Spiritual Warfare

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

As near as we understand, Isaiah 14:12-15’s “taunt” to “the King of Babylon” describes the angel lucifer’s (“shining one”) attempted rebellion against God.

In those few verses, he five times asserts “I WILL,” against GOD’s will: most notably, “I WILL raise my throne above the stars of God,” and “I WILL make myself like The Most High.”

That was also the temptation satan held out to Eve: assert your own "I WILL", and “you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5)

Jesus came proclaiming the “Kingdom of God:” He said the will of GOD rules right NOW “on earth as it is in heaven.”

The question is, as always, if we believe Jesus.

Let's.

God’s Kingdom is “righteousness, peace and joy” (Romans 14:17). Jesus said satan and his rebellious “children” show who they are by their love of lies and murder (john 8:44).

Can the issue of spiritual warfare be any clearer ?

Can the issues for America right NOW be any clearer ?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Democracy in the Bible

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

 

"Democracy...from Greek demokratia...from demos, 'the people,' and kratos, power or rule'..."

 

 "When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, 'Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.'

"Aaron answered them, 'Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.^'  So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool.  Then they said, 'This is your god, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'...

Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt...I have seen these people,' the Lord said to Moses, 'and they are a stiff-necked people.  Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.' "     --  Exodus 32:1-4,7,9-10

 

 

"So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.  They said to him, 'You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.'

But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us,' this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.  And the Lord told him: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.' "     -  I Samuel 8:4-7

 

 

"So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, 'Whom do you want me to release for you ?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ ?^'  For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death...the governor said to them, 'Which of the two do you want me to release for you ?' And they said, 'Barabbas.^'  Pilate said to them, 'Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ ?' They all said, ^'Crucify Him !^'  And he said, 'Why, what evil has He done ?'  But they kept shouting all the more, saying, ^'Crucify Him !' "

                                                                                                 --  Matthew 27:17-18, 20-23

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

 

 

Thanks-giving 2020

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Each year at this time we all sing a Dutch hymn the Pilgrims knew, and may have sung at America’s first thanksgiving.  Its opening verse is especially applicable for us this year:

 

"We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

He chastens and hastens His will to make known;

The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing;

Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own."

This year, all Americans who have taken refuge in Him fervently praise Him for deliverance from the oppression of the wicked.

The last verse of the hymn also strongly resonates with me this year:

"We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,

 

And pray that Thou still our Defender will be;
 

Let Thy congregation escape tribulation; 

 

Thy Name be ever praised !  O Lord, make us free !"

 

Jesus said "If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

We who know and believe Jesus' words, know it is His unshakeable will that we continue in His word.  So we know that this song of petition is Jesus' Own desire for us...and that we will be free indeed.

Amen, Lord !  Thy will be done.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Good

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” 

                                                                                            --  Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19

“…it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’ “              --  I Peter 1:16

 

Human beings are only ever “good” in comparison to other people.  It’s the wrong standard.  Jesus, during His days in human flesh, rejected that standard.

Americans have to thank God we will soon have a President with a moral compass, and a heart for other people.  That’s better for America than what our nation has experienced under the current president: but it can only be relatively better.

Our human system of government hinders even that relative “good.”  The incoming President’s political enemies control other levers of government power, and have promised they will do everything possible to stymie his governance: including whatever limited, relative, “good”  he might attempt to do.

Our system of government also makes certain that when a majority of “the people” again WANT to believe lies and follow liars, America will again have evil rulers after their own heart …and come under God’s judgement again.  Poor America !!

May America REPENT, and every heart desire the Kingdom of God and its righteousness !  Amen !!