A Nation Founding Wanting

Daniel 5:25-28 MSG
25  and this is what is written: MENE, TEQEL, and PERES.
26  This is what the words mean: "Mene: God has numbered the days of your rule and they don't add up.
27  "Teqel: You have been weighed on the scales and you don't weigh much.
28  "Peres: Your kingdom has been divided up and handed over to the Medes and Persians."

Imagine yourself, you are running from the law because you have a message for your nation, one that is condemnation and makes the citizens squirm in their flesh.  Your government has put a bounty on your head.  You are living on nothing but honey and locusts.  You hide yourself in caves.

You have been told that you are different, set aside even before you were conceived.  You have been told that God has chosen you for a mission, but you don’t like being put under the spotlight.  You know that if you are caught by the army it means your death.

The reason why you are running from the authorities is because the message you have been given to speak is one of judgment.

This is just not a hypothetical, it is true, found in the Old Testament and the man is Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 1: (MSG)
1  The Message of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah of the family of priests who lived in Anathoth in the country of Benjamin.
2  GOD's Message began to come to him during the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amos reigned over Judah.
3  It continued to come to him during the time Jehoiakim son of Josiah reigned over Judah. And it continued to come to him clear down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah over Judah, the year that Jerusalem was taken into exile.
4  This is what GOD said:
5  "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations— that's what I had in mind for you."
6  But I said, "Hold it, Master GOD! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!"
7  GOD told me, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.' I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it.
8  Don't be afraid of a soul. I'll be right there, looking after you." GOD's Decree.
9  GOD reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered!
10  See what I've done? I've given you a job to do among nations and governments—a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, And then start over, building and planting."
11  GOD's Message came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "A walking stick—that's all."
12  And GOD said, "Good eyes! I'm sticking with you. I'll make every word I give you come true."
13  GOD's Message came again: "So what do you see now?" I said, "I see a boiling pot, tipped down toward us."
14  Then GOD told me, "Disaster will pour out of the north on everyone living in this land.
15  Watch for this: I'm calling all the kings out of the north." GOD's Decree. "They'll come and set up headquarters facing Jerusalem's gates, Facing all the city walls, facing all the villages of Judah.
16  I'll pronounce my judgment on the people of Judah for walking out on me—what a terrible thing to do!— And courting other gods with their offerings, worshiping as gods sticks they'd carved, stones they'd painted.
17  "But you—up on your feet and get dressed for work! Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say. Don't pull your punches or I'll pull you out of the lineup.
18  "Stand at attention while I prepare you for your work. I'm making you as impregnable as a castle, Immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. You're a one-man defense system against this culture, Against Judah's kings and princes, against the priests and local leaders.
19  They'll fight you, but they won't even scratch you. I'll back you up every inch of the way." GOD's Decree.

Now we find another man who is running from having to speak the word that God has given him to speak to a nation.  Again, it is a message of judgment.  No one wants to speak condemnation to anyone, let alone a whole nation.

So this man develops a plan.  He gathers up all his finances, goes to local ports on the ocean, buys a ticket for a boat to take him in the opposite direction from that which God has told him to go.  Well, its time to board ship to begin the voyage on the sea.  He feels that the plan is going to succeed until the winds pick up and the ocean begins to heave up and down.  As time goes by the ocean only becomes more violent to where the men on board are fearing for their life.  Someone though on board got a bit of wisdom and spoke to all those on board the ship.  He tells the group that he feels there is someone on the ship that has displeased God.  The group begins to ask each other, is it you?  Guilt begins to well up within the man and finally admits it is him who is running from God.  To save the ship and the trip the group throws the man overboard into the sea.  The ship then carries on their way to their destination, which is Tarshish, and the man they have just thrown overboard is Jonah.

Well in the ocean God calls out to the deep and has a great fish, we tend to call it a whale.  He causes the whale to swallow up Jonah where he will spend three days there until he humbles himself and tells God he will go to Nineveh to give the word of  God.
Jonah delivers the message of judgment that Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days. For those forty days Jonah keeps giving the prophecy of judgment until the people of Nineveh repented, clothed themselves in sackcloth and ashened their faces.  After they did that God changed his mind and decided to spare the city.

Now you would think that Jonah would be happy about how the people repented and were spared from the wrath of  God. No, Jonah instead turns angry and sits under a tree and pouts like a disciplined child.

Jonah 3: (MSG)
1  Next, GOD spoke to Jonah a second time:
2  "Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They're in a bad way and I can't ignore it any longer."
3  This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh, obeying GOD's orders to the letter. Nineveh was a big city, very big—it took three days to walk across it.
4  Jonah entered the city, went one day's walk and preached, "In forty days Nineveh will be smashed."
5  The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it—rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers.
6  When the message reached the king of Nineveh, he got up off his throne, threw down his royal robes, dressed in burlap, and sat down in the dirt.
7  Then he issued a public proclamation throughout Nineveh, authorized by him and his leaders: "Not one drop of water, not one bite of food for man, woman, or animal, including your herds and flocks!
8  Dress them all, both people and animals, in burlap, and send up a cry for help to God. Everyone must turn around, turn back from an evil life and the violent ways that stain their hands.
9  Who knows? Maybe God will turn around and change his mind about us, quit being angry with us and let us live!"
10  God saw what they had done, that they had turned away from their evil lives. He did change his mind about them. What he said he would do to them he didn't do.

In the two previous incidents is a great theme.  A theme that needs to be told to this present generation.  One God needs prophets, etc., who will give forth the message that God wants to speak to the people.  Men of God need to learn that it is not about them, not about a campaign to win friends and influence people.  Not to run because the message you are asked to bring forth makes you feel uncomfortable.  Fear of being hated by the very ones that God has asked you to deliver His’ message.  Yet, the majority of those who claim that they are men and women of God would rather choose comfort, acceptance, and also greed.  So, they hold back a message that if given could turn a nation around, see repentance in the land they live.

Therefore a nation like the one that Daniel lived in is found to be a nation found wanting.  A nation that has turned their back.  Given in to the desires of their flesh, greed, and false teachings.

There is coming a day however where God will hold the men who have held back the message of God responsible.  Responsible for allowing a nation to fall into the hands of the enemy who then in turn enslaves the people.

So, it would behoove those who stand in the pulpits across North America to speak that which God has for the nation and the people.  North America is hanging in the balance between a great revival or the start on the road to decline.

It is time for people to give into prayer and supplication so that North America would be saved.

A Nation Born In Rebellion pt. 2

Ephesians 6:12 - Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world.

13 That is why you need to put on God's full armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.

It has been several weeks since I posted the first part of this message.  You see it takes me some time to gather all my thoughts about a subject.  I want to make sure I have a sure foundation when I present an idea.  Most of the time I find my thoughts are clearer when it is totally quiet around me, no distraction from the outside.  Sometimes I find myself waking up in the night with a certain part of the message running through my racing mind. 

When I was just starting out and I found myself in this place I would get myself out of bed, go downstairs into my family’s dining table, place before me my Bible and begin to search the scripture until I found what I needed. It was not like today, there were no personal computers, no internet, not even a cell phone. Just me and my Bible.  Not even any commentaries or dictionairies.  Sometimes I would get so involved in studying the passage of time became oblivious to me.

So, here I am in from of my laptop with my Bible software opened and putting to words the thought s that seem to be flowing from within me.  I’m not quite sure how they would teach you to study and prepare in Bible school, because I have never attended one.  My methods may not hework for most, but they work for the person that counts, that’s me.

There is one thing that I am confident about, it is the method of study I have developed over the period of 40 plus years. Like the scripture, I depend on the innermost whisper, voice deep within me.  I do not call it, like the world, a hunch, or a gut feeling.  It is deep within my spirit man, for that is where the spirit of God speaks to each and everyone of His’ children if they are willing and are listening.  No, I don’t hear voices, or see stars or even feel the earth move beneath me.   It just I know that I know.

The thoughts in this post are mine.  I thought about this subject many years ago and haven’t given it much time until now, the election of 2016 in America.

I know about the history of the founding of the United States.  The civil war over slavery, the assination of Lincoln.  Also, the civil rights movement of the 1960’s, again another president assinated, John F. Kennedy and then his brother Robert, the nominee for the Democratic Party in 1967-68.  However, I was only about seven years old, yet I still have memories of looking across the Detroit river from Windsor, Ontario and seeing the smoke rising from the riots where buses were lit on fire.

Then in the 1980’s the attenpted assination of Ronald Reagan. A true visionary for the Republican Party.  Lessons could be learned by both nominees this election, for neither has a hopeful vision of what they see for America.

So, as I look through all the history of America I see a nation that underneath there is a cauldron seething with rebellion.  It seems to simmer for quite some time, only to find the cauldron reaching a boiling point and pouring over the top onto the streets of the United States.  2016 is one of those times.  Unrest it seems is everywhere.  Anger seems to be the emotion that is on the lips of every person and voter.  African Americans angry because of all the deaths of black men dying by the hands of the police who are sworn to protect them.

The older white population that feels time has forgotten about them as they see their America slip away being replaced by a much different color of people.  News pundits call it “the browning of America”.  The blue collar worker sees their jobs fall by the side of the road either by being outsourced to another country or by technology that is much more efficient and cheaper.

Then there is the biggest fear that is on the minds of every American that remembers what happened on 9/11.  The largest terror attack on American soil since Pearl Harbour.  They realise that The United States is no longer a safe place, and now the terrorists have landed on their soil.  So they are angry with Capitol Hill, both Congress and the Senate.  Neither side of the isle willing to make the first comprimise so that some goal can be achieved to bring safety back to the homeland.

Politicians are stoking fears about those who may not have the same faith as those they know.  Fear not from knowledge, but that which comes from the root of ignorance.  They seem to forget that every young, old, man, woman, child has someone in their lineage, maybe just one generation back, that came to the shores of America from another country, who was seeking a better life for those that would follow in their footsteps.

I started my last post by quoting scripture about rebellion.  Rebellion is a powerful gripping entity that takes hold of one person, or a multitude of people.  America’s rebellion started as they demanded they did not want to be ruled by and elite group, family, a person who sat in a palace somewhere that made all the rules.  Where the population had no voice in what happened in their country or nation.

They wanted a different type of nation, one where the people’s voice decided who would be their government.  The war between the United Kingdom and America was hard fought.  Eventually though British troops withdrew and the republic known as The United States was born.

This planted a small seed within the spirit of America one that has cried out every once and awhile and gives way to anger on the streets of the nation.

Scripture tells us that ‘rebellion is as of the sin of witchcraft’.  Paul writes in the book of Ephesians that the child of God does not war with human armies, but of spiritual wickedness in high places.

It is my opinion, that this same war is constantly fighting over the nation of America.  The only way it can be brought to nothing is for the Body of Christ to regain that which they have lost because of being intoxicated with greed and power.  Paul instructed the church to pray for its leaders.  As I have said in prior posts or on my Twitter feed, every time that people of God became close with government, they landed into the trouble of being captured and becoming slaves to their captor.

I truly believe when the Body of Christ in North America wakes up from it stupor of greed and power and shakes off this rebellious nature that has them enslaved they can bring about the falling of the rebellion that lies within the shores of America.

We were given the armour of Christ.  The Body of Christ cannot fight with the armour of the world, for like King David it has not been proven.  The Body of Christ must put on the full armour of God.  Cast of the armour of politics, wall street, and false doctrines and become what God would have it to be.  If not,  it may be just too late to see any reprisal from the path the nation of America is going down.

Instead of warring against those of different religions, begin to show compassion, and love. If we are strong in our faith of Christ Jesus, then nothing can shake you.  We were told to build upon the rock, not upon the sand.

I pray and hope that maybe the divisiness of the election of 2016 is that last election of its kind.  If not, somehow I see America, like empires before it, begin to decline and fade into the books of history.

There is another empire in the wings just waiting to come to full fruition, one that will declare war on the saints and on Israel.  An empire where a leader known as the anti-christ will take his place to rule the world.

Just one last question, ‘Are you truly ready for what is to come upon this place we call earth?’

A Nation Born in Rebellion–pt. 1

 Ephesians 6:12New Century Version (NCV)

¹² Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world.

New Century Version (NCV)

The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Psalms 106:15 MSG  He gave them exactly what they asked for— but along with it they got an empty heart.

Israel Demands a King

1 Samuel 8:1-22 MSG
1  When Samuel got to be an old man, he set his sons up as judges in Israel.
2  His firstborn son was named Joel, the name of his second, Abijah. They were assigned duty in Beersheba.
3  But his sons didn't take after him; they were out for what they could get for themselves, taking bribes, corrupting justice.
4  Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah.
5  They presented their case: "Look, you're an old man, and your sons aren't following in your footsteps. Here's what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else."
6  When Samuel heard their demand—"Give us a king to rule us!"—he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to GOD.
7  GOD answered Samuel, "Go ahead and do what they're asking. They are not rejecting you. They've rejected me as their King.
8  From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they've been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they're doing it to you.
9  So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they're in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they're likely to get from a king."
10  So Samuel told them, delivered GOD's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king.
11  He said, "This is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and make soldiers of them—chariotry, cavalry, infantry,
12  regimented in battalions and squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury.
13  He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks.
14  He'll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends.
15  He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy.
16  Your prize workers and best animals he'll take for his own use.
17  He'll lay a tax on your flocks and you'll end up no better than slaves.
18  The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect GOD to answer."
19  But the people wouldn't listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We will have a king to rule us!
20  Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles."
21  Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with GOD.
22  GOD told Samuel, "Do what they say. Make them a king." Then Samuel dismissed the men of Israel: "Go home, each of you to your own city."

I have never written a thesis, and I am not the best in writing down my thoughts about sermons I wanted to deliver.

I do however take time to study my thoughts and ideas.  I let them sink deep within until I have it sorted out enough to bring it forth. 

This subject is no different.  I realise that his idea appeared back in the 1980’s through the 1990’s by the Word of Faith preachers  like Kenneth Hagin Sr., and Larry Lea.  Now with study I have found they are more Biblical than heretical.

I chose the previous Bible passages as my foundation to this post.  Before you dismiss the idea study it, research it and then come to a conclusion.  It might be that I am out on a limb, but, this is just a theory about a subject I have thought about for several years.  Even more considering the climate during the election in America 2016.

There have been four great empires that have risen and then brought down.

1.  Babylon

2.  Medo-Persia

3.  Greece

4.  Rome

There are two to arise according to Bible prophecy.

I believe the next one  is the Babylonian Revived.

The final one will be is when Christ sets His’ foot on the mount of olives and sets up His’ kingdom here on earth.

These first four had two characteristics that brought them down to naught.

a.  Rebellion

b.  Pride

The last empire before Christ’s will also be brought down like the four before it. 

Where I differ from other Bible scholars, and a scholar I am not, but just a very studious person of the Scripture.  I have searched the Bible thoroughly and have come to believe that the revived empire found in the Book of Revelation is Babylon, not Rome.

Neither is it western civililastion. This will fall giving way to the revived empire Babylon where the anti-christ, will rule.  Setting up the unholy trinity.

Here is what I believe is starting to congel in these last days.  We are seeing things develop in the middle east with a much faster pace.  All eyes are on the area of Iraq and Iran(per; Persia) along with the small nation of Israel.

Israel in history was a great people and strong warriors, which won battles against all of the peoples that came up against them.  There unseen help was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Yet Israel began to have wandering eyes.  They grew tired of being led by the prophets and the priests of Levi.  They began to murmur that they wanted a king like the nations arounnd them.  Finally, God spoke to the prophet Samuel, and told the prophet to grant their desire, but there would be a price.  The price would be that of being overtaken by other nations, led into slavery and wander for a great time.

Samuel appointed Saul.  Saul was not God’s choice, but the people’s choice.  He became boastful created false gods and idols and led Israel into idolatery.  In his’ kingdom anything was accepted, as long as it lifted up Saul’s pride.  Complete rebellion and pride entered into the people of Irsarel.

Finally, Israel came upon the people of Philistine and a giant named Goliath.  Israel had not one soldier that could fell this giant.  Jesse was a man with sons, the youngest was David.  David was a mere sheperd who took care of his’ fathers livestock.  He decided one day to visit the front lines  and to see what was happening.  He noticed that all the warriors and Saul were distraught.  Goliath wanted Israel to send to him a man to battle with.  Saul lined up his best including Jesse’s sons.  Samuel was instructed to go along the line to find a warrior who could defeat the giant.  He came upon the young David.  He stopped.  He chose David.  All those around laughed at this young sheperd for he was not physically built to be a warrior.  Jesse was against this also.  David however speaks up and tells of his accomplishments while watching the flock of sheep.  Samuel anointed David.

Saul ordered his’ men to place upon David his’ own armour that he would have wore himself in battle.  It looked over sized for David.  Finally, David takes off the armour and says, I can’t use this armour because I have not proved it.  All he takes with him is five smooth stones that he had taken from a nearby brook.  But, the most important thing on his’ side was the anointing of God.  He sets out for the battle area and Goliath approaches him with great ridicule and shouts to the army of Israel, I ask for a warrior and all you send is a mere boy.  David shouts to Goliath that he came not with mens armour but with the Lord God of Israel.  David takes his tried sling, loads it with the first stone.  Gives it a might whirl like he had done many times before like when he brought down a great bear.  He finally let the sling go and the stone went sailing through the air.  With God’s hand it lands directly in the forehead between Goliath’s eyes.  With only one stone, Goliath falls to the earth with a great quake.  David goes over to the body of Goliath takes out the giant’s sword and cuts of the giant’s head.  Walks back towards Saul and the army with Goliath’s head in his hand holding by the hair.

With this history is changed forever.  David eventually ascends to the throne of Israel and becomes the greatest king that Israel to this day has had.

David would soon die and leave his’ son Solomon to be heir to the throne.  Solomon builds a great kingdom, gives the people of Israel a permanent temple to worship in.  However, like all other great empires he begins to be puffed up with pride.  Rebellion sets into the people of Israel and like the prophet Samuel declared falls to the hands of the Babylonian Empire.  They are taken from their land to Babylon where they are enslaved.

In my next several posts I will bring about the topic of my thoughts.  That is America and the spirit of rebellion and pride which eventually will fall to the next great empire prophesied in the Book of Revelation.  Most evangelicals reading this will disagree, and I expect that. Yet in my very spirit I believe that this timeline propesied by the Apostle John in Revelation will take place.

The Only thing We have to Fear…!

The following is a letter that I sent to the New York Times early last week.  They chose not to publish it, but, I feel that I should make it a post during this tumoultous election in the USA 2016.

I have been strong in my voice on Twitter(@dmbourne) and I do not apologize for my opposition to the agent of fear that is sweeping across America. 

I hope you will read this, start to reject the fear that is trying to grip the country of America and stand up and declare that fear only keeps you down, does not lift up.

America votes on November 8, 2016 and it is imperative that everyone who is legally qualified goes to their local poll and vote, vote to stop this agent of fear.  Tell fear that the USA is better than that.

“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”: FDR's First Inaugural Address. Franklin D. Roosevelt had campaigned against Herbert Hoover in the 1932 presidential election by saying as little as possible about what he might do if elected.

President Kennedy's Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961

“... So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms--and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.
Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah--to "undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free."
And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.
All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin..

….And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.”

Robert F. Kennedy, April 4, 1968

Re: The death of Martin Luther King Jr.

…“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.”…

I am a Canadian, a former pastor/evangelist who has been following the election in America 2016. I am concerned about the cynical debate that is happening between both camps, Republicans and the Democrats.

The partial speeches above that I have quoted from all have one thing in common. Yes, the speeches were delivered quite eloquently. They were given by men who seemed bigger than life itself. The one thing that they all have in common is this, hope and hope eternal.

The very word of God and His’ story to mankind is to have faith. In the book of Hebrews chapter eleven and the first verse says this; “ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (King James Version)

Faith and hope in the Scriptures have worked together like a hand and a glove. The opposite of these two foundations is fear.

Fear can cause utter despair and hopelessness. Another affect with fear is, it can be crippling to the point where one cannot move forward, therefore leaving a person paralysed. Instead of looking at tomorrow with optimism a person finds themselves bound in shackles of fear and doom.

I believe that what made Ronald Reagan a great president it was he looked at the horizon with faith, hope and optimism . It was with these three things he was able to declare, “

America was "a shining city on a hill," and its promise, as well as its people's, was boundless.

If America still has its best days ahead it will only get there by pressing forward with faith, hope and optimism.

You can listen to the agent of fear and become stagnant, or you can look forward in time and see the potential of what America can be when the whole all work towards one common goal.

There is also in America’s not to distant past that I can think of that spoke with faith and hope. Men such as Martin Luther King Jr. and his’ great speech I Have a Dream.

Yes, times look very dangerous even to the point of our hearts failing for fear like Christ said would happen.

Give in to fear and those who would wish harm for America can succeed without even stepping foot on the very soil of America just by causing America to fear. Giving up because of fear is not a solution. The agent of fear wants to divide not unite. Be wary of our fellow man. The agent of fear wants people to become withdrawn, keeping fists clenched instead of being the hand that reaches out.

So, as a Canadian former pastor and evangelist I ask you the American city choose the America you want. One that lives in fear or an America that works together to solve those things that seem so large.

America, like in the The Three Musketeers, “ all for one and one for all”.

Twitter: @dmbourne

A Puzzle Comes Together Part Two

Jas 4:6 MSG
And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble."

1Pe 5:5 MSG
And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for— God has had it with the proud, But takes delight in just plain people.

I truly believe that pride is on the top of the list of things that God hates the most. The king of Babylon was filled with pride and had a statue built of himself and the people had to bow down to it when a signal was given.

Dan 3:1-6 MSG

1  King Nebuchadnezzar built a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet thick. He set it up on the Dura plain in the province of Babylon.

2  He then ordered all the important leaders in the province, everybody who was anybody, to the dedication ceremony of the statue.

3  They all came for the dedication, all the important people, and took their places before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

4  A herald then proclaimed in a loud voice: "Attention, everyone! Every race, color, and creed, listen!

5  When you hear the band strike up—all the trumpets and trombones, the tubas and baritones, the drums and cymbals—fall to your knees and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

6  Anyone who does not kneel and worship shall be thrown immediately into a roaring furnace."

The one world leader, the anti-christ will be the same. He will rule from a revived Babylonian empire. From this empire will arise an un-holy trinity. The anti-christ(world leader), false prophet(new false religion), The Beast(New Economic System)

The anti-christ will arrive on the world scene claiming he is the messiah. It will seem like he has all the answers and the people of the world will be enamoured by him.

He will give authority to the false prophet to set up a new world religion, which will declare all people will have to bow down to an image made in the likeness of the anti-christ.

He then gives power to the Beast which is the new world economic system. This system will enact a new cashless society, then makes a decree(law) that everyone must take the mark of the Beast, 666. No one really knows what this mark will look like, but without it no one can buy or sell. Warning, to all those who take this mark are doomed for hell. If you refuse to accept it then it is death by beheading.

The things I have just mentioned should sound very familiar to you. All of these same acts were done by the King of Babylon.

This false trinity is already beginning to show itself in the world.

I truly feel the problem that is called Isis is a pre-lude to the army which the anti-christ will deploy to carry out all his’ commands.

I do not apologize for my next few statements.

I also believe some political figures are a fore-shadow of the anti-christ.

Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president in 2016 has made some very unsettling remarks, which at times you would think he lifted them right out of the pages of the Bible prophecies. Donald Trump no matter how much he howls against the idea of global trade, it cannot be stopped. Global trade will one day be ruled from the Revived Babylonian Empire, just like it’s former self.

It will be easy for the Beast to bring about the mark of the beast, the cashless system because the world is almost there now. We can basically do most with the swipe of a card, a click on the internet all without paper currency in our pocket.

The new world religion set up by the false prophet will also be easy to establish. Communications work within an twinking of an eye. Those within the so called evangelicals have already traded the true God in, with the god of the dollar. Those that are on the outside have been pushed away because of the foolishness of those who claim to be children of God. In western culture, people who claim they can have miracles in their service have already made a mockery of the miracles of God. So when the false prophet produces false signs and wonders the former will follow without any thought.

This revived empire is the head of the statue that Daniel wrote about. It is this head that comes back to life.

It will be Babylon where the the Beast, false Prophet, and the one world government will have their roots.

Jer 25:1-11 MSG

1  This is the Message given to Jeremiah for all the people of Judah. It came in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah. It was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

2  Jeremiah the prophet delivered the Message to all the people of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem:

3  From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah right up to the present day—twenty-three years it's been!—GOD's Word has come to me, and from early each morning to late every night I've passed it on to you. And you haven't listened to a word of it!

4  Not only that, but God also sent a steady stream of prophets to you who were just as persistent as me, and you never listened.

5  They told you, "Turn back—right now, each one of you!—from your evil way of life and bad behavior, and live in the land GOD gave you and your ancestors, the land he intended to give you forever.

6  Don't follow the god-fads of the day, taking up and worshiping these no-gods. Don't make me angry with your god-businesses, making and selling gods—a dangerous business!

7  "You refused to listen to any of this, and now I am really angry. These god-making businesses of yours are your doom."

8  The verdict of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies on all this: "Because you have refused to listen to what I've said,

9  I'm stepping in. I'm sending for the armies out of the north headed by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant in this, and I'm setting them on this land and people and even the surrounding countries. I'm devoting the whole works to total destruction—a horror to top all the horrors in history.

10  And I'll banish every sound of joy—singing, laughter, marriage festivities, genial workmen, candlelit suppers.

11  The whole landscape will be one vast wasteland. These countries will be in subjection to the king of Babylon for seventy years.

Rev 13:1-10 MSG

1  And the Dragon stood on the shore of the sea. I saw a Beast rising from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads—on each horn a crown, and each head inscribed with a blasphemous name.

2  The Beast I saw looked like a leopard with bear paws and a lion's mouth. The Dragon turned over its power to it, its throne and great authority.

3  One of the Beast's heads looked as if it had been struck a deathblow, and then healed. The whole earth was agog, gaping at the Beast.

4  They worshiped the Dragon who gave the Beast authority, and they worshiped the Beast, exclaiming, "There's never been anything like the Beast! No one would dare go to war with the Beast!"

5  The Beast had a loud mouth, boastful and blasphemous. It could do anything it wanted for forty-two months.

6  It yelled blasphemies against God, blasphemed his Name, blasphemed his Church, especially those already dwelling with God in Heaven.

7  It was permitted to make war on God's holy people and conquer them. It held absolute sway over all tribes and peoples, tongues and races.

8  Everyone on earth whose name was not written from the world's foundation in the slaughtered Lamb's Book of Life will worship the Beast.

9  Are you listening to this?

10  They've made their bed; now they must lie in it. Anyone marked for prison goes straight to prison; anyone pulling a sword goes down by the sword. Meanwhile, God's holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground.

The build up for the battle of Armageddon will start in the revived Babylonian Empire. Babylon will be invaded from the north countries as prophesized in;

Jer 50:9 MSG

9  Do you see what I'm doing? I'm rallying a host of nations against Babylon. They'll come out of the north, attack and take her. Oh, they know how to fight, these armies. They never come home empty-handed.

We are told in the Book of Revelation that a city will fall in an hour(space of time). Revelation 18:10

Jer 51:7 MSG

7  Babylon was a fancy gold chalice held in my hand, Filled with the wine of my anger to make the whole world drunk. The nations drank the wine and they've all gone crazy.

I believe that this is the same description found in Revelation 14:8, Isaiah 13:19 – 29.

A Puzzle Comes Together

Thomas Jefferson

"A  studious persual of the sacred volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands"

When I was young I used to love putting together puzzles.  I admit I wasn’t that good but I did enjoy the challenge.  I would start with piecing together the border then begin working towards the middle.  I found that there are key pieces and when you find them and put them together the puzzle becomes much easier.

I use this same technique in understanding the Scriptures. When it comes to understanding Bible prophecy it is even more important to seek out the key pieces.  Those pieces will come together but it takes plenty of patience and longsuffering.

I started studying Biblical prophecy during my teen years.  Most of what I understood was from what I would hear other preachers expound on the subject.Over the last 10 to 20  years I have started to begin studying Biblical prophecy with a clean slate.  I decided to clean my mind of all previous teachings and then try to go down paths as they presented themselves.

When I was in active ministry I was totally unmoveable.  I had everything in place when it came to doctrine.  I felt I had all of the right answers.  No matter what I heard or read I judged those things through my train of thought.  Everything came through a filtered lens of understanding.

There is nothing like spending hours going over the scripture.  Learning how to really intrepet scripture with scripture.  Most of the time when my understanding was challenged it felt like someone punced in my abdomen.  This would then compell me to study more on the subject.  Also, developing a more mature discernment. The Apostle Paul wrote, ‘when I was a child I thought like a child’.  As you begin to study the scriptures without the filter of bias you begin to mature in your understanding. This happens when you allow yourself to be challenged in your beliefs.

1Co 13:11 KJV When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Popular New TestamentCommentary  1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I spake as a child—prattling; I felt as a child, I thought (or ‘reasoned’) as a child. My thoughts were all a child’s thoughts, my notions of persons and things were childish, and my way of connecting things—as causes and effects, premises and conclusions—was ludicrous.

now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things—wondering ever so spake, felt, and thought.

There was something about prophecy that drew me in.  It was like a great mystery story.  To most it still is a mystery, one that to them was too difficult.  It is a subject that many that stand in the pulpit that is not taught.  So, those sitting in the pews have very little understanding.  Mention the Book of Revelation and many will tell you that they don’t understand what they believe is symbolism.  Then there is a lot of debate of the time line of when events will take place.

When it comes to terms like ‘rapture’, ‘tribulation’, ‘mark of the beast’ and many more.  Depending on who is teaching each one tries to make the other one like they are in error.

During the last couple of months I have been able to put another piece to the puzzle of end-time prophecy. That piece is called Babylon.  When I began to see this puzzle piece in a different perspective other pieces also fell into place.

I now believe we have already entered the period which John the revelator called ‘Tribulation’.  John tells us that this period of time is seven years.  These seven years are divided into two parts.  The tribulation, and the great tribulation.  I will go deeper into this in the next several blog posts.  I will show you this period of time is found in both The Old Testament and The New Testament.

There will be a one world religion, one world government led by one man, and then also a false prophet.  These three are a false trinity.

Through these three they create a one world economy.  The anti-christ(false prophet) will make a decree that everyone receive his’ mark.  The 666.  Without it you will not be able to buy or sell. If you take this mark, we are told in the Book of Revelation that those who receive this mark are lost forever.

The anti-christ will come saying he has all the answers and for the first three and half years there is peace.  This man will make a peace treaty with Israel only to break the agreement near the end of the first three and half years.

The anti-christ will not come from North America, but from a revived Babylon. Some believe that he will come from what we call the European Union, but that is not so. (to be continued)

Babylon Revived

Babylon, The Revived Empire of Revelation

Scripture used is from the Message Bible Translation:

Rev 13:1 MSG  And the Dragon stood on the shore of the sea. I saw a Beast rising from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads—on each horn a crown, and each head inscribed with a blasphemous name.

Rev 13:2 MSG  The Beast I saw looked like a leopard with bear paws and a lion's mouth. The Dragon turned over its power to it, its throne and great authority.

Rev 13:3 MSG  One of the Beast's heads looked as if it had been struck a deathblow, and then healed. The whole earth was agog, gaping at the Beast.

I truly believe that the revived empire spoken here is Babylon. Scholars have taught for years that it will be the Roman Empire.

In Daniel the beast that the king saw and Daniel was given interpretation was of the empires that would arise and then be thrown down.

The head on that image was the current empire of Babylon. Babylon would be overthrown by the Medes.

So the head did receive a fatal blow but it will be healed.

I know many use figuratively when trying to give meaning to many things in the Bible.

I believe that many things are literal. Therefore, Babylon was a literal place believed to be in what we now call Iraq. It was surrounded by seven mountains or hills. It is also believed that the king of Babylon created one of the wonders of the world which is the floating Gardens. He built them for his queen.

There are still prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled concerning Babylon and I feel these are the ones found in the Book of Revelation written by the Apostle John while imprisoned on the isle of Patmos.

Historical Babylon was the trade hub of the known world. All routes went through Babylon. It was like our modern day stock markets.

It was able to be this hub because of being on a shipping routes also.

Jer 50:9 MSG  Do you see what I'm doing? I'm rallying a host of nations against Babylon. They'll come out of the north, attack and take her. Oh, they know how to fight, these armies. They never come home empty-handed.

Jer 51:1 MSG  There's more. GOD says more: "Watch this: I'm whipping up A death-dealing hurricane against Babylon—'Hurricane Persia'— against all who live in that perverse land.

Jer 51:2 MSG  I'm sending a cleanup crew into Babylon. They'll clean the place out from top to bottom. When they get through there'll be nothing left of her worth taking or talking about. They won't miss a thing. A total and final Doomsday!

Jer 51:3 MSG  Fighters will fight with everything they've got. It's no holds barred. They will spare nothing and no one. It's final and wholesale destruction—the end!

Jer 51:4 MSG  Babylon littered with the wounded, streets piled with corpses.

Jer 51:5 MSG  It turns out that Israel and Judah are not widowed after all. As their God, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, I am still alive and well, committed to them even though They filled their land with sin against Israel's most Holy God.

Jer 51:6 MSG  "Get out of Babylon as fast as you can. Run for your lives! Save your necks! Don't linger and lose your lives to my vengeance on her as I pay her back for her sins.

Jer 51:7 MSG  Babylon was a fancy gold chalice held in my hand, Filled with the wine of my anger to make the whole world drunk. The nations drank the wine and they've all gone crazy.

The verses just mentioned describe exactly the same as the Apostle John wrote in the Book of Revelation.

The countries that come down from the north is now Syria. A warning is given for the people of Babylon to flee the city as fast as they can. After the attack Babylon is totally destroyed forever. It will never again be inhabited by man again.

It is from the Revived Babylonian Empire that arises a false religion, false government, and a man who is called by John, an anti-christ.

The historical Babylon was the place that the first false religion came from. The government of Babylon became great and the King became proud. Pride so took over his’ being that he order a statue to be made of his’ likeness and made a decree that everyone will bow down to it.

The revived Babylon will be the same as the one mentioned in the Book of Daniel and Jeremiah, etc.,

The false government will give power to the anti-christ to go and conquer all lands. He will speak to mankind that he will bring peace to the world so that all the world will worship and bow down to him.

The false government will also bring into being a new form of financing. The anti-christ will make a decree that everyone must take a mark of the beast. Without it no one will be able to buy or sell.

All these things will not be just a certain region but rather it will be globally.

The anti-christ will cause all other governments and their leaders to cease existence.

With this one can see that this is the reason why countries like The United States of America and other countries are not mentioned in the Bible.

Global trade once again will flow through the Revived Babylonian Empire.

Man may try to circumvent God’s plan but will fail in their efforts.

So, no matter how a politician can declare a nationalism message and want the country to be an isolationist it will only come to naught as God continues to execute His’ plan.

An Open Rebuke to Evangelical Leaders

Scratching my head, frustrated, and righteous anger.  These are some terms to describe how I am feeling about evangelicals in the United States election 2016.

These are very serious times, times which we have never seen before.  These are matters of which cannot be taken lightly. 

This election  of 2016 must be met with a grave consideration of our thought.  It is not a matter of being loyal to a political party, but a matter of  which way does the citizens of the United States want to go.  Pick the wrong way and it could lead down a road of no return.

I would not be writing this if I was still in active ministry. If I were still standing behind a pulpit the only advice I would give to the parishoners is this, get out and vote, and vote your conscience.

There are two evangelical leaders that I have heard some things with my own ears that disturbs me deeply.  They are Jerry Falwell Jr and Jim Bakker.  I am not a follower of either.  I will admit though my mother did travel to Charlotte, NC to vacation at Bakker’s Heritage USA. She went several times over a period of years and I never travelled there with her.

Concering Jerry Falwell Jr the concern I have is that he would shake Donald Trump’s hand and give him the invitation to speak to his campus students.  The other concern is this, he proposed that every student should carry a gun while on campus. A university that declares is a christian university.  Somehow the terms christian university and guns just do not connect no matter how you parse it.

My concern with Jim Bakker is this, he is proposing that if the Democratic nominee is elected that a ministry like his is in danger and would be pushed off the air.  I disagree, Jim Bakker.  Aligning yourself with Donald Trump, a man who is willing to ban one who culture allowed in the United States.  Donald Trump is the nominee that would actually go and begin stripping the rights of freedom of speech.  He is already barring certain press media from his rallies.

Both are aligning themselves with a person who is openly a racist and a bigot.  Those are just two of his flawed character.  Donald Trump and evangelicals do not mix, like oil and water do not mix.

History teaches us through the scriptures and other sources that every time God’s people have aligned themselves with a earthly government they end up in trouble.  They have been taken captive, treated like second rate citizens.  I deeply feel that this things may be the results of the evangelicals aligning themselves with a Donald Trump administration.

I don’t understand the reasoning why evangelicals in North America are seeking protection from an earthly government, when really the only protection they need is from the God that they profess to believe in and trust in.

I believe when evangelicals put their trust in man instead of God it ties God’s hands putting a hinderance in God’s ability to sustain them.

This post has been very difficult for me to write.  I thought and prayed for several days before sitting down to write it.  When I write any post I truly give much meditation and time in searching for the words and the thoughts that I want to convey.

So, I strongly implore the reader of this post to take it to heart and seek God’s wisdom about how you will vote in November 2016.  I would also stress to take to heart what is being expounded from the pulpit of the congregation you worship with.

These truy are the last days.

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scripture

The Coming Global Ecomony and What God Plans for it. Part 1

 

Bias, no one likes to admit they have one, including me.

When I sat down to write this post I believed I knew the subject very well because I had been taught a certain bias concerning it. I would just write what I was taught growing up through the years and then what I had taught and preached myself.

To satisfy my soul I decided I would refresh myself on the subject and set myself to the task of quickly studying the scriptures again.

I have always believed that there is coming a time that has been prophesised in the Prophets of Old, and also by John of Patmos.

Yes, there will be a one world government, one world religion, and then a one world economic system.

If it were not for the Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump, and his espousals about changing the way America would do trade I probably would have not been intrigued enough to set about writing this post.

Donald Trump may say what he wants but he cannot change what God has planned for mankind and this world.

To understand totally you must first have to understand some basics about end-times prophecy.

• Interpret scripture with scripture
• The words 'Israel' and 'The Church' are not interchangeable.
• God's people are the people of Israel.
• The church represents the Bride of Christ.
• There are types and shadows throughout scripture.
• Places can be two-fold.  Literal and figuratively.

 

The image the King of Babylon saw and as Daniel interpreted were four major empires.(Daniel 2)

1. Babylon
2. Mede-Persia
3. Greece
4. Rome

Babylon was the head and would be conquered by Mede-Persia(chest and arms).  The Medes would then be overthrown by the Belly of Bronze(Greece under Alexander the Great).  The legs, The Roman Empire, would overthrow the Grecian Empire. 

This Roman Empire would eventually splinter into smaller empires.

 

Here is a description of a beast that John saw in Revelation 13

    Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea; and I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns ten diadems, and upon its heads names of blasphemy.

 

   Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like to a leopardess, and its feet as of a bear, and its mouth as a lion's mouth; and the dragon gave to it his power, and his throne, and great authority;

 

   Rev 13:3 and one of his heads was as slain to death, and his wound of death had been healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast.

 

I was taught and believed that this head that is wounded and healed would be the Revived Roman Empire.  I have now come to believe that belief is not so.  I feel that that head is the former Babylonian Empire.

 

It falls into place when certain other pieces are put into place.  As I began to research this out I came to find out many things about Babylon I did not know before.

 

Babylon can trace its roots back to the tower of Babel.  Babylon was found in what we now call Iraq.  It was surrounded by seven hills or mountains.  It was the very first kingdom to worship false gods.

It sat upon the Mesopotamian river and was the major hub for all trade in the area.

 

So, here is what I come to believe. The revived empire is Babylon of old, the head of the image found in Daniel.  From out of it will arise a world leader, which scripture calls 'the anti-christ'. He will usher in a new religion, and then set up Babylon to be the centre of all trade in the world.

 

His new economics will be that he will put into place a mark which shall be given to all mankind.  Without a person will not be able to buy or sell.

 

At first he will come saying he has the answers and makes a peace treaty with Israel. 

He will demand, like the king of Babylon that all men worship him and him alone.

 

 

So, you see, if Donald Trump is elected he cannot stop what God has already started to happen.

 

There is more that needs to be searched and understood.

 

I hope what I have wrote has provoked you to reaching for you Bible and begin to study like never before.

 

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I have started many times to write this post only to find myself deeper into research on the subject.
Starting down this road I believed I knew the subject matter quite well. But while travelling down this road they were curves, hills, and many surprises.  The biggest surprise was that I had come to a conclusion that what I was taught growing up in an evangelical(Pentecostal, Church of God, etc.,) was not backed by scripture.
I had been taught and many scholars today still believe this and that is the revived empire found in the Book of Revelation is the Revived Roman Empire.  I disagree with this finding and my feelings and beliefs are now set on the place called 'Babylon'.
Scholars believe in a real place called Babylon but only the one mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible.
It will take many writings to write all that I have learned from history about Babylon and also what is said found in the pages of The Bible.
Join me on this journey on the road to rethinking scripture.



Politics, Power, The Pulpit – A Christians Right pt.3

I started this blog not to just place thoughts out there on the internet.  I wanted to make a writing that would cause those who read it to start to think about what they really feel and believe about the scriptures.  Too often this has not been the practice of most church attending christians.  They hear a message from a leader in the pulpit and except it as truth without ever doing any studying themselves.

I take quite some time to read, study and meditate about what I want to say concerning the scriptures.  I have been a very studious person of the scriptures for as long as I can remember.

When I was active in the ministry I would study a subject until I felt that I knew it inside and out.  During those days I would make notes for myself but very seldom would use them.  I spoke from my heart because that is where the thoughts were planted.

This subject that I am writing about now is because I see an urgency for a voice to the evangelicals of North America.

2016 is a very unusual year in politics in the United States of America.  There are so many voices trying to get their views expressed to others.

Evangelicals are no different.  I have been becoming very alarmed especially this election year. Evangelicals are wanting someone to stand up and promise them that their rights will be protected.  I am afraid though they may find themselves receiving results that will be worse than at anytime in the history of America.

I find no where in scripture that tells the body of Christ to trust and rely on a government whether it is local, state, or nationally.

All through scriptures we can find examples where God’s people would gain favour with the government only to have that same turn on them.  Joseph in the book in Genesis gained favour with the pharaoh and during a famine Joseph was instrumental in saving God’s people from starving.  Then a new pharaoh took the throne.  He decided that since Eygpt had fed God’s people for seven years that they should serve the government and enslaved God’s people.  They were slaves for four-hundred years until Moses led them out of bondage.

Israel wandered around the desert for forth years before they came into the land that God had promised.  For a time Israel was led by men of God, prophets and others like the Levi’s that served the tabernacle.  Then there came unrest among the Israel nation and they began to demand a king to lead them so that they could be like other nations.  God spoke to his men and said to them that God would give them what the people wanted.  It was not God’s original plan for Israel.  The people chose a king by the name of Saul.  Later the nation of Israel found themselves serving other gods and King Saul also began to turn on God. During his’ reign all that Israel saw was disaster after disaster.

I could cite many other instances throughout the Old Testament but I would like to jump ahead to the New Testament.  Israel had been promised a messiah through prophecy.  They had been over taken by the Roman Empire and wanted the coming of their messiah to come and save them by over throwing the Romans.

Israel was looking for a new leader that would establish a new government and that leader would once sit again on the throne of David.

Along comes a man, one of their own, by the name of Jesus.  This Jesus fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies about a messiah.  Israel though could not accept Christ’s claim for Christ didn’t come as a political warrior, but a Saviour of men through His death and resurrection.  Israel still look for their messiah.

In the writings of John of Patmos there is coming another government that claims he is on the side of God’s people and declares he will bring peace to the entire world.  Scriptures tells us during this time people would be calling for peace, but while crying for peace sudden destruction would come upon them.  This new leader of this new government breaks a treaty he makes with Israel.  He demands that all people receive a mark with the number of man, 666.

I used to believe in a doctrine that declared the church would not be here during this period of tribulation and great tribulation.  I can no longer support this pre-tribulation ‘rapture’.  I am not a prepper as some televisions are speaking of.  I am however convinced that God will protect and save His’ own until we Christ return the same way the disciples saw him leave, on the clouds of glory along with the angels of heaven.

I am beginning to lean towards the thought that Christians, especially those in North America, will see some very troubling times.  A season much more chaotic than those we are going through at this present time.

I keep going to the thought about how gold is purified, which is through fire.  Christians like those of the three Hebrew children will go through some fire, and just like those we will have the fourth man, the man Christ Jesus.

I am not depressed nor am I worried because I know we have a promise that Christ is always at our side.

There is only one government that I am looking for, and that is the one when Christ returns to this earth and sets up his’ kingdom where we shall rule and reign with him.

To those who are reading this, yes, we do have a blessed hope and by faith we will make it through safely.

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Prosperity Preachers, Christians Rights

I started out rather early in life on my way to be a full – time evangelist, and or a pastor.

During my travels I found myself in many different situations meeting many different evangelicals, and of course other evangelists, teachers, and pastors.  Some of their views were quite different one from the other.

I started travelling with a prospertiy/healer preacher as a musician.  I at the time assumed everyone was upright and godly.  As time went by things began to change.  I started watching the pattern the preacher would take during his’ meetings and I began to connect some dots.  Still I kept thinking all was okay.

Then came the trip that changed how I would be perceived by the preacher and some of his’ invited preacher guests.  He was on the west coast and I was in my home province of Ontario helping his’ local church.  He called his’ wife discussing what was happening in the west coast meeting and he wanted me to go and stand in at a meeting that was suppose to start in another city.  Soon, I had a ticket in my hand to fly out and fill in for the preacher and the guest preacher.  I totally nervous, even though I had conducted meetings of my own as a young teenager.  I arrived in the city, checked in and began thinking about how I would handle the evening meeting.  Really the only thing I was confident with was my music on the piano and singing.  I led a short worship service then preached a very short message.  I knew there were expenses that needed to be covered, so I decided to raise an offering.  After all was done I went back to my room unsure what I was suppose to do.  A phone call came into my room, it was the preacher asking how things went for me.  Soon the topic changed to how much the offering was.  I stayed on the phone and counted the offering and I told the preacher the amount.  His’ guest came on the phone and asked me some strange questions.  I answered him truthfully.  The offering was just over $1300.00 from about thirty people.

They preachers arrived the next day and took over the scheduled meetings.  Soon again, they were due to start in another city and asked me to stay behind and complete the last meeting.  This pattern became normal.  I didn’t realize it wasn’t my  music or my preaching that gave them confidence, it was my ability to raise money for them.  I soon learned that money raised was split between the preacher and his visiting guest.  That was really their basic objective to these meetings, raising high amounts of money.

I realize that there are expenses that have to be covered when one is travelling, plus those costs of keeping things going at home.  The more I travelled the more preachers I met both in Canada and the United States that money was truly their real god.

I became jaded through all of this.  For the longest time money became my main focus.  I soon struck a deal with the preacher that I would also take a portion of all funds raised while we were together, or when I would step in to handled a meeting for them.

I can say only what I experienced myself.  When it came to whether a meeting was a sucess the factor that determined it was, how much money was raised.

One host pastor that we worked with in the USA would take the finances into his’ office and with the guest he would sit there and take each bill and smooth it out.

They didn’t speak about the message, or if souls were won for Christ.

So, with this, all I can say is this, do your homework about who you are supporting with your finances because, everything is not always as is portrayed.  If the prosperity message was real than God better apologize to a whole lot of people in some poor countries around the globe.  The message is only doable in the North America continent.

I am going to do everything I can to stop this message.

I will try to put all my energy in speaking out on this and many more subjects that I have studied and call out those things which are deceiving evangelicals in North America.

Prosperity, A Christians Rights

Before I post anything about a subject I start with studying the subject by researching the scriptures, commentaries, historians and much more.

I go over the subject in my mind repeatedly until I feel confident to put my thoughts in written form.  I do not write something and post it just for the sake of having posts on my blog.

When it comes to using a blog I started late and didn’t quite understand how to do it.  It along with many other tools of social media I take quite awhile to become comfortable using the certain tool.

Let me start this post with a preface, for this post and several more to come, when I speak of Christians/Evangelicals I will be speaking about those in North America.

I believe Christians/Evangelicals have become like spoiled children.  They have come to believe a fallacy, fantasy, and lie.  They were told that a certain message that, ‘ The Prosperity Gospel’, is a true Biblical doctrine.  I am hear to say that there is no scriptural basis for this teaching.

It started back in the early 1900’s with an lady evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson.  Her organisation was beginning to feel the pain of the lack of finances.  She began to expouse that God wanted His children to blessed, to be prosperous.  Soon she locked unto the one scripture that all prosperity preachers use as their basis for their teachings.  The verse found in 1 John 1, ‘Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in good health….’.  Except they took this verse out of context for the true translation was like how we use the saying ‘wish you God’s speed’.  Basically it was a type of blessing for when someone was setting out to travel.

Having crusades across a nation is very expensive.  The cost of travel, the renting of a hall, and the staff behind the scenes that does the bulk of the work.

Then along came the 50’s and the emergence of tent revivals with preachers such as, Jack Coe, A. A. Allen, R. W. Shambach, and many more.  These were the pioneers of developing the ‘prosperity gospel’ using it as a springboard to raise great offerings. Yes, these offerings paid for the obvious expenses, but quite a bit of it went into the wallet of the preacher.

The ‘prosperity gospel’ came of age in the 70’s and Jim and Tammy Bakker polished it and sold it to their listening audience.  The message was quite simple, ‘God wants you to be rich’. The message equated money and nice things to having God’s favor and blessing.

This message hit home to the most base and crass area of humans and stirred to the surface the hideous character flaw called ‘greed’.

Christians also began to believe that if a preacher had tremendous growds gather at an event, it meant that the preacher had God’s blessing.  This is so far removed from the truth.

While I was active in the ministry I joined an ‘Miracle Evangelist’ as his organist, and a junior pastor of his’ church. One day I was asked to fly to another Canadian city to fill in for the preacher and his’ guest because the city they were in, the crusade had been extended.  I had never conducted that type of service.  I was taken to the airport, this would be my first time flying, and set out for that city.  I began to gather my thoughts and how I would handle the service.  When I arrived at the hall I set it up and went and sat at the piano. I was confident about my music, and semi-confident in my preaching. Near the end, which I felt that things went smoothly, I decided to raise an offering.  I had the people bow their heads and began speaking what I felt was in my heart.  To my surprise it went better than anyone could have thought.  That offering was so large that the preacher and his guess asked how I did it.  From that time on they had confidence in my ability to handle a meeting and the ability to raise finances

When Christ spoke to his’ disciples and taught them what they should pray the first part spoke of God meeting His’ childrens needs.  Notice it says daily bread.  Nowhere can it be found that God wanted His’ saints to live wealthy.

Many preachers who expouse the ‘prosperity message’ use one verse found in 3 John – “Beloved I wish above all things, that thou mayest prosper and be in good health, even as your sould prospers.’  This is not as it is being described, it is actually an benediction, like when someone says to another ‘Gods speed’.

So when it comes to a Christians right, prosperity is not on the list.

Also, I have a mirror site of my blog at: www.rethinkingscripture.wordpress.com

You can also follow me on Twitter: @dmbourne

The Rights of a Christian

I am writing this post with the realization that there will be those who will be totally offended.  Others will read and begin to contemplate what has been written.
In the United States 2016 is an presidential election year.  Things have been totally out of character compared to any other year in history.
One candidate, Donald J. Trump proposed an idea to ban people of the Muslim faith from entering the country.
I have heard and read all manner of things for this election.  The one issue that has struck me is the issue that of the rights of a Christian. I began thinking about this, and started to explore exactly if there is any scriptural foundation to support a Christian's rights.  So far, I have found none.
Reader, do your history lessons over again and look at how Christians came to be, how they were accepted and treated.
The christian church started the day of Pentecost.  The disciples were in this upper room, chamber, not because they were electing a board, but were huddled together in fear thinking they might be next to be put to deathlike Christ Jesus. All those that day were of the Jewish faith, until they decided to follow Christ.  In the sermon on the mount Christ gave them instructions part of them are:

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.1
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 
 In this last 116 years Christians in North America have been fed several total deceptions.

1. The Pre - Trib Rapture
2. The Prosperity Gospel
3. Faith Healers

If I was writing this 30 years ago I would of thought that I myself was under some delusion.
I have come to the realization that Christians and Evangelicals of North America have not been tested and will not escape persecution.  I was raised to believe, and up to about   7 years ago believed the so called 'Rapture' would happen before events mentioned in Bible prophecy. I have studied the scriptures and began again to look at history and found that the early Christians were persecuted, beheaded like the Apostle Paul, crucified upside down like Peter.  The apostle John was sent to an island that was used for convicts, the Isle of Patmos.
Rome did not allow for people to openly be of the Christian faith until Emperor Constantine had a revelation. Four hundred years after the death of Christ the emperor declared Christianity the state religion.
Let me make this statement and ask, are you greater than those first disciples and apostles that you should not have to go through any major trials. This could mean you might have to decide to stand for Christ and lose your life, or deny Christ and go on living.
The only right a Christian has is this, Christ is your saviour and you have the right to be forgiven of your sins.
I am going to keep on posting more thoughts on this idea about the rights of a Christian.

Don’t Clean the Fish Until Caught

“You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too.

They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd.” Joh 10:16 (The Message Bible)

When I first read the verse mentioned above I could not understand what Christ meant by His’ statement.  Now that I have had more years in thinking about it I have come to a conclusion of the meaning. 

From our earliest years it is ingrained in us to fit people into different groups.  We group children into different grades in school. We also group by the colour of the skin, the ethnicity, careers, and etc., Religion has done the same.  Grouping followers by what they believe. Groups like Roman Catholic, Evangelicals, Protestants, and all manner of denominations.

We group without any fore-thought.  So, this is the beginning early in life, a sort of racism.

When I was growing up we went to a full gospel church(Pentecostal in flavour). We would often hear from different people in the pulpit that The Roman Catholic church was totally wrong.

Now, I have grown up, left active ministry and began a long time research on many ideas and teachings.  I began to realize that there are things taught by evangelicals that doesn’t have any basis in those things taught by The Son of God, Christ Jesus.

Just recently I began to search out the texts in the Catholic Bible which are not found in The King James Version.

During the first six decades of the 20th century there were those who went about from city to city holding so called “Miracle Services”. Alot of those preachers preached that going to the doctor was a sign of weak faith.

I have now found in those texts in the Catholic Bible(Douay-Rheims Bible) some verses found in the Book of Sirach. Here is what they say:

(Sirach 38:1-4 [DRC])

  [1] Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most High hath created him.
[2] For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the king.
[3] The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be praised.
[4] The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.

I totally agree with these verses.  I now wonder how many of those listening to preachers who were against doctors have died pre-maturely.

Evangelical preachers taught from their pulpits a legalism gospel of do’s and don’ts.  There are many issues which Christ never taught about.  Issues such as the food we should eat.  Divorce, division between ethnic groups.

However, the one issue He did attack was that of adultery.  The elite teachers of the temple brought a woman to Christ and accused her of being caught in the act of adultery.  Christ did not utter a word at the beginning, but, kneeled down and wrote something in the dirt.  When he stood up He looked at the woman and asked her ‘where are your accusers’.  She answered him and said, ‘ I have none’.

Some of the other do’s and don’ts preached about the sins of smoking and drinking.  It was not because they were a medical danger.

Here is what Christ said:

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Mat 15:11 KJV

Evangelicals in my opinion have been doing things wrong.  They are trying to clean the fish before they are caught.  I am not about you, the reader, but I use to do lots of fishing and never once caught a fish that was already cleaned.

Because of these teachings people have felt unworthy to enter the doors of a place of worship because they feel they have to be clean before going.  Not one of us grow at the same rate.  I believe that the preachers and teachers need to change their teachings.  They just need to preach one simple message.  That is come to Christ just as you are.  When they do people will come and it will be Christ that changes the person.

If you are struggling with things in your life and feel you are not worthy, think again.  There is only one person you need to answer for.  That person is you.  Also, you cannot answer for anyone else.  Not your partner, children, parents, etc.,