Posted in delusion, false prophets

Why there are so many false prophets?

Posted on by elizabethprata

There is a sweeping delusion racing at tsunami speed across the world today. It is not the verses at 2 Thessalonians 2:7-11, but it is related. The delusion is that we are little gods, with power in our words to shape reality and thus to be like God.

The Tribulation will arrive when the restrainer is out of the way.

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-11)

But for now, the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. First let’s look at the indicators of this terrible precursor of how the lawlessness is appearing.

On the Asian continent there is a man called Joseph Prince. He is 50 years old, and is the senior pastor of New Creation Church in Singapore, one of Asia’s biggest churches. His website states that 30,000 attend weekly. His TV program Destined to Reign is broadcast in more than 150 countries. He has preached at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood facility in Houston, at Hillsong’s facility in Australia, as well as in South Africa at the Two Days of Hope Conference. Joseph Prince is big.

Joseph Prince’s teachings are bad.

He is a rising star in the Word of Faith movement but has been more successful in crossing over into conservative evangelicalism, says Pastor and discernment specialist Justin Peters.

“He is very articulate. He goes deeper than Joel Osteen, deeper than Osteen’s happy talk and platitudes. He has some working knowledge of the biblical languages. A lot of people who want to go deeper than Osteen, they turn to Joseph Prince. He takes many things out of context and flat out stating things as fact that factually are not true. He twists the doctrine of grace, takes it to extremes, often been charged with being antinomian (against the Law), holding a distorted view of grace, preaches easy beliefism along with the prosperity gospel. He is definitely a false teacher.” (source)

Here is a specific example of how Prince distorts grace. Prince was on stage with Joel Osteen and Osteen’s wife Victoria on TBN television in October 2012. There, Prince misdefined repentance. He said,

“The word repentance is from the Greek word metanoia, which literally means change your mind. Preaching the word without using the word repentance, people’s minds are being changed all the time From thinking negatively to thinking positively.”

So in effect Prince was teaching that if we go from being a negative thinker to a positive thinker, we have repented. Mr Peters explains Prince’s mistake in the clip I’d linked to above that,

“there is a grain of truth there. The word repent does come from the Greek metanoia and it does mean to change one’s mind. But it’s not from going from pessimist to optimist. Genuine repentance is a change of mind but it is granted by God and results in a change in your heart, in your whole being. Not just being a more optimistic person but an acknowledgement of being a sinner, that sin is heinous, and understanding the holiness of God. When God grants repentance, our mind changes and our heart changes. There is a fruit from that repentance. John said we will bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Not that we work to repent but when God grants it there will be fruit in our lives appropriate with repentance. Prince has a minimalistic and distorted view of repentance.” (Source, Peters above).

Here comes the part of the precursor to the antichrist’s lie (that he is God and deludes the whole world). Joseph Prince preaches that you can pronounce yourself clean. In his devotional this week, he wrote,

“You see, as believers, when we received Jesus, His blood cleansed us from sin as well as sickness. (Isaiah 53:4–5) But we keep hearing people pronounce sin, sickness, poverty and death over us. We keep hearing people tell us that we are unclean, undeserving, poor, weak, and that it is only natural that we grow old and sickly, and die. God is waiting for a priesthood that will rise up and pronounce His people clean!”

First: Jesus did not clean us from sin and sickness. He forgave our sins, and He cleaned us from the influence of sin and sickness. Only Jesus is free from sin and sickness. We won’t be free from sin and sickness until we receive our resurrected body at the rapture. That’s why we need the Holy Spirit now on earth, to help us resist sin. We are not free yet because we live in the same sinful flesh as we lived in when we were born and before we came into repentance and into Christ’s atoning kingdom. Philippians 1:29 reminds us that it has been granted to us to suffer. So does Peter in 1 Peter 4:12. There are many verses which remind us that it is our portion to suffer these things.

Second: I don’t hear ‘people’ telling me I am poor, weak and unclean. I don’t go around telling my friends they are poor, weak, or unclean. I usually tell them they are great, smart, successful and powerful. And they tell me the same. It is what people do. Who I actually hear telling me I am poor, weak, and unclean is Jesus, in the bible. His word tells us that we are these things, even after salvation. Yes, post-salvation we’re His children, heirs of His kingdom, but we are not free from sin yet, and therefore not free from its effects. Moreover, we still live on a sinful earth with all its accumulated effects of sin. While we are on earth, we remain conscious of our sins. If we were free from sin, why would we need to pick up our cross daily (Matthew 16:24).

Spurgeon said,

“EVERY new man is two men—every Believer in Christ is what he was and not what he was—the old nature and the new nature exist at the same time in each regenerate individual. That old nature the Apostle calls a man, because it is a complete manhood after the image of fallen Adam. It has the desires, the judgment, the mind, the thoughts, the language and the action of man as he is in his rebellious estate. He calls it the “old man,” because it is as old as Eden’s first transgression.”

Third: God does not wait for people to do things before He can get on with His plan. God is sovereign, He does what He wills, when He desires. (Psalm 115:3).

So you can see that Mr Prince has taken verses out of context and preached that our words have a power that they do not have. We are not little gods, pronouncing each other clean. Prince concludes his scripture twist by claiming: “God has cleansed you, so pronounce yourself clean! Right now, put your hand on your heart and pronounce good things over yourself. Say, “I pronounce myself clean, righteous, healed, whole and prosperous by the blood of Jesus!” By your word as a king-priest, every assault against you shall be settled!”

By His standard, we should be able to life a teflon life, impervious to the effects of sin, never having a sickness and prospering in all we do. That is some power that Prince ascribes to us, some grand power! That is the power of God, in fact, and it is the lie. We do not have that power. Satan wants us to think we are like God. He said in the beginning, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5).

Satan is deluding great swathes of peoples that they have God’s power to pronounce things that only God pronounces and thus be like God. That is the lie that is coming out of Asia.

On our continent we have a plethora of false prophets declaring that if we but speak with enough faith we can stop God’s plan and so doing be like little gods. Joel Osteen makes that claim. He explained in one of his motivational speeches he delivers weekly from the Lakewood facility in Houston, that:

Such power this puny human has! I can stop God’s plan with a few “negative words”! Osteen codified his false doctrine in his new book titled “I Declare”, stating, “Now you can take charge of your future with the help of Joel Osteen’s latest book-I Declare.”

However, God’s word says we are slaves. We are either slaves of sin or slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:16-18.) Slaves cannot and do not ‘take charge’ of their own future. God is in charge of that.

Angus Buchan is another person who preaches a false message. His story is heartbreaking because unlike some others who know they are lying, it seems that Buchan is wholly sincere and likely unaware of his falsity. His message is sweeping Africa. He preaches kingdom now, revival now, and calls for Holy Ghost miracles on a constant and common basis. Yet the word of God says not to call for signs. The use of signs was when the Lord was working with the apostles to validate their ministry. (Mark 16:20). Yet the signs themselves were never to prove faith and are not the final arbiter of having faith.

As Let Us Reason Ministries explains the purpose of signs and wonders, “Scripture and history prove that signs and wonders do not instill faith, just the opposite, lack of faith prompts one’s desire to see signs and wonders. John 12:37- But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him. John 4:48- Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” Jesus was disappointed that it took the miraculous for people to listen to his teachings or follow…. Seeing a sign was never a assurance of belief for the individual.”

Below, 2009, and below that, 2013.

Hillsong in Australia is another place where a continent has been taken over by false gospels racing across the land like a tsunami. Wikipedia explains, “Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches (the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God) and located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Brian and Bobbie Houston began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills. Hills Christian Life Centre later merged with Sydney Christian Life Centre at Waterloo. Over 21,000 people attend services each week.” Below, inside Hillsong, Wikipedia photo

Asia, Africa, America, Australia…the deceived are falling down in great numbers.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” (Isaiah 14:12-15)

Satan’s lie “weakened the nations”, did you catch that? He purposed in his heart that he was like the Most High, and lied to Adam and Eve that if they partook of the fruit, they would also be like the Most High: he said so in Genesis 3:5,

“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

That is satan’s goal, to be like the most high. The nations will be so weakened by so many individual’s own exaltation and the diminishment of God’s stature that when the antichrist comes, they will be ready to believe the lie.

Again, what is that lie? That antichrist is God. (source)

Why is this tsunami-lie of having personal power only God has racing around the globe? Why are so many false prophets abounding? First, because Jesus said it would be so. (Matthew 7:15, 24:5, 24:11)

Secondly, look at this incident from 1 Kings. The host of heaven are gathered around His throne to the right and to the left.

“and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.” (1 Kings 22:20-23). Illustration, The Prophet Micaiah Before the Kings, 17th-c. woodcut by Otto Elliger.

Gills explains: “Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these thy prophets … That is, suffered the lying spirit to suggest a lie to them, and sent them strong delusions to believe that lie, whose minds were disposed at any rate to flatter Ahab, to whom they told it; which was the way designed to bring him to the ruin appointed for him.”

The Lord put a lying spirit into the mouth of the prophets and notice the second half of the same sentence: “the Lord has declared disaster for you.” Believing the false prophets seems to only enhance the conditions which allow the strong delusion to take hold and will in fact become a judgment upon them all. It is the way designed to bring ruin upon them. They want flattery (you are little gods with powerful words), they believe this lying delusion and so they will become ruined when the final lying lie uttered by the antichrist comes about.

The final lying delusion, THE lie will culminate in the Tribulation, as I stated at the beginning. It is not happening now. But the speed with which the false prophets are heaping up multitudes of flattering believers upon themselves is amazing, just like Ahab and his flattering prophets. It is occurring because though they received the truth, the love not the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:10b). And look here-

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, (2 Timothy 4:3).

If you are heartbroken as I am by seeing those pictures of the multitudes believing the lies the false prophets are enticing them with, then please continue to pray. It is a most effective weapon in the arsenal of God’s army.

In my personal opinion, the false prophets are abounding with a lying spirit in their mouths because it is a judgment upon the world, and a significant condition that is readying for the antichrist’s appearance. Your thoughts welcome.

Posted in abraham, mikveh, second temple, ur, winepress

This week there have been some amazing archaeological discoveries in the Holy Land

Posted on by elizabethprata

There have been some interesting archaeological discoveries in the Middle East in the last two weeks. I don’t know what they mean especially, except to ponder the eternal truth that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. (Psalm 24:1). He is the Creator of it, the sustainer of it and the One True God who knows every bit of its surface from atop Everest to the bottom of the Marianas trench and below the earth to the center. He knows each layer and each strata. He knows every molecule and which molecule is a part of an igneous rock and which molecule is a Christian burned at the state and ashes spread over His creation. God is not surprised by any of these discoveries. In fact, He knows all about them, when they were built, why, and even that they would be re-discovered this week. It is so comforting to know that our God is so perfect and wise.

Here are the discoveries–

Mysterious Stone Structure Discovered Beneath Sea of Galilee
“A giant “monumental” stone structure discovered beneath the waters of the Sea of Galilee in Israel has archaeologists puzzled as to its purpose and even how long ago it was built. The mysterious structure is cone shaped, made of “unhewn basalt cobbles and boulders,” and weighs an estimated 60,000 tons the researchers said. That makes it heavier than most modern-day warships. Rising nearly 32 feet (10 meters) high, it has a diameter of about 230 feet (70 meters). To put that in perspective, the outer stone circle of Stonehenge has a diameter just half that with its tallest stones not reaching that height. It appears to be a giant cairn, rocks piled on top of each other.”

Sonar survey. Credit: Shmuel Marco
The circular structure was first detected in a sonar survey
of part of the sea in the summer of 2003.
Divers investigate. Credit: Shmuel Marco.
Scuba divers investigated the structure revealing
that it is made of basalt boulders up to 3.2 feet (1 meter) long.
The rocks are piled on top of each forming what appears to be a cairn.
In this image an arrow points to a 4 inch (10 cm) fish beside the structure.

“Researcher Yitzhak Paz, of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Ben-Gurion University, believes it could date back more than 4,000 years. “The more logical possibility is that it belongs to the third millennium B.C., because there are other megalithic phenomena [from that time] that are found close by,” Paz told LiveScience in an interview, noting that those sites are associated with fortified settlements.”

That would make it just about pre-flood according to the data in Answers in Genesis. Cool.

—————————————

“Rare 2,000-Year-Old Mikveh Uncovered in Jerusalem“
“A 2,000-year-old mikveh has been uncovered in Jerusalem, a rare find that researchers say points to a

sophisticated understanding of water preservation. “Numerous ritual baths have been excavated in Jerusalem in recent years, but the water supply system that we exposed in this excavation is unique and unusual,” said Benjamin Storchan, director of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The mikveh includes an underground bath that is entered via steps, and receives rainwater form three separate basins. The basins are located on the roof of the bath, streaming pure water into the mikveh using various channels.”

The bible says: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.” (Ezekiel 36:25).

According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, a mikveh (ritual pool) is “a pool or bath of clear water, immersion in which renders ritually clean a person who has become ritually unclean through contact with the dead (Num. 19) or any other defiling object, or through an unclean flux from the body (Lev. 15) and especially a menstruant or postpartum woman. It is similarly used for vessels (Num. 31:22–23).”

Jesus came to cleanse us with His very own body. “Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”(John 3:5). Anyone in Jesus is now cleansed by His blood and the baptism is an outward show of obedience to Our Lord and Savior.

—————————————

The ancient city of Ur was discovered only recently, about 90 years ago. It is thought to be Abraham’s birthplace, and certainly the bible describes it as a place where Abraham dwelled. However what makes this discovery so exciting is that it is the first time a building has been unearthed that might be connected with the city and/or have religious connections to the idolatry there.

Archaeologists in Iraq find ancient complex near Ur, home of biblical Abraham
“British archaeologists have unearthed a sprawling complex near the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq, home of the biblical Abraham. The structure, thought to be 4,000 years old, probably served as an administrative centre for Ur, around the time Abraham would have lived there before leaving for Canaan, according to the Bible. … “This is a breathtaking find,” Campbell said, because of its unusually large size — roughly the size of a soccer pitch, or about 80 metres on each side. The archaeologist said complexes of this size and age were rare.”

Genesis 11:27-28 says, “Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans”

Genesis 12:103 says, “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

The ruins of Ur,
with the Ziggurat of Ur visible in the background. Wiki pic

The article says they found the complex near a partially reconstructed ziggurat of the Sumerians. “By 2000 BC Sumerians living in cities such as Ur and Uruk in southern Iraq had developed paved roads, the arch and vault, writing, schools, epic literature, law codes, banking, and even joint-stock corporations. All this occurred two thousand years before Cleopatra or Julius Caesar. … The Ziggurat at Ur, a massive stepped pyramid about 210 by 150 feet in size, is the most well-preserved monument from the remote age of the Sumerians. The ziggurat was part of a temple complex that served as an administrative center for the city… Construction of the ziggurat was completed in the 21st century BC by King Shulgi, during whose 48-year reign the city of Ur grew to be the capital of an empire controlling much of Mesopotamia. To win the allegiance of the many formerly independent cities he controlled, Shulgi proclaimed himself a god and became a great patron of the arts.” (source)

It was in that pagan civilization God called Abram. It was an advanced civilization existing 4000 years ago, but one that for all its advances, was nothing and would come to nothing because they did not know righteousness. He had revealed Himself personally before the flood and mightily during the flood and all descendants knew Him after the flood. However, some went the way of Cain, and departed from the presence of the LORD (Genesis 4:16, Jude 1:11).

Then they built temples to false gods and proclaimed themselves gods- as this website explains and is excerpted below.

“Construction of the ziggurat was completed in the 21st century BC by King Shulgi, during whose 48-year reign the city of Ur grew to be the capital of an empire controlling much of Mesopotamia. To win the allegiance of the many formerly independent cities he controlled, Shulgi proclaimed himself a god and became a great patron of the arts.” Photo- The Sumerian Ziggurat at Ur During Excavations. (source)

Abram lived in all that mess. I often wonder, why Abram? Why did Abram believe? Why did he leave, not knowing where he was going, (Hebrews 11:8) with such faith? Abram’s own father Terah worshiped idols! All of Babylon had been under the influence of the first dictator, Nimrod, and his towers to false idols and astrology and idol worship remained to Abram’s day. The pollution of unrighteousness had even grown tremendously. So why did Abram believe? I can only say that God is God and when he makes Himself known you cannot help but know His voice is the voice of the one and only God when you hear it. Abram/Abraham believed God!

“Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

I just think that is all so amazing!

—————————————

Well-Preserved Wine-Making Facility Found in Southern Israel
“Antiquities Authority workers have discovered a well-preserved Byzantine era wine-making facility in southern Israel. The discovery, made during a construction project for a wedding hall, is one of the best preserved examples of an ancient wine-making facility from that era found so far in Israel. The wine-making facility includes a 100 meter tiled floor for crushing grapes, as well as a winepress. Below the wine-making floor are three large holes, where freshly produced grape juice would flow. The holes were well protected from dirt and pests, and there are several vats for the fermentation of the wine around the facility.”

“The owner of the facility was apparently Christian, archaeologists said, as the model of an as yet

unidentified Byzantine-era church was found at the site. The model is intricately made, with precisely carved crucifixes, decorations, and handles for the doors and windows. In addition to the wine-making facility, an almost perfectly preserved clay model of a church was also discovered. The find was discovered near Hamei Yoav, east of Ashkelon. Right, A ceramic lantern shaped like a miniature church, unearthed at Hamei Yoav in southern Israel (photo credit: Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority) source”

The facility would have been in use 1500 years ago.

I think it is exciting to see the well-preserved remnants of the daily life of our forefathers in the land of Jesus!

“And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia. (Revelation 14:20)

“Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.” (Revelation 19:15)

Posted in jesus, mark of the beast, one world economy, prophecy

Bitcoin: a digital currency enjoying an "epic rise", potentially ‘revolutionizing’ global payments system

Posted on by elizabethprata

The bitcoin. Ever heard of it? I hadn’t either until an astute reader mentioned it in a comment recently. In researching this new currency, a digital one, I became intrigued, then astounded. Wikipedia explains the bitcoin:

“Bitcoin (sign: BTC) is a decentralized digital currency based on an open-source, peer-to-peer Internet protocol. It was introduced in 2009 by a pseudonymous developer, Satoshi Nakamoto. … Bitcoin is the most widely used alternative currency and accepted by various merchants and services internationally. As of April 2013, the monetary base of bitcoin is valued at over $1 billion USD.”

And I go…”Huh. How ’bout that.”

Forbes Magazine says Bitcoin is a disruptive technology. They explain what it is this way–

A financial network is a technological platform that people build businesses on top of. And the traditional banking and credit card networks are closed platforms. If you want to build an e-commerce site, a payment network like Paypal, or any other service that deals in dollars, you need to convince incumbent financial institutions to do business with you. Getting such a partnership is difficult and involves a lot of red tape.

There’s a good reason for the high barrier to entry: electronic transactions in the conventional banking system are generally reversible. If someone makes a fraudulent charge to your credit card, you can dispute the transaction and in most cases the bank or the merchant, not the customer, will cover the cost. That’s convenient for consumers, but it requires the financial system to be a fairly close-knit web of trust. Allowing a new member into the club creates risks for everyone else. So the incumbents are understandably reluctant to deal with anyone who isn’t well-known and well-capitalized.

Bitcoin is different. Because transactions are authenticated cryptographically and cannot be reversed, there’s no need to restrict access to the network. There’s no risk to accepting payments from complete strangers. That means people don’t need anyone’s permission or trust to go into business as a Bitcoin-based merchant or financial intermediary. Accepting Bitcoins also allows merchants to avoid much of the administrative overhead, like dealing with chargebacks, that come with a conventional merchant account.

So though I don’t understand much about the intricacies of international commerce and the currencies that allow it, the bitcoin seems to me to be a way to get around the Man. After what happened in Cyprus (the Man, i.e. banksters, scooped out money from the citizens’ accounts just cuz.) The bank of Cyprus failed, there was a bank run, and riots, upper crust mucky-mucks were allowed to get their money out but not the peons like you and me, now it appears that key data is missing from banking records and they are vehemently denying there is a gold reserves sell-off. The bitcoin looks better every day. And that’s no joke, look at this article from NPR-

Bitcoin Surpasses $200 Mark, Continuing ‘Epic’ Rise

Bitcoin, the digital currency that trades outside the control of central banks and international borders, reached new heights Tuesday, surpassing the $200 mark for the first time. That level comes just five days after bitcoin approached $150, a development that Mt. Gox, the largest exchange service for the currency, deemed to be “epic.” Bitcoin’s rise has been sharp. It was only two months ago that exchange rates put a single bitcoin’s value at around $20. … Whatever the cause, bitcoin’s gains have translated into new wealth for people who bought into it since it was created in 2009. The currency is released at a very steady rate — “roughly every 10 minutes 25 new bitcoins come into circulation,” as last week. Its adherents say that regular pace, and the fact that there is only a finite number of bitcoins, make it an attractive alternative to government-backed currencies. Just over half of the 21 million bitcoins in existence have so far been released.”

The international economic system is interesting. I do not understand its mechanisms. But God does. He told us in the bible that the system at the end of time (Tribulation years) will undergo a radical and massive shift from what we have known in recent generations just prior, to a one world government and economy.

No, the bible does not use the phrase “one world economy” but it describes it. Revelation 13:16-18,
“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,e to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

One mark indicates THE currency or at least entry into the economic system, and absent the mark, denial of participation in the economy. “It” is the beast,and make no mistake, the economic control by this beast (antichrist and later satan directly) will be global.

The bitcoin is digital and outside the current system. The last economy on earth will be a digital one also. Though the bible does not say, it indicates this by saying that the mark will be on or in the hand or forehead, and that having it means one can buy things. How it will likely work is that at the point of sale the mark will be passed over a digital mechanism that will verify it as authentic and at the same time withdraw the money. If all peoples on the globe have a mark (except Christians who refuse) then controlling it as a day in and day out currency must mean the data behind it is centralized, accessible, and digital. We practically have this now with debit cards and other bar coded swipe items that automatically bring up your account.

Whether the bitcoin will morph into the mark or not it is interesting that the banking system is in collapse, the economic system is in collapse, and there is a widely used alternative currency that already has the digital infrastructure to become something more than resembling the mark of the beast.

As an aside, I am 52 years old and never in my wildest imaginings did I think that 30 years ago or 20 or even 10 that we would be using digital currency to the extent we are (I mean not only bitcoin but debit cards and paypal etc).

Developments are moving fast. And lest you think that bitcoin is an esoteric monetary mechanism outside the spheres of real people, as of February 2013 bitcoins can be used to buy Domino’s pizza. As of today, this article from the NY Times states,

“Bitcoin is the new new thing but the question is whether it will end up in the same dustbin as Dutch tulips and Pets.com, or, as its backers believe, turn into a disruptive technology with the potential to revolutionize the global payments system.”

Given the times, the lateness of the hour, and the certainty of the coming one world economy, I’d put smart money bitcoins on the latter.

Posted in idols, justice, Obama, party, wicked

Obama parties right on through the writing on the wall

Posted on by elizabethprata

I read last night that the Obama family hosted yet another party at the White House. It was the 10th in the “In Performance at the White House” series since Obama took office, according to the article in The Blaze. Opponents have criticized the White House’s lavish parties as the administration continues to warn about the disastrous effects of the sequester. Fox News’ “Hannity” mockingly referred to the party as a “sequestration celebration.” The excessive partying and vacationing by Obama and his entourage reminds me of another king in former times. More on that in a minute. As far as the cost of these parties and vacations tot he American public, one website toted up the cost of Obama’s Hawaii vacations as exceeding 20M. Michelle Obama’s ski weekend in Aspen alone cost $83,182.99 according to Judicial Watch.

As Obama and his family and entourage party in high, lordly style, on the backs of his minions (us), he is also promoting a devastatingly Godless agenda that contains homosexuality, sodomy in the military, same sex marriage, abortion and live post-birth abortion, financial malfeasance, easier access to drugs, more difficult access to medical help for the ill, oppression of the poor and much much more. God does not like this agenda. He never has, and He never will.

That is why Hannity blew up, because while the money is supposed to be sequestered, plenty of it paid for this lavish party.

This comes on the heels last year of Obama celebrating his 50th birthday in lavish style in Chicago, renting an ornate ballroom costing $40,000 per night and hosting celebrities who paid up to $38,000 to attend. That was done despite a Chinese credit rating agency downgrading the US, reported the UK Daily Mail.

The ornately decorated Aragon Ballroom,
where the lavish birthday party is being held

While this is going on, the ailing budget process as demonstrated by sequester, is not the only thing that is ailing. The economy is terrible and many millions of folks in America are suffering along with it. There are soup lines, food stamps, joblessness, scavenging to survive, and desperation- people are actually living underground now, the real underground- in Kansas City

Kansas City Star

Amid this stress and poverty, Obama and his family think nothing of charging massive bills to the American taxpayer for their endless vacations, dinners, jaunts, and parties. The latest party was Tuesday night (April 9, 2013).

Reactions to the parties the lords and ladies are having on the backs of the people caused a harsh reaction in newscaster Sean Hannity. The headline reads, “Hannity Explodes at Former Obama Adviser After He Tries to Defend Obama’s Music Party: ‘You’re on Drugs! You Can’t Be Serious!’

Oh, but Obama is.

I mentioned above that Obama reminds of of another king. Belshazzar. Remember him from Daniel 5? The one where the finger of God appeared and write the handwriting on the wall while the king was partying? Here is the passage:

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. (Daniel 5:1-6)

Daniel told the king, “The Lord in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.” (Daniel 5:23). The writing turned out to be translated “you have been weighed in the scales and found wanting” and that very night the King was killed.

The chapter is very interesting. Daniel tells King Belshazzar that his father Nebuchadnezzar was made to eat grass like the oxen and for 7 years lived as a beast and afterward humbled himself before the Holy God of heaven. But though Belshazzar knew all this, he still opposed God and refused to humble himself. He lifted up a toast to profane things and idols, and for that, God slew him.

God raises up kings and he takes them down, all in His timing. The bottom line is that we have a king of the united States that seems to be wanting, in the Godliness department. Worse, this state of godlessness seems not to bother him, despite the fact that Obama knows all this.

God weeps when men refuse grace (Luke 19:41) but He is still angry over sin and idol worship.

“God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.” (Psalm 7:11)

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18).

For the people who despair over having such a king in our White House, or any king who sets himself up in any part of the world, despair not! Our Lord and our God is not waiting to send wrath, He already IS sending wrath. He sends grace to us but He is wrathful over idolatry, godlessness, and the wicked living in profane ways.

Our own king Belshazzar will stand before a holy God one day. Nothing we can say on this earth in anger or heated political discussions, or even around the table at family dinners, can come near what God Himself will say to him on the Day. Keep praying for our leaders and take heart that grace is here and justice will come.

Posted in Uncategorized

North Korea’s missile ‘test’ on Wednesday, China’s currency deal with Australia

Posted on by elizabethprata

A news update for you. News from the last few days–

North Korea may be preparing to test missile
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A top South Korean national security official said North Korea may be setting the stage for a missile test or another provocative act with its warning that it soon will be unable to guarantee diplomats’ safety in Pyongyang. But he added that the North’s clearest objective is to extract concessions from Washington and Seoul. North Korea’s warning last week followed weeks of war threats and other efforts to punish South Korea and the U.S. for ongoing joint military drills, and for their support of U.N. sanctions over Pyongyang’s Feb. 12 nuclear test.”

They beleive this to be an upcoming test, not an attack. All indications point to Wednseday for a launch. They expect the missiles to arc over Japan. Hence…

Japan deploys missile-defense batteries
“Japan deployed missile-defense systems at three sites around Tokyo early Tuesday ahead of a possible missile launch by North Korea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. The Patriot missile batteries were set up in the central district of Ichigaya and in the suburbs of Asaka and Narashino, Suga told reporters Tuesday. The deployments come as U.S. and South Korean officials warn Pyongyang could be preparing for another provocative move after weeks of belligerent rhetoric. Monday, Suga had said the government would not publicize any missile-defense deployment, saying “It would show our strategy to North Korea.”

China seemed to get irritated with Korea’s antics this week, sparking a plethora of articles speculating on China’s relationship with their little brother.

Is China ready to abandon North Korea?
“China’s new President Xi Jinping appeared to be in sociable mood at the BOAO economic forum in the southern Chinese island of Hainan. China’s state media has published dozens of photos showing Mr Xi glad-handing his counterparts from Australia, Cambodia and even Algeria. In contrast, China’s supposed ally, North Korea, received the rhetorical equivalent of a rap on the knuckles. “No one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains,” Mr Xi warned during a speech at the opening of the forum. The Chinese president did not mention any country by name, but it is widely believed that his words were aimed at Pyongyang.”

Or, is China’s seeming irritation with their lesser ally actually subterfuge for its grander plan to conquer the US? An Op-Ed in Forbes three days ago:

China Helped North Korea Target American Cities
“Today, Kim Jang-soo, South Korea’s new national security director, said North Korea may fire off a missile as soon as Wednesday. The launch will undoubtedly be a test of an intermediate-range missile, not an attack. North Korea last week moved two missiles, which were subsequently loaded onto mobile launchers, to its east coast. Many expect the missiles, which have been subsequently moved to hidden locations, will be fired in trajectories arcing over Japan.”

“The Pentagon is not at the moment especially concerned about Pyongyang’s longest-range missile, the Taepodong-2, a variant of the successfully tested Unha-3 rocket. It takes weeks to transport, assemble, fuel, and prepare the Taepodong-2, giving U.S. forces many opportunities to destroy the missile on its large launch pad. The Pentagon, however, is worried about Pyongyang’s mobile missiles, even though they have shorter ranges. It is telling that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on March 15 cited the North’s newest launcher, the KN-08, as a reason for the administration’s decision to deploy 14 additional interceptor missiles in Alaska.”

“The KN-08 sits on an eight-axle mobile vehicle—a transporter-erector-launcher in military lingo—that can hide and shoot, so America’s costly missile defense system is considered necessary because of the hard-to-find KN-08s. China transferred to North Korea at least six of those mobile launchers, a clear violation of Security Council sanctions.Washington policymakers have been reluctant to confront the implications of the Chinese effectively using the North Koreans to target U.S. cities. Beijing, by supplying the mobile launchers, substantially increased the North’s ability to attack the American homeland.”

China has been aggressive in incrementally chipping away at the US in various spheres, including financial and economic. Over the last 20 years, they have bought up much US property. Now this:

Sorry, Mates, Strictly Business: Australia Wants To Cut Out US Dollar In Trade With China
“Australia is seeking to bypass trading in U.S. dollars with China in an effort to avoid the commercial uncertainties that come with the recent fluctuations in the greenback. For example, just a half a year ago, the dollar traded at about $1.20 to the euro; by February, it had weakened to $1.34 per euro and now it is going for $1.27. Eliminating the dollar in trade will be the focus of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s trip to Beijing next week. Trade with China, Australia’s primary trading partner, totaled $120 billion in the last fiscal year. China buys nearly one-third of Australian exports.”

The deal was successful!

Westpac, ANZ secure deal to trade Australian dollar and Chinese Yuan
“WESTPAC and ANZ have been granted the rights to directly trade Australian dollars and Chinese Yuan as part of an agreement to directly trade the two currencies on the Chinese mainland. The currency deal, which will be formally announced tomorrow, will make the Australian dollar only the third major currency to be directly traded with the Yuan on the Chinese mainland.”

The other two currencies which trade directly with the Chinese yuan after the new deal with the Australian dollar are the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen. This direct trade begins next week.

It is hard to know what they are all up to.

In the last days during the Tribulation, there are three sets of verses which depict a ten-nation confederacy which the antichrist overthrows, and he ends up ruling the world alone. Revelation 17:12, Revelation 13:1, Daniel 7:16-24, and Daniel 2:41-42. Here they are:

“And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.” (Revelation 17:12)

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.” (Revelation 13:1)

“I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

1“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, There shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. (Daniel 7:16-24).

“And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.” (Daniel 2:41-42). (It is interpreted that the ten toes are the ten nation confederacy.)

It stands to reason that one or more of the “Kings” is from the geo-political area of the Orient, particularly since a call is made in Revelation16:12 to make way for them. MacArthur explains,

“There needs to be access for the oriental leaders who will come to the land of Palestine. The millions of Asia, literally the Greek says here, “The kings of the rising of the sun,” anatole, the kings of the rising…the sun rising in the east. God dries up the Euphrates River so these kings from the great empires, India, China, Japan, whatever great empires will be at that time, can come to Palestine.”

It seems to me, a person aged 52, that the world has been moving toward authoritarian control for a long time. The world has been made to accept more and more authoritarian intrusion into our lives, while dismissing their own egregious excesses. That the bible states that by the end of the end the world will be gathered into ten geo-political arenas so it will be. That we can see the trend so vividly in these present days does not astound me, either.

I can’t predict how the LORD will bring these things about, the details are left blank in the bible. We read only of the broad strokes on this particular prophecy. But I am daily watching in wonder and breathless expectation of the LORD’S work in the world. The signs are unmistakable.

Posted in heaven, jesus

Thoughts of the tree of life

Posted on by elizabethprata

Won’t it be great to see the Tree of Life!

In Genesis 3 we sorrowfully read that Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden after they sinned by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were exiled because the Tree of Life was there. If they ate of it whilst in their sinful state they would live forever in their sin. (Genesis 3:22). It actually was an extensive mercy to be exiled and put away from that terrible possibility.

“He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:24)

I wonder what that tree looked like? Do you ever wonder that? A tree … of life!

Barnes Notes offers this beautiful thought on the above verse:

“[H]e sets his cherubim to keep the way of the tree of life. This paradise, then, and its tree of life are in safe keeping. They are in reserve for those who will become entitled to them after an intervening period of trial and victory, and they will reappear in all their pristine glory and in all their beautiful adaptedness to the high-born and new-born perfection of man.”

Where is that tree in safekeeping? Heaven. That time will come at the end of all things when Eden will be restored. Revelation 22 has it. The NIV titles the passage “Eden Restored”. The ESV, which is my preferred translation, titles it “River of Life”.

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:1-5).

Jesus was hung on a tree, a tree of death. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). (By this he means the cross).

His death led to life, first His in the glorious resurrection, and then ours as God drew men to Himself through the crucified tree…but all flows through the the tree of life which awaits the overcomers.

John MacArthur writes in his sermon “The Victorious Life”,

“But did you know that God transplanted that tree out of the Garden and into heaven? … Now that’s a big tree, if it is on both sides of one river! It has twelve kinds of fruit. Did you ever see a tree like that? Not without a lot of string on it! It yields its fruit every month. Its leaves serve as therapy for the nations. The word “healing” doesn’t refer to the healing of disease; it refers to providing health. We won’t be hungry or thirsty in heaven, but we will eat and drink for pure enjoyment. Revelation 2:7 says, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” That means the overcomer is promised heaven. The first delight for overcomers is the eternal enjoyment of God’s presence in His paradise.”

When your day gets dark or your strife too heavy, think on this promise. Eternal enjoyment of God in His paradise, feet dipping in the river of life, eating one of the fruits, sitting in the Light of heaven under the tree of life.. It will be a glorious tree, because His eternal glory is life itself.

Posted in jesus, spiritual battle, voctory

Saving Private Ryan

Posted on by elizabethprata

We are in a spiritual battle. Is there one who is down? Behind enemy lines? We must go get him!

In the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan, following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.

The earth is behind enemy lines! But there are some places where the battle is raging more than others. When we see a brethren in trouble, wounded and down, we must be ready to go IN! We are resolute! We must go get him!

As the lyric in the song Stand up for Jesus says, “Let courage rise with danger.”

Sometimes our spiritual battle is within, battling a temptation or a behavior that we must kill! (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5). But sometimes there is a fellow believer who is struggling with a grievous sin and we must gather together and put on the spiritual armor and go get him. “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” (2 Corinthians 3:12)

There is our man! We appeal to the Holy Spirit to save him from the clutches of evil into which he has fallen! Drag him out of there! Lay him at the cross, the hospital of healing for all souls!

Man down! “If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death.” (1 John 5:16).
Holy Spirit, we cry out to you for him to be released back to Jesus. Satan get behind us!

Thank you Spirit! We conclude this battle and appeal to You for rest until the next one. You are faithful and sure. We are “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,” (Ephesians 5:19)
When the battle comes your way, let courage rise with danger and remember, 
the strife will not be for long.

Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry
His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.
Stand up for Jesus
Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not, it must not suffer loss.
Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict
In this His glorious day.
Ye that are men, now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger.
And strength to strength oppose.
Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you;
Ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor,
And, watching unto prayer,
Where duty calls, or danger,
Be never wanting there.
Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
The strife will not be long:
This day the noise of battle,
The next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh
A crown of life shall be;
He, with the King of glory,
Shall reign eternally.

Posted in AP, islamist, the word

Of Islamists, Illegal Immigrants, words, and The Word

Posted on by elizabethprata

Islamist is now a forbidden word, at least in Associated Press journalism.

The Associated Press Revises Another Politically Charged Term
Stylebook entry for ‘Islamist’ revised two days after ‘illegal immigrant’ dropped
“Following on the heels of the Tuesday decision by The Associated Press to discontinue use of the term “illegal immigrant,” the news agency on Thursday revised its stylebook entry for another politically charged term. The term “Islamist,” the AP clarified in a Thursday afternoon alert to online stylebook subscribers, should not be used as “a synonym for Islamic fighters, militants, extremists or radicals.”

This is being done because the term “carries a negative connotation” according to the article. The term Islamist has been in the AP Stylebook since 2012 but an Islamist group lobbied for the AP to remove it. Apparently they have been successful. This comes on the heels of another linguistic swap. The term ‘illegal immigrant’ was also dropped last week. The article continues by saying, “The AP’s decision to discontinue “illegal immigrant” was part of an ongoing process of “ridding the Stylebook of labels.”

Heavens to Betsy that someone reading the news should feel any discomfort over what they read!

Propaganda and Perception of Reality

Language manipulation is an important part of altering the reality that is presented to citizens through media. Language is the filter through which we connect with the world, think about what we see, know, and understand, and communicate to others.

photo credit: tochis via photopin cc

In the academic paper by Christopher J. Dorsey, The Ethics of Shaping Perceptions of Reality: What Journalists Can Learn From Cartographers and Shamans we read in the abstract,

“Journalism has the unique ability to shape the public’s perception of reality. Because humans are limited in experience and knowledge, an understanding of the world is shaped by what information is available to each individual. As a major societal institution, journalism has a public forum with which to release relevant, timely and useful information that can influence these perceptions. When it comes to building perceptions of reality, there are potential harms that can arise such as enhancing fear, confusion, stress, and building a worldview that can lead to uninformed or destructive decisions. Essentially, a journalist has as much ability to disable as enable, to inhibit as empower, and to befuddle and confuse as inform or educate. …”

The problem comes when an entity decides to alter our collective reality by changing word definitions or dropping words from the public sphere that they deem unacceptable. By what standard may do they do this? Who decides? What about others who who wish to continue using the term? They will soon find it outdated.

On a lighter note, if you listen to George Carlin’s riffs on the absurdity of language changes, and I don’t recommend listening to George Carlin as a rule, he makes some devastatingly insightful comments. (If you do listen to the one I’m referring to below, be advised he uses the word BS four times but there are no other profanities). In his 8-minute commentary on the increasing use of soft language, titled “Euphemistic Language” he reminds us of the changes we older folks already have lived through but may have forgotten. He shows the evolution of the WWI term shell shock into soft, euphemistic language describing the exact same condition in each succeeding generation but diluting the human quality of it:

Wikipedia
  • Shell shock (2 syllables. simple honest direct language, 100 years ago)
  • Battle fatigue (4 syllables, nicer to say, not as abrupt)
  • Operational exhaustion (8 syllables, humanity removed, this sounds like something that would happen to your car)
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (still 8 syllables, but a hyphen has been added, the personal pain is buried under jargon)

“It is soft language that takes the life out of life.” Carlin continues with reminding us of other linguistic swaps-

toilet paper = bathroom tissue
sneakers = running shoes
false teeth = dentures
medicine = medication
motel = motor lodge
dump = landfill

It’s a sneaker! Wiki pic.

information = directory assistance
house trailers = mobile homes
used cars = previously owned
riots = civil disorder
zoo = wildlife park
drug addiction = substance abuse
soaps = daytime dramas
prostitutes = sex workers
wife beating = domestic violence
constipation = occasional irregularity

Carlin sagely said, people have been “suckered into believing that if you change the name of the condition somehow it changes the condition.”

Using softening language eventually takes the life out of language and thus out of life. Of the decision to drop the use of the term ‘illegal immigrant’, Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio, told U.S. News he objected to efforts “to soften the crime of entering illegally.”

What is the recommended term instead? “Undocumented”. Sounds nicer, doesn’t it? Softer.

In the classic novel of government revisionism and propaganda as a means to mind control, 1984 by George Orwell, Wikipedia states of the protagonist, “Winston Smith works as a clerk in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to rewrite historical documents so they match the constantly changing current party line. This involves revising newspaper articles and doctoring photographs…The Ministry of Truth is involved with news media, entertainment, the fine arts and educational books. Its purpose is to rewrite history to change the facts to fit Party doctrine for propaganda effect.”

Sounds eerily like the AP’s rulebook changed to drop terms labeling people in a negative way they decide should be a positive, or at least a neutral, doesn’t it? Winston’s job was to create Newspeak. Newspeak is a reduced language with fewer words which are constantly shifting. Undesirable concepts are erased.  Wayne Grytting wrote a book titled, “American Newspeak: The Mangling of Meaning for Power and Profit” which addresses this topic. Its blurb reads, “brings doubletalk up to date for the 21st century. … [T]he book is sure to awaken whole new audiences to the grim but gripping reality of how far our culture has gone in the direction of Orwell’s 1984.”

A common language

Christians have a language contained in our stylebook which will never change. It is the bible. The cross is our focal point, the bible is the word by which we learn about our Commander in Chief and receive our marching orders, and love is the unifying factor as we go forward.

Think of how important it is for secular culture to control words and language, because it controls thought. Attempts to control language are impossible, though. People redefine morals, love, behavior, crime, law, and everything else as it suits.

You may be way ahead of me by now, but here is a certain scripture for us to consider:

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

God speaks. He used pictures and symbols. He used events. He used prophets. But now He uses His son, aka, “THE WORD.”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1)

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Luke 21:33)

It is language in the bible, the Word, that transforms us. We are in spiritual battle for souls but the entry point is the mind. Look what Paul says in Romans 12:2-

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The world tries to conform us by altering the reality it is presenting to us via language. The bible’s power through the Word transforms us. It is not a battle of flesh but through the mind. Look how often the mind, or thought, is mentioned:

Philippians 4:8, 1 Peter 1:13, Colossians 3:2, 1 Corinthians 2:16, Ephesians 4:20-24.

George Carlin was so right when he said that changing the language drains the life out of life. When we see constant changes in words and concepts in not just newspaper and media, but in bible translations, it is a direct spiritual attack going straight to the minds of those who read it.

Carlin also said that they think that by changing the words, they change the condition. Dropping the word ‘homosexuality’ from new bible translations and erasing its concept will not change the sinful condition of those who life that life.

Secular thought cannot transform, only the Word can transform! In one sense, we can pity the people and organizations that vainly try to control and transform through language. It is as vain as every lofty opinion. We are grateful that the Lord spoke to us in the word, and the Word will never pass away. It transforms, enlightens, and grows us in His likeness.

So…read it!

Posted in creation, God, seasons

Creation praise- Seasons a-changing

Posted on by elizabethprata

Look! The fig tree is budding! What can it mean?

Lol, it means the seasons are changing!

The fig tree is in my yard, and it is pretty large. It produces many figs for us each year. I love it.

“For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.” (Song of Solomon 2:11-13a)

“And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.” (Genesis 1:14)

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

“Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.” (Zechariah 10:1)

“For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.” (Psalm 135:5-7)

Posted in faith, grace

Do a mighty work of God!

Posted on by elizabethprata

When we think of a mighty work of God, we often think of the Old Testament. Noah built the equivalent of the Queen Mary! Moses parted the Red Sea! David slew Goliath!

We often think of the New Testament. Peter pointed to Ananias and he dropped dead! Paul exorcised demons from a slave girl! John saw the future!

But did you know that you do mighty works as well? Yes, you do!

If you are raising a child to love the Lord, you are doing a mighty work of God.

If you are suffering in a dread disease with grace, you are doing a mighty work of God.

If you are attending church week in and week out, worshiping in spirit and truth, you are doing a mighty work of God.

If you witness to a stranger, you are doing a mighty work of God.

If you publicly repent of a sin, you are doing a mighty work of God.

The grace of our Risen Lord dwells within us and if we are enjoined in holy living for His sake and on His strength, it is a mighty work of God!

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)