Back in July I read a little devotion from a friend of mine and want to share it with you now, as well my own testimony regarding it. The publication is called “All God’s Creatures”, and the title for July 13, 2023 was “Distractions.” I do not want to hide my lamp under a bushel, but rather, want to shine that others may be encouraged and blessed!
Here is the brief devotional:
“We stood there on the hiking trail, face to face. Floating in midair, the hummingbird stopped and stared at me for a moment. My bright-red shirt had probably attracted him in hopes he’d found the largest flower ever.
What a disappointment to realize I was merely a human and had nothing he wanted.
For a few seconds, we remained motionless as I admired his iridescent feathers and ruby-colored throat. No doubt his little mind was processing the biggest letdown in his life. I felt both guilty and amused that my choice of clothing had deceived him.
As he flew away, I mumbled, “Sorry, little fella.”
While finishing my hike, I contemplated how I, too, have been led toward things that I thought, based on their appearance, would fulfill me. On closer examination, I find the material attainments are not at all what they seem.
So often, I fly after the American dream of having the bigger house, nicer car, prestigious career, or recognition for being the best at something. These acquisitions and accomplishments leave me empty and disappointed.
Much like my hummingbird visitor, I flit from one want to another, looking for something to quench this thirsting in my soul. What I need is more of Jesus, the nectar of life. Drinking deeply from God’s riches satisfies like nothing else.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s OK to own nice things or be good at something. But when these pursuits consume my thoughts, they can become idols. The desire for things of this world fade when I’m filled with the Holy Spirit. Being filled happens when I spend time in His Word and His presence, seeking His will for me. When I follow hard after God rather than temporal things, I am never let down.
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1″
Perhaps God is right now speaking to your heart through this little experience of author Tez Brooks who was walking along a trail wearing a red shirt. Isn’t it amazing how someone’s little testimony can touch so many lives when it is told???
As for my testimony, that red shirt has been several things for me. A ministry job for one – although, truly this is a calling and has been since I was 19 years old. Maybe that’s why I’m constantly looking. Perhaps in this way it is NOT a red shirt. Maybe I’m just waiting for God’s promise to fully be fulfilled and am blooming where planted in the meantime, honing my skills and learning the heart of God – like Moses in the backside of the desert.
But, a true red shirt is that of desiring to have what many consider a “normal” life such as being married, having kids, a house, my own brand new car, a good job, a body that works right, vacations in the summer, holiday parties with an extended family that actually wants to get together, a savings account, etc. On top of this, and really the focus of this whole red shirt thing is that “special someone” to spend your life with, one who is God’s gift to me. Indeed this is the biggest because I’ve been looking for that since I was a child.
Time after time multiplied many times over I have thought I’d found “the one”, “the gift” of God to me. I can’t count how many times, and yet all were utter failures. Most never even made it off the ground and were just grand illusions sent to buffet and torment me with what was not mine. They were all red shirts, and I as an eager, ever-observant and thirsty hummingbird kept buzzing up close to see if they were indeed the biggest flower ever. Oh the hope! And each time my heart has been broken and been incredibly disappointed.
Recently, there has been yet another red shirt in my little hummingbird life. And interestingly enough the red shirts have been getting better and better. LOL! It used to be that the wearer of the red shirt was not a Christian but could be won. Oh the grand illusions!!! Now it’s a red shirt of someone godly and who loves their work and has a good heart. In other words, the red shirt is getting more stylish and fancy and looks more and more like a true gift with a big red bow on it. But, it’s still just a red shirt!!! LOL!!!
And recently has been no different. I had again thought perhaps this is the one that God has brought to me. And then I get up close and find the chinks in the armor or the pealing paint or the fatal flaw or the plain and simple fact that God says no. Only this time, I am not as disappointed. This time something has happened more deeply than before. This time I’ve read the story about the red shirt. This time I don’t feel so upset about not being ‘normal’. This time 1 Samuel 12 is more real to me – in a good way.
In 1 Samuel 12 the Israelites had all determined that they needed a king even though God had taken care of them, battled for them, protected them, and provided for them many times over. He was their fearless leader who had brought them out of bondage, entered a covenant with them, and ushered them into the Promised Land. But, no, that wasn’t enough. They wanted to look like every other nation, and every other nation had a king. Thus, Samuel stood before them and told them all that this was sin, it displeased the Lord, and that because of their choice God was sending a violent thunderstorm to wipe out their wheat crops. Even as Samuel spoke, the rains came and the thunder and lightning rolled in, and the people stood in shock and awe at it all. Israel had been unlike any other nation. Their God was unlike any other God. He was their Lord and their King. No other nation could boast this. Why oh why did they want to look like everyone else???
And indeed, God is my Lord, my King, and my life too looks far different from everyone else’s. In the past, even the recent past, I felt awkward in this role, this difference, even ashamed. But, through this red shirt story and the reminder of 1 Samuel 12, I feel beautifully different about my status now. Instead of being ashamed, I oddly enough feel special. Instead of feeling awkward, I somehow feel strong. And though I have not fully found my feet in this situation yet (and maybe will not – perhaps this is my walking on the water experience!!!), my heart is beating with a fresh flow of pulsating life that is coming directly from the heart of my God. And I am in awe this morning. In awe of His great love.
And here is a thought for you – perhaps, just perhaps He made so many of us, even a million, billion, zillion quadrillion zillions of us, because He loves that many different ways and He wanted to demonstrate all facets of His love. And thus, that is why we are all different like snowflakes – so that He can love in all His variety of forms.
Even so, be blessed today, for you too are different, my dear friend. You too are unique. You may have the house and kids and car and job, but YOU my friend are His unique creation! There is no one else like you!!!! Yes, my friend, you are dearly and preciously unique!!! And Jesus love you for it!!!
And I don’t know what your red shirts are, but I pray that you will recognize them for being just that. Just a red shirt. Fly on. Find the flower. Quit flitting after things that will not fill you, will not fulfill you, will not satisfy, that are wells without water and clouds without rain. Look to Jesus, dear friend. In all things. Look to Jesus. He is our flower. He is your flower. He is the nectar of life, the living water that has no end, all the love that we will ever need. And don’t compare yourself in any way ever with others, for we are all unique and uniquely loved by a unique Savior who has made you just for Him. Feel loved today, my friend, because you are.
Over the past 2.5 years I have embarked on the tumultuous sea in the ship of a particular church, and it has been much like Paul’s journey in Acts 27 – for there have been at least 11 reasons to have left in that short period of time, and countless times I thought of abandoning ship. This article is actually one of my many testimonies coupled with a powerful revelation concerning loving our fellow Christians, Romans 14, and the matter of “conscience”. It is a Bible study and testimony rolled into one: they are inseparable for me at this time. I pray you are blessed by both.
The present testimony I am about to reveal began with overhearing a prayer of one of my elders approximately nine months ago. No, I did not actually “attend” that prayer meeting for circumstances did not permit it. But, for a few minutes I lingered outside the door where a group were praying, and it was while lingering that I heard the elder’s prayer that the church would “love each other”.
Being frankly honest, I was upset by the prayer, and I remember distinctly thinking to myself, ‘that is not what is needed right now. What’s needed is repentance. What’s needed is holiness. What’s needed is a moving of the Holy Spirit in conviction and power.’ Needless to say, I was unimpressed by that seemingly flimsy prayer and the phlegmatic and laid back manner in which he had prayed it. ‘Where is the passion?’ I fumed.
Needless to say, I did not stay for that prayer meeting but slipped out and into the night unnoticed. Well, almost unnoticed. God noticed. And God has pursued me with that prayer that was more powerful in its quiet delivery than I ever thought possible. Isn’t it amazing who we influence when we have absolutely no idea???!!! For in the last few months wherein I seriously considered leaving my little church many times, God not only reminded me through dreams, as well as His still small voice, to remain at the church, He has revealed to me the depths of His great love for the Church worldwide and the importance of Christians loving each other.
I’m now going to share with you my testimony of this treasured revelation. And yes, I am going to be frank and upfront about what lead me to this revelation. First and foremost, God opened my eyes to my deep-seated resentment toward the worship leadership for having shunned me last year when I confided to them that I could not in good conscience lead in certain songs (for more on what I mean, please refer the link below entitled “Do Not Be Deceived: An Angel of Light”). The worship team hardly made eye contact with me for months after that, and did not speak to me. I thought of leaving the church, but I had at that point invested so much prayer and tears into the church and loved the people so much and kept recalling a dream I’d had of my church before I even knew that they existed that I did not and could not leave.
Anyway… I forgave the worship team for their actions, and eventually reached out with hugs and questions about how they were doing etc. But, as time went on I found myself loathing the fact that they were allowed to persist in leading worship and to lead in other areas in the church, and were highly respected in the church, and that I meanwhile was just a pew warmer. Upon realizing this one day, I took the matter before the Lord, and asked with great sincerity and a lot of tears that this resentment be removed from my heart. I did not want it there. And… God took it. And in its place was this warmth of feeling toward my siblings-in-Christ, and a rejoicing in what God was doing in and through them in the body of Christ, that God was molding them and making them and using them for His glory. Oh what a change! Oh what a miracle that took place in my heart via the incredible, transforming power of the Holy Spirit!
But, that was just the beginning!
What had been brewing in my spirit for some time before that was Philippians 1:9-10 which says, “9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” The Apostle Paul therein is praying that God’s people will overflow with agape love both experienced first hand and given through the sizing up of situations that we might give the best and the most excellent form of love in each situation. He prays that this love will abound in us in order that we also might be sincerely pure – the kind of pureness that is transparent – so pure that it can survive the test of sunlight; and in order that we might be blameless, not causing people any great inner pain of offense. We are not to be thinking about ourselves and what we have received or not received, but rather be thinking about what others need and how to best meet those needs.
After ruminating on this for months and finally coming to full forgiveness, God lead me to Romans 12 and 14. First He showed me Romans 12:9-13. “9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” Breaking this down very briefly, I’ve come to find that this is speaking of genuine love that is tenderhearted toward each other as fellow Christians and is the type of love that takes the lead in serving other Christians and in recognizing the irreplaceable value of each brother and sister in Christ. This love treasures each person far above all things. It is agape love that regards the other person’s true need beneath their imperfect actions and reactions, their extreme sensitivities, or even irrational behavior.
The picture I always get of agape is of a wife who has run up a bunch of credit card debt, and her husband just opened the bill. But the husband instead of simply cutting up the cards or erupting in a rage, looks to the deeper need behind these actions, for he “regards” his wife. In other words, he sees through the bad, compulsive behavior that appears to be greedy and out of control and irresponsible (which it is), to the deep need in her heart that began back when her daddy abandoned the family, and the only way she felt complete was to go shopping with her girlfriends. And now the husband reflects on the fact that he’s been too busy with work and his wife has been home alone too much, and what she really needs is not more clothes and home renovations and jewelry, but his attention and time. So, in that moment when the husband could erupt and cancel all the credit cards and even file for divorce, instead makes the decision to immediately hug his wife and to ultimately work less hours and to spend more quality time with his wife, to meet her need for security that she did not have as a child.
That is what God did for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We had run up a debt too. But, people were looking and are looking for, “shopping for” a political savior, a national leader to intervene that they might defeat their physical enemies and have prosperity and peace. But what they needed and still need is a spiritual Savior from eternal death, hell and the grave. So, God in His agape sent us His one and only begotten Son Jesus to be that Savior of an eternal spiritual freedom, an eternal spiritual prosperity, an eternal spiritual peace, and ultimately to set up an eternal spiritual and physical kingdom that will have no end.
That is agape.
Before continuing, I want to be clear that agape does not allow for habitual sin nor for doctrinally unsound teaching or unbiblical beliefs any more than true love would knowingly allow one to jump off of a cliff or to eat poison.
Continuing on with my testimony, God took me deeper into the realization that the body of Christ really does not know how to show this kind of love, and therefore, they have not been walking in love at all towards each other. We all think we know what love is and should look like, but in reality, we all fail miserably. There is a great misunderstanding regarding what love is, for most have in their minds and hearts the definition that Hollywood and Disney have taught us – the kind of love that tolerates sin, is based in emotions, makes one feel good, and is as fleeting as snow on a summer’s day.
We have come to cling to a personal, selfish love, that needs affirmation and agreement in order to thrive. But this is not agape.
And I have been weeping and praying that the Bride of Christ will indeed begin to truly love each other – God’s way, with the “regarding” kind of love that lays one’s life down, is unselfish and “sees” and loves in the “most excellent way” for each individual Christian.
And then God lead me to Romans 14-15. Oh my goodness! What a treasure trove of what “laying down one’s life” looks like. For indeed, Jesus did not necessarily expect us to physically lay down our lives. But who thinks of these things? Who really looks into what is means to “lay down your life for your friends”? Who really understands John and 1 John? Who really meditates on what agape really looks like?
Before plowing into Romans 14-15, Romans 13 sets the stage by addressing loving each other as first of all keeping God’s moral laws, and ends with Christians “putting on Christ” and being clothed in “armor of light”. This is the basis from which we are to start, but it is not where we are to end. For Paul explains another way to love each other based not on morality but on conscience.
Thus, Romans 14 begins with the inclusiveness of the body of Christ. And by inclusiveness, I mean those who are weak and those who are strong both being included. By weak it is meant those whose conscience is sensitive; those who cannot and are not free to do certain things because of conscience. By strong it is meant those whose conscience is resilient; those who can and are free to do various things. In Romans 14 the examples given are eating meat (that is likely not kosher, even sacrificed to idols – 1 Corinthians 8), drinking wine (not kosher), and the treating of a certain day or days more special than another (likely referring to the Sabbath or festival days). The weak could not eat non-kosher meat that had been sacrificed to idols, could not drink the wine, and they saw certain days as more holy than others. It is quite probable that Paul is referring to the Christian Jews in Roman churches as the “weak”. Whereas there were the Gentile believers who could eat any meat, drink any wine, and saw all days as holy. This concept is very closely akin to 1 Corinthians 8-10, except that 1 Corinthians did not have to do with Jewish Christians, and instead dealt with Christians who had come out of idolatry having difficulty eating meat sacrificed to idols. But, the concept of weak and strong in conscience are the same.
First of all, according to Romans 14:1 the weak were to be welcomed by the strong without the strong attempting to persuade the weak to their side with judgmental debate. Rather, they were to be accepted with open arms, without question, without argumentation, and without being despised for their inability to participate in certain things.
Secondly, everyone was worshiping God – the one not eating meat and the one eating meat; the one drinking wine and the one not drinking wine, the one keeping the Sabbath on Saturday and the one keeping every day as holy unto the Lord. If it was done with thanksgiving (vs 6) and in good conscience (vs 5) they were not to judge nor despise each other for their liberty or for their sensitivity.
But – and here is where it breaks my heart – in verse 13 it states that one is to discern when what one is doing is causing another to painfully, grievously trip (like the pain of stubbing one’s toe – think of the great pain felt throughout your entire body when you stub your toe!!!) or if one is causing a brother/sister in the Lord to stumble in sin by doing something contrary to their conscience, then it is time to stop it. Doesn’t matter how good something might be or how seemingly innocent, if it is hurting your brother/sister it must be given up (to be clear, this is not referring to doctrinal matters nor to sin).
“15Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.” This grief that is being caused is severe, emotional pain and horrific, acute vexation. This happens when one is so mournful over the stronger brother’s liberty to eat, drink or do something that they come to think their liberated brother is sinning. Thus Paul writes, “16Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil…” For what good is a Christian leading in a worship song that others consider a sin because of the source of that song? A worship leader or team may have good intentions using a certain song, but when it becomes destructive and does not edify those who cannot sing it, what good is it really? They may feel right in what they do, but what good is being right if your brother in Christ is hurt by your action?
This is when Paul states under the direction of the Spirit of God that “…the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.” In other words, our pleasure in this life is not what this life is about nor is it what the kingdom of God is about. Rather, serving Christ in all things is the goal, to seek first the kingdom of God. And how is one serving Christ if one is hurting one’s brother in Christ for whom Christ died?
Thus it goes on to say, “19Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”
And I wept over this. Wept. And I still do. Do not destroy – for the sake of food. Do not destroy the work of God, the priceless Temple of God for food, or for a right to be right, or for a liberty in face of one who does not have such a liberty. Do not lose your brother or sister in Christ for the sake of one’s right or freedom or pleasure. Do not count anything more valuable than each individual member of the body of Christ. For it is not good to do anything by which your sibling in Christ will become tripped up in painful grief, be lead away to sin against their conscience, or be made literally, physically ill (vs 21)!!!!
Following my full forgiveness of the worship team and God taking away my resentment, another issue was uncovered in my heart that had kept me weeping day and night. I seriously thought that the congregation might be sinning unknowingly by singing certain songs. Now these songs were thankfully doctrinally sound. But knowing the questionable place where the songs had come from, I was extremely pained that the people were quite possibly welcoming in the wrong spirit. It is similar to if they were singing Mormon songs to our Lord however biblically accurate they may be. And I wept and wept and thought seriously of leaving again.
Now I know I was the “grieved” “weaker” Christian. Not only had worship team shunned me for my wounded conscience and serious concerns, but now I was deeply grieved, cut to the heart not only by the songs but by what might be happening to the people.
But God…
That’s when my loving God, my awesome God, my sincerely precious treasure of a God spoke into the situation and guided me into this truth of Romans 14 and 15 by His darling Holy Spirit, telling me and showing me that the people were indeed worshiping Him. I heard my Lord’s voice say, “They’re worshiping me.” And I cried tears of relief and joy in that split second of revealed truth, and Romans 14 comforted me which states that they were doing it unto the Lord. And the Lord quieted me with His comforting, still, small voice, and the potent nature of the Word of God sprang to life in that marvelous rhema word moment. No one was sinning by singing the songs. Praise the Lord that my dearest God cared to show me this!! This does not change the fact that the songs still come from an “idol temple” so to speak. But now I know that my sitting and not singing during those songs is pleasing to the Lord, and their standing and singing those songs is also pleasing to the Lord. And I am beyond relieved. I am elated!
And praise the Lord that He went on to show me even more, a treasure trove of countless worth, a mine made entirely of gold and fine gemstones beyond number. And I am in awe. In awe of love. The love we are called to as the body of Christ, the kind of love that sets aside all rights for the sake of the heart of a fellow Christian, the kind of love that does not expect immediate results but instead waits on the Holy Spirit to work patiently upon each person, even the kind of love that dies to self for the sake of another’s conscience. Just think of that! Because of conscience! This is the kind of love that lays down one’s life – by giving up the right to sing a song, or giving up the right to call a holiday by a pagan name, or giving up the right to drink alcohol in public, or giving up the right to shop at a certain store, or giving up the right to drink Dr Pepper in the presence of those who think it is a sin – for the sake of brotherly love, agape love, and God who is Love itself.
Truly and interestingly enough we are all “weak” in certain things and “strong” in others. Perhaps that’s why we are to do unto others as we would have them do unto us – so that when we find ourselves weak at any point, we will also find ourselves loved and not abandoned.
I was the “strong” in a certain situation. I was out to lunch with my boss and a co-worker, when the topic of the possibility of aborted fetal tissue being in Pepsi products came up. My co-worker was talking about this as my Dr. Pepper arrived. But, cognitive dissonance strongly kicked in, and I dismissed everything being said and went on to drink my Dr. Pepper in spite of all warnings – because I really wanted that sparkly, fizzy soda! Soon thereafter, however, wanting to know what was going on, I looked into Pepsi and found out that they had been using a research company that utilized aborted fetal tissue in their labs. There was no proof of the tissue getting into the soda, but the fact that they used the tissue of murdered babies in research was beyond appalling. I went up to my co-worker later and apologized that I had not even just for my co-worker’s conscience sake sent the Dr. Pepper back and gotten an iced tea instead. It didn’t matter that I did not understand and could not believe what was being communicated. It was real to my co-worker and I needed to in love respect that. No, there was likely nothing wrong with the soda. But, there was something wrong with my heart as the “strong” that cared more for drinking a soda than for loving my concerned sibling in Christ.
Even so, Romans 15 continues,“1We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”” Indeed, the strong are to “carry” the “doubts” of the “powerless”, and are not to please themselves. Instead, they are be quick to lead by serving and giving up things for the purpose of edifying those who are uncertain about things. They are to lead not by attempting to persuade the weak that they are wrong, but rather, the strong are to lay aside their right to be right for the sake of the weaker brother.
Truly the agenda of each Christian is to be that of edifying one another, and to care about the spiritual well being of the body of Christ, and to not beat and wound our fellow Christian servants like the unjust, abusive servant whose master tarried in his return (Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:35-48). That unjust and unfaithful servant was all about what he wanted, for it says that he ate and drank and became drunk. He was unconcerned about his brother and sister servants’ needs or weaknesses or sensitivities or conscience (Matthew 24’s account), and disregarded the fact that the servants he was to care for are God’s invaluable little children (Luke 12’s account).
How many sheep have wandered off from the flock of ninety-nine – bitten, bleeding, bruised and offended? And yes, sheep bite! How many of these have not been sought to come back, but are simply let go because it is reasoned that they’ll simply find another church? And how many well meaning Christians have attempted reconciliation but fallen far short because they were all about defending their opinions and reasons for doing something and not at all about loving that wounded person? How many of the strong simply shrug and let the 1 go? How many of the strong didn’t want to hear what the weak were saying because it required that the 99 give something up, that they had to die for the 1? How many are still church-less and unsought and unloved? (This is all from Matthew’s account of the sheep in Matthew 18 which has to do with offense not sinners).
Along with this incredible forgiveness and revelation, God took me deeper in His word, and I am touched in the depths of my soul. Oh the wealth of truth! Oh how priceless each Christian is! Oh how invaluable each brother and sister’s conscience is even when it doesn’t make sense! Oh how astounding the love of Christ for each of us that He laid aside His rights for us, that we might have life and life more abundantly! Oh the captivating beauty of His great sacrificial love that clothed in the flesh of a servant took the lead in humility and grace, dying for us who were so unworthy of such love! Oh how we who are clothed in Christ are now to take the lead in such humility toward one another no matter how weak or doubtful or seemingly ignorant some brothers and sisters may appear! For we see through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13), and are still in the process of coming to the “unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).This is the mind that is to be in us, that precious mind of Christ, so humble, so considerate, so patient, so kind, so tenderhearted, so selfless, so filled to overflowing with the LOVE of God!!!!!
“5Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.”” (Romans 15).
We are not going to agree on everything. This is clear from Romans 14. Even Ephesians 4:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 13:12 also clearly reveals this. Thus, being “like-minded” is obviously not about agreeing on everything – after all, there are matters of “conscience”. Rather, it is all about love, for love covers a multitude of sins (Proverbs 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8; Psalm 32:1). For we are all still learning. All of us are at different levels of knowledge. Some are spiritually in kindergarten, others are freshmen in high school. And some might be in advanced math, but are far behind in social studies. But with one mind each of us are to determine to lead others in selfless love, and to receive one another’s fellowship wholeheartedly! For if we love Jesus, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15), and His commandment is that we love one another (John 15:12). And the world will know us by our love for one another (John 13:35). And on top of this – like the cherry on top – Jesus prayed we’d love each other that His joy might remain in us, that our joy might be full (John 15:11).
And I want to say it again, we’re not going to agree on everything. There will be differences of opinion on many things including what color the carpet should be, if hymns should be sung exclusively, if a Christmas tree is appropriate or mistletoe or holly for that matter, if one should celebrate God’s biblical holidays in a Jewish way or not, and the list goes on and on. But, I want to remind those reading this that these arguments no matter how logical, ought never sever us as the body of Christ. And the time to draw the line in any conversation is when what is being discussed is doing one of three things to your brother/sister in Christ and is doing one of two things to you. The three things to watch out for in love concerning your siblings in Christ are these: is what is being discussed cutting them to the heart in grief, making them physically ill, or persuading them to do something that goes against their conscience — because to go against conscience is a sin. So, are you causing them to sin? Are you making them ill? Are you causing them deep grief?
And when it comes to your own heart take heed to the words of Romans 14:3-4 which says (emphasis mine), “3Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” Remember, those who could not eat had a good reason not to do so: the meat had been sacrificed to idols and/or was not kosher, and this meant something to them — indeed they honored God by not eating. And those who could eat the meat had a good reason for being able to do so: the meat was given to them by God and they were thankful for it — and they honored God by eating. So, are you despising your fellow Christian because of their heartfelt stance and inability to do something? Or are you judging your fellow Christian because they are able to do something that you are not at liberty to do? What is in your heart? Really? This isn’t about your sibling’s heart. This is about yours. Let the Holy Spirit search you and know you and reveal to you what’s really going on in your heart (Psalm 139:23; Psalm 4:4). Let’s be careful not to be like the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2 which Jesus said had lost their first love. What is this first love? Jesus. And what does Jesus say about loving Him? “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). And what are these commandments? “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Indeed, Romans 12:10 says of this love, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Oddly enough, in the situations at my church, I was the “weak”; I was the offended. But the strong did not come to me nor seek me out. The “strong” did what the “strong” usually do; they held onto being right; they held onto their liberty, much as I did with the Dr. Pepper. But God…God opened my eyes and my broken heart and used this harrowing journey and would not let me get off of the rocky ride so as to learn this lesson and testify. Indeed, in my weakness He was and is still strong! (2 Corinthians 12). And I’d have it no other way! For oh the glorious strength of God!!! Even when I, as the “weaker” Christian of Romans 14, was overwhelmed by deep grief and a gravely injured conscience, God held me fast against all odds – not by might, not by power, but by His Holy Spirit – for He wanted me to see His purpose accomplished in both me and the church.
Has it been easy for me to be warmly affectionate toward the “strong” who’ve hurt me at church and who are still very set in their opinions? I have really good days, but I also have bad days wherein I am stiffer and more distant than I ought to be. I want to encourage you as one who is on this same journey of learning how to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, that it is not always going to be easy. The narrow way is not narrow not wide, and narrow is not easy (Matthew 7:14). Jesus never said it would be. He just calls us to love, and then puts it in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). His grace is sufficient, is it not? And His strength is always made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). When we are weak, He is strong, and He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). So, let’s set our hearts to do exactly what He desires: to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34). So let us keep choosing to love each other and value each person as an invaluable treasure, far more precious than anything else in this world.
Indeed, that seemingly passionless prayer my elder prayed months ago that we love one another, rocked my world. And I will never be the same. I pray that whoever you are as you read this, that you will be touched deeply by this incredible discovery of Romans 14 regarding the “weak” and the “strong.” I do not profess to fully understand why God honors “conscience”, but He does. Therefore, we should too.
Reflecting recently on all the fires around the world, from Lahaina on Maui in Hawaii, to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories, to Medical Lake, Washington, across the Atlantic to Spain, the Greek island of Rhodes, Corfu and near Athens, Portugal, Australia, and elsewhere, it just seems that the world is literally on fire. As this thought crossed my mind, I was reminded of a Dana Coverstone dream about a hospital on fire that he posted back on August 24, 2021. Pastor Dana really thought the dream was happening right then and there in 2021, and yes, it had begun then. But, it is still happening even now on August 24, 2023. Instead of a figurative fire, perhaps this dream’s fulfillment will be with literal fire. And the flashes of lightning mixed with fire from heaven, perhaps that is depicting Directed Energy Weapons in use. Everything is on fire in the dream. And in the end of the dream, the entire building of the dream is shaken violently and collapses like the twin towers with nothing left. This reflects Isaiah 24 that says, “4The earth mourns and fades away, The world languishes and fades away; The haughty people of the earth languish. 5The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, And those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, And few men are left… 19The earth is violently broken, The earth is split open, The earth is shaken exceedingly. 20The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, And shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, And it will fall, and not rise again.”
There is something truly eerie about this dream, something so comparable to now. The prayers that the main woman in the dream has been praying for the Church, about people not listening, and about people not being ready for Jesus to come back is exactly what I have been praying. Really, though over the past 3 years I have been praying that prayer. Perhaps you have too. However, it has intensified. And things are about to get even more intense. After all, just like in the dream, floor by floor the fire gets worse, and the closer they get to the exit door of the hospital the more things intensify. And indeed, has this not been the case since 2021?
The noose is tightening. The time is shorter now than before. The Church of the west anyway is still mostly oblivious. People are thinking things are back to normal now, and are struck dumb by the suddenness and swiftness of fire caused tragedy. And strangely, everything is eerily quiet as the world explodes in fire – fires which are man-caused whether by special weapons or otherwise. And things are about to get even worse as the noose tightens, more fiery lightning strikes and thunder rolls in on ominous clouds, and the demons squeal with glee for their time is nearly come for world domination.
These are just my reflections exactly 2 years after Pastor Dana posted this dream, and it is food for thought and prayer on your part if you are reading this note. For in the words of Jesus in the dream, “The setting sun is soon, and the work this side for the Bride will end. Go into the highways and the byways quickly; knock on every door, for I am coming soon.”
In the dream there is lightning that had fire in it, panicking and hurried people, and looming storm clouds. Everyone just wanted to hide with their food and did not want to be bothered. A woman patient in the hospital (from a previous Coverstone dream who represented a nearly dead Church) is seen sobbing and praying over the lost church and how people are not listening and are not ready to meet Jesus. Thunder shakes the building as she begins to shake and sink to the floor.
“Lord I need to get out of here” she said
Jesus appeared – “I need you to work”
She said, “But things are crumbling around me”
Bending down and holding her face in His hands he said, “I will go through the fire with you, but you must work NOW” and repeated it then placed his hands on her head and oil spilled over her.
“Lord, how can I do this?” she asked
Then he said, “I have anointed you and I will lead you and I will guard you.”
It was then that smoke started filling the building as fire engulfed the 5th floor hallway where she was. And the Lord said to her twice, “Get out while you can, and take whoever you can with you.”
Covering her nose with her sleeve, she exits her room and begins to pound on doors up and down the hallway, crying out to everyone to get out while they can. Her hair was even caught on fire once, and she was delayed in order to put it out. Most do not open their doors; some yell at her to shut up and leave them alone; but a few tentatively open their doors and come out. She then tells them to pound on doors too and call out to the others. They continued in this way down every hall of every floor until finally they made it to the first floor.
It was there that those knocking on doors became more frantic. The building is struck by fiery lightning, causing steel ceiling beams to come crashing down. The steel beams struck some of those who were escaping, and all of them rallied to help each other, and even drag each other to the exit. While struggling along, they continued screaming at the top of their lungs for those inside to “come and escape with us!”
The building again is shaken violently, and the main woman calls out to them to get out while they can. It is then that the dirty, exhausted, and wounded group exits the hospital, descends the 3 steps, and moves into a sort of courtyard where they stood at a distance and watched the building. Ominous clouds with demonic sneers billow overhead as they perceived the hospital begin to shake from the top down. People inside were seen reading quietly while smoke filled their rooms, while others pounded on the windows screaming for the group to come back in and help them out.
Meanwhile, seven more emerged from the building, and rushed to join up with the other 45-50 who were gathered in the courtyard where they sobbed. When the seven met them, all of them embraced in large group hug. As they hugged, the hospital building collapsed like the twin towers and the group disappeared.
Jesus appeared in their place, and said, “The setting sun is soon, and the work this side for the Bride will end. Go into the highways and the byways quickly; knock on every door, for I am coming soon.”
I need to warn you all about something that I just learned. I know people never thought they’d ever hear of the big ‘C’ o v id word again. I know so many thought that they had finally gotten back to normal. Everyone has been very content to catch their breath and go back to their vacations and camping and working hard and enjoying life. But, those who are setting up the new world order have not ceased their agenda and have therefore remained busy starting fires and other weather events as well as instigating WWIII. But along with this they are eagerly preparing for another round of the big ‘C’, nicknamed Eris. To know more about it, please check out this article posted August 14, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/what-is-eris-new-covid-variant-2023-08-14/.
What I want share in this article is the significance of the word ‘Eris’ which is the nickname being attributed to the new variant. Last time they used a lot of Greek letter names for the big ‘C’. The nickname for this one, though not a Greek letter, is definitely a Greek word. And not only is it a Greek word, it is also the name of a Greek goddess. And the name of this Greek word and goddess reveal the plan of the principalities and powers in heavenly places as well as the elites of earth this time around as they strategize mankind’s demise and ultimately the overthrow of God from His throne.
The Greek word ‘Eris’ literally means “strife” (# 2054, https://biblehub.com/greek/2054.htm). It describes a “readiness to quarrel”, a “contentious spirit” and an “affection for dispute.”
The Greek goddess Eris was just that, the goddess of every form of strife, quarrels, contention, fighting, debates, divisions, dissension, and discord. Her Roman counterpart was Discordia, while her exact opposite was the Greek goddess Harmonia and Roman goddess Concordia. According to various sources, she enjoyed causing every kind of discordant human emotion, and found great glee in watching humans fight over any and everything. She is known to have placed a ‘golden apple’ in a party that lead to a quarrel as to whom should receive it which in turn lead to the Trojan war. Eris even enjoyed the strife on bloody battlefields and often accompanied her brother Ares, the god of war, to scenes of war. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eris-Greek-and-Roman-mythology; https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Eris/eris.html)
“In the Iliad, Homer (c. 750 BCE) mentions her as being the sister of Ares, making her the child of Zeus and Hera. However, according to most sources, including Hesiod’s (c. 700 BCE) Theogony, Eris was the last-born child of Nyx (the personification of the night). Eris gave birth to many children of her own, who all represented dark and harmful things that could arise from discord and conflict:
‘And hateful strife gave birth to wretched Work, Forgetfulness, and Famine, tearful Pains, Battles and Fights, Murders, Killings of men, Quarrels and Lies and Stories and Disputes, And Oath, who brings most grief to men on earth When anyone swears falsely, knowing it.’(Hesiod, Theogony, 225-230)” https://www.worldhistory.org/Eris/
Why would the nickname of the next so-called ‘C’ o v id variant bear the nickname of Eris?
The devil has known since the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 wherein the inhabitants of the earth who had been unified and of one mind were brought to disruption, division, and disunity by the confusion that God caused, and that “a kingdom divided cannot stand” (Mark 3:24). He also knows that Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion in John 17 that Christians “21…all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” The devil also knows that of the seven things that the Lord hates, sowing discord among the brothers is one of them (Proverbs 6:16-19), and that those who do such things will “not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
Thus, I am calling on all Christians reading this article, DO NOT get caught up in the spirit of strife that is about to descend like a tidal wave upon this world and even the Church. The golden apple of strife has been thrust into our midst and the seed of discord is ready to spring up in our midst as Satan stands gleeful that you will take the bait. But, you oh Christian, do not partake of that golden apple!!! A so-called apple caused the fall of mankind to begin with, let it not cause the fall of Christianity in the final moments of history. The kingdom of God is within us (Luke 17:20-21), and we as the priests of a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9) that is not of this world (John 18:36) must unite against all odds. Be on your guard, for your enemy the devil is roaming about seeking whom he may devour, and he means business (1 Peter 5:8).
I remind you now, that Jesus has called us Christians to be “like-minded”, and this like-mindedness does not mean that we will all agree on everything. Just look at Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 13:12, and Ephesians 4:11-13. Rather, being “like-minded” and being unified as one like Jesus prayed is all about being linked and interlocked together in this indomitable, impenetrable self-sacrificial love. As Philippians 2 so eloquently states, “1Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” This love is the agape kind that regards each fellow Christian as treasured and valued. It the kind of love that lays one’s life down for the sake of their brother or sister in Christ, not by literally dying but by laying aside our own pleasures, our own agendas, our own comforts and our goals for another’s sake. Jesus even says that if we truly love Him (John 14:21) then we will keep His commandment, and His commandment is that we love each other (John 15:12).
And I am not talking about tolerating sin or affirming unsound and unscriptural doctrines. God forbid! What I am referring to are other differences of opinion regarding non-salvation issues, such as the v a c c ine. Seriously. Let it drop. It is not a salvation issue. Just love each other! And do not let anyone tear you apart.
Please, determine now within your hearts to love each other and that in your pursuit for truth you will not grow cold toward your fellow Christians. Just read about the Ephesian church in Revelation 2. The Ephesians had been zealous for truth, had defended doctrinal purity, had defended the faith, but in so doing had also lost their first love. Their first love was Jesus. Coupled with that, which many miss, is the fact that to love Jesus is to love our fellow Christians. Indeed, no matter how misled some have been regarding the v a x x, no matter how misled they may be about certain music or holidays or names for holidays or pork or wine or total immersion vs infant baptism, if you both believe that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus (John 3:16), and that Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day (Romans 10) and is coming again soon, then you are siblings in Christ and are commanded by Jesus to love each other. Period. So, if you’ve lost that love, it is time to repent deeply, and after repenting of your lack of love, ask the Lord to fill you with love for one another again. That’s the kind of prayer He delights in answering, for He is in complete agreement.
Without this love, we will not stand. Without this love, all desires for revival are a bunch of noise.
The days ahead are going to be increasingly evil, horrifically dark, and piercingly cold as “Eris” strife is loosed upon the masses via a sadistic ritual producing strife between people about the v a x x, financial hardship, world war, political intrigue, more weather related disasters, and the like. I admonish you: Do not let it divide you!! Let us not be like the unfaithful servant who “says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, brothers and sisters in Christ (Matthew 24). How do we beat up our brothers and sisters? How about with our words? How about by not providing for one another’s physical, emotional, financial and spiritual needs? How about through political stances, blowing things out of proportion, impatience, selfishness, pursuit of our own comfort or protection, exploding over what is happening, walking in fear and refusing to forgive?
Jesus has called us to love each other, and to look up when these things begin to come to pass because our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28). Like Jesus, our kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36); Like Abraham we are looking for a city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10); like all those in the hall of Faith we must recognize that we are pilgrims and strangers (Hebrews 11:13) in this world that is very much in its death throws of passing away. Thus, I conclude in agreement with the Holy Spirit and the Apostle Paul, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:14-16).
I have been noticing that many Christians I know keep saying that they’ve heard that the movie “Barbie” is inappropriate, but most of them have not seen it (and don’t want to) and don’t know why it is inappropriate. They just know to keep their kids away from it. Well, it’s time to be a bit better informed. You may not want to go to it, but at least listen to what Jonathan Cahn has to say about it. Furthermore, please remember that even if you do not want to see it or your kids to see it, there will be many other children including their friends who have seen it. Thus, it would be wise to at least know a bit more about it in order to be able to better equip yourself and your kids with the answers that will be needed when the subject is brought up.
Cahn’s Video About Barbie
To begin with and in summary, in the Jonathan Cahn video, he shows a clip from the opening scene of “Barbie” that is patterned after the opening scene of “2001: A Space Odyssey”, only instead of monkeys with bones there are little girls with dolls. Cahn goes on to reveal a brief history of the Barbie doll including her original name of “Bild-Lilli”, the meaning of the name Barbie (“foreign, barbaric, stranger”), her beginnings as a sex doll in Germany after WWII, and he connects the dots of similarities of the rebellious fertility goddess Ishtar to Barbie, and explains how she came to America as Barbie instead of Bild-Lilli of Germany.
Cahn goes on to reveal that the movie “Barbie” is all about enforcing the destruction of the God-given roles of men and women, openly rebelling against all respect and authority, teaching girls to disrespect men, marriage and children, and in so doing ultimately is seeking to destroy the image of God.
Really, Disney has from its beginning been all about the Occult as depicted in one of its first animations “Fantasia” which depicted Mickey Mouse as a magician who casts spells with his wand. And indeed, the spells of Disney have through the many years been softly woven like the resilient fibers of the most powerful spider’s web, until at long last the Occult Disney spider has unapologetically and blatantly emerged from the shadows into the open for all to see. It’s been there all along, but not everyone was aware. Now, everyone can see.
Parents, teachers, concerned adults and even godly, evangelistic-minded teenagers, please remember that there will be kids who have seen this movie who are confused by it or begin to act out what they have seen in it. Be aware. Be ready to give an answer. Be ready to shine for Jesus. Be ready to present the truth. If going to the movie or renting it when available makes you think you’d have more leverage when discussing it with others, then view it with discernment (teens only do so with your parent’s permission).
What Was Not Addressed in the Jonathan Cahn Video: LILITH
Something not covered in Jonathan Cahn’s expose is the meaning of the name Bild-Lilli. Bild is German for “image”. Lilli is likely the shortened form of the name Lilith. Why do I say this? Well, here is some of the history of Lilith.
According to Britannica.com, “Her name and personality are thought to be derived from the class of Mesopotamian demons called lilû (feminine: lilītu), and the name is usually translated as “night monster.”… In rabbinic literature Lilith is variously depicted as the mother of Adam’s demonic offspring following his separation from Eve or as his first wife. Whereas Eve was created from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:22), some accounts hold that Lilith was the woman implied in Genesis 1:27 and was made from the same soil as Adam. Insolently refusing to be subservient to her husband, Lilith left Adam and the perfection of the Garden of Eden… [her] children are sometimes identified as incubi and succubi.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lilith-Jewish-folklore.
And according Mythology.net, “…Lilith is usually portrayed as being a dangerous seductress or a killer of infants. At times, she is also said to be an evil demoness or a practitioner of witchcraft who was known to cast vile spells onto men and women who worshiped Jehovah.”… Lilith was not only dangerous because of her wrath towards children, but also for the threat she posed towards men. It has been suggested that Lilith was also known to try to attack grown men in their sleep because of her deep hatred and resentment towards Adam…Rabbinic texts did not take this part of Lilith’s legend lightly. They strongly urged men to be on guard against such attacks and advised them to avoid sleeping alone to protect themselves.” https://mythology.net/demons/lilith/
Jewish Women’s Archive reinforces all of this information by stating that “She began as a female demon common to many Middle Eastern cultures appearing in the…Babylonian Talmud…She also appears in Kabbalah as an evil reflection of the feminine aspect of God…the characterization of the Lilith or the lili (in the singular or plural) as a seducer or slayer of children has a long pre-history in ancient Babylonian religion.” Interestingly enough, Rebecca Lesses of Jewish Women’s Archive continues by saying, “Until the late twentieth century the demon Lilith, Adam’s first wife, had a fearsome reputation as a kidnapper and murderer of children and seducer of men. Only with the advent of the feminist movement in the 1960s did she acquire her present high status as the model for independent women. The feminist theologian Judith Plaskow’s modern midrash on the story of Lilith played a key role in transforming Lilith from a demon to a role model…The contemporary feminist movement found an inspiration in this image of Lilith as the uncontrollable woman and decisively changed the image of Lilith from demon to powerful woman. In 1972 Lilly Rivlin published an article on Lilith for the feminist magazine Ms., with the aim of recovering her for contemporary women. The Jewish feminist magazine Lilith, founded in the fall of 1976, took her name because the editors were inspired by Lilith’s fight for equality with Adam.” https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/lilith
As seen in this particular article by Rebecca Lesses, “Lili” is the singular form of the name Lilith. Thus, Bild-Lilli could in fact be the “image” of “Lili” or Lilith.
Setting the Record Straight
Before moving on and lest you be confused, God created Adam and Eve (Genesis 1-2). God did not create Lilith out of the ground like Adam. Lilith was not Adam’s first wife. This story is not grounded in Biblical fact, but was gleaned by rabbis from Babylonian mysticism and then recorded in their Babylonian Talmud. This mysticism is likely linked to the story of Semiramis and Nimrod and the Tower of Babel which blossomed into stories of baskets with eggs and bunnies and the goddess Easter rising from the dead each spring.
Oh the mystery of iniquity!!!
But, there is more…
Barbie in the Western Church
We may think that “Barbie Bild-Lilli Lilith” is only outside of the Church. But, she is inside the Church too, and is rearing her defiant head among those who disrespect the roles of men and women in both the church and the home. Some do not even know they are doing this because it is so natural anymore. “I am woman hear me roar”. From Oprah Winfrey to the prophetic movement, women are being puffed up to lead. But what does the Bible say?
Though men and women have truly been made equals in salvation in Christ (Galatians 3:28), men and women still have different roles to fulfill according to God. And though there are rare occasions when women take on a leadership role like the judge Deborah of Judges 4-5 and the fellow-worker of Paul and teacher like Priscilla (Acts 18:26; Romans 16:3) and the deacon Phoebe of Romans 16, this is not the norm. This being said, let everyone also note that there are exceptions. Paul recognized this in both Priscilla and Phoebe, and not once rebuked them for leading. Barak too and the people of Israel recognized this in Deborah and did not rebuke her for leading. And let us not forget the Proverbs 31 woman who is involved in business while at the same time managing her own household well. And on top of this what many fail to point out is that the Proverbs 31 woman is married to a Proverbs 31 man who is highly respected by the people and sits as a judge in the city gate (which was where people came to the wise/prominent men in the town for justice). So though women in leadership is not be the norm, there are exceptions that ought to be discerned and respected.
Only wanting to touch on this briefly and not delve too deeply into this, there is nothing wrong with the roles that God has created for men and women to fill — with men leading and women supporting. Throughout history these roles have rarely been resisted. The only reason that we question those roles now is because of the spirit of lawlessness of these last days (2 Thessalonians 2). And I would gently warn all Christians who would stand on the feminism of Lilith, to remember Miriam a leader and a prophetess among Israel and Moses’ sister. Remember Numbers 12 wherein she was stricken with leprosy after saying along with Aaron her brother, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?”
Helpmeets
We modern women, especially Americans, including modern Christian women, have overstepped our rightful bounds and have begun competing with men when we are to be the helpers of men. In the name of liberty we have bought into the westernized notion that women can do anything a man can do. But, have we indeed forgotten why we were created? Were we not created to be “helpmates”? (Genesis 2:18). And is this not the powerful term given often to God who was the helper of His people (Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalm 121:1-2; Psalm 124:8), and even to the Holy Spirit who is the one who comes alongside to help? (the Paraclete). Let us take note that the Holy Spirit does not draw attention to Himself but instead gives all glory to Jesus. As it says in John 16, “13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14He shall glorify me [Jesus]…” Even so, 1 Corinthians 11 states that there is an order to things, “3But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” Should we women not take this to heart?
And though Christian scholars and pastors throughout the centuries have misunderstand various passages concerning women, and often attempt to dominate women, this does not change the fact that we as women are not to respond in like kind (Romans 12:21) nor are we to rebel against our God-given role. To do so aligns us with Barbie and the spirit of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2) and not Christ.
Yes, there has been evil treatment of women, maybe even you’ve been hurt. But, that does not change our gender nor our role in this life. Do not allow someone else’s horrific behavior to change who you are. Do not allow Satan to mar God’s image in you! Allow God to heal that pain. Allow God to be God.
Seriously, this not only a modern mindset of competition and advancement and promotions and wage increases, but a heart issue. It might be time for a heart checkup by the Holy Spirit (Psalm 139:23-24). It might be time to be still. I might be time to lay down all insecurities and memories and resistance and resentment and even anger against men. It might be time to surrender all, even if we don’t understand.
To Those Grieved for The Children
In conclusion, for those who are exceedingly concerned about their kids and grandkids and Barbie and this crazy-mad world, I was reminded today that every little lamb is born defenseless in a predatorial world. Every animal in fact is born this way. But as for lambs, they have something other animals usually do not have: a shepherd. They are not alone to face the predators as long as they remain close to the shepherd and his flock. This is a picture for us.
And thus Jesus encourages us, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34). God’s thoughts of us are as countless as the sand (Psalm 139:17-18), and are more than ever could be numbered (Psalm 40:5). Indeed, “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:7).
Yes, this end time’s world is like the days of Noah filled with violence and filth and the rejection of God, but Jesus said that, “when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28) Jesus guarantees Christians that we will be persecuted (Matthew 5:10-12), but that we are to “rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven…” For our hope and comfort has never been in this world nor the things in this world. Rather, like Christ, our kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36; Hebrews 11:10). We are merely ambassadors here, pilgrims and strangers passing through (2 Corinthians 5:20; Hebrews 11:13). And this is exactly what Christian children and grandchildren must be taught. For indeed, “in the last days perilous [demonically insane] times shall come…” And “evil men shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But [YOU] continue… in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of… and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise unto salvation… in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:1, 13-15).
And regarding the unsaved children, it is time for the full Gospel. Do not hesitate to tell them about Jesus. Do not hesitate to live out Christianity in front of them. Do not hesitate to invite them to church. Do not hesitate to shine for Jesus. Romans 10:14, 17 says, “14How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?…[for] … faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
The Reason for Barbie
Really, it all boils down to Satan hating God, and we as humans — both male and female– are together made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). Thus, Satan wants to destroy that image by making men and women turn on each other. It’s sort of like an autoimmune disease when the body mistakenly and savagely attacks itself, and in the end aborts itself. Even so, Satan is making men and women turn on each other for the sake of their ultimate demise and destruction.
Conclusion
So, let’s not be apart of that in any way. Let us, like Jonathan Cahn said, remain in our houses with the blood on the doors while the pink plague passes over us. Even as the Israelites did not let the death angel in as it passed through Egypt on that fateful night, do not let the spirit of Barbie into your homes in any shape or form however good it may seem. Instead, let us as Christians be apart of the building up and edification of the body of Christ, even our children. Let us respect the boundaries and roles that God has created, and teach our children to do the same – by example and in our hearts and not just words. After all, we are made in God’s image. And would the Creator of the ones in His own image not know best how we are to look and be and act? Would not God who is the writer of this earthly script not know what each of our roles are in this play called life? Truly, let us allow the Word of God be our instructor even when we don’t like or understand it (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Let the Holy Spirit lead us into all truth (John 16:13). Let’s not be conformed into the image of Lilith or any other pattern in this world, but instead be transformed by the renewing of our minds, conformed into the likeness of Christ (Romans 12:1-2 and Romans 8:29) who valued us so much that humbled Himself and took on the role of a servant and became obedient to the humiliating death on the cross (Philippians 2:1-8; Hebrews 12:2). If Christ can be take on the role of a servant, can we not be women and men as He ordained? Let’s be like Jesus.
By now you all have heard or are hearing about the term “directed energy weapon”, and some of you may have even connected the dots that that just may have happened on the island of Maui. Many have noted what people have said about metal melting and charred remains disintegrating into powder and the intense heat with white flames, as well as the pictures and satellite images of the landscape with trees still standing. For more information on the suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire that incinerated Maui, please refer to the most recent video put out by Really Graceful on August 14th, and the most recent video put out by Dane Wigington on August 12th. Furthermore, there is Mary Greeley who revealed that the top emergency officials of Maui were not on the island when the fire hit. Oh the mystery of iniquity that is at work here!
Along with the videos above are these of Many Fish’s “Maui Fire “Anomalies” Keep Adding Up. Put on the Full Armor of God!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thg0KYiE7uw which reveals that there has been since 2011 an ongoing Smart Grid project between the U.S. and Japan regarding Hawaii, and most recently there was a book published August 10th just 2 days after the fire entitled, “Fire and Fury: the story of the 2023 Maui Fire and It’s Implications For Climate Change”; and Really Graceful’s Part 2 of “What the Media Won’t Tell You About the Maui Fires,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfXfS3mUo3Q that reveals more strange details that are unfolding on the island of Maui right now, including the fact that residents whose houses did not burn have to get passes in order to leave their houses for food, water, or to go anywhere on the island. Without a pass, they could lose their home. Strange things.
But, whether this military weapon was used or not, I want to encourage us all to pray for Maui, for the Christians there specifically that they will shine for Jesus even if they lost loved ones, and that they will not lose the faith nor heart nor hope at this inexplicably horrific time. And may they live out the Gospel, speak the Gospel, and extend the eternal hope that they have in Christ. May they indeed not grieve as others grieve. May they not be bewildered. May they not be confused. May they think clearly and see clearly the plan of God in the midst of chaos. May they not hide their lights under a bushel, but set it upon a lampstand for all to see. Please, please remember to pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ, and do not let up. They need it now more than ever.
I also want to remind Christians, that God is still sovereign. Does God know about evil and diabolical plots in the world right now, including the WEF? Yes. Psalm 2 states that very well. And it goes deeper than that, for God often uses those diabolical plots of mankind both for judgment and for His glory. Like Joseph told his brothers, what they intended for evil God turned for good and the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20). Too many people contend that God was merciless in wiping out the occupants of Canaan and by using the Israelites to do it. But, our God is not merciless. Lamentations 3 powerfully states, “22Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.23They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness…32Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.” Please note, God causes the grief, but this does not change the fact that He is merciful.
Indeed, the Bible states that God IS LOVE (1 John 4:8). He does not merely love, He IS LOVE. And our God does NOT CHANGE (Malachi 3:6). He remains the same. So, when we see something in the Bible or in life that we do not understand, we must NOT EVER question who God is or falsely accuse Him. But, He as LOVE itself is also just and holy, and in Scripture it is related that He does things that we do not understand: like the sending of famine, pestilence, war, and beastly attacks. These are what the KJV calls God’s “four sore judgments” on people groups and nations who have rejected Him as demonstrated through the example of the nation of Israel (Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 and Ezekiel 14). And God’s judgments in Scripture are often carried out by people. Just read the book of Judges for an example, as well as Jeremiah, or even the book of 2 Chronicles and Joel to name a few. And don’t forget the book of Revelation wherein God uses the four horsemen of chapter 6 to carry out His four sore judgments on a world that has rejected His Son Jesus Christ, and these are followed by the wrath of God. God’s plan always prevails (Proverbs 18:21) for He is sovereign over all, and all He does is righteous (Job 1-2, 38-42).
Though the emergency warning sirens did not sound on Maui, God’s emergency warning system is sounding worldwide via catastrophic flooding, horrific blazing, fiery infernos, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes in nation after nation, devastating hurricanes, destructive tornadoes, increasing wild animal attacks, wars and rumors of wars, inflation of prices in grocery stores and gas pumps, the wiping out of crops needed to survive, the needless killing of cows and chickens and other livestock, even via government leaders who hate their own people ruling over them, and the list goes on and on and on…
And the answer is still the same as 2 Chronicles 7:14. But why do we need verse 14? Verse 13 tells us WHY. Verse 12 tells us WHO is talking. So, let’s begin with verse 12 and 13 and end with 14. “12Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.13When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
No matter what the evil intent may have been behind the Maui fires, nor who may have started them, or how they may have started, or what technology they have for geoengineering or directed energy weapons or HAARP or the vaccine whatever else they have up their arsenal sleeves, our holy God Who is LOVE is in control, and His plan will prevail. No matter how successful the enemy may think they are right now, I remind them of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 – you are mere men, and in one millisecond you in your pomp and glory will be brought to nothing. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God’s sovereignty. Will you? If not, here is your Psalm 82 reality check, “1God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods. 2How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4Deliver the poor and needy;Free them from the hand of the wicked. 5They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable. 6I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. 7But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.” 8Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations.”
We are indeed in the last of the Last Days. And as Christians, I remind us of yet another thing – Jesus encouraged us not to be afraid (Isaiah 41:10; Luke 21:9), to not be distracted by the cares or pleasures of this life (Luke 21:34-36), and that when we BEGIN to see all these things unfolding that we are to get up and lift up our heads and eyes for our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28)!!!
Jesus is coming SOONER now than yesterday. Let’s be ready!! Maranatha!!! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!!! The Spirit and the Bride say, “COME!!!”