Much of the issue that we find within the church as well as throughout society as a whole today is rooted within pride. Here, hatred and envy manifest themselves ultimately producing division and exile. We see churches and other groups gather together in an almost cultish manner while others seeking acceptance feeling excluded and alienated.
A once open and welcoming house of God has become a gathering place of narcissist. Too often the same story comes my way of people attending churches seeking fellowship, and yet go in only to feel hostility coming their way with most of it stemming from the conception of the exclusion of anyone that was seen as different or deemed unworthy to fit within the church’s ideal.
Jesus dealt with the same types in His day as the scribes and pharisee’s were lifted up in pride and looked down upon the “unclean” of society. The only way to function properly within and outside the church is by letting go of pride and rather seek to live as Christ did; Love, be kind and help build each other up.
Taking the easiest route in life maybe the most conservative, and yet the most unfulfilling. Purpose and meaning are often times manifested within the realm of chaos when you trail off the path of security. In this realm is where the potential for success lies and where order can be created. Only in this realm can we reach our full potential as the chaos forces us either grow and excel or drift back onto the path most known. Jesus’s parable about the talents sheds light on this issue as each person was given a number of talents and then sent out into the world or “chaos” to grow their talents. All of them succeeded except one, that is the one that hid them away in fear and took the easiest route possible. Go off the beaten path and see what potential God has put within you.
Where is the love of Christ? Today many churches are either exhibiting cultish characteristics that shuns anyone that thinks remotely different than them or they promote the concept that one doesn’t have to live a life that is pleasing to God, but rather pursue whatever they “feel” is right within their hearts. How did Jesus deal with such radicalism and how should we follow in His footsteps?
Two and a half years ago my wife and I found out our daughter had ALL Leukemia. I vividly remember the moment of this knowledge administration with it’s ultimately terrifying sensation that vibrated throughout our bodies and minds. More terror and anxiety were to come as they began to explain what the next two years were going to be like for us with steroids, chemo, spinal taps and much more. To add on to it all, my wife had just found out two weeks prior that she was pregnant with our son, Enoch, who was to be born right about the time of Isabella’s intense treatment.
The next two years were by far the toughest years of our lives, and yet, thank God we made it through as Isabella has just finished her treatments and everything is looking up. With this success and the joy it brings, unfortunately there are some who never get to experience this joy. Since the time of Bell’s admission, my wife and I’s eyes have been opened to the reality that many never encounter or even realize. Seeing kids with cancer, suffering away and then come to find out that some of whom you have met did not make it really opens your eyes to the suffering and malevolence that is intertwined within the fabric of reality itself.
As you look at all the suffering and the ultimate death of unfortunate individuals, it makes one ask the ever present question of, “Where is God?” Where is God during all this suffering and malevolence? Where is He during the treatment processes and why does He allow some to survive and others not to? One conclusion some typically come up with is the same that Sam Harris has stated, “Either God can do nothing to stop catastrophes like this, or He doesn’t care to, or He doesn’t exist. God is either impotent, evil, or imaginary.” Although there seems to be some logic ingrained within this statement, there is also something vitally missing here.
The Origin
“To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.’ Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: ‘Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
Genesis 3:16-19 nkjv
To understand suffering and death, one must go back to its origin. The introduction of suffering and death began at the beginning in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Here we find that the first two concise human beings were given a choice to enable them to have freewill, but just like any choice we make today, both had consequences that came with them. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve chose the way that led to death by the enticement of the serpent, and from this point we see their exile from the Garden and the initiation of the curse of suffering, malevolence and death.
Over the years I have had several debates with people on this topic with many opponents bringing up the notion that it was ridiculous that God would punish the entire human race from two people’s mistakes. Many have went on to state that God should give each person the same choice and that they would have never eaten of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. My argument to that is that they would have more than likely eaten of the same tree and that we all still have the same choice as Adam and Eve which is the choice between accepting Christ, the Tree of Life, or rejecting Him, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Each and everyone of us has the choice between life and death with both bringing with them consequences of both good and bad. With freewill comes the necessity of choices as well as that of responsibility. We are all responsible for our ultimate fate of either ascending into eternity with God or being cast out of His presence all together just like Adam and Eve in the Garden. We see where suffering and death have spawned from, but where is God in amongst all the suffering?
The Eternal Perspective
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV
One thing that many people tend to forget about God is the sheer fact that He is eternal and we are finite. We only get a small glimpse of the whole picture, a little glimmer of the purpose that is laid out. In order to understand the suffering that happens in the world, we must first come to view things from an eternal perspective. By broadening our view of life from the finite to the infinite, we can gain a better perspective as to how God works compared to how we work.
Not only does broadening our view from the finite to the infinite help us see the bigger picture, but by having a better view of what heaven itself will be like helps gain and even greater insight to the goodness of God. As much emphasis we put on this life, heaven is so much better that we could not even begin to fully grasp the joy and goodness that is found within. If we were to even get a brief moment, a small glimmer of what it is like, we would instantly want permanent residency there.
Heaven is briefly described in the Bible with the notions of tears being wiped away, providing the idea that all suffering will seize. The wolves will lie down with the lambs, children will play with rattlesnakes and the eternal joy of God will abound. The joy and peace that will reside in each of our hearts and minds will be so overwhelming that memories of this life will seize to exist as it states that the “dead remember nothing” and that “all things will be made new”. We will all dwell within the warm light and presence of God Himself with anxieties completely expelled from existence for eternity.
Now, with the description above we have still not even began to fully tap into the reality of heaven itself, but with a small glimpse into what is awaiting us all, it should encourage as well as instills hope within our hearts and minds. With all that being said,just as Paul has stated, it begins to make more sense to be with the Lord more than be here. When one does suffer and ultimately departs from this life, although it does grieve us tremendously, at the same time it should also comfort us to know that they are in the place that we all so desperately seek to be, they just made it there first.
I am not stating that we should never grieve or that this life is somehow purposeless as even Jesus wept when Lazarus died, and there is plenty of work to be done here for the Lord and good choices to be made. We all have a purpose inputted to us by the Lord Himself and it is our duty to go out and accomplish it filled with the Holy Spirit.
Not only does this give us hope in to what is to come but should also reassure us that God is with us wherever we go. God dwells in eternity which has no bounds. He is everywhere all the time no matter the distance or depth, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” Psalms 139:7-8.
The Growth
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
james 1:2-4 nkjv
As tough as suffering is to deal with, it has its benefits. Just like in the gym, in order to grow bigger muscles and get stronger the more resistance we must add. The same applies to growing and maturing in Christ, the more we seek Him and pursue His will, the greater obstacles He will provide to help us grow stronger and tougher. The more resistance we encounter the stronger we will become and the more effective we become within our calling.
Another example I like to use is that of babies, they are very cute and cuddly, but they don’t produce much of anything except pee and poop. In our walk with God it is the same thing as when we are babies in Christ we are slow to start and accomplish little compared to when we grow and mature. But, in order to grow it takes time, patience and hardships. “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Hebrews 5:13-14.
God uses suffering as a part of our growing and transformation process, the Word itself transforms us, but so does the help of experience with suffering as well. Without suffering and trials, we would all become lackadaisical and ultimately become victims to malevolence. Another way of looking at it is that of a diamond in the rough. In order to bring out the beauty of a diamond one must chisel all the excess away to expose its full beauty. Just like a potter with his clay, he must apply pressure to the clay in order to mold it to the form he desires and then put it in the furnace to bring it to its finished state. “But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8.
So, where is God? He is with us wherever we go at all times. He is guiding us and providing for us continuously. Although we may not understand all the ways of God, we can be rest assured that He is for us and that when something tragic comes our way that He is mourning with us, but at the same time He is comforting those we have lost with His eternal love and presence.
We have chose the life we live from the beginning, but that is not the end of the story as we are still faced with the same choices today, that is between the Tree of Life or the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. To accept Christ or to reject Him. He is awaiting our arrival with open arms.
Could the UN be using climate change in a radical manner to help give them more control and power by imputing greater fear within the hearts and minds of citizens?
My latest book Cannabis and The Christian Church is now available on Amazon.com in paperback. Check it out and let me know what you think and God bless!
From the beginning we were commanded to subdue and have dominion over the earth, and with this comes the necessity of responsibility. In the Garden of Eden, Adam was to tend the garden, that is to take care of it, and this same calling still applies to us today. Just as we are called to take care of our bodies, so are we to take care of the earth. Each of us are called to take responsibility and conduct ourselves properly as caretakers of this earth that God has blessed us with by simply recycling more, driving less and walking more, using less electricity within our homes and finding more sustainable means of energy.
Much of what we have seen over the course of time with climate change is part natural and part artificial. Some of the damage that has incurred is due to the greed of the human heart by detrimentally impacting the environment in exchange for financial gain. I am not proposing that we make radical changes as proposed by much of the extreme left, but improvements by companies to cut back on carbon emissions and toxic waste while not impacting the lively hood of individuals is a great place to start.
Reducing the amount of trees cut down and rather utilize hemp for paper products and other materials. Utilizing more solar and wind power and cutting back on nuclear power plants. The list is endless and the benefits of sustainability for future generations of utmost value.
The more fear we live with the less wisdom we will gain. Fear inhibits growth which leads us down a road of immaturity. Let go of the fear and embrace the journey, and therein you will find wisdom and grow to your fullest potential.
Many people wonder what type of person they might expect the antichrist to be with most portraying the man to have giant horns coming from his head and to be disgusting beyond belief, and yet how much merit does this hold according to what is describe in scripture? We read that Satan is an angel of like and was called the morning star, so the concept that he is disgusting looking, at least on the outside, seems to be incoherent with how scripture describes him. Looking at what scripture says about him and his coming will help bring clarity as well as help us be able to identify him when he arrives on the scene.
MIGHTY AND CUNNING
“And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; he shall destroy the might, and also the holy people. Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.”
daniel 8:23-25 nkjv
Here we read that his countenance will be “fierce” as is translated in the NKJV text, but the Hebrew being used is, “az” which can also mean strong, mighty and power. This word comes from the root word, “azaz” which means to be strong, to prevail. A few times it is translated as fierce, and yet several times it is translated as strong and mighty including Exodus 14:21, Numbers 13:28, Psalms 59:3, Amos 5:9 and more.
It seems to better understand what is implied here is that his countenance will be mighty and strong, that he will be portrayed as a great leader of the nations, at least initially. As time elapses during the tribulation and his rule is fully established, then the idea of a more fierce countenance will become evident as more of his true self is revealed and the evil is brought to the surface of his being.
In verse 25 we see that “through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule.” This indicates that he will be someone whom people love and admire as a witty individual as not only will he be a strong leader, but he will be the one that initiates “world peace” and brings about “security” which is what will ultimately help him gain trust and propel him to become a world leader. This is confirmed in Daniel 11:32 where is states that “he shall corrupt with flattery” and in Revelations it says that “he was given a mouth speaking great things” which is the Greek word, megas and means things esteemed highly for their importance: of great moment, great weight.
The antichrist will be someone whom the people marvel at with great signs and wonders, and not some beast-like character that is easily determined to be the antichrist. Another verse within Daniel goes on to verify this again in chapter 11 verse 21, “And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.” He will not be forceful in his approach, but rather win over the people and inherit the kingdom in a somewhat proper manner, something a hideous, horned beast-like man couldn’t do.
DECEIVER
“And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.”
revelations 13:14 nkjv
It is said that he will be a deceiver of the world, something he is known for since the beginning of time itself starting with a third of the angels and moving on to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. At this time he will deceive the nations by the “signs and wonders” he performs as well as by his “flattery”. This character will more than likely be a handsome man and someone whom all the people admire and adore. He will ultimately deceive the world into worshipping him as well as the beast, and as we read in Matthew 24, possibly even the “elect” of God.
Another way in which he will be able to deceive the world, even the elect of God is by the possibility of a post-tribulation rapture. We have be so indoctrinated to believe, and to put all of our hopes into the concept of a pre-tribulation rapture to occur that if it were to not occur, many Christians would become confused and discouraged and ultimately fall into the trap of the antichrist. You can find out more about how the rapture might occur post-tribulation by watching the video below.
Will the rapture be post-tribulation?
THE WORLD’S FIRST GAY LEADER
“He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.”
daniel 11:37 nkjv
One verse that is often overlooked is this one. When looking at this verse in light of what is happening in today’s society where the lesbian, gay and transgender propaganda is one of the most talked up topics, it makes sense that the antichrist himself will be a proclaimed gay man and the first gay world leader to come onto the scene. Could you imagine the response of the world if this were to occur? How many would applaud and celebrate this as a victory for gay rights and how much more they would admire and adore him and listen to every word as though it were gold?
The Hebrew word used here for desire is “chemdah” which means to desire, that which is pleasant. The literal translation is that the man will not desire women, he will be gay. This correlates so well with our society today that the spiritual inspiration behind this is unbelievably profound.
REMARKABLY GENIUS
“He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”
revelation 13:15 nkjv
Not only will this man bring about world (false) peace and seem to be the man with a plan as well as be able to do great signs and wonders, but he will also be tech savy as well. One of the most popular ideas in the tech community right now is that of quantum computing and a self-aware AI. When one looks at the origination of the image of the beast (abomination of desolation) in correlation with our technologically advanced society today, it makes sense that the image is some sort of technology that will be erected in the temple to be marveled at and worshiped.
The Greek word for image being used here is “eikon” which means an image, figure or statue. This “statue” is to be erected into the temple to be worshiped. Image being used here is not just any old statue, but is a statue to be the image of a person of such. To really help bring clarity to this issue one only has to look at their phones and the siri voice or that of Alexa or Echo being used around the world. I believe these to be precursers to that of the image of the beast itself. The more reliant we are, as well as younger generations, to technology to guide us, the more susceptible we will become to worshiping it, which some have already begun to do.
Looking to the word “breath” being used there is the Greek word, “pneuma”, which means the rational soul or concise. The hype of building a true quantum computer and creating AI with the capacity to be able to be “self-aware” or “concise” correlates so well with this verse that it brings about chills of terror. This verse indicates that the antichrist will be the one whom possess’s the capability to program the AI image to become self-aware and “help guide” humanity to a better future. Not only will this man be brilliant in bringing peace and security in the world, but will also be a technological genius as well.
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”
2 timothy 4:2 nkjv
These are just some of the characteristics that scripture states that the antichrist will possess, and that we should be aware, or “sober minded” of what is going on, always being watchful and ready for what is to come. This is not to say that we should be fearful, but that we should be ready, being filled with the knowledge and power of the Holy Spirit, ready to fight the good fight.
