illegally. They were certainly not breaking the laws of the land by being in Egypt. In fact, they were commanded not to offend their hosts in any way (Genesis 46:28-34). So, we must conclude that “stranger” does not equal “illegal alien.” Even when the term “alien” is used in the Bible, it seems to have the exact same meaning as “stranger.” God loves the stranger, we’re told. You should, too. They should be treated with respect and dignity. They should not be mistreated. That’s the clear message of the Bible – treat law-abiding foreigners and aliens with love and compassion. But the aliens and strangers of the Bible were expected to obey the Hebrew laws, though they were exempt from some. They were also treated differently than the children of Israel in that they could not own property; they could be bought as slaves and charged interest on loans. Only if these aliens and strangers were fully converted to the covenant could they be landowners, partake of the Passover and be fully integrated into the nation of Israel. In other words, even though the aliens and strangers of the Bible were not illegal aliens, they were still expected to fully assimilate into the Hebrew religion and culture before they could receive all the blessings and all the responsibility of full citizenship. Is there a moral lesson for us to learn right there? You bet there is. Further, keep in mind these godly instructions were meant not just for the governing authorities in Israel – the judges and kings – but, more importantly, for the people. These were personal instructions. And they are clearly good instructions for us all today. If we want to be compassionate to the strangers and aliens of our world today, those law-abiding foreigners who desperately want to come to America and are patiently awaiting their turn, we need to be certain they don’t get squeezed out unfairly by those who break the law and push ahead of them in line. And we should expect them to fully assimilate into our national culture. We shouldn’t be mean to those lawbreakers, either. We shouldn’t mistreat them. We should even forgive them. But they have to leave. They haven’t been invited. They are not our guests. They are not just strangers; they are trespassers. They are victimizing others through their presence – namely American citizens and foreigners who are trying to immigrate to the U.S. legally. They need to go back home and get in line like others waiting to enter our country lawfully. They need to follow the rules. Let me conclude with one last relevant verse – Deuteronomy 27:17: “Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.” Amen, indeed.

The Mark of The Beast - "666"

In Revelation 13 it is prophesied that at the end of the age there will be a false prophet that arises to prepare for and give power to one called “the beast.” This “beast” deceives the nations and requires all to take a mark, 666. Without this mark no one can “buy, sell, or trade.” This “mark of the beast” has been a dominant subject in eschatology (the study of biblical prophecies of the end of the age) since the first century, and many things have been called this that turned out not to be so. However, we know it will come, and it may be upon us.      Few events in history have so remarkably fit the biblical scenario of this mark as the potential U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage. As bizarre as this may sound, this is an uncanny parallel to the biblical prophecy. Even if this is not the actual mark of the beast, it is at least a precursor, a “dress rehearsal” that sets up the world for this ultimate test.   Understanding “The Beast”      First, taking the mark of the beast is not the sin, but rather worshipping the beast. The mark is just the evidence of what one is doing. So to understand the mark, we must first understand the beast.      This “beast” has been presumed by many Bible scholars to be an individual, such as the “antichrist” figure. He is also called the “man of sin,” or “abomination of desolation” prophesied by Daniel. Others have seen it as a system, a world power such as a world bureaucracy. Some have believed it to be the spirit that dominates the world at the end of the age. Some have concluded that it could come in all of these forms. There may be some merit to all of these assumptions, but the principles given in Scripture for identifying the nature of the beast are clear enough for any seeker of truth to discern it, regardless of the form in which it comes.      This beast “comes up out of the earth,” which is a term for “earthly mindedness.” Such is the root of what is popularly referred to as “secular humanism.” This is the philosophy, perspective, or “worldview” promoting the exaltation of man, his wisdom and abilities, above God. This philosophy presumes that man does not need God and should not consider Him as a factor in human affairs even if He does exist.      Because man was created at the end of the sixth day, the number six is often symbolic of man in Scripture. For this reason, many have presumed that the number 666, or three sixes, was man’s attempt to displace the Trinity, and could fit with this belief.      The “abomination of desolation” that was prophesied by Daniel, Jesus, and the first century apostles could have been translated “the abomination that desolates.” Because homosexuality is referred to as an abomination in Scripture, and its impact on Western culture is so quickly and profoundly desolating the moral fabric of Western civilization, it is to be expected that many will start to consider this “the abomination that desolates.”      Who could have dreamed just two decades ago that we would have major cities celebrating “Days of Decadence” with all manner of perversions being performed and flaunted openly in our streets? Who would have thought that such a moral and religious nation could fall so quickly to the ultimate national depravity spoken of in Isaiah 5—calling what God calls “good,” “evil,” and what God calls “evil,” “good,” while the dishonorable are honored and the honorable are dishonored? Is that not precisely what has happened to America in just the last generation?      The meltdown of morality in our military could be happening even faster. Just a few years ago, the U.S. military was such a bastion of morality and integrity that adultery was considered grounds for dismissal because one’s vows had been broken. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” was the handwriting on the wall that a devastating change was coming. But who could have foreseen the pace of the desolation of our military since homosexuality was openly allowed in the ranks? It moved quickly from everyone having to accept it, to everyone having to celebrate it if you expected any further promotions, to now being forced out if you do not celebrate it.      Christians are now openly discriminated against, if not persecuted, in the U.S. military. Not only are some of the best and brightest leaving the military, they are no longer choosing it as a possible career.      The same is taking place throughout government services on all levels, as well as corporations, education, and the media, as was once the case for a long time in arts and entertainment. Now, with a single Supreme Court decision it could be that Christians, Muslims, and Jews that honor their books as the word of God will not be able to “buy, sell, or trade” in America without the constant threat of losing your business, or your position and livelihood, because of an offended homosexual.      Even if this is not “the mark of the beast,” it will be for those who are now losing what they, in some cases, have given their lives to build, because they would not compromise their religious convictions in order to buy, sell, or trade. If the Supreme Court decision falls the way it is expected to, we can be sure that very soon every Christian in America will have to make a similar choice between obeying the Word of God or this beast.   The Great Awakening      The good news is that few things have begun to wake up the sleeping giant of the church like this issue now before the U.S. Supreme Court. A growing number of the most influential leaders across the spectrum of Christianity are now calling for civil disobedience if the Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right to be enforced throughout America.      Regardless of what caveats the Supreme Court may add to their decision to feign protection of our freedom of religion, an ultimate firewall that protects all of our freedoms will have been breached. Six thousand years of recorded history where marriage was always between a man and woman will have been overturned. Already there are applications for threesomes to be married, and polygamy at any level will have to be accepted. We also have applications filed for some to “marry” their animals. Voices within the gay agenda have declared that they see nothing wrong with pedophilia. One bad decision for our Supreme Court and America’s slide into depravity will then have been greased, and we will go down fast, unless…   Saving America      America’s slide to this point of moral depravity seems to have happened quickly, but it didn’t. It is the result of a very intentional, systematic erosion of our values that has been going on for almost a century. Only recently has the momentum of this evil strategy gained speed as we enter into the last phase of what the perpetrators boasted would destroy America from within.      This strategy has been very public on the part of several major groups, who will end up fighting each other over the spoils if they succeed. But for now, we must focus on what will stop and then reverse this momentum in order to restore the foundations America was built upon.      President Reagan was at least partially right when he said, “Government is not the answer, it is the problem.” Our salvation will not come from the White House, or any other state house. It can only come from the church house. If the church in America does not rise up to become the salt and light she is called to be, there is no remedy, and an ever-deepening darkness will continue to spread over our land with increasing speed and devastation. The encouragement is that the biggest sleeping giant of all is starting to wake up.      When I was in Washington recently, a congressman said to me that there would be more courage in Washington if they saw more courage in the church. He said they do not feel that the church has their back. The church in America must ultimately accept the blame for what has happened in America, but it can also be the solution. Following are the four major crises in the church that are also the basis of the major crises of our times, as identified at a recent roundtable of leaders of national and international stature: We have a crisis of courage.    This is the failure of Christian leaders to address the crucial issues of our times with clarity and boldness. We have a crisis of a lack of moral excellence in the church.    This has robbed the church of its moral authority. We have a crisis of Christian disengagement from our civic responsibilities.    This has robbed the world of the salt and light capable of preventing its corruption and dominance by evil. We have a crisis of a lack of the church’s preparation for the inevitable challenges of our times.    This will cost loss of lives, and it will cost many the greatest honor we can receive for our lives—hearing,“Well done, good and faithful servant”(see Matthew 25:21 NIV).    The church is called to be the salt and light in this world, and this meltdown has happened on our watch. We must take responsibility, and we must take action. If we will take responsibility, acknowledge our failures, which is repentance, and become what we are called to be, this great failure can become one of our biggest victories, and our nation can be saved. If the church does not do this, we do not have much time left.    When the Iron Curtain fell, the church was not ready. The cults and crooks were ready, and they filled the vacuum. The week following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, churches were flooded with their biggest crowds in history. The church was not ready, did not have the answers, and another one of the greatest opportunities in recent times was lost. The next strike will be our third, and we cannot fail this greatest of all responsibilities and opportunities. If we do, it will very likely be our last chance.   What Do We Do?   First:      We must decide now that we are going to obey God and that we will refuse to obey any mandate from any power that is in conflict with God’s Word. We must be prepared to pay the price for obeying God, which is likely to be significant and can affect the rest of our lives. Of course, the price of not obeying Him will be much higher and eternal, so we need to determine now who we will serve.      For such a choice, we need to be clear about what God’s Word says on these ultimate issues. As the Lord said through Isaiah the prophet, if we do not speak according to His Word then we do not have the light. Each of us must choose whether we believe His Word or not. Then we must choose if we will obey it or not. We can expect these choices to both prune and purify the church. What remains of the church will likely be much smaller, but it will be far more powerful.      Accepting that The Bible is God’s Word to us is a major issue for all who claim to be Christians. Many have accepted the constant attacks on the validity of the written Word by the enemies of the faith. The very first lie of Satan was to get Eve to doubt what God had clearly said, and this has been his basic tactic since causing the fall of multitudes. Make no mistake about it—this is the point at which we will fall or stand.      Let us consider that if Jesus, who was the Word, would take His stand on “It is written!” how much more must we? Now is the time for all Christians to decide this issue. If we are going to follow Christ, we must believe His Word, fortify ourselves in His Word, and obey it.      Many Christians have bought Satan’s lie that would cause them to doubt what God has clearly said. Doing so makes it even easier for them to buy into the teachings that blur what God has made clear on just about any issue. Those who have done this will soon fall away. This will be a major factor separating the true from the false.      The next major factor that will likely cause many to fall away will be the fear of man, or caring more about what people think than what God thinks. The first group cast into the lake of fire at the end of the Book of Revelation is the cowardly. We can expect many who know the Word of God to fall into this category, because they fear men more than God. In Scripture that is an idolatry also called “an abomination,” as is the one who turns their ear from hearing the Word of God (see Proverbs 28:9).   Second:      We must strengthen our own foundations, especially those under specific attack. The most important of these is the family. This is the most basic and important of all units within a culture or nation. Family is under relentless attack now, not just the definition of it.      A happy, functioning family is one of the greatest lights. Being part of a happy, functioning family is one of the greatest experiences we can have in this life. Being in a dysfunctional family is at the root of our most devastating social problems.      We must also teach and esteem manhood and womanhood, with all of the dignity and nobility they are given by God in the Scriptures. After getting one to disbelieve that The Bible is the Word of God, the devil’s basic tactic is to blur the distinctions that God has made clear. If we are going to be lights in our time, we have to stand against the spirit of this age and esteem men who are men, and women who are women.   Third:      We must call what God calls “sin and wickedness,” sin and wickedness, and we must repent of it ourselves. God does not forgive excuses—He forgives sin that is repented of. We’re not repenting if we are making excuses, or blaming someone else for the way we are.      Homosexuality is called an “abomination” in Scripture. Abominations are weightier than other sins because they are so destructive that they bring desolation. Now let’s consider some other things that are also called “abominations” in Scripture:   lying spreading strife using unjust weights devising evil plans worshipping idols a proud heart the way of the wicked the devious acting unjustly those who scoff (ridicule) shedding innocent blood wearing clothing of the opposite sex those who justify the wicked while condemning the righteous  sacrifices made to God by those living in wickedness those who choose (vote for?) those who are of “no account” those who oppress the poor and needy, rob, or fail to keep their word       Now, who has never committed an abomination? If you claim you have not, you are likely guilty of the abomination of lying. So what do we do? We do not say everyone is okay because everyone is guilty, which is an ultimate folly that we are warned against. The Word of God is clear in places like Galatians 5 that such will not inherit the kingdom of God.     What we do is: We first get the log out of our own eye if we are guilty of, or are still practicing, any of these. Then we judge those who are trapped in sin for the purpose of their redemption, reconciliation to God, and their restoration from sin and its consequences.   Fourth:       This is not last because it is the least important, but because it is the most important. We must grow in love for God and one another. We are told, “Love never fails” (see I Corinthians 13:8), which could have been translated, “Love never quits.” Anyone will quit at some level except for those who are in love.       We must love God above all to love all as we should. “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing,” and this is the main thing we are called to do. This will be the main thing that determines if we will be successful human beings or not when we come to the great Judgment Day.       We are also commanded to love our enemies. The gay agenda has turned into the biggest enemy of Christianity in America at this time. Extreme elements within the agenda are resolved to drive Christians into “the closet,” just as they were forced to live for so long. Other enemies of Christianity are joining with them in seeking to drive Christ out of our culture. This is the definition of “antichrist.” Even so, we are told that our war is “not against flesh and blood” (see Ephesians 6:12), or people, but against the spiritual forces that have them in bondage.       We are also told that we, Christians, have been given divinely powerful weapons that can bring down every stronghold exalting itself against the knowledge of God (see II Corinthians 10:4). We will address this in a future Bulletin, but this is a battle we cannot lose if we follow “the Captain of the host,” or the Captain of God’s armies.       We must keep in mind that during the greatest times of darkness, the Lord raised up His greatest lights. Some of those greatest lights were those who came out of darkness, like Paul the Apostle. Paul was possibly the greatest enemy of the church for a time, and he was transformed into possibly the greatest friend of God and builder of the church.      Let us keep in mind that even those who, at this time, may be in the greatest opposition to God and His truth, if saved, can become some of the greatest champions of the faith. The transformation of the enemies of God into friends of God is the greatest victory of all. This will happen to many if the present followers of Christ will stand up as the champions of the faith we are called to be. We are here now for such a time as this, and it is now our turn.

Revelation of Heaven

A Divine Revelation of Heaven by Mary K. Baxter ------------------------------------------ Foreword The inspired writings of Mary Kathryn Baxter are divinely anointed by God, and they have blessed hundreds of thousands of people. I believe it is of utmost importance to widely disseminate the message that God has given to her. She shares these experiences in hundreds of churches each year, and she has now put them down in book form. Her previous book, A Divine Revelation of Hell, has been especially used of God to deliver the eternal message of salvation to the lost. It has been widely received with enthusiasm by people all over the world, having been printed in many different countries and in many different languages. Well over half a million copies have been sold to date. I believe this book, A Divine Revelation of Heaven, will be received in an even greater way. As Mary Kathryn Baxter’s pastor for several years, I know her personally, and I fully endorse her ministry. God has placed His approval on her work by anointing her ministry and by giving this message such a wide acceptance. This book is the result of many prayers, tears, and hard work. I pray that its wide distribution will be the cause of many souls coming to know the Lord and making preparations to spend eternity in heaven! -T. L. Lowery, Ph.D. ---------------------------------------------------------- Introduction This book is an account of a number of true experiences I have had with God. It is not the work of an overactive imagination or the pipe dream of someone who hopes for something better than this life has to offer. Heaven is a reality, and the experiences I describe in this book are told just as they happened to me. I did not see everything there is to see in heaven-it will take eternity to do that. I do not relate everything I saw in heaven; even Paul did not do that. (See 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.) But I am relating all that God has told me to share. I want to give special honor and thanks to my pastor, the Reverend Dr. T. L. Lowery, and to his beautiful wife, Mildred, for their support, encouragement, and valuable contributions in this endeavor. I also would like to express my sincere gratitude for the staff of the National Church of God and for the Reverend Marcus V. Hand for his editorial guidance on this book. Additionally, I gratefully recognize and credit all those at Whitaker House in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, who have been instrumental in so many ways in making both A Divine Revelation of Heaven and A Divine Revelation of Hell available to the reading public. I am grateful to God who has called me to share this message. I thank you who have strengthened and encouraged me in my God- called ministry. God bless you all! -Mary Kathryn Baxter ---------------------------------------------------------- TO KATHRYN FROM JESUS For this purpose you were born To write and tell What I have shown and told you, For these things are faithful and true. Your call is to let the world know That there is a heaven, and there is a hell, and that I, Jesus, was sent by the Father So save them from torment And to prepare them a place in heaven. ---------------------------------------------------------- Inside the Gates God, in His infinite mercy and grace, permitted me to go to that beautiful place called heaven. The logistics of my trip to His home and back to earth are unclear to me, but I cannot be mistaken about the reality of it. How were the incomparable wonders of heaven revealed to a mere mortal like me? Let me start at the beginning. One night the Lord appeared to me and told me I was chosen for a special assignment. He said, “My child, I will manifest Myself to you to bring people out of darkness into light. I have chosen you for a purpose: you are to write and make a record of the things that I will show and tell you." I submitted myself to God completely, and astounding things began to happen. I was taken from where I was at the time and transported into hell itself. I was aware of all five of my senses: I could see, feel, hear, smell, and taste. Yet, this was a supernatural happening. I realized that the impact it made on me was for a purpose. For days after I was taken by the Lord into hell, I was very grieved in my heart. My heart was sad and burdened because of the horrors I saw. I had viewed the judgment of God on sin and on the people who had gone to hell. I prayed earnestly to God and sought His comfort. On the thirty-first night after these events began, the power of Almighty God fell on me again. At two o’clock in the morning, a mighty angel stood beside my bed. Jesus Christ was standing behind the angel. As I looked on the face of the Lord standing there, He smiled at me, but He did not say anything. The mighty messenger of God said, “God has given me a special mission. I am sent here to take you to heaven and to show you parts of it." After a moment, he spoke again, “Come and see the glory of God!" At once, I was supernaturally transported from my home and found myself standing out side one of the gates of heaven with the heavenly angel. The overwhelming beauty of what I saw around me was breathtaking! The clothing the heavenly being wore looked like a brilliant garment of light. The angel had triangular-shaped wings that glistened with the colors of the rain bow. Although I wasn’t surprised, I was amazed at the indescribable beauty of God that was evident all around. The next thing I knew, the angel repeated an exclamation that I would hear many times: “Behold, the glory of God!" The magnificent gate that stood before me in splendor was made of a solid pearl. In awe I took in everything I could of this most beautiful sight. At this point, I could not see the Lord anywhere, but I was totally enraptured by the glory of heaven. ENTERING HEAVEN When we arrived there, two very tall angels were standing outside the gate. Both of them wore glistening robes and had swords in their hands. Their hair was like spun gold, and their faces gleamed with light. The angel accompanying me moved over to speak to the two angels guarding the gate, and I was left standing alone. In amazement, I thought, “Oh, how glorious are the gates of heaven! How wonderful it is to see this one for myself!" Suddenly, I realized that I was actually going to enter into heaven. As I watched the angels of the Lord, I could hear some of the conversation they were having. One of them went inside the gate and returned almost immediately with a small volume. The book had a gold cover, and the printing inside was also in gold. It seemed to be a book about my life’s history. My name was stamped on the cover: Mary Kathryn Baxter A smile of approval came over the angels’ faces. They opened the book. They looked at each other, then said in a voice I could hear, “She may come inside the gate." My guiding angel escorted me through the magnificent gate and into heaven. Suddenly, music filled the whole atmosphere. It was all around me. It was above me. It seemed to penetrate my very being. Wave after powerful wave of beautiful music and singing surged across the landscape and seemed to envelop everything and everyone. When I stepped inside the city, amazement again took my breath. The landscape of that in comparable city was beyond description. Surrounding me were the most beautiful, colorful flowers I had ever seen. There was unbelievable greenery and vegetation everywhere. Even the blooms of the flowers seemed to be alive to the music and the singing. Music continued to swirl about me. I seemed to be a part of it. It is one thing to try to describe the wonders of this city; it is quite another to know that you will share the joy of it. I saw some of the exuberant citizens of heaven, and they were all dressed in robes. This Scripture came to me: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10) The happiness and joy that beamed from their faces was beyond compare. Heaven is a real place. It is not a figment of someone’s imagination. In the Bible it is re corded that Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:1-2) Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Since we as children of God have been transformed and made new by the miracle of regeneration, and since we are now new creations in Christ, it is a joy to know that the place where we will spend eternity is prepared by the Savior who saved us. Heaven is a perfect place. Since our Savior is perfect, omnipotent, and eternal, heaven has to be a perfect place. Because He is preparing us a place there to live with Him for all eternity, our eternal home will be perfect, too. Nothing will ever mar any part of that heavenly abode. There will never be anything allowed to enter heaven to defile it or spoil it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27) Heaven is beyond the reach of sin and sinners of every kind and description. Satan will be forever barred from that heavenly place: And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars [ angelic hosts] of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. (Revelation 12:3-4, 7-10, 12-13) That serpent, Satan, and his unholy cohorts will never again rear their ugly heads in the pure and holy climate of heaven! The demons cannot enter heaven. The fallen angels who rebelled against God and “who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode" (Jude 1:6) cannot return to heaven. Nothing will be lacking in heaven. No de tail will be left out to keep its environment from being perfect. No matter where we go on earth, no matter where we live or how expensive our homes may be, there are obvious faults and flaws to keep them from being perfect. In contrast, God has made no mistakes in constructing the place called heaven. Its glories, its beauties, its wonders are beyond human powers of description. The indescribable splendor of that beautiful place is wondrous to behold. The combined brilliance of the light of the Son of God reflecting on walls of jasper, gates of pearl, mansions unnumbered, and the beautiful River of Life creates a scene no artist could ever adequately depict. HOME OF REDEEMED SOULS Heaven is a permanent place. No enemy will ever conquer the paradise of God. There will be no crumbling of its buildings, no decay of its materials, and no withering or dying of its vegetation. No smog or radiation will ever pollute its holy atmosphere. This permanent, abiding place is an eternal, continuing city. We sing this song, written by Hattie Buell: A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there; Tho’ exiled from Him, yet still I may sing; All glory to God, I’m a child of the King. In that incomparable place, saints will find sweet deliverance from all disappointments, heartaches, tragedies, and disasters. There will be no more sorrow or woe. There will be no more pain. There will be no more crying: And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4) The joyful citizens I saw in heaven seemed to have come from many different ages and countries. Various nationalities seemed obvious to me. Then I remembered another Scripture I had read: And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation." (Revelation 5:9) EMPLOYED IN PRAISING GOD Excitedly, my soul praised the majesty of God! The sorrows I experienced and the grief I suffered when I saw a revelation of hell now seemed so far away. This was a revelation of heaven. I saw entire families together. Everybody was happy, going somewhere, doing something, smiling. A glow graced every face I saw. All the saints in heaven seemed to be occupied. They were constantly busy. They spent their time praising and magnifying God. Songs were on everyone’s lips. The atmosphere of music was the dominant mood. Eternity will not be spent in leisure and laziness, as some have mistakenly pictured our final destination. We will do more than float on a cloud, strum a harp, or wiggle our toes in the River of Life. Our time will be occupied in service to God. Just what the nature of this service will be, we cannot say, but there can be no doubt that His people will serve Him. DIAMONDS FOR SOULWINNERS I could see diamonds-glittering, glistening, exquisite diamonds-diamonds everywhere! Some were are as large as blocks of concrete. Some of these diamonds seemed to be for the mansions of those who were soulwinners on earth. It seemed that every time someone led a soul to Christ, heaven provided a diamond for that faithful Christian. The Bible says, The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30) Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3) As I stood drinking in the splendor and grandeur of that glorious place, I saw an immense, beautiful angel coming down a path. In his hands he held a scroll, which had gold edging on it. The angel laid the scroll on a pedestal table, which was made of a silvery material unlike anything I had ever seen before. The oblong table literally glistened with light. The scroll had a name written on it. One of the saints picked it up and began to read it. “Jesus is the Master Builder," a saint in heaven told me. “He determines who deserves the diamonds and where they go. This scroll I hold is a report from earth of a person who has led someone to Jesus, who fed the poor, who clothed the naked-who did great things for God." When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom pre pared for you from the foundation of the world: “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; “I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? “When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? “Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?" the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Then He will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-41, 46) ROOM FOR EVERYBODY The angel repeated the welcome theme to me: “Come and see the glory of your God." At the Lord’s direction, I am recording this account of heaven as I saw it. We need to under stand that the focus of our hopes and desires should be to spend all eternity with our Lord. Heaven is the land of dreams come true! I’m excited about heaven because after our works and labors on earth are finished, we will leave this earth and go there. God has prepared the city, and Jesus is preparing a place there for those of us who love Him. PERFECT COMMUNION Unbroken fellowship between God and man will be completely restored in heaven. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, God paid visits to this earth. After fellow ship with Him was broken by sin and disobedience, God continued to show His desire for communion with mankind. His ultimate expression of love for man kind was the giving of His own Son to die a merciless death on a cruel cross. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, fellowship between God and man again became a possibility. Even now, the circumstances of life can hinder our intimate fellowship with God. But, in heaven there will be no more hindrances. We will know perfect fellowship with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Fellowship with Him will be complete. Heaven is the abode of the living God. It is far above the atmospheric heavens and beyond the planets and galaxies. It is the everlasting home of “The Redeemed of the LORD" (Isaiah 62:12). It is the eternal destination of all the children of God through faith in Christ. You do not need to fear being crowded into a tiny cubicle in heaven that has been labeled a “mansion." When the redeemed of the ages are gathered home to glory, there will be sufficient room for all of them to have one of the many mansions, the many dwelling places, which Jesus said He was preparing for us in His Father’s house: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. (John 14:1-4) Heaven definitely has room for everyone: After these things I looked, and be hold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God. (Revelation 7:9-11) TEARS IN HEAVEN At one point I was taken to a particular place where the angel stopped and said to me, “God wants me to show you the room of tears." Many times you may have read in several passages in the Psalms about our tears and about how God cares for us. The angels catch our tears and put them in bottles (Psalm 56:8). Many times I had wondered about what this meant. I know that many of you reading these words have cried many tears for your loved ones, your children, your mate, or your family. Especially if you’ve gone through a separation or a divorce, you have felt like all hope was gone. You have grieved over your lost loved ones. I want to tell you that God showed me a room of tears. It was so beautiful. The angel took me to a grand entranceway that had no door. Looking inside, I could see that the room itself wasn’t large, but the holiness and power radiating from it amazed me. Lined with crystal shelves, the inside walls glowed with light. On the shelves were many bottles, some of which were in clusters of three and looked like clear glass. Under each sparkling cluster of glass-like bottles was a plaque with a name on it. There were many of these bottles in the room. Then inside the room I saw a man who appeared to have been glorified. His deep purple robe was very beautiful and looked like velvet. An elegant table, which was made of a rich-looking material and glowed with majestic splendor, was just inside the door. The lavish display I saw astonished me! Books were lying on the table, and they looked as if they were sewn in the most beautiful silk-like material I have ever seen. Some had diamonds, pearls, and lace on them; others had green and purple stones on them. All of them were intricately made. I thought to myself, “Oh, God, how beautiful these books are!" I love books. These books especially appealed to me. They were stunning. As I gazed about, I was overcome with wonder. At this point the man in the room said to me, “Come and see. I want to show you this room, and I want to explain to you about tears. This is only one of many rooms like it. I am in charge of this room." As he talked, a large angel came through the entranceway. The beauty and majesty of this heavenly being astounded me. I noticed that he wore a white, glistening garment with gold-edged trim that went all the way down the front. He seemed to be about twelve feet tall and had very large wings. The angel held a small bowl in his hands. The golden bowl was filled (see Revelation 5:8) with a liquid. The man in the room told me, "He has just brought me a bowl of tears from the earth. I want you to see what we do with this." The angel handed him the bowl, along with a piece of paper. The note held the name of the person whose tears were in the bowl. The man in the room read the note and then went over to one of the places where the bottles were kept. He read the plaque under the bottle, and I knew it matched the person from earth who was named in the note. The man picked up the bottle that was nearly full and brought it over to the bowl. He poured the tears from the golden bowl into the bottle. "I want to show you what we do here," the man said to me. "Tell the people on earth about this." Then he took the bottle over to the table, picked up one of the books, opened it, and said, "Look!" The pages in the book were completely blank. The keeper of the room said to me, "These are tears from the saints of God on earth as they cry to God. See what happens." Then the man poured a drop from the bottle, one little teardrop, on the first page of the book. When he did, words began to appear immediately. Beautiful words, elegantly handwritten, started appearing on the page. Each time a tear fell on a page, a whole page of writing appeared. He continued doing this page after page, time and time again. As he closed the book and spoke, he seemed to be saying to all humanity as well as to me, "The most perfect prayers are those that are bathed in tears that come from the hearts and souls of men and women on earth." Then the angel with rainbow wings said to me, "Come and see the glory of God." GOD OPENED THE BOOK Immediately, we were transported to a huge place with thousands and thousands of people and heavenly beings. Oh, it was beautiful! In a little while the people seemed to fade away, and an even greater display of God’s glory began to appear everywhere. The high praises of God became thunderous. The angelic messenger took me to the throne of God. I saw a huge cloud, a mist, and I saw an image of the Being in the cloud. I could not see God’s face, but I saw the glory of God and a rainbow over the throne. I heard the voice of God, and it sounded to me just as John de scribed it: "I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder" (Revelation 14:2). In this mighty arena, I saw many horses with riders beside the throne. Suddenly, I saw a book lying on the huge altar in front of God’s throne. I saw angels bowing before Him. Standing in awe, I watched this scene, and I saw what looked like a man’s hand come out of the cloud and open up the book. Somehow I knew it was the hand of God that opened the book. Amazed, I saw what looked like smoke ascending from the book. Suddenly, the most beautiful perfume I ever smelled filled the whole area where I stood. The angel told me that this book contains the prayers of the saints and that God was sending His angels to earth to answer the prayers from the cries of their hearts. Every body was praising and magnifying God. As God opened up the book, pages began to come out of the volume and fly into the hands of the angels on the horses. I could hear His voice, "like the voice of loud thunder," shouting and saying, "Go, answer her prayers! Go, answer his prayers!" You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me. In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word), ‘ In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:8-11) The living Word of God explains to us what He does with our tears. How beautiful it is to understand the glory and the wonder of our God! How marvelous it is to be recipients of His compassion! He cares even about our tears. Many Scriptures speak to us about our tears, about our sorrows, and about God’s com fort for us. Read these and rejoice: Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you." (2 Kings 20:5) I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief, it grows old because of all my enemies. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication; The LORD will receive my prayer. (Psalm 6:6-9) For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. (Psalm 116:8) Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:5-6) He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces. (Isaiah 25:8) Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. (Jeremiah 31:16) The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:17) And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4) And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:10) Glory to God, heaven is a real place! We will really be going there. And, we will not be vapors of smoke floating on a cloud when we go to heaven. One of the wonderful things about heaven is that our tears and sorrows will be replaced with eternal joy, as promised in the Word of God. Yet, there is much more! ---------------------------------------------------------- The Throne Of God Heaven is a real place. It is a literal destination. It is not some ephemeral dream, some imagined vision. God has revealed to all of us many of the realities of heaven through the Holy Scriptures. THE FIRST HEAVEN First, there is an atmospheric heaven. This is the atmosphere around the earth. It is where the birds fly and the winds blow. This is where showers, storms, mists, vapors, and clouds are formed. The sky is the place the angel was referring to in Acts 1:11 when he asked the disciples why they were "gazing up into heaven." Jesus, when He was talking to His Father, "lifted up His eyes to heaven" (John 17:1), or toward the sky. THE SECOND HEAVEN Then, there is the heaven of space. This is the region of the sun, the moon, and the stars. It is mentioned in the Bible in many places, a few of which are given here: 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. (Genesis 22:17) And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. (Deuteronomy 4:19) Can you bind the cluster of the Pieiades, or loose the belt of Orion? Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? (Job 38:31-33) For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. (Isaiah 13:10) Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (Matthew 24:29) THE THIRD HEAVEN The destination of the righteous, however, is beyond the atmosphere and the starry skies. This place is what the apostle Paul referred to when he wrote, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven" (2 Corinthians 12:2 NIV). Heaven, as I am using the term throughout this book, is the region often spoken of as the immediate presence of God: For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. (Hebrews 9:24) Heaven is where God lives. When Jesus taught us to pray, He said to pray to "our Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:9). In 1 Kings 8:30, heaven is called the dwelling place of God. In Psalm 11:4, it is called God’s holy temple and the place where His throne is. There, in the temple of God’s divine majesty, His excellent glory is revealed in the most conspicuous manner. It is a sacred place of light, joy, and glory. We don’t know exactly where the location is, but often in the Bible heaven is indicated as being "up." We know that God Almighty is in heaven. There He and Jesus Christ are the central focus of saints, angels, and all worshipping beings. What glorious company there is in heaven! Angels are there, because Jesus said, "In heaven angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 18:10). The saints are there because Jesus promised us, "Where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3). We are told in 1 Peter 1:4 that an inheritance has been reserved for us in heaven- an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that will not fade away. Saints, it excites me to testify of my beautiful visit to heaven. I am thrilled to tell you of the things I saw and the people I saw. THE PRAISE OF HEAVEN After the angel of God had shown me the room of tears, he repeated the litany I heard so often throughout my visits to heaven: "Come and see the glory of your God!" The radiant, magnificent, celestial splendor of heaven overwhelmed me. The blazes of glory that seemed to shoot from everything I saw filled me with awe. The beauty and bliss of that fair land cannot accurately be pictured by the mind’s eye unless a person has seen it for him self. At that moment, I thought of the words I once heard someone quote: The light of heaven Is the face of Jesus. The joy of heaven Is the presence of Jesus. The harmony of heaven Is the praise of Jesus. The theme of heaven Is the work of Jesus. The employment of heaven Is the service of Jesus. The fullness of heaven Is Jesus Himself. As I went with the angel, I could feel joy, peace, and happiness everywhere. My thoughts went to my family on earth, and it seemed the angel knew my thoughts. He said to me, "You have a mission to fulfill for God. You are to tell the people on earth what is up here. God is showing you some of heaven, but not all of it. Come and see the glory of your God."

Supreme Court vs Supreme Being

When the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) declared same-sex marriage to be a constitutional right, it was a slap in the face to the laws of God and man. It was a direct frontal assault on both religious freedom and the Constitution of the United States, undercutting the very foundations on which they stand. This is a brief on the consequences of this momentous decision using “The Three Questions” from the U.S. Army Manual for addressing a crisis. Those questions are: 1)  What is happening? 2)  What is not happening? 3)  What can we do about it?          As we address these, we will begin with the natural first and then the spiritual. What is Happening?          As the four dissenting justices pointed out, the Supreme Court does not have the constitutional authority to make this decision. First, even though SCOTUS has taken this authority upon itself, it is a usurped authority and nowhere does the Constitution give it this authority. The authority to determine the constitutionality of laws was given to Congress, not the courts. We are now suffering under the very tyranny that the founders warned about if the courts ever presumed this authority. Regardless of our position on same-sex marriage, every American should be deeply troubled by the actions of SCOTUS that this case is just the most recent and dramatic. Creeping Tyranny          The first reason this crucial authority was given to Congress instead of the Executive branch, or the courts, is because the Congress is elected every two years, and therefore would be the most accountable to the people, who in the U.S. are the sovereign. The courts were for deciding whether or not individual cases had been tried fairly and justly. But nowhere is any court, including the Supreme Court, given authority to determine if a law or action is constitutional.          Congress does have the authority to designate specific cases to the court for this purpose if it chooses to, but if Congress does not give this authority in a specific case, SCOTUS has no legal authority for such a decision, and it is therefore not valid.          The second reason why this was an unlawful decision is that the Constitution states that any authority not specifically given to the Federal Government is reserved to the states and the people. Nowhere is the Federal Government given authority to give definitions or policy on social issues such as marriage and the family. The hubris of the Supreme Court to change the definition of marriage that has been universally accepted in civilized nations for six thousand years of recorded history is not only shocking, but an unprecedented level of arrogance by the Supreme Court.          Because Congress’ accountability to the people would be the most direct, it was designed to be the most powerful of the three branches of government. It was given “the power of the purse” to maintain their ultimate authority. Because of weak leadership in Congress, both the Executive and Judicial branches have usurped Congress’ authority in recent times to the point where it is now almost powerless, and the predicted tyranny is now a reality.         Without the constitutional authority to do what it did, the SCOTUS has violated its oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States from enemies both foreign and domestic. It is against every principle of a republic to have five un-elected officials determine the law of the land. This is why Justice Scalia declared this decision “a threat to democracy.” This was not an overstatement. If this is allowed to stand, we no longer have a Constitutional Republic in America.            What the Federal Government has become is proof that you can have the best form of government and still have bad government if you put bad people in it. The whole system by which we nominate our leaders has become distorted in order to favor incumbents and the establishment so that it is nearly impossible for the will of the people to prevail now.         The government of the United States was not established to be the all-powerful authority over everyone, but rather to be the servant of the people. We, the people, are the sovereign and everyone who works in government is supposed to be working for us. It has now become a runaway monster that is consuming everything in its path. If the people do not rise up to take their authority back, then it will very soon require another revolution to recover democracy in America. The Foundation of Our Union         The Constitution is the foundation upon which our Federal Government is based, and without the Constitution, our Federal Government no longer has legitimate authority to govern. There has been a long and continuous erosion of the links between the laws and actions of the Federal Government and the Constitution. This decision on same-sex marriage may seem innocuous and even frivolous to most Americans, but it represents such a radical decoupling the Federal Government from the Constitution that it will destroy the legitimacy of the Federal Government if allowed to stand.                The overreach of our Federal Government has put itself in great jeopardy, and in recent years it has divided Americans into factions instead of uniting them. A growing chorus of states is talking seriously about secession, and this is a very real possibility.         Paul the Apostle wrote to Titus that even false prophets can sometimes tell the truth (see Titus 1:12-13). Pravda, the Moscow daily newspaper, has been predicting for years that the United States would break up into several pieces just like the Soviet Union. Their reasoning was not based merely on sour grapes, but on the historically proven consequences of the kind of direction in which our government has been going. To date, we have most alarmingly followed the pattern predicted. We really are close to breaking apart. Worldview         Islamists consider America “the great Satan” because of our moral and spiritual debauchery that has made us “a homosexual nation”—so perverted that the only remedy is to wipe us off the face of the earth. Their belief about the U.S. has now been affirmed by this Supreme Court decision. This decision will likely make their recruiting to this cause much easier. This is not the only issue fueling these groups, but it is a major one. This is not to imply we should ever base our laws or domestic policy on what other nations think, but we should understand how we are perceived by the nations and how it will affect our relations with them. This has also been a major wedge driven between the U.S., Russia, and China, as well as Africa and South America. To much of the world, the U.S. and Western Europe now look like Sodom and Gomorrah. What is Happening (Spiritually)?            All devout Christians, Muslims, and Jews base their faith on the written word that they hold to be the revelation of God’s will for those who serve Him by seeking to obey Him. These three major religions have a clear definition of marriage in their written word, and all three agree that homosexuality is a sin. To compel devout Christians, Muslims, and Jews to accept homosexual marriage as marriage forces them all to decide if they will obey God or men.          The very first lie of Satan that was used to cause the fall of man was “Did God really say that?” This remains Satan’s most deadly strategy against mankind—to get us to doubt the clear Word of God. If we are true Christians, we must establish in our hearts and minds what God says about these issues and resolve to stand on His Word. He said that if we do not obey Him, then we are not really following Him. This is an obvious demarcation point that will force many to choose if they will follow God or man.          Just as the devil attacked Adam and Eve by trying to confuse them about what God had really said, he begins this same attack on every believer. He knows that if he can get us to doubt God’s Word, then he can keep us deceived our whole lives. The devil continues to use this strategy because it has been so successful, and it has been successful in our own time with many Christians. This is why studies of even conservative evangelical Christians who are supposed to be the most devoted to The Bible revealed that less than 10% of them had a biblical worldview.          The Lord gave us His written Word so we could see the world, mankind, and ourselves as He does. To see as He does is to see the truth. As the Lord said through Isaiah the prophet, those who do not speak according to His Word do not have the light in them (see Isaiah 8:20). Of the Christians I have discussed the Supreme Court decision with, only one used Scripture for their perspective. Most of the Christians I talked to were parroting the world’s perspective, which is based on a humanistic philosophy that stands in direct conflict with God’s will as revealed in His Word. According to His Word, these have already fallen away and do not have the light.          A primary reason for this has been the dumbing down of The Great Commission to merely making converts instead of disciples, which is defined as teaching them everything the Lord commanded. Lacking this solid foundation of biblical truth has made it very easy for the devil to deceive and confuse Christians about what God really said in His Word. Now we must ask from what were these saved?         God made His opinion on homosexuality very clear. In the Book of Revelation, we see that one of the final and ultimate conflicts is between the Lord’s messengers and “the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt” (see Revelation 11:8). This issue will be a demarcation point that will determine who will walk in His truth.          Because of the shallowness of believers to even know what is in His Word, it is likely that not many will be standing at all very soon. Of one thing we can be sure, if any are standing, it will be enough. If just one is standing on the truth, the truth will ultimately prevail. Even so, for a time we can expect that those who will be standing on the truth and wholly following the Lord will be paired down to a very small number.          The increasing persecution against Christians in America is already having the positive effect of having many Christians’ worldview challenged. Some are waking up to the profound differences between what the Scriptures actually say and what they have been told they say, often even by their own compromising pastors. This will be fuel on the fire of another Great Awakening. Regardless of how small a number the faithful become, their faithfulness will ultimately turn the tide. There will be a Third Great Awakening in America.          All devout Christians, devout Muslims, and devout Jews have been thrown into the same boat on this issue. Already many non-religious Americans who care about freedom and the Constitution are beginning to also speak up. It will be most interesting to see how this plays out.          As the divisions in our country become more clear and pronounced than ever, look for the greatest unity and fellowship to grow in the small and persecuted company of the faithful. It is always worth it to stand on our convictions without compromise. We will also find out that those we did not think we had any common ground with are standing together with us. What is Not Happening?          First, the same-sex marriage issue is not about allowing people who love each other to have a committed relationship. The LGBT has been brilliant in keeping so many Americans believing this, and the naïve, the ignorant, and the lukewarm have bought into it. Those in marketing, branding, and messaging know that they will be far more successful by projecting a simple message and staying on point.          You must give the LGBT credit for knowing what they are doing in forming public opinion. Regardless of what they say, the LGBT community is between 1.6% and 2% of the population. The way they have changed public opinion in America in such a short time is a remarkable accomplishment.          However, to American citizens, this is about freedom—everyone’s freedom, not just freedom of religion. The religious have rights too. If the LGBT has the right not to have moral standards imposed on them, then the religious have the right not to have immorality imposed on them. To force what a religion considers to be sin imposed upon the devout, taught to their children, or to determine whether or not they may do business, is the destruction of the freedom of religion in our country and a profound undermining of all our other freedoms as well.          Second, Christians do not hate homosexuals. I am pretty well connected in conservative evangelical circles, as well as with other movements and denominations. I do not recall ever meeting someone with a hatred of homosexuals. Disagreeing, even vehemently disagreeing, is not the same as hatred. Hatred is what anyone who has stood up to the LGBT has usually faced.          Most devout Christians that I know have friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family members who are homosexuals. I don’t know any who do not love and respect them. That is the biblical command for Christians, but it does not mean we have to agree with them. Disagreeing does not mean one is a hater, or a homophobe. For the LGBT to keep using that tactic will be their own ultimate undoing.          Most Christians that I know would fight to protect homosexuals from being attacked or discriminated against. The resistance of Christians that I know to same-sex marriage has nothing to do with depriving the rights of homosexuals, but about preserving their own rights and freedoms that have come under continuous and relentless attack from the LGBT.          The LGBT has been most successful in getting its message out.  Christians and other religious conservatives have done a very poor job of getting their message out, or educating their fellow believers about the real issues, much less the public in general. Much of this is the result of Christians being in such disunity. As we are taught by the unfolding consequences of this SCOTUS decision, which will be a very expensive lesson, the Christians that are left standing will unify and will get their message right.          The LGBT has fought with great courage, resolve, and wisdom. The lack of courage in the Christian community may be the greatest crisis in our times. One congressman recently said to me that if they saw more courage in the church, we would see more courage in Washington.          With but few exceptions, the conservative religious community has been just as lacking in resolve and wisdom as it has lacked courage. The exceptions being things like the passing of Proposition Eight in California. In that case, one homosexual judge, who should have recused himself from even hearing this case, threw out this vote by millions of Californians. Is that how a republic is supposed to operate? Of course not, which is why the courts were not given the authority they have now usurped, and by this are destroying the foundations of our Republic. But the protest against this was hardly a whimper.           The LGBT has been successful by using Saul Alinsky’s strategies outlined in Rules for Radicals. This is basically using threats, intimidation, and almost any form of guile to win, because the end justifies the means. These have proven very effective against a weak or indifferent people, and now they have proven effective in America. We can, therefore, expect a lot more of the same until there is a courageous and resolute stand against any agenda that uses such tactics. What Can We Do About It? #1)   We must resolve that we will obey God rather than men.           The Supreme Court does not have authority over the Supreme Being. Christians are commanded to respect and obey the laws of civil governments until they conflict with the laws of God. Then we must obey God rather than men. This test has come frequently in history, and is a basic determining factor in who we are really worshipping.          We will all one day stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. The worst thing we could suffer is to come before Him as a watchman who did not sound the alarm, or a shepherd who failed to protect His people. Let us resolve above all things that we will obey Him regardless of the consequences. The greatest souls to ever walk the earth were all similarly tried. Many of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ risk their lives every day to worship and obey Him. Now it is the American church’s time to be tested. #2)   Know what you believe, and why.          We must resolve to base our convictions on the clearly revealed Word of God in the Scriptures and to reject the enemy’s devices to confuse them. If Jesus, Who is the Word, would take His stand on “It is written!” how much more do we need to know what is written and resolve that we will believe and live by it regardless of what anyone thinks of us?          Spurgeon once said he could find ten men who would die for The Bible for every one who would read it. This is likewise a great tragedy of our times and a reason why so few believers are true salt and light as they are called to be. Have the noble spirit of the Bereans who, even after hearing the great Apostle Paul, went back to search the Scriptures for themselves to see if the things he taught were true. #3)   Engage in the crucial issues of our times.          According to Isaiah chapters 1-5, an ultimate depravity a nation can fall into is to start calling evil good and good evil, to honor the dishonorable, and dishonor the honorable. Good is what God calls good, and evil is what He calls evil, not what is politically expedient. Because the U.S. has fallen to this ultimate depravity, we are now suffering the first of the consequences of this that is foretold.          The first judgment against such a nation is to be ruled over by the capricious and immature. How else could you better describe what has happened to our country? It gets worse if we do not repent. The things that will soon come cascading down upon us are not the Lord smiting us as much as Him just removing His hedge of protection, so that we reap what we are sowing.          For the sake of our country, our fellow believers, and even our enemies, we must never compromise our convictions regardless of the consequences. It is time to be bold. The great ones who have taken such a stand in history have often lost all they had, including their freedom, and in many cases, their lives. But they never lost their faith in God. It is worth any price to remain faithful and not compromise His truth that has been entrusted to us.          The only reason why anti-Christian forces are prevailing in America is because the church is asleep, or worse, lukewarm. As we are warned in James 4:17, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (NKJV). If just a small fraction of the evangelical church had voted in the last two elections, we would have different leaders, and we would have a different Supreme Court. We would not be talking about these issues that are now trouncing upon our liberty.          From the Executive to the courts to the Legislative branches, the Federal Government has become dysfunctional and incapable of leading through these times. Democracy has not failed, but we have failed democracy. We did this by allowing all the things the founders warned us the Republic could not survive. In many ways, our Republic is now on the brink of collapse. Yet it will not collapse, if we turn to the One who upholds the universe by the Word of His power. He can restore us.          The Lord promised that if just two or three would gather in His name, He would be with them. Two or three with Jesus is an overwhelming majority against even the biggest forces of evil. Do not be like the ten evil spies who were intimidated by how big the giants were in their land; be like the faithful Joshua and Caleb who saw the same giants, but saw how much bigger their God was than any of them. #4)   Never forget that “Love never fails.”          We must love the Lord above all else. We must love our neighbor as ourselves. If we love someone, we will tell them the truth. If we love the truth, we will devote ourselves to finding it, and then obeying it, always keeping in mind that truth is what God says it is, not what men say it is, even those on the Supreme Court.           Always remember that God’s definition of a word is what counts. His ways are higher than our ways, and His love is higher than our love. His love is not like that which is based on human sympathy or lust. His love will never fail, and it is His love that we must seek and walk in. His love is also severe at times. Do not confuse fallen human emotions with His love.          Keep in mind that the heathen only believe as we would believe if we had not been shown grace. They are only doing what we would be doing if we had not been shown grace. It is not just a cliché but sober truth that “Except for the grace of God there go I.” We must pray for grace for our adversaries, and the greatest victory of all is their salvation. #5)   “Love never quits.”          This is how the verse from I Corinthians13 could have been translated, and it also applies. Do not give up on your country. The greatest prophets arose, and the moves of God in history all came during the times of greatest darkness and debauchery. Regardless of whether or not we personally get to see it in this life, the truth of God will ultimately prevail. The nations will come to His light, just as we are promised in Isaiah 60:1-3 and other places.          We must not put limits on how long we will stand or what cost we will pay to stand for God and His truth. We do not just stand for truth because it is the winning side, but because truth is our oxygen. God’s truth will ultimately win, but for His own reasons, the Lord often allows setbacks to test His people. Truth will win over all deception and lies, but we may not get to see that in our lifetime; however, our life can help lead to this victory if we live by the truth.  We stand because it is the right thing to do.         Just as the apostles went out rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for the sake of the name of the Lord, to be persecuted for His truth is one of the greatest honors one can have in this life. This is something we now get to do. It is now our time.         Don’t give up. The ship can still be saved. It is heavily damaged and listing to the port side (left), but as long as it is still floating, we must resolve to save her. We cannot allow to be lost on our watch what so many paid such a high price to found and to preserve.  #6)   Walk in the truth.         Again, truth is what God says it is. The first principle of walking in truth is to know what God has said about the matter and to obey this. We must not continue getting our worldview from humanistic philosophies such as political correctness, but rather on what God has clearly said. That being said, it is not enough to merely know the truth, or stand for it, if we ourselves are not walking in it.        One of the greatest veils of deception on all people is rooted in the tendency to judge people or groups by their most extreme elements. Conservatives do this to liberals, and liberals do it to conservatives. Christians do this to the LGBT, and the LGBT does it to Christians. It is not right to do this, and is in itself a deception.         As the Apostle Paul wrote that we should not judge anyone after the flesh (externals) but after the Spirit, and Martin Luther King, Jr. prayed that the day would come when we would no longer judge each other by the color of our skin, but the content of our character, this is a good time to practice it. It is the right thing to do regardless of whether the other side does it or not. #7)   It is time for Christians to boycott.          I would never advocate using tactics such as those found in Rules for Radicals because they are diabolical. The second reason I would not use them is that they are good for short-term success, but are almost always ultimately counter-productive. You can force someone to say what you want or do what you want, but it will never be in their heart if they are forced. In fact, they will hate being manipulated and pressured, and will rebel against it as soon as they get the chance.         The truth has more dignity than to stoop to such tactics as those taught in Rules for Radicals. However, Christians have never really used one of our most powerful weapons—the power of the boycott. It is not unrighteous to stop buying from those who are supporting attacks on our faith and liberty. That is just wisdom. It is now time to use this.          If even 10% of Americans who claim to be Christians boycotted any company or industry, the consequences would be immediate and dramatic. There would quickly be far more concern for this than anything other anti-Christian groups could ever hope to counter. Besides, we should be supporting those companies and businesses that share our values.