The Illusion of Salvation

This morning I will be speaking about the illusion of salvation. Nobody in their right mind would wish to see any person much less friend or family miss going to heaven because they thought they were saved. 

We live in a time when the message of knowing you are a child of God is now.  The certainity of salvation is important. Assumption and ignorance go hand in hand, but we are told that the days of ignorance are over. There is a need for critical self-examination concerning our spiritual state, purpose, destiny, and eternal well-being.

When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, He will ask the questions concerning our identity with Him. Who are you? Do I know you?

Calling Christ, your LORD does not make Him your LORD.  Many will say to me that Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works?  Using the name of the LORD does not prove salvation. The question I ask is, how well do you know the LORD?

I have been around some people for years, and you would never know they were a Christian, except they said they were a Christian. Their lives do not add up to the will of God. Those who do the will of God are stamped approved and sealed with God's approval.  

God has only one will, and it is good and acceptable and perfect. God wants His people to realign their thinking to His way of thinking. The whole plan of salvation is based on the transformation of soul, body, and mind. 

We must start with the mind. Romans 12:2 Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We must have the mind of Christ.

It is time to forget the nonsense about being just outside the will of God. Some people act as if anywhere on the target is acceptable to God. The word for sin is harmatia or missing the mark. How often have you heard someone use the term God's permissive will?

The distinction between God's sovereign will and the permissive will of God is filled with risk and tends to generate untold confusion.

In ordinary language, the term permission suggests some sort of positive sanction. To say that God "allows" or "permits" evil does not mean that He sanctions it in the sense that He approves it. It is easy to discern that God never permits sin in the sense that He sanctions it in His creatures.

 

What is usually meant by divine permission is that God simply lets it happen. That is, He does not directly intervene to prevent its happening. Here is where grave dangers lurk. Some theologies view this drama as if God were unable to do anything about human sin.

This view makes man sovereign, not God. God is reduced to the role of spectator or cheerleader, by which God's exercise in providence is that of a helpless Father who, having done all He can do, must now sit back and simply hope for the best. He permits what He cannot help but permits because He has no sovereign power over it. This false view is not merely a flawed view of faith; it is plain disbelief. To say that God has given us a license to miss the mark and still get the maximum points is to make God unjust. Eph 5:11

God has only one will.

Why is it that there are people who call themselves by Christ's name and live a lifestyle approved by the demons of hell? What is amazing is these people believe they will have the reward of heaven.  

These pseudo-Christians will tell you they believe in Jesus and go to church. Yet, they have never made a life-changing connection with the LORD. They have a form of godliness but lack the power of the Spirit-filled life.  

Salvation is a transformed life, not a ticket. If a one-time encounter or some spiritual experience were enough, then Judas would have made it to heaven. He had an encounter with Jesus, he was called by Jesus to be a disciple, he went out with disciple to do the works of Christ, yet he was a devil.

We don't like to think of ourselves as being a devil, but have we betrayed the LORD? Just because we have walked among Christians, attended church, and done churchy things does not mean we have been transformed.

In surveys completed by this generation, the perceived number one need was to be entertained--not love, not belonging, not relationships, but entertainment. From movies to sports, we love to be entertained. Even at church, we must be entertained. I have heard Christians say if the church is not fun, they were not interested in showing up.

The problem with this premise is that it is flawed. Our faith is not based on entertainment. Paul told Timothy there would be those who would not endure sound doctrine. They would find people who would tell them what they wanted to hear and make them feel good. After all, I am a good person, but I don't wear my religion for everyone to see. I am a good person is a relative statement. Why are you good? I am good because I am helpful, I have never robbed or killed someone. I am a kind person, and I attend church sometimes, I give to the church. 

All of these statements are what you will hear from good people. I spoke a few Sundays ago about good people and how God looks at good people.

There is only one way to be good enough for God. 

That way is through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins when we were sinners. It is through the transforming power of His redemptive sacrifice that we are made good enough for God.

There two things required of us. The first is a new birth. Repent of our sins. To repent of our sins is more than being sorry. When we were small children and caught doing something that resulted in punishment, we were tearfully sorry. Not because we were sorry but because we were caught. The punishment never brought about a change in our behavior. It would not be too long before we were once again being punished for the same misbehavior. Our behavior changed when we learned to follow the rules. That is like true repentance when you learn to stop sinning and follow the commandments of the LORD.

Each one of us had a time and place of our physical birth. We are often asked when you were born. Every time I go to pick up medicine, they ask for my birth date. They can see that I was born. I am standing in front of them, talking to them, I am visible to them. Yet, they still want to know when I was born.

The question I would ask you is, when were you spiritually born? Can you give a date, time, and place when you were born again? Or do you have only an illusion of salvation?

The second is surrendering to the will of God. 

You are letting the LORD have control of your will. God is looking for people to get connected and stay connected. Every church has a mandate from heaven to fulfill it. It is carried out by the people who have had their life transformed by the power of God. God divided Israel into twelve tribes, each with a different function. So, today you need to find the right tribe (church) and connect with it. When you do, you will find the vision God has for your life. I have seen that when people are connected to the right tribe (church), they get connected to God's will for their life. When you yield your will to God's will, He can use you to accomplish His will.

It is time to put an end to the illusion that just going to church will keep you from the eternal punishment of the Lake of Fire. Only a life hidden in Christ can do that. God loves the true church with a holy passion. He is jealous over her and will not share the bride with another. 

Are you connected with the LORD Jesus Christ? Are you in the will of God and connected to the right tribe (church)?

Those who call themselves "Christian" and believe that being a Christian and being a disciple are two different things. This misconception is an illusion that has put them on the road to hell. You cannot be a Christian and not be a disciple. To be a true follower, Jesus said, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. To keep the commandments, we must first learn those commandments. We become disciples when we study the Word of God and apply it to our life.  

There is a need for critical self-examination concerning our spiritual state, purpose, destiny, and eternal well-being. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, He will ask the questions concerning our identity with Him. Who are you? Do I know you? Do not have only an illusion of salvation, but accept the transforming power of redemption.

The Illusion of Safety

1 Thessalonians 5 King James Version (KJV) 

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.   For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.   But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.   Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

People worldwide continue to bow to tyranny under the false illusion that they'll be "safe" and the suffering will be immense if we do not stop it.  Anyone who speaks out against their enslavement will be punished, terrorized, harassed, and censored by the globalist elite with the approval of the mainstream media and the government. While we are being enslaved, the politicians are daring to call those who stand up for their God-given rights terrorists.  You can't make this up!  

I am not a terrorist; I am a free American.  I speak for everyone who loves freedom in every country around the world.  The global elites are  terrorizing every single human being on the globe right now.  Do we not know what terrorism is all about?  Terrorism is: the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims. Americas have no political objectives, and we want only to live our lives in freedom and to be left alone to take life's risks upon ourselves.  These elite evil manipulators in government, news media, religion, and big tech companies are the terrorists based on their definition!

Wake up! Meanwhile, those who speak out are subjected to dictatorial censorship by the minions of Satan.  America, along with other nations fought two wars that cost millions of lives in recent history.  It is the same totalitarian elites that are closing down the world.  Even when America is reopened, how long will it last?

Many of the elites are telling us that there will be another spike in the fall.  If We the People give our consent to the government to have another lockdown, it will be devastating to the US economy, which is already in a downward spiral. The first lockdown may be survivable for a large percentage of Americans and businesses; the second lockdown will financially destroy all but the most prepared. And make no mistake, there WILL be many more lockdowns until the elite manipulators gain dominion over the world.

There are small businesses  hit hard by the crisis.  Banks funneled the money to help small companies to their larger clients over the smaller companies for which the payment was intended. Of the 300,000 clients of JP Morgan that applied for an emergency loan through the government bailout program, only 18,000 actually received one, and many of these clients were NOT small businesses.  If the cycle of lockdowns continues, small businesses will be wiped off the map. The elites have rigged the economic game; they control where every dollar of the bailout money goes, and many of their corporations are the only institutions that are equipped to survive the onslaught.  

This is precisely what happened during the Great Depression when JP Morgan and other major banks owned by the global elites devoured thousands of small local banks across the country and removed them as competitors from the system. After the depression, banking was centralized entirely into the hands of a select few mega-companies. 

Today, they are attempting to erase all localized small business competition to international corporations.  Taking over the business infrastructure of entire nations and removing all independent competition is only one incentive for the lockdowns to continue. There is also the process of acclimating the public to the idea that lockdowns are the "new normal." 

I am sure that most Americans are hating what the lockdowns are doing to our country.  But will those who are fearful of the virus bow to the government each time there is another  lockdown?  Imagine the economic devastation of just one more nationwide lockdown event? It will be carnage, and a lot of hope within the population will be lost.

This will lead to two possible paths: Submission, or rebellion. The majority of the American people will accept the lockdowns as a new fact of everyday life, or they will become so enraged by the destruction of their economy that they will revolt.  If the intent is to keep some form of lockdown until a vaccine is introduced as elitists are suggesting, then we have a LONG way to go, and this first lockdown was small compared to what comes next.  You should not be fooled by the "reopening" of America. Lockdowns will happen again and again until we are acclimated to lockdowns.  They will use the "reopening" as a control to suppress the false hopes of this will be the last lockdown.  They know that Americans are motivated by instant gratification that they will do anything to get back to the way it was before the virus.  Americans will give their consent to the government and give up their freedoms and rights to go back to "normal."

Because Christians have not been diligent in protecting truth and justice, the LORD is bringing judgment on our nation. "So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.  Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.  The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.  He saw that there was no one, He was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so His own arm achieved salvation for Him,  and His own righteousness sustained him." Ish. 59: 14-16

We can only find safety in the LORD. 

Psalm 91:9-10

For you have made the Lord, my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent.

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.

Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

The Illusion of Freedom

The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to keep the illusion of freedom. When the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will pull back the curtains to reveal the real picture.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes. Accordingly, all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.- (In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America)

There has been an erosion of liberty and freedom in the United States of America during the last seventy years.  There has been an illusion of freedom based on two documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America.  For years Americans have believed we live in a free society, yet we have failed to grasp the meanings of liberty and freedom.  Each generation has lost the understanding of what it means to live in a republic with certain inalienable rights and to give consent to be governed. For years we have been convinced that two paper documents grant us certain inalienable rights.  Inalienable definition, not transferable to another or not capable of being taken away or denied, not alienable.  These rights are said to be given to us by God.  That would make them sacred rights.  These are our birthrights.  The day we were born, we became the recipients of liberty and freedom.

It is through our consent to be citizens that we waive our rights to life and liberty. Inherent rights become null and void. As George Washington points out in his letter penned to Alexander Hamilton in 1783, CITIZENS HAVE NO ENDOWED RIGHTS. This has been part of the law since day one of structured Government.

It may be laid down, as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even of his services to the defense of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency.

— George Washington; "Sentiments on a Peace Establishment" in a letter to Alexander Hamilton (May 2, 1783); published in The Writings of George Washington (1938), edited by John C. Fitzpatrick, Vol. 26, p. 289.

In his 1863 Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln embraced the Declaration of Independence as a true expression of the American spirit and the foundation of the Republic — not the U.S. Constitution. When Mr. Lincoln said: "Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal," he referred to the Declaration. He declared the new nation, the very first of its kind, was founded 'under God,' according to the 'Laws of Nature and of Nature's God,' as Thomas Jefferson wrote.

Make no mistake!

The Declaration says: YOU have an endowed right to life.

But citizens have no inalienable (endowed) right to life.

The Declaration says: YOU have an endowed right to natural and personal liberty.

But citizens have only civil and political liberty.

The Declaration says: YOU have an endowed right to absolutely own private property (upon which you can pursue happiness without permission of a superior).

But citizens have no private property, absolutely owned… the Government can claim a portion.

Inherent Rights Vs. State Rights

Thomas Jefferson considered the only function of Government was to safeguard the rights of its citizens. From a Jeffersonian viewpoint, the only reason for the existence of Government is to secure the inherent rights of those who elected it. The sole basis for the Government government's authority is that it has the consent of the governed.

To secure these rights [to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness], governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. – Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, 1776

It is to secure our rights that we resort to government at all. – Thomas Jefferson to Francois D'Ivernois, 1795

The people are sovereign beings, powerful without representation. We each hold inherent rights and liberties that are granted to us through the Creator by our birth. As sovereign beings, we abide by a hierarchy of laws under God. Natural Law applies to each human as body, mind, soul, and spirit, to do no harm. Inherent rights are not protected by the Constitution, as the courts would suggest:

The rights of the individual are not derived from governmental agencies, either municipal, state, or federal, or even from the Constitution. They exist inherently in every man, by endowment of the Creator, and are merely reaffirmed in the Constitution, and restricted only to the extent that they have been VOLUNTARILY SURRENDERED BY THE CITIZENSHIP to the agencies of government. The people's rights are not derived from the government, but the government's authority comes from the people. The Constitution but states again these rights already existing, and when legislative encroachment by the nation, state, or municipality invade these original and permanent rights, it is the duty of the courts to so declare, and to afford the necessary relief. The fewer restrictions that surround the individual liberties of the citizen, except those for the preservation of the public health, safety, and morals, the more contented the people and the more successful the democracy.  — City of Dallas v Mitchell, 245 S.W. 944

"These are the times that try men's souls." ― Thomas Paine, The American Crisis

Our losses are mounting with every passing day that our Country is in lock-down.  What began with the post-9/11 passage of the USA Patriot Act has snowballed into eradicating every vital safeguard against government overreach, corruption, and abuse.

We, the People, have surrendered our rights in exchange for the phantom promise of safety and security.  This has resulted in a society where the nation is being locked down into a militarized, mechanized, hypersensitive, legalistic, self-righteous, goose-stepping antithesis of every principle upon which this nation was founded.

Set against a backdrop of government surveillance, militarized police, SWAT team raids, asset forfeiture, eminent domain, overcriminalization, armed surveillance drones, whole-body scanners, stop and frisk searches, police violence and the like—all of which have been sanctioned by Congress, the White House and the courts—our constitutional freedoms have been steadily chipped away at, undermined, eroded, whittled down, and generally discarded.

The rights embodied in the Constitution, if not already eviscerated, are on life support.

Free speech, the right to protest, the right to challenge government wrongdoing, due process, a presumption of innocence, the right to self-defense, accountability and transparency in Government, privacy, press, sovereignty, assembly, bodily integrity, representative Government: all of these and more have become casualties in the Government's war on the American people. This war has grown more pronounced since 9/11.

The consent of the governed is a foundational principle of democracy. Consent implies you have a choice and know the meaning of words and the foundation of Government. However, consent does not equal permission. You don't have to make a formal denial for authorities to accept your consent. Your silence and inaction will qualify as consent. Consent can be achieved when you do nothing.

What is happening in America today was planned over 100 years ago. 

" [Very] soon, every American will be required to register their biological property in a national system designed to keep track of the people and that will operate under the ancient system of pledging.  By such methodology, we can compel people to submit to our agenda, which will effect our security as a chargeback for our fiat paper currency. Every American will be forced to register or suffer being unable to work and earn a living. They will be our chattel, and we will hold the security interest over them forever, by operation of the law merchant under the scheme of secured transactions." – Edward Mandell House, the 1900s, in a private meeting with President Woodrow Wilson

When we are ignorant of full disclosure, of words and language, we no longer have true choice. Without full knowledge of the facts, we grant permission to entities to rule over us. When we consent to be citizen-slaves, we unknowingly give up our power to those who use words against us.

No document can ensure freedoms. The only freedoms we have are those we embody and defend with our words, actions, and lives. When we take full responsibility for all the privileges our birthright grants us, we become truly free people. We create a new reality of freedom and liberty.

First Lesson In Fasting-Obedience

We have been talking about prayer for the past few Sundays.  This Sunday, I would like to talk about fasting.  Fasting is a subject that is not often part of the American Christian element of worship.  Some feel this is an Old testament custom and is not needed under the dispensation of Grace.  However, Jesus told us that some things would not happen unless we fast.  The Early Church's custom was to fast twice a week often on Wednesday and Friday.

When we do talk about fasting, it often concerns the ways to fast, how often to fast, and the benefits of fasting.  I want to take a different approach before I speak about the common areas of fasting; let us look at the purpose of fasting.

Today we have changed fasting to include things that are not food.  An example is that for the next week, I will not be on Facebook, or I will not use sugar for the next five days, or I am fast by not using modern technology.  I can find no reference in the Bible about fasting other than abstaining from food.  In the book of Isaiah, chapter 58, we have an example of fasting.

The people are saying, "We fast to show honor to you. Why don't you see us? We starve our bodies to show honor to you. Why don't you notice us?"
The purpose of fasting was to honor the LORD.  What they were saying was correct.  The problem was the ritual of fasting was something they thought would require God to listen to them.  The problem was it was only a ritual.

Here is how God saw their fasting.  God says, "You do things to please yourselves on those special days of fasting. And you punish your servants, not your bodies.  The root problem is people who observe spiritual disciplines for selfish reasons to gain God's blessings will always fail to reach the LORD.  What these people were doing was making a show of fasting by demanding everyone fast.  They were doing this while ignoring the hunger, poverty, homelessness, and nakedness of those in need.

The root solution is sincere devotion to God, which grows naturally out of love for God. People who love God will worship him for the sake of honoring rather than manipulating him. And if we love God, we will also love those whom God loves we are to love and provide for the household of faith.  Our love for God will be manifested by taking concrete steps to care for those in need (those who are hungry, poor, homeless, naked, or otherwise in need).  We must take care of the needs of the household of faith.  This is our family, and someone who does not take care of the family is worse than an infidel.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Gal.6:10

"But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel." 1 Tim. 5:8

The first lesson in fasting is obedience to the LORD.

"Cry aloud, don't spare, lift your voice like a trumpet!" (so∙par') (v. 1a). If the prophet is to get the people's attention, The LORD must obtain the prophet's attention. This charge should do it! The LORD calls the prophet to shout—to "call with the throat," which means to call with full voice.

He is to lift his voice like a trumpet (so∙par'). The so∙par' is a ram's horn, an instrument that could be used rather like a bugle to call soldiers to assembly or battle. It could be used to call people to special occasions, such as the enthronement of a king. Priests used trumpets in worship (2 Chronicles 5:12; 7:6; Ezra 3:10; Nehemiah 12:35, 41). Blowing a trumpet was the best way to get people's attention

"and declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins" (v. 1b). These two phrases are an example of parallelism, a pattern that we see repeated throughout these verses. They express the same idea twice, but in different words.

The purpose of getting people's attention is to announce their rebellion—to make them aware of their sins. They genuinely don't understand the scope of their sins. They are in the dark regarding the problem, so they certainly don't have a clue as to the remedy (see also Micah 3:8).

"Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways" (v. 2a). In verse 1b, the LORD said that these people were rebels and sinners. Now the LORD says that these people "seek me daily, and delight to know my ways," a phrase that makes them sound as if they are the epitome of faithfulness. Verse 2b will resolve this apparent inconsistency.

"as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't forsake the ordinance of their God "(v. 2b). Next, the LORD adds "as" or "as if"—making it clear that the faithfulness of these people is not real. They have not been faithful. They have failed the righteousness test. They have forsaken obedience to God's laws.

This will come as a surprise to these people. They think that they have been faithful. They imagine that their fasting and Sabbath-keeping have pleased God. What they are about to learn is that God considers them to have been majoring in minors—to have been faithfully keeping the lesser parts of the law while neglecting (in Jesus' later words to the scribes and Pharisees) "the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith" (Matthew 23:23). It isn't that the lesser requirements of the law (fasting, Sabbath-keeping, tithing, etc.) are unimportant. Jesus will later tell the scribes and Pharisees that they should have observed the lesser requirements "and not to have left the other undone" (Matthew 23:23).

"they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God" (v. 2c). The irony is that these unrighteous people are asking God for "righteous judgments." They fail to understand that, if God were to render "righteous judgments," he would condemn rather than vindicate them.

The same problem continues today. Most (perhaps all) who think themselves righteous is utterly self-righteous—i.e., have pronounced themselves righteous when, in fact, they are not. We think of fundamentalists as being guilty of this sin of self-righteousness—of majoring in minors—of fulfilling the lesser Christian duties while ignoring the weightier responsibilities. However, while making that sort of judgment, we assume a stance of moral superiority and, in the process, become self-righteousness ourselves. If we find we lack the spiritual purpose of honoring God, we would be better to acknowledge that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)—and that, like Paul, we are foremost among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Then we will appeal to God, not for "righteous judgments," but for mercy.

 You are hungry, but not for food. You are hungry for arguing and fighting, not for bread. You are hungry to hit people with your evil hands. This is not the way to fast if you want your prayers to be heard in heaven!  Do you think I want to see people punish their bodies on those days of fasting? Do you think I want people to look sad and bow their heads like dead plants? Do you think I want people to wear mourning clothes and sit in ashes to show their sadness? That is what you do on your days of fasting. Do you think that is what the Lord wants?

 Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, and They have their reward.   But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face;   That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matt. 6:16-18

"'Why have we fasted,' say they, 'and you don't see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge?'" (v. 3a). This is the people's complaint. They have fasted (abstained from food to demonstrate their repentance and to honor God), but God has failed to reward their devotion. In their minds, it should be a quid pro quo proposition (a situation in which they can give something to receive something). If they comply with their obligation to fast, then God should return the favor by conferring blessings on them.

In other words, they believe that fasting establishes an obligation that God is duty-bound to meet. If that is true, it puts them in a position where they can pull strings and obligate God to jump. Concerning power, that would reverse the positions of the creator and the one who was created.

However, their assumption is wrong on at least two points. First, God is God, and they are God's creation. God has the right as creator to impose obligations on them, but they have no power as the creation to impose requirements on God. Second, their fasting is but a tiny part of their religious obligation (Jewish law, after all, requires fasting only on the Day of Atonement), and faithfulness in fasting counts for little if they fail to observe the rest of their religious obligations—which, is the case.

Quid pro quo theology continues to afflict us today. Preachers are tempted to tell people that God will bless them financially if they tithe, and people are tempted to hope that God will honor that promise. Many prayers follow the model, "If you do this, God, I will do that." We would do better to pray, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18:13).

"Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure" (v. 3b). The people have stated their complaint—God has ignored their fasting. Now God says his complaint—as an act of repentance or devotion, their fasting is fatally flawed. They have not fasted to honor God, but have instead fasted for selfish reasons. They have assumed that God would reward their fasting, so they fasted to earn the reward. Their purpose was not to give devotion to God but to gain a blessing from God. Their fasting, therefore, was precisely the opposite of genuine fasting. Rather than an act of self-denial, it was a self-centered grasping for a reward. Their fasting was not an act of humility but pride. There is no virtue in that kind of selfishness, and they cannot expect a reward.

—FURTHERMORE, these people have practiced their flawed religious devotions WHILE AT THE SAME TIME OPPRESSING THEIR WORKERS! Haven't they understood ANYTHING!

Jewish law is replete with expressions of God's concern for widows, orphans, and others in need. It requires the Jewish people to provide for people in need (Exodus 22:22-24; Leviticus 25:35-43; Deuteronomy 10:18; 15:7-18; 16:11-14; 24:17-21; 27:19). The law even forbids some oppression of aliens dwelling in their midst (Exodus 22:21, 23:9, 12; Leviticus 19:33-34). How, then, can these people imagine that they can obtain a reward for fasting (a minor observance) while at the same time oppressing their workers (a major transgression)?

"Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness" (v. 4a). The meaning of these words is uncertain, but perhaps they were vying for top honors in fasting and their competition led to fisticuffs. "The fasting of the hypocrites does not prepare their mind for prayer to God but produces contention and strife. Instead of the heart looking to God, the fasters became irritable and upset" (Young 418).

While it seems hard to imagine that an act of devotion would lead to violence, it happens.  Violence inspired by religious intolerance is easier described than defined. It spans intimidation, harassment, and internment to terrorism and outright warfare. Usually, it arises when the core beliefs that define a group's identity are fundamentally challenged.

"you don't fast this day to make your voice to be heard on high" (v. 4b). God will not honor their flawed fasting.

The first lesson in fasting is obedience to the LORD.  We should first examine our spiritual life in light of our purpose.  Why are we fasting?  To carry out a ritual or to honor the LORD and draw closer to Him?  Next Sunday, I will talk about the ways to fast and the benefits of fasting.

Don't Lock Me Down

For anyone who believes they have the right to work or see loved ones in a hospital or nursing home, these are challenging times.  Three times this month, I dropped my wife off at the ER, not knowing if I would see her alive again.  Waiting for a call from the doctor or a nurse made this very difficult to accept.  In just a few days in March, the world changed.  Many of our Constitutional rights and principles I believed in were gone at the recommendation of a man I never heard of named Neil Ferguson.

I am sure many people are unaware that the world wide shut down came about by one man.  Governments all over the world followed Neil Ferguson's recommendation, even though he did not follow the lockdown he advocated.

The result of this mandatory lockdown has caused a litany of economic, psychological, and social destruction.  When compared with other crises in history, this one is small.  It is not even the most significant public health crisis in history.  However, the lockdown is, without a doubt, the most significant interference with personal liberty in our history. Even in wartime, we never confined the entire population to their homes, 24/7.

During the 1918 Flu, the State quarantined the sick but not the entire population of the nation.  Indeed, the Government has always tried to confine people known to be carrying dangerous infections. But we live in a new world in which, if we are ill, the Government will try to cure us. Like sheep led to the slaughter, we have allowed the Government to take control of our lives against our will even if we are healthy, lest we fall ill and need its services too much.

At this point for me to object to the lockdown is pointless--it happened.  The question is, how do we stop this from happening again?

This is the first time I can remember when a group of lab coat doctors were able to control the entire Government by creating a blind panic from the projections of a flawed model.

I am so tired of hearing government officials talk about science.  This mantra, "science shows," is getting old.  These government officials think they can do whatever they please and avoid criticism by hiding behind a group of lab coats, who have been wrong so many times.

I have not been able to find the science behind the lockdown or the re-opening of the country.  Both the lockdown and ending the lockdown is a political decision, not a scientific one.

My question is this, has the lockdown been worth it?  I do not know the discussions that took place, but did they consider the moral judgments, constitutional values, and the economic consequences involved in their decisions?

If the decision to lockdown was purely medical, why were nursing homes and retirement homes not monitored and previsions made to protect the residents?  Fewer people would have died if the government policies were medical and for the protection of the at-risk people.  I am so tired of hearing the 65+ generation are at risk, and there has been no effort to protect those locked in a room in a facility where the virus is trapped once it enters the door.

This question is a hard question to answer, but it must be explained how many deaths are we prepared to accept to preserve other things we value?  Saving lives is essential, but there are other things important as well.  To make a few comparisons between the lives we gain and the things we have lost during this lockdown.  It is only empty rhetoric when we say life is priceless and nothing else counts.  People say this because they are uncomfortable with the emotions that result from admitting they accept that some people will die because of our liberty and freedom.

Look at the number of wars this country has fought and the number of lives lost, and we find it acceptable because losing their lives for "freedom" is patriotic.  We don't stop driving our cars because  50,000 die each year on the highways.  We love the convenience of being able to travel when we desire to go someplace.    We allow almost one million babies to be aborted each year because we have the right to make a choice.

What kind of life are we protecting when we are lockdown in fear to avoid death?   This Mother's day, there are ad's saying you should not hug or kiss your Mother or grandmother.  You are being advised not even to visit them. What kind of life is this?  Life is a family celebration with children and grandchildren. Life is companionship, an arm around one's back, laughter, or tears shared at less than six feet. These things are not just optional extras. They are life itself. They are fundamental to our humanity, to our existence as social beings. Of course, death is permanent, whereas joy may be temporarily suspended. But the force of that point depends on how temporary it is.

I hear Christians say they trust God, that He is in control, and they believe   He will protect them.  Yet, they live in fear of what might happen.  They are willing to see their churches closed, and the elderly asked to stay at home even when the lockdown is over.  What kind of life is this?  We take life and death risks every day and do not give it a thought.  How many people leave home expecting to return but never do?

Viruses don't just go away. This one will never disappear unless and until there is enough exposure to it to produce collective immunity or an effective vaccine appears.  We live with the common cold, a virus that has no vaccine.  We live with the flu, a virus that has a vaccine the works 40-60 percent of the time.  We may find there is no vaccine for this virus, and we must learn to live with it.

Are we going to allow lockdowns to be compulsory every time there is a new virus?

I am tired of hearing the younger generation yell at me for putting myself and others in danger by exercising my rights and freedom.  People who criticize others because they wish to return to work, or worship together in the church, or eat in a restaurant or vacation on the beach are only spuing hypocritical rhetoric.  I have witnessed these same people in the grocery store without a mask or gloves exposing others to their germs.  These same people have not stopped from going to Lowes, Menards, Walmart, and do so without mask or gloves.  So if you are one of those who have done these things, don't lecture me on the exercising of my rights and freedom.  If you have left your house for any reason, then don't confine me to mine.

A society in which the Government can confine most of the population without controversy is not one in which free people would want to live, regardless of their answers to these questions. Is it worth it?  My answer is no. Voluntary self-isolation is fine, and strongly advisable for the more vulnerable. Most of them will do it by choice. But coercion is not okay. There is no moral or principled justification for it.

My generation will soon be gone, how will the generation of my grandchildren react to the loss of freedoms they willingly gave up to a government that sought only power and control rather than health and safety.

Calling God, Our Father

Text:   I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.  I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Last Sunday, I spoke about the importance of prayer and that we would be looking at prayer and fasting as a series.  This Sunday, we continue with prayer and its significance in our life as Christian.

Before I get started on today’s message, I want to share this with you.  I mean this in kindness and love, from my heart, so I trust you will take it this way.

When the disciple came to Jesus and said, teach us to pray, the LORD instructed them how to pray. They were to start with Our Father.  This was a qualifier. Our Father is an indication they were to be children of God.

If you are not a child of God, you have no right to call God your Father.  Those who have not surrendered their hearts to the LORD and accepted His salvation are not children of God and do not qualify to call him Father.  As I stated last week, there are only two sides to this spiritual conflict, the plan God has for you and the plan the devil has for you.

It was not their prayers that were answered, but a child of God somewhere was praying, and God was answering their prayers.

We are qualified to call God our Father when we have accepted His gift of salvation.  When you receive the LORD, you are a son or daughter of God.

This makes you a brother or sister to Jesus Christ.  He becomes your elder brother making you a coheir with Him.  Paul explained this when he wrote,  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.   Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

This is no small thing, so do not minimize your life.  Only a joint heir with Christ can call God, Father.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes for us.  He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us.

That means when you accept Jesus Christ as you LORD and Savior He gives you the Holy Spirit to dwell in you.  It is a sign that you belong to Christ.  Jesus said, You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you  Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Rom 8:9

If you do not have the Spirit of Christ in you, you have not received Him.  Upon accepting Jesus as your Savior, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

You become a child of God and the temple in which God dwells.

When we call God our Father, we are willing to follow Jesus; we come out of the world and into the kingdom of God.  We leave the danger of sin and death and enter the protection and safety of our Father.

We leave the darkness and walk in the light.  We come out of stress into peace.  We leave the burden and labor of life and find rest in Jesus Christ.  The LORD carries the troubles and cares of life. He does all the heavy lifting.

The only reason the world enjoys whatever peace and blessing it does are because godly men and women are praying and fasting. Most people have no idea about what is happening in the spiritual world.  They go along, not in the least bit aware they are enjoying the blessings, safety, and security they have because of people who take prayer seriously.  They think it is good luck or karma.  Their life is happening for none of these reasons.

It is the result of prayer warriors doing the work God has called them to do-to pray and intercede as the Holy Spirit leads them.  What many Christians fail to understand is that we are all called to pray.  The problem is that many Christians are not listening to the call of God to pray.

I do believe that we are closer to the LORD’s return than at any time in the history of the Church.

We see the scriptures fulfilled daily.The signs of His coming are all around us.  It is much later than most Christians will admit.  That means we must get our lamps filled with oil, that we are spiritually healthy to face the evil that is coming.  We must have a strong relationship with the LORD.  We must do battle in prayer for our lives as well as the lives of our family and friends, as well as those the LORD puts on our hearts.

We are to become the intercessors. There is evil all around us.  We may think we are in a safe place, but that can change in an instant.  Dreadful things are happening way too close to our area of safety, and we must be on guard daily against the attacks of Satan.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are a legal citizen of the kingdom of God.  We are now in the army of the LORD.  The battle lines were drawn long before Adam and Eve.

Everyone who decides to follow Christ is on the side of God.  The enemy of God is now our enemy.  It should be noted that thinking that you can remain neutral by not choosing a side- puts you on the enemy’s side.

People join the side of evil by thinking they are their own person.  You cannot be neutral in this life battle.  Eternity is at stake, your soul is at stake, and all you love and cherish is at stake.

Your first pray is to make God your Father by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Prayer and Fasting

Over the next few weeks, I would like to talk about prayer and fasting as weapons of spiritual warfare.

There is a war going on that you must be prepared for if you want to have victory in your life. If you are a believer in Jesus and have received Him as your Savior, you are part of the Body of Christ.  This means you are in the spiritual war between God and Satan.  Even if you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, you are still in this war.  You may not be aware yet, but you have no control over the things that happen to you. You can be hit and hurt in the crossfire from the enemy of your soul and not realize what is happening.

As you stand on the battlefield of life you may be suffering from problems, one accident or disease after another, the failure of your marriage, trouble with relationships, problems at work, financial crisis, mental torment, the consequence of bad decisions, the rebellion of children, the list is endless.  You may think this is bad luck, but it is not.  It is the result of the battle that is going on around you, and you are not protected.  The LORD wants to give you protection from the enemy of your soul, but you must accept the security that is only found in Jesus Christ.

Some believers are suffering from battle wounds because they don't understand war is going on, and they are in it.  Far too many believers are lying wounded on the battlefield because they think bad things happen, and that is just life.  They are not actively engaged in the war, even though they are on the receiving end of the enemy's weapons.  They lie wounded on the battlefield because they are unprepared to face the enemy.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you must realize that the enemy of God is your enemy as well. You may consider yourself a peaceful person, and you are not at war with anyone.  You don't have to be at war with someone for them to be at war with you.  Many Christians have fooled themselves into thinking that their spiritual enemy does not exist and that they are not involved in the war.  The truth is that no matter what you believe, you have an enemy who is always opposing you.  One of the weapons of the enemy is to make you think you are not part of the battle because it does not exist.

It is time for people to realize that God has a plan for your life, and Satan has a plan for your life.

The only way that we can have abundant life is in Jesus Christ. Satan plans to rob, kill, and destroy us.  God is giving us the weapons to have a victorious life prayer and fasting.

As a believer, you now involved in a spiritual war whether you know it or not, accept it, or recognize it.

The things happening in your life happen to others, and it may seem that it is just bad luck, but it is far more sinister than that.  Those events in your life are the result of the enemy of your soul planning to destroy you.

Satan is the enemy of God and all God's children.  You may think this is not your war, but it is, and you better be ready to engage the enemy.

How you respond to the enemy of your soul determines if his plan or God's plan for your life is realized. The enemy is real, the battle is real, and what you do will determine your spiritual success.

There will be many battles in life, and God has called us to be warriors of the Cross.  One specific class of warriors is the Prayer Warrior.
The prayer warrior understands there is a tremendous spiritual battle ongoing (Ephesians 6:12). A prayer warrior is one who takes part in that battle through prayer—interceding for others and praying for God's will to be done in all things.

All Christians are called to prayer Eph. 6:18, 1 Timothy 2:1–4, Hebrews 4:14–16, and James 5:16 are intended for all believers, not just a select few. Even so, there seem to be some Christians who have an exceptional capacity to pray with enthusiasm, persistence, and effectiveness. How do we strengthen our own prayer lives and become prayer warriors?

First, we must understand what prayer is. It is communicating with God—both speaking to Him and hearing from Him. When we pray, we are addressing and hearing from the Creator of the universe, the one true God who has all knowledge, power, and might, and loves us more deeply than we realize (Ephesians 3:14–19). He is "able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). He grants us the privilege of prayer through the work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:15–16; 10:19–23). Prayer is powerful because of the one to whom we pray.

When we understand the privilege and power of prayer, we become more eager to engage in it. As we pray, we grow in relationship with God. Just as with any relationship, the more time we spend with God, the more we know Him. The more often we communicate with Him in prayer, the more we want to talk with Him in prayer. We become comfortable praying and grow in our understanding and practice of prayer; the more we do it.

Understanding and desiring the will of God is vitally important to our prayers. In part, our hearts aligning with His will happen as we pray. But we must also read the Bible, God's Word by which He has chosen to reveal Himself to us, to know who God is and the things He desires. First, John 5:14–15 says, "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him." Our prayers are effective when we request things that are in God's will. Reading His Word helps attune our hearts and minds to His will.

When we pray, we are to address God (Matthew 6:9), rely on the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26–27; Jude 1:20), and pray in the name of Jesus (John 14:13). Prayer is part of the armor of God, so it makes sense also to ensure that we are equipped with the other pieces of armor (Ephesians 6:10–18). Wearing the full armor of God is always appropriate.

To be a prayer warrior, we must also understand our standing before God in Christ: forgiven (1 John 2:12), loved (Ephesians 2:4–7), reliant upon Him for everything (Isaiah 42:5), blessed "with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:3–14), sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14), fully equipped for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3–4), and planned for throughout eternity (1 Peter 1:3–5). We have the confidence to pray because of Jesus' work (Hebrews 4:14–16) and can boldly approach our heavenly Father, trusting Him to do good things (John 1:12; Luke 11:13; James 1:16–18).

Prayer warriors understand they must be humble (2 Chronicles 7:13–15); eliminate hindrances to prayers such as unforgiveness, sin, or selfish motives (Mark 11:25; 1 Peter 3:7; 1 John 3:21–22; James 4:2–3); and avoid grieving the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19), but instead obey His promptings and directives.

To be a prayer warrior, you need to first be a child of God through Jesus (John 1:12; 3:16–18). Then you need to want to press in closer to God, to know Him better, to understand His ways deeper, and to follow Him closer. Read the Bible and start praying. Keep praying. None of us ever "arrives." But we can continue to build our "prayer muscle" by following God's directive to pray and rejoicing that He hears us and delights to relate with us and accomplish His kingdom purposes through prayer.