“For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die…”  (Acts 25)

“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the [I]mage of God made [H]e man.

 

This writer is a great supporter of the death penalty and he is a great enemy to abortion.  The liberal mindset cannot see the difference between the two (2) positions. The liberal sees aa contradiction in terms.  To the independent and objective thinker it is simple….the former is guilty of a crime worthy of death and the latter is an innocent and helpless life!!!

God is very clear on the death penalty. In the Old Testament, the very first order God gave Noah, after the flood: If a man sheds the blood of another man, the shedder of blood shall be executed period!!!  God instituted the Avenger of Blood to this end.  If a man kills another, a kin of the murdered was allowed by God to hunt the murderer down and execute the killer, HOWEVER, if the avenger of blood take personal satisfaction from the execution, he has become a murderer and can be hunted, in turn.
Someone might ask, how could the avenger of blood not take personal satisfaction from the execution of his kin’s killer.  Again, the liberal mindset cannot understand this, but some persons are able to think objectively and are not servants and slaves to their changing emotions.

Why should a murderer be killed summarily? (Summarily meaning right now)
*God says so….bottom line.
*Murder can be addictive as it gives the killer a sense of god-like power, ask the FBI.
*It would act as a deterrent.
*It would advance public safety.
*It would make a statement…Life is precious.
*It is a universal principle, if one takes a life, that killer has forfeit his own life.
*It would unite society behind a healthy principle…at least the sound thinkers in the society.
*Capital punishment sends the killer to God for judgment.

We heard about an illegal alien killing two (2) police officers.  The killer said he would kill more police if he could. Why should this agent of wickedness cumber the ground any longer?  Why should this person remain here and alive when he poses an obvious threat?  If I were king for the day, we would give this man a trial, when he is found guilty he would be taken immediately to the town square and he would be given the Gospel opportunity, and then executed then and there.

Others with hate (hate grows into murder or murder grows from hate) in their heart would take note and may change their course. The shedding of innocent blood is one (1) of the seven (7) things God hates.

Again murder can be addictive.  When a dog gets the taste of human blood, the dog is put down. This is why, methinks, the dinosaurs were put down in the flood.  After the fall, animals began to eat other animals and that includes dinosaurs. Once the dinosaurs had the taste of blood, like a dog, it would be on the hunt and mankind would stand no chance. Therefore the dinosaurs had to be put down by God. That’s my theory, anyway.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth…is a principle equal to punishment fitting a crime.  An absurd example:
X pokes A’s eye out and in return, A cuts X’s arm off. Eye for an eye was to keep justice balanced. Therefore, Life for life fits the principle.

I am familiar with the liberal argument: many persons have been falsely imprisoned and it would be a great injustice if an innocent man was ever executed.  In capital punishment cases, there must be no doubt, evidence must be solid, DNA, and other techniques can assure the bleeding heart that the guy is “the guy.”

What is confusing is, generally speaking,  the persons that are pro-choice are also anti-capital punishment. This is a species of calling evil good and good evil.  Kill the innocent and helpless and save the depraved and criminal minded….Readers, how does that make any sense at all?
It may seem contradictory to say, holding up life as precious must include terminating the lives of those that take life, but it is not. To uphold life we, as a people, must extinguish the life of him who would end the life or lives of others.

God in the books of Genesis, Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy institutes capital punishment. Paul, in the New Testament, refuses not to die if he has done something worthy of death.  As it is established in Scripture that a truth must be validated by two (2) or three (3) witnesses in order to be accepted as truth, we certainly have two (2) sound and very credible witnesses.  The Old and the New Testament call for capital punishment. God and His Apostle both call for capital punishment.

Christ, when He teaches us to render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s He laid down a principle.  We are not only to pay our taxes, which is the context, but we are to leave the government to do it’s job, which is to protect the nation and it’s people from threats, foreign and domestic, this would include protecting us from killers on the street. To protect the nation and it’s people from killers on the street the killers must be dispatched…not locked away, but dispatched to their eternal destiny.

I know the Arminian thinker would hold out hope for the killers salvation, thus canceling out capital punishment in their minds. One cannot put up a hope or a wish against the clear and revealed will of God.

What think ye?

Godspeed.

“…Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.”                      (The Murder weapon was stones)                                                   (Matthew 23)

 

What is a denouement you might ask. A denouement is a revealing or a resolution to a mystery.  If you’ve ever watched a mystery on television or read a mystery, there comes a point when the detective gathers all of the suspects together into a room.  The detective then addresses each of the suspects one by one until the detective points the finger at the culprit.  Hercule Poirot and Nero Wolfe and Miss Marple are examples of what I’m talking about.

In our text above our Lord uses a denouement of sorts.  In 2 Chronicles 24 a good priest Zacharias rebukes the people and the king orders his death and the people stone him.  Our Lord tells the Pharisee that they are of the same spirit.  In the Old Testament the faithful prophet Nathan points the finger at David after telling David of a neighbor who had many lambs but took the single beloved lamb of his neighbor and killed it to feed his guests.  Nathan asked David what should happen to such a man. David gave his judgment and Nathan using the denouement, points his finger at David and says, “Thou art the man.”  In the Apocrypha, there are two (2) cases in which Daniel is a detective of sorts and he too uses the denouement.

We will use the denouement in our article, (DV).  In this article we will see if we can find the true enemy of the local church.  There are many suspects to be sure. Here is a list of just a few…
*(s)atan
*The World
*The Flesh
*Wicked men
*Politicians of the liberal sort
*The Homosexual Agenda
*False Teachers
*False Believers
*Easy believism
*Watered Down Gospel
*Unsound Doctrine

As you can see there are many suspects. Could the real enemy of the local church be one of them, some of them, or all of them?  The truth is, these are only hired guns. The real and true culprit is Apathy!!!  The enemy of the local church is apathy, a spirit of indifference.  Why have all of the suspects above gained so much ground?  The apathy and indifference of the contemporary saint……..in other words, Thou art the man.

In the early days of the church, persons were burned at the stake, be-headed, drawn and quartered, hanged, etc. over issues of faith.  There was no indifference or apathy to be found in those days.  I’m not suggesting that we bring back the guillotine or hangman’s noose and execute Jehovah’s witnesses or Mormons or heritics or homosexuals….not at all but what i am suggesting is the ire of the saints be raised. The church needs a resurrection of zeal and fervency.  The church needs the Macabean spirit to resist all the usual suspects and enemies of the church.

How is this empathy to be defeated?  How can this indifference be different?  The church must be honest with itself and confess this apathy to God and beseech Him to stir our spirits…to raise up a standard and to send us all the spirit of Elijah that we may be jealous over our God. We need to pray and ask God for a Spirit of David so that we might be shepherds, armed with rod and staff.  We need the spirit of Adino, the Eznite, who slew eight hundred (800) men at one time with his spear. We must call upon the Spirit of Might (Isaiah 11:1) Who dwells within us and use the three (3) cord Scourge of our persons…..our thinking, our feelings, and our actions/will to whip the enemies of God and His church. We need the spirit of Nehemiah, who grabbed men and pulled their hair out in a fit of righteous indignation.

Reader, I’m not inciting anyone to physical violence. I am inciting you to spiritual and mental violence however.  I am inciting you to verbal jiu jitsu. I am inciting you to stamp out political correctness.  I am inciting you to throw off your spirit of empathy and indifference and to “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…”  I am inciting you to put on the Whole Armour of God and fight for the purity and life of the local church.

Everyone has a passion. Some find their passion in their work, others in sports, others in politics.  What if we directed that passion into our faith?  What if we cheered at church like we cheer at sporting events?  Why do we not cheer at church?  Empathy and indifference, pride, shyness, what? why?  This writer attends  WWE events and we can tell you, we are more vocal at church than we are at the WWE event.  In church, when we attend, we Amen the preacher, we nod our head, we shake our head, we sing, we lift up holy hands…we are excited by the things of God.

Daniel, when prophecying about the end of time, said that the believers will do”exploits.” The definition of exploit is a bold or daring feat.  The Scriptures tells us that the righteous shall be bold as lions. Your Christ-ianity can be exciting, fun, and full of exploits.
We have in the past written to false prophets/preachers/teachers warning them of their fate lest they repent.  Al Sharpton has heard from us and has been warned with Scripture.  We have written to politicians and gave them our opinion on different matters.  We have written to other believers that are being targeted by the homosexual agenda.  We hand out tracts and engage others in conversation. We write here on our site. We try to make a difference in the stead of being indifferent. We seek to make a difference in the lives of others….caring about others can be an adventure in itself.

Examples or proofs of the apathy we speak of:
We have offered to answer Biblical questions or offer counsel from a Biblical perspective on FaceBook.  This questioning can be done publically or through messenger.  Do you know how many persons asked a question? Zero (0).  I did not know my readers, all of them were theologians…I am humbled to be writing for you. Another example, I have written on very contraversial subjects and not one person questioned my doctrine or challenged my view.  This writer, when he reads something wrong, false, or bad writing he challenges the other writer or commenter.  In fact, the only reason this writer started up with FaceBook was to defend the Billy Graham family from slander and lies.  FaceBook was the only way we could comment, so we started on FaceBook.

My hope is this article will do something like Acts 16:9,10, “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night….And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go…”
Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia calling for him, and immediately Paul jumps up and wakes Dr. Luke and says, Let’s Go!!! (Let’s Go is not in Scripture, we are using our Sanctified Imagination)

Let’s pretend that I am Saint Paul and you are Doctor Luke…. and we will cosplay the scene from Acts 16…….I just had a vision, Doctor Luke, Get up Get ready, and Let’s Go Go Go!!!

Godspeed.

“But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government, Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”  (2 Peter 2)

 

It is very easy to be an angry Christ-ian in the times we find ourselves.  When evil is thought good and good is counted as evil, it is easy to grow angry.  It is also easy to grow frustrated in these times of ours.  When things seem so very obvious to us and are lost on others.  It is probable you ask yourself on a regular basis, “What!?” and “How!?” and, “Why!?” You might even find yourself asking, “How can you be so blind!?”

If you are a news watcher, I’m pretty certain the above describes you.  If you are not shouting it you are at least thinking it.

It is remarkable to me how persons on news programs and in everyday life can think the things they think and say the things they say.  It used to be one could disagree and dislike a president but one would still respect the office of president.  It used to be we, as Americans could disagree and dissent with the president but if someone from another country did so, we would defend our president. These days are gone.

In the world today, persons freely disparage and slander and libel the president and think nothing of it.  Today, ignorant persons who understand very little speak boldly and stupidly against the president and his policies.  Today persons ignore history and truth and believe what they want to believe.  How can an intellectually honest person or a politically-sane person or a person with decency and common sense look at the present administration under President Trump and compare it with the Obama Administration and not say the Trump presidency is better for America and her people?

Not only do these persons speak ill against the government, they speak ill of the judicial authorities as well.  Police have become bad guys and criminals are the good guys. There are groups that seek to incite and ignite others to do harm against the police….these are the same persons that would call upon the police if they had need….ingrates!!!

Who are these persons that speak so maliciously against the president and the authorities ?

Peter tells us plainly, these are persons that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness or impurity.  These are persons that have no objective source that helps them make decisions or see things in the light of truth.  They decide and make choices based upon their fallen state. They use their emotions and feelings to guide them.  These are silly fools that “follow their heart.”  These know not that the heart is deceitful and wicked and no one can truly know it. These persons are all about “group think” or mob mentality.  When these fools, or at least many of them, protest something and then some one asks them what they are protesting, they have no clear or supportable answer.

Peter goes on to tell us they are presumptuous and selfwilled.  Again, they follow their own inclinations and know not how to look at things objectively.  These are all subjective non-thinkers and victims of their own emotions and they simply presume they are right because they chose or decided or took a stand. If they are challenged many will fall down like the house that is built upon sand….their stand or their beliefs are built upon sand.

These are not afraid to speak evil of dignities or honourable things. The next passage after our text above, 2 Peter 2:10, we are told Angels who are far greater in strength and thought do not do such things as the presumptuous, selfwilled, unclean despisers of governement that walk after their sinful flesh and their sinful and ungodly lusts.  How arrogant are they to do that which angels dare not?

What will happen to these selfwilled presumptuous walkers after the flesh and their lusts?
“But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed…shall utterly perish in their own corruption: And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time…(v.12,13). These can also be included in Peter’s words in 1 Peter 2, [these are they] “which stumble at the [W]ord, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.”

Christ-ian reader,  If you are angry with those that call evil good and good evil…remember you are made in the Image of God.  If you are angry, imagine the anger of God that is being restrained until the day of evil (Proverbs 16).  These flesh walkers are filling up their sin cups and they will receive their just rewards….what about loving our enemies?  We can love our enemies as individuals and we can be righteously indignant against the whole or the mass of unrighteousness.  We can pray FOR God’s blessings to be upon the individual and we can pray fervently and vigoriously AGAINST our God’s enemies enmasse.

The angry Christ-ian can still be a joyful and love-filled Christ-ian.  It is okay to be angry, but to sin not.

Godspeed.

 

 

 

“Seeing many things, but thou observest not…”  (Isaiah 42)

“Jesus perceived…”  (The Gospels)

 

Observation is different from seeing.  Everyone can look at and see another persons face, but it is the observer who detects the person’s thoughts, feelings, or mood.  In the novel, “The Study in Scarlet,”  Watson could see the steps that lead up to 221b Baker Street, but in his failure to observe, he knew not that there were seventeen (17) steps that lead to the door of Sherlock Holmes.

As it is true that the Christ-ian forfeits many blessing by failing to go to God in prayer, it is the person who fails to use his senses that fails to glean much from his surroundings.  In order to observe one should use all of the senses God has given him.  One should look and see with their eyes, hear and listen with their ears, smell with their nose, taste with their tongue and feel with their touch in order to observe.  As Christ-ians we have the sixth (6th) sense of discernment as well.

If one wants to improve in their observation, one can begin by counting everything. One can look at those around them and observe what clothes they are wearing and what color they are.  One can observe the hair upon a person’s clothing and discern whether they be human or animal, if animal, what kind?  Observe the hand of those you encounter, are they married? engaged? are they blue collar? are their hands rough” is there dirt under their nails” are they white collar workers?  Do they have ink smudged on the side of their palm?  Observe the pens in a person’s shirt pocket, are they expensive or common?  What could that mean?  Look at the condition of a person’s car or work space, what does this say about them.  Observe a person’s reading material, what does this suggest?  Are their items in front of their books on their book shelves? what does that suggest?  If your subject is female, is her hair pulled back or is it styled? what does this say about their employment?  Are the knees of a man’s pants dirty?  what might they do for a living? The person’s shoes? muddy, dusty, polished….where is a person’s feet pointing?  The feet are the most honest part of a person’s body, it has been said.  If the feet are pointing toward the door, that person wants to leave.  If the feet are pointed toward another person, then they are interested in being with that person.  Legs crossed away from some one or legs crossed toward someone speaks to the thought of the person crosiing the legs.  Begin with these and your observation skills will grow.  Also focus on the “little things.”

Another great help I learned of recently is art.  One can greatly increase their abilities in observation by studying art…the faces, the colors, the moods, etc. of a painting. This I learned from “Visual Perception,” by Amy Herman.  This book is available at Amazon and this writer highly recommends it.  Another great source is Paul Ekman, a psychologist and facial recognition expert.

Who does the skill of observation help?  Besides everyone?
*Pastors
*Spouses
*Parents
*Police and Law Enforcement
*Doctors
*Salesman
*Leaders
*Employers
*Managers
*Anyone who doesn’t want to be lied to.
*Amateur and Professional Athletes
*And everyone else.

Where to practice?
*The mirror, expressions are pretty universal…study your own expressions in the mirror.
*Malls…Watch the people at the mall like it’s a zoo.  Be careful not to be obvious.  If ever confronted simply tell them what you are doing.
*Traffic, again be careful not to be noticed.
*T.V.  The actors learn how to present emotions through facial expressions and body language.
*Art Museums
*At home with your family

Where to learn more?
*The Bible.  Look up the word, “Countenance.”  look up all the times the Scriptures tell us, “Jesus perceived..”  and then look at what he perceived and ask yourself, how did He perceive this…..and know this, He perceived using His senses and not His divinity.
*Mystery Books…Use Sherlock Holmes as a text book and not as entertainment.  The police do.  Get a mystery book, read the ending and then look for the clues as you read from the beginning.
*Books on the subject of observation, body language, reading people, clear thinking, logic, critical thinking.  I’ve already suggested Amy Herman and Paul Ekman. Other helps could include word searches, and spot the difference books.
*Watch T.V. to learn and not only to be entertained….learn from police or crime procedurals, learn from mystery shows.

 

I hope this help those who want to observe the world around them and not just see and forget.

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”  (Luke 6)

“…Lord, when saw we [T]hee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto [T]hee?…..And these shall go away into everlasting punishment…”  (Matthew 25)

 

The first thing to note in both of these passages is the term, Lord.  These persons who are in dersision, addressed Christ as Lord…it is shameful that those who are actually His servants, do not address Him with respect….it is shameful that God’s people address the Son of God as “Jesus” as if He were on our level. We have written on this neglect before and (DV) we will again, but it is not our focus in this article.

Again, the first thing to note is those in derision address Christ as Lord.  However, the Lord does not recognize them as true servants and He dispatches them as He does those He has never known.  To be sure, Christ has known these wicked liars as their very prayers were an abomination in His holy ears.  What does He then mean?  How can He say, “I never knew you?”  The same way a man can say he never knew his neighbors wife.  The same way Abraham cannot say, “I never knew you,” to his wife, Sarah. The same way God can say He knew His elect from eternity past.

Those that are the focus of Christ’s derision think they have done well, they think they have served God or do they?  Reader, a person can deceive others for so long that they deceive themselves.  The Scriptures speak of those that deceive and are deceived!!!  These persons in divine derision believe themselves to be true. The alternative is they believe they can deceive God as they have deceived God’s people….”Be not deceived, God is not mocked…”

In the first (1st) passage, Christ asks those that follow Him, why they refer to Him as Lord, Lord, but do not then obey Him as Lord.  Christ states elsewhere, “He that keeps [M]y [W]ords is my disciple, indeed.”  and “He that loves [M]e will keep [M]y commands.”  Reader, these are positive statements, but let us look at the negative side to glean His full meaning.  The person who does not keep His Word is not His disciple and he that does not keep His commands does not love Him….simple doctrine.

Professing, but false believer,  We write this to you.  We write this not in the spirit of judgment or anger but in the spirit of tenderness and in the desire to see you “stand in faith.”  What it is you have been pretending can be real and true and sound.  We have known many false believers over the years.  These have been nice persons, good persons (by human standards), these were persons we enjoyed being around and spending time with. These were persons that were better “Christ-ians,” in some cases, than the real thing!!!  They attended church. they sang the hymns, they attended the pot lucks, they loved the church family…the only thing that was missing was salvation and a true love for Christ.  The church may have forgiven their past wrongs, but God had not.
Sometimes a false believer is benign and causes no damage, other times a false believer, like a false teacher can cause great damage.  The false believer will use worldly standards and ways in their dealings with Christ-ians.  A great harm is done when a false believer is voted in as a memeber and given a vote.  This dynamic has split many a church.

Ways that a false believer can damage a church:
*The church members may really love the f.b. (False believer) and other church members may see right through the f.b. and recognize that f.b. as unsaved.  This will cause a division among the church members. Words like Salvation Police and Super-Saint, Legalist and unloving will be thrown around.
*When a subject that requires a vote comes up, a f.b. can really cause trouble as they will take a stand and get others to stand with them until an empasse is arrived at.
*The f.b. can cause the Christ-ian community to lower their standards to include other f.bs.
The list could go on, but this should suffice.

We have actually felt embarrassment for others who pretend to be a saint.  We have been dumbfounded when a person has betrayed themselves to be a f.b. and either no one noticed or no one cared.

Who is at risk of being a f.b. or at risk of being taken in by a cult?
*Preacher’s family members
*Persons born into a Christ-ian family
*Lonely persons
*Illegal Aliens
*Newly legalized citizens
*Those new to a community
*Those in need of financial aid or other types of help
*Borderline personalities
*Members of the occult
*THose looking for acceptance
*Those pushed, conned or guilted in to professing faith in Christ
*Former atheists
*Convicted criminals
This list is not exhaustive.

What should one do if they find themselves to be a false believer?  One should continue to attend church services, one should read the Bible, one should call upon God to grant them repentance and faith.  One should not take part in church business that requires a vote, one should not try to get others to see things their way.  One should go to the pastor and confide in him but do not take part in the bow your head and say this prayer…you already know that didn’t work for you before because God wasn’t in it.  Wait for God to initiate your true quickening.
A word of comfort…if you are concerned about this you are either *At the door step of the kingdom or  *you are saved and you are being too hard on yourself.  The wicked does not concern themselves with these matters, only those who are being dealt with by God concern themselves with this matter.

We know a women who is a pastor’s daughter and said the sinners prayer as a child and for years knew she was not saved.  We were present the day she stood up and confessed this before the church body and then gave herself to Christ.  She pretended for twenty-four (24) years.  I know many others with the same experience…if this is you, Reader, you are not alone.
There is a man in Scripture that came to Christ seeking help. Christ asked him, if he believed, the man cried out, “I believe, help [T]hou my unbelief….”  Many a person believes the Gospel with all their head….they even live according to God’s Word, but in their heart they are missing something….love for the Saviour.  Others may love the idea of Christ but they cannot bring themselves to believe cognitively in such a great thing.  yet others may live according to God’s commands, but neither truly love Him or even really believe in Him.

You see, reader, all lost persons are subject to the above and that is why salvation requires a Work of God, it is God Alone that can take our whole person, unite our whole person, and bring our whole person to an understanding, a belief, and a true love for the Saviour, “with man it is impossible” “but with God all things are possible.”  It is God Alone that will bring our thoughts, our feelings, and our will together in unison and cause them to be subject to His thoughts, feelings, and will.

Reader,
Do you love Christ?  Do you obey Him?  Do you keep His Words?  Do you keep His commands?  Do you love His Word, the Bible?  Do you love the Lord’s people?  Is the Saviour your Lord?  He will not save anyone who will not submit to Him as Lord…that is what repentance and belief is, Reader.
Reader, Do you long for His return? Do you look for His return?  Do you love the thought of His return?
Reader, Do you pray…do you commune with Him?  Do you walk with Him as Abraham did?  As Enoch did?  as Noah did?  as the eleven (11) did  or as the other one (1) did? or Do you walk with Him as Paul did?

Reader, When all is troublesome, can you say, “It is well with my soul?”  When everything seems dark and dreadful, can you say, “It is well with my soul?”  When the sea billows roll, can you say, “it is well…it is well…it is well with my soul?”

God will not be mocked, tricked, or fooled.  God will, however love and honour those that love and honour Him…in truth and purity.

 

 

“Judge not lest ye be judged…”  (Matthew 7)

“But he that is spiritual judgeth all things….”  (1 Corinthians 2)

 

If there was one (1) passage of Scripture that is misapplied and misunderstood it is our text in Matthew 7.  If there was on charge leveled against the Word of God more than any other it is that it contains many contradictions, though it is rare that anyone can support their charge.  When someone parrots this charge and can point out a seeming contradiction it is not a true contradiction but a paradox. A paradox is a seeming contradiction that is not but only appears to be.

One such paradox is the jealousy of God.  It is true that God is a jealous God and it is true we are told not to covet.  We can remember a pridefilled atheist bring this up many years ago and how proud he was of himself.  We explained to him that covet is to desire something that is not one’s own and that one is willing to break all other commands to obtain the object of their covetousness.  When we read that God is a jealous God, it means simply that God is a very protective God.  Likewise when Elijah tells God that he is very jealous over Him, Elijah is telling God how protective he is over God and God’s great Name. When I am weak Iam strong is another paradox and we do not think this paradox needs explaining to any Christ-ian that has been exercised by this world.

Our texts above present us with another paradox.  In Matthew 7 we read, “Judge not, lest ye be judged” and then in our text from 1 Corinthians 2 we read, “He that is spiritual judgeth all things…”  To the eye of the ignorant atheist and to the eye of the well meaning believer that sees a contradiction, it is not a contradiction but another paradox. To the atheist, no explanation will due. To the well meaaning an troubled believer, it will be no trouble any longer.  before we give an explanation, let the believer look at these passages and try to discern a meaning for themselves.  While you do this i will tell of a time I struggled with a Biblical truth.

Many years ago I struggled with rapture of the church.  This may sound silly to many but my trouble was trying to understand how one can be raptured in a moving vehicle, a car, a train, and plane.  How does one rise to meet God in the air if s/he is inside of a metal enclosure.  What will happen to the moving vehicle and how exactly can one pass through the metal without being harmed themselves?  Reader, this caused your writer a real crisis of faith…no joke.  I was tempted to disbelieve in God…
If you ever considered this let me encourage you with truth…How we are to pass through metal, is not our concern. If God will call His saints forth from coffins that are buried and if God is able to call His saints from the bottom of the sea and if God is able to call our atoms that be dust, God will have no problem calling us from a moving vehicle.  What will happen to the moving vehicle once we are called up?  Cars, trains, and planes will crash and many will die.  cars will crash into other cars, trains will go unmannned, and planes will crash into mountains, bodies of water and homes nd other buildings.

Back to our paradoxical passages above.  Have you come toany solutions?

Let us take the second (2nd) passage first (1st).  “He that is spiritual judges all things…”  The meaning behind this truth is rather simple, The spiritual person…the saint, is to judge whether or not something is good or bad, right or wrong, and true or false.  We are to discern whether what someone says or does is correct or not and to qualify it or not using the above choices.
We are to judge persons by the same standards, however we are not to judge how a person is to be punished, that is up to God.  This is where, “Judge not lest ye be judged,” enters.  An example, “That guy should befired for that infraction.”  While we have judged this person to be wrong, false, and bad, the minute we decide his fate, we are juding our own fate if we ever incur that same infraction.  We are hypocrites if we commit that same wrong and then make excuse why we should not be terminated.  If we think a person should be executed for the crime of murder, we are calling upon God and the law to execute us if we are guilty of the same.  If we judge a child to be bad and then judge that child worthy of suspension, we must hold that same judgement with our own child.
In other words, Do not judge others harshly lest you be judged hashly by God and others as well.

Some aids in preventing a judgmental spirit:
1. There are two (2) ways to look at another person’s sin
*One can look at another person’s sin as inexcusable, as in not overlooking that sin.
*One could look at another person’s sin as understandable.
If a father or a mother executes the murderer of their child, that crime cannot be overlooked nor can it be excused. However, every mother and father, brother, sister, etc. can fully understand the actions perpetrated.  This is where justice and mercy meet.
If a wife that has been beaten for twenty (20) years or a child has been physically and or sexually abused over the course of their childhood finally snaps and kills the husband or father, this caanot be excused but it can be understood.
In one sense we must put ourselves in the shoes of blind Lady Justice and the shoes of the one being judged.

This does not only fit crime and justice but it fits everyday life.  Let us set aside law and order and let us enter the home.  When a parent must chasten and discipline a child for cheating on a test.  This is absolutely unacceptable and must not be overlooked.  However, let us stop and think, am I as a parent putting too much pressure on my child?  Is my child in a class that does not suit their abilities?  Am I too hard on my child when they falter?  If this is the case, the parent should be able to understand why the child did what s/he did.

What about a spouse that is having an affair, physical, emotional, or otherwise?  The sin of adultery cannot be overlooked as God will not overlook it.  It must be confessed and repented of before God.  If the spouse of the adulterer learns of the affair, the spouse has a number of choices to make, separation, divorce, forgiveness and reconciliation.  All three (3) are acceptable in the eyes of God.  Before the wounded spouse decides let him or her look inward and really think about the past state of the marriage.
While there is no excuse for adultery, can the wounded spouse see how and why the wife or husband did what s/he did?  Was the marraige a loveless marriage?  Did the wounded spouse neglect the adulterous spouse?  Has the wounded spouse already left his or her longtime paratner interms of affection and or duty?  One can look at the marriage of David and Michal, Saul’s daughter… many a Bible student can understand David’s fall into adultery with Bathsheba, but they must side with God’s judgement upon David.

Another aid in keeping from over-judging another is the Lord’s teaching on the beam and speck.  Heteaches the would be over-judge to remove the large beam or wood from his own eye before removing the tiny speck of wood from another’s eye.  In other words, judge yourself before judging another and this is sure to include mercy and understanding in your judgment of another.  This helps because it causes the judge to stop and consider his own sins before God and man.  In this exercise of self judging it allows time to pass and your anger to settle. It also causes you to grow humble before God and the person you are to judge.

Your writer is very slow to judge another as he fears the judgment of God upon his own person.  In raising my children, I am always keen to remember my childhood and the mercy I received.  Before being tempted to judge my wife, I am quick to remember all of my short comings as they are many.

Summary: To avoid improper judgment is to put yourself in the shoes of another.  What would I have done in that situation or under those circumstances, is always a good start. Another, Do I want God to judge me according to my own standard of judgment? And, this sin or crime maybe inexcusable, but I can understand it.
Apparent contradictions in Holy Writ are paradoxes and not contradictions. The apparent contradiction can always be understood properly with study and prayer.  No one needs wrest or twist the Word to make it fit.

“Come now, and Let us reason together, saith the LORD…”

What is a fallacy? We will define fallacy through an example that most of us have seen and maybe used ourselves.  When arguing, not arguing interms of anger, but in terms of making a point….when arguing a point   or even, now that I think about it, arguing a point in anger, and the other person simply laughs you off.  Have you been there, have you done that?  That is a fallacy. Instead of keeping to truth and fact a person will appeal to other ideas, in order to save face.  The laugh in your face fallacy is used when the other person has no points or facts on their side…they simply laugh you off and try to make you feel little and alone. This fallacy is a kin to “Whatever,”  “Who cares, anyway,”  “Let’s agree to disagree,” or the simple pouting and puffing of the lips.  Do not fall for this fallacy.  When the other person uses this dirty trick, point it out and go on with your day.

Other fallacies include:

*Appealing to Authority…”The x said so.” or “Even x thinks so.”
*Appealing to the Majority…”Everyone thinks so.” or  “Everyone is doing it.”
*Appealing to Emotions…”You are heartless,”  “Don’t you even care?” “You won’t look good.”
*Attacking the person…This is a very common fallacy. “X also thinks this, so he is not a good source,”  “You don’t have kids, don’t lecture me.”  “You,!? Of all people… are telling me…?”  “Who made you king?”  “Consider the source.”  This is a common fallacy because it is easy and accepted by the majority.  The fallacy user discounts anything President Trump says, simply because he is Trump.  Calvin, is ignored because of baseless and wrested charges that are brought against him. Many a minister is discounted and ignored due to his denomination. This fallacy ignores the facts and attacks the person and his character.  “That preacher didn’t go to Bible college,” Many a fallacy was used against out Lord, “Is not this the carpenter’s son?”  They even cast doubt upon the virgin birth to discredit Him. Don’t fall for this fallacy, point it out by saying, “I’m not the issue here, let’s stick to what is relavent.”
*Appealing to generalizations and ambiguous words…”There’s no doubt,”  “It has been an accepted x,”  “All”, “Every,” “Some,”  “Most.”  Words, especially adjectives, used to plant a seed in the mind before a conclusion is presented. “There is no doubt, Global warming is a fact. It is accepted by most credible scientists. Some will have you think it is All made up, but it’s not. Those that disregard global warming as fact are uneducated and do not understand all the elitism I am spewing.”  How many fallacies do you spot?  I spot nine (9)… “There is no doubt,”  “It is accepted,”  “Most,”  “Credible,”  “Scientists,”  “Some,”  “All made up,”  “Those,”  “Uneducated.”  Sometimes a fallacy is made a fallacy due to the user’s intent to be ambiguous or unclear.  If a person uses the above words and has support and evidence for his point, he is not using fallacies.

Reader,
The above is not an exhaustive list of fallacies, not even close.  Fallacies border upon the innumerable.  Fallacies are like sin, we all use them and sometimes we don’t even recognize or realize it.  The critical, clear, and logical thinker is always on the look out for fallacies being used by others and being used by themselves.

If you disagree with me on any point, you are wrong because everyone else agrees with me and who are you to disagree with me anyway? You should be ashamed of yourself for even thinking I.m wrong. Even all the logicians agree with me.  Besides, “You’re Little and I’m Big…Your Wrong and I’m Right, and I’m Smart and you’re dumb!!! Ha ha haha ha..ha..ha….ha.

P.S. When a person get’s loud and or animated…fallacy.  Hunt these fallacies down tomorrow, you will find them….guarenteed or my name is not Batman.

 

 

 

“Yet hath he not root in himself…”  (Matthew 13)

 

Reader,
Before us is a most sobering subject.  It is a subject that should be preached and taught in every church on a regular basis.  However, this is a subject that has been forgotten at best or forsaken at worst by many churches today.  This is a subject that can anger the flesh and can split the local church.  It is the subject of backsliding or the professing, but lost “believer.”  For a faithful shepherd to use his rod and lift up the wool of a false believer can be most dangerous.  We are not saying the backslidden or lost person is a wolf in sheeps clothing for this person may very well be deceived themselves.  It is the ineffective preacher that leaves the the person in that deceived state.

How have things come to this?  We will gives you a few possibilities and explain why the church is filled with these persons.
1. The pulpit has preached a “cheap grace”, as Bonhoeffer wrote, in their gospel message.  Today many ministers preach a gospel that is sorely missing of necessary points.  Today’s “Gospel,” in many cases, forsake the preaching on sin, repentance, denying of self, taking up the cross and following Christ. After presenting the mixed multitude with an inspiring lecture, the motivational speaker will throw in, at the last second, some lip service to salvation that is void of the preceding ingredients.
2. Instead of preaching the Gospel and letting the Spirit of Christ deal with the hearts and minds of those present, the minister will ask for every head bowed and every eye closed, they will ask for hands to be raised, will bear false witness and say they see “that hand” when there is no hand, and will begin to count as other hands pop up. These gregarious hands, sometimes the same hands that pop up week after week, will be counted but never questioned at a later time. Reader, Christ never called anyone in the dark, but always called men and women openly.
3. Ministers refuse to question their flock regarding this subject. The minister may see marks of the backslidden believer or marks of a false believer and leave these persons in their condition. This is something Christ and His apostles would never allow.  Christ said one of His disciples was a devil, Paul instructed his readers to examine themselves, and Peter instructed his readers to make their calling and election sure, James also warned his readers about being doers of the Word and not hearer only. All of the inspired writers at one time or another warned their readers of this very real danger as will every faithful minister and guardian of the Gospel.
4. People are lonely in this world and when they find they will be accepted by warm and loving people, they will seek acceptance in the church and will raise their hand, will be baptised, they will do almost anything to find love.  This is another reason the church is filled with a mixed multitude.
5. A large church is many a minister’s dream and goal and they will do anything to get it, even betraying Christ, the Church, and the Gospel.

What are signs of a backslidden believer or a lost person deceiving themselves?
1. A lack of zeal or any kind of excitement in regards to the Word of God.  The lost person does not have any attraction to the Word and the backslider may have at one time or another had a real hunger and thirst for God’s Word, but has lost it.  They try to regain that hunger by giving eye service to it, but not finding that hunger again.  They try to manufacture a hunger but it is not real.
2. Prayer is not a priority in their lives. The lost person only ever prayed when others prayed and this was only a bowing of the head alone.  The backslidden knows they should or rather must pray to remain spiritual healthy but it just isn’t important to them anymore. Prayer is not their first first choice of refuge during a storm but anger and worry is.
3.  The false believer and the backslider find no value in spending time with other believers but find the lost more exciting and would rather be around the unsaved than the saved.  They find the healthy believer to be annoying and may even resent them for their realness and their walk with God.  If these “believers” spend time in a place where both lost persons and saved persons share a space they will find themselves gravitating to the unbelievers.
4. Sin is not a real concern either in themselves or anyone else. There is no sense of, “Get thee behind me, (s)atan” when they are faced with sin in themselves or  others, or when faced with temptation.  They find sin, easier to commit and to commit to than before. Their entire attitude toward sin is, it’s no big deal.  They would rather lie low and keep their mouth shut instead of pointing sin out to others.
5.  The false believer and the backslidden may realize their condition and find themselves concerned not!!!  A false believer or a backslidden believer can read an article like this and be not swayed to act upon it. The unbeliever may roll the eyes and call me a legalist and the backslider will simple think, God will revive me when He’s ready, or they too may see me as a legalist.
6. Good works are not a concern either, lest they are being watched.  Both will attend church, only because they have to in order not to draw attention to themselves or their ways and condition.  These persons are not interested in putting others first or even grow concerned when they hear of another in pain or in trouble.

How does this writer understand these things or have this insight you might ask.  We have this insight because we have been a backslider.  I was guilty of all of the above, with the exception of pretending all was well.  I ceased to attend church and when the faithful came looking for me, I was honest regarding our state and we were not friendly to those seeking our best.  When ashed why we ceased to attend church, we gave no excuse. We gave an honest reason and that was we did not want to.  We rejected their prayers and asked them not to return.  Reader, you may chase the faithful away….goosebumps, I have goosebumps…… you may chase the faithful away, but you will not ever chase THE Ever Faithful One away.  God has not only promised to be your Sheperd but He has obligated Himself to Himself…He will let you wander a ways off, but He will always come searching.
God deals with each of His wandering children in His own way and in the way that they will respond to.  He knows what buttons to push. God may deal harshly as He did with David at times, or He may deal as He did with Elijah, in a still small voice.
I can remember well the manner in which God dealt with me. God kept me from hurting myself…He was O’ so longsuffering with me. He dealt with me as He did when I was on the right path. In my backslidden state I never lost the sense of His Presence or love.  He kept me from physical harm when I was drunk and violent, He kept me from getting in the way of His plans for me when i was promiscuous, He never put any sense or weight of conviction upon me…until the time was right.
I can remember it like it was yesterday, after being kicked out of a bar and forbidden to ever return, I was parked behind a gas station, throwing up, and hearing the still small voice within my heart, “What are you doing and are we done yet?”  I wept and said, “I don’t know… yes, we’re done.”  Reader, I have not left His side again and praise be to God He never left mine at all.
It may sound contradictory, but all the time I was backslidden I was sinning in faith.  I was angry at God for a loss in my life and I was out to punish Him for this loss, I can remember committing sin and asking God, silently, “How do you like this?”  or “How do you like that.”  I know now the real question I was asking,, “Do you still love me, now?”  The answer was always to same, “I will not leave thee nor will I forsake thee.”  I pushed and pushed and He tugged and tugged…Reader, God loves me and I love Him.

There is another species of backsliding than mine was. Mine was on purpose and “in faith.” The other type of backslidding is subtle, sneaky, slow, and silent.  It is a spirit of empathy towards all things God. This species of backsliding is subtle, like the serpent, sneaky like Absolom, or Haman, or Daniel’s enemies. Slow like the boiling of a frog, and silent like a dagger under the fifth (5th) rib.
Reader, backsliding is another word, a nicer word for turning your back upon Christ.  You may not say, “I know not the man” but your actions and your spirit certainly do. When He knocks at the door of your heart, it is a stranger knocking, He has become unfamiliar to you. You may still hear His voice but it is in the distance.  Another definition for backsliding is “lost in Christ.” Though you be in Christ, backslider, you are, for all intents and purposes, lost…you are A-theist in all practicality.  Apostacy is the next step after backsliding.

Dangers in backsliding:  You will draw others with you.  Scripture is most clear on this subject.   God is very angry at the person who causes another to fall and He hates the one who causes discord among the brethren.  You may not have the blood of your neighbor’s on your hand but the blood of the Christ-ian that slides, because of you, is. Another danger is the “Hound of Heaven” hunting you down like a criminal.  Yes, An angry God is to be greatly feared by the backslider.

Backslider, you are robbing God of prayer, praise, obedience, acknowledgement, and worship that is due Him.  The cost of over-due worship is high and you cannot afford it. A third (3rd) danger is apostacy.  This is the failure to persevere until the end. This is a very real threat and a sound doctrine found in Scripture. The Word warns all believers of the possibility of falling away.  Many of these warnings begin with the word, if. “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed…”   “If ye love [M]e ye will keep my commands.”  Another word that speaks to this doctrine is, continue. Colossians 1:23, Paul tells the Colossians all that they have in Christ, what they should do and be in Christ, what it means to be saved, and then he inserts an addendum, “ If ye Continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the [G]ospel, which ye have heard…”  These words are written to professing Christ-ians!!!

Reader, When Scripture commands us to believe, He means a living and enduring, a continual and continuous, a perpetual, a new-natured belief and not a one time only acknowledgement to Gospel facts or an every now and again belief. He speaks of a faith that digs in, that grows into knowledge and hope.

A Checklist, if you will:
*Do you read the Word of God out of duty or out of want?  Do you read the Word, at all during the week?
*Do you contemplate spiritual matters, IE. Do you think about the Godhead?
*Does the Name Jesus Christ do anything inwardly to you?
*Do you pray…really pray rather than give lip service to God?
*Does the Church, Good Works, Other believers hold any interest in you or for you?
*Do those close to God annoy you and you know not why?
*Are you more comfortable with the unsaved than the saved?
*Would you rather discuss topics from the world or topics that are spiritual in their nature?
*Do you know you are backslidden and care not, the pull of the world is too great and entertaining?
*Do you find yourself judging others or comparing yourself to others instead of comparing yourself to Christ?

Reader, these are questions that shine light upon your state and spiritual condition. Next to salvation, this should be of the greatest concern to every believer. It is imperative to prove yourself to yourself, to try your spirit, to examine yourself. If one is backslidden and wants to return to the Shepherd, do not start with outward works, but be still and know that God is God…commune with yourself upon your bed…do your first works which are internal, pray and confess your condition before Him, “[W]ho loved you and gave Himself for you.”  Call or cry out to the searching Shepherd…”Here am I…Here Am I” Plead with him, “Pass me not O’ Gentle Saviour.”

If you are a believer and sense the spirit of empathy coming for you, tell Christ, as if you are lying in a bed next to Him, “Lord, I am prone to wander, Lord. I feel it.” Ask Him to take your lips, your life, your ears, your tongue and teach you how to better serve Him. Refuse to slide back to the ways of before.

The only difference between the atheist, and the backslider is God’s persevering grace and love for the backslider.

The wise person acknowledges the proneness to wandering and defends against it by  and in faith.

Godspeed.

“…[A] Lying Tongue…”  (Proverbs 6)

 

Q. How can you tell if a democratic politician is lying?
A. Their lips are moving.

I am not blind to the Republican’s short comings, or the current president’s short comings.  But I thank God on a regular basis for President Trump and I pray for him as i prayed for Obama.  I confess my prayers for trump are far more freely offered up than my prayers for Obama.  My prayers for Obama was more inline with God restraining him than anything else.  My prayers for Trump are in line with safety, wisdom, and continued good decisions.  Until Trump is proven to be Anti-Christ, he has this writer’s support and prayers.  Besides, my money is on his son in law for Anti-Christ and Soros as the power behind him.

If you are a professing Christ-ian and you are a straight-down the line democrat, you are very, very suspect to this writer.  The left stands for much of what God hates. I do not say that as a biased republican, but as an observer of human nature.  What TBN is to Christ-ianity, the democratic party is to politics…What (s)atan was to Eve, the demon-cratic party is to politics…What Judas was to our Lord, the left is to truth.  Generally speaking, if you turn on TBN, at any point during the day,  you will find false teaching. If you turn on CNN, MSNBC, or NBC World News, you will find false or intentionally twisted and wrested reporting.  I have listened to Trump speak, I then turned to CNN and they are “expositing” Trump’s remarks.  It seems like they listened to an entirely different speech. They are not reporting on the speech I just heard.

No matter how many short comings this president and the republican party may have they are no where near the devious democratic party. Deceit and deception must be a prerequisite to be a democratic politician.  These politicians are as hypocritical as the Pharisee ever were.  it seems to me that they have not learned that everything they say is recorded or video taped or they think, We the people are stupid, uninformed, or have really bad memories.

One must be blind and deaf not to see that the false prophet-media is in bed with the demon-cratic party.  If one ever doubted that God puts all authority in place, one must acknowledge it now.  There is no way, humanly speaking, that Trump could have won with Fifty percent (50%) of the country against him, the majority of the mainstream media, and the entire democ-rat-ic party against him. Trump won by divine fiat, it would seem.

I’m not speaking about the democratic voters necessarily.  I would question their political-sanity and their understanding of the facts. The left, the progressives, the liberals, the democrats are for defenseless and open border, defenseless families, and the killing of defenseless babies.  I know that sounds reductionist but it is what it is…this is their platform in simple terms. What are their traits and why do they do what they do? 1.Votes,  2. Questionable morals and situational ethics, 3. Emotional and subjective thinking,  4. No objective source they are loyal to, IE. The Constitution or the Holy Bible,  5. They are obstructionists,  6. They are little children on a playground…this can be applied to many republicans also as can #5.  7. They hold to evolution, which speaks to their low estimate on life.  8. They are globalists and are concerned what others countries think.  9. They are terrific and very practiced liars, 10. They live and die on illogical fallacies.

AS I have said elsewhere, If I did not believe in human depravity, I would be forced to conclude that the democratic party is demonically possessed.  I am convince that the majority of their ilk is psyco/sociopathic.  Example… When the gov’t shut down in 2016 (I think 2016) a reporter asked Harry Reed (D) if he would consider keeping the children’s cancer hospital open during the gov’t shutdown.  Reed’s reply….”Why would I do that?”  Reed was the Majority leader at the time.  Mrs. Clinton, during her Benghazi hearing said, “At this point what does it matter!?”  She was also caught on tape, many centuries ago, laughing at how she got a child rapist found not guilty in a trial even though she knew he was guilty!!!  I will say this about her husband however, I learned from him to never write anything down, this is a lesson his wife did not learn.

Even the democrat’s logo or symbol speaks to their ways and mind-set.  The jack-ass stands for their party…..if you ever doubted Balaam’s ass speaking,  just turn on CNN and you will doubt no more.

Unless the left wing and the right wing of the Eagle soar in unison, this Eagle will fall and die or will be put into a zoo and become subject to the mercies of other nations….God forbid.

Godspeed.

 

 

“Every man that hath this hope [Christ’s return and the Christ-ian’s Predestinated Christ-likeness] in him purifieth himself, even as [H]e is pure.”  (1 John 3)

 

This passage poses a difficulty.  The passage states that if a man has  “this hope in him purifieth himself, even as [H]e is pure.”  Does the first (1st) him refer to Christ or the man himself? I suppose either understanding is accurate.  If a person has the hope (expectation) of Christ’s return and his becoming like Christ will, in this life, seek to be pure, clean, holy, and sanctified.  The other possibility is, If a person has a hope in Christ and His return and the transformation into Christ-likeness, he will seek to purify himself in this life.  Both understanding work and are true. Therefore, take your pick or do as this writer does and keep them both as sound doctrine.

I started thinking upon this passage after reading a quote from an old disciple’s article, Richard Sandlin’s “Today’s Journal.”  This man and his articles are well worth your time and consideration.  At the end of a recent article, Sandlin quoted Thomas Watson, the Puritan.  Thomas Watson wrote, “We are more sure to rise out of our grave than our bed.”  WOW!!!  The puritans and their writings, even their quotes can be thought altering. The puritans were certainly a people chosen of God and set apart. These men and women, humanly speaking, are in a class all their own. However, one must remember they were sinners saved by grace as are all of God’s children.

Among the Puritans, there is Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, Richard Baxter, Thomas Brooks, John Bunyan, Stephen Carnock, John Flavel, Thomas Goodwin, William Gurnall, Thomas Hooker, Thomas Manton, William Perkins, Samuel Rutherford, Richard Sibbes, Thomas Watson, Isaac Watts, and others. These men were master wordsmiths, they used language and words like know one else.  Preachers that learnes from the Puritans are Charles Spurgeon, Arthur Pink, And Martyn lloyd Jones, and this writer.  If you come a cross a church with the word, reformed in it’s name or title, you can be pretty sure that church has a pastor that gleans much from the Puritans.

Back to Watson and his quote regarding the certainty of the Christ-ian’s resurrection. Reader, the Christ-ian’s resurrection is a set appointment. We shall rise unto blessedness and pleasures forever more. However, just as our rising up is certain, so is the raising up of the spiritually dead…the wicked…those outside of Christ…those God never knew from the foundations of the world…those that will be told, “depart from [M]e, ye that work iniquity.”  These individuals will be raised up to face the fury and holy and righteous judgement of God.  The Bible, their actions, their words, their intents and their motives will testify against them as will their rejection and rebellion against the Godhead and Christ Jesus, Who is Lord of the living and the dead.

Reader, whether you are a Christ-ian or not you will be raised up and will stand before Christ Jesus, Who is YOUR Lord, whether you know it or not, whether you acknowledge Him or not.  (s)atan may be the god of this world, he may be your father, but Christ reigns and rules over him….(s)atan is subject to the Sovereign God and his Creator.

Christ-ian….Praise God, Our rising from the grave is more sure than our rising from our beds!!!