He is King Of The Jungle

Here is a Video I made of our Vacation Bible School. Enjoy the video and the knowledge we had 10 souls saved that week. Praise The Lord!!

The Death Of America

Recently the California Supreme Court legalize gay marriage. I don't know what shocks me more the fact that they did it, or the fact it went virtually unreported in the media. The Bible tells us that the world get worse and worse as we reach the end times. The Bible believing Christian should understand the times and be prepared for them. First Chronicles 12: 32 says"And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment." Just as the childern of Issachar had an understanding of the times, and how Israel should react to those times Christians in America should understand the times they live in.

I truly believe if our founding fathers knew what kind of nation they had on their hands today they would be very ashamed of us. The homosexual lobby in America does not want equal treatment they want special treatment. It is not enough for them to be left alone, they want to make the rest of us accept their lifestyle. While I'm not hateful of homosexual people, their lifestyle is one I cannot and will not accept. However, I do not put the death of America upon homosexual people I put it on the activist judges who are not content in just interpreting existing law, they must make their own law. This is a strange and cruel perversion of our system of government.

The California Supreme Court has told the people of California that if they do not agree you with the votes they've given they can overturn it when they wish. This week in a 4 to 3 ruling they upheld that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. The Rev. Susan Russell of all saints Episcopal church was quoted saying, "The justices have ruled in favor of the sanctity of marriage and against bigotry… This is good news for all Californians." It should be noted Miss Russell is herself a lesbian.

Theological liberals everywhere in California are celebrating this " historic" decision. They claimed this is just a new application for the symbolism of marriage. Those of us who believe the Bible however know differently. We see this decision for what it really is the next step along a slippery slope to judgment. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah before her, I believe America is headed towards judgment, and just like Lot of people who can make a difference have been made in affective by sin and compromise. Lots sat in the gates of Sodom a place of respect and leadership he had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those people but he chose not to. I fear too many Christians are like a Lot and too few are like Abraham.

So what is the answer? Where should we turn to? Who should return to? The answer is found in the Bible, Psalms 121: 1-2 says, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth." Let us not be dismayed God is still with this, He is still on the throne, and not even California Supreme Court can change that.

The Real Jesus

While I have never given much credence to anything that comes out of the sewer of liberal thinking, this latest outrage was to vile to not comment. A new book called Jesus of Nazareth: A Realistic Portrait. You can read Realistic as Humanistic. An Amsterdam publishing house announced that is this new biography of Jesus Christ written by Hollywood director Paul Verhoevan the man responsible for Basic Instinct and Starship Troopers. In this book Verhoevan puts forth the theory that Jesus was the product of a sexual assault of Mary.

Let me state first that idea that Mary was raped is not a new idea by any sense of the imagination. Critics and scoffers have put forth this vile lie for many years. In fact the idea dates back all the way back to the first or second centuries. What this is an old lie wrapped in a new package. This is a direct attack on the deity of Christ, again not a new concept. It should be noticed that after 2000 years this lie has made no impact on Bible believing Christians.

According to a Fox News Story Mr. Verhoevan has been working on this book for 20 years. I find it amazing that he has put so many years into this project only to come up with supposition and conjecture. If someone wants to know who the real Jesus is one must look to the word of God. John 10:30 says, “I and my Father are one.” It is in this scripture that Jesus himself proclaims that he is equal with the Father. Again in John 14:9, “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” In John 10:30 the word one is the Greek word εἷς (pronounced hies) it is an adjective in what is neuter in gender, what it means is that Jesus is not just one with God in will or power but is one with him in essence or nature.

Jesus is one with the Father, Adam Clark says, “If Jesus Christ were not God, could he have said these words without being guilty of blasphemy?” John 8:58 says, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Again in John chapter five Jesus made a claim to be one with the Father, he then back up his claim. It should be know that Jesus’ audience knew exactly what he was saying. In John 5:18 the Bible says, “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” The Jews knew what he was claiming. Jesus Christ is God, to deny that fact is folly.

Let me conclude this commentary with a verse, Philippians 2:5-11, “ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” There is coming the day when everyone will bow their knee and confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord of all the Earth, even Paul Verhoevan.

Dealing With The Devil

Problems in the land of Israel have been nothing new since Joshua showed up on the shores of the Jordan. Although the weapons have changed the basic problems have stayed the same. In Genesis 12:1-3 God gave Abraham a promise to give his descendants a land. Fast-forward 400 years or so we find the children of Israel in slavery to Egypt. After God gave the Egyptians ten very good reasons to allow Israel to leave, and after forty years of wandering the children of Israel found themselves at the banks of the Jordan.

The Israelites were willing and ready to claim that promise The Lord had given them. The one problem was that God had promised them the land, but they had to work to claim it. Under Joshua the Israelites made short work of Jericho and Ai. Then we come to Joshua 9:3, “And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai” The news of the Israelite army work at Jericho and Ai had traveled to the next city. The inhabitants came up with a plan to save themselves. They sent ambassadors dressed very poorly to meet Joshua and they lied to Joshua.
Joshua indeed to make a pact with them to spare them, this was a direct contradiction to what God had commanded them to do in Deuteronomy 7:1-3:

Deu 7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Deu 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Deu 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
The inhabitants of Gibeon continued to be a thorn in the side of Israel hundreds of years afterward. Just as a side note God commanded them to be destroyed because God knew that the Canaanites would cause the Israelites to wander from the God’s Word and His commandments, and that is exactly what happened.

Today there is talk of another treaty, there is talk of peace. The problem is that this talk is about peace at any price. Former President Jimmy Carter is meeting with Hamas leaders this week. According to Fox News Carter even hugged and kissed Nasser Shaer, a top Hamas leader. Shaer is quoted as saying, "Carter asked what he can do to achieve peace between the Palestinians and Israel ... and I told him the possibility for peace is high.” The price for peace according to Hamas is the destruction of Israel.

Mr. Carter has given credence to Hamas and their gospel of hate by meeting with them. He also has adopted an Israel is the problem approach to Middle East diplomacy. This is a mistake, politically as well as Biblically. God has promised to bless those that bless Israel, and to curse the nations that curse them. God is not finished with Israel, and peace with the devil is not peace that nobody should have to live with.

The Attitude of The End Times

The news never ceases to amaze me. Every time I read it I become more convinced that we live in the last days. I recently read about a group of girls that lured another young lady to a house where they assaulted her. This group apparently videoed the assault so they could post it on the internet. What makes this even more disturbing is that this was done by children. In 2 Timothy 3 Paul gives his young protégé Timothy a description of what the end times will be like. We find this list in 2 Timothy3:1-9:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

This list gives us a description of the attitude that would be pervasive in the days leading up to the return of Christ. One honest look at the news today would convince any Bible believing Christian that we are living in the last days. The first thing that Pail tells Timothy is that the last days will be perilous. Matthew Henry said, “When there is a general corruption of manners, and of the tempers of men, this makes the times dangerous to live in; for it is hard to keep our integrity in the midst of general corruption.”

If I had to describe our way of life today in one word, dangerous or perilous would be a good one. We see danger in every area of our society. Not just merely a danger of dying or injury, but also of corruption. 1Timothy 4:1 “ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” We see false teachers abounding. What makes these people dangerous is that they creep in they disguise their dangerous teaching as Christian doctrine. Sometime ago a well meaning person gave me a small book called “The Secret.” This person told me that the book changed their life, and it lined up with the teachings of Jesus Christ. I read the book and found it full of New Age philosophy. What concerned me was the fact there are some who are teaching this book in Sunday Schools.

We indeed live in a dangerous time. Whether that comes from the outside or the inside we need to be vigilant. We must be in the Word of God on a daily basis, we must study it, memorize it, and give heed to it. The Word of God is a light unto our feet, it will keep us from stumbling, and give us direction in these dangerous time. In the next few post we will be looking at these characteristics in detail. It is my prayer that you come back and read the next posts.

Why Liberals Fear Faith

Sometime ago, newspapers carried the story of a young man named William, who was a fugitive from the police. The teenager had run away with his girlfriend because the parents had been trying to break them up. What William didn't know was that an ailment he had been seeing the doctor about was diagnosed, just after his disappearance, as cancer. Now, here was William, doing his best to elude the police, lest he lose his love, while they were doing their best to find him, lest he lose his life. He thought they were after him to punish him; they were really after him to save him.

This young man is representative of liberals all over the country today. They are working so hard to fight faith. Ironically it is the one thing that would save them. Christmas time is again upon us, and with Christmas time come the slew of ALCU lawyers with subpoenas in hand ready to strike down any public mention of Jesus Christ. The liberals crusade against Christ is nothing new even Jesus himself said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18

I John 3:13 says, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” We should not be surprise when the slings and arrows of hatred are hurled at us. If the world put our Lord on a cross and killed him we should not be surprised, or shocked when a Harvard trained Pharisee comes knocking on our door with a cease and desist order. The question we have to ask ourselves is, “Why?” Why is they hate Jesus so much? Why is it they tolerate idolaters, like Mohammed or Buddha?

The answer is found in James 1:22-24, “ But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” James here is speaking to his readers about the importance of not only hearing the Word of God, but doing it as well. A faith grounded in the Word of God breeds action for the work of God. All to often I sat in church, three services a week, said amen, did all the right things, but never acted out my faith.

James is telling us that our faith is more than just an intellectual exercise, it is more that a moral imperative, it is the act of a Just and Holy God, reaching down and communing with sinful men. Liberals fear faith and the Bible because it is a mirror, and the reflection they see in that mirror is the man that God sees. All the sin, all the vice, God strips away the excuses, and he melts away the circumstances when he says that ALL have sinned, and All have come short of the glory of God. In the end when God sees us he does not see us as liberal or conservative, he sees us as forgiven or not forgiven. When God looks down on me I know that all he sees in the shed blood of Christ on my soul. When he looks down on your soul what does he see?

Why I like Mike

As a preacher from time to time I am asked to dive into the political pool. While I believe in voting and voting your faith, I hesitate to give advice. This is mainly because my business is God’s Word and if there are no two diametrically opposed forces than Politics and God’s Word. However in certain conditions when the time is right and God moves I am forced to comment. Now is such a time, it is time for Republicans to start choosing a candidate.

While I could never support Rudy Giuliani for President because he is a pro-gun control, pro-abortion candidate who in my estimation is no better than a liberal democrat. I also considered The senior senator from my state Arizona John McCain. I again in good conscience could not support him, I am not interested in a president who wants more government, in my life. I want a man in the Oval Office who will support my political views as well as a man who fears the Lord and knows him on a personal basis. I believe that Mike Huckabee is that man.

Gov. Huckabee says in his website, “Real faith makes us humble and mindful, not of the faults of others, but of our own. It makes us less judgmental, as we see others with the same frailties we have. Faith gives us strength in the face of injustice and motivates us to do our best for the least of us.” I have seen this spirit of humility in Gov. Huckabee in his debates and his answer to questions posed by the media. I further believe that we need a government that should give us the freedom to prosper, a government that should get out of our pockets, out of our homes, and out of our lives. Ronald Reagan once said, “In this present day of crisis, government is not the answer to our problems, government is the problem.” I believe that is true today more than ever, I believe that Gov. Mike Huckabee is the man that can lead us to an America we can be proud of, and American that is once again free.

Saving Sacred Places or Saving Sinful People

Recently I read an interesting magazine article. It was called Saving Sacred Places. It details efforts of local residents to restore old church buildings that have fallen in disrepair. The articles went to great lengths in talking about the nation’s spiritual landmarks, and there importance in our culture. I would for the most part agree, this country was founded on the Gospel, and our founding fathers by and large were men who not only feared God, but had a personal relationship with God. If the truth be told our country was founded by Christian people, who were looking only for the freedom to serve God as the Bible dictated. Although the liberals amongst us would deny our country’s foundation is predominantly a Bible based one.
Like those old church buildings our country started out with a good foundation, but that will only get you so far. In the last few years our foundation has started to erode, but rather that admit our mistake and get back to fixing it, we have allowed ourselves to go on thinking that we are okay. Jesus gave the Pharisees of his day a warning that we would be wise to heed, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” (Matthew 23:25-26) The Pharisees of Jesus’ day also had a strong spiritual foundation, one they could be proud of. However that foundation started to give way until the Pharisees cared more about their tradition and power, than about their God. They gave lip service to the things of God, while having a bad heart.
Today we worry about saving sacred places, when we should be worrying about saving sinful people. Never forget that it was not the church buildings that made this country great but the people inside those buildings that made it great. A people who served God with their whole heart and forged for us a great nation that we could be proud of, and that God could bless. Today we are no longer a Christian nation, our leaders give lip service to the things of God, and the people of God. Today we think about what is the right political move, rather than what would please God. Washington D.C. is like that cup The Lord spoke of, the outside is clean, and it looks good on the surface but inside is dirty with sin, vice, and is not fit to use.
My message? To clean the cup! We need to wash it in the water of the Word of God. The only reason that our country is this way is because we as a people are this way. The Bible makes an amazing promise, “ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) Let us get back to basics, ask God for forgiveness, then he can save sinful people, rather than just saving sacred places.

Where The Wild Things Are

When I was a child, my mother gave me a book, it was called Where The Wild Things Are. In it a child travels to a fantastic land where he frolics and plays with wonderful imaginary creatures. They dance and play without a care in the world, and until this week I was convinced that this wonderful land was just a story and nothing more. Then I heard of another land, where wild things live, it is called Columbia University. This group of wild things are very real, and also very dangerous. The university had Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a gust speaker to students and faculty in a special session this week.

I am still amazed at what depths that Americans have sunk. I was shocked to find out that this murdering, savage, who would kills us all if he had but the means was being given a pulpit in which to preach his false Islamic gospel. Columbia President Lee Bollinger defend the move calling it a matter of free speech. The university went as far to say that if Hitler were alive today and wanted a platform he could find it at Columbia University. Mr. Bollinger is smart man, much smarter that me, but let me point something out to him, your influence is more important than your opportunity. When you allow a monster like Ahmadinejad to have a forum you lend credence to his ideas.

While Mr. Bollinger did give Ahmadinejad a stinging rebuke in his opening remarks, I believe this to be white wash. He knew exactly what Ahmadinejad was going to, he would glance over all the tough questions that he would ask. The Bible says, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19) In the long run it should not surprise us that men are flocking to hear what this man says, the Bible says it is man’s nature to be evil, and that we will flock to evil because of it. The next verse tell us why men hate the light, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.“ (John 3:20) The light shows all our faults and blemishes. Today instead of fixing the problems men just don’t step into the light anymore.

Columbia University will continue to be in the dark spiritually. They will continue to allow evil men, to speak and justify their evil deeds, because they themselves are evil. The students and faculty have hit the bottom of a slope they started on years ago. A slope that started by kicked Jesus Christ to the curb, throwing God’s Word out of the classroom, and telling them that there is no God they have to accountable to. This is the end result and it should not surprise us in the least.

Two friends, meeting after a long time, were discussing the current breakdown in morals, especially among the younger generation. "What do you suppose really causes it?" asked one who in the past had openly declared she felt no need of God in her life. Her Christian friend hesitated, feeling it would be useless to give her own opinion as a believer since the other had so often rejected her attempts in the past to speak of religious matters. Before she could formulate a reply, however, her friend advanced her own theory. "Don't you think the breakdown in religious values has something to do with it?" "Yes, I do," agreed the other quickly. "If young people have turned their backs on religion and feel that God doesn't exist, they no longer have any absolute standards of right and wrong, no authority to turn to for direction, and the result is confusion. Everyone does that which is right in his own eyes." We have lost our moral compass as a nation, God have mercy on us.

The Works of The Word of God

2 Timothy 3:14-17

2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Why Hate is Acceptable Isaiah 5:20

Normally when someone in Hollywood says something I take very little notice. First of all because media stars very rarely can see past the bridges of the very expensively redone noses to know how the rest of us common folk live. The other is that fame is a fleeting and fickle thing, and it does not make one an expert in anything. However when Kathy Griffin spoke at the 59th Annual Creative Art Emmy Awards, I noticed. After receiving an award she used language so vial to describe the Lord Jesus Christ, I cannot repeat it here. She then proclaimed, “. . . .This award is my god now!” While blasphemy is not anything new for the Hollywood crowd, I was still shocked at the utter gall of Ms. Griffin. To say such vial things about the Lord of all creation should give her pause.

Isaiah 5:20 states, “ Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” When God’s Word says woe we should take notice. In this portion of Scripture the Prophet Isaiah is drawing up charges against the people of Judah. He describes sins which if committed will bring judgment upon a people. While he was writing to them, it should be remember that this was also a warning to people of all ages that these sins bring destructive consequences to particular persons or nations that commit them. The bottom line is that committing these sins invites God’s wrath down upon those who do.

Our faith is under attack in this country. The problem is not with the Kathy Griffin’s of the world that make fun of Bible believing Christians, it is that they thrive and even make fortunes on the wholesale character assassination of Jesus Christ and His followers. The fact that should not escape us is what if Ms. Griffin had said something about Mohammed? How many embassy would be in flames? How many innocent Americans would die? The world says that it is okay to hate as long as you hate the right thing. We have got things backwards, we are messed up. Read Proverbs 17:15, “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.”

God is not pleased with this conduct, I am not pleased with this conduct. I will no longer stand by and let unbelieving hordes of ignorant people run my Savior’s name through the mud! Will stand by Jesus Christ, and if you claim him stand by Him too. Christianity is no longer for cowards, the days of sitting on the side lines are finished. Get up! Wake Up! It is high time you realized that the world will hate you, the Devil will attack you, and your flesh will betray you, but you have a friend that sticks closer than a brother! As the song states:

Stand up, Stand up, for Jesus
Stand in His strength Alone.
The arm of flesh will fail you
Ye dare not trust your own
Put on the gospel armor
And watching unto PrayerWere duty lies or danger
Be never wanting there!!

The Method or The Man? Nehemiah 2:5

There was once a story of a man who tried to weigh a prayer. The man owned a small store, it was just a week before Christmas right after World War I. A tired-looking woman came into the store and asked for enough food to make a Christmas dinner for her children. The grocer asked her how much money she had. “My husband did not come back; he was killed in the War, and I have nothing to offer but a little prayer.”, was her reply. The storekeeper was not a very sentimental man, nor was he religious in any way, so mockingly he said to her “Well then, write it on paper, and I will weigh it.” To his surprise the woman took a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to the man saying, “ I wrote this during the night while watching over my sick baby.” The grocer snagged the little prayer out of her hand and with a smug smile placed the unread paper on the scale. To his utter amazement, and those around him, as he began to pile on food the scale would not go down. He became angry and flustered, he finally said, “Well, that’s all the scale will hold, here’s a bag; you’ll have to put it in yourself. I’m too busy.” Weeping the woman filled the bag, expressed her thanks and left. Later, when the store was empty, the grocer examined the scales, to find that they had indeed been broken, and that they had broken just as the widow had came in. He then opened up the tiny paper and on it was written, “Give us this day, our daily bread.”
Just like that woman, Nehemiah was a man of prayer. Nehemiah has gotten a burden for his homeland after he received a report that the walls of his beloved Jerusalem lie in ruins. His burden is real, but his actions are interesting. He prays, Nehemiah 2:4 says, “Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.” Nehemiah was not a man of action in the sense we think about today. Upon hearing the report of Jerusalem, he didn’t just organize a group a go over there. Today we hear buzz words like, “he’s a man of action. .” or “he’s real motivated. “ What we should be hearing is “he’s a man of prayer.”
John 1:6 states, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” That was the cry the made the announcement that Christ was on the earth. God’s plan is to make much of the man, more of him that anything else. God still uses men to do his work. What the church needs today is not better methods, or better organizations, or more machinery to carry out God’s command to give the gospel to every creature. What God needs are men and women who the Holy Spirit can use, men and women of prayer. E. M. Bounds said it best, “ The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but men. He does not come down on machinery but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men-men of prayer.”
Nehemiah when presented with a burden prayed first. How often to we pray? Even as a preacher I find that my prayer life is small, too small for the important work that God has given me to do. Nehemiah built the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days, though he had trials from within and opposition from without. He did not accomplish that by being a good manager, or a man of action, but by a man of prayer. E. M. Bounds once said, “Man is God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.”

The Ostrich Syndrome 2 Peter 3:3-4

All of us are familiar with the Ostrich, a big flightless bird that sticks its head in the sand at the first sign of danger. Now I’m not sure if it really does that, but that’s the prevailing idea. 2 Peter 3:3-4 say, “ Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” Somehow every time I read this verse I think of that Ostrich, just trying to pretend the problem is not there and if he ignores it will go away. Many people treat God and the coming judgment the same way, they just ignore and scoff, hoping that if they saying nothing or ridicule those of us warning others that it will not happen. They will held accountable to God.
The Bible is clear, that these people who scoff are only walking after their own lusts. The mindset of these people is clear. Isaiah denounced people like these in Isaiah 28:14-15, “Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.” How true is that of America today? We have made a covenant with death, millions of babies are killed every year, sacrificed on the alter of choice. In the days after the Terry Shivo case, this verse came to mind. We heard a lot of talk about “dying with dignity, and passing peacefully” We have started telling ourselves that it is okay to sacrifice those most innocent amongst us for convenience.
We have also made an agreement with hell. We have somehow convinced Israel to give up its covenant lands in the name of peace. Zechariah 12:9 says, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” I believe that we as a nation have crossed a line that God has drawn. We have stood against Israel and with God’s enemies in the name of peace. President Bush, in an attempt to make a legacy, has pressured Israel to give away lands that God forever had given to His people forever. While Zechariah is talking about an event in the future, the principle is clear. Stand against Israel, and you stand against God.
We have made lies our refuge. We like the Ostrich have stuck our heads in the sand. We tell ourselves that things will never change. That the Bible is a myth and we are not required to believe it. We have taken shelter in our lies, though it is a shelter that will fall. Blessed is a nation whose God is the Lord, and our God is no longer the Lord. The world is like a sinking ship, it will end, and it will end suddenly. The only question is are you getting in the lifeboat or will you sink with the ship?

Why Islam Is Not From God James 1:20

In accordance with my custom, I sat down with my coffee and watched the morning news. While I normally don’t put much faith or credence in the liberal news media, something caught my eye this morning. Osama Bin Laden is said to have delivered a new tape with the same old message on it. Yet again we are supposed fear this man who hides in caves and preaches a message of hate that is hidden behind a mask of religion. In the meantime here in America we fawn over Muslims stepping on eggshells not to offend them. While their brothers in their faith plot our destruction. Islam is a religion of violence and murder, the Bible is very clear about this subject in James 1:20, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
I do not hate the Muslim people, I feel sorrow for them but I must examine their faith and their actions with the light of Scripture. Islam is not the faith of peace that some would have us believe, the word is Islam does not mean peace as they say, it means submission. The followers of this religion are ready to gain our submission at any price. Muslims cannot tolerate views that are in opposition to their own. This fact became evident after Muslim rioted over cartoons with the image of Muhammad in them. Allow me to describe this “Religion of Peace.”
Quran and Hadith say that women are less than men, it states they are deficient in intelligence, and advocates men beating their wives. The Quran demands the killing of non-believers, it also permit’s the waging of war on them until everyone converts to Islam or is subdued, feels humiliated, and pays Jizyah. The Jizyah Tax has its roots in Sura Tauba 9:29 in the Quran, it literally means compensation, it is for “protection” of Non-Muslims. In America we send people to jail for this. Christianity however is different Jesus said in Matthew 24:9-10, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”
The Bible says is Romans 12:18-19, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” These verse tell us that whenever possible that we are to try to get along with those around us. We see this in everyday life, on the internet, on TV, in the streets, Christians are made fun, mocked, and reviled, yet how many times do you see Christians burning down buildings in protest? In fact, the Bible is very clear that those who claim Jesus will suffer some form of persecution however mild it may be. 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Islam is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, it seeks the destruction of any and all who stand in opposition to it. Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers, and it my hope than many Muslims will come to know the truth. However having said that it is important that warn people, according to God’s Word. We should be aware of Islam but not fear it because of the promise of I John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Keeping The Lion Away Part 2

Satan is a very cunning enemy, while is under the authority of God, he is still very powerful. We as children of God must understand that he wants us to fail and our lives not count for Jesus Christ. Last time we saw our obligations, to be sober. It is important if we are to keep the lion away that we always be serious minded, realizing that the our enemy does not take a vacation or a day off. We also have an obligation to be vigilant. To be like a watchman on the wall of life, warning of the enemy that may attack at any time.
We have seen our obligation, let us next look to our opposition. I Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” The Word of God calls Satan our adversary. The word here literary about an opponent in a court of justice.. It really fits because in Rev 12:10, the devil is called the accuser of our brethren. Zechariah 3:1 says, “And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.” The prophet here sees the High Priest Joshua serving the Lord, and standing right next to him is Satan counteracting him and working against him.
Satan can take many forms, he is the enemy of Matthew 13:39, he is called a murderer from the beginning in John 8:44, but he can also take on what may seem as harmless forms. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” That is why our enemy is so dangerous, it not the roaring lion we need to be looking for, it the harmless, angel of light. In our world today we see many things that are dangerous, but there are many things that seem innocent that are very dangerous. Satan wants you to think he is harmless then he strikes at you when you are not looking.
Satan is has many attributes, but we must also look to hi actions what is that Satan does? Satan is seen in the New Testament has both an enemy of God and man. The popular notion is that Satan is the enemy of man and active in misleading and cursing humanity because of his intense hatred and opposition to God. Matthew 13:39 says, “ The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.” In the parable of the sower the father sowed his wheat but the Satan sowed his tares, his false wheat. In this parable we see the primary actions of Satan, to oppose God and hinder his plans whenever and wherever he can.
This can be illustrated in the story of Job. Job 1:6-8 say :
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil
Satan had he eye on Job, he wanted Job. Satan wanted to make sure that God could not use him. While Satan had he eye Job, so did the Lord. That is our safe place. God will allow Satan to go only so far.
Our Lord once told Peter that Satan wanted him so he could destroy him. Satan wants the same thing of us. He will stop at nothing to make our lives not count for God. We must remember our obligations, to be sober to vigilant, we must also remember our opposition, who is that stands against us. Let us also remember who stand for us, and if God is for us who can be against us?

Keeping The Lion Away Part I

Like many of you out there in cyber land I am a video junkie. So when I saw a new video on Rapture Alert I immediately viewed it. The video (as most of you know) is of a group of water buffalo who seemingly lose a small calf to a group of lions. As the video progresses the lion grabbed a small calf from the back of the herd, when I saw I thought, “Poor little guy!” Then something happened, the buffalo fought back! They managed to fight a pride of lions, and two African crocodiles to reclaim their calf. This made me think of a verse I Peter 5:8-9:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Here in this passage The Word of God draws a similarity between Satan and a roaring lion. Like the lions in the video, the Devil does hunt us. He is very cunning, he is very deadly, and he more often than not chooses the weakest among us as his victims. God words gives us the tools so that we can be victorious over Satan. While he is very powerful, I John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” We are the children of God, and we can have victory of the lion, we can keep him away but there are something we must remember.

The first thing we must remember is Our Obligation. The first four words of I Peter 5:8 say, “Be sober, be vigilant…” We first have an obligation to be sober. The term sober can be defined as being temperate, dispassionate, and circumspect. That’s not a very popular mindset in our pleasure driven world today. The more time that goes by, the more our world seems more interested in our own satisfaction. Romans 13:11-13 is very interesting in this light:
Rom 13:11-13 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.(12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.(13) Let us walk honestly ,as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. Beloved, I believe that our salvation is nearer today, than when we first beloved. I honestly feel that Jesus Christ is very close to His return. Having said that we must be sober. We must keep our heads, we must remember that we have a job to do, and it is of the utmost importance.


Not only must we be sober, we must also be vigilant. It is not enough to be only be sober we must be watchful, we must give strict attention to our task so that people will be aware. Ezekiel 33:6-7 say :

But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. (7) So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

The Lord had given Ezekiel a important job his job was simple, “. . .warn them from me.” Ezekiel was carrying his message to the people of Israel, he was carrying God’s. Like that faithful prophet we carry God’s message of salvation. Likewise, just as Ezekiel was responsible for giving the message, we are responsible for proclaim the message of Salvation through Jesus Christ. One must understand the importance of a watchman in Bible times. Most if not all major cities had walls, they kept potential attackers at bay. On this wall you would have a watchman, a guard, and his one job would be to warn the people in the event of an attack. If he fell asleep or failed to do his job, than the destruction that was reaped upon the city would be his fault. We as believers are watchman, we sit on the wall and we are watching for the signs of an impending destruction and when we fail to warn we have the blood on those who died on our hands.
Our first step in keeping the lion away is to be sober, be serious, don’t allow the cares of this world come up and choke you and keep you from doing your duty. We must also be vigilant, be at the ready to do our duty at any time. The devil is real, he is on the hunt, he is vigilant, he is sober, he is ready are you?