The Vatican has announced that Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet at the Vatican and pray for peace together at an unprecedented gathering on June 8, 2014.

During his trip to the Holy Land last week, Pope Francis invited the two leaders to come to the Vatican and hold a joint prayer meeting - to which both have agreed.

Global acceptance of the Pope as a Christian leader? Both Israeli and Palestinian leaderships’ acceptance of Pope Francis as a friend and ally? Arab and Jew praying together ? Is the One World Religion rising? Will Pope Francis accomplish what seasoned political leaders have been unable to do for years, peace in the Middle East? What does he have, or what has him that he holds such power?

Scripture is very clear:

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." 1 John 4:1-3

"...the Lord said to me, 'The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart." Jeremiah 14:14

"They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
At the time I punish them, they shall be cast down,' says the Lord." Jeremiah 6:14-15

Then Jesus gave the following illustration: "Can one blind person lead another blind person? Won't they both [all] fall into a pit? Luke 6:39

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Timothy 3:1

Is the Body of Christ ready for perilous times ~ are you?

Picture this.

A long, long road; you look ahead, you look behind - a road filled with tens of thousands of travelers. Some skipping along, others jumping for joy, while others are weary and weak with age yet all move forward. A sea of never ending faces, each going their own pace, seemingly oblivious to the others that travel the road, all consumed with their own journey, the road set before them. Ever so often a head raises to look longingly down the road as if to say; “how much further?”

This week I learned a valuable lesson, a hard lesson, but as I am fond of saying - “a lesson earned it a lesson learned.”

A dear one dropped by on their way to see the movie Heaven is For Real. And of course, I as the consummate researcher had to share what I “thought” I knew about the film. They went to the movie in spite of my best efforts and returned a glowing report, loving the movie. My credibility in tatters, God showed me - I am not the General. I am not a Bird Colonel, a Lieutenant Colonel or an Admiral. I am but a lowly private - perhaps not even first class - since it appears I am unable to follow orders.

God, The Holy Spirit is the General - Four Star General. The all powerful Four Star General who alone has the power to change hearts and minds. When confrontation comes, my first line of defense is not to open my mouth, it is to close my mouth, begin to pray for the General to change their hearts and minds. Opinions carry very little, if any, weight with one who has limited discernment, knowledge or teaching. Our job is to follow orders. Did not the Apostles ask the LORD, “Teach us to pray.” Perhaps this too should be our prayer.

Now, place yourself on this road. Some are far ahead of you, others just a few steps ahead or behind, while others lag far behind. But notice, all are moving forward.

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray…”

“I was nothing before I came to Saddleback.” [not Jesus, Saddleback.]

Chilling comments heard over and over again from those who have become a part of the Saddleback fellowship of believers.

Billy Graham says his beliefs are basically the same as those of orthodox Roman Catholics. He claims that the Mass is “straight and true to the gospel” and boasts that he is welcomed everywhere by the RCC, even the Vatican.

With an Orthodox rabbi and a Muslim sheik as his travel companions, Pope Francis is heading to the Middle East with what he hopes will be a powerful message of interfaith respect.

Tolerance, Unity, Respect. Love, Acceptance, Ecumenicalism, Embracing our likenesses… When did it begin, where will it end?

As I ponder these questions I wonder:  did it begin when the church forgot to call sin, sin. Did it begin when the church failed to call a sinner, a sinner. Overlooking the adulterous affairs of the Kennedys, through the Johnsons. Into the Carters whose life style was a series of drunkenness and parties, but on the outside, the public side, a Bible carrying, church going family.  Whitewashing the sins of the Clintons. refusing to correct GWB on his stand with Islam; saying Jehovah and Allah were one in the same, turning a blind eye while swallowing the lies of Obama and his cohorts.

Sending million$ to Paul and Jan Crouch. Building mega empires for the Elmer Gantry' of the 20th century; Benny Hinn,  Creflo Dollar, Pat Robertson, Kenneth Copeland and the latest and greatest among us in the 21st century ''Christian world"  Rick Warren, Beth Moore, Todd Burpo, Mark Driscoll...

Where will it end?  I shudder to think.

Perhaps this is why tens of thousands have given up on church, no longer seeking a house of worship, a body of true believers, becoming instead Sunday morning arm-chair Christians.

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." Colossians 2:8

"Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."  Matthew 15:14



Most of the World of Faith teachers, men like Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen and Benny Hinn, appearing on TV-stations such as God.TV and TBN are godless men, men who come disguised as sheep - professing to love the Shepherd, love the sheep; sharing their burdens, their faith, their hopes their dreams, but...

do not be deceived.  Be as the Berean's, checking all that you hear and all that you read with what His Word says. Remember, not all that you hear or read is truth.

What an interesting week this has been.

Had occasion to spend a couple of nights in the hospital following minor surgery. Met John, a nice nurse in the OR. John shared he was Jewish and attending a Christian congregation. His parents were not pleased. I encouraged him to pray for them that they might receive Yeshua as their Messiah. He shrugged his shoulders and said it was their choice to make, stating “it is what it is.” I told him that he really did not want them to die in their sins and spend eternity in hell - to which he again just shrugged his shoulders.

Arriving at my room, I met a wonderful nurse named Jackie. Jackie was obviously a lesbian. Engaging her in conversation, my suspicions were confirmed. Jackie told me she hoped I would not hold it against her. I knew  there were choices I had to make. Would I love her in spite of her sinful lifestyle, showing the love of Jesus or…. I choose to love. We had a good couple of days. I never said a word about Jesus, homosexuality or sin, I just showed her love. When she left we hugged and I vowed in my heart to pray for her and her partner.

The therapist came by to help with physical therapy. We chatted about this and that. She shared she was a single mom of two. A son, age seven and a daughter four months. The son was from a previous marriage, the daughter from a boyfriend she has since broken up with. She also told me about the wonderful church she had been attending for about two years. They welcome everyone she told me and it had made such a difference in her life.

As we become bolder in sharing the gospel, the Holy Spirit will bring those into our lives who need love, a kind word, encouragement, prayer or…. the list is endless. We must not shy away from our witness for the LORD.

Heal their blind eyes oh LORD, that they might see and believe.

Two post today. Found this and could not believe it - yet here it is!!!




The skull of John the Baptist - on display in Amiens Cathedral in France.  Taken out - worshipped and adored resting on a silver platter.

When not on display - kept behind bars:


The Vatican in Rome claims that the skull of the baptist is also to be found in the Church of S.Sivestro in Rome.  To make the legacy of John the Baptist more complicated, the Grand Mosque of Damascus Syria also claim to have the head of John the Baptist. AND - there is also a fourth claim to the head.  This head is kept in a Museum in the German city of Munich. In the Residenze, a castle belonging to the past Catholic Kings of Bavaria.

"An astonishing and 'horrible thing has been committed in the land:  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?" Jeremiah 5:30-31

We are not here to play, to dream, to drift
We have hard work to do and loads to lift;
Shun not the struggle - face it, ‘tis God’ gift.
Be Strong!

Say not, “the days are evil. Who’s to blame?”
And fold the hands and acquiesce - oh shame!
Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God’ Name
Be Strong!

It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,
How hard the battle goes, the day how long;
Faint not - fight on! Tomorrow comes the song.

Author Unknown [at least to me] but wonderful
words of wisdom nonetheless.
Be Strong!

Sin is subjective! Sin is what one thinks it to be!

Sin is objective! The judgment of sin’s in another is intolerant and prejudiced,

Subjective! Objective! Is it?

God did not send His Son to die a cruel, horrible, humiliating death on the cross for a short-coming. For what the world defines as sin. For what the world excuses. God sent His only begotten Son to die for you and for me for our rebellion, our hate filled hearts, our transgressions, our bent toward unforgiveness, and our self centeredness.

Daily I strive, and daily I fail, yet God in His infinite love toward you, toward me showed us a love I cannot begin to understand and know I could never deserve by sending Jesus. Our Saviour, Jesus our LORD, came loving and forgiving, showing mercy, being gracious, kind and gentle. Daily He walked among the fallen, showing compassion, always mindful of the reason for which He came, always with an eye toward the cross.

Sin is neither subjective nor objective. Sin is as scripture defines it to be; turning our back on God, refusing to do what He has called us to do, what He has taught us in His Word, what we know to do. Sin is disobedience to our Creator God. For this Jesus came, and for this He died.

And now Praise His Holy Name, though our sins be a scarlet [and mine surely are] they will be as white as snow - because of Jesus our Sacrificial Lamb, slain in my place, slain in yours.

"How precious is Your loving-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. Oh, continue Your loving-kindness to those who know You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart." Psalm 36:7-10

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)

 

Every person, even the most godly Christian believer, at least occasionally commits acts of sin—sins of omission, if not sins of commission. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

 

When a Christian does sin, the remedy is available. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This forgiveness is based on the fact that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

 

The problem is that the very compulsion that caused the believer to commit the sin in the first place will often lead him to try to justify the sin. If that is not possible, he will try to hide it, or even to deny it.

 

The antidote for this situation, of course, is to confess and forsake his sin(s). This confession, however, cannot be simply a generalized confession (“please forgive all my sins”), but a specific “naming” of the particular sins, acknowledging that it was, indeed, a sin in the sight of God, deserving of divine punishment and repudiation by a holy God. Similarly, the term “forsaketh” does not mean simply to quit engaging in the particular sin, but to quit even thinking about it—no longer either desiring the sin or being depressed under the guilt of it. If possible and applicable, this would also entail making restitution to anyone who had been injured by that sin; otherwise, the confession need be made only to God.

 

And God will forgive and cleanse. Then, “forgetting those things which are behind,” we can “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven” (Psalm 32:1).

Dr. Henry M. Morris
Institute for Creation Research

On April 27^th Popes John Paul II and John XXIII were canonized by Pope Francis. As part of the rites, Pope Francis was presented with relics from both of the two men - a vial of blood belonging to John Paul II and a fleck of skin from the body of John XXIII. He kissed each container and placed them at the altar.

“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” Deuteronomy 18:10-12

The worship of the dead is practiced and commanded in Catholicism. Not only in the veneration of so-called 'saints,' but every altar must have a relic of a dead saint. This is pagan necromancy, which the Bible strictly forbids.

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8

Are Catholics, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah Witness, Word of Faith, Hindu, Buddhist…being cheated?

If one believes the Bible then the answer is, without a doubt, yes.