Ragnarok's Valley

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

In a literature class one time, we were assigned to read selections of Norse myth.
The most vivid for me was the account of Ragnarok (which Richard Wagner translated
into German for the title of his opera Gotterdammerung, "The Twilight of the Gods").

Ragnarok was the great final battle that was the end of the world.  I can't remember
all the participants and their strange names, or the exact sequence of events: but the
entire world was inundated in water, and then burned with fire, the sun and the moon
disappeared, all living things died, and then all the gods and monsters fought to their
mutual deaths.

The next line of the story I remember as something like "After all the gods and the entire
earth had been destroyed, a man and a woman crept out of the valley where they had
been hiding."

Wait . . . WHAT !?!?...  We're expected to suspend our disbelief when we read mythology:
but should we also suspend logic, and commonsense ?  All living things, even the gods,
have been wiped out: the whole earth, and the heavens, were destroyed:.  Fortunate
man and woman, to have hidden in a valley where none of these events effected them
in the least !

I've gotten some replies to the e-mail I sent friends last week, about the question satan's
forced on the world whether Jesus is actually the Messiah, that I've had to react to with
the same incredulousness.  Replies about "spiritual struggles going on in my life right now,"
or that "I'm always trying to grow closer to the Lord:" even one that "I don't vote."

Wait . . . WHAT !?!?...the ultimate spiritual question of all time, for all the earth, is being
fought out, and the battle-lines of earth's final war are being drawn.  But all that has
nothing to do with my friends' personal spiritual struggles, or personal holiness...or voting ?!?

Fortunate friends !  to have found a personal "valley" where the approach of Armageddon
doesn't effect them in the least !

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Unforgivable Sin

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

On one day this past week, the current president was on all the world's media, claiming
that he is "the chosen one," "the King of Israel," and "the second coming of God."

For we who believe those titles belong to Jesus Christ ALONE, it was a manifest spiritual
attack.  An ultimate line has been crossed, now that the enemy has publicly forced the
question, on every hearing and seeing person in the world, who is the Messiah.

And it's the definitive question for Christians, whose entire identity is that they proclaim
Jesus Christ is the son of God, and Savior.

I e-mailed various friends and family, and posted on facebook, pointing this out: simply
because many Christians I know have been deceived to "approve" (Romans 14:22), for
political reasons, the current president's evil ravings and deeds; and deceived to believe
that criticism of him, even scriptural criticism, is only , really, about politics.

It would be spiritual blindness, and nothing else, to take his current blasphemies, and
scriptural criticism of them, as somehow political.

Praying for some of the people I wrote to, I was encouraged that most have the Biblical
background to know who Jesus is, so I greatly hope they will not make the wrong choice,
and believe this man's blasphemies.

But there's no guarantee.  Some have been so spiritually blinded, for so many years, by
satan's political manipulation of their thinking, that it may be they can not even perceive
"their" politician, or opposition to him, as anything but politics.  That's why I'm praying
for them.

I'm also certain my friends know scripture's teachings that we should all ask God's forgive-
ness of our many sins, bad choices, and foolishness.  I don't doubt all of them have at some
time felt the need to repent, have experienced God's forgiveness, and have been grateful
to Him for it.  All Christians have.

So I have great hope too that they will all repent having followed this liar and murderer,
whom Jesus warned us is a son of satan (John 8:44).  Hope  that his revealing himself as a
world-class blasphemer will be a shocking enough reality-check to make them all re-affirm
their confession that jesus is Lord, and the ONLY-begotten Son of God.

The enemy has now forced that ultimate issue: and it is an issue especially for Christians.

I say "ultimate," because I don't believe there is forgiveness for a wrong, or bad, or foolish
choice on that question.  God forgives us all those things solely because of Jesus.  If we do
not affirm that Jesus IS God's "chosen one"...on what other basis could God forgive us ?

Jesus clearly identified unforgivable sin as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:10,
Matthew 12:31-2, and Mark 3:28-9).  I'm not directly addressing here what Jesus means
by "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit"...and that would be the only way to understand
what He says is unforgivable sin.

But the spiritual attack on Him this past week may throw some light on understanding
how a sin can be unforgivable.

So I'm praying that none of my friends fall into satan's very manifest snare...that all will
repent they have followed satan's deception, and turn away from following it one step
further.  I'm afraid that one further step may be the one that crosses the line from which
no one can return.

God, give all Your people wisdom today !  God, forgive us and lead us back to You !!

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Why Do We Pray for Authorities ?

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              


Russell Young is a Christian writer, and evidently a pastor and blogger.  I'm not familiar
with him except that his writing appears frequently on a Canadian blog I follow called
"Christianity 201."

He recently wrote a piece there about I Timothy 1:2-3's admonition that we pray for those
in authority.  His comment about God's intent in that prayer seems particularly relevant.

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I urge you, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful
and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

 "Our authorities are part of our national body and have been put in place by God for the
achievement of his agenda. Prayers and petitions for authorities need not be directed for
partisan political purposes but for enhancement of the Lord’s kingdom within our own nations.
Through the affirmation of his rule believers can enjoy peace and a godly state."



I find Young's comment spot-on: our prayers are in support of God's rule in our nation, not in
support of our nation's ruler.

I'd invite readers to consider if that scripture's use by Franklin Graham and other Christian
"leaders," urging us to pray that God will uphold the current president against his political
"enemies," is in line with God's intent.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Richard Nixon: Corruption and Anti-Semitism

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

NPR's "Marketplace" does an amazing job of making sense of today's economics
and business.  They are even able to make those complexities understandable
to someone, like me, totally ignorant of how "the market" works.

A recent question they dealt with was whether government economic statistics
can be manipulated by politicians, to their purposes.

One historical example they cited was Richard Nixon's successful "cleansing" of
Jews from the Bureau of Labor Statistics after BLS released monthly reports that
he felt made him look bad in the run-up to his 1972 re-election.

The Oval Office tapes he was forced to release during the Watergate investigation
included a July 1971 meeting where Nixon railed to his Chief-of-Staff H. R. Haldeman
against the "Jewish cabal" in BLS he believed was conspiring against him with Jewish
Federal Reserve Chairman Arthur Burns.

Nixon ordered Haldeman to "count how many Jews" were in the BLS, and the Bureau
was re-organized soon afterwards, with two of its top Jewish economists transferred
to other offices.

Fortunately, safeguards were put in place after Watergate to protect the integrity and
independence of BLS data-gathering and reporting.

But I find it interesting that the previously most-corrupt American President, who was
for political purposes a "friend of Israel;" was personally a ranting anti-Semite.

That could well be the character of  the end-time ruler whom we consider (and here
I emphasize "we consider") is anti-Christ.  One of scripture's signal prophecies about
that ruler is that he will make a 7-year covenant with Israel, and break it after three-
and-a-half years (Daniel 9:27).

https://www.marketplace.org/2019/07/03/possible-manipulate-government-statistics/


                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

my Bible Study class

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

About a month ago, our church suspended Sunday School classes for the summer.

A few people in our class, which goes in-depth through a book of the Bible, wanted to continue
through the summer.  (Though one lady's reasoning for it amazed me; it wouldn't be burdensome
to continue Bible study, she said, since you really don't have to spend time reading or studying in
preparation.)

Over the past few weeks, the class has gotten smaller and smaller.  Yesterday it was the teacher,
my wife, and myself.  The teacher told us he was going to be traveling for the next four weeks.
We had a short prayer together, and left.

I don't say it in censure.  There are always people who show up sporadically.  They miss the
blessing (and the purpose) of following straight through, in order, what God says: but it's certainly
better to hear some, than none, of what He says.

Other individuals who are usually in class, and voted to continue it through the summer, have
other understandable reasons they may be absent one week or another.  We live in a rural area,
and the week of the county fair is always one of intense activity for the 4-H members and leaders
in the congregation.  Another friend had family visiting from out of state last weekend.

One couple has young kids; and with no Sunday School class for the kids, it's hard for them to
attend.  (Though to their credit, they have managed to come most Sundays since the church went
to its summer schedule.)  Other people, I'm sure, have other good reasons they may be absent.
It's not my intent to evaluate their reasons.

But at some level and some point, a Bible study can only exist when people desire to hear God's
word and discuss it.  At some point, people must consider that what God says is more important
than anything else in their life.  At some point, we have to believe the Bible is not optional in our
schedule and our priorities.

I'd like to be in a Bible study with people like that.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

False "Leaders," Falsified Scripture, False Prayer

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Last week, Franklin Graham and 300 other “Christian leaders” declared
a national day of prayer for the current president.  They cited the scriptural
command in I Timothy 2:1-4:

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and
thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who
are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all
godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of
God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to
the knowledge of the truth.”

This command to pray is especially relevant regards the current president.
There’s never been a president that we more need to pray will use his God-
given authority to give us “…a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

And there’s never been a president that we more need to pray will “…come to
the knowledge of the truth.”

But Franklin Graham didn't urge his followers to pray those scriptural prayers.
His facebook page instead urged Christians to pray for the current president
because “[his] enemies continue to try everything to destroy him, his family,
and the presidency. In the history of our country, no president has been attacked
as he has.”

Undoubtedly the current president made thousands of “enemies” in his life-long
business career…bitter former business-partners, victims of his Trump University
scam, banks who lost billions of dollars on his defaulted loans, unpaid contractors
on his building projects.

But Franklin Graham and the other "Christian leaders" are obviously referencing
the current president’s political “enemies,” and urging Christians to pray God will
uphold the current president against them.

Everyone should read the scripture Franklin Graham cites, and see if it commands
Christians to pray what Graham says we should pray.  Everyone should read to the
end of that passage, where it says our prayers for our rulers should be "without wrath
and dissension” (v. 8)...and decide if praying against the current president's political
"enemies" is in line with scripture's command of prayer in which is no dissension . . . 
one of the "deeds of the flesh" listed in Galatians 5:20, right next to "factions."

In the meantime, all Christians who love God's word, and love the Body of Christ,
should pray fervently that Christians will not be deceived by “leaders” who falsify
scripture to mislead God’s people to destruction.

Amen.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Fools

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Honest . . . no, let's say real . . . Christians believe the Bible’s word is definitive: that what scripture says a thing is, it absolutely IS.

And scripture says “wisdom” and “foolishness” are moral qualities. In the Bible’s definition, a fool is a person too stupid to understand what is RIGHT: or someone who understands what’s right, but is so stupid they choose to do wrong.

One honest believer of what scripture says to another, the current president is a fool. Take it as mere political rhetoric if you wish: but it's true to scripture's definition.

He’s been a fool since he came on the scene. And since that day, he’s attacked anyone who ever tried to dissuade him from any of his foolish whims. Because, he’s told us many times, he’s a genius, and knows better what’s right for our country than anyone else.

We might be forgiven for thinking a congenital liar doesn’t really believe his own lies.  But the current president shows us every day he really DOES believe that he, and he alone, always knows the right thing to do.

The current president's proud foolishness has greatly destroyed, and is destroying, and left unchecked will further destroy our nation.

But his greatest foolishness is that he doesn’t understand what scripture says is God’s judgement on liars, on fools, and against the self-proud...or is too stupid to care.

Those of us who know and believe scripture might hope that someone would tell the current president he desperately needs to repent: for Jesus' power is sufficient to save even the worst fool-of-sin. Perhaps his great supporter Franklin Graham has attempted to tell him so ? Or has this president somewhere heard the message that Jesus Alone is the Way…and characteristically chosen his OWN way ?

What wisdom then are deluded “Christians” showing, who agree with this president that his way is only and always the right way ?

One believer of scripture's word to another, they are fools.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Good Judges

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Choosing judges is a continuing controversy in our society.  It shouldn't be for Christians.

God says what judges should be.  He is, after all, The Judge of all things.  How can the right
kind of judge be anything except the kind of Judge God Himself is ?

It works the same as His command to the "kings of men."  The High King of All commands that
human "authorities" rule the same way He does, using the authority He gives them to do good
to those under their authority, and punish evil-doers.  They are, He tells them, and He repeats,
"ministers of God."  Their Master commands all the "kings of men" to act as He does.

It's the same charge Moses told the people he'd given their judges:

"...I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow
countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or
the alien who is with him.  You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear
the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s." 
(Deuteronomy 1: 16,17)

The right kind of judge is one who judges the way God judges.  And God tells us how He judges:

"...the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and
awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause
of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving
them food and clothing."  (Deuteronomy 10:17,18).

Everyone can make up their own mind if the people currently ruling our nation have ruled, or show
any intent to rule, the way God rules.  My focus here is the kind of judges they have set over us,
and continually tell us are the right kind of judges for us.

The current rulers have told us "conservative" judges are the right kind of judges: judges, that is,
in their own political image.  Being "conservative" is pretty much their whole criteria and definition
of a good judge.

The Senate hearings for Brett Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court showed that better
than anything we've ever seen.  Those hearings are supposed to show us if the judicial principles and
"judicial temperament" of a nominee make him or her a good choice for our nation's highest court.

We instead heard Kavanaugh rant against "liberals" who questioned his record and his character: 
especially "liberal" senators whose Constitutional job that was.  But the "conservative" faction which
dominates the Senate deemed Kavanaugh's outrageous partisan anger eminently qualified him for
the highest court in our land.

Kavanaugh will be a good judge, "conservative" Senators certified by their vote, eminently qualified
to make good, true, and just decisions for every person and question that comes before him...even
those his blatant partisanship might deem "liberal" ones.


Right.

But it all comes back to what kind of judge God is: for that is God's standard of a good judge.

It's too obvious to be worth comment that, in both passages of scripture above, God highlights a
good judge's fairness to "the alien" and "the foreigner" among us.  It's hardly necessary to contrast
God's standard with the "conservative" standard: or with "conservatives" current political correctness"
that increasingly defines "good" and "right" as whatever the current president says.

The other quality of a good judge that God highlights in both passages...because it is His Own quality
as Judge...is impartiality.

We've seen, we've all inescapably seen in the travesty of the Kavanaugh hearing, the deep contempt of
"conservatives" for God's command a judge be impartial and truth-full . . . as He Himself is.  Yet somehow
that fundamental perversion of God's command has not dissuaded a large number of "Christians" from
identifying with, and joining with, "conservatives" . . . and adopting their criteria of a good judge.

Even Moses' father-in-law, a pagan priest, advised him to select "...able men who fear God, men of truth,
those who hate dishonest gain; and...let them judge the people at all times..." (Exodus 18:21,22).  And it's

doubtful, in our own time, that even the most militant atheist would propose that a good judge should be
biased, unfair, and dishonest.

But that's a strong belief of many "Christians" in this day.  And the current president successfully appealed
to that belief, and those "Christians," by promising to "appoint conservative judges" (not "good judges" . . .
a criteria for which the current president has little capacity, or respect).  Indeed, such "Christians" always
cite his manic appointment of "conservative" judges as proof of the current president's truthfulness !!  As
if promising to do wrong, and doing wrong, is virtue.

Again...always...God's word to today's American Church is "Repent !!  Repent deeply, and immediately !!"