The Gospel Light And Truth Crusade

Mary Surrat’s boarding house as it appeared in 1890. 541 H Street was the boarding house of Mary Surrat, one of the chief conspirators in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. It was also the place where John Wilkes Booth, the man who shot Lincoln; and John Surrat, Ms. Surrat’s son, frequently met with the other conspirators in the assassination plot. Mary Surrat was later tried, convicted, and hung for her role in Lincoln’s assassination. Nearly all of the conspirators, including Mary Surrat, were fervent Roman Catholics. (Rome’s Responsibility for the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, p. 53.) Grace and peace, Saints. Today marks the 152nd anniversary of the assassination of America’s greatest president, Abraham Lincoln. I had planned to write an article and do a podcast commemorating this event, as I have done the past couple of years, but, regretfully, events conspired to prevent me from doing so.  For your edification, education, and encouragement, however, I pray that you will listen to the podcast I did commemorating this occasion of our great martyred President back in 2015. God bless you. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. Today is the anniversary of the murder of one of America’s greatest statesmen, presidents, abolitionists, fathers, husbands, and Christians, President Abraham Lincoln.  I owe a great debt of thanks to Mr. Lincoln, and, in my small way, I want to honor the man without whom I literally would not be where I am today, doing what I am today.  For, were it not for “Honest Abe” Lincoln, I would not be sitting in my chair, in my “study,” in my apartment (which is not even mine), writing this on my computer (which is mine), looking at my monitor (also mine) as I write this.  I would not own anything, not even the clothes on my back.  In fact, I would be owned by someone else and I would be considered little more than someone else’s property. My name would be of little consequence.  I would have no address of my own.  I would never know what it is to receive mail, and I wouldn’t know what it is to get paid for the work I did.  I wouldn’t be allowed to raise my own children, to go where I wanted, or to wear what I wanted.  I wouldn’t know how to read, wouldn’t know how to write, wouldn’t know how to format this essay.  The fact is that I would know little else other than what I needed to know in order to pick cotton, which ain’t much. In other words, I would be a slave. President Abraham Lincoln lost his life because he believed that “all men are created equal” and are endowed with certain unalienable rights, among them being life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness. President Lincoln did something that few people do anymore: he walked the talk.  He lived what he believed knowing full well that it would cost him his life.  According to former Roman Catholic priest, Charles Chiniquy, whom Lincoln once defended when he was a young lawyer, when Chiniquy informed him that the Jesuits of Rome were conspiring to assassinate him, Lincoln said: “You are not the first to warn me against the dangers of assassination. My ambassadors in Italy, France, and England, as well as Professor [Samuel] Morse, have many times warned me against the plots of the murderers which they have detected in those different countries. But I see no other safeguard against those murderers but to be always ready to die, as Christ advises it. As we must all dies sooner or later, it makes very little difference to me whether I die from a dagger plunged through the heart or from an inflammation of the lungs…” “My dear Father Chiniquy…Has not He (God) taken me from my poor log cabin by the hand, as He did of Moses in the reeds of the Nile, to put me at the head of the greatest and the most blessed of modern nations, just as He put that prophet (Moses) at the head of the most blessed nation of ancient times? Has not God granted me a privilege which was not granted to any living man, when I broke the fetters of 4,000,000 of men (the slaves) and made them free? Has not our God given me the most glorious victories over our enemies? “Now, I see the end of this terrible conflict, with the same joy of Moses, when at the end of his trying forty years in the wilderness; and I pray my God to grant me to see the days of peace, and untold prosperity, which will follow this cruel war, as Moses asked God to see the other side of the Jordan and enter into the Promised Land. But do you know that I hear in my soul, as the voice of God, giving me the rebuke which was given to Moses? (Though shalt not go over!) “Yes! every time that my soul goes to God to ask the favour of seeing the other side of Jordan, and eating the fruits of that peace, after which I am longing with such an unspeakable desire, do you know that there is a still, but solemn voice, which tells me that I will see those things, only from a long distance, and that I will be among the dead, when the nation which God granted me to lead through those awful trials, will cross the Jordan, and dwell in that Land of Promise.” (Fifty Years in the Church of Rome, p. 50).   So much for the Jesuit lie that Lincoln was not a Christian, and so much for the Jesuit lie that Lincoln did not want to free the slaves. Saints, I am not feeling to well today, and, for that reason I did not write the article and do the podcast I wanted to do to commemorate this great man. But I have provided a link to the podcast I did in 2014 on the anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination.  I pray you will listen to it.  Even if you don’t, please think on Honest Abe today and tomorrow, especially if you’re Black. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. TSM

Grace and peace, Saints. Last week my son and I were waiting for the subway, when an advertisement for chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies appeared on the television monitor on the wall of the subway station. As we watched the advertisement, it dawned on me that I had never explained to my son the difference between Easter and Resurrection Day and why Easter eggs and bunnies have nothing at all to do with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The modern-day Christian Church is extremely ignorant about the pagan origins of many of our holidays, traditions, and customs. Consequently, many Christians believe that Easter is the same as Resurrection Day. Not a few churches, for example, will host Easter egg hunts on the church grounds (weather permitting), and children will receive Easter baskets full of chocolate bunnies, eggs, and candy.  Many Christians believe that because Easter is mentioned in the Bible, it must be Christian. But this is not true. Easter is not the day our Lord Jesus rose from the dead, but is instead a pagan celebration in honor of the ancient Phoenician fertility goddess Ashtoreth, also called Ishtar and Easter. In reality, Easter has nothing to do with Jesus Christ. In fact, Easter is mentioned only once in the Bible, in Chapter 12 of the book of the Acts, and it is not in connection with Jesus or the Christian Church: “Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.  “And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.  “And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)  “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people” (Acts 12:1-4). To understand the Bible’s mention of Easter, it is important to first understand that it Easter is connected with King Herod and not the Christian church.  It is also important to understand that Herod was not a Christian. He even mocked Jesus when Pontius Pilate sent Jesus to him. Herod wasn’t even a believing Jew. He was a pagan: Jewish by birth, but Roman at heart. The Herods were always loyal to Rome. The Romans worshipped the goddess Diana (and many other gods and goddesses), and there is every reason to believe that Herod did also. Herod wanted to wait until Easter passed to kill Peter, because he worshipped the goddess Ishtar or Easter. Easter has also been confused with the Passover, because the Roman Catholic church used to base the date of the Easter celebration on the Jewish Passover.  Christians make the mistake of believing that because the Bible says Herod had Peter arrested during the days of unleavened bread, which are the six days that precede the Passover, then Easter must be the same as the Passover. As a matter of fact, one of my Bibles, the 1990 Regency Bible from Thomas Nelson Publishers, in the “read along translation,” says that Easter is the Passover. Additionally, the New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (also from Thomas Nelson) says that Easter is the Passover. How can this be? The Passover is celebrated on Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Jesus rose on Sunday, the first day of the week. They are not the same. Nowhere in the Bible is the word Easter substituted for Passover.  That is because Easter is a pagan fertility festival.   Secular sources agree. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines Easter as “the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” yet it goes on to say that the word Easter is “derived from Eastre, the name of a goddess associated with spring.” Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (Unabridged), says the word Easter comes from the “West Germanic name of a pagan spring festival.” Collier’s Encyclopedia says that the word Easter comes from Eostra a “goddess of dawn or spring” (p. 492). And the New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language, International Edition (1970), defines Easter as “a goddess of light or spring, in honor of whom a festival was celebrated in April.” For its part, the New Strong’s Concordance says that the word Easter is Chaldean, not Hebrew. Chaldean means Babylonian, and the Babylonians worshipped the goddess Beltis. Many historians agree that the paganism of Rome was handed down directly from Babylon. Easter is a pagan Roman holiday named for the goddess of sex. This goddess goes by many names; Easter is just one of them. The Bible gives absolutely no evidence that the early Church celebrated the resurrection of Jesus with a holiday. In fact, according to the Bible, the only way the first century Church celebrated Jesus’ resurrection was by eating the Lord’s Supper. At the Last Supper, the night before our Lord Jesus was to be crucified, He told His disciples that the bread symbolized His body, which was broken (crucified) for us, while the wine symbolized His blood, which was shed for us (Mark 13:22-24, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). By eating the Lord’s Supper, then, we celebrate Jesus’ death. Jesus rose on Sunday, the first day of the week (Mark 16:9). When we eat the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, therefore, we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. The Sunday observance of the Lord’s Supper is therefore, the celebration of Jesus’ death AND resurrection. The early Church ate the Lord’s Supper every Sunday (Acts 2:42), and, therefore, celebrated Jesus’ death and resurrection every Sunday. Incredibly, the Encyclopedia Britannica, a secular publication, says that Sunday “came to be regarded as the weekly celebration of the Resurrection” (Vol. 4, Macropedia, p. 333 “EASTER”). How, then, did the Christian Church come to identify the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with a pagan fertility festival? Well, the Roman Catholic church had everything to do with that. It was the Roman Catholic Council of Nicaea in 325 that established the Easter celebration as a church holiday. And what is even more revealing of the true nature of the Easter celebration is that the Nicene Council did not base the date for the Easter celebration on the day Jesus rose or even three days after He was crucified, but set it to fall “always the first Sunday after the full moon on or next after the vernal equinox, March 21” (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, p. 716).  The current date of the Easter celebration is based on the moon! This is especially significant when one considers that the Roman Catholic church was not established by Jesus Christ, but by the Roman Emperor Constantine. History records that Emperor Constantine worshipped the Sun God “Sol Invictus,” and the Romans in general worshipped Diana, the goddess of the moon. That the Roman Catholic church did not base the date of the Easter celebration on Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest evidence that Easter is not the day Jesus rose from the dead. But there is more.  Not only was Diana the Roman goddess of the moon, but she was also the goddess of fertility and sexual love (Oxford Dictionary of English). This is where Easter eggs, the Easter rabbit, and chocolate enter the picture. They all have a pagan sexual connotation. The Encyclopedia Britannica, says this: “Easter eggs…have been very prominent as a symbol of new life and resurrection. The hare, the symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt, a symbol that was kept later in Europe, is not found in North America. Its place is taken by the Easter rabbit, the symbol of fertility and periodicity both human and lunar, accredited with laying eggs in nests prepared for it at Easter or with hiding them away for children to find” (Encyclopedia Britannica, Fifteenth Edition, Vol. 4 Macropedia, p. 333). Chocolate has long been considered an aphrodisiac (a substance that heightens sexual urges). The word aphrodisiac is actually derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of fertility and sexual love. As one can plainly see, Easter is not about Jesus. Easter is about sex. There is something else to consider. Because the Apostle Luke, the writer of the Book of the Acts, uses the word Easter so matter-of-factly and with no explanation whatsoever, it stands to reason that he, and perhaps all Christians at the time, were familiar with this pagan holiday. This is especially true, when one considers that many of the early church were former pagans. In conclusion, one difference between Christians and the world should be that Christians don’t do anything without knowing why they do it. The basis for everything we do as a Church should be the Bible. If it’s not in the Bible, we shouldn’t be doing it. Easter, while on the surface, a day to celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, is really a pagan fertility festival, and has nothing to do with Jesus. According to the Bible, the Church ought to be celebrating the Lord’s resurrection by eating the Lord’s Supper, and we should be doing that every single Sunday. Now, I’m not saying that Christians shouldn’t celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday.  All I’m saying is that the first century Church and Christians for long after celebrated Jesus’ resurrection every Sunday with the Lord’s Supper. The 21st century Church should do the same. My Bible says that Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Shouldn’t that be true of His Church also? Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. –TSM  

Grace and peace. This Christmas, I read from the Book of Luke, Chapters 1 and 2, which tell of the events surrounding the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I did something like this also this past Resurrection Day, and because I enjoyed it, and, because many of you did also, I am doing it again, as a way of sharing my love for Jesus with you. I hope you enjoy it and that it blesses you. Be encouraged today, and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. Well, another Christmas is upon us, and, again, millions of people will be spending money they don’t have to buy presents they can’t afford for people who neither appreciate nor need them. The line between the haves and the have nots will become broader and bolder, and people everywhere will remember why they always hated Christmas. Arguably, no other time reminds people just how poor they really are like Christmastime. I can remember when I first came back to Germany, after getting out of the military, back in December, 1998, about a month before Christmas and about a week before the birth of my middle daughter. My then girlfriend, who is now my wife, and I had gone to the shopping mall to “window shop.” The mall was teaming with cheery people and screaming children, and the smell of cookies, cakes, and pies, and other baked goods filled the air. I was more grateful about being reunited with my girlfriend than I was about the approaching Christmas season, because she and I had been separated for about six months prior to this. As we walked hand in hand, perusing all the beautifully decorated confectionaries and bakeries with all their cakes, chocolates, pies, and cookies on display for all to see, it suddenly dawned on me that as beautiful as all of this was, none of it was free. Everything these stores had to offer cost money. And if you didn’t have the money to buy any of these things, then you were out of luck. That was my situation: my wife and I were flat broke. And the better the food smelled, the more beautiful and sparklier the decorations were, and the happier the people looked, the broker I felt. And the fact that my wife was with me did not help matters at all. In fact, it made things worse. My wife used to be a very cheap date. She just didn’t ask for much. But one thing she has always loved is roasted walnuts. And the time my wife most loves roasted walnuts is during the Christmas season. Now, roasted walnuts are always available somewhere in Munich year-round, but during the Christmas season, roasted walnuts are prolific. Everywhere you turn, there is someone selling roasted walnuts. Everywhere you walk, there are bags of roasted walnuts somewhere on display. And every five minutes, you are bumping into someone eating roasted walnuts. At Christmastime, roasted walnuts are literally everywhere. So you can probably appreciate my chagrin as we passed store after store, confectionary after confectionary, and nut stand after nut stand, while the smell of roasted walnuts wafted through the air. But the only thing I have in my pockets is lint. Again, my wife used to be a cheap date, and she would understand if I didn’t have the money to get her what she wanted. She well understood, however, that she was a cheap date. And she knew that as a woman, she deserved a lot more than I could offer her. So, when my wife wanted roasted walnuts, she got roasted walnuts. That day, however, there was absolutely nothing I could do. I was flat broke. So broke, in fact, that I couldn’t even pay attention. So broke, that if it weren’t for the lint in my pockets, they would have been completely empty. So broke, that if I had passed one of those Santa Clauses on the street corner ringing his bell asking for donations, he might have had a problem. Yes, I was that broke. And that wan “That’s OK baby” smile on my wife’s face didn’t help matters at all. All this came back to me a couple of weeks ago, when I went to the mall and saw all the beautiful decorations, nativity scenes, and all the candy and baked good vendors situated in the center of the mall thoroughfare. And again this week, as I watched a news story on “Christmas stress,” and the fact that most people are highly relieved when Christmas is over, with its hustle and bustle of shopping for presents, decorating the house, and sweating over a hot stove cooking dinner for dozens of family and friends, not to mention the traffic jams and crowded airports that characterize the Christmas travel season. As I considered this, I realized that Satan was at the bottom of it. Who else, but Satan, that old serpent and the father of lies, would take Christmas–the greatest day in the history of the world–and twist it, pervert it, and profane it, by turning it into a day that poor people dread, “middle-class” people regret, and rich people profane. Satan hates Christmas, not because the name of Jesus is glorified that day, because you and I know that that is certainly not the case. Satan hates Christmas because Jesus was born that day. And Satan knows that if Jesus had not been born, then Jesus could not have died. And it was Jesus’ death and the shedding of His blood that set you and me free from the curse of sin. The Bible says: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, [Jesus] also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil;  “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).” Satan is a defeated foe. He has been conquered by the Lord Jesus Christ. You and I, as Christians, are also conquerors through the blood of Jesus. Satan has no power over us except that which has been granted him by the Lord Jesus. Satan is not happy about this at all. Of all days, Satan hates Christmas more than any other day. He would like nothing more than to wipe that day from history and from memory forever. He cannot, however, so he ops for the next best thing: to profane Christmas: to twist it, to pervert it, and, above all, to commercialize it. Satan makes Christmas about everything but Jesus. Christmas is not about Jesus. Christmas is about money—spending money, that is. If you’re going to put up a Christmas tree, unless you live in or near the forest, you have to buy a tree. Then, unless you have the lights and ornaments from the previous year, you have to buy those. Then you have to buy lights and ornaments for the house. Then you have to buy presents for family and friends. Then you have to buy a “Christmas goose” or a ham and other food for the Christmas dinner. And, if you’re going to have family over who live in another state (or states), you might need to buy extra blankets, pillows, or even an extra bed or mattresses. And we can’t have people sitting on ten-year-old couches, can we? KA-CHING! You may even have to buy a plane or bus ticket for a family member who is unable to do so. And if you have children, you may have to buy a Christmas present or two or three for them to give to their classmates at school. Add to that the box of chocolates for the mailman, the teachers, your boss, etc. etc. Christmas is only a day long, yet the reverberations from this day can and often do reach all the way until the next Christmas. As you can see, Christmas is not at all about Jesus. Christmas is about MONEY. If you have money, you celebrate Christmas. If you don’t have money, you dread Christmas. This should not be. As Christians, we need to think about why we do what we do. Romans 12:2 says that we should not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We should not be celebrating Christmas the same way the world celebrates Christmas. We should not have a Christmas tree, we should not be spending a lot of money on presents, and we should not be telling our children that Santa Claus is coming to town. The only thing we should be on Christmas is thankful that Jesus Christ was born into the world to take away our sins. We should be grateful for our salvation. Christmas is nowhere to be found in the Bible. The Apostle Paul said that one man believes one day to be more important than others, while another man believes all days are the same. He went on to say that every man should be “fully persuaded in his own mind.” In other words, it is not necessary for Christians to celebrate Christmas, as Jesus never mandated we celebrate the day of His birth. I believe the reason He didn’t do this is because He knew that men would legalize His birthday the way the Pharisees legalized the Sabbath. And Jesus is about liberty, not slavery. Now, there is nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of our Savior, especially in the antichrist climate in which we now live. But Jesus did not command us to celebrate His birthday. In fact, the first-century Church didn’t celebrate Christmas. Whose idea was it then, to celebrate Christmas? Did you know that Christmas stands for Christ Mass? And who celebrates the Mass? Why, the Roman Catholic church. And the Roman Catholic church is a pagan institution. Christmas is pagan. Let me illustrate. Did you know that the practice of giving and receiving presents is Satan’s perversion of the story of the wise men of the East, who came to visit the family of our Savior (when he was about two years old) and gave presents to the young child Jesus? Listen to Scripture:    “And when [the wise men] where come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt. 2:11).   Did you see that? The wise men gave gifts unto Jesus. Why? Because they knew that Jesus is God Almighty in the flesh, and that He was born to take away the sins of the world. Why, then, do we give each other gifts? Did any of us die for the sins of mankind? No, we did not. Then we ought not to be giving each other gifts, should we?    We don’t give Christmas gifts in our house. That’s for birthdays.    Let me share something else with you: Did you know that putting up and decorating a Christmas tree is an ancient pagan custom? Hear what the Bible says:   “For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. “They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. “They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good” (Jeremiah 10:3-5). You will note that the verse addresses the fact that the Christmas tree can neither speak nor move, and that one must not be afraid of it. This would be a very strange thing to say, unless you understand that, in those days, the Christmas tree was an idol. It represented Nimrod, the first king of ancient Babylon. Nimrod was called “The Oak,” because of his great stature and strength, and was symbolized by trees, among other things. Gold and silver are representative of the sun and the moon, and represent Nimrod and his wife, Semiramis. Nimrod and Semiramis were both deified as the Sun God and the Moon Goddess, respectively. People would erect the tree in their homes, deck it with silver and gold, and make their petitions of it. If they wanted something, they would write their petition on a piece of paper and attach it to the tree. In come cases, they would fashion a model of the desired object and set it under the tree. And get this: the star, which people set atop the Christmas tree, represents Semisramis, the wife of Nimrod, and the queen of ancient Babylon. The star is a symbol of Semiramis in her aspect as the ancient Phoenician fertility goddess, Ashtoreth. The ancient Jews, including King Solomon, worshipped Ashtoreth with a star. Listen to this:   “Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god, Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them” (Acts 7:43).   Moloch is another name for Nimrod, and Remphan, according to the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language, is an “Egyptian goddess of the moon.” That would identify Remphan with Isis, who was also the Egyptian goddess of the moon. By now, you should know that Remphan is really Ashtoreth, who is really Semiramis, the wife of Nimrod. Ashtoreth is the same goddess you see on the Starbucks logo with the star on her crown, only there she goes by a different name. So, with the star on top of the Christmas tree, you have Nimrod and Semiramis, the first King and Queen of ancient Babylon, the worldwide center of paganism for thousands of years, in your living room. 1 Corinthians 10:19-20 of the Holy Bible says that behind every idol is a demon. Since the Christmas tree is really an idol, then once you set up a Christmas tree in your house, you are inviting a demon into your home. Now, is there any wonder that so many murders just happen to occur on Christmas in homes all over America every year? Remember Jon Benet Ramsey?   We don’t have a Christmas tree in our house: that’s for idolaters.   Finally, most people of European, and, especially German descent, know that Santa Claus or Sankt Nikolaus, is an old European folk character, which went house-to-house accompanied by a demon called Krampus (sometimes there were two such creatures), of which elves are merely a symbol. And everybody was scared of him.   We don’t recognize Satan Claus in our house: that’s for pagans.   See what Satan has done? He has completed perverted and distorted the true meaning of Christmas and turned it into something that only the rich and pagan can relate to. What a shame! I said all that to say this: What people call Christmas is not really a celebration of the birth of our Savior. Christmas, as the world celebrates it, does not glorify God: it glorifies Satan. Satan hates Christmas, so he does his level best to destroy what should merely be a day of gratitude and joy that Jesus came into the world to take away our sins. Satan makes Christmas about everything but Jesus. Christmas is not about all the things that it has been associated with. Christmas is about Jesus Christ and His triumph over sin and Satan. So, if you are not where you would like to be financially this Christmas, don’t worry. If there are no Christmas presents, don’t worry. If you have not been invited to Christmas dinner with friends or family, don’t worry. If you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend with whom to cuddle up in front of a Christmas fire, don’t worry. If you are in a tent in Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, or any of the other trouble spots in the world, far away from family, don’t worry. If you don’t have a “Christmas tree,” don’t worry. If there is no snow where you live, don’t worry. If you are homeless and sleeping in a shelter, on the streets, in your car, or at a friend or relative’s house, don’t worry. If you are a police officer, an emergency room surgeon or staff, a nurse, a fireman, a pilot, a bus driver or taxi driver, or anyone else who can’t be at home because of your job or other responsibilities, don’t worry. And if you are just plain alone this Christmas, don’t you worry. Christmas is not about any of these things. Christmas is about one thing or should I say one Person: Jesus Christ. The only thing that makes Christmas important is that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was born in a manger in a little town called Bethlehem of Judea. Jesus Christ is God Almighty and was born into this world for one reason and one reason only: to die for the sins of the world, including yours and mine. If you think about it, the only people to whom Christmas really means any thing are Bible-believing Christians. If you are not saved, then you probably have no idea what Jesus did for you. And if you do know what Jesus did, but aren’t saved, then you probably couldn’t care less. You’re probably just happy you get a day off from work, right? But, if you think about it, even this is something you should thank the Lord Jesus for. The best thing you can do for yourself this Christmas is to really get to know the Man for whom the day is named: You can talk to Jesus about anything. I talk to Jesus all the time, and I never worry that He is going to go and tell somebody what I told Him. That’s because, unlike our fake friends, Jesus really cares. Jesus is Holy. He never sinned in His whole life. But He was born into this sinful world just like you and I were, and He was tempted just like you and me. So He understands what you and I are going through. Jesus wants to have a relationship with you today. But in order to have a relationship with Him, you have to come to Him with a true heart. The Bible says, that if we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord shall not hear us (Ps. 88:7). Our sins are the only thing standing between Jesus and us. But if we accept what Jesus did for us, His death and the shedding of His blood on the cross for our sins, then Jesus will come into our hearts and be our Friend. The Bible says that Jesus sticks closer than any brother. Once you got Jesus for a Friend, you truly have a Friend. If you are ready to make Jesus your Friend today, just close your eyes wherever you are, and talk to the Lord Jesus. This is called prayer. Say something like this: “Lord Jesus, I understand now that Christmas is not about food and family gatherings, Christmas parties, presents, or a Christmas tree. I understand now that Christmas is not about being with friends, or cuddling up with a loved one in front of the fire. Christmas is about you and the sacrifice you made for me. I accept your sacrifice for my sins, Lord Jesus. Please come into my heart and be my Lord and my Savior. My friend.” If you prayed that, or something like that, then you are now a Christian, and next Christmas, you will celebrate Christmas for the right reason and in the right way. Thank you for joining me for this special Christmas 2015 edition of the Gospel Light and Truth Crusade. Find us on the web at www.GospelLightAndTruth.org. You can also visit our blog at www.TheStillMan.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and also our podcast on iTunes, soon to be on Spreaker and other podcast venues. For your convenience, you may download the podcast of this article below. And, as always “Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. I recently received an email from one of our readers who had read our article on generational curses. I responded to her email, and she wrote me back later that day asking me a very interesting question. I want to share our correspondence with you drawing particular attention to the question she asked in her second email. I must make it perfectly clear that we do not share anyone’s personal information with you. Though the situations are real, we use pseudonyms to protect the person’s identity. Because we are all looking for answers, we share this information in the hope that it will minister to others out there who may be going through the same thing.   [Begin letter] Hi, its interesting to read your explanation as I notice there are generational curses resulting from my ancestors’ sins. I am [a] born again Christian and, lately, I have been lazy reading my Bible and praying. I also read some signs of generational curses one of which is chronic unemployment and broken relationships. I release this pattern in my life. Also as a Chinese descent, my parents didn’t accept me as their daughter and I was almost aborted as a baby. Adoption was my mom’s option, but I was raised in this dysfunctional family. My mom suffered chronic illnesses before she died as she consulted paranormal fortune tellers and prayed to dead ancestors. Money was her idol as in my late father’s life. I don’t want to suffer the consequences of generational curses. I think God directed me to your site as I asked Him how I can be delivered from curses. I’ve been unemployed for a long time, and when I would apply for jobs, my late dad would pronounce a curse on me so that I wouldn’t get the job. Is this spoken curse by God’s authority or by the spirit of limbo? It affects every relationship that I have had, and all contacts I have with other Christians. My mom used to say I would be divorced if I ever married and that even if I did manage to marry, I would not receive blessings from above. This is the word that she received from a fortune teller. I need to know how to break these curses or generational curses. My siblings robbed me of my inheritance when my parents died. Thats another abuse. People in asia think women should carry burdens of aged parents and it’s normal to abuse daughters. I have God’s calling but I realise I can’t be effective as a Christian or receive God’s plans for me if I have to serve others. [End letter]   This was my response: Hello, Lilly. You are correct when you say you cannot fulfill God’s calling on your life when you are in bondage to sin, as a generational curse is bondage. God can and will still use you, but for you to have the testimony God wants you to have, then you will have to break free of the generational curse that is holding you back. Fortune telling is a form of witchcraft called divination, and praying to dead ancestors is another form of witchcraft called necromancy. It is also idolatry. Since your mom was guilty of these things, then you are bearing the burden of this activity. If you want to enjoy true freedom in Christ Jesus, then you will have to confess these sins to the Lord Jesus so that He may forgive them and set you free. These curses that your mother and father spoke against you regarding marriage and employment were not spoken with God’s authority. God doesn’t curse people out of spite or hatred. God only curses us when we commit those sins that He hates because when we commit those sins against His prohibition, we are saying, in essence, that we hate Him (Exodus 20:5). If the curses they pronounced are having an effect on you, it is only because you are under a curse already because of the sins of your parents. When we are in a right relationship with Jesus Christ, no curse, spell, hex, or incantation can have any effect upon us, because Jesus protects us. What you need to do therefore, is to confess those sins that brought the curse upon you in the first place.  You must understand that although you may not have practiced witchcraft, because your mother did, God is punishing you for her sin. That is how a curse works. However, God tells us in Exodus 20:5 that He will curse a descendant with the same sin that the parent committed.  In other words, if a parent is guilty of witchcraft, God will punish the children of that parent with that sin. So the child will practice witchcraft just like the parent. Now it does not necessarily mean that the child will cast spells like the parent did, but she may smoke cigarettes, which is also witchcraft, according to the Bible. She may also merely be rebellious, and the Bible teaches that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft” (1 Samuel 15:23). I said all that to say this: to break free of this curse, you will have to confess your parent’s sins that you of AND your own sins, since you will also be guilty of committing the same TYPE of sin, if not the same sin per se. I hope you understand what I’m trying to say here. For you to do this, you will have to have a knowledge of what sins God hates, which can be difficult, because we are such a sinful society. You, however, should have no problem doing this, as I perceive in you a knowledge of spiritual things above the norm, and you have the requisite honesty that you will need to confess your sins to The Lord Jesus Christ. Just ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you those things that are sin, and He will reveal them to you. Regarding your culture’s views on women, I understand how difficult that must be for you. But I am confident that with the Lord’s help you will overcome even this. You are not alone in this, Nancy. I perceive the hand of God on your life. The Lord Jesus has plans for you, sister, and nothing anyone says can alter His decree. I will be praying for you, Nancy. Please keep me informed of your progress and do let me know if there is anything else that you need. I will help in any way The Lord directs me. Your servant in Christ Jesus, Tony [End response]   Lilly wrote me back within the hour, saying that she will do what I suggested. But she expressed confusion as to why she should confess her parents’ sins and Here is what she wrote: Dear Still Man, Thank you for [your] reply. I’m going to pray for God’s forgiveness on the part of my ancestors’ sins. However, I just want to know why if I’m born again I have to break off from the sins of my parents or ancestors? After all Jesus died for my past sins and future. Anyway, what I am trying to understand is why if we belong to Jesus when we accept Christ, some people still bear the ancestral curses. I’m sure my previous ancestors up to 10 generations had done evil in God’s eyes. None of them I knew. Yours, Lilly Lilly’s question revealed a fundamental misconception regarding salvation. She asked how it is possible that some Christians are living under a generational curse if they have accepted Jesus as their Savior, as Jesus died for our past AND future sins. When I read this, I realized that many who have disagreed with my belief that Christians can be under a generational curse have believed the same thing, only they did not come right out and say so as Lilly did. It is not true that Jesus died for our past and future sins. Jesus’ death remitted 1. Original Sin: that is the sin of Adam and Eve and 2. those sins that we committed before we got saved. For proof, let us go to the Holy Word of God. Let us first establish that because adam sinned, we all have sinned (Original Sin). The Bible says: “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all mean, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Next, let us see that Jesus’ death cleansed us from Original Sin: “For if by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Now let us see that Jesus’ death also cleansed us from the sins that we committed before we got saved: “God hath set forth [Jesus] to be a propitiation (substitute) through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:25). As you can plainly see, Jesus death and the shedding of His blood redeemed us from our past sins: that is, the sins that we committed before we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is important to understand that though Jesus paid for all our sins with His blood, when it comes to our future sins and generational sins, that payment does not take effect automatically. In other words, in order for Jesus’ blood to be applied to our future sins and generational sins, we must confess those sins to God. So, though Jesus died and shed His blood for all our sins—past, present, and future, all sins committed after our conversion, as well as generational sins, must be confessed in order for the blood of Jesus to be applied to them. Let me prove this. The Bible teaches that in order for us to be saved, we have to 1. Believe on Jesus Christ: that is, that He died and shed His blood for our sins: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 4:38). “If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). And we see the manifestation of this with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. The Holy Spirit told Philip to go up to an Ethiopian man who was returning to his land from worshipping at Jerusalem. A brief exchange led to Philip giving the man the gospel of Jesus Christ, whereafter the Ethiopian received Jesus Christ as his Savior. The Bible tells it thus: “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” “And Philip said, If thou believest [on the Lord Jesus] with all thine heart, thou mayest [be baptized]. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” “And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him” (Acts 8:36-38). The entire event is recorded in the Book of the Acts 8:26-39. So the Bible makes it clear that in order to be saved one must only believe on the Lord Jesus and confess Him as Savior. Now, in my experience, those who believe that all our sins are forgiven at conversion, including generational sins, do so because of a faulty interpretation of 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 is an if/then statement, where the first action must be completed in order for the second action to take place. Therefore, if we confess our sins, then Jesus will forgive them. Conversely, if we do not confess our sins, then Jesus will not forgive them. Because 1 John 1:9 says that we must confess our sins in order for Jesus to forgive them—and we do not need to confess sins in order to be saved—then this verse cannot be talking about salvation, as one need only believe on the Lord Jesus to be saved. If 1 John 1:9 is not talking about salvation, then what could it be talking about? I submit that the sins that need to be confessed in order to be forgiven are generational sins and the sins we commit after we are saved (future sins). We have already proven that, according to Romans 3:25, Jesus’ death on the cross obtained forgiveness for our past sins. So, because we will continue to sin until we receive our glorified bodies in the resurrection, we need some way to get forgiveness for those sins we commit after we get saved. This is what 1 John 1:9 is talking about. If we confess those sins we commit after our conversion, Jesus will forgive those sins. He has already paid the penalty for them on the cross at Calvary; all that is needed is for us to acknowledge and confess those sins to the Lord Jesus for His blood to be applied to them. 1 John 1:9 also covers generational sins. Generational sins are a special category of sin which God calls an abomination. Webster’s Dictionary defines an abomination as “something hateful and detestable.” An abominable sin, therefore, is a sin that God hates and detests. The Bible teaches that all disobedience is sin, but an abomination is something that God hates and detests so much that he will curse the descendants of anyone who is guilty of this type of sin. Examples of abominable sins can be found in chapters 8 and 9 of the book of Leviticus and include idolatry, murder, fornication, witchcraft, adultery, and homosexuality. I believe that before Jesus paid the blood at Calvary, when God cursed a person’s descendants, that family line stayed cursed until someone came along who would repent of his family’s sins and ask forgiveness of God. Because God says in Exodus 34:7 that he would “by no means clear the guilty,” I believe that God would allow a curse to skip a generation because of that repentant individual. But even so, the curse would return upon the next generation. One reason I believe this is because of the aforementioned verse, Exodus 34:7: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…” “Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.” Notice that unlike Exodus 20:5, where God says that He would punish a person’s descendants unto the third generation, this verse adds “unto..the fourth generation.” I believe the reason God says this is because he is willing to allow a curse to skip a generation because of the faithfulness of one person. I could give two examples of this, but I discuss this in greater detail in our podcast on generational curses. If you truly want to be free, then you won’t have a problem confessing any sins, that’s for sure. I have known people to be so resistant to this teaching, that they refuse to confess any sins. Consequently, they continue to suffer the effects of their curses and become bitter and cynical, and constantly ask God why they continue to suffer when they are saved. Some, I would not be surprised if some have even left the faith for this reason. What a pity! Confession of sin is important because we will continue to sin as long as we are in this sinful body. Sin is an obstacle in our way, blocking us from enjoying all the benefits of a right relationship with Jesus. Thankfully, God has provided us a way out by allowing us to confess our sins to Him and remove the obstacle blocking our path. Do you now see that Jesus’ blood washed away our past sins, but for us to be forgiven our future sins, that is, those sins we commit after our conversion, we must confess them.  This is one of the reasons Christians are suffering even though they are saved. They believe Jesus died for their future sins and don’t understand that 1 John 1:9 is telling them to confess their sins so that they can be forgiven. So, even if they are not under a generational curse, they are not confessing any sins and are, therefore, living in sin, which is just as bad as being under a curse.  Can you now understand why the Christian Church is not as powerful as we ought to be? We are almost in as bad a shape as the unsaved. This ought not to be. The podcast for this article is available for download at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to the Gospel Light and Truth Crusade podcast today! For your convenience, you can also download this episode below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh, The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. On Mother’s Day, I received an email from a very despondent mom, whose plans for that day were ruined when her daughter became ill. I sometimes get emails from Christians whose trials may be causing them to experience a crisis of faith or doubt the goodness of God. But this was the first time someone admitted that her trials are causing her to actually hate God. Hate is a word that people don’t normally throw around as lightly as we do the word love. When someone says they hate something or someone, that is usually exactly what they mean. So when Gretchen said she was beginning to hate God, that really got my attention. Here is her email: “Hello, Still Man. I found your website when I did an internet search on curses. Today is Mother’s Day, as well as my 18th Wedding Anniversary. My husband, daughter, and I had very special plans for celebrating two such special occasions today. I was SO excited and happy. I had been listening to a series of sermons by Andrew Wommack, that were recommended to me, and I was feeling so peaceful and happy, and growing so much spiritually. “Then yesterday my daughter became sick, so all our special plans had to be cancelled. I had prayed and pleaded the blood of Jesus that she, would be protected from getting sick, and that we would all have a wonderful time today. “This sort of thing happens EVERY TIME we have special plans. Either one of the three of us gets sick (usually my daughter), or something else will happen to ruin our plans. I am sick of ALWAYS being disappointed. “Every time I start getting closer to God and Jesus, very disappointing things happen. I am starting to hate God. He doesn’t answer my prayers, and I really don’t think that He wants me or my family to be happy. I have already renounced my sins, and become born again. Regarding Catholicism, I have Catholic friends and family who glide through life on a perpetual cloud of happiness. “All I asked for was for 1 DAY OUT OF THE YEAR not to turn out to be a disappointment,  but apparently that’s too much to ask. —Gretchen” [CAPS in the original, boldface mine] This was my response: Hello, Gretchen. I understand how tough this must be for you.  And I can understand the temptation to blame God for your troubles.  But you shouldn’t hate the Lord Jesus or believe He doesn’t want you to be happy.  The Bible says that God wants you to have an abundant life, not a life of misery. Understand that the Christian life, though a wonderful existence, is not all fun and games. Jesus Himself said that it is given to us who are saved not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29).  I can testify that this is a gospel truth.  Suffering is part of the Christian experience. The Apostle Paul loved the Lord with all his heart and soul and couldn’t wait to die so that he could be with the Lord.  And Paul suffered more than all the Apostles, losing everything he had just to follow Jesus.  Did Paul complain?  Not hardly: “I count all but loss (I’m willing to lose everything) for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them (the things he lost) but dung (poo-poo) that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8). [Parentheses and boldface mine.] Those are pretty strong words from the Apostle.  But he meant business.  Suffering is part of the Christian walk.  In fact, Paul goes on to say that to know Jesus is to know “the fellowship of His sufferings” (3:10). Only when you have suffered for Jesus’ sake do you truly come to know the Lord, because He is going to take you through the fire to perfect you.  And perfection is had through suffering. Even Jesus suffered.  And the Bible says that Jesus “learned obedience through the things that He suffered.”  This is exactly what happens to us when we suffer. God doesn’t let us suffer because He gets a kick out of it.  God allows us to suffer for our good and for His glory. I believe this may be part of what you are going through.  Note that you said every time you start getting close to Jesus, “very disappointing things happen.”  This happens to all of us.  In Jesus’ parable of the sower, He describes the seed that fell among stones as the person who gladly receives the Gospel, and rejoices.  But as soon as troubles come, he becomes weary, and Jesus becomes an offense to him (Matthew 13:20-21). Don’t let this be you.  Don’t confuse the Christian life with what many have made it out to be: all fun and joy and no tribulation. This is not biblical.  Remember, Job was a righteous man in all his ways, who hated sin. Yet, God allowed Job to suffer.  God allowed Satan to kill Job’s children, bankrupt him, and destroy his health.  Satan was sure that when he was finished with Job, he would “curse God to His face.”  Yet, the Bible says, “In all this, Job sinned not with his lips.”  Job said, “The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” The Bible says that our trials are no different than what the average person goes though (1 Corinthians 10:13).  The difference, however, is that Jesus is with the Christian every step of the way.  He won’t allow us to suffer more than we are able, but “will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we will be able to bear it.”  That’s why you don’t hear about true, Bible-believing Christians committing suicide.  God either stops our trials before they break us, or strengthens us so that we can handle them. You shouldn’t worry about your Roman Catholic friends and relatives who are “gliding through life”, as you put it, as not everything is what it appears to be.  Besides, the Apostle Paul says that we err when we “measure ourselves by ourselves and compare ourselves among ourselves” (2 Corinthians 10:12).  We shouldn’t be looking at the person to our right and left and comparing what we are going through to what they are going through (or not).  Keep your eyes on Jesus. Whatever you are going through, has nothing to do with them and vice versa. It may very well be possible that you may be placing too much value on everything being just right, just perfect, on that special day.  You may instead consider putting less emphasis on the day and more on the person.  For example, Mother’s Day is a day to honor mothers for the special sacrifices they make every day to take care of their families. I get that.  But, at the end of the day, isn’t it more important that mommy is around to hear her husband and children say “Happy Mother’s Day?”   Believe me when I tell you that there are many daughters out there who are very sad on Mother’s Day, because mom is no longer alive to receive her daughter’s love and appreciation.  If your daughter or anyone else gets sick, and you are unable to do what you had planned, just switch to Plan B.  (You should always have a Plan B.) And plan B should be a very scaled-down version of Plan A. Something that maybe doesn’t even require you to leave the house.  Just stay home and watch some videos like “Mommy Dearest, “Throw Momma From the Train,” or “Stop, Or My Mom Will Shoot!”  LOL. If you are a Christian, then Jesus is allowing this to happen to you.  And if He is allowing it to happen to you, then He has a reason.  It could be that the Lord Jesus feels you are putting too much importance on “special occasions.”  The Apostle Paul said, “One man esteemeth one day above another, another esteemeth every day alike.  Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Romans 14:5).  What Paul meant by this is that, at the end of the day, these days were not ordained of God, but by men, and they are not as important as we make them out to be.  It is like the Pharisees, who put so much importance on what you couldn’t do on the Sabbath, that just about everything was a violation of it.  Jesus told them that the Sabbath was made to serve man, and not man to serve the Sabbath. One last thing:  Satan is very aware of the importance you place on days like Mother’s Day and your wedding anniversary. You can count on him, therefore, to do all he can to derail those days for you.  The way you thwart him is to not put so much emphasis on those days. That way, he can’t spoil it for you.  All Christians have enemies, and many, if not most, of those enemies are witches.  A witch will watch you, study you, and learn you.  A witch will know when you have a birthday coming, or an anniversary, or a family outing, etc., and when that day approaches, will go into action, casting a spell on you, someone in your family, or someone else with whom you have to do.  They will either try to make you sick, be in a bad mood, or argue with someone, in an effort to ruin that day for you.  This happens to me all–and I do mean ALL–the time.  So I know what I’m talking about. Whenever a birthday is coming in my family, for example, I take it in stride, placing more value on the fact that whosever’s birthday it is lived to see it, than I do on all the trappings. There is always a cake (even a burnt one that I made) and, if possible, at least one present and a party.  But it is not always under the best of circumstances. On my youngest daughter’s 1st birthday, for example, my wife and I were at odds, so she didn’t attend the party.  On another daughter’s birthday, a month later, we were still at odds, so I didn’t attend the party.  Did it stop anything?  No sir.  Would it have been more fun if everyone had been there and getting along?  Of course.  But you must understand that we are in a war, and in a war, nothing is sacred; even birthday parties.  At my son’s birthday party, my wife and I were still not speaking, but we both were at the party.  And because we respected one another and dealt with one another amiably, everyone had a great time.  The next day, my wife and I reconciled (briefly).  (My wife is a Roman Catholic and has many many spiritual problems.  So we are almost always at odds.) My children understand very well the spiritual warfare that is raging, and they always have a good time, under the circumstances.  We have learned to lower our expectations, and we have redefined what makes a day special and what makes it fun. In closing, I would like to say that I do not believe this is a curse at work.  What I believe is that you may be placing too much importance on special days, and, in so doing, you are serving those days rather than letting those days serve you. One last last thing.  Don’t hate the Lord Jesus, and don’t feel He doesn’t want you and your family to be happy.  I can tell you, as someone who has had things happen to him that my daughter says could make a bestseller, that the Lord Jesus loves you very very much.  Just ask Him what His purpose is for all that is happening to you.  If you are sincere, He will answer.  And He will tell you what to do. And please, please repent of hating the Lord.  It could be a whole lot worse than a spoiled Mothers Day. You should be thankful it isn’t. Your servant in Christ Jesus, Tony I appreciated this lady’s sincerity, and I’m sure the Lord Jesus does too. Now, someone reading this probably thinks it is the epitome of evil to hate God because of something He allows us to go through. But, in my heart, I believe this lady is not alone. My spirit tells me that it is probably very common for someone who names the name of Christ to hate Him, when the going gets tough. Doubtless, all of us know something about God. But I would argue that very few of us actually know God. Because, once you know Him, it is impossible to hate Him; for to know God is to love Him. To hate God would be to hate goodness. To hate God would be to hate truthfulness. To hate God would be to hate honesty. To hate God would be to hate love. In short, to hate God would be to hate everything that is good in the world; for every good thing comes from God, the Father of Lights (James 1:17). I don’t believe, therefore, that Gretchen really hates God, because I don’t believe she really knows Him. And the first clue that she doesn’t really know Him is that she doesn’t mention His name once. God has a name, and that name is Jesus Christ. If she knew God, then she would have no problem naming the name of Jesus. The second clue that she doesn’t know God is that she says He doesn’t answer her prayers. If this is true, and God hasn’t answered any of her prayers, then it may be because He hasn’t heard them. Jesus said that anything we ask in His name He will do (John 14:13-14). Again, she doesn’t mention the name of Jesus once in her email, so one has to wonder if when she prays, she does so in the name of Jesus. It may also be possible that Gretchen is not saved. Note that she never said that she was saved, but that she has “renounced [her] sins and been born again.”  Not everyone who says they are born again means that they are saved. Christianity is not the only religion in the world whose adherents claim to be born again. Freemasons, for example, are “reborn” during the ritual of the third degree, and some Freemasons, will tell you that that they have been born again.  Freemasons are not Christians. It is not enough to simply claim to be born again. One must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and confess Him as Lord and Savior. The Bible says, “If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou wilt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). I don’t like to question anyone’s salvation, but, in these last days, when deception is at an all time high, one must, because there are many who have been deceived into believing they are saved, when, in fact, they are not. I was one such person. We must believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that He died on the cross at Calvary and shed His blood for our sins, in order to be saved. Then, we must confess Jesus to the world. When we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are showing what we believe in our heart: that He is Lord of all. If you are not trusting in the shed blood of Jesus for your salvation, then you are not saved. And if you cannot say with certainty that you are going to Heaven, then you are not saved. Renouncing our sins is also not enough.  We must confess our sins if we want forgiveness for them. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Renouncing our sins is a good start, but we must confess our sins if we want the Lord Jesus to forgive them. Sin in our lives is the number one reason God doesn’t hear our prayers. The Bible says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord shall not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). The Bible says that we all sin. But, as Christians, we must confess those sins right away to the Lord Jesus (not to any man) if we want forgiveness. Unconfessed sin creates a wall between God and us—a barrier—through which prayers cannot pass. If we want to get a prayer through to God, then we must make sure that we are in a right relationship with Him. And one way to make sure that we are in a right relationship with God is to make sure that when we sin, we confess those sins to the Lord Jesus as quickly as possible. The Bible says that we must examine ourselves and determine whether we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). When we feel that God is not answering our prayers, we need to first ask ourselves if we are in a right standing with Him. And if we are living in sin, then we are not. We also need to make sure that when we pray for anything, that we want for God’s will to be done first. The Bible says: “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petition that we desired of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). God’s will is perfect. And everything that He allows in our lives serves a purpose, even if we can’t see it. Even Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, ended His prayer with “But not my will, but thine, be done.” Gretchen said that she prayed and pleaded the blood of Jesus that her daughter would not get sick and that everyone would have a great time. But, because she was so disappointed when things didn’t go the way she planned, I wonder if she prayed for Jesus’ will to be done. Scripture says that if we want God to hear our prayers, then we must pray according to His will. The Bible also says that we receive that which we ask of the Lord if we “keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22). God’s commandments can be found in both the Old and New Testaments, and it behooves us, as Christians, to find out what the Lord Jesus wants and expects from us and to do it. If we don’t know what God’s commandments are, then we can’t keep them. If we can’t keep God’s commandments, then we cannot do those things that are pleasing in His sight. We will, therefore, not receive the things we ask of Him. The third clue that Gretchen doesn’t really know God is that she believes He doesn’t want her to be happy. God wants us all to be happy. The Word of God commands us to rejoice, and to rejoice again (Philippians 4:4).  The Bible says that God will not withhold any good thing from those of us who seek the Lord (Psalm 34:10). And happiness is a good thing. But it is important for us to understand that God’s version of happiness is a lot different from ours. To us, happiness is getting everything we want. To God, happiness is getting everything He wants. And what God wants for us is not always exactly what we would want for ourselves. Just because something seems good to us, doesn’t mean that it’s good for us. And even something that is good for us may not be good for us all the time. The Bible says that there is a season for everything. What may not be right for us today may be right for us tomorrow. Only God know when the time is right. I believe this is the root of Gretchen’s problem. She has unrealistic expectations of what happiness is—unrealistic, that is, in the Christian sense. The Apostle Paul said that we should be content with such things as we have, and that we should not grumble or complain about our lives. If God will not withhold any good thing from us, then, if we are in a right relationship with Him, we are exactly where He wants us. To be in a right relationship with God should be every Christian’s desire, and, ultimately, that is what should make us happy, even when everything else in our lives seems to be going wrong. Knowing that you are in a right standing with the Lord Jesus can often be the only silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud. When everything else seems to be going wrong: when you are forsaken by your friends and family, when your husband or wife has turned their back on you, when your children are misbehaving, when things are not right at work, when your money is acting funny, when you just keep on getting sick, and when it seems that no one cares whether you live or die, it is knowing that God Almighty is watching over you and allowing these things to happen to you, but will not put more on you than you can bear, that helps you to get through each and every day. True happiness, then, is being dead center in the will of God, and knowing that regardless of how things are going, the Captain of our Salvation and the Author and Finisher of our faith is at the helm. And He will guide us into a safe haven. The Bible says, “All things work together for good to those who love God and who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Note that the passage says all things work together for good. All means all. That means even the bad things that happen to us serve a purpose, working together with the good things to fulfill God’s purpose in us. And the Lord Jesus has promised us that ultimately things will work out for our good. That means we can’t lose! Don’t let Satan steal your joy. Sanctify yourself and avoid sin and those who sin. Don’t give a witch power over you.  “Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). In closing, we shouldn’t have unrealistic expectations of the Christian life; for when we do, we set ourselves up for disappointment. The Christian life is not all fun and games. Job said it best when he said, “Shall we [only] receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). Jesus is God Almighty, yet the Bible says that Jesus was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” Life was not all fun and games for our Lord either. Truly, the servant is no greater than his Master. The podcast of this teaching is available for download at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our podcast today!  For your convenience, it is also available below. “Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame; and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:2-3). Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. How many of you know that tomorrow, April 14, 2015 is the anniversary of the assassination of the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln?  If you didn’t know, don’t feel bad: you had a lot of help not knowing.  The same people who killed him are the same people who own the media and the educational establishment.  So it’s no wonder many of us didn’t know. Satan hates Abraham Lincoln because he opposed and successfully defeated his plans to take over the United States and destroy forever it’s Constitution and the hard-fought liberties Americans hold so dearly.  Lincoln also passed the Emancipation Proclamation and pushed through the legislation that led to the passing of the 13th Article and Amendment to the Constitution, forever breaking the chains and fetters of the slaves and making them free.  And it cost him his life. Most blacks pay no tribute at all to President Lincoln.  His birthday and the anniversary of his assassination come and go without many of us even noticing.  This is a shame, especially in light of what he did for the Negro.  If anyone should remember Honest Abe Lincoln, it should be blacks. It would enough of a tragedy if everyone had forgotten Lincoln.  But a greater tragedy–nay a crime, has been perpetrated by some who choose to remember him; for in remembering him they dishonor him, even making him look like a buffoon. Is this right?  I submit that it is not.  Abraham Lincoln should be revered by all Americans as the man who held the Union together, and the man who made it possible for blacks to share in many of the blessings of this great country. At one time, he was; but not anymore.  Lincoln has been maligned in the media, in the history books, and by Martin Luther King in his “I Have A Dream” speech. How could we stand by and let this happen? All the blame shouldn’t be heaped upon Americans, however.  An alien government actually shares in the blame, the same alien government that was responsible for Lincoln’s death.  And you probably didn’t even know they were involved. On the 130th anniversary of President Lincoln’s assassination, I pay tribute to him by narrating an excerpt from Fifty Years in the Church of Rome, a very important book that reveals who was behind President Lincoln’s assassination.  The book’s author, former Roman Catholic priest, Charles Chiniquy, shares some particulars about Lincoln and the circumstances of his death that you likely never learned in school or anywhere else. The discussion is available at the iTunes store at our podcast The Gospel Light and Truth Crusade.  Subscribe to our podcast today!  It is also available for download below. It is my hope that by the end of the podcast, you will have a renewed respect for the man, Abraham Lincoln, and that his noble sacrifice on behalf of the great country that was America and especially for the Negro, will not be forgotten. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints! Resurrection Day 2015 is upon us, and what a great day it is indeed!  I don’t know about you, but I’m grateful to be alive today and to be able to say “Thank You” to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to celebrate the Sacrifice He made on the Cross at Calvary for you and me.   Saints, if you are in the West, then you probably take for granted the awesome blessing it is to be able to say “Jesus is Risen!” without fearing for your lives.  Those in other parts of the world are not so fortunate. I want to apologize to my persecuted brothers and sisters in countries that are hostile to Jesus Christ and the gospel.  I made a podcast for today and my persecuted brethren didn’t even enter my mind until now as I write this.  We should never forget our persecuted brethren all over the world living in places where they commemorate Christ’s Resurrection at great peril.  Let us pause and take a moment to say a prayer for the Persecuted Church. “Lord Jesus I would like to pray for your persecuted children all over the world who commemorate your resurrection at great risk.  I pray, Lord Jesus, that it be your will to give them rest today from their persecutors.   “I pray that you will give them the opportunity to fellowship with one another and remember that great sacrifice you made for us at Calvary by the shedding of your precious blood, without coming into any harm.  In any case, Lord Jesus, let them be of a good courage and preserve their good testimony.   In this, as in all things, let your will be done. “It is in the name of Jesus that I pray.  Amen.” As you celebrate our Lord’s resurrection, be sure to think of the persecuted church and pray constantly for their safety today.  The enemy knows better than many of us how important this day is for the Body of Christ. Another thing: do not get into senseless arguments over the subject of Easter vs. Resurrection Day.  In the final analysis, the important thing is that Jesus rose: for if He had not risen, you and I would be “most miserable.” Our special Resurrection Day 2015 podcast is available for those of you who have subscribed to our podcast.  If you haven’t subscribed yet, why don’t you do it today?! If you listen in, you get to hear me read the entire story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection from the Gospel of John! For those who haven’t yet subscribed, it is available for download below. Have a blessed and safe Resurrection Day! The Still Man  

Grace and peace, Saints. Back in 2013, we posted the testimony of former Roman Catholic nun, Charlotte Wells (a pseudonym), who spent 22 years in a cloistered convent hidden away from public scrutiny. Ms. Wells’ testified to regular physical abuse and torture, psychological trauma, rape, and even murder perpetrated by priests and nuns alike upon the young girls in the cloistered convent where she lived.  Wells also said that babies were frequently born from liaisons between priests and nuns, and that these babies were murdered after birth and buried in tunnels located beneath the convent. When I first heard Wells’ testimony, I was not only shocked, I was amazed.  This is because ever since I was a child, I have never seen nuns portrayed in the media as anything other than happy, encouraging, and moral people.  I remember, for instance, a television series I used to watch as a child starring actress Sally Field called “The Flying Nun.” httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjoRLe4aNzQ&list=PLmPJOdB2fruJYNRMMlrQMPu51-5CyfXYl I can also remember watching the movie, “The Singing Nun,” and singing the catchy tune “Dominique,” made famous by the movie.   httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nwwn9vie-4&list=PL8D54B664A33F9EC4 And just about everyone remembers the happy nuns in the movie, “Sister Act,” starring actress Whoopie Goldberg. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPpd-6X3tEo All these movies portrayed nuns as happy, jovial, upbeat, albeit sometimes a little nerdy or quirky.  So imagine my horror and surprise to learn that many of those saintly old nuns may not be very saintly after all, and that many of the younger nuns may be harboring a secret dread that they never belie in public.  Of course, Charlotte Wells’ testimony concerns the cloistered convents, but who’s to say that something isn’t also awry with the “open orders?” I posted Ms. Wells’ testimony at the Gospel Light and Truth Crusade’s YouTube channel over a year ago, and it has garnered well over 20,000 views and dozens of comments. Though many believe or at least sympathize with Ms. Well’s testimony, the majority of Roman Catholics who have commented believe her testimony is a fabrication and that she was never a Roman Catholic nun to begin with. Sister Charlotte’s testimony is not the first of its kind, nor is it the most notorious.  The book, The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, published over a century ago, presents a similar depiction of convent life.  Again, most Roman Catholics reject these testimonies and categorically deny that such things go on in Roman Catholic convents. Former Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, Dr. Alberto Rivera, however, would disagree.  In the “Alberto” series of Crusader Comic tracts, published by Chick Publications, Rivera testified that in the early 20th Century, in several regions in Spain, in Italy, and in other parts of the world, several convents were found to have tunnels connecting them with monasteries, and that in these tunnels were discovered graves containing the corpses of babies.  This resulted in the government going into some of the convents and what they discovered caused them to close the convents down.  In Spain, the people in one town burned a convent to the ground.  This also happened in Mexico. Rivera said that the vow of chastity Roman Catholic priests and nuns are obliged to take is a constant source of frustration.  He added that while in the confessional box, he heard the confessions of many nuns and priests who admitted to being lesbians and homosexuals, respectively. Other aspects of Ms. Wells’ testimony can be corroborated by other former Roman Catholics, including former Roman Catholic priest, Charles Chiniquy, author of the book, Fifty Years in the Church of Rome; and former Roman Catholic turned Christian evangelist, Monica Farrell, author of the books, Ravening Wolves and From Rome to Christ. For the edification of the Body of Christ and to provoke further reflection on these matters, especially by sincere Roman Catholics, I have produced another version of the testimony of Charlotte Wells, this time including my own commentary.  In it, I include quotations from Dr. Rivera, Evangelist Farrell, and Pastor Chiniquy that confirm the various claims Ms. Wells makes in her testimony. Jesus Christ told us in Matthew 24:24 that the hallmark of the last days would be deception so complete, so insidious, and so convincing that it would fool all but the very elect: that is, true Bible-believing Christians. Roman Catholicism is the mother of deceptions. Many sincere Roman Catholics have been deceived into believing that the church of Rome is the true Church of Jesus Christ, and that by blindly following the commands of the priests and bishops of Rome, the Roman Catholic devotee is more certain of doing the will of God “than by obedience to Jesus Christ, should He appear in person.” By this effort, we hope to convince the sincere Roman Catholic that this is a lie: one of many propagated by the church of Rome. I hope to one day post a written transcript of Charlotte Wells’ testimony at the Gospel Light and Truth Crusade website.  In the meantime, I present the entire testimony of former Roman Catholic nun, Charlotte Wells, along with my commentary.  I pray that you will listen to it with an open mind. The testimony of Charlotte Wells, with commentary, is available at the iTunes Store.  If you haven’t subscribed to our podcast, do it today!  For your convenience, you can also listen to it below.   A somewhat condensed version of my commentary follows, addressing some of the more controversial points of Ms. Wells’ testimony. BEGIN COMMENTARY Confession Charlotte talks about the importance, at seven years of age, of making “a good confession,” holding nothing back and telling everything.  Monica Farrell, in From Rome to Christ, on p. 23, says: “Seven years of age is a most important time in the life of a Roman Catholic. Seven years is the age of reason. Roman Catholics believe that from then upwards a child is capable of going to hell; hence the necessity for children of seven years to make their confession.  Charles Chiniquy, on p. 10 of “50 Years,” says about Confession:  “No words can express to those who have never had any experience in the matter, the consternation, anxiety and shame of a poor Romish child, when he hears, for the first time, his priest saying from the pulpit, in grave and solemn tone, “This week, you will send your children to confession. Fathers and mothers, if, though your fault, or his ownm, your child is guilty of a bad confession—if he conceals his sins and commences lying to the priest, who holds the place of God Himself, this sin is often irreparable.”  On p. 20, Chiniquy says,  “By the confession, the priests poison the springs of life in our children.”  On p. 19, Chiniquy quoted one speaker at a meeting held in Canada on the subject of the scandalous lives of the RC priests there, who said:  “The reign of the priest is the reign of ignorance, of corruption, and of the most barefaced immorality, under the mask of the most refined hypocrisy. The reign of the priest is the death of our schools; it is the degradation of our wives, the prostitution of our daughters; it is the reign of tyranny—the loss of liberty.”  Charlotte also said that the RCC “gets its material from the Confession.” This agrees with this statement of Chiniquy, who, on p. 20 writes:  “By means of the confessional the priest is more the master of the hearts of our wives than ourselves.  The husband belongs no more to his wife as her guide through the dark and difficult paths of life: it is the priest!  In a word, it is the priest who is the real husband of our wives! It is he who has the possession of their respect and of their hearts to a degree to which no one of us need ever aspire!   “In the confessional, a girl’s thoughts are polluted, her tongue is polluted, her heart is polluted–yes, and for ever polluted!  The confessional is a place where one gets accustomed to hear, and repeat without a scruple, things which would cause even a prostitute to blush!   “Why are Roman Catholic nations inferior to nations belonging to Protestantism? Only in the confessional can the solution of that problem be found. And why are Roman Catholic nations degraded in proportion to their submission to the priest? It is because the oftener that individuals composing those nations go to confession, the more rapidly they sink in the scale of intelligence and morality.”   Lying Charlotte says, “A Roman Catholic can lie to you and doesn’t have to confess it, because he is doing it to protect his faith.”  Chiniquy, on p. 77, quotes one of the Roman Catholic “church fathers” St. Alphonsus Ligouri as saying:  “Notwithstanding, indeed although it is not lawful to lie, or to feign what is not, nevertheless it is lawful to dissemble what is, or to cover the truth with words, or other ambiguous and doubtful signs for a just cause, and when there is not a necessity of confessing. It is the common opinion.” (Moral Theology, t.ii. , lib. 999. Cap. Iii. P. 116.)  Regarding lying to defend Rome’s errant doctrines, Monica Farrell says this on p. 11:  “One more incident happened in that school, which greatly influenced my future life. As a result of Marjory’s (her Protestant schoolmate) truthfulness, I was led to see the wrong in telling lies, and I made a promise to God that I would never tell another lie if only He would help me. From then on I refused to tell lies for anybody or anything. “The first result of this decision was that I found it impossible to defend the Church of Rome against attacks of Protestants, and only now did I realize how freely I had been having recourse to lie to defend “Mother Church.”  On p. 78, Chiniquy says this:  “When you are not asked concerning the faith, not only is it lawful, but often more conducive to the glory of God and utility of your neighbor to cover the faith than to confess it; for example, if concealed among heretics you may accomplish a greater amount of good; or if, from the confession of the faith more of evil would follow…” (Moral Theology, t.99. p. 817, n. 14.)   Stealing Charlotte says, “You can steal up to $40 without having to confess it.” Chiniquy, again quoting Ligouri, says: “If any one on an occasion should steal only a moderate sum either from one or more, not intending to acquire any notable sum, neither to injure his neighbor to a great extent y several thefts, he does not sin grievously, nor do these, taken together, constitute a detaining it, he can commit mortal sin. “But even this mortal sin may be avoided, if either then he be unable to restore, or have the intention of making restitution immediately, of those things which he then received.” (Moral Theology, t.iii, p. 257, n. 533.)    Sexual Sin Charlotte says that the mother superior told her “it was no sin to give her body to the priest and bear his children,” just as it was no sin for Mary to bear God’s child.  Chiniquy, on p.p. 70-71, quotes a book by Ligouri entitled The Nun Sanctified:  “The principle and most efficacious means of practicing obedience due to superiors, and of rendering it meritorious before God, is to consider that in obeying them we obey God Himself, and that by despising their commands we despise the authority of our Divine Master. “When, thus, a religious receives a precept from her prelate, superior or confessor, she should immediately execute it, not only to please them but principally to please God, whose will is made known to her by their command. In obeying their commandments, in obeying their directions, she is more certainly obeying the will of God than if an angel came down from heaven to manifest His will to her. “Bear this always in your mind, that the obedience which you practice to your superior is paid to God. If, then, you receive a command from one who holds the place of God, you should observe it with the same diligence as if it came from God Himself… “It may be added that there is more certainly of doing the will of God by obedience to our superior than by obedience to Jesus Christ, should He appear in person and give His commands.”   Purgatory Charlotte said that through a nun’s suffering, her relatives would be released sooner from a “priest’s purgatory.”  It is the unbiblical fear doctrine of Purgatory that holds Roman Catholics in bondage.  Charlotte also said that in one November, the RCC made 22 million dollars saying masses for the dead. She also added, “take away Purgatory, and the RCC will starve to death.”  Monica Farrell, on p. 6, says of Purgatory: “The very best Rome can offer to a departed soul is Purgatory, and the torments of Purgatory are supposed to be as bad as hell. The only difference is that the soul in Purgatory eventually gets out of the flames and into heaven: but this may not be for hundreds of years, and in the meantime the only relief or comfort to the Roman Catholic is to have masses said for the repose of the soul of the loved ones. “These masses cost money. There is a common saying among Romanists (Roman Catholics): “High money, high mass; low money, low mass; no money, no mass.” Charles Chiniquy, on pp. 26-28, recounts the story of how after his father died, their priest shows up at their door demanding his mother pay money for masses to be said. When the young widow replied that all she had was a cow, the priest swiftly departed with it.   Murdered babies Charlotte said that babies are born in the convent from sexual relations between priests and nuns, and that these babies are most often killed, most having been born premature and abnormal. Alberto Rivera testified to this very thing in the Jack Chick comic tract, “Alberto.” Rivera said that as a young boy, after falling into a hole on the Catholic school grounds, he discovered a rolled up carpet containing the corpses of babies. Rivera said he later discovered that many convents and monasteries are connected by an underground tunnel, wherein is usually located a secret grave for burying babies born to nuns. END COMMENTARY   The Roman Catholic church is not what it purports to be. The Bible calls it “the Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.”  Jesus Christ is calling those who truly want to do His will out of that system of darkness. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. For those of you who may be wondering what our ministry, The Gospel Light and Truth Crusade, is really all about, we have completed a podcast that explains it all:  how we started, why we started, our mission focus, and the inspiration for the name–it’s all in this podcast. We also explain why we have twice changed the name of our podcast, so you will understand that we are not confused or anything.   The podcast should be available at the iTunes Store by tomorrow, but, as usual, it is available for download below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man.

  Grace and peace, Saints.  We have completed a podcast on the significance of the Paris terrorist attacks of last week. If you are a Bible-believing Christian, then you must listen to this podcast; for this event has farther-reaching implications than you can possibly imagine. I have uploaded the podcast to our media server, but it may not show up on iTunes until tomorrow. It is available, however, as a download below.   The article: that is, the written version of the podcast, will be available in place of this infobrief as soon as possible, God willing. Please check back from time to time. Prayerfully listen to this podcast and weigh it in the balance of your heart.  Dark days are a-coming. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. It is no secret that Satan is after our kids, and that is why it is important that we, as Christian parents, keep our antenna up for the slightest hint of trouble.  Most of us are aware of the various methods Satan uses to gain an avenue into our children’s spiritual lives, and we take steps to protect our children from his influence through these mediums.  But we often fail to consider that something as innocent as candy–yes, candy–can be used as a weapon against our children. Case in point:  Last year, I allowed my two youngest daughters to hang out at the mall with their two best friends.  Now, I would normally not have let them do this, because they are too young to go to the mall alone (I’m very old school).  But, I know my wife, and I know that, being unsaved, and not having the discernment that she should, she had, on occasion, allowed my children to do things that I would not.  Going to the mall is one of those things. You may recall that my wife and I have only just gotten back together after being separated for over four years.  My children are saved, thank God, but they had been living with their unsaved mother for the last two and a half years without the benefit of godly counsel.  Now, Satan would have loved for me to have come in and put my foot down and become a “holy tyrant,” because he could use this to turn my children off to the Christian way of life and to Jesus Christ.  All too often, well-meaning Christian parents have been too heavy-handed in their attempts to sanctify their homes and insulate their children from satanic influence, only to drive them away from Jesus altogether.  I decided, therefore, that, under the circumstances, it would be better to let them go, making sure to take the proper security precautions.  It would also be a great opportunity to see where my children were maturity-wise. Well, they did go, and they did a stellar job, calling me when they got there, and remaining in the mall like I asked them to.  When it was time for them to come home, they called me, and my wife and I went to pick them up, and we all took the subway home.  On the way, there was an interesting development:  My daughter pulled out what appeared to be a pack of cigarettes.  A bolt of lightning passed through my body.  As it turned out, it was a pack of chewing gum made to look like a pack of cigarettes, and each stick of gum was in the shape of a cancer stick.  I asked God to give me the wisdom to explain to my children why this was not a good idea.  The Lord instructed me to handle it thus:  I asked my daughter if it is good for a person to smoke cigarettes.  When she replied that it was not, I asked her why.  She told me that it was bad for a person’s health, because a person could get cancer and die.  I then asked her if she believed that there is a war going on between Satan and Jesus Christ and between their followers.  She responded that there was indeed a war going on.  I told her that Satan hates all humanity and is trying to destroy us using every means at his disposal.  Substance abuse is one way that Satan is accomplishing this, and cigarette smoking is a form of substance abuse.  I next asked if she ever noticed that people smoke an awful lot, and when she responded, yes, I asked her if she ever saw young people and children smoking.  She told me that many of the children in her class smoke.  My daughter is 15. I then asked her if she knew how any of her classmates got started smoking, and she said that one of her classmates had told her that her own mother tried to get her to smoke.   As for the rest, she didn’t know how they got started.  I then held up the pack of candy cigarettes and asked her if she thought that this might be a way that a young person could get interested in smoking.  At that, her eyes got wide, and at the point of tears, she started apologizing profusely.  She felt that she should have known better. I consoled her and told her that it was all right and that this was how Satan works.  He always takes something evil and makes it look completely harmless and innocent by turning it into a game, a toy, or, in this case, chewing gum.  I explained that candy cigarettes are a way to make cigarette smoking acceptable to children by tempting them with something less lethal.  The cigarettes almost look real, and a child who wants to look cool and adult and be accepted, can do so without any perceived ramifications. At the same time, parents, who allow their children to have candy cigarettes, think that it’s only harmless chewing gum, completely unaware of the subtle suggestion that is working in their children’s minds.   I explained that Satan does the same thing with guns.  Guns can kill you, and any thing that can kill you should be taken very seriously, not made into a toy.  Yet, this is exactly what happens.  Cigarettes, I told her, are, in a way, like guns.  They, too, can kill you.   They should, therefore, be taken very seriously and the user should be sober and aware of the consequences of misuse and abuse.  Guns and cigarettes are serious business and should be treated as such.  Making either into a toy or candy minimizes the lethal nature of both in the minds of children and adults.  To further illustrate my point, I reminded my daughter how, often while we are together, I will point out a cigarette machine and tell her that if people were not buying cigarettes, it would not be cost effective for cigarette machines to be so ubiquitous. But in Munich, cigarette machines can be found most everywhere (Munchners are notorious chain smokers).  That means that people are buying cigarettes.  And if people are buying cigarettes, then people are smoking cigarettes.  And if people are smoking cigarettes, then people are dying from cigarettes. I have no doubt that for a significant number of those who smoke and have died from smoking, it all started with a pack of candy cigarettes.  How do I know?  Because my siblings and I used to buy them when we were children.  And my brothers and sisters all smoke.  By the grace of God, I never have.  But, as I told my daughter, both my grandparents and both my parents died of lung cancer.  Now if candy cigarettes were around when I was a child, it’s a safe bet they were also around when my parents and possibly even grandparents were children.  Only time will tell what the ultimate effect of those candy cigarettes will be on my brothers and sisters.  Harmless, right?   Make no mistake: candy cigarettes were “assigned and designed” for one express purpose: to get children interested in smoking at a young age.  If you are having problems digesting this, or you think I’m some crazy “conspiracy theorist,” consider that on the side of the package, where the cancer warning label would normally be found on an actual pack of cigarettes, was this label: The label translates: “Blow into the gum stick and see how the magical smoke rises into the air!”   Can you see that the idea is for children to try to look as though they are smoking an actual cigarette?  Is it not obvious that the idea here is to get children interested in smoking?  Trust me, this is not a good thing. Lastly I asked my daughter whose idea it was to buy the candy cigarettes, and she told me that it was her friend.  Like my daughter, her friend was born and raised in Germany.   And many Germans start smoking openly around twelve or thirteen years of age.  Unlike my daughter, however, her friend doesn’t have me as a parent.  I don’t smoke and neither does my wife, so we aren’t part of the smoking culture, and, don’t, therefore, regard cigarette smoking as a cool thing.  So, no candy cigarettes allowed. One thing this whole event taught me was that it is crucial that we have a good rapport with our children.  They must be able to trust us and our judgment.  We must not tell them that they must do what we tell them because they live in our house, but that they must do what we tell them because God says so and God knows what is best for them.  We must also remember that even though the Bible says that children should obey their parents, It also says that as parents we should not provoke our children to anger (Colossians 3:21).  We must be careful how we react when they make a mistake, and they must be allowed to make mistakes without us always jumping down their throats.  And when we inevitably do jump down their throats, we must not hesitate to apologize to them and to let them know that what we did was inappropriate.  Children need to be treated like human beings with feelings and not property to be treated any way we choose. In closing, it is important to add that, as parents, we need to also check out our children’s friends.  What happened with my daughter may very well have been an innocent mistake on the part of her friend.  But, then again, it could very well have been intentional.  Either way, I am not ignorant of Satan’s devices—and neither should you. One more thing: If you are addicted to cigarettes, you could very well be under a generational curse, as addictions and substance abuse are a sure sign.  Find out how to get free here.  This teaching is available at the iTunes Store for playback on your smart phone, ipod, or other listening device.  Subscribe to our podcast today!   For your convenience, it is also provided below.   Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.  The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. Last year, publicist Jack Chick addressed the growing hostility toward biblical Christianity in the military. He cited the following examples given by the World News Service that exemplify the military’s growing apostasy: An Army Reserve training brief on hate groups declares that evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics are extremists as dangerous as al Qaeda. A commander tells a chaplain to “stay in your lane” when he offers spiritual advice about the military’s exploding sexual assault problem.  A superior tells an Air Force major to remove from his desk the Bible he had kept there for 23 years.  An Army lieutenant colonel instructs his subordinates to recognize the “religious right in America” as a domestic hate group like the KKK and Neo-Nazis.  An Army master sergeant with 25 years of service faces punishment for serving Chick-fil-A sandwiches at his promotion party.  Christian prayers banned at veteran funeral services in Houston’s National Cemetery.  Bibles temporarily banned at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  A Christian cross, banned from a military chapel in Afghanistan.  A chaplain called into his supervisor’s office and chewed out for closing a prayer with the words “In Jesus’ name.”  These are just a few of the examples cited in the article. As you can see, the situation is pretty grim. And I can tell you from personal experience that it’s a lot worse than that.  I had forgotten about this issue, until the other day, when, while filing some old magazine articles, I came across the following leaflet I picked up from a U.S. Army installation last year: iWatch Army is a program that encourages soldiers and their families to be on the lookout for suspicious activity that may indicate terrorist activity. This is a good idea, especially when you consider what happened at Fort Hood a few years ago. But, while reading the leaflet, I came across this (note the highlighted area): It is important to note that, according to this leaflet, iWatch Army asks soldiers “to report behavior and activities that are unusual or seem out of the ordinary,” and it lists examples of behaviors and activities to watch out for.  But notice that soldiers may also use iWatch to not only report suspicious behaviors, but behaviors and activities “that make you feel uncomfortable.”  Given the program is intended to heighten awareness of potential terrorist activity, where does discomfort fit in? Are activities that “make you feel uncomfortable” necessarily terrorist activities?  Think about this. On any given day, the average person is faced with myriad situations that are uncomfortable: Sitting next to a person with a flatulence problem on the subway is uncomfortable, but not uncomfortable enough to be considered terrorism.  Standing on the bus stop with a dog humping your leg is uncomfortable, but not enough to report as terrorist activity.  Your phone bill might make you uncomfortable, but would you consider it terrorism? (Hmmm. Maybe that’s not the best example.)  The point is that what is uncomfortable for one, may be very comfortable or even pleasurable to another. Comfort is subjective.  And what does comfort have to do with terrorism? Shouldn’t the litmus test of whether an activity is suspicious be the possibility that the activity could be terrorist related? Should activities that make us uncomfortable be considered terrorist activities?  Whether they should or not is irrelevant.  The point is that under the USA Patriot Act, they can be. You see, before 911, Section 2331 of Title 18, United States Code, defined terrorism as “acts that attempt to affect the conduct of a government by assassination, or kidnapping.”  After 911, however, Section 802(A) of the USA PATRIOT Act amended the definition to read: “Acts that:  “involve acts dangerous to human life‚  “appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce,  “influence the policy of a government‚  “affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.”  Note that the USA Patriot Act not only modifies the original definition of terrorism (subsection 4), by adding “mass destruction,” but actually adds three new activities, one of which (subsection 2) is totally subjective in that it is based on an appearance, rather than an action, and neither specifies what actions would be considered terrorism, nor whom or what needs to feel intimidated or be coerced in order for the “appearance” to be considered terrorism!  The second definition is boldfaced, because “activities that make you feel uncomfortable” fall under this. You must understand that under the current definition, Christianity, as a religion, and evangelization, as an activity, can now be considered terrorism. Unlike the prior definition of terrorism, which stipulated that activities had to be directed towards a government to be considered terrorism, the new definition does not make this distinction. This means that any individual, who feels intimidated or coerced in any way by someone else’s actions, however benign, can report that individual and his activities as terrorist.  It must also be noted that intimidation is a feeling, and, as such, is totally subjective. What is intimidating to me may not be intimidating to you.  The truth is that this vague subjective terminology has been included in the definition of terrorism expressly for the purpose of persecuting Christians and to discourage evangelization. And people are taking advantage of it.  I have a personal testimony of this. A few years ago, I went back to college to finish my degree. One of my English professors was a woman who was raised Roman Catholic and hated Christianity, though she embraced every other religion. She even had Buddhist prayer flags hanging on her office door.  Religion was a topic that she loved to talk about, and her literary analysis assignments always included a couple of essays or short stories with a religious theme. I always chose to analyze those types of stories, because it gave me an opportunity to hone my discernment skills, and to learn what all the “great” writers actually felt about the Lord Jesus. I would always break the pieces down to their skivvies, cutting through the twilight language that modernist writers are known for, and exposing the writers’ real motives, which were always anti-Christianity.  This professor absolutely hated me for this: so much so, that on one of my papers, right beneath my grade, she “strongly advised” that I choose something other than a religious theme, for my next essay. I told her that I would stop choosing a religious theme, when she stopped offering a religious theme as a choice. At this, she went to the dean and told him that I intimidated her. Needless to say, I never earned better than a C from this professor. She even failed me once.  But, returning to our subject, it is distressing to see that our military is becoming so godless. And it is becoming godless, as many in our military are into the occult.  In fact, the military is rife with witches.  In many military bookstores, both in the United States and in Europe, books on witchcraft and the occult outnumber Bibles 10 to 1.  Once, about five years ago, I happened upon a website that was exclusively for soldiers who are witches. I found out, through that website, that there are witches’ covens at many military installations, including Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Carson, Colorado; and Fort Lewis, Washington.   As a matter of fact, back in 2011, at Fort Carson, witches dedicated an $80,000 pagan worship temple. This is important, because witches hate Christians. And, if there are soldiers who are witches serving in our military, then there are soldiers who hate Christians serving in our military.  These soldiers take an oath to protect our country and our Constitution “against all enemies foreign and domestic.” But, if they hate Christians, how can they protect Christians? They can’t, in fact.  And that should be a problem for you.  As an aside, the oath of enlistment of the United States Army doesn’t specify who the enemy is. So, what if witches, when they take that oath, are thinking of Christians as the enemy, whether “foreign or domestic?” If that were the case, then they would be in keeping with their oath if (and when) they are deployed to America as a “peacekeeping” force, they regard all Christians as enemy combatants. What a scary thought.  This ought to concern you, because, as we warned in our article, The Roman Catholic Takeover of America, our military no longer belongs to us, but to the United Nations.  That means that it will go and will do whatever the United Nations Security Council orders it to go and to do. If our military is anti-Christian, what do you think it is going to do when it is deployed to America as part of Step Four of Phase Three of the Roman Catholic Takeover of America? You should think about this very carefully.  And the military is not only full of witches. Since the ban on homosexuals in the military was lifted, the military is now full of homosexuals. You may be aware that there is an historic enmity between homosexuals and Jesus Christ. Just ask Sodom and Gomorrah. If homosexuals hate Jesus, then it is a foregone conclusion that they hate Christians. I’m not trying to cast any dispersion upon the United States military.  I’m just trying to get you to understand that the military is the policy enforcer for the United States government.  And, as the United States government has redefined terrorism, then the military, as the policy enforcer for the United States government, must also redefine terrorism.  If under this redefinition, Christian activities–both in and out of the military–could be considered terrorism, then, it stands to reason that, at some point, Christians–both in and out of the military–will be at odds with our military.  And this is what we need to remember.   The podcast of this discussion is available at the iTunes Store for download to your favorite listening device.  Subscribe to The Gospel Light and Truth Crusade on iTunes today!  For your convenience, it is also available below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.   The Still Man

Grace and peace. Earlier this year, a lady wrote me requesting prayer and deliverance.  A few days ago, she wrote me again a few days ago to update me on her situation and to ask me a question.  Both times she used the prayer request form, which is confidential, so I don’t have any contact information for her, and, thus, no way to get her an answer to her questions or to get her the help she urgently needs.   Because she was clearly in distress and looking for answers, and in the hopes that perhaps I could minister to others who may be in the same predicament, I decided to do a podcast specifically for that purpose.  It is my hope that she is at least an occasional reader of the blog, because then the chances would be pretty good that she would find this post and the attached podcast (or the episode at the iTunes Store) and be met at the point of her need. For the edification of the Body of Christ and to the end that we may minister unto someone else out there who needs it, I present her letters here in their entirety.  Ms. “V,” I know you asked me to keep this between you and me, and I did my level best to honor your request.  But because I have no other way to answer your questions and to get you the help that you requested, I chose to go this route.  As you can see, I didn’t use your name, so no one but you knows to whom these letters and this situation really belong.  Please prayerfully listen to the podcast, for I believe the answer to your problems is there.  Following are the letters I received from Ms. “V.”   [First letter] Good morning. Please help me turn away from my sinful desires.   Please pray for me to turn away from psychics and occult stuff. I have a hard life. My father is sick, I lost my job, stressed emotionally and psychologically.  Every time I meet someone and hope to start a relationship, the same thing happens: they go back to ex girlfriends/wives. I am never left with anyone. I want to worship God. Why can I not continue on and always go back to bad habits? Please help me. Please pray for my salvation. Please remove this evil generational curse on me. I have had a hard time. I do pray for deliverance/salvation, but the odd thing is the same thing happens. For example, if I meet someone (because I do want to get married and have a family) they almost immediately after me go back to ex-girlfriends/wives. I am left alone. I try to turn away from psychic stuff / occult every time I say I am turning away I get weak and go back: not like I really want to, but I just do. Can you please help me and/or guide me onto the proper path? Can this be kept private between us? Thanks so much.  V. [Second letter] I hope this email finds you well. I want to commit and follow the path of the Lord. I have had severe struggles, and sometimes it is hard to remain focused. I continue to pray to God for salvation. Unfortunately, my life has continued with struggles: I lost my father, which now I see God wanted me to take care of him: that is why I could not find work.   Should I continue to pray for salvation until my praying skills become stronger? I am a believer in God and just need your guidance. Thank you so much. V. This is as much as I have in the way of an article.  Normally, I write the article and then do the associated podcast when time permits.  This time, however, I felt compelled to do the podcast first, as I there were some things on my heart that I wanted to say to this dear soul, and I didn’t want to forget them. When time permits (and when I feel up to it), I’ll transcribe the podcast and produce the blog article.  In the meantime, if you are so inclined, you may find the article at our podcast, The Gospel Light and Truth Hour.  Subscribe to us at the iTunes Store today! For your convenience, it is also available below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man    

Grace and peace, Saints. We have completed Part 2 of the audio portion of the article Two Marys.   As you may know, Two Marys was my response to a letter I received from a Roman Catholic lady who attempted to convince me that the worship of the Virgin Mary is not idolatry.  If you are a Roman Catholic who would like to know what the Bible has to say about Mary worship, then you will want to listen to this podcast.  Christians would also benefit from this discussion, as many of you have no idea what Roman Catholics really believe and practice, and you should. The podcast may not yet appear at the iTunes Store, so, for your convenience, we have provided it below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace to the heirs of promise.   We continue with the reasons many Christians lack a testimony.  WHY MANY CHRISTIANS DON’T HAVE A TESTIMONY 1. SIN This is the primary reason. The Bible says,  “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18).  If we are living in sin, then God will not hear our prayers. And if God will not hear our prayers, then God will not answer our prayers. If God will not answer our prayers, then we cannot receive help from Him and cannot therefore testify that God is “an ever-present Help in time of trouble.” A good example of this is King Saul. When King Saul sinned and rebelled against God, God withdrew from him and would no longer answer his prayers. When we sin unrepentantly, God will also withdraw from us. -With regard to our testimony of persecution, again, God allows us to pass through trials and tribulations because our life is a picture of Jesus’ life. As Jesus suffered persecution, so we must also suffer persecution. However, in that Paul said that because of persecution, we will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, then it stands to reason that if we are not suffering persecution, it is because we are not counted worthy of the kingdom of God. It means we are not walking worthy of the cross of Christ. If we are not counted worthy to suffer on the Lord’s behalf, then we will not have a testimony of overcoming trials for the gospel of Jesus Christ.   2. GENERATIONAL CURSE Many Christians don’t have a testimony because they are in bondage to sin through a generational curse.   A generational curse is a curse that God places on a person’s descendants when that person is guilty of committing a sin that is so offensive to God, that He considers it an abomination.  An abomination is something that God really hates. The Bible teaches that all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17).  However, there are hierarchies of sin.  At the low end are sins that God just winks at.  At the high end is the unpardonable sin.  And, in the middle, are abominations, sins that God absolutely hates.  Only the unpardonable sin will not be forgiven.  All other sins will be forgiven.  HOWEVER…Abominations, in that God specifically hates these sins, must be confessed outright by name, in order to receive forgiveness for them.   It is important to understand that God hates abominable sins so much that before Jesus paid the blood at Calvary, God destroyed those who were guilty of those sins.  God wiped the Canaanites off the face of the earth because of the sins that they were guilty of (Deuteronomy 18), which sins included witchcraft, child sacrifice, and pornography.  God obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah and also all the cities of the plain (except Zoar) because they practiced the sin of homosexuality.   Under the Old Testament law, people who were accused of committing abominations were stoned.  But since Jesus paid the blood, we are now living in a period of mercy.  God no longer automatically destroys those guilty of committing abominations.  But, because God said that He would “by no means clear the guilty,” those who are cursed with the sins of their forefathers will be punished in this life.   1 Timothy 5:24 says this:   “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment, and some men they follow after.” This means that, though God will no longer destroy those who are guilty of abominations, they have already been judged and been found guilty.  Therefore they will be punished in this life, rather than only at the Judgment.  Generational sins fall into this category.  This is the reason why those who are under a generational curse have such terrible problems.  These sins are particular grievous to God.  Therefore, unlike other sins, which are forgiven when one accepts the Lord Jesus as his Savior, generational sin–abominable sins–must be confessed outright.  Some sins that fall into this category are idolatry (which is the number one sin), homosexuality, witchcraft, and pornography. Because abominations are sins that are particularly loathsome to God, and, therefore, must be confessed outright by name, a person can be saved and still be under a generational curse.  It is important to understand that salvation and deliverance are not the same thing.  Salvation is deliverance from original and personal sin (Romans 5:12, Romans 3:25), while deliverance means being set free from a generational curse (1 John 1:9).  Many believe that when they got saved, all their sins were forgiven, and thus, a generational curse should have no affect on them.  They fail to realize that, because of the seriousness of generational sin, it must be confessed outright in order for a person to be delivered.   A Christian living under a generational curse will eventually have his testimony destroyed by Satan, if he does not confess the sin that brought about the curse to the Lord Jesus and have it forgiven.  A person will know what sins he needs to confess, because the Word of God teaches that those under a generational curse will be cursed with the sins of their forefathers.     3. THANKLESSNESS Because many Christians are living in sin, they aren’t experiencing the victory over sin and temptation that they should. This has caused them to be unthankful, because the more the Lord Jesus delivers you from something, the more grateful you will be.  Conversely, if Jesus hasn’t done anything in your life (because you haven’t asked Him to), you will not be very grateful to Him. Lack of gratitude is the manifestation of 2 Timothy 3:2, wherein the Apostle Paul says that men in the last days would be “unthankful.” 4. UNEQUALLY YOKED The Bible says,  “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 14:6). In today’s feel-good climate of “oneness” and world harmony, Christians have been swept up in a “cumbaya” moment.  The Roman Catholic Charismatic Movement has thoroughly infiltrated the Protestant church and essentially reduced it to little more than one of the many orders of the Roman Catholic church. Protestant churches are becoming more Catholic with each passing day, as many pastors wear the collar of a Roman Catholic priest and many churches celebrate Roman Catholic holidays such as Lent. God hates idolatry, and the Roman Catholic church is an idolatrous institution. Christians, therefore, who align themselves with Rome, become the enemies of God (James 4:4). And an enemy of God has no testimony. There are also many Christians who are members of secret societies such as the Freemasons. Freemasonry and Christianity are irreconcilable, as the God of Freemasonry is, in fact, the great Rebel, Nimrod, and the the patron saint of Freemasonry is a demon called Baphomet—a pagan deity. A person, who has taken any of the many blood oaths Freemasons are required to take, has yoked himself to Baphomet, and has brought not only aa world of spiritual darkness upon himself and his family, but also a generational curse upon his descendants. 5. WORDLINESS Though we live in the world, we are not of the world, and cannot, therefore, do as the world does.  We can’t talk as the world talks, we can’t dress as the world dresses, and we can’t behave as the world behaves.  God has called us to sanctification.  We must, therefore, separate ourselves from the world. Unfortunately, most pastors no longer preach sanctification, and many in the Christian community see separation from the world as divisive and exclusive. If we ally ourselves with the world with all it’s fleshy lusts and desires, the Holy Spirit will depart from us. When we lose the Holy Spirit we lose not only the ability to discern good and evil, but we also lose the ability to reason. With the loss of reason we become easily prone to the deceptiveness of sin. One who is living in sin is living in defeat, and one who is living in defeat has no testimony. This truth is not restricted to lay Christians, as many, if not most, pastors are also living in the world. Consequently, whole churches have been compromised and have become unfruitful and altogether useless to God. 6. IGNORANCE OF THE WORD OF GOD AND OF GOD’S PROMISES Many Christians don’t have a testimony because they don’t know the Word of God.  God has made many promises to the body of Christ and, because God is faithful, he will always delivers on His promises:   “All the promises of God in Him (Jesus) are yea, and in Him, Amen, to the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20).   The Christian who doesn’t know the Bible, however, will not know God’s promises, and will be consequently unaware when God delivers on those promises. He will therefore, be unable to testify that God is “faithful and true” (Revelation 3:14). A major purpose of the Christian’s testimony is to confirm this truth.   WHY YOU NEED A TESTIMONY The Bible declares that the testimony of two or three witnesses will establish the truth. Jesus Christ testified that He is The Truth (John 14:6).  Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John says that the Holy Ghost testifies to the truth.  The Christian is called to be that third witness to the truth: that Jesus Christ:   “Was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).   As Christians, we are useless without a testimony.  As Jesus used parables to communicate the Gospel to simple people in a language they could understand, so our testimony communicates the Good News of the Gospel to people in a language they can understand.   Many are hurting in these days of apostasy.  People need real, tangible examples that God is Sovereign and can reach out and touch people’s lives in a real and tangible way. The body of Christ desperately needs the strength, encouragement, and hope that a good testimony gives.   HOW YOU CAN GET A TESTIMONY (or get it back) Everyone who has been washed by the blood of Jesus has at least a conversion testimony. In that the Bible says that everyone who is born again in Christ Jesus is a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17), a person without a testimony of change in his life probably isn’t saved. Someone in this situation needs to first hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and, if he chooses, to make a decision for Christ. The saved person, who is not living the victory, has had his testimony compromised. And a compromised testimony is useless. To reclaim his victory, he must get his testimony back. To do this, he must:   1. Repent If you are a true believer, and have no testimony, it is highly likely that you have backslidden. And if you have backslidden, then you have given up ground to the devil. This ground must be reclaimed for you to live a victorious Christian life, and the first step to reclaim lost ground is to repent of your sins and confess those sins to the Lord Jesus. The Bible says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17). Healing begins when we are truly sorry for our sin. We must realize that we have sinned against a Holy God who ransomed His very life to redeem us. Our lack of faithfulness must hurt us as much as it hurts God.   The Bible says, “Godly sorrow worketh repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:10), and repentance is necessary to restore our relationship with the Lord Jesus.    “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek my face, then I will hear them, and heal their land.”   2. Confess Jesus will forgive any sin, but we must confess it. There are many who believe that when Jesus died on the cross, all our sins were immediately forgiven. If this were true, however, then the Bible would be a lie: for the Bible says:   “If we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).   The act of confession is important, because it not only forces us to acknowledge who we are—sinners, but it also forces us to acknowledge who Jesus Christ is—our Savior. At this point it is important to stress that confession to Jesus is what is meant here, not confession to a sinful man. 3. Renew After we have confessed our sins and obtained forgiveness, we must, as Jesus says in Revelation 2:5, “do the first works.” This means we must go back to square one and become again as babes in Christ. We must renew our covenant with God. We must get back into the Word of God, fast, pray, and seek to do that which is right in God’s sight. We must hate sin and avoid it at any and all costs. 4. Sanctify We must then sanctify ourselves. Sanctification is the act of separating oneself from the world and setting oneself apart unto the Lord. This entails avoiding people and activities that glorify sin and do not glorify the Lord Jesus. And we must be careful to avoid fellowship with those who hate our God. Important to the process of sanctification is the act of separating ourselves from those who wantonly sin. HOW TO PROTECT YOUR TESTIMONY There is a song by the rap group, Wu Tang Klan, entitled “Protect Ya Neck.”  When I was in the world, I thought that was a cool title for a song. Though the spiritual significance of that title escaped me at that time, I realized that it was very practical advice in an increasingly violent world. A few years after I was saved, I again reflected on that title and realized that “protect your neck” is not only sound worldly advice, but very sound spiritual advice. As Christians, we must protect our necks—we must protect our testimony. The Bible says,   “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).    The heart is extremely important. It is the most important organ in the human body. Without it, we would die. During medieval times, knights wore a suit of armor to protect themselves from injury in battle. They would also often wear a shirt made of interwoven chain links called a coat of male. The purpose of both the suit of armor and the coat of male was to protect the knight’s vital organs from injury by sword or knife penetration. Today, police officers and soldiers alike wear a protective vest made out of Kevlar for the same purpose. The knight’s armor, the coat of male, and the protective vest all serve to protect the wearer’s vital organs, the most important of which is the heart. The Bible says that though we walk like ordinary men, we don’t go to war like ordinary men (2 Corinthians 10:3). Our warfare is spiritual, not carnal. The heart we need to protect, then, is not our physical heart, but our spiritual heart. The Bible says that the issues of life spring from the heart. The Christian’s spiritual heart is his moral center and the place from whence his discernment springs. When we decide either to do or not to do a thing, it is from this moral center—the heart—that we decide. Because the heart is so important to the life of the Christian, Satan will attack it every chance he gets. We must therefore make sure that at all times we have on our spiritual armor. Satan attacks our heart through the senses, using the same lures he has used for millennia: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). In that Satan comes at us through the senses, then we have to purpose within ourselves to harden these spiritual ports of entry. Since Satan most often tempts us to sin through the eyes, then we have to be especially vigilant to control what we see. Ironically, King David provides the best advice on how to avoid being tempted through the eyes:   “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me” (Psalm 101:3).    The best way to avoid being tempted to sin through the eyes is to avoid seeing the thing that would cause us to sin in the first place. This is especially true with sex. The so-called “Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion,” a document falsely attributed to the Jews, calls for every child in the world to have seen every conceivable sex act by the time he is thirteen years old. The Hollywood Motion Picture and Television industry is without a doubt Satan’s preferred method of accomplishing this. Most of the movies and television shows that come out of Hollywood depict sex in some form: even if it’s merely innuendo. About a year ago, for example, I was watching an episode of a television situation comedy featuring two single and financially disadvantaged women who work as waitresses. At one point in the episode, one of the costars simulates a sex act using an action figure and a stuffed animal. The whole thing lasted about 30-45 seconds, during which time the simulated sex became increasingly graphic, and at least two sexual positions were depicted. The fact that this happened on a “prime time” television show, at a time when children often watch television with their parents, demonstrates the depravity of Hollywood. Sexual suggestion can even be seen on some children’s cartoons and television shows, especially those made by Disney. On some Disney programs, some of the children wear shockingly revealing clothing. One of the first places I saw little girls wearing dresses that stop well above the middle of the thigh was a Disney program centered on two best friends who share a passion for dance. Another Disney show, featuring a middle school for exceptional students, presented the same motif. While one purpose of this imagery would appear to be to influence girls to dress in this fashion, it may also serve to entice adult men into pedophilia. This is not a stretch, as Disney has been on the front lines of the pedophilic agenda for decades. In fact, Disney even admitted that they made the title character from the cartoon movie, Pocahontas, “sexier” to appeal to adult fathers who may be viewing the cartoon with their children! Knowing, therefore, that Hollywood does have an agenda, it would be best to avoid television altogether. For many of us, however, this is neither possible nor desirable. So, we owe it to ourselves as obedient Christians to at least do our level best to avoid programming that is likely to have sex in some form. This includes most reality TV shows, as the characters in some of these shows are often depicted engaging in sexual activity, albeit sometimes blurred out. The female characters in many of these programs also wear very little or very revealing clothing. And most all of these programs feature the use of explicit and/or sexually suggestive speech. In fact, most reality TV programs in some way glorify sin.  So, the Christian who views this type of programming is condoning sin. The way to protect oneself from all sins of the flesh is to avoid situations where it is possible that one could see something that he doesn’t need to see. Christians should avoid watching television programs that contain sexually suggestive imagery and language. They should also avoid television programs such as Grey’s Anatomy, which has depicted characters engaging in sexual activity. Pornography is arguably the most poignant example of the lust of the eyes. According to the Bible, pornography is seeing the nakedness of anyone except your spouse and your own young children. Pornography is the first sin the Bible mentions after The Flood, when Ham saw his father Noah naked in bed (Genesis 10:22). The lure of pornography is potent and practically irresistible. In fact, pornography is so powerful, that the person enthralled by it completely loses the ability to reason. And when a person loses the ability to reason, he also loses his ability to resist temptation. King David is probably the Bible’s greatest example of this. Pornography is an abomination in God’s sight, and the person guilty of pornography will incur a generational curse. Pornography has destroyed many a Christian’s testimony. Christians who live in countries where commercials feature pornographic imagery have to be especially vigilant. In Germany, for example, 1-900-SEXX commercials are very popular and are shown regularly after 10:00 p.m. (2200 hrs.). Some of these commercials can be disturbingly graphic. Unsupervised, a child who is allowed to watch television during these hours could be lured into the pornographic lifestyle. Christians must also avoid places were people dress indecently or indiscreetly. For me, the beach would be such a place. Women’s bikinis today are an absolute scandal. String bikinis, once almost exclusively worn by women of ill repute, have become socially acceptable. The Bible says that the heart is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). There is no way that a normal man can resist the lure of a near-naked woman—no matter how “holy” he believes himself to be. The man who considers himself immune to such temptation is setting himself up for failure. Many a pastor has seen his testimony destroyed because he underestimated the power of the flesh and the deceptiveness of sin. Sin is, in fact, deceptive:   “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).   Don’t be deceived! By now, you should understand how vitally important our testimony is. You should now understand that a Christian without a testimony is hobbled in this life. A Christian without a testimony is impotent—thoroughly sprayed and neutered. If you don’t have a testimony, you must get one—today. If you do have a testimony, then you ought to feel compelled to give it. If Jesus has done anything for you, you ought to let somebody know it. That is one reason Jesus did whatever He did for you: He wants you to tell somebody. So why don’t you? There are many ways to give your testimony. You don’t necessarily have to give it in church. You could start a blog, as I have done. You can witness to someone at your job, witness to a neighbor, or even witness to a family member. In the process, you can give your testimony. However you do it, just do it. You’ll be glad you did. So will the Lord Jesus.   This teaching is available for free at the iTunes Store for playback on your favorite listening device.  Subscribe to our podcast today.  For your convenience, it is also provided below.   Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. Part 1.5 of our series on the Christian testimony is available for download at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our podcast today! For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, brethren. Today, in the German state of Bavaria, is a public holiday, the name of which is fronleichnam, which is the German equivalent of Corpus Christi day.  When I was a child, I used to see that day on the calendar all the time, but I had not idea what it meant.  You may be interested to know that, besides being a city in Texas, Corpus Christi is a very important Roman Catholic holiday.  But more than this, the celebration of Corpus Christi is actually a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Corpus Christi is Latin for “body of Christ.”  The website, timeanddate.com, says this about Corpus Christi: “Corpus Christi (fronleichnam) falls on a Thursday 60 days after Easter Sunday.  The day honors the Eucharist (Holy Communion, Lord’s Supper), which is important in the Catholic church.  Corpus Christi is a public holiday in some parts of Germany and is marked by parades for the blessed sacrament [Eucharist] (in form of bread or wafers).” So, according to this website, Corpus Christi is a holiday honoring the Eucharist, which is the consecrated wafer used in the Roman Catholic mass.  Note that the word Eucharist is capitalized, as one would do for a deity.  This is important, because, according to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Real Presence, the Eucharist contains the actual body, blood, and divinity of Jesus Christ.  This is why Roman Catholics actually worship the Eucharist as Jesus Christ, as this screenshot from a Roman Catholic website clearly demonstrates: It should be added that this particular Catholic church calls itself a “Eucharistic Community.”  It is a safe bet, therefore, that its worship activities center around the Eucharist.  Though they refer to adoration as “the simple act of…spending some time with Jesus,” it must be noted that, according to this website, “Eucharistic Adoration” falls under “Liturgy.”  Wikipedia defines liturgy as “the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions.”  Adoration, then, is worship.  In that the Eucharist is what is being adored, it is clear that “spending time with Jesus” actually means worshipping the Eucharist.  This makes total sense, if one believes that the Eucharist contains the body, blood, and divinity of Jesus Christ.  For if one considers the Eucharist Jesus, then one can worship the Eucharist.  In that Roman Catholics celebrate several days in the life of Jesus Christ (such as His birth, resurrection, ascension into heaven, etc.),  it only makes sense that there would be a day to honor the Eucharist, since Roman Catholics consider it Jesus.  It must be noted that, according to Wikipedia, liturgical worship is “based on traditions.”  That means it is not based on the Bible.  Eucharistic worship, then, is not Scriptural, meaning that Jesus never ordained it.  (Of course, every born-again, Bible-believing Christian already knows this.)  Jesus addressed such traditions in the Bible, when He said that the Pharisees substituted their traditions for doctrine, and, in so doing, made the Word of God of none effect. In that the Eucharist, or the wafer that Roman Catholics believe is Jesus, is not Scriptural, it would qualify as “another Jesus”: “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4). Why is this important?  Because the Antichrist will worship this “Jesus.”  Recall this verse from the book of Daniel concerning the Antichrist: “In his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things” (Daniel 11:38). If you’ve read our article, The Identity of the Antichrist, then you know that the God of forces is none other than Nimrod, the first king of ancient Babylon.  The goddess of forces is Nimrod’s wife, Semiramis, whom the Roman Catholic church calls the Virgin Mary and the Bible calls the Abomination of Desolation.  I believed that the phrase “a god whom his fathers knew not” also referred to the Abomination of Desolation, and I believed that when the Bible says that this god would be honored with gold, silver, and precious things, it was referring to the precious metals that adorn this idol.  But Alexander Hislop, in The Two Babylons, adds something interesting to this dialogue:  “The host, or consecrated wafer, is the great god of the Romish Church. That host is enshrined in a box adorned with gold and silver and precious stones. And thus it is manifest that ‘a god’ whom even the Pope’s pagan ‘fathers knew not,’ he at this day honors in the very way that the terms of the predication imply that he would” (Hislop, 255). The consecrated wafer, or Eucharist, is the flat piece of bread that Roman Catholics eat and believe to be the body, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.  The box, in which the Eucharist is enshrined, is called a ciborium. The Catholic Dictionary, defines a ciborium as  “A chalice-like vessel used to contain the Blessed Sacrament (Eucharist)… The material should be gold or silver (base metals are sometimes allowed), but the interior of the cup must be always lined with gold… While containing the Sacred Species it should be covered with small white veil of silk or cloth of gold. In Eastern Churches…the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in gold or silver boxes covered with silk and suspended from the altar-canopy in accordance with ancient custom.” (Parentheses mine).     This above photo of the ciborium (at left) accompanied by a chalice and other instruments, perfectly describes how the god whom the Antichrist’s fathers knew not would be honored with “gold and silver and precious stones.” For it is adorned with “Genuine jade, mother of pearl and rhodocrosite stones.”  It sells for $4800. Moreover, the monstrance, a sunburst usually made of gold, and used to house the Eucharist for “adoration” (worship), solemn processions, and other occasions, is also made of gold and silver, and adorned with precious stones, as one can see from the image below: So the Roman Catholic church has ordained a special day in which they honor a piece of bread, which Roman Catholics believe is really Jesus.  In so doing, they blaspheme the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.   In Corpus Christi Day, or fronleichnam, the celebration of the Eucharist, the Roman Catholic church honors “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4), a god whom the Antichrist’s fathers knew not.  This is a literal fulfillment of Bible prophecy.   The audio version of this discussion is available on iTunes for playback on your favorite listening device.  For your convenience, it is also available below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.   The Still Man  

Grace and peace, Saints. Part 2 of our discussion on the Christian testimony deals with the types of testimony. Opinions may vary on the types of testimony, but, in my experience, there are essentially four: the conversion testimony, the testimony of Christian experience, the testimony of victory or spiritual warfare testimony, and the testimony of persecution. Though they all share certain elements, each is unique and serves an important purpose. The Conversion Testimony This is arguably the most important type of testimony, as it best demonstrates the changing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The conversion testimony is an account of the circumstances under which the Christian came into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and how that knowledge saved his life.   An important feature of this testimony is a general description of the unrepentant sinner before his conversion, and often includes his behavior, his speech, his actions and beliefs, and his worldview.  The conversion testimony underscores the lost condition of the unrepentant sinner and contrasts that person with the “new man” who has been washed by the blood of Jesus:   “Ye have put off the old man with his deeds, “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him” (Colossians 3:9-10).    The purpose of the conversion testimony is to confirm 2 Corinthians 5:17, which speaks of the New Birth:   “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold: all things are become new.”   God can change anybody, no matter who they are or what they have done. This is important, because some people have come to believe that their sins are so bad that God would never forgive them. Once, for example, I witnessed to a lady who had had an abortion as a young girl. She wanted to come to Jesus, but she felt so terrible for having murdered her innocent child, that she felt totally unworthy of being saved. She couldn’t even bring herself to come before the presence of the Lord Jesus, let alone fall at His feet and ask forgiveness.  There are many Christian women who have been through this same thing and can testify that Jesus will forgive all sin: no matter how terrible; for the Bible says,    “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).    There is no sin so terrible that God will not forgive it, save the unpardonable sin, which no true lover of Jesus Christ can or will commit. With forgiveness comes peace, as our conscience will no longer be under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. This type of peace can only come through salvation. The conversion testimony also helps to confirm our identity as Christians: something that is terribly important in this present age of apostasy. Jesus warned us in Matthew Chapter 24 that the last days would be characterized by widespread deception, especially in the Christian community. This prophecy has been fulfilled as no other time in history has seen so many false prophets and false ministries dotting the Christian landscape as has the present. If one listens closely, one may discern that many false prophets have a dubious conversion testimony. This is because they are really not trusting in the blood of Jesus for their salvation, and therefore have no real testimony of change. Again, Angelica Zambrano’s testimony readily comes to mind. Zambrano testifies that shortly after her conversion, she became disillusioned with Christianity, because none of her friends were Christians. She therefore abandoned the faith and returned to her old ways, which were sinful, by her own admission. It was only after spending years in this wicked lifestyle that Zambrano had her encounter with “Jesus” in Hell, after having never really experienced a change in her life. It is this message of change: the transformative power of the Gospel, that people really need to hear. Many, for instance, mistakenly believe that they must first “get themselves together”: that is, try to change themselves, before they can come to the Lord Jesus. But because they have tried so hard and so often to change and have failed, they have come to believe they can never change. Consequently, they never make a decision for Jesus Christ. Others, such as those who are into astrology, believe that a person can never change, because each person’s personality is immutable and is determined by under what astrological sign he was born. What these people really need is our testimony of the changing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many who name the name of Christ who were once murderers, child molesters, extortionists, kidnappers, witches, idolaters, Satanists, homosexuals, drug dealers, drug addicts, alcoholics, the list goes on and on. All have been radically transformed by the blood of Jesus and can testify to the power of a Risen Savior to change anyone. As the saying goes, “Know Jesus, know change: no Jesus, no change.”   Testimony Of Christian Experience (TCE) The testimony of Christian experience generally applies to our Christian walk after salvation.  When we stand up in church and testify to what Jesus has done for us and what He has brought us through, we are giving this type of testimony. The TCE demonstrates the operation of God in the life of the average Christian and demonstrates the keeping power of Jesus and His ability to empower the Christian to meet life’s daily challenges with the power of the Holy Ghost.   Most of us are familiar with this type of testimony. Sadly, it is seldom correctly used, if at all. Most often, it is either overused until it is no longer relevant, or misused altogether. This is unfortunate, as the TCE not only has the potential to move an unsaved person to repentance, but to encourage and edify the body of Christ. When a church service, for example, is dry and lifeless, a moving testimony can ignite the service and get the Spirit moving in the congregation. When there is a spirit of ingratitude in a church service, one merely testifying of how God woke him up in the morning and caused the sun to shine on his face may be enough to make everyone realize just how blessed they are just to have been able to put one foot in front of the other and walk into church. The TCE is often underrated, as many feel that it is only for older people and those who are going through a hard time.  They feel that if everything is fine in their lives, then they need not testify.  But as we have just seen, this is incorrect.   Testimony of Victory or Spiritual Warfare Testimony Our testimony can also be a powerful weapon of spiritual warfare.  As the “accuser of the brethren,” Satan knows he has lost the battle for our souls. So he tries to get us to sin by throwing various temptations at us designed to accomplish several things. One of those things is to get us to react in a way that is not Christian. If Satan succeeds, he then tries to make us believe that if we were really saved, we would not have sinned against the Lord.  He tells us that we are the same person we always were and that we haven’t changed and will never change. If we don’t know the Word of God, we can be deceived into believing this lie.  But if we are aware of the Apostle Paul’s testimony in Romans Chapter 7, then we know that at times Paul was unable to do the things he wanted, while he did things he didn’t want to do. But Paul didn’t let this destroy his testimony. He knew that although his spirit had been cleansed of the filth of sin, as long as he lived in a body born in sin and shaped in iniquity, he would be unable to stop sinning altogether. Another thing Satan hopes to accomplish is to discourage us, steal our joy, and rob us of the victory we have in Christ Jesus. Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and, as such, God has given him a certain amount of authority over this world and over our lives. As God allowed Satan to touch all that Job had, so can He also allow Satan to touch our jobs, our finances, our marriages, our relationships with family and friends, and even our health. And as Satan hoped that by taking all that Job had he would cause Job to blaspheme God, so does Satan hope to do the same with us. He hopes that while we are in a vulnerable and spiritually weakened state, he can tempt us to lose confidence in our salvation—perhaps even to the point of renouncing God. When we testify to having passed through these trials and having emerged with our faith intact, we glorify the Lord Jesus and confirm the truth of the Bible, which says that Jesus is able to keep us from falling (Jude 1:24).   Testimony of Persecution This type of testimony is rare in Western churches. In fact, I’ve never even heard anyone give such a testimony. But I’m sure that Christians who live in countries openly hostile to the Gospel hear this testimony quite frequently, as Christians in these countries are often regularly persecuted and martyred for their faith. The Apostle Paul testifies several times of persecution in his epistles to the church at Corinth. An examination of these testimonies reveals the circumstances under which we should give our testimony of persecution and our purpose for giving it. Paul’s testimony of 1 Corinthians 4, proves that the Apostles suffered persecution so that men would not believe them to be anything other than ordinary men:   “And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.    He then delivers the following testimony:    “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are honorable, but we are despised.  “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place.    It is clear that Paul does not give this testimony to complain about his suffering, but, rather, to underscore that those who are in positions of authority often suffer more intense persecution than the average Christian. Likewise, when pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and others on the front lines in this spiritual warfare give their testimony, they should do so not to attempt to prove themselves above others, but to demonstrate that God does not regard mens’ persons. Those who receive a special commission of God often suffer proportionally. What Paul says next confirms Matthew 5:44, wherein Jesus tells us to bless them who persecute us. His testimony is an excellent example of what the Christian attitude ought to be in the face of persecution:   “Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things until this day.”    In 2 Corinthians 4:5-10, Paul’s testimony demonstrates that the Apostles suffered persecution so that through their weakness, the power of God may be seen in them, and that it might be clear that it was God doing the work, and not them:   “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”   Paul then goes on to demonstrate that though we are persecuted, we are not completely destroyed:   “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed,  “We are perplexed, but not in despair,  “Persecuted, but not forsaken,  “Cast down, but not destroyed.”   Paul next explains that our persecution is a picture of Jesus’ suffering:    “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our body. “For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.”   Jesus said, “The servant is not greater than his master.” As Jesus suffered, so shall we suffer. Lastly, in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, Paul testifies to being persecuted, because some doubted his apostleship. This is important in the present day, as we see many in the Church doubting the calling of many genuine, sincere, and effective servants of Christ. Many believe, for instance, that if one is truly called of God, then he should always be prosperous, healthy, and enjoying all the trappings of “success.” They falsely believe that because we worship an All-Powerful God, our material lives should reflect it, and they doubt the authenticity of those Christians who are scratching out a living, or are frequently ill, believing them to be living outside the will of God. Again, a relative of mine, who is a pastor, believes that a true Christian has “the right in Christ never to be sick.” But we know from the Bible that the pastor, Timothy, was often ill (1 Timothy 5:23) as were others in the Church. Epaphroditus was deathly ill because he worked so hard to care for the church (Philippians 2:26). And Paul himself suffered a physical ailment which he believed was sent of Satan but allowed by God (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). It is also believed that if one is walking in the will of God, he should enjoy favor with those outside the church.  But Paul says just the opposite:    “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. “Thrice I was beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep: “In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. “In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness…”    Clearly, there is a great dichotomy between Paul’s definition of the Christian life and that of many preachers today. It is also popularly held that Christians should enjoy favor with those in political power, and this seems to be the case with Billy Graham, T.D. Jakes, Joel Olsteen, Creflo Dollar, and others.  Few, however, if any, of these people are Godly. The Bible says that friendship with the world is enmity with God.  A true God-fearing man, who speaks the truth, will not enjoy popularity with many in power.  The Bible says that there is spiritual wickedness “in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).  That means that many in the seats of government neither worship nor respect the Lord Jesus Christ.   John the Baptist was beheaded by King Herod because he dared speak against Herod for marrying his brother’s wife.  Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, sought the life of Elisha, the prophet, because he spoke out and took action against idolatry. Like these, Paul had his share of problems with those in political power, and testified to the same:   “In Damascus, the governor under Aretas, the king, kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: “And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.”    It is interesting that Paul would list persecution as one of his qualifications for being an apostle. In fact, one could argue that Paul believed it to be his chief qualification. You may recall that in Philippians 3:10, Paul said that to know Jesus is to know “the fellowship of His sufferings.” Paul’s second epistle to the Thessalonians reinforces this. In Chapter 1 (vv. 4-5) he writes this:    “[W]e ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:   “Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer.”    It is clear that Paul believes persecution for the faith to be the greatest evidence of our faithfulness to Jesus. It stands to reason, therefore, that a person who calls himself a Christian, but has not suffered persecution for the faith, is not truly living a holy and sanctified life. When you say yes to Jesus, you say no to the world and all the lusts that are of the world. And the moment you say no to the world, the world will turn against you. I’m a witness.  It is important to note that Paul says only after a Christian has suffered for the faith can he be counted worthy to enter heaven. This ought to give those Christians out there who are enjoying favor with those outside the church reason to pause. There is not one man of God in the Bible who did not suffer persecution to some degree. Happily, Jesus said that those who suffer persecution for His name’s sake are most blessed:   “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast our your name as evil for the Son of man’s sake: “Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for behold: great is your reward in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets” (Matthew 6:22).   Click here for Part Three.   The audio version of this teaching is available at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our podcast today.  For your convenience, it is also provided below.   Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, believers.  Today we begin the first in a three-part discussion on the Christian testimony. For many twenty-first century Christians, their testimony is arguably the least considered, the least understood, the least used, and the least appreciated aspect of their Christian experience.  This is most evidenced by the lack of testimonies given on Sunday.  Back when the Christian church was strong in America, especially the black churches, a portion of the Sunday service was always dedicated to sharing testimonies. Christians were so eager to give their testimony that, oftentimes, at least a half hour would be spent on that portion of the service alone. Sadly, this is no longer the case.  Nowadays, folks can’t wait for the service to end so that they can go home and fire up the grill, watch the football game, or go fishing.  Most churches I have visited over the past five years won’t even hear testimonies.  And in the precious few churches where testimonies were encouraged, less than a handful of the brethren would even bother to give theirs.  Of the few that would, there was bound to be at least one who would take fifteen minutes or more to deliver a totally unedifying account of their workweek, featuring an encounter with an adversarial co-worker or neighbor whom they rebuked with “Get thee behind me Satan!  You not gon’ steal my VICK-TRAY!!!” [sigh]. I have heard only a handful of testimonies in the eight years since I accepted the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior, and only a couple were truly edifying or encouraging. Of the less than edifying testimonies, the most notable was an obvious case of plagiarism, as a woman appropriated the Apostle Paul’s account of having been taken up to the third heaven.  Only, whereas Paul saw things he wasn’t allowed to talk about, this lady was all too happy to tell what she saw: and none of if was biblical.  Another questionable testimony was given by one of my in-laws, a pastor, who says he has never gotten sick since he realized that it was his right as a Christian never to get sick again.  Never mind that the Bible gives ample evidence to refute this belief. Genuine, edifying testimonies that edify and encourage the body of Christ, confirm the Word of God, and glorify the Lord Jesus are almost a thing of the past.  Many Christians don’t even have a testimony, while still others don’t even know what a testimony is. This is a tragedy, because our testimony is second only to the Word of God in terms of importance.  In fact, if everything else were taken away from us: our house, our job, our clothes, our car, and our Bible, the only thing we would have left would be our testimony.  Without question, the Christian’s testimony is vitally Important. The purpose of this teaching is to explain: What a testimony is What a testimony does Types of testimony and their significance Why so many Christians lack a testimony Why you need a testimony How you can get a testimony (or get it back) How to protect your testimony WHAT A TESTIMONY IS   The Oxford English Dictionary defines testimony as 1. “Evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something” and 2. “A public recounting of a religious conversion or experience.” The word testimony is derived from the Latin testis, which means “a witness.” In a court of law, a witness is someone who has seen and/or heard something pertaining to a particular event and is willing to testify, or give his account, of what he has seen or heard. The Christian’s testimony, also called his witness, is his personal account of what the Lord Jesus has done and is doing in His life. WHAT A TESTIMONY DOES   A good testimony establishes the truth.  In a court of law, the witness’s testimony helps to establish the truth, by validating the testimony of others who claim to have seen the same thing. Likewise, the Christian’s testimony also helps to establish the truth, by confirming the testimony of the Bible and of its Author, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that by two or three witnesses the truth of a matter shall be established (Deuteronomy 19:15). Though the Bible stands alone as the ultimate source of truth and, therefore, does not need our testimony, our testimony is still called upon to witness the truth of the Bible. Christians are called to be witnesses for Jesus Christ, who is “The Truth” (John 14:6). The Christian, therefore, who does not have a testimony, in effect, calls Jesus Christ a liar.    A good testimony establishes our credibility.  In a court of law, the witness’s testimony establishes his credibility as well as the credibility of the person(s) on whose behalf he testifies. If the witness’s testimony is credible, then one may believe the witness and, therefore, anyone for whom he testifies. Conversely, if the witness’s testimony is not credible, then he will not be believed, and the credibility of anyone for whom he testifies will ultimately be called into question.  Likewise, our testimony establishes our credibility and that of the Person for whom we testify: the Lord Jesus Christ. If our testimony can be believed, then the testimony of Jesus Christ can also be believed. If, however, our testimony cannot be believed, then the credibility of the Lord Jesus will also be called into question. The measure of our credibility is the Holy Bible. If Scripture does not validate our testimony, then our testimony should not be believed, and we should be rejected as a false witness for Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). God never lies. So, while our testimony may be rejected, Jesus should not be. An example of a testimony that should be rejected is that of Angelica Zambrano, an Ecuadorian woman, who claims to have died and to have gone to Hell, where she met the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:31 makes it clear that He would not send anyone from Hell to testify of its existence, Angelica Zambrano should be rejected as a false prophet, and her testimony should be likewise rejected, because it contradicts the words of Jesus.   A good testimony confirms Scripture. Our testimony should confirm the testimony of the Bible and validate its truth. The Christian’s testimony of change, for example, confirms 2 Corinthians 5:17 which speaks of the New Birth.  “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.” Our testimony of enduring various trials and persecution for our faith confirms numerous passages of Scripture that testify that persecution is part of the Christian experience. Jesus said: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). Additionally, our testimony of perseverance in the face of persecution confirms 1 Corinthians 10:13,which says: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”   A good testimony confirms the attributes of God. God has many personal qualities, or attributes, which tell us something about His nature. A good testimony confirms what the Bible says about God’s personality. The very fact that we even have a testimony proves one very important thing about God: that although He is Sovereign, God is not so aloof that He is out of touch with His creation. God condescends to our level so that He can relate to us: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” “And, being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). One passage of Scripture that speaks to this is Hebrews 6:13,17: “When God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by himself…willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel.” God did not have to swear anything to sinful man, for we lie, but God always tells the truth. God did this for us because He loves us, and He wants to prove it. This is extremely important, for much of the world believes that God is so far removed from his creation that he could not possibly be interested in the daily affairs of men. The Christian who testifies that Jesus comforted him during a difficult time, confirms that Jesus is the “God of all Comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3) and “an ever present help in time of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).  The Christian who testifies to having been forsaken by friends and family during a dark and lonely time can testify that Jesus “sticks closer than any brother” (Proverbs 18:24).   And the Christian who has been forgiven much can testify that God is merciful (Exodus 37:6) and that “His mercy endureth forever” (Psalm 107:1).   A good testimony provides comfort. Our testimony can also be a source of comfort to someone going through a difficult time.  Jesus allows us to go through trials for many reasons. Arguably, the most important reason is to enable us to testify of how Jesus brought us through a difficult time. In this way we may be able to console and comfort someone else who is going through similar trials, and thereby give him hope. The Bible says, “[Jesus] comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” Scripture also says,  “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye should be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:3).  It is comforting to know that God has placed a limit on what He will allow us to go through. The knowledge that God “will not put more on us that we can bear” will comfort us during times of trial.   A good testimony gives hope. 2 Timothy Chapter 3 presents a picture of the lawlessness that would characterize the last days. We are seeing the fruition of this prophecy today, as people are growing colder and more hateful towards one another. All love has seemingly gone out the world. Parents are murdering their children with unprecedented frequency, while children, hardened by years of humanistic public education, have turned against their parents.  Consequently, many parents have given up any hope of ever regaining authority over their children and many children have given up hope that they will ever have a caring and loving relationship with their parents. This hopelessness has caused many to become sullen, despondent, and cynical.  Moreover, the present financial crisis has left many unemployed and even homeless, while the “lucky” ones are living paycheck to paycheck: their life savings depleted and their retirements put off indefinitely. With a global financial crisis inevitable, many look to the future with dread and apprehension. Substance abuse has increased dramatically as many seek to drown their sorrows in alcohol or self-medicate with drugs in a vain attempt to escape reality.            The Bible says that the day would come when men’s hearts would fail them for fear of the things that are going to come upon the world. Men will become disillusioned with the things in which they have placed their hope. With the loss of hope, they will lose the will to live. A person, who has lost hope, needs to know that there’s hope in Jesus Christ. He needs to know that God has promised to always provide for His children and those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior need not fear the future.  Many who name the name of Christ know what it is to be without hope and can testify to the power of a risen Savior to take away fear of the unknown and replace that fear with confidence, security, and joyful anticipation. Hope is what keeps the Christian grounded:   “We have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:18-19). A good testimony provides encouragement. In Philippians 1:14, the Apostle Paul writes that the church at Philippi waxed bold after he had been thrown into prison. Prison didn’t quench the fire that was within Paul, and this encouraged and emboldened the brethren. Our testimony of perseverance in the face of manifold temptations may have the same affect on those who see us patiently endure. Our testimony also encourages us when we are going through various trials. If you don’t have a testimony, you will lack hope and encouragement when hard pressed by the devil.  Jesus said that despite all the tribulation that would come our way, we should be of good cheer because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).  A Christian who doesn’t know this promise will lack encouragement, and will therefore lose hope when Satan comes against him.  A Christian with no hope is a Christian who is leaving in defeat. And a Christian who is living in defeat cannot be used of God.   A good testimony is a weapon in spiritual warfare. In my experience, Satan will orchestrate events in the life of the faithful Christian for the express purpose of beguiling him to react in a way that is improper for a follower of Jesus Christ.  The Bible calls Satan the “accuser of the brethren,” who accuses us before the throne of God day and night (Revelation 12:10). If we are not careful, Satan can tempt us to react in a way that is not Christian, and he can then use this as an opportunity to accuse us before God.   Satan’s ultimate goal in doing this is to steal our victory.  Satan knows that he has lost the battle for our souls, so he attempts to steal our victory by destroying our testimony of victory.  To do this, Satan influences people to say and do evil things to us for the express purpose of influencing us to react in a way that is not Christian.  We must be particularly vigilant, when things like these happen to us, not to react in a way that brings shame upon the cross of Christ.   Not only can Satan use our improper reaction as an opportunity to accuse us before God and steal our victory, but he can also use our reaction as a way to turn others off to the Gospel message.  The Bible says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual powers of darkness.  People are not our enemies, Satan and his host are.  We must never forget that our enemies are lost and cannot discern their left hand from their right.   They need salvation.  If we react to their persecution in a way that is unloving or uncharitable, we may very well turn them completely off to the gospel message, and, thus, lose any opportunity to win them for Jesus.   Moreover, we, as Christians are being watched 24/7.  You must understand that most people have no idea what Buddhists actually believe and practice, nor do they know what Hinduism, Mormonism, or most any other religion, actually believes and teaches. Yet, most everyone knows how Christians are supposed to act. They know all about Jesus commanding us to “turn the other cheek,” to love our enemies, and they are all too aware that we are admonished not to “return evil for evil.”  Whether we are justified or not, if we react inappropriately to persecution, we will be accused of being false Christians, and this may give God’s enemies an opportunity to blaspheme His name (2 Samuel 12:14). We must, therefore, resist the temptation to return evil for evil.  Every time we resist the temptation to act improperly, we add another testimony of victory to our arsenal. And, with each testimony, we not only become stronger and more able to resist Satan’s machinations, but we glorify the Lord Jesus and bring honor to His worthy name. We also prove to ourselves and to the unsaved world that we indeed have the victory over Satan through Jesus Christ. We need only live that victory.    A good testimony helps someone to make a decision In a court case, the witness’s testimony, combined with the persuasiveness of counsel, helps the jury to reach a decision. Our testimony does the same thing. The Christian’s desire should ultimately be to see the unrepentant sinner brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Our hope is that our testimony, combined with the persuasiveness of the Holy Spirit, will bring the person to whom we witness under conviction. And, God willing, while under conviction, he will be moved to repent and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive his sins and become his Lord and Savior.  We want him to make a decision for Jesus Christ.  And, even if he doesn’t make a decision, we want him to at least have the information he needs to make an informed decision.   This teaching is available on iTunes for playback on your favorite listening device.  Subscribe to our podcast today!  For your convenience, it is also provided below.     Click here for Part II of this teaching.  God bless you. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace to the children of promise and to all those who have bought the lie. I always admonish parents to keep the lines of communication open with their children at all times. We should always be talking to them and, most importantly, listening to them: feeling them out for signs of things that may be going on in their lives that they may be reluctant to tell us about or that they may not even know about or may be unable or unwilling to understand.  In so doing, we enable ourselves to read between the lines and to see things that on the surface may appear insignificant, but may actually be a sign of a potential spiritual problem. I have learned this lesson only in the last five or six years, after God alerted me to what Satan was doing to my family.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t that diligent with my first three children, as I was an unrepentant sinner for most of their lives, and thought that all a father had to do was bring home the bacon and scratch his private parts.  Thank God for the blood! Satan is always hard at work looking for a doorway into our children’s lives that he can use to bring them under bondage. If your child is saved, Satan knows that he has lost the battle for that child’s soul.  But he may still try to discourage the child and, if possible, to destroy his hope. Satan is subtle, clever, and very crafty, and he has many weapons in his arsenal by which he can come in under the radar of even the most diligent parent. One way Satan accomplishes this is through our children’s dreams. There are many theories abroad as to the purpose of dreams.  Some believe that dreams are a way that we process things that have happened during the day. Others believe that dreams are a window into the subconscious, and that it is through dreams that one’s fears and hopes are revealed.  But I have come to understand that for the Christian–especially the Christian child–dreams are a spiritual battleground: for it is through dreams that Satan attacks our children, trying to instill doubt, fear, and uncertainty in their minds, in an attempt to derail their faith. Satan knows that in their sleep, children are particularly vulnerable to spiritual attack. It has therefore become my custom to discuss my children’s dreams with them to try and discern if Satan is attacking their dreams and, if so, what he is trying to accomplish.  I have found that the best time to talk to my children about their dreams is at the dinner table, when they are usually very chatty.  It was actually my son who begun the tradition of recounting dreams at the dinner table.  One day the family had just sat down to eat dinner.  Immediately after saying grace, every head swung around and every eye but mine was glued to the television set.  Not a word was spoken for about five minutes. During the three years that my family and I were separated, my children had grown accustomed to watching television while eating, as my wife has had this habit for many years.  Now, I was faced with the sobering reality that the television set was like another member of the family: a surrogate father, who, during my absence, kept my children company and held everyone mesmerized with his captivating stories. Grieved in my spirit, I grabbed the remote and shut off the television.  I then explained that dinnertime should not only be a time to eat, but also a time for the family to sit together and talk and reconnect after having spent the better part of the day separated.  There was about two minutes of silence while my wife and children tried to process what had just happened and figure out what to do next. Suddenly, my son, who loathes uncomfortable silences, looks at me and says, “So what did you dream last night?” So I told him.  What happened next was a first for our family: for each person in turn began to share not only what he had dreamed the night before, but any dreams that were especially troubling, puzzling, or interesting.  It turned out they all had some pretty interesting dreams over the past few years that they simply had never thought to share with one another. I learned a lot from those dreams.  I learned, for instance, that, like me, they all had had dreams that ended with them falling from a very high place and waking just before hitting the ground. I learned that my son remembers even the most minute details of his dreams and retains those memories indefinitely, while my wife rarely remembers her dreams.  I also realized that I was in a lot of my children’s dreams.  For my part, I realized that it had been a long while since I last dreamed of my deceased father and brother.  It turned out that I learned more about my children from listening to their dreams than I had learned from any formal conversation with them to date. Let me give you a practical example of the value of dreams and their role in spiritual warfare.  When my wife and I were separated, I lived in the U.S. while she and the children lived in Germany.  Now, Munich is a Roman Catholic city in a Roman Catholic country, and my wife is also a Roman Catholic, although she attends a “Protestant” church.  So, to try and keep my children grounded in the truth, I would read the Bible with them over the telephone at least once a week, and I would try to give them a test over what we had read about once a month. It didn’t always work out, but we did our best to stay in the Word.   For years, there has been a concerted effort on the part of Satan to destroy my family, and one of the ways he has tried to do this is by attempting to destroy my children’s faith. During one of our Bible studies, I discerned by her questions that my middle daughter was beginning to have doubts.  Upon close examination, I realized that this was due in part to the teaching she was receiving in her ethics class. You may find it interesting to know that, at least in Munich, children are required to take classes in either Religion or Ethics.  I never let my children take the religion classes for fear they were in Roman Catholicism, and nothing is more dangerous for an immature Christian child than instruction in Roman Catholicism: a religion that claims that Jesus Christ is God Almighty, yet subordinates Him to an idol of stone and to a mere man.  I would therefore, let my children take Ethics, which I thought would be a safe alternative.  I was to find out later, however, that my daughter’s ethics classes are almost like a course in comparative theology, as they often discuss the cultural and ethical practices of other religions, especially Islam.  In fact, my children know more about Islam than I do. This was reinforced by the fact that at the time, my daughter’s three best “friends” were  German, Chinese, and Turkish: that is, Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and Muslim.  Theirs was the perfect ecumenical friendship, and I don’t think this was a coincidence.  I came to realize that quite often the conversations between my daughter and her friends took on a religious flavor.  I also noticed that her friends and other children in my daughter’s class were extremely versed in Christian doctrine, and would often tell her that Roman Catholicism was Christianity and that Muslims worship the same God as do the Christians.  Satan was going to work on her faith. The effect of this influence was that my daughter ended up having a dream in which Satan told her that she was not going to heaven.  All religions except true Christianity are works based, and, at least in the case of Roman Catholicism and Islam, have a myriad of rules and practices governing everything from prayer to diet and dress.  I believe that in my daughter’s eyes, the other religions made Christianity, which is grounded not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, look inferior and sorely lacking in works.  I realized that Satan was trying to plant seeds of doubt in my daughter’s mind. I anguished over how I could reassure my daughter that she was still saved, even though she had doubts. For days, I prayed for discernment from the Lord as to how best to proceed. Then God showed me a passage in the Bible that I was able to give my daughter to restore her hope.  It is 2 Timothy 2:13: “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” With this passage, I was able to get my daughter to see that it was alright to have doubts, especially for a child, because Satan is going to work overtime for the express purpose of destroying the Christian child’s faith, because he can’t have her soul.  I reminded my daughter how Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness and I told her that if Satan could try to deceive God, then it’s a forgone conclusion that he will do the same to us.  I showed her that 1 John 5:13 says that the Christian [child] already has eternal life, meaning that her name is already written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  And I reassured her that Jesus always keeps His promises.  Her salvation is guaranteed.  I especially taught her from Exodus 34:6 that although God is powerful, and terrible, He is merciful before He is anything else.  He understands our doubts, and will forgive them. I can’t tell you how happy she was that I shared this good news with her.  She was so relieved!  The best part is that she learned something about Jesus that she didn’t fully understand before.  She learned that He is merciful and that He extends this mercy to us every single day.  Jesus understands. We have kept up the tradition of discussing our dreams at the dinner table.  But, thankfully I haven’t had to deal with any major theological issues since that scare of three years past.  I have also noticed that my children’s dreams are a lot quieter now, for lack of a better term.  This may be due to the fact that during our bedtime prayers, we have made it a practice to pray that Jesus will keep Satan out of our dreams that we may have peaceful dreams, free of Satan’s devices.  I no longer turn the television off before dinner.  I just put the news on, which instantly turns our attention onto each other: that is, unless there is a news item that I think we should all see and discuss.  Switching on the news has become the unofficial cue for my son’s favorite dinnertime question: “So, what did you dream last night?” The free audio version of this discussion is available at the iTunes Store at our podcast, These Last Days.  For your convenience, it is also available below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. We have completed the fifth and final part of our narration of the book, Ravening Wolves. It is available from the iTunes Store at our podcast These Last Days where you can download it for free for playback on your favorite listening device.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. We have completed part four of our narration of the book, Ravening Wolves.  It is available at our podcast These Last Days at the iTunes Store for playback on your favorite listening device.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. We have completed part three of our narration of the book, Ravening Wolves.  It is available at our podcast These Last Days at the iTunes Store for playback on your favorite listening device.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. We have completed part two of our narration of the book, Ravening Wolves.  It is available at our podcast These Last Days at the iTunes Store for playback on your favorite listening device.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

We have completed part one of our narration of the book, Ravening Wolves.  It is available at our podcast These Last Days at the iTunes Store for playback on your favorite listening device.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace to the children of Light. A Roman Catholic devotee wrote me recently in response to our article, The Virgin Mary: The Star of the Sea.  She said that after reading the article, she was so distressed that she felt compelled to write me and guide me into a more perfect understanding of the Virgin Mary. As I read her letter, it became very clear that she was actually talking about two different Marys: one the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ; and another, the idol that Roman Catholics worship.  It is not difficult to distinguish the two: Mary, the mother of Jesus, is written about in the Bible, while the Virgin Mary is a product of Roman Catholic tradition, folklore, and ancient mythology.  The trouble is that when defending their teachings about Mary, Roman Catholics combine the two.  The result is essentially an un-Biblical hybrid that in no way resembles the mother of our Lord Jesus. This was something I had never before considered.  So, in answering the lady’s questions, I tried to get her to understand that Roman Catholic teachings on Mary are extra-Biblical, and are, therefore, heretical.  Any description of Mary or characteristics attributed to her that cannot be found in the Bible describe another Mary. In that this lady is very articulate and genteel in presenting her argument, and because her beliefs no doubt reflect the beliefs of the average Roman Catholic, I present her arguments here for the edification of the body of Christ.  Her remarks will be in bold type followed by my responses. Here is the original email: Click here for the original email.  [Begin letter] Dear [Name withheld]: Thank you for writing.  First of all, let me commend you for the gentleness with which you articulated your viewpoint.  You are not the first Roman Catholic who has differed with me, but you are by far the most charitable.  I will, therefore, strive to mirror your example. I’m grateful that you wrote me concerning the article Star of the Sea, and I’m not offended at all about what you had to say.  In fact, that you felt moved to write me means that the article struck a cord with you.  This could be a good thing, because all of my articles, including Star of the Sea, quote either the Bible, historical writings, and/or, ironically, Roman Catholic sources to the effect that the Virgin Mary is the goddess, Semiramis.  Therefore, to gainsay them is to actually doubt the truth, including what those in your own church say on the matter. 99% of what you wrote me about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and what the Roman Catholic church teaches about her, cannot be found in the Bible.  This, coupled with your devotion to the Virgin Mary and the fact that the Douay-Rheims version of the Holy Bible, which you quoted, being based on the corrupted Alexandrian texts, does not agree with the King James Version.  This leads me to believe that it would be futile to try to convince you that Mary worship is unbiblical by quoting Bible verses to that effect. You strike me as a very articulate, intelligent, and thinking individual.  I will, therefore, attempt to appeal to that individual using the Douay-Rheims bible to prove that what the Roman Catholic church teaches about Mary, the mother of Jesus, is un-Biblical, and that this proves that the Virgin Mary and the Biblical Mary are not the same person.  They are two separate Marys.  For this reason, the Roman Catholic is compelled to go outside the Bible when attempting to justify Mary worship. For the Christian, our beliefs are nothing unless the Bible can back them up.  Because so much of what you wrote me concerning your beliefs cannot be found in the Bible, I will not try to address all of your concerns.  Let us, therefore, limit our discussion to those points on which the Douay-Rheims and the King James agree.  Your points will be in boldface followed by my responses.  All scripture references, unless otherwise stated, are taken from the Douay-Rheims version of the Bible. “There are so many things that are mistaken in your understanding of Mary.” That is because we are actually talking about “Two Marys.”  My understanding of Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes from the Bible.  Your understanding of the Virgin Mary is a mixture of Roman Catholic tradition and the Bible: a hybrid.  So much of what Roman Catholicism teaches about the Virgin Mary is extra-biblical, that it should be clear to any thinking person that the Virgin Mary is not Mary, the mother of Jesus, but someone else.  It is for this reason that I, as you say, read about “ancient pagan deities.”  For the characteristics of the Roman Catholic Virgin Mary agree marvelously with the characteristics attributed to the goddess Semiramis, who was, and is, worshipped all over the world under various names.  One only need compare the attributes of these goddesses with those of the Roman Catholic Virgin Mary to bear this out. The attribute that is the most obvious is that of virginity.  If the Virgin Mary is the Biblical Mary, the mother of Jesus, why does the Roman Catholic church continue to call her a virgin?  It doesn’t make sense.  The Bible only refers to Jesus’ mother Mary as a virgin in one passage of Scripture: “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”Luke 1:26-27 In no other place in the Bible is Mary called a virgin.  If, after giving birth to Jesus, Mary never gave birth to another child, then she technically would have remained a virgin for the rest of her life.  But the Bible clearly teaches that Mary had other children: “Is not this the carpenter’s son?  Is not His mother called Mary, and His brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude: And His sisters, are they not all with us?”Matthew 13:55-56 If Mary had other children, then she did not remain a virgin.  Furthermore, if Mary was still a virgin, why did Luke not write, “Is not His mother called “The Virgin Mary?”  Is there any mother on planet earth who, after giving birth multiple times, as the Biblical Mary did, is still referred to as a virgin?  Of course not.  Why, then, does the Roman Catholic church continue to call Mary “The Virgin?” I submit it is because the Virgin Mary is not the mother of Jesus, but Semiramis, the “Virgin Queen of Babylon” (Isaiah 47:1), who, like the Virgin Mary, was also called “The Lady” (Isaiah 47:5).  I wrote about this at length in several articles such as A Goddess By Any Other Name; The Star of Your God; and The Roman Catholic Church, Zionism, Stars, and Seashells. You would do well to read them. “[The Virgin Mary is] neither idol nor pagan goddess…” I disagree.  An idol is essentially an object of worship.  The Roman Catholic Virgin Mary is a statue, which makes it an object, and this statue is worshipped, which makes it an idol.  Some Roman Catholics deny this, saying that the Virgin Mary is “adored” rather than worshipped.  But, in that prayer is a form of worship, and Roman Catholics pray to the Virgin Mary, then Roman Catholics worship the Virgin Mary.  The Bible says that anything that is worshipped other than God is an idol.  Mary is not God, yet Roman Catholics worship her.   The Virgin Mary is, therefore, an idol by definition and in practice, though you may not appreciate that distinction. But let us say, for the sake of argument, that the Virgin Mary is really the mother of Jesus (which it is not).  Roman Catholics pray to Mary.  Prayer, besides being a form of worship, is the way humans speak to God.  God is alive, so it is okay to speak to Him.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, however, is dead.  Roman Catholics, therefore, in praying to Mary, are actually praying to a dead woman.  Communicating with the dead is a form of witchcraft called necromancy, and is forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:11). So, whether the Virgin Mary is really the mother of Jesus or not, Mary worship is idolatry and witchcraft.  Roman Catholics, therefore, are guilty of idolatry and witchcraft.  They are truly between a rock and a hard place. “[The Virgin Mary is] the Mother of God…” If Mary, the mother of Jesus, were the “mother of God,” as you say, then she would, in fact, be God: as much as Jesus, being the Son of God, makes Him God.  That would mean that Mary was sinless.  Now, we know that Roman Catholicism holds to the very un-Biblical doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception”: the doctrine that Mary was born without original sin.  If this were true, however, then the Bible would be a lie, for the Bible teaches, “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23).  That includes Mary.  Only Jesus was born sinless. But, for the sake of argument, let us say that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the “Mother of God” (and, therefore, God) and sinless.  If this were true, then Mary should have been able to pay our sin debt.  Being mortal, she would have been able to shed her blood for our sins, in accordance with Hebrews 9:27, and she would have been able to die for us, in accordance with Romans 6:23.  And being God, she would have been able to rise from the dead, as the Lord Jesus did, thus having victory over death and guaranteeing the resurrection of all those who are in Christ. In short, if Mary were born sinless and was God, then she had all of the qualifications to die on the cross for our sins and to rise again on the third day.  If this were true, then why was Mary only chosen to be the vessel for the Deliverer, our Lord Jesus?  Why was she not chosen to die and shed her blood for the sins of the world?  Why did Jesus have to suffer and die at all?  The answer is simple: because Mary was not sinless. And if, according to the Bible, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was not sinless, then she cannot be the Virgin Mary, which the Roman Catholic church teaches was born without sin. I could quote the book of Luke wherein we read that Mary, after giving birth to Jesus, went to Jerusalem to offer a sin sacrifice.  But you would likely dismiss it, since it is customary for Roman Catholics to defer to their tradition to justify the Virgin Mary’s “sinlessness.”  And they would have to, since this doctrine is not Biblical. You should think about this very carefully, as you are saying that the Virgin Mary will redeem mankind.  This goes against the Bible, which teaches that Jesus Christ redeemed us with His own blood.  There is no need for Mary or anyone else to do anything.  Jesus “paid it all.” “If you subscribe to the Protestant doctrine of Sola Scriptura “by scripture [sic] alone” there is plenty of evidence to show that Mary is an important figure in the Bible.” This is true on many levels.  It is true that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was an important figure in the Bible, as she gave birth to our Savior.  It is also true that the Virgin Mary, the Babylonian goddess, is an important figure in the Bible.  As the Abomination of Desolation, she will order the execution of all who will not bow down and worship her (Revelation 13:15).  So yes, both Marys are important figures in the Bible. “It would be well to stick to the Bible, also, rather than reading about ancient pagan “deities.” No one would benefit more from “sticking” to that advice than the Roman Catholic church.  But if it did, the Roman Catholic religion would implode overnight.  You must understand that one must read about ancient pagan deities in order to understand The Virgin Mary, because what is attributed to the Virgin Mary cannot be found in Scripture, but can actually be found in ancient mythology and folklore.  That is because what is taught about the Virgin Mary can be attributed to pagan deities like Diana, Artemis, Venus, Aphrodite, and other goddesses.  In fact, they are all the same goddess: Semiramis. “How many humans can say that they are “highly favored” by God?  Mary could.  In the King James Luke 1:30-31, the angel Gabriel, God’s messenger tells her so.  She also is pre-figured in Genesis as the woman who will correct the error of Eve 3:15.” It is true that Mary is called “highly favored,” being chosen as the vessel to bring the Lord Jesus into the world.  It is not true, however, that Mary is “full of grace,” as the Roman Catholic church teaches, and that she may impart this grace onto anyone.  As a matter of fact, Mary received God’s grace herself in that she was a sinner and, yet, was still chosen to give birth to the Son of God. Neither is it correct to say that Mary will “correct the error of Eve.”  I won’t debate Genesis 3:15 with you, because, as you point out, the Douay-Rheims translation differs from the King James.  Let us therefore hear what the Bible has to say regarding your claim that the sin was Eve’s and that Mary will correct that sin. Let me begin by stating that nowhere does the Bible say that the first sin was Eve’s, though the Bible clearly states that Eve was deceived and not Adam (1 Timothy 2:14).  God blamed Adam for Eve’s transgression, because she was his wife, and he should not have let her be deceived.  But it is clear that the sin was Adam’s: “To the woman also [God] said: I will multiply thy sorrows, and thy conceptions: in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee. “And to Adam He said: Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work: with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life.”Genesis 3:16-17 Notice that the earth was cursed for Adam’s sin, not for Eve’s.  This is because God had given Adam dominion over the earth before Eve was even created: “And the Lord God having formed out of the ground all the beasts of the earth, and all the fowls of the air, brought them to Adam to see what he would call them: for whatsoever Adam called any living creature the same is its name.  And Adam called all the beasts by their names, and all the fowls of the air, and all the cattle of the field: but for Adam there was not found a helper like himself.”Genesis 2:19-20 God brought all the animals to Adam, who then named them.  There is a very simple principle at work here: he, who names a thing, owns a thing.  Adam was the master of the earth and all that is in it, so, God gave Adam the right to name the animals.  Adam was responsible for the earth.  It was Adam’s actions, therefore, that would affect the earth, not Eve’s.  This is why God blamed Adam, and not Eve. Sin is a curse (Galations 3:13).  So when the passage says that the earth is cursed, it is talking about original sin (Romans 5:12).  In that you state that Mary had to correct the sin, because Eve sinned, then you know something about God’s idea of justice: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Therefore, since the earth was cursed because of Adam, and Adam was a man, then his sin had to be corrected by a Man, in accordance with God’s idea of justice. And the Bible backs this up.  Consider these passages from the Douay-Rheims: “For if by the offence of one (Adam), many died: much more the grace of God and the gift, by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.Romans 5:15  “For if by one man’s offence death reigned through one; much more they who receive abundance of grace and of the gift and of justice shall reign in life through one [Man], Jesus Christ.Romans 5:18 “For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners: so also by the obedience of one [Man], many shall be made just”  (Romans 5:15,18,19).Romans 5:19 As you can see, the Bible clearly teaches that, because Adam sinned, his sin had to be corrected by a Man, not a woman.  And the Bible makes it clear that it was no ordinary man who paid for our sin, but the only Man who could: Jesus Christ. So, the idea that the Virgin Mary must correct the sin of Eve, is, again, not Biblical.  It is, therefore, by definition, a heresy. “Notice how many times in the Bible when Jesus addresses Mary, he [sic] calls her “Woman.” It is to highlight and correlate that she is the woman in Genesis, and the woman in Revelation.” You go on to quote Revelation 12:1 “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (representing both the 12 tribes of Israel & the 12 apostles, your words).  If the woman in the passage is Mary, as you say, then why doesn’t the passage read, “And Mary appeared in heaven?”  Think about this. I’m aware that the Roman Catholic church teaches that it is true Israel, and that it uses the six-pointed “Star of David” to signify this.  Besides being a heresy, because the Roman Catholic church was begun by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who was not Jewish (hence the term, Roman Catholicism), nowhere does the Bible use a six-pointed star to represent Israel.  The Bible uses several symbols for Israel, including animals.  But there are only three instances, to my knowledge, where the Bible speaks of stars in relation to Israel.  One instance, which you mentioned, is Revelation 12:1.  The others are Amos 5:26 and Acts 7:43, respectively. With respect to Revelation 12:1, it is important to understand that the woman and the crown of stars are symbolic: you yourself admitted this, when you said that the twelve stars represent Israel and the Twelve Apostles.  That the passage begins with “And a great sign appeared in heaven” (Revelation 12:1), reinforces this.  A sign is an omen, a portent.  This is our cue that the passage is symbolic.  Again, you know this, as you say that the twelve stars are symbolic of Israel. Now, we know that the child is Jesus.  But you say that the woman is Mary.  If that is true, then where does Scripture speak of a dragon standing before Mary waiting to devour the baby Jesus?  I can tell you that nowhere in Scripture can that be found. As a matter of fact, if one continues to read the passage, it goes on to say: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.”  Revelation 12:9 The woman, the crown of stars, and the dragon are symbols. Inasmuch as the woman and the crown of stars are symbols, then the woman means nothing without the crown of stars, and the crown of stars means nothing without the woman.  In the Bible, a woman is symbolic of a religion.  The woman, therefore, with the crown of twelve stars, represents the twelve tribes of the God of Israel. With respect to the second and third instances, where a star is mentioned in relation to Israel, it is important to understand that it is connection with idolatry: “But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images (idols), the star of your god.”Amos 5:26 “Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them.”Acts 7:43 According to the Bible, the star is a symbol of a pagan deity.  Bear that in mind as we continue. Now, the woman of Revelation 12 wears a crown of stars, not a single star.  The Roman Catholic church uses the six-pointed star, the so-called Star of David, to represent the Virgin Mary, having given birth to Jesus, who was of the House of David. But consider something: If the Roman Catholic church uses the so-called Star of David because the woman of Revelation 12 is really the Roman Catholic church, then why does the Roman Catholic church also use the five-, seven-, and eight-pointed stars to symbolize Mary?  Are these also used to represent Israel?  If so, where can references to Israel and the five-, six-, seven-, or eight-pointed stars be found in the Bible?  I know that you cannot tell me, because the Bible doesn’t speak of any star that represents Israel.  The Bible does, however, mention the apostate Jews having worshipped a star to represent Chiun and Remphran: both names for a pagan deity. If you say that the Roman Catholic church does not use the five-, six-, seven-, and eight-pointed stars to represent the Virgin Mary, then consider what Marielena Montesino de Stuart, a prominent Roman Catholic, former Florida senatorial candidate, and writer for Renew America, said in an article entitled, It’s all in the stars…Socialism and the Vatican: Why is the Vatican so concerned over a five-pointed yellow star?: “Is the five-pointed star found in Mariology (Mary Worship)? Of course! The Assumption of Mary in Attard, Malta and the Miraculous Medal, as revealed by the Virgin Mary to Saint Catherine Labouré.”  [Parentheses mine.] “Is the six-pointed star found in Mariology? Of course!  The image of the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima was made according to indications by Sister Lúcia, and was a gift from the Bishop of Leiria – and solemnly crowned by the Archbishop of Évora, on May 13, 1947.” “Is the seven-pointed star found in Mariology? Of course!  Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel, Belgium.” About the eight-pointed star, the Catholic Herald says this: “The eight-pointed star has always symbolized Mary in Catholic church tradition.” Again, I ask you: where does the Holy Bible mention the five-, six-, seven-, and eight-pointed stars being symbols for Mary or for Israel?  Answer: nowhere.  If it is not in the Bible, but is taught as doctrine, then it is, by definition, a heresy. Again, the Virgin Mary is not the mother of Jesus, but an ancient goddess that was worshipped the world over under different names, including Mary. “Mary is the favored one of God, deemed worthy to be a vessel for the Son of God, who said Yes and gave herself totally to the will of God, and reversed the No of Eve in order to bring salvation to humanity.” The first part of this statement is very true: Mary was deemed worthy to be the vessel to bring the Son of God into this world.  The second part, however, is false.  Mary was not deemed worthy to bring salvation to humanity, because she could not. To prove this, let us first define salvation.  According to the Bible, salvation is deliverance from: The power and effects of sin (Romans 5:12)This “present evil world” (Galations 1:4)The “curse of the law” (Galations 3:13)Bondage to sin (Galations 4:3, Romans 6:6)Death (Romans 6:23)Hell (Matthew 10:28)Judgment (Revelation 19:13)The “second death” (Revelation 19:14-15) Because of Adam’s sin, we are all condemned to die (Romans 5:12).  We need, therefore, only concern ourselves with point 5: deliverance from death.  The only way to save, or redeem from death was through the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:27) and death (Romans 6:23).  But not any man could redeem us, because the Bible says that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), and are condemned to die.  A normal man could not die for our sins, because, being a sinner, he would stay dead.  A dead man cannot offer anyone eternal life. Only one man could shed his blood, die, and get back up.  That man was Jesus Christ.  Being sinless, He could shed his blood and die for us, paying our sin debt.  And being God, He could rise from the dead, thus having victory over death and ensuring our eternal life.  For if He could raise Himself, He can certainly raise us up. Mary died and stayed dead.  She is waiting on the Resurrection just like all Christians are.  Jesus, however, after dying, got back up.  He, then, is the only One who could save us. It was not the “No” of Eve that condemned us, but the “No” of Adam; for he “hearkened unto his wife.”  And, as we have already seen in Romans 5, it was not the “Yes” of Mary that brought salvation, but the “Yes” of Jesus.  How?  Because Jesus obeyed the Father: “[Jesus] humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8 So, though it is true that Mary was worthy enough to give birth to our Savior, she was not worthy enough to redeem mankind. Further proof of this is Revelation Chapter 5, wherein we read that the Apostle John, in his vision, saw God the Father sitting on His throne, holding a book sealed with seven seals: “And I saw, in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book, written within and without, sealed with seven seals.  “And I saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof? “And no man was able, neither in heaven nor on earth nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look on it.“And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it. “And one of the ancients said to me: Weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. “And I saw: and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the ancients, a Lamb standing, as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes: which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.“And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne.”Revelation 5:1-7 We all know that Jesus is the Lamb of God and the Root of David.  Now, if Mary, as you say, brought salvation to humanity, why was she not found worthy to take the book from the hand of God?  Why was only Jesus worthy enough? I can show you better than I can tell you.  From the Douay-Rheims: “And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book and to open the seals thereof: because thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation: “And hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the ancients (and the number of them was thousands of thousands), “Saying with a loud voice: The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and benediction.”Revelation 5:9-12 Now if the Virgin Mary, or any Mary, for that matter, were worthy of the accolades that the Roman Catholic church bestows upon the Virgin Mary, why does the Bible not bestow these honors upon it/her?  Because Mary was not nailed to a cross: Jesus was.  Because Mary did not shed her blood: Jesus did.  Because Mary was not slain:  Jesus was.  And because Mary did not rise on the third day: Jesus did. You made a great many other un-Biblical claims.  But it would not be edifying to address them.  Let us, therefore, examine your claim regarding my family life: “This may be hard to hear, friend, but if your zeal for your vision of faith is putting enmity between you and your wife, and bringing sadness to your children, then it cannot be of God.  For all that is of God, brings peace, wholeness, harmony and love.” Again, though I believe you mean these words in all sincerity, you are woefully misinformed about the nature of the Christian life.  There are just too many verses in the Bible to prove that faithfulness to Jesus and the Word of God brings nothing, if not enmity—even between a husband and wife. Jobs trials were of God, and it cost him his health, his prosperity, his children, his birth family, his friends, and his relationship with his wife.  For Job’s wife told him: “Curse God, and die.”Job 2:9 (KJV) Not a very nice thing for a wife to say to her husband. The Douay-Rheims renders the passage, “Bless God, and die,” but the sentiment is nevertheless the same.  Job’s wife wanted him to die.  Now, to my knowledge, Job’s wife was not a Roman Catholic.  Yet his faithfulness to God was a problem for her, for she prefaced this imperative by saying, “Doth thou still retain thine integrity?” (KJV).  Job’s wife thought that as a result of God’s actions, Job should have renounced Him, just as the Devil said he would.  But Job wasn’t having any of it. Faithfulness to God is enmity with the world. You say that God brings peace.  What I think you meant to say is that God only brings peace.  This, of course, is not true: for Jesus Himself said: “Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword.” For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s enemies shall be they of his own household.”Matthew 10:34-36 Was Jesus a warmonger?  I think not.  What He was saying was that if a man would be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus, though he will have peace inwardly, he will have war outwardly—maybe (READ especially) in his own family.  Not everyone wants to the do the will of God. Don’t think for one minute that I regret what has happened to my family because of my faithfulness to Jesus.  As unpleasant as it has been, I rejoice that it has happened—and is happening—because it has proved to me that the Word of God is true.  My trials have resulted in most of the material you will find on this site, which have brought some to a saving knowledge of Jesus, led others into a greater knowledge of God’s will for His people, given still others victory over sin, and a great many more deliverance from bondage.  What a blessing! Many people talk about their faith, but believe me when I say I put Jesus to the test—I had to in order to pass through what I have and come out SANE, not to mention with my faith intact.  And Jesus passed with flying colors.  Only when you have passed through the fire can you really know the keeping power of Jesus.  Only then can you claim to really know Him, which is why Paul said that to know Jesus is “to know the fellowship of His sufferings.” A warm and fuzzy is good for some things.  But only hardship and tribulation bring you closer to Jesus.  While the extent of most people’s Christian experience is singing hymns, church picnics, Gospel concerts, and saying “Have a blessed day,” my family is involved in daily spiritual warfare.  And believe it or not, we are stronger than ever for it. As for my children being sad, their sadness comes only when they are at school being persecuted by their Roman Catholic and Muslim classmates.  This is done in a very slick way, out of sight of the casual observer, but it is done.  Outside the classroom and at home, they are some of the happiest, most polite, most well adjusted children you will ever meet.  The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:3 that in the last days, people would be “despisers of those that are good” (KJV).  That can’t be truer than it is today. The difficulties my wife and I have experienced are the result of truth being yoked to error.  In that my wife is Roman Catholic, according to the Bible, we are “enemies for the gospel’s sake.”  I love her in spite of this enmity, however, and I believe this is the way God wants all Christians to love Roman Catholics.  They too, are souls for whom Christ Jesus died.  You have to love a Roman Catholic to tell him the truth.  Her religion notwithstanding, God has sanctified my wife for our children’s sakes (1 Corinthians 7:14).  So there is always a chance that she will one day come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  That is the day I pray for. “With love and peace in Christ, and all prayers for your salvation and that of your whole family, because no one gets to Heaven without a battle.” I trust you mean well, when you say you will pray for my salvation.  But you have absolutely no idea how terribly deceived you are.  You are praying for my salvation, yet your own soul is in jeopardy! You worship an idol contrary to Scripture.  You adore (worship) a piece of bread (the Eucharist) as Jesus, contrary to Scripture.  You call a mere man, the Roman Catholic pope, “Holy Father”: a name reserved exclusively for God the Father (John 17:11).  What blasphemy!  You believe in a mythical Purgatory, where you believe you must go to have your sins purged or burned off, contrary to Scripture, and, in so doing, you spit on the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus.  For when He hung on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” Wasn’t Jesus’ blood good enough?  Wasn’t His suffering good enough?  Wasn’t His death good enough?  What, then, could you, the Virgin Mary, or anyone else possibly add to this?  Can’t you see how deceived you are, how you’ve been lied to? You rightfully say that Satan is the father of lies.  But you are marvelously blind to the fact that his greatest deception is the Roman Catholic church, to which you have given your blind trust, and which, in return for your loyalty, has condemned your soul to the Lake of Fire burning with fire and brimstone. Instead of hearing the Lord Jesus say, “Well done!” you are in danger of hearing Him say, “Depart from me, ye wicked, into everlasting fire!” No, my dear child, I will pray for your salvation. Tony   [End letter] As you can see, this dear soul’s mind has been corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  And she truly believes she is a Christian and is praying for my salvation!  Now can you see why I do what I do?  Saints, we must reach the Roman Catholics, while there’s still time.  There are precious few hours of daylight left.   If you are a Roman Catholic who has been blinded by Roman Catholic fables and traditions, and you now want to seek a return to the faith that was once delivered unto the saints, then click here now.   The podcast of this teaching is available at the iTunes store, for playback on your favorite listening device.  Subscribe to our podcast today!  For your convenience, we have also provided it below. [powerpresshttps://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theselastdays/050_twomarys1.mp3 Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.   The Still Man   

“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the selpechre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:1-6). You may want to listen to our Resurrection Day 2013 podcast.  For your convenience it is also provided below. Happy Resurrection day, Saints!

  Grace and peace, Saints. Children play an integral role in Satan’s plan to destroy Protestant Biblical Christianity and establish his satanic New World Order. In Nazi Germany, Hitler used children to spy on their parents and inform the government if they said or did anything that was contrary to the Nazi regime. He bolstered the children’s egos, telling them that they didn’t need to listen to their parents and that he was their father instead of their natural father. Children were taught to trust their teachers instead of their parents, and they were told to do away with God, religion, and priests. Hitler was their God. Teachers taught the children that corporal punishment was wrong and the children were taught to inform their teachers whenever their parents used harsh disciplinary measures on them. Parents could get into big trouble and even have their children taken away from them if they used corporal punishment. The result of this programming was that parents began to fear their children, and the children effectively became the heads of their households, as the government made it very difficult for parents to effect any authority over their children. Hitler also made it mandatory for children to begin school at a very early age (kindergarten) to get the children out of the parents’ hands and begin the Socialist programming as soon as possible. Eventually, parents saw their children for only a few hours a day, as the State essentially became the children’s parents. Children are very important to the New World Order. As I related to you in Blessed Are Ye, my children are being persecuted by their Roman Catholic and Muslim classmates, especially my son, who is constantly harassed. Let me tell you something: some of the children in my son’s school behave in a manner that can only be described as bizarre. Bizarre. They don’t play as normal children play. They don’t talk as normal children talk. They don’t even move as normal children move. These children’s words, movements, and behavior are just plain strange.   I believe these children have been subjected to a form of mind control, because they do not exhibit what people of a sound mind would consider normal behavior.  For one, they are incredibly aggressive, and it doesn’t seem to take much to set them off.  They fight constantly, and though much of this activity seems to be choreographed, their anger is nonetheless real.  They are extremely unstable.  They can be laughing one moment, and crying the next.  Often, when they are playing, if one listens closely one will notice that they are mostly just screaming. I have read that this type of behavior is common in children that have been abused or are survivors of war.  I believe something has been done to some of these children, especially those in my son’s class: not just because they behave strangely, but also because they sometimes behave evilly. Let me give you an example. There are two girls in my son’s class, who appear to be around ten years of age. These girls behave very strangely. Once, for example, I was talking to my son as I always do before he goes into class. We normally talk a bit in the hallway, and I usually tell him something uplifting and encouraging, sometimes telling him a joke and even praying with him before he goes into class. I do this to prepare him mentally and spiritually for what he will have to endure. On this occasion, while we were talking, the two girls were laughing and talking beside us while taking off their coats and hanging them on the coat rack next to the classroom door. I patted my son on the shoulder and bid him goodbye, as he walked into the classroom. When I turned around to leave, I almost tripped over something and had to catch myself before I did.  The girls had placed their book bags right behind my feet, one beside the other.  At that, the girls picked up their bags and walked into the classroom laughing and talking as though nothing had happened. I have many such examples of bizarre and evil behavior that my son’s classmates and other children in his school have exhibited; sometimes against me, mostly against my son.  This particular example illustrates the eerie Children of the Corn manner in which these children behave. It is really chilling. Now, for a long time I wondered how the enemy could get children to do this sort of thing.  In his book, The Franklin Cover-up: Child Abuse, Satanism, and Murder in Nebraska, John DeCamp wrote that children were used by satanic forces in our government for the purpose of blackmailing certain politicians into doing their bidding. He said that children were reportedly used as sex slaves, drug couriers, and in human sacrifice rituals, and that mind control was used on the children to get them to do what their handlers wanted. Believe it or not, I have seen this same behavior in children as young as four and five years old.  And let me tell you something, it will get your attention. I wondered how it was possible to do this to a child.  How can a mere child be compelled to do such evil things? Then I read the book, From Rome to Christ, the testimony of Protestant evangelist, Monica Farrell. Through this book, I began to understand how something like this would be possible. On page 23 under the heading, “Robe of Christ’s Righteousness,” she writes: “Seven years of age is a most important time in the life of a Roman Catholic. Seven years is the age of reason. Roman Catholics believe that from then upwards a child is capable of going to hell; hence the necessity for children of seven years to make their confession.“As a tiny child, I dreaded coming to the age of seven. I was terrified that I should die and go to hell. We were often warned about the day of general judgment, when we should have to stand alone before God, surrounded by all the saints and angels and devils. Everybody that ever lived would witness our judgment, and every thought and word and deed would be exposed to the whole world.“I used to picture myself standing there, and I was certain it would mean that I should be condemned to hell for all eternity. I tried repeatedly to think of a way to escape this awful judgment.” Can you imagine that? What should a child know about fear? And why should a child, who thinks he or she is a Christian, fear Hell? The Christian child does not fear Hell, because he knows he is not going there. The Christian child knows that Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for his sin and died the death that he should have. The Christian child will not go to Hell, but to Heaven. But, as you can see by Monica Farrell’s testimony, the Roman Catholic child does not have this assurance. Roman Catholics believe that at seven years of age, a child is eligible to go to Hell, and that he will be judged by the Lord Jesus in the presence of the holy angels. This must absolutely terrify the average Roman Catholic child. We know that children have a very vivid imagination, and they don’t need much to envision the worst case for any scenario. This is especially true of today’s children, by the way, because children’s television programs, if you haven’t noticed by now, are all about instilling fear in children. Why do children fear spiders? Television. Why do children fear the dark? Television. Why do children fear monsters under the bed? Television. Television is all about fear. That’s why today’s children are so full of fear. But it is not natural for children to live in fear, especially very young children. A child’s worst fear ought to be that his parents will find out that he was fighting in school, or that he got an F in Math. Children ought not to be afraid that they are going to go to Hell. And if you think about it, most children won’t be afraid that they will go to Hell, because if they’re not Christians, Hell won’t be something that they will be taught. And if they are Christians, they will learn that Jesus died to keep them out of Hell, and that they only have to accept Him as their Lord and Savior if they want to miss it. But Roman Catholicism doesn’t teach children that. Roman Catholicism teaches children that they must work their way into Heaven, as Farrell tells us on p. 24: “I knew the Lord Jesus died on Calvary, and had He not died nobody could get to Heaven. What I did not know was that because He died anybody could go to heaven. We were told that the death of Christ opened the gate to heaven, but that you had to work your own way in, and that was just what I couldn’t do. So to all intents and purposes, the gate of heaven might just as well have been closed.” Can you imagine what this must be like for a young child? First the Roman Catholic child is taught from very young to fear hell. Next he is taught to fear the age of seven, because, at that age, he can go to hell if he dies.  Then he is taught that Jesus’ death made it possible for him to go to heaven, but that it merely opened the door.  In order to get into heaven, he must work his way in. What a horrible way to spend one’s life: in constant fear of dying and going to Hell. For Monica Farrell, this problem did not get any better with age: “As I grew older this plan seemed to be impossible, as I was growing much too big to be tucked away (into her mother’s skirt to avoid judgment). So the dream (of how she was going to escape judgment) faded, but the problem of how to get to heaven remained” (p. 24). [Boldface and parentheses mine.] If we can believe Farrell’s testimony, then the average Roman Catholic must grow up saddled with the dilemma of how to get to heaven. He is not told that Jesus did all the work on the cross at Calvary, and that all we need do is believe that the work that he did on the cross was sufficient to get us into heaven. He is told that he must get into heaven on the strength of his own good works. I once witnessed to a woman who was certain that she was a Christian. But when I asked her whether she would go to heaven if she were to die today, she said that she didn’t know, because she wasn’t sure if she had been “good enough” to get in. If this sentiment is typical of most Roman Catholics, then the average Roman Catholic must live in a perpetual state of uncertainty and fear, because he can never really be sure if he has been “good enough” to get into heaven. But there is more. Not only is the Roman Catholic saddled with doubt about his own future in eternity, but he must also worry about his loved ones in eternity. Roman Catholicism teaches the very unbiblical doctrine of Purgatory, a mythical place between Heaven and Hell. Roman Catholics are taught that they must go and remain in this place until all their sins are burned, or purged, away. Farrell says this: “The very best Rome can offer to a departed soul is Purgatory, and the torments of Purgatory are supposed to be as bad as Hell. The only difference is that the soul in Purgatory eventually gets out of the flames and into heaven: “[B]ut this may not be for hundreds of years, and in the meantime the only relief or comfort to the Roman Catholic is to have masses said for the repose of the soul of the loved ones. These masses cost money. There is a common saying in Ireland among Romanists (Roman Catholics): “High money, high mass; low money, low mass; no money, no mass.“As I was only a child and had no money, I could have no masses said, so that night after night I lay in bed breaking my heart crying, as I thought of my dear, gentle, loving mother burning in those awful flames.“I used to wish I could get into the fire instead of mother, even if it were for a little while. I used to think, ‘I wouldn’t scream, and I wouldn’t cry, I’d try and bear it as long as I could to relieve poor mother’; but, of course, it was impossible to do anything, and so the only relief was to be found in tears till time healed the wound” (p. 6). So, the Roman Catholic child is not only burdened with the weight of an eternity in flames, but, if he has lost parents or loved ones, he must also deal with the guilt of not being able to relieve the suffering of those loved ones burning in Purgatory. For the Roman Catholic of little or no means, this could mean a lifetime of guilt, despair, and psychological trauma.  Again, the children in question at my son’s school exhibit signs that have been associated with psychological and emotional trauma. Let me share with you a practical example of what such teaching can do to a person.  Once I visited the website of a radio station back home in St. Louis, Missouri. On the website, a popular radio personality had posted a video where he related that he had been worried lately about whether his deceased father were “alright.” One day, he said, his cousin called him and told him that he had found a photo of the D.J.’s father and mother. The man took this as a sign from his father that he was “alright.” This is evidence that the problem of fear among Roman Catholics is real and doesn’t go away with age; for this radio personality is over fifty years old, and he is a Roman Catholic. If he had been a Christian, he wouldn’t have been worried about his father, for the Bible says that when we die, we are “absent from the body, [but] present with the Lord.”  Again, a Roman Catholic doesn’t have this assurance. So not only is he in fear about his own soul, but he is also in fear about the souls of his loved ones. From his youth through adulthood, and all the way to old age, the Roman Catholic knows nothing if not fear. Now imagine what Satan could do with that. Imagine what a person would be willing to do to avoid going to hell. Imagine what a child would do to ease the suffering of a loved one in “Purgatory.” Many an adult could be coerced into doing something reprehensible to save his own life. Satan knows this all to well, as in the Book of Job, Satan says, “Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life” (Job 2:4).  And Satan ought to know.  But, imagine what a frightened child would be willing to do to ease a deceased mother’s suffering or even to save his own soul from burning for eternity. Did you know that fear is a very effective form of mind control?  It is.  Imagine then, what a frightened child could be coerced into doing to save his immortal soul.  I submit that when a child is that scared, he would do just about anything, especially if he has been taught from his earliest years to fear death and the grave. Recall that Farrell said that she would have been willing to pass through the fires of Purgatory in her mother’s place if she could have. But, she said, it was impossible for her to do anything. But what if a child were told that there was something he or she could do?  What if the child were told that if he were to harass another child—perhaps a Christian child—that his time in Purgatory could be reduced a few years? What if a child of little or no means were told that there was a way to ease his dear departed mother’s suffering in Purgatory, even if the child did not have money to pay for masses to be said? Is it a stretch to at least consider that a child under those circumstances could be influenced to do something evil, maybe even terrible, to help his poor mother? Again, remember that Farrell said she would have done anything to ease her mother’s suffering in Purgatory, even enduring those flames herself. I believe Monica Farrell’s testimony. And I also believe that a child could be coerced to do something evil to save his own soul or to ease the suffering of a deceased parent or other loved one. I believe it in part because I have also read the testimony of Charles Chiniquy, a converted Roman Catholic priest, who wrote in his book, Fifty Years in the Church of Rome, that various methods were used to inculcate fear in Roman Catholic children to make them afraid of Jesus Christ and turn to Mary as their intercessor. So I have no problem believing Monica Farrell. I have also seen children do things that would raise goose bumps on the arms of any sane person. Until I read Ms. Farrell’s testimony, I could not understand how little children could be persuaded to do such things, when their consciences have to be telling them it is wrong. Moreover, according to Jack Chick, former Jesuit priest, Alberto Rivera, testified that teenage girls were used by the Jesuit Order for the purpose of blackmailing Protestant ministers into softening their stance on the Roman Catholic religion, or to destroy those ministers who would not relent. He said that the girls did this because they were told that their time in Purgatory would be lessened. So as you can see, fear of Hell and of Purgatory is a very powerful weapon of influence in the hands of the Roman Catholic clergy. And it is conceivable that they would use this weapon to influence children to do their bidding. My purpose for writing this is to help other parents, who may be experiencing the same things my family is, to understand what may be going on. These children are being used. They are innocent victims in the hands of a cruel master.  We must pray for them.   We must also keep the lines of communication open with our children, so that they feel comfortable telling us anything.  It may be that your child is experiencing persecution of sorts at school that he or she hasn’t told you about.  In the case of my son, he was attacked in the boys’ bathroom by three boys and ended up getting stitches in his head. He told his mother (this was when my wife and I were separated, and I was living in the States) that the bathroom floor was wet and that he slipped and busted his head.  But he told me the truth.  We are in a war, Saints. I also want to help fellow soldiers in this spiritual battle to better understand the enemy. We are in a war, and, in a war, it is essential to know not only your enemy’s strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities, but also his fears and motivations.  And fear is a very powerful motivator. If you are someone who has been indoctrinated by the Roman Catholic fear doctrines of salvation by works and Purgatory, there is help.  Jesus did all He could to keep you out of Hell and get you into Heaven.  All you have to do is accept what He has done.  If you are tired of being afraid, if you are ready to be set free from fear forever, click here. The audio version of this discussion is available for free download at the iTunes Store. For your convenience, it is also available below.   “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He (Jesus) also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (slavery).”Hebrews 2:14,15 Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man 

Grace and peace, Saints. By now our readers know that my elucidating of how current events actually line up with biblical prophecy can sometimes seem a little circuitous, but it is always Holy-Ghost inspired and Bible-grounded. With this disclaimer, I strongly urge you to be patient and read the following article through to the conclusion.  You will be very glad that you did. The retirement of Pope Benedict XVI, whom I whole-heartedly believe is the Antichrist, has been plaguing me since the news first came to light. I have been pondering this and pondering this and pondering this, wondering what the significance of this event was. I knew that it was not merely a reaction to the homosexual priest abuse scandal and I definitely knew that it had nothing to do with his age, as he was absolutely fine until his announcement. What then, could this retirement be all about? This question plagued me to no end. Then, tonight, it hit me. I had gone to bed and was listening to Alexander Scourby’s narration of the Book of the Revelation from the King James Bible on my iPod, when Scourby got to Chapter 13 verse 11, which talks about the False Prophet: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.”  I have known for some time that the false prophet would be a religious man, because, as one can see from the above verse, he has two horns “like a lamb,” but speaks “as a dragon.” A lamb, of course, is a symbol of a Christian, for Jesus is our Shepherd, and we are His lambs. And the dragon, as we well know, is Satan (Revelation 12:9). So, the False Prophet will call himself a Christian, but instead of speaking for Jesus Christ, he will speak for Satan. What puzzled me, though, was how a religious leader could wield enough power to cause the whole world to worship the Antichrist: “And he (the False Prophet) causeth all the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast (the Antichrist)” (Revelation 13:12). You see, only one man I know of has that kind of authority: the Roman Catholic pope—especially this pope, Benedict XVI.  He is revered the world over, not only by Roman Catholics, but also by people of all faiths.  Buddhists, Hindus, even Muslims revere the Pope, even if they claim to hate Christians, which the Pope claims to be.  Even “Christian” evangelist Billy Graham said that Pope John Paul II was the world’s greatest moral leader.  Because politics is merely an extension of religion, then the pope wields immense power in the political realm also, because Roman Catholic politicians as well as politicians who are loyal to the Pope (READ Zionists), will be influenced by the Pope. That would make the Roman Catholic pope both the religious and temporal head of the world. And that is just what he claims to be. Many have thought that, because the False Prophet will wield so much power, he will be a charismatic political figure, like Barack Obama or even Prince Charles.  But they fail to see that the Roman Catholic Pope is just such a charismatic political figure.  Just one look at how many of the governments of the world either are Roman Catholic or owe allegiance to the Roman Catholic pope should convince you of this.  Moreover, consider that the Roman Catholic church controls Russia: a major super power. The fact that Russia has made the double-headed eagle, the symbol of the Roman Empire, their national symbol proves that. Additionally, former President of the United States, George W. Bush, when asked during an interview what he saw when he looked into Pope Benedict XVI’s eyes, said simply, “God.” Now, if a president of the United States, the most powerful nation in the world, considers the Pope God, and considers himself a Christian, then what is to stop him from obeying any command that “God” gives? I would submit that nothing would stop him. Consider also that the current president, Barak Obama, also made a trip to the Vatican, thus symbolizing his allegiance and obedience to Pope Benedict XVI. Therefore, the Pope also runs the United States. And if the Pope runs Russia and the United States, then the Roman Empire truly does rule from the East to the West. Now consider something else: the Bible does not say that the false prophet would command or force the people of the world to worship the Antichrist. The Bible says that the false prophet would cause the world to worship the Antichrist. I take this to mean that he will do this indirectly, meaning he will not command the people of the world to worship the Antichrist, but he will compel the governments of the world to decree that the people worship the Antichrist. How? Through the United Nations. Through the World Bank and other United Nations programs, the U.N. has most of the countries of the world firmly in their grip. Were it not for the World Bank, many countries would have imploded long ago. Moreover, the United Nations controls the armies of the world through their Security Council. And whoever controls the military, controls the country. Now then, who controls the United Nations? The United States. And who controls the United States? The Roman Catholic church. And who controls the Roman Catholic church? The pope. So, you see, the Roman Catholic pope is in the position to rule the world. But, because I believe that the Antichrist is Pope Benedict XVI, I couldn’t understand who else could command the respect, reverence, and fear enough that the whole world would listen to him. Then, tonight, while listening to Alexander Scourby narrate the Bible, I came to Revelation Chapter 13 verse 12. Speaking of the False Prophet, it says: “And he (the False Prophet) exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Because Revelation 13:13 says that the False prophet would do miracles, I had always taken “before him,” from verse 12, to mean that the False Prophet could perform miracles only if he were standing directly in front of or “before” the Antichrist. This is true to some degree, because verse 14 says that the False Prophet would deceive the people, in that he will perform incredible miracles “in the sight of the beast,” or in the presence of the Antichrist. This implies that it is actually the Antichrist who will do the miracles, but he will make the False Prophet appear to do them. But this presented a problem, because verse 12 says that the False Prophet “exerciseth all the power of the first beast.” If the False Prophet doesn’t really have all the power of the Antichrist, in that he does all of his miracles “in the sight of” the Antichrist, then how could he exercise all the power of the Antichrist? Then the Spirit showed me two very important things that made it all clear. First, He showed me that Revelation 13:12 is not talking about the power to perform miracles. By “power” it means authority. It is talking about the power that goes with an office. This is why Revelation 13:12 goes on to say that the False Prophet would cause the world to worship the Antichrist. He will have this authority from his office. But, as we discussed previously, only one man has that kind of authority, and that is the Pope. That brings me to the second thing that the Spirit showed me. Let us look at Revelation 13:12 again: “And he (the False Prophet) exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him…” Saints, “before” does not mean “in the presence of.” Let me slightly reword this passage to illustrate my point: “And he (the False Prophet) exerciseth all the power of the first beast [which was in office] before him.” Now do you see?! What the passage is telling us is that the second beast holds the same office and has all the authority as the first beast.  And if the first beast is the Antichrist, then the second beast is the False Prophet. And if the Antichrist is Pope Benedict XVI, then the False Prophet will be his successor: the next Pope! Now do you understand why Pope Benedict XVI resigned so suddenly? He had to! He had to make room for the next pope, the False Prophet. That is why he announced that he would yield to the authority of his successor: so that the world would also yield to his authority. Now understand something very important. Verse 13 says that the False Prophet will cause the world to worship the Antichrist, “whose deadly wound was healed.” We explain in our article, The Identity of Antichrist, that Pope Benedict XVI will be killed, probably beheaded or shot in the head, and that he will be resurrected three days after his death by the power of Satan, who will indwell him. Not very long after that he will set up the Abomination of Desolation, the Virgin Mary, in the Holy Place of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Then the excrement will hit the cooling device. If I am right—if Pope Benedict XVI is, in fact, the Antichrist—then his successor will be the False Prophet. That means that we are closer to the end than any of us even imagined. So there will be two popes in Rome, and there will remain two popes in Rome until Jesus returns.  Bear in mind that Benedict XVI will keep the titles of Bishop of Rome emeritus and Pontiff emeritus.  He will still be the Pope, even after the new pope is elected and installed.  That is why Jesus will cast both the Antichrist and the False Prophet–Pope Benedict XVI and his successor–in Hell: they both will bear the “name of blasphemy”: Holy Father.   Therefore, Saints, we must prepare our hearts for the Great Tribulation, for it is at our doorstep. We must witness, witness, witness, for the night cometh wherein no man can work. The coming of the Great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ is very, very near. By the way, I believe that the next Pope will be an American.  And it has something to do with Our Lady of America, the Roman Catholic plan to install the Virgin Mary in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., thus firmly establishing the United States as a Roman Catholic country, and the headquarters of the One World Church.  It just so happens that D.C. Cardinal Donald Wuerl is said by many Italian newspapers to be a front runner in the race for a successor to Pope Benedict XVI. If Cardinal Wuerl were to become the next Pope, then he would be in a great position to influence the decision to place “Our Lady of America” in the National Basilica.  This will seal the doom of this once great nation. Read Revelation Chapter 18. The next Pope will be the False Prophet and Benedict XVI is the Antichrist. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man P.S.  March 13, 2013: Upon consideration, I believe that it is very significant that Benedict XVI will retain the title of “Pontiff emeritus.”  The complete title is “Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church.” The “Universal Church” is the One World Church that the Bible speaks of in Revelation 13.  There can only be one head of this church, and it will be Benedict XVI.  I don’t believe that the new Pope, the False Prophet, will be given the title of Pontiff, and even if he is, it will only be window dressing.  P.S.S.  So Pope Francis, formerly Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the new Pope of the Roman Catholic church.  Now we can put a face to the name.  The False Prophet is Pope Francis.    

Grace and peace, Saints. A very strange thing happened to me the other day on the way back from taking my son to school. After dropping my boy off, I boarded the subway at the last car, and moving towards the front, I placed Gospel tracts in so many seats in every car.  I usually fold the tract in half, and place it in the narrow space between the armrest and the side of the car.  When I reached the first car of the subway train, where I normally sit, I had one tract left, which I decided to place in the seat where I was sitting. As I was placing the tract, the man sitting across from me beckoned with his hand that he wanted the tract, so I gave it to him, and he began to read it.  About a minute or so later, he uttered something to me, but I couldn’t understand it, so he repeated it.  I didn’t understand him the second time either, so he said simply in English, “Good Morning,” and I responded likewise.  While he read the tract, I tried to reconstruct phonetically what he had said, and I realized that he had said, “Assalam O Alaikum”: a Muslim greeting said to mean, “Peace be with you.”  A short time later, the man tore the tract in half, and then tore the halves in half.  He then place the neatly torn pieces in his backpack, and put on his headphones. I thought about this event for a good part of the day: not because the man tore up the tract, which I’m sure happens a lot, but because he greeted me with a Muslim greeting. This was the first time since I have been living in Munich that a Muslim has ever greeted me, an American, in a Muslim fashion.   For the average person, this would not be a cause for any reflection.  But if you have been reading this blog for any period of time, then you know that strange things happen to me all the time.  I’m approached by strangers constantly during my witnessing, and they never mean me any good.  Wherever I go I am surrounded by people who say they are one thing, but for anyone with any discernment, they are obviously something else.  Their words and actions are never consistent with the person they claim to be or pretend to be. They are in the service of Satan. I always think of such people as a gorilla in a suit.  You can dress up a gorilla in the most expensive suit, the most expensive shoes, and a Rolex watch.  You can give him a suitcase, place a newspaper in his hand, and tell him to get on the subway at point A and to get off at point B.  You can teach him to walk a certain way, and to look at his watch intermittently as though he were late for work.  You can even have him call someone, real or imagined, on his cell phone, and you may even succeed in teaching him enough words to hold a competent conversation.  But at the end of the day, he is a gorilla, and he will always be a gorilla–a gorilla in a suit. When I meet these people, I always size them up discreetly, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things, and I can usually tell in short order what they are all about.  By the way, you can tell a lot about a person if you look into his eyes.  Hollywood has made looking into someone’s eyes cliche’-ish (thanks to Satan).  But the words of Jesus are true: “The light of the body is the eye”: “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. “But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.” (Matthew 6:22-23) “If thine eye be single” is a reference to singleness of purpose.  A person with a single eye is not double-minded and does not have ulterior motives.  What you see is what you get. This person shall be full of light–goodness.  But the person who is double-minded is not what he appears to be.  He is in darkness–and that profound.  Consequently, his whole body shall be full of darkness, especially his eyes. The truly spiritual person–the Christian–should look at everything through his spiritual lens–especially people.  Satan doesn’t mean us any good, and he has people watching us and interacting with us in various ways, who are nothing they appear to be.  So when I meet a “gorilla in a suit” I always pay particular attention to his eyes, for his eyes always have and always will give him away.  Moreover, a person’s movements and speech will also alert you that something is awry. Such was the case with this gentleman.  When I sat across from him, I knew instantly in my spirit that he was all wrong.  But when he greeted me in a Muslim fashion, I really knew it.  Why would he do that?   Munich is very cosmopolitan, and there are many foreigners living here, a great many of whom are Muslims.  The usual greeting among many adult Munchners is “Gruss Gott,” which means “God is Great.”  Muslims, however, don’t use this greeting.  I once greeted a group of obviously Muslim men when in this fashion when I was new in Munich and living with my girlfriend in a German center for asylum seekers (long story). It happened on this wise: The men, who were from Ethiopia, Bosnia, and other countries, were sitting down at the entrance to the center. When entering the building, I walked past them, and greeted them with “Gruss Gott.” At this, they all laughed me to scorn.  Now, by this time, I had used this greeting fairly often and had never gotten this reaction.  So, when I entered the apartment I shared with my girlfriend, I told her what had just happened and asked her if I were pronouncing the greeting correctly.  She responded that I had.  Puzzled, I asked her why it was that the men all laughed at me when I said it.  She couldn’t say why. This event stuck with me for years until I started working for UPS in Munich, where many Muslims are employed.  I noticed that, at least at this particular UPS warehouse, no one used the greeting, “Gruss Gott,” but instead said, “Sehr Wuss,” a greeting in the Bavarian dialect that is often used for “hello” and “goodbye.”  It is basically a secular greeting, and is especially used by young people and between Roman Catholics when and Muslims.   I found the use of this greeting rather curious, since Muslims say that they worship the same god as Christians, the only difference being that they call him Allah, which they say is Arabic for God.  If this were true, however, then Muslims, when speaking German, would call Allah, “Gott”: the German translation of “God.”  But I have never heard a Muslim call Allah Gott, and I have never heard a Muslim in Germany use the greeting, “Gruss Gott.” Why is this, if Allah is merely “God” in Arabic?  This question puzzled me for some time. Then one day it hit me, and it was so obvious, I was embarrassed that it hadn’t occurred to me sooner.  Christians believe that Jesus Christ is God.  Muslims, however, believe that Jesus was merely a human prophet.  Additionally, Muslims, after saying the name of Jesus, say, “Peace be upon Him,” or, when writing, use the acronym PBUH.  They also do this for their prophet, Mohammed.  Now, the Prophet Mohammed is dead, so I gathered that when using the term, “Peace be upon him,” Muslims are showing respect for a revered person who is no longer with us.  (It may be possible that they use this term only for Mohammed and Jesus, but I don’t know this.)   But our Jesus is very much alive, and Muslims know that we believe that.  Roman Catholics also consider themselves Christians, and declare that Jesus Christ is God Almighty and is alive in Heaven.  A Muslim, therefore, would not use the greeting, “Gruss Gott,” because he would, in effect, be declaring that the Christian God is great.  And this very God, whom we call Jesus, is believed in Islam to have been a mere prophet who passed away: a man, not God Almighty.  It would likely be blasphemy, therefore, for a Muslim to say, “Gruss Gott” (God–Jesus is great) when they use the term “Allah U Akbar” (Allah is great).  Therefore, when a Muslim greets a non-Muslim in Munich, it is customary for him to greet the latter with “Sehr Wuss.” Incidentally, I researched on the internet if it were proper for a Muslim to greet a non-Muslim with “Assalam U Alaikum.”  Though opinions differed, some said that it is considered haram, or blasphemy, to do so.  All this considered, it should now be clear why I was surprised when the Muslim gentleman on the subway greeted me in this fashion. Knowing that nothing in my life is an accident or mere coincidence, my mind instantly went to work on what it was Satan was trying to do. The most obvious reason for the man’s greeting was that he wanted me to respond in kind.  But, then, I thought, what would be the point of that?  Then I remembered that Charles Chiniquy, in his book, Fifty Years in the Church of Rome, said that Roman Catholic newspapers in America tried to make Abraham Lincoln look like an apostate Roman Catholic in order to inflame Roman Catholics against Lincoln enough to want to kill him.   If this makes no sense to you, consider that, with very few exceptions, every religion except Christianity persecutes those who leave it–especially if they become Bible-believing Christians.  Many would refute this, but history is very clear on the matter.  And the testimony of many who have suffered and are suffering for becoming Christians lends force to this argument. You see, the Bible says that when the Pharisees were plotting to kill Jesus, they sent spies out to watch him, who “feigned themselves just men” (Luke 20:20).  And they often engaged Jesus in conversation trying to trap Him in His words so they could accuse Him. Jesus said that in the same way He was persecuted, we would also be persecuted.  That means that we will also be spied on and watched, and people will also try to trap us in our words so that they can accuse us.  There is indeed nothing new under the sun. Abraham Lincoln was a Christian (despite what they teach on the History Channel), and Abraham Lincoln was spied on.  That’s one reason why he created the Secret Service. Lincoln was watched, framed, and eventually murdered–just like Jesus was.  The servant is indeed no greater than his Master. The meeting with the Muslim gentleman was not coincidental: it had been choreographed.  And his greeting me as though I were a Muslim was also no accident. This meeting was planned and had a definite goal.  I’ve already told you what I think.   Only time will tell if I was right.  The companion podcast to this teaching is available for download at the iTunes Store. As usual, the podcast has much more information than the article.  Subscribe to our podcast today! For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, saints, and greetings to all who know not the Lord Jesus. Today is the day.  Today we elect the man who we want to run our country for the next four years.  For many it will be a very difficult decision–especially some Christians.  Both candidates claim to be Christians, but neither represents true biblical Christianity.  How, then, is the Christian to vote in this election?   This is the question we discuss on our latest podcast.  It is available from the iTunes Store for playback on your iPhone, iPod, or other audio device.  For your convenience, it is also provided below.   Perhaps it will give you a little perspective on the subject.   The Still Man

 Grace and peace to the Elect Lady, and greetings to the many women of ill repute.  A reader asked my opinion of Angelica Zambrano, an Ecuadorian girl, who claims to have died and been taken to hell.  I had never heard of Miss Zambrano, and, to tell you the truth, I was hesitant to even investigate her.  That’s because this was not the first time that I have heard such a testimony.  My wife has told me of two similar testimonies.  The first such testimony she heard as a girl growing up in Congo; the other was here in Munich a couple of years ago.  Amazingly (or not) Zambrano’s testimony and those that my wife heard share the same significant elements.  There is hardly any difference.  I believe that this phenomenon of people dying and going to hell is a lie from the pit of hell.  It is a strong delusion. The apostle Paul said that because men took pleasure in unrighteousness, God would send them a “strong delusion” that they would believe a lie.  It is not the lie that will be strong, but the delusion.  The lie will be obvious to anyone of discernment, but the sinful would be unable to resist it, because God has clouded their judgment.  Visitations to heaven and hell are part of that strong delusion, as I will explain, and are not intended to deceive those of understanding, but those who, because of sin, are “willingly ignorant”: they want to be deceived.  And God will oblige them.  Oh, how He will oblige them. The apostle Paul warned us not to get involved with “foolish and unlearned questions” that waste our time and rarely bring anyone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  The question, “Does God allow people to die, go to hell, come back, and testify of that experience?” is a foolish and unlearned question.  Doctrinally, it is so ridiculous, that it’s a wonder anyone believes it.  That many do believe it marks it as a strong delusion. When I examined Angelica’s testimony, therefore, I wasn’t looking for credible information.  If it is of Satan–and it is–then there will undoubtedly be something credible there.  Satan always injects some truth into his lies to make them more palatable.  For the undiscerning and those who do not know their Bible, it is that truth that makes the delusion so strong.  But, as no lie is of the truth, there will always be a point where the truth and the lie divorce, clearly distinguishing one from the other, and exposing the whole thing for the lie that it is.  I also didn’t examine Angelica’s testimony to look for unbiblical doctrines, for her claim to have been taken to hell is already unbiblical, as we shall see. I examined Angelica’s testimony for one reason and one reason only: to see what lie she is trying to sell us.  And I am very glad that I did investigate Angelica’s testimony, for I discovered yet another tool in Satan’s bag of tricks.  Let’s talk about it. Angelica claims to have been told by an angel that she would die and afterwards be shown “great and mighty things…that she did not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).  For some strange reason, she perceived that these great and mighty things had to do with the existence of heaven and hell.  According to her testimony, she was right, as, after her death, an angel took her first to hell, then to heaven, to the end that she would return to the land of the living and testify of their existence to “the nations.” Before even reading Angelica’s testimony, I knew it to be a lie.  Consider that Jesus, in the Gospel of Luke, told a story that addressed the inefficacy of one coming back from the dead to testify of the existence of hell.  In His story of the rich man and Lazarus, a poor diseased beggar, Jesus recounted how both of them died and went to their rewards: the rich man to hell, and Lazarus to where the righteous went before the death and resurrection of Jesus.  We pick up at this point: “And in hell [the rich man] lift up his eyes, and being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  “And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  “Then [the rich man] said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:  “For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  “Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  “And [the rich man] said, Nay father, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  “And [Abraham] said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:19-31). There is much that can be gleaned from this passage, but what concerns us is what Abraham said about sending one from the dead to testify about hell.  He said that the living had “Moses and the prophets,” and that the rich man’s brothers should listen to them.  By Moses, Jesus meant the first five books of the Old Testament known as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, respectively.  These books are known in Judaism as the Torah, and were written by Moses.  (Joshua finished the book of Deuteronomy after the death of Moses.)  The book of Exodus contains the Ten Commandments (Chapter 20) and, together with Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, form what was known as the Law.  The prophets are all the books from Isaiah to Malachi and deal with God’s punitive pronouncements upon Israel for such sins as idolatry and witchcraft.  The Law is important to Judaism because it contains Gods commandments concerning sin and His punishment of sin.  Abraham was saying that in these books were all the Jews needed to know about what God hates and what God will do when we do what He hates.  Abraham knew that for a person who loved God and chose to obey Him, these books contain all that he would ever need to know to avoid God’s wrath.  But if a person doesn’t love God and chooses to disobey Him, even if someone were to come back from the dead to convince him that Hell is real, he would not believe. Now, if Jesus felt that way then, is there any reason to believe He feels any differently now? I think not. At the time of Jesus’ story, only the Old Testament existed.  But now we have the New Testament, which not only contains all of Jesus’ teachings on Heaven and Hell, but Paul’s testimony of being taken to the third heaven and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein the apostle John wrote of his prophetic vision of Heaven and Hell.  So Today, there is much more information on heaven and hell available to those who want to believe.  There is no need to add anything to it. So even before hearing her testimony, I knew that Angelica Zambrano was a fraud.  If God didn’t think it necessary to send someone back from the dead then, He doesn’t think it’s necessary now.  Remember, God doesn’t change.  The question, then, is “Why is Satan promoting Angelica Zambrano and others like her?  What is he trying to sell us?” We will answer this question by examining Angelica’s testimony, for it is very revealing.  Before she even got to the meat and potatoes, I could see the first lie she was promoting.  Listen to this: I first accepted Christ when I was 12, but I told myself, “None of my friends were evangelicals and I felt strange amongst them“, so I walked away from God…”  Angelica’s use of the term “evangelicals” is very revealing.  The term evangelical is not Christian, but Roman Catholic.  All Bible-believing Christians (Protestants) are evangelical by default, as we were given a mandate by the Lord Jesus to evangelize.  So “evangelical” is inherent in the term Christian.  The Roman Catholic Church in an effort to make Roman Catholicism appear to be just another denomination of the Christian church, calls Protestants “evangelicals” to distinguish them from Roman Catholics, who do not evangelize (ostensibly). This is important, because Angelica was born and raised in Ecuador, a Roman Catholic country.  It is very likely, therefore, that she and her friends grew up Roman Catholic.  By saying that none of her friends were evangelical rather than saying they were not Protestants, Angelica is implying: that at least some of her friends were Roman Catholic and that Roman Catholics are Christians, but not Protestants. If Angelica were being truthful, she would have said that none of her friends were Protestants, making it clear that Roman Catholicism is not Christianity.  Instead, she uses the politically correct, Roman Catholic term, evangelical, signaling her belief that Roman Catholicism is Christianity. This told me that Angelica is a Roman Catholic Charismatic. This is evidenced by the fact that Angelica’s mother said that they are Pentecostal. The Pentecostal Church did not come from the Protestant Reformation; and is, in fact, part of the Charismatic Movement. The Charismatic Movement promotes Roman Catholicism as an apostate Christian denomination.  But if you understand what Roman Catholicism really teaches, then you know that it is not Christian at all, but merely pays lip service to Jesus Christ.  Roman Catholics really worship the idol known as the Virgin Mary.  Jesus wants people to leave that idolatrous system, so if Angelica were really sent of Jesus, He would have made her the Apostle to the Roman Catholics, with the primary message to “Come out of her my people, that you partake not of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.”  Though later in her testimony Angelica says that idolatry is wrong, she never calls Roman Catholicism idolatry.  This was a red flag for me. It is also important to note that Angelica doesn’t give a detailed account of her conversion experience, but simply says that she “accepted Jesus” at twelve years old.  If this is true, then she likely had some other religious conviction before this.  In that she was born and raised in Ecuador, that religion was probably Roman Catholicism.  If Angelica had truly “accepted Jesus” as she claims, then she would have felt compelled to explain the difference between the Jesus she found and the Roman Catholic “Jesus” she grew up with.  The Holy Spirit would have made certain of this.  Our testimony is important for many reasons, but Angelica’s is vitally important, not only because she makes such an incredible claim, but because of the likelihood that she was raised Roman Catholic.  In this age of apostasy, it is extremely important that someone in Angelica’s position first establish her Protestant credentials through her conversion testimony.  That she doesn’t do this is highly suspect.  I believe Angelica is a Roman Catholic, and proof of this can be seen in her testimony of her visit to hell and her conversation with “Jesus.”  During one part of this visit, Angelica claims to have seen Pope John Paul II, about whom “Jesus” says: “He is being tormented because he did not repent.” Angelica presses “Jesus” further as to why the pope was there, to which he says: “Daughter, no fornicator, no idolater, no one who is greedy and no liar will inherit My Kingdom.” Angelica argues that Pope John Paul II preached to multitudes of people, to which “Jesus” replies: “Yes, Daughter, he may have said many things, but he would never speak the truth as it is.  He never said the truth and they know the truth and although he knew the truth, he preferred money over preaching about salvation.  He would not offer reality…”  The problem with this statement is that although “Jesus” says the pope would not speak the truth “as it is,” he didn’t say what this truth is, and where this truth can be found.  Jesus Christ says that we will be judged by His Word.  When the Lord Jesus judges the pope–and He will–it will be because the pope didn’t tell or believe the truth as it is found in the Bible.  That truth is that Jesus Christ is “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).  Angelica’s Jesus doesn’t surprise me, however, because, as you may know, for Roman Catholics, the Bible ranks dead last as a source of doctrine, coming behind Catholic tradition, the writings of the “church fathers,” and the decrees of the pope.  This is yet another clue that Angelica Zambrano is a Roman Catholic.   Now Angelica’s “Jesus” tells her what “truth” Pope John Paul II failed to tell the people: “[He] would not say that hell is real and that heaven also exists; Daughter, now he is here in this place.” This is “the truth” that the pope withheld from the people? that heaven and hell are real?  I have a huge problem with this.   During his tenure, Pope John Paul II was the head of the Roman Catholic church: and Roman Catholics, contrary to Scripture, worship an idol named the Virgin Mary, pray to dead saints, venerate relics (the body parts and personal effects of “saints”), and worship a piece of bread, which they claim is Jesus Christ.  This is idolatry, and idolatry is the sin that God hates the most.  Yet this girl, who claims that “Jesus” made her a “watchman,” would have us believe that the Lord Jesus Christ had nothing to say about the Roman Catholic church as an idolatrous institution.  In fact, the closest she gets to this is to say:  “Humanity has been deceived believing in an assumed saint, which is not, but is a demon, working through an idol made by the hand of man.”  With this statement, Angelica implies that the worship of saints is idolatry, but the Roman Catholic worship of Mary is not, because she neither mentions Mary, nor Roman Catholicism.  Though “Jesus” at least mentions Mary, he does so only cursorily:  “Mary has no knowledge of anything [happening on Earth] and the only One that they must exalt is Me, because neither Mary, nor St. Gregory nor any other saint can offer salvation.”  You will notice that “Jesus” says that only he should be exalted, but he says nothing about prayers to Mary.  Understand that to the average person, the term exalt means absolutely nothing.  The average Roman Catholic only knows that he prays to Mary, whom he believes pleads on his behalf to Jesus.  In the average Roman Catholic’s mind, he is honoring Jesus by praying to his mother.  What Roman Catholics need to hear from Angelica, therefore, is that they should not be praying to Mary at all, but to Jesus Himself. You must understand that the idol known as the Virgin Mary, who is, in fact, a goddess that has been worshipped throughout the world since antiquity, is the most important idol in Roman Catholicism.  Without the Virgin Mary, Roman Catholicism would not exist.  Therefore, because Angelica never condemns the worship of the Virgin, her testimony becomes a default endorsement of Mary worship and the Roman Catholic religion by Jesus Christ.  What is perhaps most important of all is the fact that “Jesus” says nothing about the Roman Catholic “adoration,” or worship, of the Eucharist: the consecrated bread that Catholics eat during the mass.  Roman Catholicism teaches that this bread is the literal, not symbolic, body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, and Roman Catholics worship this bread, believing it to be Jesus Christ Himself.  So not only is Eucharist worship idolatry, which is an abomination to Jesus, but the practice blasphemes His name.  This makes the Eucharist “another Jesus” according to the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:4.  Because Angelica’s “Jesus” says nothing about the worship of the Eucharist, her testimony becomes an endorsement of that practice also. Roman Catholicism also features the crucifix, which is an idol, because it features an image of Jesus, and God forbids the making of images of anything, including things in heaven (Exodus 20:4).  Jesus is in heaven (Hebrews 10:12).  The crucifix is also a blasphemous object, because it still has Jesus Christ hanging on a cross.  Again, Jesus is in heaven.  Jesus on the cross also makes the crucifix a cursed object, because Galatians 3:13 says, “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”  And the crucifix is also worshipped, which, again, makes it an idol (Exodus 20:5).  Lastly, the pope has made himself an object of worship, because he claims to be the Vicar, or Substitute, of Jesus Christ, and Jesus is worshipped. Exalting a mere mortal into the position of Creator of the universe is the ultimate form of idolatry and makes Roman Catholicism the most blasphemous and idolatrous religion in the world.  In fact, the Roman Catholic church is the head of all idolatry.  The Bible calls her “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Revelation 17:5).  Because of this idolatrous system, millions—possibly even billions—of deceived people are going to hell.  The Bible says that the Roman Catholic church is responsible for the blood of all the prophets and the saints.  Beginning with the murders of the prophets of God, including the beheading of John the Baptist by Herod; continuing with the Roman persecution of the Christian church under Nero and a host of Caesars, the massacre of untold millions of Christians under the Roman Catholic Inquisition, the brutal Communist dictatorships of Stalin and Lenin, the Nazi regime under Adolph Hitler (who was a faithful Roman Catholic); on up to and including the current and future massacre of Christians all over the world under Communism and Islam (both of which, according to Jack Chick, are daughters of the Roman Catholic Church) and the future massacre of the Christian church in the Great Tribulation, the Romish church has proven itself to be the greatest enemy of Jesus Christ and of Christianity and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s prophecy concerning the enmity between Satan and Israel (Genesis 3:15).  Jesus hates the Roman Catholic church.  But Angelica Zambrano would have us believe that all Jesus had to say against this pope is that he failed to tell people about heaven and hell?  Right. And why only this pope?  What about all the other popes?  Think about this. What Angelica Zambrano is really trying to sell us with her false testimony is that the Roman Catholic church is Christian and that the popes are the problem, and not the religion.  I have heard this before from other so-called Christians, including Texe Marrs[1]. Angelica Zambrano is helping to send millions of Roman Catholics to hell, when she could be leading them toward the true Savior, Jesus Christ.  Devout Roman Catholics tend to be very zealous for their Mary and fearful of hellfire.  If Angelica had told them that Jesus wants them to leave the Roman Catholic church, I’ve no doubt that the millions who believe her testimony would have evacuated that idolatrous system like rats from a sinking ship.  But Angelica hasn’t told them anything of the kind.  So, if you believe her testimony, then her failure to do so is really a default endorsement by “Jesus” of the Roman Catholic church. This, of course, is a lie.  Jesus hates the Roman Catholic church and will ultimately destroy her (Revelation 17).  That is why He pleads for the sincere Roman Catholic to “Come out from her.”   There are several other elements of Angelica’s testimony that are a tipoff that she is a false prophet, and we will discuss some of them very briefly. The first is her claim that demons are in hell, and that they torment the souls consigned there.  Though the Bible gives many examples that demons live on the earth with man, nowhere does it say that any demons are in hell.  The book of Jude, for example, says that the demons “who kept not their first estate”: that is, the demons that took on human form and mated with human women (Genesis 6:1-2), are “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6).  These demons sinned twice, yet they are not in hell.   Further proof that there are no demons in hell can again be found in Jesus’ story of the rich man and Lazarus.  Note that the rich man does not say he is being tormented by demons, but that he is being tormented by flame.  Lastly, neither Jesus nor the apostles preached that demons torment the souls in hell.  This doctrine cannot be found in the Bible.  That’s because it’s not biblical.  Angelica also says that the souls in hell are tormented by the same things that they did here on earth, and this has been believed by so many for so long, that it is accepted as doctrine.  But nowhere in the Bible can such a doctrine be found.  Both beliefs, therefore, are not biblical doctrine, but traditions of men taken as doctrine.  They are Roman Catholic tradition.   I have already made reference to the Charismatic Movement, and Angelica’s claims about the Holy Spirit identify her as a charismatic, as charismatic churches exalt the Holy Spirit over the Lord Jesus.  We won’t go into that here, but suffice it to say that Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would glorify Him (John 16:14), and Angelica’s account does not include any laudatory comments by the “Holy Spirit” about the Lord Jesus.  In fact, the reader will note that Angelica calls the “Holy Spirit” her “best friend.”  Shouldn’t that be the Lord Jesus, who sticks closer than any brother? There is something else to consider.  Have you ever noticed that in the Bible, Jesus gave His people visions of heaven, but He never gave them visions of hell?  Did you ever wonder why that was?  I have: I believe it is simply because heaven is our inheritance and hell is not.  Jesus says that He would rather we be wise concerning good and ignorant concerning evil.  Jesus would not take a saint on a tour of hell, and if He did, wouldn’t Lazarus have been the best candidate for such a journey?  After Lazarus returned from the dead, I’m sure many wanted to ask him what death was like.  His testimony could have been invaluable to Jesus’ ministry, had He allowed it, proving that Jesus was indeed who He said He was and that we can believe His Word.  The Pharisees knew this also, because they planned to kill Lazarus for that very reason (John 12:10-12).  But the Bible doesn’t record such a testimony from Lazarus.  Why?  because Jesus wants us to believe His Word.  He wants us to have faith.  The Bible says:  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Paul wrote that if faith is based on the evidence of our eyes, it is no more of faith.  To have faith, then, is to believe the unseen.  Jesus wants us to have that kind of faith.  After Cephas, John and Mary Magdalene testified that the tomb was empty and our Lord was risen indeed, all the apostles except Thomas believed.  When Jesus later appeared to him, Thomas believed, saying, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).  But Jesus said,  “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (v. 29).  Jesus is not in the business of always giving proof that what He says is true.  He has already given us all the proof that we need.  And that proof is in His Word.  When the Pharisees desired a sign of Him, Jesus said: “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” (Matthew 12:39). As Jonah was three days in the fish’s belly, so was Jesus Christ three days in the heart of the earth, after which He rose and emerged from the tomb, never to die again.  Jesus is not about to give us any more signs: you either believe or you don’t.  And if you don’t, it’s because you don’t want to.  Faith is a decision. I’ll give you proof.  After Jesus restored the sight of the man that had been born blind, He asked the man a question that initiated a dialogue that stands as one of the greatest examples in the Bible that faith is a decision.  Listen to this discourse: Jesus: “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” Man: “Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?” Jesus: “Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee.” Man: “I believe.” (John 9:36-38.) This man had been blind since birth and was now a grown man.  Jesus restored His sight, and, because of it, this man was ready to believe.  The same goes for any true believer.  If Jesus has done anything for you, then you are ready to believe.  You don’t need the testimony of a dead man.  I’m a witness. One thing that all of those who are clamoring for a sign have in common is that they have no testimony of what God has done in their lives.  Angelica Zambrano is no exception.  By her own admission, before her “vision,” there had been no change in her life, even though she claimed to be a Christian: “I cried with all my heart, asking the Lord to change me.  But, as time passed by, I felt no change.  The only difference was that I began to attend church, to read the Bible and to pray.  That was the only change in my life.” There are many people who go to church, read the Bible, and pray who are not saved.  What distinguishes the Christian is his testimony of change. This is not necessarily true of all believers, however.  Those who accepted Jesus at a young age, for example, may not have experienced a profound change in their lives, because they have not yet descended into the depths of sin.  But by Angelica’s own admission, before she rededicated her life to “Jesus,” she had been a terrible sinner.  If she had really found the Risen Christ, then she would no doubt have been able to testify of the incredible changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Instead, she said she felt no change.  This is contrary to Scripture, which says: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). If there was no change in Angelica’s life, then she was not in Christ, and the evidence of this is that she immediately abandoned the faith.  Recall that in the parable of the sower, Jesus gave the example of the seed that “fell into stony places” as an example of those who receive the Word, but abandon the faith as soon as tribulation and persecution come (Matthew 13:20-21).  Angelica’s Christian experience started with her trip to hell, which further identifiers her as a charismatic, which movement emphasizes the externals like tongues, miraculous healings, and coming back from the dead.  By the way, Ana Mendez Ferrell, another Charismatic, claims to have brought someone back from the dead, and to have had a duel with Satan. Perhaps the greatest evidence that Angelica’s testimony is false is what she says “Jesus” called himself: Fear not, Daughter, for I am Jehovah, Your God, and I have come here to show you what I have promised you.  Arise, for I am Jehovah, who holds you by your right hand and tells you, Fear not, I will help you.”  Angelica says that “Jesus” called Himself Jehovah.  I find this strange, given that after His resurrection, the Jesus of the King James Version of the Holy Bible called Himself Jesus. When the apostle Paul, for example, encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, he asked Him, “Who art thou?” to which Jesus replied, “I am Jesus…” (Acts 9:5). In the book of the Revelation, Jesus tells the apostle John: “I Jesus have sent mine angel…” (Revelation 22:16). The Bible says that the name of Jesus is above every other name and that every knee shall bow at this name (Philippians 2:9-10).  Jesus is God Almighty (Revelation 1:8) and Jehovah is His pre-incarnation name.  He called Himself both: “And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them” (Exodus 9:3). He is now called Jesus, which means Savior.  And that’s exactly what He is.  All false prophets in some fashion deny Jesus Christ, because Satan is sponsoring their ministries, and Satan hates the name of Jesus.  Calling himself Jehovah and not Jesus was the first sign that the “Jesus” of Angelica Zambrano was a counterfeit. There is much, much more that is wrong with Angelica’s account, but it would be fruitless to waste any more time with this false prophet.  This child has been marvelously deceived, and if she does not repent of this grievous error, she is on a collision course with the Lake of Fire. As we conclude, I want you to think about something very carefully: Angelica lives in Ecuador, a Roman Catholic country.  Her testimony, therefore, would be intended mostly for Roman Catholics, as prophets tend to be chosen, in large part, because of where they live.  Roman Catholics don’t have to be convinced that hell is real.  Roman Catholic priests has used the fear of hell for centuries to frighten their devotees into doing their bidding.  Catholics don’t need convincing that Hell is real.  Why, then would Jesus send someone to testify to Roman Catholics of something they already know exists?  I could tell you, without any reservations whatsoever, that He wouldn’t.  Angelica’s testimony, therefore, is to serve another purpose; and we already know what that purpose is:  to keep Roman Catholics in bondage, believing they are doing the will of God, and to convince undiscerning Christians that Roman Catholicism is Christianity. There must be some serious evangelism going on in Ecuador. Reams can be written on what Angela Zambrano said; let us close, however, with what she didn’t say: At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:5-9).  “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).  “I [Jesus] am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). You don’t need the testimony of a dead girl to believe that hell is real.  I have never seen hell, yet I believe it exists.  Why?  ‘Cause the Bible tells me so. This teaching is available on iTunes for playback with your favorite audio device.  You can subscribe to our free podcast here.   For your convenience, it is also available below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man [1] See Texe Marrs’ Power of Prophecy episode entitled, “The Pope is Not Roman Catholic.”

“What say I then?  that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God.”1 Corinthians 10:19-20 Grace and peace to the children of light, and greetings to the children of darkness. This morning, I followed a link on a particular website discussing the biblical Diana of Ephesus.  Unbeknownst to me, the link was to a website called The Catholic Word of the Day, which gave a definition of Diana from the Modern Catholic Dictionary.  I was instantly surprised; for you see, this dictionary’s definition of Diana of Ephesus marvelously proves my contention that the idol whom Roman Catholics call the Virgin Mary, is not the mother of Jesus, but the goddess Semiramis, who, since antiquity, has gone by many names. For those of you who may not be familiar with Diana of Ephesus, let us turn to Chapter 19 of the Book of Acts, which gives a brief discussion of her.  To set this up for you, the Apostle Paul is in Ephesus preaching the Gospel and against idolatry.  This prompts certain of the townspeople who have made a lucrative living from the industry of idolatry to hold a meeting to decide what they will do about Paul.  We pick up at this point: “For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsman; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Acts 19:24-28 As one can plainly see, the biblical Diana of Ephesus was (and is) an idol, which was worshipped in “all Asia and the world.”  Now, if Diana of Ephesus was worshipped all over the world, it is logical to assume that she was worshipped under different names depending on the language of the country where she was worshipped.  Understand that unlike today, people were not just given names arbitrarily.  A name meant something, and people were named for a variety of reasons, including personal qualities, skin color, physical attributes, and even significant events.  The tenth chapter of the book of Genesis, for example, gives an excellent example of the latter: “And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.”Genesis 10:24-25 The son of Eber was named Peleg because “in his days the earth was divided.”  Now, the Bible mentions only one such global division, and that can be found in Genesis 11:9, where we are told that after God confused the people’s speech at the Tower of Babel, the Lord “scattered them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”  The name Peleg literally means “division.”  For the first time in history, the world was divided: not only geographically, but culturally and linguistically.  Peleg was named for this monumental event. An example of someone named based on a personal attribute would be Nabal, the husband of Abigail, who later became one of King David’s wives.  Nabal means, “foolish,” and Abigail even went so far as to say that Nabal’s name matched his personality (1 Samuel 25:25).  And an example of someone named after his skin color was Esau, who was named Edom, because he was “red.”  Edom means red.  There are many biblical examples of people whom God Himself renamed or surnamed, including Abram, whom God renamed Abraham; Saul of Tarsus, whom Jesus renamed Paul (the Apostle to the Gentiles); and the Apostle Simon, whom Jesus surnamed Peter or Cephas, which means “a stone.”   So, it was not at all unusual for a person to be known by different names, all having different meanings.  Now, if this was true for people, it certainly must have also been true for gods and goddesses, as they were, and are, merely different manifestations of the same two people: Nimrod and Semiramis.  The different names are merely based on their many qualities and attributes–whether real or invented–and are determined by the attribute and the language.   Athena, for example, is the Greek goddess of wisdom, but she is known to the Romans as Minerva.  She is also called Sophia, the Greek word for wisdom: same attribute, but different languages and, hence, different names.  Keep this in mind as we continue our discussion of Diana of Ephesus, for she is, in fact, Athena, Minerva, and Sophia, and also goes by many other names, including Mary. Now, according to the Catholic Word of the Day, the Modern Catholic Dictionary gives this definition of Diana of Ephesus: “Roman goddess of the moon, identified with Artemis among the Greeks who worshiped her as a virgin huntress. The Diana of the Ephesians was a combination of Artemis and the Semitic goddess Ashtoreth, patroness of the sexual instinct…” The first sentence alone contains ample information to prove my contention that Diana of Ephesus is merely another name for the goddess whom Roman Catholics worship as the Virgin Mary.  First, note that Diana is said to be a Roman goddess, yet she is identified with the Greek goddess, Artemis.  “Identified with” is merely a clever way to say “also called,” for you see, those who know the true identity of the goddess they worship don’t want the general population or the less informed devotees to know that all the different goddesses are the same person.  Moreover, is it merely a coincidence that both the goddess Diana and the Roman Catholic Mary are Roman?  I submit that it is not. Next, the Modern Catholic Dictionary says that Diana was the Roman goddess of the moon.  It is interesting to note that the Virgin Mary is also identified with the moon as the following images demonstrate: Munich church of illumination The above photo is very telling as the artist includes, in left bottom background, a replica of the Temple of Diana, further identifying the Virgin Mary with Diana.  It should be noted that the Egyptian goddess, Isis, was also known as the goddess of the moon.  Could this be another coincidence? The Modern Catholic Dictionary says that the Greeks worshipped Artemis as a virgin, though it doesn’t say that Diana was worshipped as such.  Alexander Hislop, however, in The Two Babylons, says that Diana was also worshipped as a virgin (p. 30).  And everyone knows that the Roman Catholic Mary is called The Virgin.  All three goddesses share this significant trait.  Yet another coincidence?  A goddess by any other name… This next series of photos concerns a manifestation of the Virgin Mary in Mexico called “Our Lady of Guadalupe.” “Our Lady of Guadalupe” The reader will notice that, again, the Virgin is standing on a crescent moon, which, again, identifies her as Diana, the moon goddess.  By the way, the Guadalupe manifestation of the goddess tells us much about the Roman Catholic exaltation of the Virgin Mary, and proves that though Roman Catholics claim to love Jesus Christ, they actually exalt Mary above Him. The name Guadalupe is very interesting indeed.  The Catholic Word of the Day’s featured term for August 22, 2009 was “Luminous Rays,” and a reader posted a response, which included a picture of “Our Lady of Guadalupe” and featured the following prayer: “Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of Holiness, teach me your ways of gentleness and strength.  Hear my prayer, offered with deep-felt confidence to beg this favor…“O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to thee under the glorious Aztec title of “Guadalupe”–the Virgin who crushed the serpent.“Queen of Martyrs, whose Immaculate Heart was pierced by seven swords of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns strewn across my pathway. “Invoke the Holy Spirit of Wisdom to fortify my will to frequent the Sacraments so that, thus enlightened and strengthened, I may prefer God to all creatures and shun every occasion of sin.“Help me, as a living branch of the vine that is Jesus Christ, to exemplify His Divine charity always seeking the good of others.  Queen of Apostles, aid me to win souls for the Sacred Heart of my Savior.  “Keep my apostolate fearless, dynamic and articulate, to proclaim the loving solicitude of Our Father in Heaven so that the wayward may heed His pleading and obtain pardon, through the merits of your merciful Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.” What an incredibly revealing prayer!  Understand that Roman Catholics claim to pray to Mary as an intermediary between them and “Jesus.”  They believe that Jesus sits on His throne a stern, angry, judgmental God, ready to destroy mankind at any moment for our sinfulness and disobedience.  They therefore petition Mary, who they believe intercedes on their behalf, because Jesus “cannot deny His mother.”  But, as one can plainly see, Mary is not the intermediary here.  These petitions are to Mary herself. But notice that, according to the prayer, the name Guadalupe means, “The Virgin who crushed the serpent.”  This is an obvious reference to Genesis 3:15.  After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God cursed the serpent and made the following decree: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy (the serpent’s) head, and thou (the serpent) shalt bruise his (Jesus’) heel.” Genesis 3:16 The serpent, of course, is the devil.  The identity of the seed, however, is interesting, because God does not say “He shall bruise thy head” which would imply that the seed is Jesus Christ.  Instead, the third person singular neuter pronoun “it” is used.  Now, “it” could refer to the “seed,” but it could also refer to something else. There is only one other reference I know of to Satan’s head being bruised, and it can be found in Romans Chapter 16: “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”Romans 16:20 The God of peace, of course, is Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 13:11).  So, it is Jesus who shall bruise the serpent’s head, and He will do it through the Christian Church.  Roman Catholics, however, believe that it is Mary who will bruise the serpent’s head.  They believe that “the woman” spoken of in Genesis 3:15 is Mary, and “the seed” is Jesus Christ.  But the Bible teaches that the woman is Israel (Revelation 12:1-17).  The enmity between Satan and the woman, therefore, is the enmity between Satan and the Jews. As for the seed, think about this for a minute:  Satan is a spirit, so he cannot have seed: that is, children.  God is not only talking about physical seed, then, but also spiritual seed.   Israel, the woman, has two types of seed: physical seed (the Jews), and spiritual seed (the Christian church): “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.  He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ...And if ye be in Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”Galatians 3:16,29 This is why Paul said that Jesus would bruise Satan’s head under the Church’s feet.  It is Christ Jesus, through the Church, that will crush Satan’s head, not the Virgin Mary.  If God had meant that Mary would crush the serpent’s head, He would have said, “She shall bruise thy head.”  But He didn’t say that. The most troubling element of this prayer is that the petitioner desires to approach Mary’s “throne of grace.”  Nowhere in the Bible is Mary declared a queen, and nowhere in the Bible is Mary said to have a throne.  This is Catholic tradition, not biblical doctrine. Moreover, not only is Mary declared to have a throne, but it is a “throne of grace.” According to the Bible, only one person has a throne of grace: the Lord Jesus Christ: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed on into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).Hebrews 4:14-15 As stated, the Roman Catholic church exalts Mary into the place of our Savior, the Lord Jesus.  This can again be proven by the fact that this prayer declares that Mary was “conceived without sin.”  This is the blasphemous doctrine of the Immaculate Conception: a doctrine that does not come from the Authorized Version of the Bible, the King James, but was actually decided by a Vatican council and can be found in one of the Apocryphal books: “Thou art all fair, O Mary, and there is in thee no stain of original sin.”Judith 13 The Apocrypha was never accepted as Holy Writ, as it was not part of the Masoretic or Received Text, but was part of the corrupted texts that came from the Gnostic schools of Alexandria, Egypt.  The Holy Bible teaches that Mary, after giving birth to our Savior, went to Jerusalem and offered a sin sacrifice (Luke 2:24).   The only person born without sin was Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:15, 1 John 3:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21).   And think about this for a minute: If Mary was “conceived without sin,” then why wasn’t she worthy to die for the sins of mankind?  Hmmm? For the answer to this question, and more, about the Virgin Mary, we strongly suggest that you read the article, Two Marys.  It will open your eyes. If the reader still doubts that Roman Catholicism exalts Mary above Jesus, I invite him to examine the following photos of “Our Lady of Guadalupe”: Please direct your attention to the angel at the bottom of the photos.  Notice his hands. Can you see that they are grabbing the hem of Mary’s dress and cloak?  Now prayerfully read the following biblical Gospel account: “While [Jesus] spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped Him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did His disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned Him about, and when He saw her, He said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” Matthew 9:18-21 Did you get that?  The woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was made whole. Now someone reading this will believe that the placement of the angel’s hands was purely coincidental.  But what they do not understand is that in the world of the occult (and make no mistake, the Roman Catholic church is an occult organization) nothing is coincidental. Everything in the occult, even down to the minutest detail in a painting, is done deliberately and intentionally.  The Roman Catholic church is appropriating the qualities of Jesus, including His mercy, grace, power to heal, and, yes, even His divinity, and attributing them to the Virgin Mary.  Make no mistake about that. The message of these paintings of “Our Lady of Guadalupe” is that Mary can make you whole.  And listen to this very carefully: if Mary can make you whole, then Mary can save you.  And that is what the Roman Catholic church really believes and teaches, but will not outright say.  They are calling Mary the Saviour.   If you have a problem digesting this, consider that only God is sinless, as the Bible clearly teaches that since Adam’s fall, all mankind is sinful (Romans 5:12).  Only Jesus was sinless, and Jesus Christ is God Almighty (Revelation 1:8).  For Mary to be sinless, as the Roman Catholic church teaches, she would have to be God.  And they know this.  The Roman Catholic church is calling Mary a goddess, because they know full well that she is, in fact, the goddess Semiramis, who, by the way, was also called Myrianimous: the goddess of many names.  Mary is Semiramis.   If you cannot get your head around this, check out this video below of Pope Francis, speaking in code, calling the Virgin Mary Semiramis.   Now, read this article, so you can understand the pope’s cryptic remarks.  Now, please ponder these revelations. Returning to our comparison of Diana and the Virgin Mary, there is one last thing that I want you to consider very, very carefully.  But first, let us take one final look at the Modern Catholic Dictionary’s definition of Diana of Ephesus: “Roman goddess of the moon, identified with Artemis among the Greeks who worshiped her as a virgin huntress. The Diana of the Ephesians was a combination of Artemis and the Semitic goddess Ashtoreth, patroness of the sexual instinct…” Note that Diana was not only identified with Artemis, but she was also identified with Ashtoreth, patroness of the sexual instinct.  This aspect of sexuality identifies Diana with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sexual love.   Now, I want you to consider something.  Did you ever notice that almost every image of the Virgin Mary shows her standing with one knee bent? Almost without exception, she is shown in this position.  Have you ever wondered why the Virgin Mary stands in this curious position?  I had, and it always puzzled me.  I knew it had to have a meaning, but for the life of me, I couldn’t understand what.   Then the Spirit showed me.  Did you ever consider that in this position, Mary’s legs are actually slightly apart or, if you will, slightly open?  If you think about it, this is not a very flattering position for a woman, especially a purported virgin.  In the old days, paintings, drawings, and photos of women of good report always depicted them with their legs closed to symbolize their chastity.  But Mary’s legs are not closed. If we consider that nothing–absolutely nothing–in the world of the occult is coincidental, then we must consider that this has been done intentionally and for a very specific purpose.  I submit that it has been done to identify the Virgin Mary with Aphrodite, the goddess of sexual love.  And if Mary is Aphrodite, then she is also Diana, Artemis, Cebele, Demeter, Ceres, Ashtoreth, and a host of other goddesses, because, somewhere along the line, they all share a common attribute, and that attribute always has something to do with sex: either sexual promiscuity as in the case of Aphrodite and Ashtoreth, or, in the case of Artemis and the Virgin Mary, sexual abstinence.   Tradition has it that Semiramis, the wife of Nimrod, who was deified and worshipped, was a very promiscuous and sexually immoral woman.  Incidentally, though the Ephesian Diana was said to have been a virgin, the Roman Diana was also the goddess of sexual love.   To further prove this point, I submit to you one more piece of information.  According to historian, Alexander Hislop, in his book, The Two Babylons, Semiramis was also known as Columbia, The Dove.  That is why so many things in not just America, but the world, are called Columbia or a derivative of that name.  Now, with this in mind, examine this photo of the “icon” of Columbia Pictures:   Notice that “The Lady” pictured is standing exactly how the Virgin Mary is almost always depicted.  And notice how the nice, moral people at Columbia Pictures were kind enough to “illuminate” her leg so we can get a good look!  And they were so intent on doing this that they defied the laws of light, for the torch that Columbia (or Liberty) is holding is so bright that there is no way her leg could be backlit in this manner.  They are telling us that this is Aphrodite, the goddess of love.   By the way, notice the pyramid-shaped cloud behind Columbia.  Now notice that there are actually three such clouds, side-by-side, though the other two are not shown in their entirety.  I’ve seen many clouds in my day, but I’ve never seen one shaped quite like a pyramid.  And I’ve definately never seen three in a row.  Notice also that the three quasi pyramid shaped clouds are somewhat staggered: the left is slightly behind the center, which is slightly behind the right.  Now, where have we seen something like that? Uh-huh.  These clouds are symbols for the Egyptian pyramids at Giza.  And if you think I’m reaching for straws, notice that the center pyramid, called the Great Pyramid of Chiops, has a capstone.  Now notice that the light from Columbia’s torch is placed exactly where the capstone of the Great Pyramid would be.  Now take a look at this: Saints, this is no coincidence.  This pyramid symbolism suggests that Columbia is also Isis, the Egyptian goddess of the moon and of sexual love. The placement of the torch also suggests that the torch is a symbol for the Egyptian God, Horus, who is really the great rebel, Nimrod.  But that’s another story. Further proof that Mary is Aphrodite can be found in the prayer to “Our Lady of Guadalupe,” where, in the first line, Mary is called “fruitful.”  With respect to women, this word has always been used to mean bountiful in childbirth.  Recall that in the second chapter of Genesis, God tells Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply.”  Now let me ask you a question: can a virgin be fruitful? Now you may ask how the goddess came to be known as Mary.  Well, perhaps you have seen images of a naked goddess standing in a sea shell: The Birth of Venus, Goddess of the Sea That goddess is Venus, the goddess of the sea.  Later, the sea came to be known as The Mare (latin: mari or mare), and so, the goddess became known as Mary.  Find this unbelievable?  Well, notice that Venus is standing in a sea shell.   Now consider the following photo: Notice the sea shell and stylized waves of the sea on the back of the pope’s chair?  Now consider this photo: And this: The Virgin Mary is not only called Aphrodite, but also Ashtoreth, the same goddess that King Solomon and the apostate Jews worshipped and symbolized with a star.  Read more about it here, and here. Those who worship the goddess use secret hand signs to identify themselves to one another.  Read more about the Cult of Mary here. The podcast of this teaching is available at the iTunes Store for playback on your favorite audio device.  You can subscribe to our podcast for free here.  Think. The Still Man P.S.  The idol Mary is called the Abomination of Desolation in the Bible.  In the New World Order kingdom of Antichrist, the world will be required to worship this goddess or perish.  You may want to read more about it here.   Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. Satan hates marriage.  So, in that we, the Body of Christ, are the enemies of Satan, then we can look for him to do all that he can to destroy our marriages.  To this end, Satan has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal.  But the weapon that would appear to have given him the greatest success is the Feminist Movement.  This movement was designed to usurp the authority of a husband in the home by causing women to feel that being in submission to their husbands is being subservient to them and thus robs them of their “independence” and “self-identity.” The Feminist Movement has been very effective in destroying the man’s place as head of the household by making women ashamed of their role as mothers and homemakers–a role that has been demonized for decades in the media.  The media translates the role of wife/mother/homemaker as being “barefoot and pregnant” and ignorant and portrays the woman who fills this role as being co-dependent, having low self-esteem, and having no identity of her own.  Feminists constantly parrot about the line that the traditional role of women as wives and homemakers robs women of their own identity and self worth.  Consequently, many women seek to forge for themselves an identity completely separate from that of their husbands.  For this reason, women are increasingly choosing to keep their maiden name when they marry rather than adopt their husband’s family name.  Others are opting for the middle ground: tagging their husbands’ name to their maiden name as an addendum. All this runs counter to the Bible, which teaches that once they marry, the man and the woman “become one flesh.”  They no longer have a separate identity, though they are clearly separate people. Sadly, this movement has even swept through the Christian church, which now caters largely to women and even promotes them as the spiritual heads of the household.  Though church attendance in general has been declining in recent years, church attendance among women–especially black women–is on the increase.  This may seem like a good thing, but if one looks carefully, one may see that many of these women seem hostile to men.  I believe this to be largely due to the influence of mega church pastors like T.D. Jakes, Juanita Bynum, and so-called Christian celebrities like Steve Harvey, all of whom preach an essentially feminist gospel. The Hollywood motion picture and music industries have played no small part in the feminization of the Christian church, evidenced most conspicuously by the popularity of actor/film maker Tyler Perry and his signature character of Medea: a loud-mouthed, gun-toting, offensive “Christian” matriarch apparently based on the stereotypical strong-willed and deeply spiritual grandmother who was the anchor and bulwark of many black families (including the author’s).  Perry’s character, however, is only nominally Christian. Make no mistake: feminism and the anarchy it has spawned will be here until Jesus returns.  What then, is the Christian husband to do, whose household has been touched by this Satanic menace?  The answer may be in a little-quoted verse of the first epistle of the apostle Peter: “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7 What means the phrase “according to knowledge?”  I believe it means that we should bear in mind that our wives are not only the physical descendants of Eve, but also the spiritual descendants of Eve.  As all Christians should know, the Bible teaches that Eve was deceived by Satan in the garden of Eden into eating of the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  This disobedience was the first sin, and because of this sin, all mankind has inherited the sin nature.  But what few realize is that, although the responsibility for this sin fell upon Adam (for he was responsible for his woman), he himself was not deceived: “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” 1 Timothy 2:14 This is why the Bible refers to the woman as “the weaker vessel.”  If mankind inherited his nature from Adam and Eve, and Eve’s nature led to her being deceived, then all women have inherited Eve’s nature.  It is important to this discussion to determine the exact nature that women have inherited from the first woman, and we can do so by examining what the Bible teaches us about Eve’s rationale that led to her sin: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat…” Genesis 3:6 This verse teaches us some very important things about the way many women think.  Let us, therefore, dissect it. “The woman saw… 1.  “That the tree was good for food.” This is how Eve justified eating of the fruit.  God had told them not to eat of the fruit of this tree, however, Eve attempted to justify disobeying God’s commandment by noting that the fruit of the tree of knowledge was edible.  In other words, Eve was saying that God should not have forbidden them to eat from a perfectly good tree.  She was, in effect, accusing God of being impractical.  We can see this reasoning in women of the present day.  If a woman wants to do something that she knows she ought not to do, she will attempt to justify it using logic, when often the motive for doing the thing was anything but logical. 2.  “That [the tree] was pleasant to the eyes.” This is how Satan lures women.  There is an old saying that “the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”  Men are usually more practical than women.  A man must take care of his family.  In order to take care of his family, he must work, and to work, he must eat.  The logic, therefore, is that if you want to keep a man, know how to cook.  Women, on the other hand, are creatures who are attracted to things that touch them on a sensory level.  This is reflected even in the language that women use.  While a man may say, “I think,” women most often respond, “I feel.”  At the moment of temptation, the allure of the tree was stronger to Eve than God’s commandment. This is no less true today.  Satan knows that in order to make sin look good to women, he must appeal to their senses.  And just as Eve was powerless to resist Satan then, many women are just as susceptible to his machinations now. 3.  “[That it was] a tree to make one wise.” This is what lies at the heart of the feminist movement.  You see, Eve did not need to be wise, because she lived in the garden with an All-Wise God, and the first man, Adam, who, being created in the image of God, and having not yet been touched by the curse of sin, was likely intelligent beyond anything modern man can or will achieve.  Eve had everything she needed, so there was no need for her to desire to be wise.  It is also important to understand that Satan told Eve that she could “be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).  So, when the Bible tells us that she saw that the tree was able to make one wise, it is not discernment that is meant here.  Eve aspired to be as wise as God.  And if it were possible for her to do so, then she would no longer have needed Him.  And therein lies the key.  The feminist movement attempts to make men obsolete, by promoting the lie that women are just as strong, just as smart, and just as capable of “success” as a man.  A woman who aspires to be as wise as her husband attempts to usurp the authority of her husband by making him of no further use to her. Now many women do not appreciate that the Bible refers to them as the weaker vessel.  But when they express their disdain of the term, they seem to understand “weaker” to mean “weak.”  But the Bible does not say that women are the “weak vessel,” but the “weaker vessel.”  There is a difference. Though not physically as strong as the average man, woman are not weak.  It takes a great deal of strength to have a baby.  Men were not made to have children, and so God did not program men to handle the pain of childbirth.  A woman, though, being created to bear children, is able to handle much more pain than a man.  Again, there are exceptions, but for the most part, women seem to be able to handle a great deal more pain than a man. Women are not stupid.  Some of the smartest people I have known have been women.  Women are naturally good multi-taskers.  Women are great prioritizers.  And they are great at details.  They can not only see the forest AND the trees, but the critters and all the insects.  And everyone knows that women have that famous built in compass.  They always know where they are and when they are.  I have driven across America many times by myself and gotten lost, but I have never been loss when there was a woman in the car.  Never. What, then, does the Bible mean by “the weaker vessel?”  I don’t believe it is talking about carnal things, but spiritual things.  Women have inherited Eve’s nature and a great part of that nature is a predisposition to be deceived by Satan.  She is generally spiritually weaker than the man.  Weaker, I say, than the man; not inferior to the man.  She also has a tendency to attempt to usurp authority. So in order to dwell with our wives “according to knowledge” as the Bible teaches, we need to be cognizant that women are naturally prone to deception and we need to recognize in what ways our wives are vulnerable and how they could be taken advantage of, and we should take steps to minimize their exposure to potential problems. If, for example, your spouse is weak in the area of financial stewardship, she should not have unfettered access to the family’s finances.  It may not be prudent, therefore, for a man in such a situation to have a joint checking account or credit card with his wife.  It may also not be a good idea to cosign on any loans with her.  If your wife is recovering from substance abuse such as alcoholism, it would not be a good idea to keep alcoholic substances in the house.  It may also be necessary to monitor your wife’s comings and goings to an extent to be aware of opportunities that Satan could use to tempt your wife to fall back into her old ways.  And it may be beneficial to monitor where and with whom she goes as well as how she spends her money. If your wife is weak in the faith, an unbeliever, or a convert from a religious cult or false religion, you may need to be especially vigilant, as many of these groups will go to great lengths to get a person back.  Moreover, if your spouse does not have a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, she will likely lack discernment in many areas and may not have the ability to distinguish between good and bad or prudent and foolish.  Never forget that many live by the old adage, “keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.“ They will attempt to befriend the unwitting spouse and plant the seed of discontent or discord in her marriage.  This happens more often than many of us are aware and is the reason why the apostle Paul warned that false prophets will “creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts” (2 Timothy 3:6). I have personal experience with this phenomenon.  A few years ago, a young couple moved into our apartment building in Germany, and within a few short months had befriended both my then teenage daughter and my wife without my knowledge.  My only inkling that something was wrong was that both my wife and daughter had suddenly begun to rebel.  When I began to pray about it and slowly put the pieces together, the Lord showed me that it was the young couple–specifically the wife–that was the cause of the rebellion.  She had befriended my wife one day by giving her a ride home from dropping my child off at school where (coincidentally) her own daughter attended.  I don’t know how she managed to gain my daughter’s confidence, but I was to later learn that my daughter would stop by the woman’s house on occasion on her way back from school.  Now don’t think for one minute that the woman befriending both my wife and daughter was a coincidence.  This was planned well in advance, as was, I believe, her coming to that apartment building in the first place.  She was sent there for the express purpose of winning the confidence of the women in my house so that she could later destroy the sanctity of our home by influencing them to rebel against my authority.  And rebel they did.  Mine was not an isolated incident.  The divorce rate among Christians is approaching that of the unsaved.  This too, is no coincidence.  I truly believe that, as it was this woman’s assignment to infiltrate and destroy my family, there are others whose mission it is to destroy other Christian families–especially those of pastors, elders, evangelists, and other men of God.  And one way they are accomplishing this is by identifying, targeting, and influencing the women in these families, in particular those women who are spiritually weak.  Watch out for this. Dwelling with our wives according to knowledge also helps us to pray effectively for them, asking God to give them a measure of discernment in the areas where they are lacking.  This is in keeping with the apostle Peter’s admonition to be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8).  This is extremely important.  Satan knows all of our weaknesses because it was he who gave them to us.  In this spiritual warfare, we don’t have the luxury of time to get to know ourselves and our wives.  It took at least a generation for us to develop into the person we are, so it would normally take at least half as long for us to learn ourselves and at least as long for us to learn our spouses.  And all the while we are in school, Satan is busy exploiting our weaknesses.  We must, therefore, enlist the aid of the Holy Spirit to show us not only what our own issues are, but what our wives’ issues are as well.  To do that we have to stay in prayer. Lastly, Peter tells us that we must give honor to our wives remembering that though they are weaker than we, they are still heirs together with us of “the grace of life.”  We may be slightly ahead of them while we run this race (because God has ordained it so, according to His idea of order), but God’s plan is for us to finish together.  We are all sinners and partakers of the same grace.  We should, therefore, treat our wives as joint heirs–sisters.  It should be especially noted that in so doing, Scripture says that our prayers will not be hindered, which implies that not following this commandment would hinder our prayers.  This demonstrates just how important this is to God.  Though the man is the head of the household, he is by no means to lord it over his wife.  The man and his wife are partners–joint heirs of the grace of God, and the wife is by no means insignificant.  That said, the husband is responsible for his wife as Adam was responsible for Eve, and the wife is responsible to her husband. That to disregard this commandment could be a hindrance to our prayer life means that to not dwell with our wives according to knowledge is a sin, because we are failing, as husbands, in our responsibility to be good stewards of our marriages and priests of our families, constantly interceding on behalf of our wives and children (James 5:16, Job 1:4-5).  We ought not to fail in this responsibility. Let us, therefore, not only love, cherish, and protect our wives, but let us dwell with them according to knowledge and honor them as joint heirs of God’s grace. Our podcast on this teaching is available at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our free podcast today.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

“And he causesth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number the beast: for it the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Revelation 13:16-18 Grace and peace, Saints. Most of us are familiar with the mark of the beast associated with the Antichrist and the “cashless society” mentioned in the thirteenth chapter of the Book of the Revelation. I believe that much of the concern over the mark—in and out of the Christian community—is the result of fear, since the Bible teaches that anyone who accepts the mark will be damned.  Christians need not be concerned, however, as the Bible clearly teaches that everyone EXCEPT those whose names are written in the Book of Life will accept the mark.  But though we need not be concerned, we all need to know what the Lord Jesus has to say about the mark of the beast, especially since He took the time to tell us about it.  This is particularly true considering the consequences of accepting or rejecting the mark are eternal and will affect every living human being. Moreover, it behooves us as Christians to discover what this mark will be to help us to better witness to the unsaved.  Recall that Jesus often told His disciples about things before they happened, to the end that when those things came to pass according to His word, they would believe that He was the Christ.  I believe He is doing the same thing with regard to the mark of the beast.  Just about everyone has heard at least something about it, and I truly believe that many, who will not believe the Bible now, will believe later when they see this prophecy fulfilled.   We will, therefore, attempt to discover what the mark of the beast will be. Myths About the Mark Because there are so many theories about it, many of which only engender fear, let us first dispel any myths about the mark.   Myth #1: Everyone will be forced to wear the mark.   Let us revisit Revelation 13:17: “And he causesth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads…” Revelation 13:17 The passage states that the False Prophet will cause all to receive the mark, not force all to receive it.  What this says to me is that he will orchestrate events in such a way that people will feel compelled to receive the mark to survive.  It will not be mandatory.  Proof of this is the fact that Christians will not accept the mark: “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship [the Antichrist] whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb…” (Revelation 13:8). Everyone whose name is not written in the book of life will worship the beast.  And everyone who worships the beast will receive the mark.  Christians, however, whose names are written in the book, will not worship the beast, and will not accept his mark (Revelation 20:4).  Furthermore, Revelation 20:4 says that Christians will be beheaded for their witness of Jesus (soul-winning) and for the Word of God (owning a Bible).  They will also be put to death for not worshiping the goddess, the Virgin Mary.  But I don’t read in the Word of God that people will be put to death for refusing to accept the mark. That doesn’t mean, of course, that it can’t happen. I believe that the reason a great portion of humanity has been deceived into believing that they will be forced to accept the mark of the beast is due to the corrupted translation of Scripture found in the New International Version (NIV).  The NIV translates Revelation 13:16-17 thus: “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” The reader will see that the meaning conveyed here is entirely different from that of the King James.  There are two lies being promulgated here: 1. that everyone will be forced to wear the mark, and 2. that the mark is “the name of the beast or the number of his name.” We will discuss the second lie later.  As for the first lie, that everyone will be forced to accept the mark, we saw in the King James Version, everyone will be caused to wear it. There is a difference.   If I arrived late to my job because I could not find my keys, it would be correct for me to say that the lost keys caused me to be late, but it would be incorrect for me to say that the keys forced me to be late.  When one says that he is forced to do something, he usually means that he was made to do the thing against his will.  And this usually implies violence or the threat of violence.  To cause someone to do something, however, generally means that someone or something made it necessary for another to do something or react in a certain way.  Though we often use the two interchangeably, there is a difference. This is a great example of why Satan hates the Authorized Version of the Bible, the King James.  Satan doesn’t want you to know the truth, because the truth will set you free.  So, he prints thousands of Bible versions under the pretense that they are easier to understand because they use colloquial language or some other hogwash.  But what is actually going on is that Satan manipulates the language of those versions to hide the truth about what’s coming. The NIV’s translation of Revelation 13:16-17 more than likely is responsible for the proliferation of two other myths.  The first is the second most common myth: that without the mark, “no man might buy or sell.”  But, this too is false.  Scripture does not say that the mark of the beast will be the only way one will be able to buy or sell.  Close examination of Revelation 13:18 in the KJV will reveal that there will be two other means: by using the name of the beast, or by using the number of his name: “That no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”   Let us carefully dissect this verse to better grasp its true meaning.   “No man might buy or sell save (except): 1. “He that had the mark [of the beast], or 2. “[He that had] the name of the beast, or 3. “[He that had] the number of [the beast’s] name.” As one can plainly see, there will be three options for people to buy and sell.  The mark will only be one of them.  The NIV promotes this lie by rewording Revelation 13:16-17 in such a way as to make the mark appear to be the only way one might buy or sell.  Here is the relevant passage again from the NIV: “[N]o one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” As one can see, the NIV accomplishes this by hiding “the name of the beast” and “the number of his name” in a relative clause modifying mark.  In other words, the NIV makes it appear that the mark of the beast, the name of the beast, and the number of his name are all the same thing.  But as we have seen, they are not. The NIV’s false interpretation of Revelation 13:16-17 is also responsible for the third most common myth: that 666, or, “the number of the beast,” will be the mark of the beast.  Again, the NIV implies this by saying that “the mark…is the name of the beast or the number of his name.”  But the King James, the perfect Word of the Living God, proves this also to be a lie: “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:11). As the reader can plainly see, the mark of the beast represents his name, but it is not his name.  This totally bogus translation in the NIV has caused much confusion in the Christian community, because it says that the mark is both a name and a number.  And this has turned what is a fairly simple explanation of the mark into a Rubik’s Cube.  As Revelation 14:11 tells us, the mark of the beast will not be a name or a number.  It will be a mark that represents a name.   This is an important distinction, because besides believing that the mark will be the number 666, many also believe that the mark will be a bar code, an RFID chip, or an implant.  But in that all these are digital (based on 1s and 0s), they are numbers-based, and so could not be the mark of the beast, which is the mark of the Antichrist’s name.  They could, however, be in some way used to represent “the number of his name,” and we will discuss this later.  We can, therefore, safely eliminate the “number of the beast” or 666, from the list of possible marks, as well as the bar code, RFID chip, or implant, for that matter. The fact that the mark of the beast will be based on his name dispels yet another myth: that it will not be a physical mark.  Former witch turned Christian evangelist, John Todd, said that when the Bible speaks of a mark, it is speaking in prophetic language, in much the same way that the beast will not really be a beast, but a person.  However, in that the mark will be based on the Antichrist’s name, and he does have a real name, then the mark will be an actual physical mark.  When I explain its significance, the reader will understand why the mark of the beast will be, and, in fact, has to be an actual physical mark. To help us to understand the significance of the mark of the beast as “the mark of his name,” let us consider that names are very important in the Book of the Revelation.  In fact, the word name shows up no fewer than twenty-nine times.  This is because the Book of the Revelation is the culmination of the great battle of the ages: the war between Satan and the Lord Jesus Christ.  You see, Satan wants to make a name for himself: “I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will sit also in 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” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Satan wants to be like God.  He wants the worship that God enjoys.  And he wants to exalt his name above that of the Lord Jesus Christ.  But the Bible says that the name of Jesus is above every other name (Philippians 2:9).  Satan knows this, but it doesn’t stop him from trying.  So, the Antichrist, who is Satan’s man, will not only try to exalt his name above the name of Jesus, but will also exalt the name of Satan (Lucifer).  It is in this way that Satan will eventually get the worship of man that he so desires, for the Bible says that the world will not only worship the beast, but “the dragon which gave power unto the beast” (Revelation 13:4).  That dragon is Satan. Now the Bible tells us that God will put his seal on His followers who are left on the earth before He brings His judgment upon this world: “And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice…saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (Revelation 7:2-3).  Likewise, Satan will put his seal on his people: “And [the False Prophet] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads…”  (Revelation 13:16). We have already seen in Revelation 14:11 that the mark of the beast is actually “the mark of his name”: “And they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:11). While God’s seal is His name: “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1). This is a start contrast, the significance of which we will discuss shortly.  But first, we should understand that, in this instance, the mark of the beast and the seal of God serve the same purpose: they signify ownership of a servant.  The act of marking one’s servant with one’s name represents a very old principle: He who names a thing owns a thing.  It has always been the practice for one to name those things that one owns.  Slave masters, for instance, would put their name on their slaves, and cattle owners would brand their cattle.  In the case of slavery, the master would select and buy his slave and was given a bill of sale, making him the slave’s new owner.  He could then do what he would with the slave, including marking or branding him.  In fact, branding slaves was a common practice among many slave owners.  As he was the slave’s legal owner, the slave master could, and, in fact, often did then give the slave a new name of the slave master’s choosing.  He could do this because he had bought the slave for a price, and the slave was now his personal property. This principle can also be seen in the Bible.  In the Old Testament, God renames Abram Abraham.  In the New Testament, He surnames Simon Peter (Cephas), and Saul he later renames Paul.  And we are told in the Book of the Revelation that Jesus will one day give us a white stone with a new name written upon it (Revelation 2:17).  God can do this because He is God, and everything and everyone belongs to Him.  But, more importantly, Jesus paid the blood for our sins at Calvary, and so all who believe on Him have been “bought for a price”: the blood of Jesus.  We now belong to Jesus and are no longer our own. There is a major difference, however, between the master/slave relationship in the temporal world and in the spiritual.  In the temporal world, the master chooses his servant.  In the spiritual realm, however, it is the servant that chooses his master.  Once the servant has chosen whom he will serve, it is then the master’s prerogative to give the servant another name and/or put his mark upon him.   This is the principle behind the mark of the beast.  It will be a seal of ownership and not merely a means to buy and sell.  Inasmuch as we have determined that ownership in spiritual matters is determined by the servant–as each must choose whom he will worship–then it must be understood that by choosing to accept the mark, one will be choosing whom he will serve.  And as the mark of the beast is the seal of Satan, then the one who accepts this mark will, in fact, be serving Satan.  It is for this reason that all who accept the mark will be damned to eternal flames.   So, the mark of the beast is a brand of sorts, designating the owner of the wearer.  This designation will help us to understand the true nature of the mark.  Now, as we discussed before, a major difference between the mark of the beast and the seal of God is that the Antichrist’s mark, or seal, is “the mark of his name,” while the seal of God is, in fact, His name.  This is of major importance.  God’s seal is His name because all power is His.  He cannot be promoted, as He is the Most High, and He cannot be demoted, because He was before all authority, and, in fact, sets up and deposes rulers at His leisure.  The name of God therefore, suffices as His seal, because His authority lies in WHO HE IS.  He is the great I AM (Exodus 3:14). The Antichrist’s seal, however, cannot be his name, because his name has no intrinsic value.  It has no power.  The Antichrist was elected by other men into his place.  His power, therefore, rests not in his given name; that is, in who he is, but in his office; that is, in what he is.  Pontius Pilate, for instance, ordered a seal be placed on the stone that covered the entrance to Jesus’ tomb.  The seal was the mark of Pontius Pilate, and was a sign to all that the stone was placed over the tomb by his authority and should not be moved.  The authority of the seal, however, was not derived from the name of Pontius Pilate.  It was derived from the office of Pontius Pilate, who was the governor of Jerusalem.   Thus, the mark of the Antichrist’s name is really the seal of his office.  And if the seal of Antichrist represents his office, as the phrase, “mark of his name” would seem to imply, then the name in question would not be the Antichrist’s given name, but the name of an office: a title. Pope Benedict XVI, who I believe is the Antichrist, has many titles, among which are Bishop of Rome, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, and Servant of the Servants of God.  To discover which title the mark of the beast will represent, then, it will be necessary to examine what else the Bible says about the name of the beast.  Recall that the Apostle John saw a beast rise out of the sea.  The Bible says this about it: “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy” (Revelation 13:1). The beast that rose out of the sea, of course, is the Antichrist, and he wears a blasphemous name on his head.  The Bible says that the Antichrist will “open his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:6).  The specific way that he will blaspheme the name of God is illustrated in the following passage: “[He] opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). No single word better describes the Antichrist than the word blasphemy.  The Antichrist will blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ by exalting himself in Jesus’ place.  For a mere man to exalt himself into the position of God is blasphemy of the highest order.  When Jesus said, “I and my Father are One,” the Jews charged Him with blasphemy saying, “Thou being a man maketh thyself God” (John 10:30-33).  The Antichrist will do the same thing. Now, as the mark of the beast is “the mark of [Antichrist’s] name,” and that name is blasphemous, then the title that gives the mark, or seal, of the Antichrist his authority would also have to be blasphemous.  That means that the name of the beast would have to blaspheme Jesus by exalting Antichrist into the place of the Lord Jesus.  The titles that we have mentioned thus far are not blasphemous, but there are a couple more titles that we have not looked at.  One of those titles is Vicar, or Substitute of Jesus Christ. Is there anything blasphemous about that title?  You bet there is.  You see there can be no substitute for Jesus Christ.  He is One of a kind.  Jesus was Himself a substitute—our Substitute.  He shed the blood you and I should have shed, and He died the death that you and I should have died.  There never was nor shall there ever be anyone else qualified to die for the sins of man.  Only Jesus was sinless.  No one, therefore, could ever serve as a substitute for the Lord Jesus Christ.  No one. There are many examples in the Bible which prove this, but I think the most poignant can be found in the Book of the Revelation Chapter 5: “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? “And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain… “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne… “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:1-9). As we can see, only the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, was found worthy to open the book.  Who is this Root of David? “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.  I am the Root and the offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). The Lord Jesus Christ was the only one in Heaven, in earth, and under the earth who was found worthy to open the book with the seven seals, which book contained the judgments of God upon sinful man.  Why?  Because God the Father has given Jesus the full right to judge (John 5:22).  Why?  Because Jesus “was slain, and has redeemed us to God by His blood.”  Only Jesus’ sacrifice satisfied God’s requirement for atonement and only the Lord Jesus could, would, and did offer His life for the sins of mankind.  Only Jesus rose from the dead, thus showing his supremacy over sin, over death, and over Satan, and only Jesus ascended into Heaven, showing that He is God.  There can be no substitute for Jesus Christ.  This is why the title, Vicar of Jesus Christ is blasphemous.  It purports to substitute a mere man for Someone for whom there can be no substitute: the One and Only Jesus Christ. There is another name by which the pope goes, and that name is Vicarius Filii Dei, or the Vicar of the Son of God, and this is important.  For one, it is said to have been inscribed upon the tiara of the pope, though this is disputed by some who consider it no more than “anti-Catholic” propaganda.  Additionally, many, such as the Seventh Day Adventists, claim that the numerical equivalent of this title is 666, or the number of the beast, a claim that Rome also disputes.   Most of the attention given to the title Vicarius Filii Dei has been centered on the contention that its numerical equivalent is 666.  But little, if any, attention has been paid to the fact that it is a blasphemous title.  Vicar of the Son of God means exactly the same as Vicar of Jesus Christ.  Both titles are blasphemous, attempting, as they do, to exalt a man into the place of our Savior, and both of these names have caused much controversy.  But even if neither of these titles is the “name of blasphemy,” there is yet another name that the pope goes by, the existence of which, cannot be denied.  Neither can it be denied that this name is blasphemous.  That name is “Holy Father.” Because Jesus said that we should call no man our father, this name is clearly blasphemous.  But did you know that Holy Father is one of the titles of God? Well, it is. In Chapter 17 of the Book of John, commonly known as Jesus’ Great Priestly Prayer, Jesus says the following while praying to God the Father.  Listen to this very carefully: “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.  Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (v. 11).  That’s right: the title of Holy Father is a title of God the Father, the Almighty God. You must understand why this is important.  Jesus Christ, who is Himself God Almighty, called God the Father “Holy Father.”  He placed the Father above Himself.  Therefore, to call the Roman Catholic pope “Holy Father” is to blaspheme the name of God the Father. Understand the importance of this.  Most every other title that God the Father has, Jesus also has, including I Am, Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the Ending.  But Jesus never called Himself “Holy Father.”  Jesus reserved this title for God the Father alone: for Jesus said, “My Father…is greater than all (including Himself)” (John 1o:29)  This makes the Roman Catholic pope’s title of “Holy Father” a “name of blasphemy” and a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.  So, while the Roman Catholic church may argue that the pope is the substitute for Jesus Christ, there is no way on earth that he, being a created being, could be a substitute for the Creator.  And there is no way on earth that he, being a sinful man, should call himself Holy Father; for the Bible says that God only is Holy (Revelation 15:4). If the pope were really a God-fearing man, there is no way he would use that title.  So, why is he using it?  Because he is not a God-fearing man. But what is most important is that all of these titles, including “Holy Father,” belong to one office: that of the Roman Catholic pope.  And inasmuch as the mark of the beast is the seal of his authority and that authority is derived from his office, then it behooves us to look at the seal of the Roman Catholic pope; for that seal is a likely candidate for the mark of the beast. Below are several coats of arms of the Roman Catholic church. The reader will notice that these coats of arms all have one thing in common: the gold and silver keys, which the Roman Catholic church calls the keys of Simon Peter. Wikipedia describes them thus: “The crossed keys symbolise the keys of Simon Peter.  The keys are gold and silver to represent the power of loosing and binding. The triple crown (the tiara) represents the pope’s three functions as “supreme pastor”, “supreme teacher” and “supreme priest”. The gold cross on a monde (globe) surmounting the tiara symbolizes the sovereignty of Jesus.” This is apparently borrowed from Matthew 16:18, where after Simon Peter declares Jesus to be “the Christ, the son of the living God” (v. 16), Jesus goes on to tell Simon that He would give to him the keys of heaven, and that whatsoever he loosed or bound on earth would also be loosed or bound in heaven.   Notice that the pope claims to be the “supreme pastor,” “supreme teacher,” and the “supreme priest.”  Supreme literally means “highest” or “most high.” This, again, is blasphemy, because, again, Jesus Christ said that God the Father is “greater than all” (John 10:29).  He then is The Most High.   You must understand that whatever his pretense to piety, by using these titles, the pope is not only claiming to be the substitute of Jesus Christ, but he is actually claiming to be Jesus Christ.  And not only is he claiming to be Jesus Christ, but he is also claiming to be God the Father.  Can anything be more blasphemous? For its part, the Vatican says this about the Keys of Simon Peter: “The symbolism is drawn from the Gospel and is represented by the keys given to the Apostle Peter by Christ. The insignia is red with the two keys crossed as the Cross of St. Andrew, one gold and one silver, with the cotter pointed upwards and towards the sides of the shield. Two cords hang from the grips of the keys, usually red or blue. The shield is surmounted by the tiara or triregnum. Two ribbons hang from the tiara, each with a patent cross. Ordinarily the keys have the mechanical part placed up, facing to the right and the left and usually in the form of a cross, not for the mechanisms of a lock, but as a religious symbol. The grips vary according to artistic taste, from the Gothic to the Baroque. Since the XIV Century, the two crossed keys have been the official insignia of the Holy See. The gold one, on the right, alludes to the power in the kingdom of the heavens, the silver one, on the left, indicates the spiritual authority of the papacy on earth. The mechanisms are turned up towards the heaven and the grips turned down, in other words into the hands of the Vicar of Christ. The cord with the bows that unites the grips alludes to the bond between the two powers.” (Holy See Press Office http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/insigne/sp_ss_scv_stemma-bandiera-sigillo_en.html) Interestingly, the Bible mentions two other keys: “I (Jesus) am He that liveth, and was dead: and, behold, I am alive for evermore.  Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18). Could the “keys of Saint Peter” actually be the keys of hell and of death?  Given what the Roman Catholic religion believes and teaches, and that the Bible declares that the very first residents of the Lake of Fire will be the Antichrist and his False Prophet (Revelation 20:10), the chances are very good that this is the case.  But you must decide that for yourselves.  Another thing to consider is that since the pope considers himself the substitute for Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ has the keys of hell and of death, then the pope, too, must make this claim.   Saints, I truly believe that Pope Benedict XVI is the Antichrist, and that his mark will be the emblem of the Holy See, the so-called keys of Saint Peter. Now, some last thoughts about the mark of the beast.  First, if everyone will be required to wear the mark on his forehead or right hand, why the necessity for “the name of the beast and the number of his name?  Would not the mark of the beast suffice?  Second, if neither the name nor number of the beast will be a mark, then how will one “have” the name and number of the beast?  And third, why will the mark of the beast be on the forehead or right hand? The first question is the easiest to answer.  As stated before, the mark will not be used solely for commercial transactions, nor will it be used simply to make financial transactions more convenient or safe, as many have come to think.  It will be a way to distinguish God’s people from Satan’s.  The Bible tells us that Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32-33).  In other words, He is going to make a clear distinction between the servants of God Almighty and the servants of Satan. As before stated, the mark of the beast will not be mandatory.  The mark will be offered to those who want it, and I believe that the incentive to take it will be some material benefit.  Throughout history, the enemies of Christ have always persecuted Christians by confiscating their property and by denying them jobs and state benefits, while the pagans were always given preferential treatment by the state.  I believe that the mark will be offered to all those who are loyal to the Antichrist and accept the one-world religion by worshipping the Antichrist and his idol.  All those who accept the mark, therefore, will be given access to free health care, housing, government assistance, and the like, while those who refuse the mark (Christians, for example) will have to fend for themselves.  The pagans will depend on Big Brother Antichrist, while the Christians will depend on Jesus Christ, their God.  The purpose of the mark will be to distinguish God’s people from Satan’s. Regarding the necessity for the name of the beast and the number of his name, I believe the phrase “save he that had…the name of the beast” in Revelation 13:18 refers to those who worship the Antichrist and accept him as their lord and master.  Roman Catholics will be at the top of the list, for they already revere the pope.  Christians are said to “name the name of Christ” (2 Timothy 2:19).  Likewise, those who accept the mark will name the name of Antichrist, for the mark is “the mark of his name.” The Roman Catholic pope declares himself the head of the “universal” church (catholic means universal), as the title, “Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church suggests.  The one world church will consist of all religions (except biblical Christianity) under the headship of the Vatican.  Those, therefore, who bow down to the pope—have his mark, his name, or his number—will be able to buy and sell, while those who do not recognize the pope as their leader will not. There has been talk for years of a universal identity card that all citizens could wear.  In that the New World Order will be a “global village” complete with global citizens indistinguishable from one another, then the universal identity card would be truly universal.  Such a card could become a reality and, if so, may even state whether the holder is a member of the universal church.  If he is not, then he will not be able to buy or sell.  As for the number of the beast, as we have discussed, the bar code, the RFID chip, and the implant are digital or numbers based, so they could be used in some way to conduct financial transactions.  By this I mean that they could be used to buy and sell, not that they will be the mark of the beast.  It is said that every bar code has three lines that correspond to 666.  If this is true, then the bar code could very well be used as the number of the beast. As for why everyone will be required to wear the mark of the beast on his forehead or right hand, let us consider that the choice of the right hand is not arbitrary: it has tremendous significance, and this significance can best be seen by way of comparison: The mark of the beast will be given by man, while the seal of God will be given by angels. The mark of the beast is the name of a man, while the seal of God is the name of God. The mark of the beast has a material purpose: to enable one to “buy and sell.”  The seal of God has no material use. Those who receive the mark of the beast shall die.  Those who receive the seal of God shall live. As one can plainly see, though the mark of the beast and the seal of God share some characteristics, there is one very important distinction: the mark of the beast has both spiritual and material significance, while the seal of God is purely spiritual.  Some believe that the forehead represents the mind and the hand represents a person’s works.  If this is true, then the right hand may represent the law.  In other words, the mark on the right hand may signify that the person has rejected the law of grace through Jesus Christ in favor of the law of works.  And we know from the Word of God that the law is death (Romans 8:2).  This is why the servants of God shall only receive the seal of God in their foreheads: they are saved by faith in Jesus, not works, and “follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth” (Revelation 14:4). But there is something more.  The right hand may not only represent works, because, according to the Bible, the right hand is a symbol of power and authority.  This is why Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:12): He sits at the right hand of power.  Recall also that the Apostle John saw God the Father sitting on His throne holding the book with the seven seals in His right hand (Revelation 5:1), which Jesus took from Him.  This act was very significant, not only because it symbolizes God giving Jesus the right to judge (John 5:22), but also because it symbolizes God handing His power and authority over to Jesus.  Additionally, The name Benjamin (the youngest son of Jacob) means “son of my right hand,” in other words, “son of my strength.”  The right hand symbolizes power and authority.  The Antichrist will attempt to have total control over every person on earth.  He wants to control what a person says, where a person goes, what a person does, and even what a person thinks (mind control).  By accepting the mark on his forehead, a person will be declaring that the Antichrist is the master of his will, and, by accepting the mark on his right hand, a person will be declaring that the Antichrist is the master of his actions.  In short, the person is ceding total control of his being to the Antichrist.  He is making the Antichrist his lord and master.  And that’s the key. The mark of the beast will be the seal of the Roman Catholic pope: Benedict XVI, the Antichrist.   “He who hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”  The audio version of this teaching is available at the iTunes store for free download.  You can subscribe to our free podcast here.  For your convenience, it is also available below.   Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots “And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Revelation 17:5). Grace and peace, Saints. We have just completed a podcast that is an excellent companion to our article, The Identity of the Antichrist.  It is entitled Christianity to Babylon and is named after episode thirty five of the Mystery Babylon series of broadcasts from William Cooper’s popular shortwave radio show, “The Hour of the Time.”  It explains how what is now called the Roman Catholic church actually originated from the Babylonian worship of Nimrod and his wife Semiramis, the first deified human beings in history.   The religions that grew from the worship of Nimrod and Semiramis are called Mystery Babylon in the Bible and include every religion in the world except the Judeo-Christian religious tradition.  This is important because the Roman Catholic church, which purports to be Christian, is actually Babylonian in nature as evidenced by the pagan nature of its worship traditions.   Christians need to know the true nature and origin of Roman Catholicism as the Roman Catholic ecumenical movement is seeking to unite all religions under the Vatican, while the Charismatic Movement has all but reduced the visible Christian church to nothing more than one of the Roman Catholic church’s many orders.   We hope that this broadcast shines a bright light onto the spiritual darkness that is Roman Catholicism.  Perhaps it may even encourage some to witness to their Roman Catholic friends, family, and neighbors. You may download this teaching as a podcast for playback on your iPhone, iPod, or other mp3 device.  It is available for free at the iTunes Store.  For your convenience, it is also provided below.   Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh The Still Man Copyright © 2011-2012 Anthony Keeton, The Still Man ®.  All rights reserved.

Grace and peace, Saints.  A young lady wrote me about three months ago and told me that the fruit of the Spirit had been lacking in her life.  She said that her fruit is “like the leaves on that fig tree,” which I gathered was a reference to the fig tree that Jesus commanded to dry up because it failed to yield fruit.  She ended the message with “Help me Lord.” My heart wept for this dear soul, because it has got to be a very painful experience to want to do the will of the Lord, but be unable to do so.  There are many so-called Christians who are not doing the Lord’s will and feel no pangs of conscience about it whatsoever.  But for someone who really wants to please the Lord, but can’t, I imagine this can be almost traumatic.  Happily, this lady’s problem is neither strange nor hopeless, and its cause is easy to pinpoint.  It is a one-syllable word: sin.  Lack of the fruit of the Spirit is due to sin in our lives.  And when sin enters our lives, the lines of communication between God and us are broken, because the Holy Spirit is no longer directing our steps.  Scripture says: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). God is holy.  When we are sinning against Him, the Spirit withdraws from us and we can no longer feel His presence.  That is why many of us who are backslidden and fallen out of a right relationship with God find ourselves unable to pray effectively and read our Bibles.  The Holy Spirit has distanced himself from us.  To discover how we can reclaim our fruit, let us first examine the fruits of the Spirit, which are found in Galatians 5: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [m]eekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). Now, I doubt that the young lady is lacking every type of the fruit of the Spirit.  It was no doubt very difficult for her to admit that she is having difficulty in her Christian walk.   To admit this to oneself requires honesty, and to admit it to me required humility, which entails a degree of meekness: a fruit of the Spirit.  So though she may feel she is devoid of any fruit, she is not totally destitute.  Judging, however, from the tone of the message, I would venture to guess that chief among the fruit she is missing is joy.  When we are guilty of sin, joy is among the first things to go, followed closely by peace.  King David knew this all too well.  As we know, David committed both adultery and murder over the wife of one of his generals.  In so doing, he fell out of step with God, and in the depths of his despair, he experienced a considerable deficit of joy: “Make me to hear joy and gladness” “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation” (Psalm 51:8, 12). Twice David petitions God to make him feel joy again.  As I said, when sin comes in, joy is often the first thing to go out.  David’s sin stole away his joy, because he knew that he had sinned against a holy God.   Loss of joy is one of the worse things that can happen to a Christian.   Joy is what enables us to endure the manifold temptations that Satan hurls our way.  Joy is what enables us to smile and even sing when we are going through an ordeal.  Joy is both the inward and outward token of our victory in Christ Jesus.  When Satan steals our joy, he steals our victory.   Reclaiming our joy as well as any other fruit of the Spirit can only come after reestablishing a right relationship with Jesus.  This is a three-step process involving revelation, realization, and repentance.   Revelation The process starts with the revelation that it is because of our sin that we find ourselves out of step with the Lord.  David’s revelation came when the prophet Nathan told David a story designed to get him to see the sinfulness of his deed (2 Samuel 12:1-4).  As we know, David commits adultery with the wife of one of his soldiers, whom he later has killed.  God sends Nathan to David to tell him a story, which involves a rich man who took all that his poor servant had—his little lamb—which he kills and prepares for a houseguest.  Enflamed at this callous act, David responds that the man should die for his deed.  At this, Nathan says to David, “Thou art the man,” implicating David for having killed Uriah and stolen his wife, Bathsheba.  With this damning accusation came the revelation that David had sinned horribly. This shows the bewitching nature and incredible power of sin.  David was a man after God’s own heart, and he always endeavored to do that which would please God.  David knew that adultery and murder were wrong; he did not have to be told.  But in the depths of his sin, David lost his discernment: that is, he lost his moral compass. Loss of discernment is the first thing that happens when we are living in sin.  We must only look to King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, for evidence of this. When Nathan told David that he was the man, it snapped him back into reality, and he instantly understood the gravity of his sin.  The revelation of sin involves not only the knowledge of sin, but of God’s punishment for sin.  Nathan tells David: “Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die” (2 Samuel 12:14). This is the most sobering part of the revelation: God will punish sin.   It is this knowledge that scares us straight.  “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”  Incidentally, when Nathan said that King David had given God’s enemies “great occasion to blaspheme,”  he was implying that, even though David did the deed undercover, his enemies knew exactly what he had done, because they had been watching him.   We should take great heed of this, for there is nothing new under the sun.  If King David’s enemies were watching him, then our enemies are watching us.  Count on it.  Therefore, if you have backslid, then your enemies already know about it, and are probably celebrating at this very moment.  We are in a war, Saints. King Josiah’s revelation came when Hilkiah, the high priest, found the book of the law in the temple of God and brought it to King Josiah.  The Bible tells it thus: “And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shapan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.  And Hilkiah gave the book to Shapan, and he read it. “And Shapan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book.  And Shapan read it before the king. “And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.” The revelation of Judah’s sinfulness came when King Josiah heard the words of God, which the priest read from the book of the Law.  The Law deals with sin and God’s punishment for sin.  The Bible says that King Josiah of Judah was a good king, “who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 22:2).  Most of the kings of Judah and of Israel committed gross abominations against God, chief among which were idolatry and human sacrifice.  Not so with Josiah.  The revelation that Judah was transgressing against the Lord grieved this righteous king, evidenced by the fact that he rent, or tore, his clothes.   Tearing one’s clothes was a sign that one was ashamed, offended, or distraught.  Josiah was all three. Realization With the revelation of sin comes the realization that we have sinned.  What makes sin so sinful is to know that we are sinning against a sinless God.  It is when we see our sin through God’s eyes that we see just how grievous it is.  Scripture says:  “But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful” (Romans 7:13).  When Josiah heard the words of the law he understood how serious was Judah’s transgression against God.  Though he always knew it was wrong, it was when Josiah heard the commandment of God that he really understood how bad it was.  It is important, at this point, to note that both David’s and Josiah’s revelations came through an intermediary.  David’s intermediary was Nathan the prophet, while King Josiah’s intermediary was Hilkiah, the high priest.  Both were men of God.  This motif can be seen throughout the Bible.  God often uses godly men to deliver His message, because it helps us to see our sinfulness when God’s words come from the mouth of a righteous man.  Once we realize how sinful we have been, we should acknowledge our sinfulness.  We may have a revelation of sin, but once we come to the realization that we have sinned, we must acknowledge our sinfulness, or there can be no healing.  The process of reconciliation truly begins when we acknowledge our sinfulness.  When David realized the gravity of his actions, he said:  “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). Note that David did not merely think these words, but said these words aloud.  This was a confession.  Confession of sin is vital to the process of reconciliation.  Josiah’s confession is inherent in his command to Hilkia and the other priests:  “Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book” (2 Kings 22:13).  Josiah openly confessed the sins of the people, because they had transgressed the words of the law.  Confession of sin is the most important part of the process of reconciliation, for without it, there can be no forgiveness:  “If we confess our sins, [then] He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). This is a conditional if/then statement, where the performance of the latter is contingent upon the performance of the former.  To be forgiven then, we have to confess our sins. Repentance After we realize the gravity of our sinfulness, we must truly be sorry for having sinned against a holy God, and repent of our deeds.  Many think that to be sorry and to repent are the same thing.  But the Bible says that godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).  They cannot, therefore, be the same.  The difference is that godly sorrow begins inwardly in the heart, but ends outwardly with repentance, which always involves confession of the specific transgression.  In the natural, whether a person is truly sorry is what determines if he will repeat a crime after he confesses to it.  If he is not truly sorry, his confession means nothing, and he will do it again.  It is the same in spiritual matters. Repentance for the backslidden sinner always involves confession of sin and supplication.  Psalm 51, for example, which we looked at earlier, is a psalm of repentance, and illustrates David’s anguish at having sinned against his God.  Notice how he again acknowledges his sin and confesses his guilt:  “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me: (v. 3). It is important to note that while confessing his sins, David emphasizes God’s holiness and His right to punish our sin:  “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” (v. 4). In doing this, David acknowledges that he is a sinner who has transgressed against a sinless God.  God only is holy, and, therefore, is the only person who can rightly judge sin.  His judgments are righteous.  Supplication is the act of pleading with God to do something.  With regard to repentance, it is asking God to forgive our transgression and to take away His fierce wrath.  Listen to what David says:  “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  “Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities.  “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.”  Did you see that?  Purge.  Wash.  Hide.  Blot out.  Create.  Renew.  Cast not.  Take not. These are all action words.  David is asking God to move.  This is a textbook example of supplication following repentance.  And not only did David repent, but he also fasted and slept on the floor for a week (2 Samuel 12:16).  Supplication often involves fasting, which is going without food for a time in order to afflict oneself as a token of humility. Supplicants would also put earth on their heads and wear sackcloth, a very simple piece of clothing, to humble themselves before God and acknowledge that they were mere dust before His holiness. When we truly repent, God will forgive us.  When we realize that we have sinned against God and determine in our hearts to seek His face and His righteousness, He will restore us to a right relationship with Him.  God’s words to Josiah illustrate this beautifully:  “Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself…and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee” (2 Kings 22:19). Once God understood that Josiah was truly sorry for the sins of Judah and saw that he humbled himself and tore his clothes, God heard his inward prayer and forgave Josiah.  As a matter of fact, only Josiah and his progeny were spared God’s judgment.  When we truly repent of our sin and determine in our heart to seek God’s face and His forgiveness, God restores our relationship with Him.   One of the best examples of the process of reconciliation can be found in the ninth chapter of the book of Daniel.  Daniel, the prophet of God, has come to God in prayer to intercede on the behalf of Israel:  Revelation “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (v. 2). Realization “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth and ashes” (v. 3). The realization of Israel’s sin is implied in the act of Daniel setting his face unto the Lord. He knew the prophecy concerning God’s punishment of Israel because of their sin, and it troubled him.  Notice that Daniel sought the Lord “by prayer and supplications.”  Again, supplication is pleading for the Lord to do something, which, in the case of sin, is to turn away His wrath and forgive the sin.  Notice also that Daniel is fasting with sackcloth and ashes.  In fasting, Daniel is afflicting himself, and by wearing sackcloth and ashes, he is humbling himself.  Notice that Daniel’s realization led to a confession: “And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said…[w]e have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments” (v. 5). During his confession, Daniel, like David, acknowledges God’s righteousness: “Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all His works which he doeth: for we obeyed not His voice” (v. 14). Repentance  “Oh Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us” (v. 16). Notice that Daniel continually acknowledges Israel’s sin before God.  When God reveals to us what is sinful in His eyes, and we realize that we have sinned against Him, acknowledging our sinfulness with repentance, God immediately restores our relationship with Him. This immediate forgiveness can be seen in the case of King David.  Notice that immediately following David’s confession, Nathan tells him:  “The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die” (2 Kings 22:13b). God knew that David would repent of his sin, just like He knew that David was going to sin in the first place.  God knows everything.  Forgiveness and restoration are waiting on us.  We have only to go to God in all humility and ask His forgiveness, and He will forgive us.   Once we confess our sins, truly repent, and seek a renewed relationship with Jesus, He will restore our joy.  So let the fact that you are on your knees pouring your heart out to God serve as your receipt of victory. One final thing: once God forgives us and restores us to a right relationship with Him, we need to do something.  We must take action.  It is not enough to merely ask God for forgiveness.  We must be willing to show Him our gratitude and that we mean business when we say we want to be right with Him. As an illustration, we return to the example of King Josiah.  Josiah was one of the few good kings of Judah, who “turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might” (2 Kings 22:25).  After he realized how far Israel had transgressed against God Almighty, he resolved to reform Israel and turn them from idolatry back to the worship of the One True God.  King Josiah broke down the idols, tore down the houses of the sodomites, cut down the groves, slew the idolatrous priests, and destroyed the place where the Jews practiced human sacrifice.  He took action.   True repentance begins in the heart, but it doesn’t end there.  True repentance results in some kind of action.  Josiah’s repentance began when he rent his clothes and ended with him completely putting down all idolatry in Judah.  So is it when we backslide.  Our repentance must also lead to action.  When we realize that we have turned our backs on our God, we must take some visible action as a token of our will to again subject our will to His.  Whatever the offense that put distance between God and us, we must take steps to get back into a right relationship with Him.  We cannot undo the sin, but like Josiah, we can remove any vestiges of the sin from our lives.  And we can show God and the world that we mean business.  So, if your fruit is withered and dried up–if you have backslid–don’t despair.  There is hope.  Get back into a right relationship with the Captain of our Salvation and the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.  You have just been given the revelation that your withered fruit is the result of sin.  Now that you realize this, acknowledge it, confess it, and repent of it.  And get back right with Jesus.  “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Often, the loss of the fruit of the Spirit can be the result of generational sin.  To see is this applies to you, read our article on Generational Curses.  Whether personal sin or generational sin, loss of joy is the result of sin.  Repent and confess, and get back your joy.  The audio version of this teaching is available at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our podcast today.  For your convenience, it is also available below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

Grace and peace, to the saints of God, and greetings to the children of disobedience. Prayer is very important in the life of a Christian; and it is, without a doubt, one of the greatest privileges given to those who name the name of Christ.  Prayer is our way of talking to God, who is our Father.  And just as we go to our earthly fathers when we want something from them, so do we pray to our Heavenly Father when we want something from Him.    We pray when we need a blessing from God.  We pray when we need protection from God.  We pray when we need healing from God.  We pray when we need forgiveness from God.  And we pray when we want to thank Him for His goodness.  But how often do we consider that it has also been given to the body of Christ to pray the will of God in the life of another?  This is known as intercessory prayer.  And it is more than just talking to God.  It is exercising the power of God in the lives of others. Jesus wants us to care for one another.  When asked which was the greatest of the commandments, Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39).  It must be noted that Jesus was not only talking to believers, but to unbelievers as well.  Jesus wants all men to love one another.  In John Chapter 13, when giving His final instructions to His disciples before He was to suffer and die on the cross, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 13:34). He repeated this commandment twice in Chapter 15: “This is my commandment: That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (v. 12) “These things I command you, that ye love one another” (v. 17). To love others, then, is not an option for the Christian.  We must love one another.  And the most loving thing that a Christian can do for another is to pray for him.  I can illustrate this with a very practical example.  Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you needed a favor or had a problem that could be easily fixed if you had the right connections.  Let us say that a friend of yours was also a good friend of a king or president.  One of the best things that friend could do for you would be to mention your name to that king or president and try to get your problem fixed.  So it is with the Christian.  We have the ear of the King of Kings, the President of Presidents, the Potentate of Potentates.  And our God is able to do whatever He wants whenever He wants.  So, if it is God’s will to help those for whom we pray, He will do it.  Clearly then, the best thing that we can do for our friends and family both in Christ and in Adam is to pray for them and intercede on their behalf. In the eyes of God, there are only two kinds of people: those who know Jesus, and those who do not.  But for the sake of our discussion, these can be further broken down into the following groups: Our family, friends, and loved ones Our brethren in the Lord The Church Those in government Our enemies Everyone else INTERCESSION FOR THE LOST With respect to the lost, we should pray most importantly for their salvation.  The Bible says that God wants all men to be saved: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). We should, therefore, pray that our lost friends and family will one day repent of their sins and accept the Lord Jesus as their Savior.  This is love in action and is especially true in the case of those family and friends with whom we do not associate or who choose not to associate with us.  I have had family members accuse me of being haughty and judgmental, because I choose not to associate with them regularly.  But the Bible does not compel us to associate with those in the world when they are living in wickedness.  What the Bible says is that we should love them and, when and if possible, share the Gospel with them.  Then their blood will not be on our head (Ezekiel 3:18-19). So once we have given them the Gospel, our obligation has been fulfilled.  From that point the most we can do is to stay in prayer for their salvation.  INTERCESSION FOR OUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES The Book of Job gives a great example of intercessory prayer.  Chapter One tells us that Job often prayed for his children: “And it was so, when the days of [Job’s children’s] feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt sacrifices according to the number of them all: For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.  Thus did Job continually” (Job 1:5).   This passage can teach us some important things about intercession.  First, note that Job offered sacrifices “according to the number” of his children.  That means that he sacrificed at least one animal for each child rather than one animal for them all.  Likewise, we should also pray according to the number of our family.  We should single out each person for whom we are praying, and pray for them by name.  We shouldn’t merely say a blanket prayer for all of them.  When we pray for a person by name, we show how much we care for him as an individual, and not merely a member of a group.  We imitate God’s attitude towards us, because he sees us as individuals, and has numbered every hair on each of our heads. Secondly, note that Job prayed for his children during “the days of their feasting.”   This shows that he knew something of his children’s lives and habits.  Job knew that the chances that one of his children could blaspheme God increased while they were drinking wine and making their hearts merry.  So Job prayed for his children particularly during the time of their revelry.  He tailored his prayers to their circumstances.  Likewise, intercessory prayers should never be static.  When we intercede for others, our prayers should be according to our knowledge of their lives and circumstances.  Someone may be going through a divorce, starting a new job, having problems with substance abuse, expressing doubts about God, depressed, running with the wrong crowd, having a baby, or any number of things.  Most people’s lives are dynamic and fluid and our prayers for them should emulate their lives.   Thirdly, note that Job prayed for his children “continually.”  Job knew that God heard his prayers on behalf of his children, yet he did not take it for granted that he did not have to continue in prayer for them.   This is important for us to understand.  We must continually pray for our children.  In the United States, Germany, and, I would wager, the world, the education system exists expressly for the purpose of indoctrination.  It exists to prepare children to assume their role in the New World Order.  It exists to destroy their faith in God and supplant that faith with a faith in man.  Later, once the Antichrist is firmly in power, that faith will be finally supplanted with a forced worship of the God of the Antichrist.  It is, therefore, of utmost importance that parents intercede for their children.  Parents must pray that God will insulate their children from the antichrist propaganda that is being forced on them in the schools.  Parents must pray against the satanic indoctrination and symbolism that is being inculcated into their minds through television programming.  And parents must pray that God will open their understanding to Satan’s many devices.  I cannot overemphasize intercession for our children, our friends, and our relatives.  It is not only for their benefit, but for ours also.  Scripture says: “[P]ray one for another, that ye may be healed” (James 5:16).  This is generally taken to mean that we should pray for each other’s healing when we are sick.  But what it also says to me is that God wants us to care for others and not just for ourselves.  It says to me that when we show genuine concern for the welfare of others, God heals the breaches in our own lives.  This has biblical precedent. In Chapter 42 of the Book of Job, we are told that at the end of Job’s trial, God healed Job and restored all that He had taken from him; even two-fold.  But what is often overlooked is when God effected Job’s healing: “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: (Job 42:10).   As you can see, it was not until Job prayed for his friends that God healed him.  The reason God wanted Job to pray for them was because they had spent forty chapters trying to convince an innocent man that he was a hypocrite and had incurred the wrath of God by being a self-righteous sinner.  Then God shows up and lets these men know that they “had not spoken of [God] the thing which [was] right” (Job 42:8).  Notice that God was very careful to point out that Job was the only one of the four of whom He approved, even going so far as to use the phrase “my servant Job” three times (v.v. 7-8).  Job was vindicated. Now the common attitude when we have been unjustly accused and then proven innocent is to say “Nah, nah, na-nah, nah!”  God did not want righteous Job to adopt this attitude. Job had towed the line the whole time he was suffering, never once sinning with his lips, and God didn’t want him to do so now.  God could just as easily have demanded that Job’s friends get on their knees and beg His forgiveness.  But He had Job pray for them.  Why? Because he wanted Job to love them, and praying for someone is the most loving thing you can do for them.  Besides this, Job represented God, and forgiving his friends is a picture of God forgiving us. This is very significant and highly suggestive of what our attitude should be when we have been wronged by others.  We should forgive them and pray that God would also forgive them.  God wants us to “love the brethren.”  This brings me to the next group of those for whom we should pray. INTERCESSION FOR THE BRETHREN Our brethren in the church need intercession, as many who name the name of Christ are sinning as much as those in the world.  It has become the custom of many Christians to condemn a brother who has been caught in the act of sinning, but the Bible teaches that we should pray for such:   “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and He shall give him (the praying brother) life for them that sin not unto death” (1 John 5:16). The sin unto death is the “unpardonable sin”: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  God says that He will grant the praying saint forgiveness for his sinning brother.  Notice that God did not in any way qualify this forgiveness.  It is a promise.  God said that if you see a brother sin, you have but to ask God to forgive him, and He will do it.  This is a tremendous blessing and has been given us for the unification of the body of Christ. How many of us have seen one of our brothers in the faith do something he has no business doing, but instead of praying for the brother, we choose to condemn him.  Or we pray for him, but we pray in the wrong way or for the wrong reason.  I imagine one reason we do this is because we are ignorant of the will of God.  But as we have just seen, God’s will is that we pray for that brother and not condemn him.  And each of us would like the same consideration if we were in that brother’s place.  And this is not limited to our lay brothers and sisters, but it also applies to the pastor and others in leadership.  Do you see the importance of this?  How many Christians sin and do not confess that sin to Jesus?  Unconfessed sin can be a source of great difficulty in a Christian’s life.  But if Jesus will forgive a brother for another, then that sin is confessed and the brother will not have to suffer the spiritual fallout from his sin.  This is great news! Now it stands to reason that after praying for the brother we confront him in a loving way and let him know that what he is doing is wrong, and that he should confess this sin.  But Scripture also says that after the third admonition—the third warning—we are to avoid that brother, because he is willfully sinning against the Lord.  Until then, though, we must strive to correct him in a godly fashion. This is one of the ways that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  And is very significant because often we don’t know what God’s will is when we pray for someone, which is why we always pray that the will of God be done (Luke 22:42).  But, in this instance, God has told us that if we pray for an erring brother to be forgiven for his sin, then his sin will be forgiven.  We need not wonder what the will of God is.  This is a huge blessing. Jesus gave us a very good example of another way that we should pray for the brethren.  Speaking to Simon Peter, Jesus says: “Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” (Luke 22:31-32).  This is a good example of intercessory prayer in spiritual warfare.  Jesus told Simon Peter that Satan had designs on him.  Satan wanted to destroy Peter’s faith, because he knew that Peter was going to be greatly used of God.  So, he tried to destroy Peter’s testimony by having him deny Jesus three times.  But Jesus prayed for Peter and, though he hit a bump in the road, Peter emerged as a “pillar of the faith.”  It is extremely important to note that Jesus did not pray that Simon Peter be spared the temptation by the devil, even though He knew full well what that temptation would be.  Temptations and tribulations, though often psychologically, emotionally and even physically challenging, are permitted by God to strengthen us.  So it is not advisable to pray that an individual not go through the trial, but rather that they come through that trial stronger, wiser, and, more importantly, with their faith intact. This is an example of how we should pray for pastors.  Good pastors are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare.  Not only are they charged with regularly feeding their flock, but they have to pray for their congregants’ wellbeing, pray for others’ salvation, pray for the sick, pray for the afflicted, and pray for strength in the face of myriad temptations.  And besides the church family, pastors still have to take care of their own families.  They desperately need our prayers. The devil is relentless when it comes to pastors as well as evangelists, Christian counselors, and anyone else with a burden for the lost.  And the stress can sometimes be overwhelming.  Pastors have left the ministry and even the faith because they could not handle the steady buffeting of Satan.  We often fail in our duty to consistently pray for our pastors, but we need to work toward being better at this, because they desperately need our prayers. Anther group that needs intercessory prayer are babes in Christ—the newly converted—because Satan will be working overtime to destroy their faith.  It is often the case that when a person becomes a Christian, he will get lost in the midst of the church’s many responsibilities and come to feel as though he were merely another face in the crowd.  (This is especially true in churches that have very large congregations.)   New converts need constant attention.  They need to be constantly fed and nourished up in the word of God and their growth monitored.  And they need to be constantly prayed for that Satan will not derail their faith. INTERCESSION FOR THE CHURCH An example of intercessory prayer for the church can be found in Jesus’ Great Priestly Prayer, found in John 17.  Jesus, prays: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (v. 15). Here, Jesus prays for the protection of the church from spiritual and physical evil.  Likewise, we should pray a hedge of protection around our brethren in the Lord.  We should pray that God will protect them from the efforts of the Wicked One and the children of disobedience to harm or destroy them. Jesus continues: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (v. 17). Everything begins with the truth.  The fear of the Lord is only the beginning of wisdom.  Believers must continue to be sanctified (holy and separated unto God) to live a victorious life.  This passage tells us that sanctification comes with the knowledge of the truth.  This is called discernment, the knowledge of good and evil: of truth and error.  Discernment is of paramount importance to the Christian, for without it we cannot resist Satan’s deceptions.  We should, therefore, pray that the Lord will give the church discernment.  “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…” (v.  21). The unity of the church is all-important.  And the church cannot be unified unless we stay yoked to Christ Jesus.  Jesus said that He is the true vine and we are the branches.  Without Him we can do nothing.  The only way to stay yoked to Jesus Christ is to keep His commandments, for Scripture says: “He that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him” (1 John 3:24). If the Church, therefore, would be unified, we must keep the commandments of God.  The last, and, therefore, greatest commandment that Jesus gave us was to “Love one another” (John 15:12,17).  Let us, therefore, pray that the children of God would love one another. Jesus next prays that his followers would be with Him where He is: that is, in Heaven.  Now, Scripture tells us that those who believe on Jesus already have eternal life (1 John 5:13).  So, it is a given that we shall be where the Lord is.  What we should pray, then, is that the Lord would “keep us from falling.”  INTERCESSION FOR THOSE IN GOVERNMENT We should also intercede for those in government.  When a crucial election is coming up or an important ballot initiative pending, we should pray that those in government will make the right decision.  The Bible says that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against “spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).  Those high places are the seats of government, and a government’s decisions will affect its citizens for many years.  As Job prayed for his children “according to their number,” so should we also be familiar with our government leaders and pray for them by name.  Satan and his followers are trying to influence their decisions for evil, so we must diligently pray that they will use their power and influence for good.  This even applies to those politicians whom we know are doing the work of Satan, for the Bible says that God has put them in office to fulfill His will, one purpose of which is to punish evildoers (1 Peter 2:14). Additionally, we should pray for those in civil service—especially police officers, firemen, and soldiers.  Policemen have been given a bad rap because of the actions of a few bad apples, but all policemen are not predators.  There are still good police officers out there—men and women—who would risk their lives for someone whom they don’t even know. It takes a special kind of person to be a police officer, knowing that any day you walk out of your house could be your last.   Firemen and women are also a special breed, and though I’m a grown man, I’m still in awe whenever I pass by a fire engine.  I was brought up to respect a man who would risk his life to pull a total stranger out of a burning building: and I still do.   We have been at war for ten years, and our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, mothers and other family members are fighting and dying on foreign soil.  This war is arguably the bloodiest ever, and a soldier’s worst fear is no longer dying in battle, but coming home maimed, mangled, and permanently scarred.  I believe that the War On Terror has seen more amputees than possibly any war in history.  And more soldiers have committed suicide in this war than in any previous war.   Police officers, firemen, soldiers, and others are risking their lives daily and actually dying to keep us safe.  Theirs is a thankless job, but a vital one.  Were it not for their sacrifices, we would live in constant fear.  We need to pray for their safety and for the well-being of their families.  Moreover, most of these brave souls do not know the Lord Jesus, and they need to; because any day could literally be their last.  They need our intercession. INTERCESSION ON BEHALF OF AN ENEMY Jesus also said that we should pray for our enemies.  He did this very thing Himself when he prayed for His murderers, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Stephen, when he being stoned, also prayed that his murderers not be held accountable for his death (Acts 8:60).  Likewise should we also pray for our enemies; for Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.   “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:44-45). This passage tells us that we should love and pray for our enemies because, in so doing, we are emulating our Master.  Now this is good advice, because, for many of us, our enemies include our family and friends: the very people whom we trust the most and are supposed to love.  If Jesus’ advice had been for us to hate our enemies and love only our friends, we would have a very hard time in life, because Jesus said that the day would come when a man’s foes would be those of his own household.  And if you are like me, then that day has already arrived.  Clearly then, it is better for us to love and pray for our enemies and not to hate them.  How do we pray for an enemy?  Well to begin, we must forgive them in the same way Jesus and Stephen did and pray that God will not charge our persecution to their account. That keeps it from becoming personal.  The Bible says that our fight is not with human beings, but with Satan and the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12).  I can tell you that once you forgive an enemy, it is easier for you to pray for their salvation.  For no man can truly hate an enemy if he is praying for them. Jesus said that we should love and bless our enemies also, so that is what we should do.  I have on occasion prayed that God would give my enemies a really good day: a day to experience the joy of not having Satan manipulate their every thought and emotion.  Some of our enemies have children who have never experienced true love, happiness, and joy and are miserable because of it.  We can pray that their children for once in their lives experience this.  These are examples of how we can pray for an enemy. Intercession for an enemy is even more important when it is a family member.  Some of our loved ones are our enemies for the Gospel’s sake (Romans 11:28).  Others are our enemies because they are carnal-minded and, therefore, will not and cannot be subject to the will of God (Romans 8:7).  These won’t obey God, but we can still intercede on their behalf.  We can pray, for example, that God will give them a measure of discernment for their benefit or for the safety of their children.  This is biblical, because discernment comes from the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit gives Himself to whomever He will—even the unsaved.  Let’s suppose that your sister is an enemy for Jesus’ sake, and she has three young children, whom you love very much.  You know how much Satan hates children, so you know that he is going to do whatever he can to not only corrupt them, but maybe even harm them.  You can intercede on the behalf of your sister, by praying that the Lord would open her eyes to what people she should be careful not to allow around her children, or what television programs are not advisable for her children to watch, or to watch out for a certain neighbor who has designs on them.  You can even pray that the Lord would soften her heart a little.  And you can always pray a hedge of protection around her and her family.  Of course, you should be praying that one day she will accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In some instances, praying for a loved one can be more difficult than praying for an enemy, because they are so close to us.  Satan often uses our closest family members to afflict us, because they are so close.  This is especially true if the family member is not saved.  For example, Satan may cause a spouse to be particularly rebellious, or unloving, or even promiscuous.  Every married person has certain expectations of his or her spouse, and when those expectations aren’t met, it could be a major source of strife, discontent, and disharmony.  When so many emotions are involved, it could be extremely difficult to pray for such a spouse, let alone actually intercede on their behalf.  This has been the most difficult part of my personal Christian walk.  When one is going through such a struggle, one often forgets that, because the person is unsaved and in rebellion, they not only will not submit to the will of God, but they cannot submit to the will of God.  And if they won’t submit to God’s will, it’s a foregone conclusion that they won’t submit to yours.  This is all part of spiritual warfare. The more determined one is to do the will of God, and intercede for the rebellious family member, the more determined Satan will be that the family member will rebel.  This is spiritual warfare, so we must get our heads around this.   We should all intercede on the behalf of our family, relatives, and friends, even if they are our enemies.  Though it can be very difficult at times, we should do it.  After all, if we won’t, who will? INTERCESSION FOR MOTHERS Many women have absolutely no idea how to take care of a child.  There are women, for example, coming from dysfunctional homes who have never experienced a loving, caring family environment where they received love and attention from their parents.  Consequently, these women have no idea how to show love for their own children and are woefully inadequate to the task of effectively rearing a child.  If these women are Christians, God can show them how to raise their children if they will ask him.  The Bible provides us such an example in the life of the mighty Samson whose parents prayed for guidance about how to raise the boy before he was even born (Judges 13:1-18). Most women, however, who come from such backgrounds do not know the Lord.  Some of these women, for various reasons, are so inept at child rearing that they actually pose a danger to their children.  They may be substance abusers or have other addictions.  They are loving people, but the call of their addiction is stronger than their will to do right.  They, therefore, pose a danger to their children.  Many of these women have no family or friends to whom they can turn for help or advice, even if they were inclined to receive it.  Others are cursed with a spirit of rebellion so serious that they will heed no advice.  It can be almost impossible to help such women. All these women need intercessory prayer.  They need for someone to pray that God would grant them wisdom and discernment and show them how to properly raise their child.  That’s where we come in.  We can intercede on the behalf of such women and pray that God will intercede on their behalf and impart to them the wisdom to manage themselves or send someone into their lives who can help.  And we can always pray a hedge of protection around their children. INTERCESSION AND GENERATIONAL CURSES  Some parents are under a generational curse.  This means that a parent or ancestor has committed some sin that is extremely grievous in the eyes of God, and for this sin, God has cursed the lineage of the person.  Some of the most loving and intelligent women are under a generational curse and because of this, their children will also be cursed and, therefore, suffer from the same problems they do. I believe it may be possible to not only intercede for that parent, but also to entreat God to forego his wrath for a generation to spare the child of the penalty of the parent’s rebellion and enable the child and, hopefully, the parent also, to seek God’s face.  There is biblical precedent for this. We know that King David was beloved of God and was said to be “after God’s own heart.”  God showed incredible mercy on the house of David and the tribe of Judah because of David’s faithfulness to His word.  When David’ son, Solomon, committed idolatry, God said, “I will not take the whole kingdom out of [Solomon’s] hand…for David my servant’s sake…But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand” (1 Kings 11:31b, 34, 35). There is a second example.  The twenty-first chapter of the First Book of the Kings tells how King Ahab displeased God by having a man killed so he could take possession of his vineyard, which the man had refused to sell to him.  God tells King Ahab that for shedding innocent blood and for other crimes, He would destroy Ahab’s lineage.  Upon hearing this news, King Ahab was afraid and humbled himself before the Lord, to which God responds: “Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me?  because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house” (1 Kings 21:29). There are other examples, but from these two, a case can be made that under certain circumstances, God will postpone His judgment for a season: even for a generation.  There is more evidence to support this.  In Exodus 20:5 God says that He would curse the children, but in Exodus 34:7, He says that He would curse “the children’s children.”  I believe this is because if God allows a curse to skip a generation and fall not upon our sons or daughters, but upon their sons or daughters, then the curse will not fall upon our children, but upon our children’s children.  This is why God says “unto the third and to the fourth generation.”  If the curse skips a generation, it will be not unto the third generation, but unto the fourth generation. Now, God accepted Job’s prayer for his friends, and the Apostle James tells us that God will forgive a brother’s sin for another who prays on his behalf.  I, therefore, believe that because God is “Merciful and Gracious, Longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6), if it is His will, God will suspend His judgment for a season, if a brother entreats Him on another’s behalf.  I truly believe this.  Now I have prayed just such a prayer for the child of a family member and for the child of a dear friend.  When I did so, I asked God to forgive me if I were being presumptuous and to let me know if I were praying in error.  And I have never had the feeling that I was wrong about this.  In fact, it was because of my prayer for the child of my friend that I decided to write this article.  Given that the present crop of children is farther from God than any previous generation, and that many of them are suffering from various psychological and behavioral problems that cannot be explained by conventional medicine, the discerning Christian should carefully consider what we have discussed here. Prayer is an awesome privilege.  Through prayer we have access to the throne of grace of the Sovereign Monarch of the Universe, and He has availed Himself to us any time of the day or night.  But prayer is more than just a privilege; it is a duty.  We owe it to the Lord Jesus Christ to pray for others the way He prayed for us. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man This teaching is available as a podcast at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our free podcast today by clicking here.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Grace and peace to my brethren in the Lord, and greetings to the lost. Most of us are familiar with the story of Job: how he was a righteous man, upright before the Lord, and eschewed sin. We know how God allowed Job to be afflicted by Satan in order to test his faithfulness, and that Job’s friends accused him falsely, saying that God afflicted him because of his sinfulness and self-righteousness. But Job remained faithful until the end, and at no time during his temptation did he ever “charge God foolishly.” As a result, “the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” It is no secret that God tests his people, and that often the severity of those trials is proportionate to the measure of our faithfulness.  During these trials, Satan will often use those closest to us to discourage us, as Job’s wife proves: “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die” (2:9). We normally only emphasize the last part of this sentence, that Job’s wife said he should “curse God and die.” But we often overlook the first part. Job’s wife asked him if he still retained his integrity. Is it merely a coincidence that God had only just spoken of Job’s integrity at His second meeting with Satan? “Hast thou considered my servant Job…still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause” (2:3) No, it is no accident. It obviously chapped Satan’s hide when God said this about Job: that he held his integrity even after Satan took everything he had, including his children.   Satan said that Job would curse God to his face, but Job proved him wrong. The point I am trying to make is that Satan, angered at this reference to Job’s integrity, used Job’s own wife against him by putting God’s very words in her mouth. Only whereas God meant them for good, Satan used them for evil. There is a great lesson in spiritual warfare here. Many of us are suffering temptations because of our faithfulness to God. And our friends and loved ones play a major part in this temptation. Oftentimes a friend or family member will say or do something that seemed to come right out of left field. It will be obvious that the intent of the action was not to edify or encourage us, but to hurt us or to make us angry. Our first reaction will often be one of anger, but we should take a moment to examine the comment before we react, because often it will give us a glimpse of the spiritual warfare that is taking place behind the scenes. Take Job’s wife. Now the Bible says of Job: “[T]here was none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil” (1:8). God said these things about Job, not about his wife.  So it is a good guess that his wife was not a God-fearing woman.  But even so, I don’t believe under normal circumstances, she would ever have suggested that Job kill himself. What? You say. Who said that Job’s wife told him to kill himself? Why, the Bible, of course. What do you think the sentence, “Curse God and die” means? It is a double imperative or a two-part command: 1. “Curse God.” 2. “Die.” Understand that no one can just die. We don’t have the power over life and death; only God does. So for us to die, either someone has to kill us, we commit suicide, or Satan kills us through sickness, disease, an accident, or some other means.  Under certain circumstances, God simply allows us to die (as in the case of Moses).  In any case, God is in complete control.   Now Job’s affliction was not terminal. It was not going to kill him, because God specifically told Satan not to take Job’s life (2:6).  Job’s wife knew that his illness wasn’t terminal.  So what else could she have meant when she told Job to die, when she knew that he wasn’t terminally ill? She meant for him to kill himself. Are we to believe that Job’s wife really wanted for him to die? Of course not. These were not her words; they were Satan’s. And proof of this is that Job’s wife prefaced this suggestion with God’s very words, only twisted.  Job knew this, because he didn’t even address the second part of her comment. He only addressed her admonition to curse God: “What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil?” (2:10). At her suggestion that he kill himself, Job said nothing.  He knew these were not his wife’s words.  So he let it go.  Moreover, Job’s wife told him to curse God.  This is interesting, because Satan told God that if He allowed Satan to afflict Job, he would curse God to His face” (Job 1:11).  Again, this is proof that these words, though said by Job’s wife, actually came from Satan.   This is important for us to remember.  Satan is going to use those nearest and dearest to us to hurt and discourage us. Why? Because God hasn’t given Satan permission to kill us. Satan has to stop us in some way, and he would prefer to kill us.  But if God hasn’t given him the right to take our lives, he can’t do it. So he will try to discourage us and may even try to get us to kill ourselves, just like he did Job. And he will use our friends and families for this purpose. That is why we must fight diligently not to let them beguile us into saying or doing something that we most surely will regret later. We must learn to let it go. Think about it: You are going through one of the most difficult times in your entire life, and your wife or husband, who is supposed to stick by you through thick and thin, tells you to kill yourself. What would you do? I can tell you that most of us would say something we would later regret; and we would regret it, no matter how we tried to justify it. Job did not do this, for even after his wife made this suggestion, the Bible says: “In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (2:10b). Most believe that this verse means that Job didn’t curse God. Though this is true, it may also mean that Job didn’t go off on his wife after she told him to kill himself, nor blow his top on his friends when they accused him of being a hypocrite.  Job understood spiritual warfare intrinsically, even though he didn’t know the specifics. Job knew God, so, conversely, he knew Satan. And if he knew Satan, he knew his tactics. What this means for you and me is this: Understand that this warfare is not primarily about our friends and family. It is about us. Satan already has them, and he doesn’t have to do anything special to keep them. He must only feed them a steady dose of the sin of their choice to keep them in bondage. We, however, have slipped through Satan’s fingers, and that is a problem for him. A faithful Christian is like a bag of seeds with a hole in it. Wherever we go, we are constantly dropping seeds on the road. A healthy seed doesn’t last long on the ground. If a bird sees it, it will come and snatch it up and eat it or feed it to its chicks, and they will be nourished. If an ant finds it, it will take it home and provide nourishment to the colony. And if it finds its way to fertile soil, it will take root and grow. And even if it doesn’t, it will decompose and provide nourishment for other plants. The point is that a faithful believer is a regenerating agent. When his seeds fall out of the bag, there is no telling what they will do or where they will end up. They may fall in Los Angeles and end up in Japan. This of course agrees with Scripture, which says that God’s Word will not return to Him void. Once the seeds are are out of the bag, it’s anyone’s guess. Satan doesn’t want to take the chance that this will happen, so he will do everything he can to patch the hole in your bag. And one way he will try to do this is to discourage us through our friends and family. This is actually a two-pronged attack, because not only is he attacking us through them, but if we react the wrong way, he is also attacking them though us. If we say or do something drastic in a moment of anger, we could lose forever the chance to impact them with the Gospel. And that is Satan’s end game. He knows he can’t have us, so he wants to make sure that we don’t get them. We must be ever on the lookout for this tactic. When Satan comes against us through our friends and family, we must always remember that we are the ones who are saved, not them. Therefore, it is we who must be responsible for our words and actions even if they are not. We must learn to let it go. Now in order for us to do this, it may mean putting some distance between them and us. Some will do this for us, electing to have nothing to do with us for our preaching the Gospel. They may call us crazy or judgmental, and just decide that they would rather not come around us. Sometimes we get upset at them for this, but it may be a good thing if our being a Christian excites something in them that is not conducive to an amicable relationship. There are also others from whom we may have to distance ourselves. Some will take offense to this, even if they know that they are the ones with the problem. That’s human nature. But though we are admonished to show ourselves friendly, with some that is not always possible. It is best to part on good terms, than on bad. We must let them go. The important thing is that when we are treated badly by a friend or relative, we must do our very best to consider the action from a biblical perspective. We are in a war, saints, and everyone and everything that is not of God is a potential weapon—especially those nearest and dearest to us. We must always remember how Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him saying, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). This is no less true of our friends and family. They know not what they do. They are merely pawns in the hands of a cruel and relentless chess player. And as long as they reject Jesus, Satan will move them in whatever direction he chooses. But he is no match for The Chess Master. In fact, Jesus declared “Check Mate” when He said: “It is finished” (READ “You are finished.”) (John 19:30). So, understanding that we are in a war, we have to forgive them just like Jesus did. If we do, we stay on amicable, if not friendly terms with them, and it is always possible, God willing, that they will one day accept the Gospel. And even if they don’t, it won’t be because we were unloving and without charity, which includes pity and understanding. We must let it go. Job did this. Notice that only three people came to see Job the entire time he was afflicted: Eiphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Proof of this can be found in verse 11 of the last chapter of the book of Job, which says: “Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before” (42:11). What? We didn’t even know that Job had brothers and sisters. Why? Because when Job was going through this very difficult time, they were nowhere to be found. But Job didn’t complain, though it must have hurt him very much to suffer so without the consolation of his family and friends. Job knew that their absence was part of the evil that had been visited upon him. Listen to this: “[God] hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. “My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. “They that dwell in mine house, and my maidens, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight. “I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth. “My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body. “Yea, young children despised me; I arose and they spake against me. “All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me” (19:13-19). Poor Job! You see, we only think of Job’s affliction in terms of the disease, but it went much deeper than that. Job was utterly alone. All his friends and family had forsaken him. And when his three friends did show up, it was only to accuse him, and he was innocent of any crime. Now that’s affliction. But Job didn’t accuse them, because he knew that this was all God’s doing. It was part of his trial. With all that was done to him, the Bible says Job “sinned not with his lips.” Thus, at the end of his affliction, his friends and family were able to come and console him. And they didn’t come begrudgingly. Listen to what happened: “And [Job’s family and friends] did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned (cried over) him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold” (42:11b). Everyone who had abandon Job came to him at the end of his affliction and comforted him and made restitution with him. The preceding verse is the key to understanding the change in attitude in Job’s friends and family. Listen, because it is very important: “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (42:10). Did you see that? God restored Job, but only after he prayed for his friends. Job forgave them for all the evil they spoke of him. Job let it go. There is a great lesson here for us, brothers and sisters: we who are going through various trials for our Christian witness. It is not a pleasant thing when our friends and family become our enemies because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We think that if they were truly our friends, then they would not forsake us. We fail to understand that nothing in a believer’s life happens that is not ordained of God. So when our friends forsake us and our families speak evil of us, ultimately it is God who is bringing it about. Now, I can’t pretend to understand the what and the why of everything that God is doing in our lives. But I do understand this lesson that God has provided for our edification and encouragement. God is ordering our steps. He is bringing it about. So let us not hold grudges against those who do evil to us and spitefully use us. Let us forgive them. Let it go. You can download the podcast of this teaching from the iTunes Store for playback on your iPhone, iPod, or other mp3 device.  Subscribe to our podcast for free.  For your convenience, it is also provided below.   Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Still Man Copyright © 2011-2012 Anthony Keeton, The Still Man ®. All rights reserved.

Grace and peace, Saints. The fifth and final episode in our series on generational curses is now available at the iTunes Store.  You can subscribe to our podcast here. We pray it blesses you. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. Part three of our teaching on generational curses is now available at the iTunes Store. You can subscribe to our free podcast here.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. I pray it blesses you. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints. Part three of our teaching on generational curses is now available at the iTunes Store. You can subscribe to our podcast here. I pray it blesses you. The Still Man Copyright © Anthony Keeton, The Still Man ®.  All rights reserved.

Grace and peace. Following is the second part of our podcast on generational curses, which you can here by subscribing to our free podcast at the iTunes Store.  For your convenience, it is also provided below. We hope this information edifies the Body of Christ. May God’s peace and blessings be upon you. The Still Man

Grace and peace Saints.   We have completed the series of podcasts to accompany our article on Generational Curses. The series consists of five episodes of approximately two hours each.  They are packed with information not available on the blog article. They are available for free at the iTunes Store. Blessings, The Still Man Copyright © 2012 Anthony Keeton, The Still Man ®.  All rights reserved.

Grace and peace Saints. The second part on this teaching is available for free at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our podcast for free here. May God richly bless you. The Still Man

Grace and peace unto you, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Many Christians today are married to unsaved people, and are experiencing great difficulties because of it.  The Bible says, “Be yet not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14 Not only does this passage admonish Christians not to fellowship with those who have religious beliefs that are not reconcilable with Christianity, but it admonishes Christians not to enter into covenants of any type with non-believers.  This includes marriage covenants.  The reason for this is simple.  When a man and a woman come together in marriage, they become one flesh (1 Corinthians 6:16).  If they are Christians, they also become one in the Lord, because Scripture says, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore, the couple is yoked to the Lord. But because many of us have disobeyed this admonition—either out of rebellion, ignorance, or other reasons—God is not a part of the marriage covenant.  He will not be a party to rebellion.  For this reason, we are experiencing serious trouble in our married lives.  I realize, of course, that Christians find themselves in this situation for a variety of reasons: 1.  A non-Christian marries another non-Christian.  The non-Christian later becomes a Christian, but the unbelieving spouse is unwilling to make a decision for the Lord Jesus. 2.  An immature Christian who lacks discernment marries a professing Christian.  As the Christian grows in wisdom and discernment, the Holy Spirit reveals that her professing spouse is really not a Christian and has no real desire to follow Jesus. 3.  A professing Christian marries a Roman Catholic.  Neither has a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, so neither is truly a Christian.  The professing Christian may attend church occasionally, accompanied by the Catholic spouse, and, likewise, the Catholic spouse may occasionally attend mass, accompanied by the professing Christian.  Things work out great for the first few years, because neither spouse has a relationship with Jesus Christ, and, therefore, neither poses a threat to the other’s beliefs.  Later, however, the professing Christian gets saved, and not only learns what Christianity really is, but what Roman Catholicism really is.  For the time being, however, it has not become a problem.  The couple has a child.  The Catholic spouse wants the child to be baptized into the Roman Catholic church, but the Christian parent does not want this, understanding that Roman Catholicism is idolatry, and that infant baptism is unscriptural.  The Christian spouse has now become a threat to the Catholic spouse, who though only nominally Catholic, is nonetheless unwilling to relinquish her faith or practices. 4.  A true Christian meets and falls in love with a non-believer who is a good person: honest, loving, mature, and responsible, but does not know the Lord.  The Christian knows that she should not marry the unsaved person, but she does so anyway, feeling that because her spouse has so many other good qualities, he will eventually accept the Lord as his Savior.  Many years go by however, and the unbelieving spouse still hasn’t made a decision for Jesus.  This creates problems for the believer, and marital discord follows. 5.  A non-Christian marries a professing Christian, who lives a life just as wicked as he.  When he questions his spouse about her unchristian behavior, the professing Christian says that she is “a work in progress.” Later, the non-Christian hears the Gospel and accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior.  With time the Holy Spirit reveals that his spouse isn’t really saved.  The closer the Christian moves to the Lord, the farther his spouse moves from him. This is not an exhaustive list, but many are living through experiences like these and can attest to the fact that they can have devastating consequences to one’s marriage and Christian walk.  When a Christian is trying to live a Spirit-filled life that glorifies the Lord Jesus, being married to a non-Christian can be extremely difficult.  If children are a factor, it can be overwhelming.  This should not surprise us, as Jesus told us that the day would come when “A man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (Matthew 10:36). Though it can be very difficult, Christians who are unequally yoked with unbelievers and are going through difficult times because of it should not be in a hurry to give up on the marriage, especially if some self-styled prophet, “anointed” person, or even your pastor tells you to.  God hates divorce.  Paul speaks about this in 1 Corinthians.  To help us understand God’s mind on marriage, it is important to understand that Paul is speaking to three groups of people: 1. Christians who are single, 2. Christians who are married to other Christians, and 3. Christians who are married to non-Christians. To Christians who are single, Paul says: “I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I (single and celibate).  But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.” 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 Christian singles and widows who cannot handle celibacy should marry to avoid fornication.  God is serious about this.   To Christians who are married to other Christians, Paul says: “And unto the married (in Christ) I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” 1 Corinthians 7:11 This is a clear commandment:  married Christians: that is, two Christians who got married, should not divorce under any circumstances.  This is because God Himself has ordained their union and God does not make mistakes.  Now, if the wife for any reason decides it is better to leave the house, Scripture says that she should remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband.  This, of course, means that she should keep herself pure and abstain from sexual relations, and her husband should do likewise.  Reconciliation is a lot easier if both parties do not get sexually involved with anyone else (which won’t happen if they are truly obedient).  If either spouse becomes sexually involved with someone else, there will be major problems, even if the couple reconciles, because adultery will bring you a generational curse.  And a generational curse is a major complication.  We have only to look to the example of King David to understand that God truly hates adultery.  Marital discord is no excuse. The last group that Paul addresses is Christians who are married to non-Christians. “But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any [Christian] brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the [Christian] woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 1 Corinthians 7:12 Paul says “to the rest” so he doesn’t have to list all the circumstances under which believers find themselves yoked to unbelievers, as I have done. Before we examine this, it is important to note that this last advice from Paul is not God’s commandment.  Paul is speaking with permission from God.  Jesus, in His mercy, does not want to force the believer to remain in a relationship with a non-believer, especially if adultery is involved. He is leaving that decision to us. When a Christian marries a non-Christian, problems will arise, because Scripture says, “Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body?  For two, saith He, shall be one flesh.”  1 Corinthians 6:16 Symbolically, a harlot in the Bible signifies an apostate church or heathen religion.  So if a Christian marries a non-Christian or a person of another faith (Catholic, Mormon, Muslim, Jehovah’s Witness, Hindu, New Ager, Jew, atheist, etc) then the couple is a harlot in God’s eyes, and God will not unite Himself with a harlot. Thankfully, God, in His mercy, has made provisions for this, because He understands that we often do things out of ignorance—and yes, even disobedience.  Therefore Paul says that if the unbelieving spouse is willing to stay in the marriage, the believing spouse should not leave.  Why?  Because of the children:   For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the (believing) wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the (believing) husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.” 1 Corinthians 7:12-14 The passage says that for the children’s sake, the unbelieving spouse is sanctified.  I absolutely love Jesus for this.  He loves children, and He will show us mercy so that our children will be okay.  So, for the sake of the children, God sanctifies even that unbelieving spouse.  And if the unbelieving spouse is sanctified, then the couple is sanctified.  And God says that since the couple is sanctified, then the children are holy.   Thus, the whole family is holy in God’s sight.  So there is no spiritual reason we have to leave that unbelieving spouse.   It is important to understand that though God sanctifies the unbeliever for the children’s sake, it is ultimately for the sake of the believer that He does it.  God is honoring the believer’s faithfulness.  So, though God’s admonition is for the believer not to join himself with a non-believer, if you have done so, you are not unclean in the Lord’s sight. Out of His mercy, He has made provision for you.  So, do not listen to anyone who tells you that you must leave the unbeliever because the Bible says so.  This is a lie from the pit of Hell. There are instances, however, when it may not be expedient for a spouse to remain.  Note that Paul says if the unbelieving spouse be “pleased” to dwell with the believing spouse, the believing spouse should not put her away.  Pleased, in this sense, means not only willing, but happy; and the unbelieving spouse’s willingness to remain in the marriage will be most evident in attitude.  If the unbelieving spouse subjects himself to the believing spouse in manner and attitude, there should be a minimum of marital discord.  Paul understands that if the unbelieving spouse is pleased to stay with the believing spouse, then that spouse is not averse to the Gospel, even if he won’t readily accept it.  Jesus said that anyone who is not for Him is against Him.  Conversely, anyone that is not against Him is for Him.  If the unbelieving spouse is pleased to remain with the believer, then he is not offended by the Lord Jesus.  There can be a modicum of peace in such a home, for the unbeliever will subject himself to the spouse, and thus, to the Lord.  In this instance, God can still be glorified in the eyes of unbelievers. But in a house where the unbelieving spouse does not want to leave the marriage, yet is not altogether pleased to dwell together with the believing spouse; such as when the spouse is rebellious to the extent that there is extreme marital discord, it may not be expedient for the believing spouse to remain.  In this instance, every man must search his own conscience, because everyone’s situation will be different. Let me share my personal testimony with you.  Until three years ago, I lived with my family in Munich, Germany, in a neighborhood that was made up primarily of Roman Catholics and Muslims.  I believe I was the only Christian in my neighborhood.  My wife was raised a Roman Catholic, though she attends a “Christian” church.  She was always somewhat rebellious, but she became even more so when I got saved.   I always thought my wife was a Christian, but after a couple of years I realized that she wasn’t.  During those two years, she became increasingly rebellious to the extent that I could no longer exert any authority over her.  If I tried, there was a furious argument.  I realized that these arguments did not glorify Christ and made Christianity look weak before non-believers.  The Scriptures say that non-believers can be won to the Lord by observing the chaste behavior of believing wives: “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to the own husbands: that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives: While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.” 1 Peter 3:1,2 But our behavior was having the opposite effect.  Here I was trying to witness to Catholics and Muslims that Jesus Christ is the only Way, yet the only couple that could be heard for literally miles was my wife and I. Compared to us, the Catholics and Muslims appeared to have ideal marriages.  Our behavior was actually compromising my testimony.  So I prayed on it and searched the Scriptures, and finally, after having considered it for more than a year, I made the painful decision to leave.  God showed me in several ways that He supported this decision.  That was more than three years ago, and I have been separated from my children for almost two years.  It has been very hard.  But following Jesus is going to cost you something.  It may not cost you your family, but that is the price that some of us have had to pay. But God is good.  During the time my children were with me, I preached Jesus constantly, and my children and I grew together spiritually.  Moreover, in Germany I had tried for years to eliminate or at least scale down television watching in our home to no avail.  While the children were with me, however, there was no television in our home, so when they weren’t at school, the children were always drawing, reading, writing stories, putting on plays, reading their Bibles and Christian tracts, and playing together.  There were no video games or computer games, and I allowed them to get on the computer only if I were there to supervise, and that was only on rare occasions.  They were never bored, as it is amazing what children can come up with to keep themselves occupied if parents would only show an interest in them.  They like to be noticed. I waited until I really felt they knew what they were doing before I asked my two youngest daughters—then nine and ten years old—to make a decision for Jesus, which they did.  A year later, I baptized them.  On that same day, my son also made his decision for Christ, and I baptized him too.  Two weeks later, after a year and a half with me, they were back in Germany with their mother.  This is only a brief synopsis of the story.  If I were to explain the whole thing, one would clearly see God’s hand in this.  If you’d like to know more, click here. Even after three years, my wife is bound and determined not to recognize my authority.  Though she is willing to dwell with me, she is not “pleased” to dwell with me.  There is a big difference.  As for me, all during our separation, I have remained pure, and I have neither divorced my wife nor commenced a relationship with anyone else.  It is not about me and what I want.  It’s about Jesus and doing what He wants.  Doing the Lord’s will can be very hard, but I know what He delivered me from.  Occasionally, I consider 1 Corinthians 7 and ask the Lord to show me if I am not doing His will.  Though I understand this Scripture better today than when I made my decision three years ago, I am no less certain it was the right thing to do.  But my situation is unique, as is yours. So, don’t be in a hurry to leave that unbelieving spouse or to abandon a marriage because there are problems.  Take it to the Lord in prayer.  He may yet save that unbelieving spouse: “For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband?  Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” 1 Corinthians 7:16 You and your spouse must do everything you can to remain together.  Satan hates marriage, so you know he is going to do everything he can to destroy yours–especially if you are a Christian.  You must pray for your unbelieving spouse, and, if possible, you and your spouse must pray together: sincerely, earnestly, fervently.  Hang in there.  God hears you. If you are already separated, remain pure, stay in prayer for your spouse, and use this opportunity to grow closer to the Lord Jesus by reading His Word.  Believe me, if you really want to do the will of God in this sinful world, you are going to have to stay yoked to Jesus to not succumb to temptation.  And that is the best thing that could ever happen to you.   In case you are so frustrated and sad that you are wondering if you should have even married that unsaved person (or even that saved person), let me share this passage with you: “Art thou bound unto a wife?  Seek not to be loosed…But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned…” 1 Corinthians 7:27,28 God absolutely loves marriage.  This passage lets you know that just because you married that unbeliever (against God’s advice) you have not sinned.  Now, you are going to have some problems, but they are not insurmountable.  The key is patience, perseverance, and prayer.  Let us do that which is pleasing in God’s sight.  Let us put His will above our own. There is one more very important thing.  If your spouse is manifesting psychological problems or struggling with some other spiritual malady such as addiction, anger issues, depression, “bipolar disorder,” or some other serious problem, it’s possible he or she is under a generational curse.  This can be true even if they are a Christian.   There are those, for example, who name the name of Christ, yet are Freemasons. Freemasonry is witchcraft, and a Christian who is a Freemason will have serious problems in his Christian walk.  Make no mistake about that.  If this sounds like your situation or that of your spouse, please read this article on Generational Curses to learn how you or your spouse can be set free.  If your spouse is under a generational curse, he or she will require special love, patience, prayer, understanding and spiritual discernment on your part.  It will be a tough battle.  I ought to know: I’m involved in such a battle right now.  But these types of battles are the very ones that most glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.  Believe me. Our podcast on this teaching is available for free at the iTunes store.  You can get it here. We hope it blesses you.  For your convenience, we have also provided it below. As always my beloved brothers and sisters, stay encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. Update August 9, 2013:  After a four-year separation, my wife and I have reconciled, and have been together again since April 2012.  God is good! Please pray for us, Saints, because Satan hates this marriage, and is doing everything he can to destroy it. Update May 29, 2024:  After being reconciled with my wife for five years, we are again separated. Even so, the Lord is being glorified. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints, and greetings to those who are searching for the Truth. The last installment of our discussion on What Is Salvation And Why Do I Need It? is available at the iTunes Store.  Subscribe to our free podcast here.  For your convenience, it is also available below.  I pray it blesses you. The Still Man

Grace and peace, Saints, and greetings to those who are searching for the Truth. This is Part 2 of What Is Salvation And Why Do I Need It? is now available for free at the iTunes Store.  I pray it blesses you.  For your convenience, we have also provided it below. The Still Man