This Present Satanic System

Have you ever been around super spiritual people? Christians who seem to be on hyper drive going at the speed of light. Or maybe you were part of a deliverance group who could see demons under every dinner plate. I use to think people who walked cities praying for them were in that category but not anymore. Now, I am taking the spiritual battle we are all in very seriously. We should never let our guard down or fail to put on each piece of armor the bible tells us to put on. I remember saying hello to Pastor Romaine in the "Mother Ship" know as Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa before he passed away. Our brief conversation went something like this. I said "Hello Pastor Romaine, how goes the battle?"  and the solid, confident Pastor known by some as "Pastor Chuck's hit man" replied " The battle's not mine...The battle belongs to the Lord!".

You know he was right on and even if he wasn't I wouldn't be the one to tell Pastor Romaine anything. We do know the end of the story where Jesus indeed wins the battle over Satan or Lucifer at the close of this present Satanic System or age. The timeline and exactly how this plays out is debatable among mature Christians or might become the topic for a church split. You see don't go looking for Lucifer out in the world, because the world is already in his control. No, the spiritual battle is in our churches and Christian organizations.Just don't ask a Calvary Chapel pastor to be flexible in this area as they are betting on "The Rapture". Just an aside before moving on. In the book of Genesis, Isaiah and Ezekiel what is described as "the serpent" can also be interpreted as "The Shining One". Could it be that the picture forever engraved in our minds from Sunday school of a talking serpent is really an angelic being somehow made up of light?

 Isaiah 14:3                                                               "How you are fallen from heaven, 
O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of old; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.   Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.  "Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,   Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?   "All the kings of the nations, All of them, sleep in glory, Everyone in his own house;   But you are cast out of your grave Like an abominable branch, Like the garment of those who are slain, Thrust through with a sword, Who go down to the stones of the pit, Like a corpse trodden underfoot.   You will not be joined with them in burial, Because you have destroyed your land And slain your people. The brood of evildoers shall never be named."

"I will be like the Most High"  what a fatal remark that was, pride does come before the fall and now we are seeing this Satanic system in full swing on its way to complete and utter destruction. If you look at the alternative news sites on the Internet you will see that America is unfortunately on its way out. We have lost our way in the world and given up the true and living God for mammon. For your information I have lost all faith in our government. It seems for the last few decades that there are other hands on the steering wheel of our government. Our law makers have drank the wine of corporate fornication and our presidents have merely been actors standing up in front of the networks repeating whatever talking points they have been handed. Unfortunately, large corporations have the funds and manpower to get the job done. Lobbyists wine and dine our politicians and make contributions to election funds in a variety of ways.

Proverbs 28 says this..."The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.  Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; But by a man of understanding and knowledge, Right will be prolonged. "

Proverbs 29 goes on to say this..." When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.  The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it. "

Its no wonder the USA is in the shape it is in. My opinion is that in the early 1960's the spiritual battle was intensifying. Satan had a plan to take prayer out of our public schools and replace it with drugs and witchcraft. The assassination of John F Kennedy,  Robert Kennedy and Martin L King should have been a sign post for us all to see. Corruption was becoming the norm and cash was its king. Most all powerful men crave after mammon and it becomes their god. Jesus taught us to rather store our treasures in heaven where moths and rust cant destroy. Having written that last line I feel a weight lift from my shoulders but beware we are living in a Satanic world system that is doomed. Look up folks and keep your eyes on the true King. Jesus is God's Son, part of the Godhead and our sacrificial lamb. Don't let the lure of fame or fortune take you out of the battle. Many a good man have fallen to the evils of lust, power, authority and titles.

Jesus is the world's only true hope. He is our future and is described as our bridegroom. God is in control and He knows how and when this Satanic system will end. I encourage all within the sound of my voice to persevere, pull up your bootstraps, put on all your full coat of armor and fight the battle. Yes, the battle does belong to the Lord and its not yet over. Jesus will be satisfied and Satan will be cut down and his head crushed. Hold fast to what you have learned and make it a reality in your life. Don't fall into temptation and endless arguments over what color the carpeting should be or what type of chairs to put in the sanctuary as we probably wont be sitting in them too long anyway.

I'll leave you with Proverbs 3:5,6  " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;  In all your ways acknowledge Him,  And He shall direct your path..."

Recipe For Love

 Valentine’s Day has shot by us once again in a blur. Many of us hoping Cupid‘s arrow would fly straight, hitting the heart of a loved one.  Boxes of Valentine cards were hastily filled out and bags full of candy hearts carelessly spilled out onto classroom floors. Excited, wide-eyed children eagerly sought after the hearts of their classmates. Teens' shared text messages back and forth like endless barrages of night arrows arching over a castle wall. Many of us spent many hours looking for that perfect card or gift that attempts to show the degree to which we love.

New relationships were formed over candlelight dinners then sealed with a kiss. Countless glasses were filled and lifted in toasts to new friendships, romantic love and hopes of marriage.  Delivery trucks unloaded crates of candy and buckets of flowers were put on display for us to purchase in an attempt to show our significant other just how much we love them.

 Love can be extremely romantic at times decorated in all the trappings of Valentine’s Day. Love can also be many splendid things or it can lead us into very deep depression. But what happens after all the dinner reservations are over, candy wrappers have been deposited in the trash and promises of “I’ll never leave you and I’ll love you forever” fade and become just memories?

The answer to that question depends on how you define love in the first place. For me personally love is a commitment. It is saying to another person “I still have your back” even when you don’t have the energy to mumble the words. Love is getting up each morning and doing the chores or going to your job even when you don’t feel like it. Love is demonstrated when we practice selflessness.  “Greater love has no man than this, that a man would lay down his life for a friend”

When you love someone you want to do nice things for them that will bring a smile to their face. Making a commitment to another person means that you promise to be there to help them get up when they fall down, to help them keep warm when they are cold, to comfort them when they are sick and to believe the best in all situations. Love is longsuffering and kind. Love is not envious, is not prideful and does not act rudely towards others. Love never attempts to seek after its own satisfaction but is focused on the needs of others. Love never rejoices in someone’s misfortune or at the hearing of bad news.  Love rejoices in the truth, never entertains evil thoughts and always hopes for the best in all situations.

So as each day dawns with all of its new challenges remember that they will pass and that the promise of tomorrow will bring a new day with fresh opportunities. Remember that even though some people will continue to let you down new friends will be appear sprouting new relationships that will blossom and grow.

Friends, the connections we make here on earth are the only things we take with us spiritually when we leave our bodies behind and pass on. These relationships we need to cultivate and nurture in order to grow. In this world the only things that have eternal value and worth are the people we love. The greatest commodity in the universe is “Love”. Let’s all start to diversify our portfolios and begin to invest in others by making a commitment to love!

It does not have to cost you great sums of money to show someone that you love them. A kind word or a single handpicked wild flower should do the trick. So remember the next time you open a door for someone or do an random act of kindness  you might be helping Cupid’s arrow to find its target.

Zeus The Cat

OK, right off the bat the title to this piece is totally miss leading and so I ask for your complete forgiveness. I wanted to start out with a cute pet story and transition into the easy, non controversial subject of  Divine Intervention verses Freewill.  Zeus is my daughter's cat who came into our family as an Internet gift from one of our dearest neighbors. Sue, my neighbor, raises them and sells them in upwards of $ 500.00 dollars per kitten depending on color and personality traits. I'm also told our cat is referred to as a "Snowshoe" or "Rag doll" cat because the breed can be held in various positions and becomes completely lifeless and docile in it's owner's arms.

So the reason I brought up my daughter's cat in the first place is in her naming of it, she ended up naming him  "Zeus". Now I'm no expert on the Christian theology or Greek mythology but the name "Zeus" seemed a bit sacrilegious to a God fearing household. I am amazed at how life's little quarks seem to always turn out for the best. Here as Zeus begins to settle into our home he seems to have the ability to disappear from our view and stay hidden for extended periods of time. My wife being the smarter of the two of us bought a little bell for his collar so now its Christmas time in our house all year round. The funny thing is this...When you call the cat by saying his name it becomes "Hey Zeus" or "Jesus" in the Spanish language. I'm calling out to Jesus every time I call our cat. So God gets the glory in the end not Zeus.

Divine Intervention verses Freewill. So is it possible for God's divine intervention and man's freewill to work together or even exist in the same universe? Think about it for a moment before responding to my question. We have been taught through out the scriptures that we ought to pray without ceasing and to make our requests known to God but is God free to intervene in our own freewill?

The very first book of  Jewish  and Christendom's scriptural foundation is "Genesis". In the third chapter of this book we are invited to witness the fall of the very first man and woman in the garden that was planted east of Eden. God wanting to prove a point sets up a test for Adam and Eve to show them the true nature or intentions of their own hearts. Remember God exists out side of our time dimension so He sees the beginning as well as the end at the same time or actually from a vantage point in a space that we don't fully yet understand. God knew before hand what choice our dynamic dual would make and actually designed His plan for salvation before the universe was even created. Jesus is our salvation or our Emmanuel.

So how does freewill work? I choose to get up (or not to) in the morning when the sun rises by taking off the covers and putting my feet on the floor. I choose to brush my teeth (hopefully), eat breakfast and then lovingly drive out (never) on our efficient, modern freeway system to my work place. I make great use of my time at work producing a large profit for my company (not likely) only to return home to start the cycle all over again. However, I don't have to think about my heart to keep it beating. Every time I reach for my pencil I don't have to tell everyone of my nerve endings when to fire an impulse. When lifting my water bottle to my lips and taking a drink I don't have to consciously think about swallowing.

So what about all those bible stories where God's people call on His name and He answers with an act of divine intervention. The Red Sea crossing, the desert years in the wilderness, endless victories on the battlefield for example is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to divine intervention. All of us can look at our own lives when we have witness the invisible hand of God move in our lives. (If you are reading this and God has touched you with a miracle, please leave a comment below telling us about  what happened) You see there really is an invisible spiritual  spectrum out there existing in between our world and the next. The veil between the two dimensions thins a bit at different times and places allowing us to get a non direct inference of our invisible messenger's missions. Jesus said the influence of the Holy Spirit is like the wind as it rushes through the leaves of  a tree.

As I go through my day and fall into a slump, pit or quandary as a Christian I should call out for help. Sometimes my request is heard and sometimes it is not or just not answered at the particular moment. What about the times when my hand reaches out for the bottle and not the hand of my Lord? Is God standing right next to me to stop my hand as I attempt to numb my pain? Is God really our spiritual nanny who ends up running around picking up all the mess we make in our lives? Every tragedy, where  children are involved,  is God there and could He stop it if He wanted to? Is He free to stop it or even help them out a little on this side of eternity? Our movies are full of this kind of content, "It's a Wonderful Life" is one we are all familiar with.

When discussing this subject with others its wise not to go back to ancient history, to old arguments about what our church father's thought. It has no bearing on today's reality of what God has allowed us to unravel through science discoveries. The truth is we do have our own freewill that God respects enough to allow us to fumble along through life in a non ending battle if we so choose to do so. Divine intervention also exists and when we ask God for specific help He is then free to help us if He so chooses to do so. Jesus told us in my paraphrased version "you have not because you have asked not". The line between the two separate worlds gets blurry on occasion but the veil does exist. Ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened to you.

When we choose to do the right things in life those acts put a smile on our Lord's face. When you love someone you want to do nice, loving and pleasant things for them. What a huge concept for us that we by our own freewill would choose to be obedient! To obey is better than sacrifice. Walking with and in the Holy Spirit is a moment by moment commitment where we choose to be obedient to God's plan. Divine intervention is always available to us if only we choose to ask for it! Your Heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask for it.If you haven't yet discovered this truth about prayer, it  is really for us to remember who God is and how He wants to be part of our lives. We tend to do allot of begging and whining.