Monday, November 4, 2024

The Writer's Extreme Burden: Jesus, Blackness or Molech? An Appeal To The Black Christian

I just heard from a YouTuber that I follow two and a half months ago said CNN reported that 69% of black people are casting their votes for Kamala Harris. Twenty three percent are for Trump, and 8% are undecided. The vice president has picked up the torch of Joe Biden in that she is for womb assassination, or as they call it reproductive freedom, and ongoing support for the LGBQTIA+ community; i.e. the homosexual revolution amongst a myriad of other destructive policies. I do not care if you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, etc. What policies as a Christian do you promote? What I find most egregious is that Black people continue to spew rhetoric about coming together and being unified. Why are so many willing to kill their babies and call it health care, pro-choice, my body my choice? No. The life growing inside of the mother is not her body. The baby is a separate life with its own heart, lungs, limbs, eyes, mouth, ears etc. Why are so many willing to allow their children to be groomed to become the opposite sex when that is impossible? How can you continue the legacy of black people if you’re destroying said legacy in utero simultaneously? Exodus 20:6 commands that we are not to murder. God knows us before we are even conceived! In Jeremiah 1:5 we read, “Before you were formed in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Psalm 139:13-14 says that you formed my inward parts and covered me in my mother’s womb. Verse fourteen says I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Many Christians are what I call C.I.N.O. (Christian in name only).

All of this has made me realize a terrible truth about our society…

Shame has died and many have seared their conscience.

Jesus told Nicodemus, “Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil” (John 3:19).[1]

It’s time for a heart check. Yes, it’s time for tough love. True love always tells the truth. If you fall into the above categories, you need to repent today! Your hypocrisy is butt naked, and you can no longer conceal your shame.

Here’s a question for you Black Christian. It’s time to be honest. Who or what do you worship, Jesus,  Blackness or Molech? No one can serve two masters Jesus said. Here is my definition of Blackness.

Blackness is the cult whereby the Afrostocrasy[2] determines what the present goals, policies and future “should” be for black people in America. The unspoken rule is all black people are “hard-wired” ethnically together due to melanin count and MUST stay on code.  To defect from the cult is to be labeled a race traitor a sell out and a coon.

I’ll get to who the real sell outs are in a moment.

One of their main tenets is reparations / Black Descendants of slavery suing the government is what the writer calls it.  The Reparations Committee demand (emphasis added) the government provide some type of payments to eligible descendants (it seems to me in order for one to be eligible, the government will have to really get very deep into your personal life. Do you really want that?) of those enslaved in the past– i.e. stick it the racist white man government. I guess the point of these payments are to be retro-active compensatory damages for all the years black slaves were chattel labor to their slave masters free of charge. In other words, white people today have to atone for the sins of their forefathers and foremothers whether they were slave owners or not - i.e. sins by proxy.  I’m sure it is assumed that all white people living in America today are descendants of slave owners, so they are guilty by association right? Should Christians be on board with this? Do you think this “financial apology” from the “White Supremacist” government will improve ethnic relations between blacks and whites or deteriorate them further?  Will this monetary olive branch cure white people of their “systemic” racism? Does this mean that black people will finally forgive white people for their ancestor’s racism and their current “systemic” racism?

NAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Unforgiveness has always been thicker than money, and no amount of money will cure the hatred between many blacks and whites. You see hatred and unforgiveness is a matter of the heart not money. With the Afrostocrasy and black people in general, forgiving white people is considered weak, spineless and race treachery – a type of Stockholm Syndrome. Don’t believe me? I dare you to listen to this episode from Darrell Harrison and Virgil Walker from the Just Thinking Podcast: https://justthinking.me/ep-084-when-forgiveness-isnt-woke-enough/

As soon as a white police officer kills a black person, we’ll be right back where we started – burning cities to the ground and looting screaming DEFUND THE POLICE!!

George Floyd 2.0!

The Bible command that we forgive all, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, even as God in Christ FORGAVE YOU (Ephesians 4:31-32).

Jesus also said, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). The opposite is obvious; if you’re not merciful do not expect to receive mercy.

It is not natural for us to forgive those that hurt us. It is natural for us to retaliate. Forgiveness comes from the power of God. When He empowers us to forgive others, we are free.

The government paying billions or trillions of dollars to descendants of slaves due to some collective white guilt will come at a tremendous ungodly cost to the taxpayer.  I have never known the government to give money away for free. This would be the most expensive bond measure in U.S. history! The payback on this will cost our descendants well into the twenty-second century!! I do not believe this provides freedom to us as black people. Rather, I think it is a way for either the state or federal government to enslave many. What do I mean? Do not think for a moment that “big brother” will not surveil you even more now that you may hit the “federal black reparations lottery.” If you think you were hated before, I believe the disdain from the government and the deep state will grow against reparationists exponentially. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but that is the way I see it. Hyperinflation here we come!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 But then again, this writer does not believe black people will receive a single reparations penny from the government.

OOOPS! I forgot; I live in California so…[3]

Womb Assassination, Molech Reborn!



The Ammonites were a pagan nation in Biblical Antiquity who were infamously known for child sacrifice. The god they paid homage to was named Molech, the fire god. When sacrificing children to this false god, the adherents would play drums to drown out the cries of the child being offered in the fire. A righteous king by the name of Josiah (ca 640-609 B.C.)[4] destroyed this wicked idolatrous practice in his day, tore down the pagan altar and made the area a perpetual garbage dump where trash burned twenty-four hours a day. The area is called the valley of Hinnom (2 Kings 23:10).

Those that sacrifice babies in the womb are the new Ammonites, and Planned Parenthood is the new Molech. Those that murder their babies on demand are sacrificing their children’s blood to demons. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood was a eugenicist who hated black people and called us and others who she deemed unfit to pro-create as “human weeds and useless eaters that need to be exterminated.”[5] That is why she created the Negro Project back in 1939 and employed black activists and ministers to spread her death cult.  Just as Molech was a false deity that was destroyed about 2500 years ago, Sanger is a dead woman in hell awaiting final judgment. The selective outrage of some black people is mind boggling to me. On the one hand, many want reparations although they were never enslaved by anyone. On the other hand, they are willing and happy to butcher their babies to Satan.  It’s a sin for the white man to marginalize, harm and kill us, but it’s okay for black people to assassinate their babies in the womb and call it healthcare and reproductive freedom? You hypocrite! If this sin is not repented of, how do you escape the damnation of hell (Matthew 23:33)?  Black Christian, are you down for this? Have you shackled yourself to the Afrostocrasy plantation or are you a free thinker? This is what the current democratic nominee stands for.

 

Proverbs 6:16-19

These six things the Lord hates, yes seven are an abomination to Him:

A proud look

A lying tongue

Hands that shed innocent blood (that would include murdering the pre-born)

 Heart that devises wicked plans

Feet that are swift in running to evil

A false witness that speaks lies

And one who sows discord among brethren

WOW! If the above rebukes do not describe today’s politicians I don’t know what does.

 Final Remarks



I have been hearing this phrase frequently in the YouTube streets, “All skin folk ain’t kinfolk!” Translation, just because we are the same ethnicity, does not mean we are together and share the same ideals and worldviews. I do not worship my melanin, nor do I sacrifice to the new Molech. In Matthew 12:46-50 Jesus is teaching the crowds, and someone tells Jesus that His Mother and Brothers wanted to speak with Him. Jesus gives a provocative reply. He said, “Who is My mother and who are my brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples He said, “Here are My mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus was not disowning His natural family. He was speaking from a kingdom perspective. Those that were doing the will of His Father superseded His blood relatives. So what that means is as a black man or woman who is a professing Christian, the White, Mexican, Arab, Indian who is a Christian are your brothers and sisters in the Lord. The Black man or woman who does not profess Christ is NOT your brother or sister – OUCH! I know that hurts. Remember skin don’t mean kin! Paul said in Romans 8:9b if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they are not His. What this means is that just because someone shares a similar hue with you does not mean you’re in the same family. That’s Bible. It does not mean you do not love them and cannot be friends; it just means that you’re unequally yoked with them when it comes to the faith you profess.

So, black Christian, be very careful who you lock arms with. Don’t be so quick to go along to get along. Being black is not a monolithic religious cult, but many blacks including many so-called black Christians have made their blackness into a golden calf that they worship. It’s a false social gospel.  So who’s the sellout now? While some may call me a race traitor (by the way there is no such thing), those that worship their melanin are Jesus traitors and apostates! Well you be damned! It is time for you to repent today for you have lost your way my friend! Real Christians serve one Master – Jesus Christ.  

We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29)!

In the immortal words of the Apostle Paul, “Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth” (Galatians 4:16)? Are you offended by what I’m saying? Are you clutching your pearls?                                                                                                            

No candidate who makes it to the White House can save black people or anyone else. Can they make things better? Determines what that better is. Will they lower taxes, gas prices, food, get rid of the homeless pandemic, protect our borders from illegals who drain our resources, deal with the smash and grabs, provide affordable housing and healthcare, stop grooming children to artificially change their biological sex thus preparing them for hell? Will they promote school choice? An administration that can accomplish these things is good for all Americans. I’m not optimistic with any candidate honestly. Humans are wicked and they are getting worse (2 Timothy 3:13). My only solace is I pray to God to move on their hearts to do what is right (Proverbs 21:1). Especially for leaders because they tend to be the most corrupt.

Here is a Biblical text that I use to vet leaders by. If this is violated too much, I reject them, “It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness since the throne is established by righteousness” (Proverbs 16:12).

The President is not a king, but they have high authority. They should also have a high moral character and the right convictions.

Black Christian return to your first love – the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t get caught up in identity politics, blackness ideology or the sin of melanin idolatry. They’re all demon doctrines. You need to study the scriptures and be very discriminate who you listen to and follow – that includes these so called black social gospel preachers who are more concerned about colorism than Christ.  If you’re young in your faith you definitely would benefit from a mentor(s) who can guide you skillfully into Biblical truth. I had a mature brother in Christ encourage and challenge me in the Word of God nearly 37 years ago. Since I was young and starving to know the truth, I accepted the challenge, and I have never looked back. Others of you could use a dose of humility and get back to the basics. You may be seasoned in the Word, but now you’re bored and you’ve become mechanic. You’re just going through the motions.  Admittedly I have been there. It’s so very easy to allow life to distract us and get us off our true reason why we have been saved – that is to glorify God and be a light in a world of hopelessness and darkness. Get excited again and again about opening the text and letting the Father speak from His heart to yours. You CANNOT have ongoing communion with the Lord and your worldviews do not morph into His.

You know that is what we all need right? Reclaim your peace by putting the Lord first.

Love who you are, but never worship who you are. Again, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt 6:24). Or in our case, you cannot serve God, Blackness and Molech. You must choose. To involve all three together is Syncretism.[6]

I urge you Black Christian choose Jesus so that you may live. If you don’t I suspect that you may have believed God in vain. You MUST carefully examine your life to see if you’re truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). A true profession of Christ MUST be coupled with a transformed life.

 

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!...Who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away justice from the righteous man!

Isaiah 5:20-21; 23

 


[1] Darkness and light represent wickedness and righteousness in this passage

[2] Afrostocrasy are the black elitists, the civil rights activist, the politician, and the black social gospel (non-evangelical) preacher

[4] ca means approximately

[5] Learn about the life of Margaret Sanger in Bruce Fleury’s book “The Negro Project”

[6] Syncretism is when someone combines religious, political, and philosophical views. It’s a salvation

Based on human works that can never save the soul

As Christians we practice Monergism. Meaning we believe in Christ, alone for salvation. It’s never the result

Of human effort for Jesus did all the work when he died on the cross to take away our sins

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Can We Have Peace In a World Of Unrest?

 This is a thought provoking question for me and I’m sure for many others. How do we have peace in the middle of the ongoing storms of life? Is Peace even possible? And if it is, what does it look like? If you were to ask several people, you would get different answers. Some would say peace is good health, prosperity, solid relationships with family, friends and neighbors. Others may find their peace through meditation, yoga and exercise to relieve stress. And then there are others that find peace through entertainment like sporting events and parties. All these things are from the outside, but can we have inner peace? And if so, how long does it last?

Jesus told His disciples before His suffering and death in John 14:27 that My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives give I to you. So, there are two kinds of peace, worldly peace and heavenly peace. The world’s peace I just described above. God’s peace is nothing like the world’s. We need to examine some of the wonders of God’s peace.

How does one obtain God’s Peace?

Answering this question will be the bulk of this article. It is important I point out that the unregenerate will never have abiding peace. Why? Because they are not saved. They have never repented of their sins and placed their faith in Jesus Christ for the remissions of their sins to receive the gift of eternal life. The unsaved are at war with God so there is no peace for them. There is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 57:21). The prophet Isaiah approximately seven hundred years before Christ called Jesus “The Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6). That is why Jesus could tell His disciples that I am giving you My peace, He is the Prince and / or Ruler of it (John 14:27).

God’s peace is one of His perfect attributes. Peace means quietness, wholeness, tranquility. My favorite ones are assurance and fearlessness. It is only given to those who place their trust in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the washing away of their sins for their justification. What that means is the prideful arrogant heart of mankind must be made low. Once man realizes his depravity is an affront to God’s holiness and that he deserves hell NOW, because of his rebellion against his creator, his heart is ready to receive the Father’s love that is in Christ who is willing and ready to save anyone who comes to Him, the right way; His way (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)! Without humility, man will never experience peace, only unrest. Even worse God’s wrath abides on the wicked and He is angry with them every day (John 3:36; Psalm 7:11). So those of you who read this paper and are stressed two things are happening; 1) You’re saved but you’re in sin so the peace you were given by God has been interrupted. Repent today and confess your sin so that you can get back in right relationship with Father and the Son to enjoy that peace and rest. God always forgives (1 John 1:9). 2) You’re not saved at all because you have never experienced the peace of God. You are being deceived because your worldly success and creature comforts have produced a mirage-peace, a false peace. But if one is honest, an external peace is not real peace at all. One author said unsaved people only experience God’s truce, but not His peace. God is forbearing with the wicked, but only for a while. God’s reckoning is coming! None will be able to stand against it (Revelation 6:12-17).

 

I still do not see how I can have peace in a world of turmoil

It is naturally a dichotomy when Christians declare we have peace, yet the world is on fire (literally and figuratively). After pondering on this I asked myself the question, “how would I describe God’s peace to someone who asked me?” My reply would be I liken God’s peace from the storms of the world like a mighty fortress with a forcefield that repels all invaders. Although every imaginable catastrophe is happening outside, it cannot penetrate and destroy my peace because God is protecting me from the evil. His peace is impenetrable. God’s peace is indwelt so the world cannot touch it. God’s peace does not mean everything is peaceful outside because clearly it is not. But for those who are in Christ and Christ is in them, peace is assured forever. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe.” God’s peace is our hiding place. God’s peace is assurance that although the world is about to bust hell wide open, we don’t have to worry. I know how history is going to end. The Bible tells me so.

I remember years ago I was working at a place when we had a major earthquake. It may have been the San Francisco quake in October of 1989. It damaged the Bay Bridge and temporarily stopped the World Series between the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants. Several co-workers were in a panic thinking maybe the world was coming to an end. I remember my friend who is a brother in Christ said that several people came to him in fear asking for prayer. He asked them, “Why? What are you worried about?” You see, he possessed the peace of God, they did not. God’s inner peace calms the spirit of the otherwise restless soul that normally would be running around petrified by every problem. Who in the world wants to live like that every single day?! Sadly, the majority of the world does.

True peace can never come through government legislation, climate change, clean energy and elections. Mankind can and never will be the solution. Man’s wickedness is the reason why we need the Lord to cure our universal disease, our sin.

God’s peace is the gift that keeps on giving. It is a living and divine power. It is the healing of the soul. God’s peace makes one whole. It is granted when one is saved and abides with child of God throughout their life. It’s an attribute of God that we must cultivate and develop in our lives so that we become more Christ-like. Our peace is interrupted when our flesh causes us to doubt the promises of God and we get caught up in sin. God’s peace is still there, but we have abandoned it to do our own thing – focusing too much on our circumstances and worldly things. Once that happens, we lose assurance, and we begin to worry. At that time we are not experiencing the peace of God.

So yes, we can and do have peace in a world of evil because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33) Those of us who are in Christ are joint heirs with Him (Rom 8:14; Eph 3:6). What He possesses is ours for He gave it to us by divine right. Notice I said He gave it to us; we didn’t earn it neither do we deserve it.

So child of God you can enjoy rest. YES! Even now. I’m endeavoring to grow in it every day. Why? The mess we are dealing with now is Romper Room compared to what is about to come shortly thereafter. Things are about to get far worse before they get better. So let’s practice God’s peace in our lives everyday by studying His word, meditating on His promises for us and obeying His commands. That’s the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

Only a fool wouldn’t want that.

 

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He causes me to walk in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me; Your rod and staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

Psalm 23:1-6

 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus

Philippians 4:6-7

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Contemplating The Matter Of Evil

 

Recently, I published a book entitled, “The Goodness of God and the Reality of Evil. Subtitled, “Why Do They Co-Exist?” In the book, I endeavor to answer that question. I just finished a book by Clay Jones dealing with the same subject. His book is entitled: “Why Does God Allow Evil?” Clay presents his treatise regarding evil as well. He takes the matter in a different way than me. If you really want to learn about this matter, click on the link above to purchase Clay’s book. You can purchase my book by visiting my website: www.delvinrarnold.com.

In studying this subject at length, and continuing to study it, I have discovered a couple of man’s fundamental problems: He focuses on why God allows evil instead of focusing on why men commit evil. The second problem in my opinion is worse than the first: Man does not understand that his sin is exceedingly sinful in the sight of God. Nor does he understand the beauty of God’s holiness. Summing up this equation, God understands man’s depraved nature completely. We, however, do not know (or really care) how wicked we really are.

We commit evil because we want to (John 3:19). It gives us pleasure. For some reason man thinks or hopes he can somehow avoid the consequences of his actions. You see, God does not punish us as soon as we commit sin. If He did we would walk on eggshells all day long looking over our shoulders in petrified fear. Praise God that He is merciful. He gives us space to repent of our sins so that His wrath does not come down on us. The problem with man is that once he gets a taste of evil and he stupidly thinks God is not looking, he takes it up a notch. And before he realizes it he’s piled up enough sins to reach heaven. Guess what? You’ve got God’s attention.

God has given us a wonderful gift – the gift of free will. Just like everything else God has given us to enjoy, we have abused it. Man has decided he wants to be like God – free will with full autonomy – no restraint. How has that worked out for us? If we could ask the dead – Sanger, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin (btw, never ever try to contact the dead, I mean really, don’t!), I’m sure their reply would be, “I’m burning in hell! How do you think it worked out?!”

If we are to make sense of evil, we MUST look at it theologically. We have to view it through a Biblical lense. If we don’t, we will chalk it up to bad luck in our lives, randomness – no rhyme or reason. That type of thought process denies personal and moral responsibility for your evil.

Genesis 6:5 we read that, “Then the Lord saw that wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually.”

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to doing evil” (Jeremiah 13:3)?

Man’s “answer” to evil is moralism – gun control, more prisons, deadly medications to control behavior, hypnotherapy, transgenderism – so many people are frustrated because they are convinced they were born the wrong gender. Changing their gender will make them happy. No! It turns someone into a Frankenstein monster!

Evil is a matter of the heart and soul. The problem is inward not outward. One can never solve evil with more evil. Man’s righteousness is filthy rags (Isa 64:6) so it requires what scholars call an alien righteousness to make us right in the eyes of God. The only way we can be cured of our evil is if someone took it judicially away.

That person is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Man’s sin condition is so severe, so grave that it required the Father to send the Son of God to be sacrifice and the sacrificer for our sins (Heb 9:26). No other way will do. Jesus said, “I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).

Man is not desperate enough. He’s lived so long with his evil; he is immune to sin. He believes deep down there is some virtue within himself to solve mankind’s problems because he believes he is good. If he can somehow do that, then God is not needed. That is what evil man prefers – that God did not exist at all. It is hard to admit when we are in total despair, but we are. Evil has brought us here. Fortunately God is here, and He is willing and ready to pardon our sins if we repent of them and place them at the feet of the cross where Jesus was punished for them on our behalf. Sin has to be paid for – for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).

The statement I am about to make will be hard for many if not most of you to receive. God permits human evil because He loves us. He hates what we do, but He loves His creation. For now He has allowed evil. He desires that all men repent and not perish (2 Pet 3:9). If God decides to forgo His mercy and grace, and execute His justice now on evil, this world will be an empty place. You get it? If God got rid of evil now, we are all dead. The unsaved would be sent straight to hell. Newsflash! This is our fault not God’s. Remember, God has given us free will. We have abused that privilege and have lived in rebellion on purpose.  

It is time that evil people stop blaming God for the way things are in this world. But I know better than that; sinful mankind will never stop blaspheming the Almighty. Their evil is too deep seeded in their hearts for that to happen on their own. A transformed heart can only be changed by God. God has to perform spiritual heart surgery for man to change. Why? Because evil man is dead because of his sins (Eph 2:1; Col 2:13).

The prophet Ezekiel describes what God must do to compel the sinner to desire to do His will:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take out the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statues, and you will keep My judgements and do them (Ezekiel 36;26-27)

 

God has the cure for our sin disease, a new heart; one that will give us the desire to serve God with joy and at the same time successfully battle our sin.

 

 

Friday, August 23, 2024

Contemplating The Matter of Evil - A Preview

 

In studying this subject at length, and continuing to study it, I have discovered a couple of man’s fundamental problems: He focuses on why God allows evil instead of focusing on why men commit evil. The second problem in my opinion is worse than the first: Man does not understand that his sin is exceedingly sinful in the sight of God. Nor does he understand the beauty of God’s holiness. Summing up this equation, God understands man’s depraved nature completely. We, however, do not know (or really care) how wicked we really are.

We commit evil because we want to (John 3:19). It gives us pleasure. For some reason man thinks or hopes he can somehow avoid the consequences of his actions. You see, God does not punish us as soon as we commit sin. If He did we would walk on eggshells all day long looking over our shoulders in petrified fear. Praise God that He is merciful. He gives us space to repent of our sins so that His wrath does not come down on us. The problem with man is that once he gets a taste of evil and he stupidly thinks God is not looking, he takes it up a notch. And before he realized it he’s piled up enough sins to reach heaven. Guess what? You’ve got God’s attention.

Full article to be published soon

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Will Death Ever Die?

 

The reason I ask the question is because I want to answer it from a Biblical perspective. Although it may sound like double talk to some, it is not. I will try my best to explain why. Death for most of the world is a horrifying reality. But not discussing it or trying to dismiss it out of one’s mind will not delay its wrath. Death for most is a journey into the unknown, a great void, an abyss, a black hole of sorts. In death we are dealing with the afterlife. Will things be better in this afterlife? Will you see your loved ones in heaven? Where or who does death take us to – God and Jesus or the devil and demons? Who determines where one goes when they die? Is it the Lord or man? Does it matter? Have we been lied to?

We all know what death is; it’s simply the termination of life. At the time I am writing this, life and death are concurrent. This is what is happening on 6/30/2024 at 1:16 pm PST:

 

Go to https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ to get real time statistics.

For most, the Bible presents painful inconvenient truths to our hearts and minds. The natural reaction is for us to recoil from God’s word. Why? Because it tells us what we need to hear verses what we want to hear.

In Isaiah 30:10 we read these words, who say to the seers, see not, and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits (or lies). These people are like those in Romans 1 who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (vs 18).

No one should be content with a comfortable lie to make them feel better. That is a trick of the enemy of our souls – Satan.  An inconvenient truth is better. Why? Because it sets off alarm bells to move us to action. It is knowing any truth that we can be made free. That doesn’t mean the truth is going to be pleasant, but it can point us in the right direction to a solution. With impending death, the only way we can triumph over it is to go to the one who has conquered it – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How did He do it? Let’s look at several verses of scripture.

John 10: 17-18 – Therefore my Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it up again. No one takes My from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. This command I have received from My Father.

·         Because Jesus has the power over life and death, trusting in Him is the ONLY way one can obtain life everlasting.

John 11:25 – I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live whoever believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

·         Jesus asked Martha this question after her brother Lazarus died

Acts 2:27 – For you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will allow your Holy One to see corruption.

·         Peter borrowed this language from Psalm 16:10, making reference to Jesus Christ rising from the dead

Romans 4:24b-25 – In Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised up for our justification.

Matthew 16:21 - From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

Matthew 17:22-23a - As they were gathering in Galilee Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered in the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.

Luke 18:31-33 - And taking the twelve, He said to them, see we are going to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging Him, they will kill Him, and on the third day He will rise.

1 Peter 1:3 -5 -  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (italics mine for emphasis) to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Revelation 1:17b-18 – Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hell of death.

 We live because Jesus lives. The preceding verses show us how to conquer death and receive everlasting life. Only then will one be able to echo the words of the apostle Paul, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

Moses declared to the children of Israel that the Lord has set before them life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:19).

The more one internalizes these truths, the more confidence one will gain in God and His word. We must meditate, feed on the scriptures so that it’s not just data in our minds, but realities we happily confess and share with all.  The scriptures HAVE to become part of our spiritual DNA.

So, to answer the title question, yes death has been conquered for the child of through Christ. The Devil has no more dominion over us. Hebrews 2:14-15 says, “Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by his death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

When the rapture[1] takes place the Bible tells us those of who are alive will be changed – meaning that our bodies will be translated from mortal to immortality. We will no longer be subject to death anymore. We have reached eternity. Death is literally defeated. 1 Corinthians 15:55 says, “Oh death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting. Its as if the apostle Paul is personifying death and mockingly asking the question of death’s inept power.

Finally in Revelation 20:14 we read, “Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” So, yes. There is a time in history when death will die. But only those who are in Christ Jesus will have victory over it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        


[1] The rapture is the catching away of the Church into heaven before the seven-year tribulation

Not all Christians are pre-tribulationists, but this writer is

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

The Religion of Atheism

 

                                                            Atheism

B

oth Psalm 14 and 53 declare the fool has said in his heart there is no God. The word fool here is the Hebrew word nabal. It means someone who lacks good sense, one who is unwise. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament the works of His hands.”

Psalm 24:1 tells us the earth is the Lord’s and all its fulness. In John 1:3 it says, “All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being (Amplified). In Colossians 1:16-17 we read, “For it was in Him (Christ) that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him and in and for Him. And He existed before all things, and in Him all things consist.” In Revelation 4:10 the apostle John is transported to heaven. He witnesses the twenty-four elders worshipping at the Lord’s throne and casting down their crowns saying, “You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things (emphasis added), and because of your will they existed and were created.”  Romans 1 tells us that what God has created is a crystal clear revelation of His existence. Romans 1:18-20 tells us:

 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of people, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is evident among them, for God has made it clear to them. For from the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse.”

A true atheist is an idolater, a hypocrite and a liar. They are an idolater because since they say God does not exist, they are going to worship an idol(s) – their own mind, perhaps science or some false ideology like Darwinian evolution or New Age mysticism. They are hypocrites because they always use language that belies their atheistic beliefs like good and evil. If one is claiming to be a bonafide atheist, the virtue of good and the reality of evil cannot exist. Why? Without a moral law giver, humans are no better than an animal that hunts prey and kills it to survive. The animal does not see killing to survive as evil, for it is instinctive for it to hunt so that it does not starve to death. Good nor evil is not an awareness in any animal, mammal or insect for God has not placed that in them, but it is for humans. It’s called the conscience.

Atheists have a conscience which clearly proves there is a moral lawgiver – God Almighty. But what all atheists do is use language created by God and use it as a weapon against God. Here are a few quotes I found from atheists:

gods are fragile things; they may be killed by a whiff of science or a dose of common sense.

Chapman Cohen 

 

Religions are all alike- founded upon fables and mythologies.

Thomas Jefferson

·         I agree with Thomas Jefferson in part. I would say, all false religions are all alike. They are founded  upon fables and mythologies. Thomas Jefferson was considered a Deist and not an Atheist. He supposedly believed in God, but Deist do not believe in the providence of God - that He interferes in the affairs of men.

I don't know if God exists, but it would be better for His reputation if He didn't.

Jules Renard

 The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.

Richard Dawkins

·         Have you looked in the mirror recently Richard?

If God were suddenly condemned to live the life which He has inflicted upon men, He would kill Himself.

Alexandre Dumas

We (atheists) act in good conscience because we believe in moral principles, not because we expect a reward in Heaven.

Margherita Hack

You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep-seated need to believe

Carl Sagan

Notice the quote by Margherita Hack. She says atheists act in “good conscience” and have moral principles. If God does not exist in her worldview, where does the good conscience and moral principles come from? Remember, if God does not exist, these virtues do not exist either. The very God they deny is the same God they need to bolster to give their atheism life. This is duplicitous and hypocritical behavior.

You cannot talk about morality and goodness without the God that gave us those virtues. If one is going to be a true atheist, you must be in a state of perpetual moral neutrality. There is neither good nor evil in their worldview. If someone invaded their home, raped their wife and children and then killed them, it would not be wrong. Why? Because evil and immorality cannot exist in an atheistic universe. As an atheist you cannot have an awareness of right and wrong because no one or nothing placed those faculties in your psyche.  Once again, we would all be animals living in a Darwinian world – natural selection, survival of the fittest.  In order for me to get mine, I have to kill you and take yours. That would the pathetic existence of human experience. The life of the atheist is bleak, foolish, senseless, pointless, darkness and hopeless.

The atheist is deceived and a liar. Why argue about a God who does not exist? Why put in all the energy and vitriol toward a phantom? It does not make sense to me.  They argue that faith in God is not based on evidence. Not true. We have a library of 66 books written over a period of 1500 plus years. Most is based on eyewitness testimony of the God they wrote about, the Holy Scriptures. Atheists also have to exercise “faith” and are convinced that God does not exist. I would love for an atheist to present empirical evidence to support their lie, but they cannot and never will. They are like most people; they believe the state of the world is their evidence – homelessness, starvation and poverty. Disease, rape of women and children and death are clear evidence that the God of the Bible does not exist. What does this boil down to? What we are dealing with is what evil man has been dealing with since the fall of mankind; we do not understand the holiness of God in juxtaposition to the wickedness of man. Why can’t the atheist see the problems and the evils we are suffering are not God’s fault. God has given man free will to choose good or evil. Man has chosen evil, and the world is a cesspool because of it. How is God to blame for that? It is just as ridiculous as saying guns kill people. No they don’t! A gun does not have a mind of its own and cannot make choices. People firing the gun kills people.

So atheists being evil in their minds have concluded that God is a celestial bully, and we are harmless victims of His wrath. We don’t need Him; just do good to everyone, and everything will work out fine.

My conclusion is this, it is nearly impossible to be an effective atheist. Why? 1) You not only have to deny the existence of God, but you also have to effectively prove He is not real. No one in history has done that. The creation even without a voice screams God’s presence power and glory across the cosmos. 2) Our awareness of right and wrong clearly prove to all men that there is a moral lawgiver. To deny this truth is to be dishonest which all atheists are. 3) Denying that God exists with supposed secular compelling and educational rhetoric does not prove His non-existence. People deny the existence of the God of the Bible because He does not act like us and do our bidding on demand hence the sinful and emotional reaction of the atheist to conclude that the Judeo-Christian God of the universe is a monster- a devil.

 

I have come in my Father’s name, and you receive Me not. If another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

-John 5:43

Saturday, June 15, 2024

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

In Luke 16 Jesus gives a parable about a steward (Gk. oikonomos[1]) who is mismanaging his employer’s money / resources. Word gets out to the steward’s boss who says to him, “What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.” And the manager says to himself, “What shall I do since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their homes.” So summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, “How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measure of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’” The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are shrewder in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into eternal dwellings (Luke 16:1-10).

It appears scholars and commentators believe Jesus is continuing an ongoing discussion from the previous chapter. At the end of Luke 15 Jesus gives the parable is what is commonly called The Prodigal Son. Others view it as the Forgiving Father. And others view it as the Tale of two Sons. Keep in the mind the titles in our Bibles are not inspired by God. Translators added those to tell us what the subject matter was in the following paragraphs.

When Jesus provided parables, it was a fictional story with real life elements contemporaneous to that time that often dealt with the kingdom of God. The issue here was the steward who was mishandling his master’s possessions. As a result he is going be fired for his poor performance. Since the soon to be unemployed manager is not strong to do manual labor (dig), and he is ashamed to beg, his only recourse for him is to go to his master’s debtors and offer them a discount on what they owe so that he can secure his future living arrangements with these debtors when he is no longer working. What this wicked manager did was barter for himself – a buddy system if you would.

Notice he is still transacting business on behalf of his master dishonestly; he is providing the debtors a discount he has no right to transact. The money is the master’s - not his. Surprisingly, his master commends him for his shrewdness. Why? Because the master knew that by lowering the amount the debtors owed, it would secure the fired steward from being thrown out in the street. The unjust steward saved the debtors a lot of money which he may have pocketed for himself since he was dishonest. So when the time was right, he could receive lodging because he became their friend.

 Jesus tells His disciples that the sons of this world (unbelievers) are shrewder in their generation than the sons of light (believers) – Luke 16:8. Why would He say that? Jesus is not applauding the wicked steward’s wickedness, rather He is making reference to his cleverness to provide for himself even in a dishonest way. When push came to shove, the steward did what he needed to do to secure his future at the expense of his former rich employer for his own benefit. Believers have to be wise when it comes not to just worldly riches, but true riches. Jesus says something shocking in verse nine, “Make friends for yourselves by unrighteous money, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.”

Jesus is making a comparison between the temporal and the eternal here. Jesus is commanding His disciples and us by extension to make friends with earthly wealth that the Lord gives to us as believers and use those resources for the gospel so that when we get to heaven those lives that were saved here on earth as a result of our evangelism directly or by proxy will receive us as eternal friends. What we do now with the Lord’s wealth He gives us management over should never be wasted on selfish things, but strictly for the kingdom of God and for the benefit of those who we make contact with that are lost in their sins. It takes money to send Bibles to countries that do not have them in impoverished areas. It takes money to build churches and send missionaries around the world to preach the gospel and to provide food, fresh water, clothing and medical supplies to those who are poor and needy and sick in our communities. It takes money to pay the Pastor, his staff, keep the lights on and pay the mortgage. These types of activities are God honoring ways to use the resources God has given to us as a trust.

This parable is parallel to what Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but rather lay up for yourselves (italics mine for emphasis) treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Continuing, Jesus says, “He that is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in what is least will be unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (or money), who will commit to your trust the true riches? If you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:10-13).

The main issue Jesus is driving at is faithfulness in what God has given us to steward / manage. A simple illustration is if you are a loyal manager at a company (represents secular wealth), and you decide to start your own business, you will do what it takes to become a loyal business owner. You will also be able to train your employees to become loyal. Conversely if you are a lazy employee; never on time, and never complete your tasks or meet your deadlines, you will be like the wicked steward in this parable and lose your job due to your unfaithfulness. That type of person is definitely not ready to be in a position of Church leadership such as an Elder or a Pastor (i.e. true riches). No one wants a reckless, immature person in spiritual authority; that is a train wreck waiting to happen. Sadly, that is what we are currently dealing with in many Churches, large and small.

So, the questions are, “How many people will get to heaven because of our faithfulness to what God has given us here on earth?” How many eternal friends will we make due to our faithful stewardship in the here and now?



[1] Means a household manager. A steward took care of daily operations of his master’s estate.

This would include meals, farming, children, servants, tilling of the fields and finances. The manager

Had authority to transact business in his master’s name.

 

Revelation 20 - Part 1

This chapter is the only place where the devil is bound (vs 2). Notice an angel from heaven does it, not us. Humans have never been able to ...