2016: The Year of Decision

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Joel 3:14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!

For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

NKJV

The dominant theme of the Book of Joel in the Bible is the “day of the Lord.”  For some reading this, the “Day of the Lord" might represent a time of judgment of sin (Isaiah 13:9).  However, for those who have repented of their sins and accepted God’s free gift of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ shed upon the cross, the day represents a time of restoration  (Joel 2:12-14).  The question everyone reading this needs to settle is whether we view the “Day of the Lord” with dread or joy. 

I urge everyone reading this to settle this important question right now by choosing to be on the side joyously anticipating the “Day of the Lord” by taking a moment to pray with me. 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

If you took a moment to pray this prayer with me, know that the question of how God judges you is eternally settled.  Granted, we are not perfect and will slip up but instead of judging us to eternal damnation, now that we have accepted God’s free gift of salvation, He judges us as righteous (1 John 1:7).

Every four years in the United States, voters decide whom to vote for as President and 2016 is one of those years.  In addition, since the President is term-limited to two terms in office, the current occupant of the White House cannot run for reelection.  (1)  This means that the voters in the United States will be selecting someone new to occupy the White House in 2016.  With all the changes and turmoil in our world and nation, I believe the decision this election is critical and will affect the United States and world for generations to come.

The basis for my opinion is,

1)      Economic uncertainty – Recently, the economic growth numbers in the United States for the third quarter of 2015 were downgraded, making this the tenth straight year economic growth in the United States was less than 3%.  This economic growth is well below the historical norms more than six years into what the current administration touts as a robust recovery.  (2) (3)  With record numbers of people not in the labor force (4) any economic recovery occurring is a jobless one.  For those not working this represents economic insecurity and puts a strain on already strained entitlement programs.  Evidence for this is supported by increased debt and the need to continually raise the nation’s debt limit to accommodate the fact that the nations cash flow continues to be in the red.  (5)

2)      Social instability – For most of the first 200 years of the United States, the society functioned with the basic values of the sanctity of life and the preservation of the traditional family.  During this period, the nation went from a struggling new nation that won its independence from England to a world super power.  However, we are now asked to believe that these values are somehow racist and must be transformed to accommodate abortion on demand and the acceptance of same sex marriage.  Many politicians avoid these social issues believing they are unimportant when compared to issues like national security or the economy.  However, there is an economic and national security component to these issues.

a.       The recently passed omnibus spending bill funds Planned Parenthood.  (6)  This means that taxpayer money of those valuing the sanctity of life is funding an organization that believes the life of an unborn only has value only when aborted and its organs harvested in the interest of medical research.  (7)

b.      Money spent to fund the atrocities of Planned Parenthood is money that the nation could spend to enhance border security and fight enemies of our nation such as ISIS. 

3)      Global insecurity – in July of 2015, the Washington times cited a Pentagon report that stated that climate change is an “urgent and growing threat to our national security.”  (8)  As absurd as this statement seems in light of recent terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, the recent UN climate change agreement from Paris, (9) demonstrates the inability of world leaders to recognize the clear and present danger to national security posed by terrorist organizations such as ISIS.  (10)

In this year of decision in the United States, I urge voters to be diligent and vote for candidates supporting true economic recovery including jobs for those that have left the labor force.  I urge voters to vote for people supporting the values that made the nation great.  Finally, I urge voters to vote for candidates that understand the real threat to national security posed by ISIS. 

We as voters must also exercise caution for most candidates will say they are for job creation, the sanctity of life, and protecting the nation from terrorists.  Unfortunately, however, some candidates only say these things to earn our votes and then once in office, flip-flop on the issues.  For this reason, it is imperative for us as voters to dig into each candidate's past in order to determine who genuinely supports these values. 

In this year of decision, it is important for us as voters to make well-informed decisions on who will lead this country back to its position of greatness for failure to do so will continue the United States’ slide downward.  I for one do not want to see this happen and will be doing my research on candidates.  The question is will you join me in this.

1. The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration. The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription. www.archives.gov. [Online] [Cited: August 6, 2013.] http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/print_friendly.html?page=constitution_transcript_content.html&title=The%20Constitution%20of%20the%20United%20States%3A%20A%20Transcription.

2. Bartash, Jeffery. U.S. Economy Set to Grow Less Than 3% for the 10th Straight Year. www.marketwatch.com. [Online] Market Watch, December 22, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] www.marketwatch.com/story/third-quarter-growth-trimmed-to-2-2015-12-22.

3. Poor, Jeff. Obama Touts Job Growth, Pushes for Budget in Weekly Address. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, September 5, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] www.breitbart.com/video/2015/09/05/obama-touts-job-growth-pushes-for-budget-in-weekly-address/.

4. May, Caroline. Record 94,610,000 Americans Not in Labor Force. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, October 2, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/10/02/record-94610000-americans-not-labor-force/.

5. Hahn, Stephen K. Bannon & Julia. Pasul ryan Betrays America: $1.1 Trillion, 2,000-Plus Page Omnibut Bill Funds 'Fundamental Transformation of America.'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 16, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/12/16/paul-ryan-betrays-america-1-1-trillion-2000-plus-page-omnibus-bill-funds-fundamental-transformation-america/.

6. Sullivan, Peter. Planned Parenthood unscathed in spending bill. thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, December 16, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] thehill.com/policy/healthcare/263464-planned-parenthood-praises-spending-bill-for-avoiding-cuts.

7. Otto, Amy. Don't Let Planned parenthood Use 'medical Research' to Whitewash Its Baby Body Parts Atrocities. thefederalist.com. [Online] The Federalist, July 22, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] thefederalist.com/2015/07/22/dont-let-planned-parenthood-use-medical-research-to-whitewash-its-baby-body-parts-atrocities/.

8. Scarborough, Rowan. Climate Change 'Urgent and Growing Threat' to National Security: Pentagon. www.washingtontimes.com. [Online] The Washington Times, July 29, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/29/climate-change-urgent-security-threat-pentagon/.

9. Harvey, Fiona. Paris Climate Change Agreement: The World's Greatest Diplomatic Success. www.theguardian.com. [Online] The Guardian, December 14, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/13/paris-climate-deal-cop-diplomacy-developing-united-nations.

10. Bell, Larry. ISIS Not the Greatest Threat for Obama. www.newsmax.com. [Online] Newsmax, November 30, 2015. [Cited: December 26, 2015.] www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/article/703883.

Sharing the Light of the Gospel

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 8:12

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." 

NKJV

Yesterday was Christmas, the day we set aside to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, the one who said He was the light of the world (John8:12).  In Matthew 5:14 Jesus also told his followers that they were the light of the world.  Jesus went on to tell them that they were not to hide the light of Christ that dwells in their hearts but to let that light shine just as someone would set their light on a lampstand on a hill for all to see. 

Each year during Christmas, my church has a candlelight service.  During this service, we turn off all of the lights in the sanctuary and light the sanctuary with one candle.  It is amazing how the light of just this one candle is able to light the sanctuary.  The ushers then light their candles from the one candle and then spread that light to everyone else’s candle in the sanctuary.  Once everyone’s candle is lit, it is amazing how well lit the sanctuary is.

Jesus wants everyone that follows him to not keep the light of the world that has been ignited in their hearts when they accepted Jesus Christ as their savior hidden but instead to light up this dark world by sharing that light with everyone else.  In order to effectively share this light we must,

1)      Eliminate fear – Fear is not from God (2 Timothy1:7) so when we feel fear, we must understand it is from the enemy, Satan.  Fear is a weapon used by the enemy to paralyze us, preventing us from fulfilling God’s plan for our lives.  When it comes to sharing the light of the Gospel, Satan uses fear of physical harm, fear of rejection, and fear of the loss of relationships in an effort to prevent us from sharing Christ with those God places in our path.  We must understand that God places individuals in our path for us to bring them the light of the Gospel.  We must remember that if they harm us, reject us, or choose not to be our friend, they are not harming, rejecting, or abandoning us but our Lord (Luke 10:16).  We also must understand that no matter what occurs, Jesus will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5).

2)      Be empowered by the Holy Spirit – Before ascending to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father, Jesus commanded his followers to go to Jerusalem and be “endued with power from on high” (Luke24:49).  Jesus knew that after leaving, His followers would suffer great persecution.  Many would be martyred for their faith.  (1)  Christians in the early church also suffered social and economic persecution.  (2)  However, in spite of this intense persecution, the early church thrived and as Acts 17:6 records, they turned the world upside down.  Had it not been for the empowering of the Holy Spirit in the early church on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the church would have no doubt remained paralyzed with fear and been ineffective. 

3)      Pray without ceasing – The darkness of this world does not want the light of Gospel for it exposes their sin (Ephesians5:11).  The light of Jesus Christ that dwells in our hearts is therefore at odds with the darkness of the secular world.  This, like it or not, places us in the middle of a great spiritual battle and is why we must continually be in communication through prayer with our Heavenly Father, the source of all light. 

4)      Learn and live according to the Bible, the Word of God – The Word of God is a light that illuminates our path (Psalm 119:105) and also our sword (Ephesians 6:17).  Therefore, armed with the Word of God we can not only see where we are going but also have our weapon with which to fight the enemy. 

Anyone in the least bit aware of what is occurring in the world today must admit that we live in a dark place.  We live in a world dominated by political corruption, the fear of terrorism, and fear of economic collapse.  Those professing a belief in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior also face increased persecution for their faith.  In many parts of the world, this persecution manifests itself in physical harm and martyrdom.  In other parts of the world, this persecution manifests itself in social and economic rejection.  However, just as the early church thrived in the middle of this persecution, the church today can also thrive, as it stands courageously, filled with the Holy Spirit, praying without ceasing, and allowing the light of the Word of God to illuminate the path ahead while using the Word of God as a sword to defeat the enemy.  

Will you join me this year by beginning to share the illuminating light of the Gospel in our dark world?

1. ReligionFacts. Persecution in the Early Church. www.religionfacts.com. [Online] ReligionFacts. [Cited: December 20, 2015.] www.religionfacts.com/persecution-of-early-church.

2. Christian Heritage Fellowship. Persecution of the Early Christian Church. christianheritagefellowship.com. [Online] Christian Heritage Fellowship. [Cited: December 20, 2015.] christianheritagefellowship.com/persecution-of-the-church-by-imperial-rome/.

Jesus, the Connecting Force

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

NKJV

This past Friday, most certainly the biggest movie of the year and perhaps the largest grossing movie of all time, Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened in theaters.  For those unfamiliar with the Star Wars movies, the main theme of the films is the force.  The force has both a good side and an evil or dark side. 

John 1:14 tells us that the Word became flesh.  This verse is in reference to Jesus, the Son of God’s birth on the first Christmas.  This fact is what separates Christianity from most other religions for God did not just choose to sit up in heaven and look down on fallen humanity but instead chose to become one of them and die for their sins in fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.  Jesus is the connecting force between a righteous God and fallen humanity and by His death, burial, and resurrection, has become the connecting force between man and God. 

Jesus is the good side of the force providing a path to salvation and eternity with God (John 3:16).  However, just as in the Star Wars movies, each individual has to make a choice whether to follow the good side of the force and accept Jesus as their savior, or continue down the dark side, which started in the Garden of Eden with the fall of Adam and Eve. 

Not wanting anyone reading this to continue down the dark path, I want to take a few moments to explain how you can change direction and turn to the good side of the force, Jesus Christ by

1)      Acknowledging you have sinned or missed the mark with God (Romans 3:23) – Without first acknowledging we have a problem, we will do nothing to solve that problem.  Those reading this with, might I say, colorful pasts, find the fact that there is sin in their lives easy to admit.  However, for those who have led good lives or have come from a Christian upbringing, it is easy to believe that our good works and good parents are a ticket into heaven.  However, Ephesians 2:8-9 and Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that our good works and righteousness are insufficient for salvation.  Only the death of the only sinless man, Jesus Christ, can save us from our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).

2)      The consequence of sin is death or eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23) – This death is more than just physical death but also spiritual death or separation from God.  (1)

3)      The good news however is that Jesus died for our sins (Romans 5:8), providing a path to eternal life (John 3:16) – The love of God for fallen humanity is so great that even sin could not prevent Jesus Christ from dying a brutal death by crucifixion for us on the cross.  This would be like a judge condemning us to death but due to the judge’s love for us, offering up his only son to take the death penalty for us.  When we look at it that way, it would be idiotic for anyone to refuse the substitution of God’s Son for our sins.

4)      Changing from the dark side to the good side simply involves our believing Jesus came to die, be buried, and rise from the dead for our sins and confessing Him as Lord of our lives (Romans 10:9-10) – To escape the death penalty, all one has to do is accept the offer of substitution from the judge for our sins.  Once again, why would anyone not accept this offer?

If you want to stop sliding down the dark side and change direction to the good side, take a moment to pray with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

There is therefore no logical reason for anyone of us to slide down the dark side any longer for Jesus, the light of the world has come to be with us, offering us a connection with God that was lost in the Garden of Eden.  The question we must ask is will we complete the connection by accepting God’s loving free gift of salvation through Jesus. 

1. Strongs Concordance. 2288 thantos. biblehub.com. [Online] Bible Hub. [Cited: December 19, 2015.] biblehub.com/greek/2288.htm.

Spiritual Warfare Part 3: Diligence for the Bridegroom is Coming

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 25:1-4

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,  4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

NKJV

As we look at world events and compare these events to prophecy in the Bible, it is obvious we are in the times Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:1-14.  The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-4 provides instruction on the attitude we as believers are to have in these times.  Jesus is returning and we as believers who find ourselves engaged in spiritual warfare can find comfort in that fact (1 Thessalonians 4:18). 

However, we are also fleshly people and therefore can become fearful as we see all the evil in our world.  If we allow this fear to control us, we can become impatient taking matters into our own hands believing we can somehow bring about an end to evil by electing the right people or even developing a government program to end all the evil such as taking everyone’s weapons.  Instead, we must remain diligent, knowing that our Lord is returning to eliminate all evil in this world. 

Therefore, instead of becoming impatient or proposing government programs such as gun control, which will only leave innocent people defenseless against evil, we must be,

1)      Diligent knowing that what is occurring in the world today is a last ditch effort of the enemy, Satan, to destroy as many people as he can.  In fact, Jesus return is delayed in order to allow as many as possible to escape eternal damnation and have the opportunity to accept God’s gift of eternal life (2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16). 

2)      Diligent knowing that this hatred aimed at us is actually an expression of hatred towards our Lord (Matthew 24:9).  Unfortunately, in many parts of the world this hatred results in the brutal murder of those believing in Jesus as their savior.  However, we do find comfort knowing that those murdered for their belief in the Lord are ushered into the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).  Therefore, what the enemy does to harm believers actually ushers them into their reward of eternity with the Lord. 

3)      Diligent in sharing the Gospel with the lost -   2 Peter 3:9 reminds us that the Lord’s promise to return is true and something we can count on but that out of grace and mercy, Jesus’ return is delayed in order for everyone to have an opportunity to accept God’s gift of salvation.  However, this requires us to be active in sharing the Gospel, which places us in the middle of the spiritual war for the souls of men and women in our world.  For those interested in becoming empowered to share the gospel, I encourage you to order Empowered Evangelism from my book page. 

Once when I was a teenager, my parents left me in charge of the house while they drove back east to be with family.  I could not go with them because I had just started my first job and had no vacation time.  I must confess that while they were gone, I did little to clean the house and planned to spend the day before my parent’s return to clean up.  Unfortunately, my parents unexpectedly came home a day early before I had the opportunity to clean the house. 

I do not want to be caught unprepared when the Lord returns, as I was when my parents unexpectedly returned from their vacation.  Instead, my desire is to be diligent in doing the Lord’s work of spreading the gospel even though I know that it puts me in the middle of a great spiritual battle.  However, I need not be fearful for fear is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7) and can be courageous knowing Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). 

If you are reading this and have not accepted God’s free gift of salvation I encourage you to take a moment and pray with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

I encourage those of you that prayed with me to find a local church that teaches the Bible and establish a connection with others that believe as you do.  If you are not sure what church to attend, go to http://dalewsr34.wix.com/needanswers and click on the link to connect with other believers.  You can also find a bible or an affordable online bible there.  There is also a list of other books what will help you in your new life with the Lord.

These are perilous times that can fill us with fear but they are also exciting times for we know that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is at hand.

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Joshua 9:14-15

Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. 15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.

NKJV

The Gibeonites were able to make a covenant with Israel through deception (Joshua 9:1-15).  It was not until after making the agreement that Israel discovered the deception (Joshua 9:16).  However, since an agreement with them before God had been made they could not attack them and instead subjected them to forced labor, which they agreed to out of fear of the Lord’s command to destroy all of the inhabitants of the land (Joshua9:17-27).  Fast forward to our present time and we see something that closely parallels this biblical event, the contemplation by the leaders of many nations of the free world to accept refugees from Syria into their countries. 

Whereas it is compassionate to assist people living under persecution from oppressive regimes and terrorist organizations, this does not mean we must accept them into our nations for doing so will mean,

1)      Terrorists like those attacking Paris and most recently in San Bernardino coming into the country posing as refugees in order to carry out their acts of brutality.

2)      Increased fear and insecurity in the citizenry of our nations resulting in potential retaliation by some and fear of conducting their lives in a fashion they have become accustomed to for others.  In the United States, our Declaration of Independence says that among the inalienable rights granted by the Creator on His creation are the right to life and the right to the pursuit of happiness.  (1)  However, a citizenry living under the threat of brutal terrorism as demonstrated in Paris and San Bernardino is deprived of its right to pursue happiness and in the event of an attack, some are deprived of the right to life.  It is the primary duty of governments to protect the inalienable rights of citizens and therefore a dereliction of duty for them to endanger the citizenry by making a path for potential terrorists to easily enter the nation.

3)      As with Israel, once a nation reaches an agreement to open up its borders to potential terrorists, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to reverse the damage that is done. 

Recently U. S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump took heat for his plans to temporarily ban all Muslims from entering the United States until we could determine who was entering the country.  (2)  Some Constitutional scholars argued that banning people of the religion of Islam deprives them of their Constitutional rights.  (3)  However, other Constitutional experts claim the ban could be legal.  This is because Federal law and the Constitution give Congress and the President the authority to bar foreigners from entering the country.  (4)  In fact, Jimmy Carter banned Iranian immigrants.  (5)

This does not mean however, that we simply turn our backs on the oppressed in Syria for there is another way for us to humanly protect the genuinely oppressed from harm.  Presidential candidate Ben Carson recently visited some of the Syrian refugees and discovered that many were not interested in leaving their countries but had a desire to stay within save zones established in their own countries.  (6)  In other words, there is no need to endanger the lives of innocent people by bringing potential terrorists posing as refugees into our nations.  Instead, we can establish safe zones within their countries and staff them with trained military personal to ensure safety. 

Potential terrorists posing as refugees represent wolves in sheep’s clothing and are a clear and present danger to innocent people.  If we are to learn any lesson from the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, it is that just a few terrorists can murder many innocent people.  Temporarily banning immigrants from dangerous parts of the world is a necessary step in ensuring the safety of innocent people until processes are developed to properly vet these immigrants. 

We have done this before and in my opinion, there is no reason for not doing it now in light of the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. 

1. ushistory.org. The Declaration of Independence. www.ushistory.org. [Online] Ushistory.org. [Cited: July 19, 2015.] www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm.

2. Fox News. Trump Doubles Down on Vow to Bar Muslims. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, December 8, 2015. [Cited: December 15, 2015.] www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/08/trump-calls-for-complete-shutdown-on-muslims-entering-us.html.

3. Melber, Ari. Constitutional Scholars: Trump's Anti-Muslim Immigration Proposal is Probably Illegal. www.msnbc.com. [Online] MSNBC, December 7, 2015. [Cited: December 15, 2015.] http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/trump-anti-muslim-proposal-probably-illegal

4. Savage, David G. Donald Trump's Proposed Ban on Muslim Immigrants Could be Legal, Scholars Say. www.latimes.com. [Online] The Los Angeles Times, December 14, 2015. [Cited: December 15, 2015.] www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-muslim-ban-legality-20151214-story.html.

5. Berry, Dr. Susan. Flashback: President Jimmy Carter Banned Iranians From U.S. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, December 9, 2015. [Cited: December 16, 2015.] www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/12/09/flashback-president-jimmy-carter-banned-iranians-u-s/.

6. Bradner, Eric. Ben Carson: Refugees Want to Stay in Syria. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN Politics, November 29, 2015. [Cited: December 15, 2015.] www.cnn.com/2015/11/29/politics/ben-carson-jordan-trip-syrian-refugees/.

Spiritual Warfare Strategy 2: Keeping the Communication Lines Clear

By:  Dale Weckbacher

James 5:16

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

NKJV

Communication in our relationship with God, as in all of our other relationships, is crucial.  According to Emuna Braverman, “If you don’t have a healthy way of expressing your thoughts and emotions to each other, of speaking and being heard, then everything else will ultimately crumble.”  (1) 

Effective communication is equally important when in a war.  At sea during the 18^th century, the British navy developed a system of communication between ships using flags.  Warfare communication took a leap forward in World War I with the development of the telephone.  Radio in the 1920’s led its use in warfare allowing communication on the battlefield without the necessity of laying landlines.  Today, militaries communicate through the use of computer and satellite technology.  (2)

Communication is equally important in spiritual warfare and must include the spiritual technology of,

1)      The Word of God – All militaries have some sort of training and operations manual.  In spiritual warfare this manual is the Bible, the Word of God.  In our spiritual war against the enemy, Satan, God is our general.  As such, we as good soldiers must learn from and listen to our general’s instructions contained in our manual, the Bible. 

2)      Prayer – Communication is a two way street involving speaking and listening.  However, James 1:19 tells us to be swift to listen, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.  Effective communication in spiritual warfare therefore involves an eagerness to listen to God through His word but when it comes to praying, we must insure we pray according to God’s will and not let our prayers become like some Christmas list of things we want that may not necessarily be what God wants us to have.  Effective prayers like those mentioned in James 5:16 are prayers in agreement with God’s desires.  We also must be slow to act and wait for instructions from God in order for our actions to be effective.

3)      Fellowship – We as a church body must also maintain communication with each other (Hebrews 10:25).  For persecuted Christians this means risk of life for if they are caught together worshipping the Lord, they may be killed.  For those of us living in countries with freedom to worship as they please, it means inconveniencing ourselves on Sunday morning to get up and go to church.  Today we have the convenience of attending church through the internet.  This is great for those traveling and away from home on Sunday, those unable to attend services due to illness, and those living where there is no local church.  However, we should not allow technology to replace face-to-face getting together.  We are in a spiritual war and need the strength and encouragement we receive from being with others who believe as we do. 

Unlike most wars where victory is uncertain, the spiritual war we as Christians now find ourselves in has already been won by our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).  Satan is defeated and now only resorts to lies and deception as a means of disrupting the communication lines between our victorious Lord and us.  We therefore must be on our guard and not allow these lies and deception to separate us from our God and instead actively keep the communication lines open through study of the Bible, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. 

The war is won but there will still be battles.  Critical to victory in these battles is the maintaining of the communication lines with our God. 

1. Braverman, Emuna. Communication - The Key to a Good Marriage. www.aish.com. [Online] Aish.com. [Cited: December 15, 2015.] www.aish.com/f/m/48938377.html?tab=y.

2. Bennett, Matthew. Communications in War. www.bbc.co.uk. [Online] BBC, February 17, 2011. [Cited: December 5, 2015.] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/war_tech_gallery_09.shtml

No More Squishy, Self-Serving, Fear Mongering Leadership

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 23:11-12

But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

NKJV

Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 23:11-12 in the context of a people dominated by the dictatorial rule of Caesar.  In the minds of these individuals, leadership meant someone lording over them and not someone humble desiring to serve the individual.  In other words, those hearing Jesus’ words on leadership would have considered them radical but most likely a welcome change. 

In the ultimate show of servant leadership, Jesus, on the eve of his crucifixion on the cross, stooped to the level of servant by washing the feet of His disciples (John 13:12).  In the time of Jesus, people often walked from place to place.  As such, when they would arrive at someone’s home for dinner, their feet would be dirty.  Usually, the owner of the home would have one of their lowly servants wash the feet of their guests but in a showing of servant leadership, Jesus chose to take on that role Himself. 

One of the main reasons outsiders, the insurgent candidates, are doing so well in this election cycle is that the voting public is tired of wishy-washy, self-serving leadership that uses fear to maintain control over those they lead.  (1)  Instead, the voting public seeks leadership committed to serving those they lead, inspiring them to be great, and pointing them to what will lead to that greatness.  In other words, they are seeking one like Jesus who did not feel it demeaning to wash the feet of those following Him and then willingly went to the cross for their sins in order to make it possible for humanity to choose the path of eternal life (John 3:16). 

To voters, insider candidates represent more of the same squishy, self-centered, fear mongering leadership that has brought the nation to the brink of disaster upon which it is currently finds itself.  These voters are turning to outsiders in the hope they will bring in fresh ideas that are not self-serving and instead inspiring.  However, as these voters look to outsiders to help turn the country around, we must remember that Barak Obama was an outsider too.  Therefore, just because someone is an outsider does not necessarily mean he or she is the right leader for the country. 

I therefore urge voters not to simply vote for someone because they are an outsider but take the time to measure their qualifications against the qualities of servant leadership demonstrated in the life of Christ.  We must insure our next leader is,

1)      Not squishy – Our next President must be someone loving the United States.  He or she must be committed to keeping the nation safe from enemies foreign and domestic.  He or she must be committed to following the Constitution they swear to uphold when sworn into office.

2)      Not be self-serving – Instead of focusing on building their own legacy, they must have a commitment to the people that voted them into office.  When addressing foreign dignitaries, they must stand up for the citizens of the United States instead of being concerned about how they look to foreign leaders.  Even though the United States is not perfect, it is not the job of the President to apologize for the country they lead.  Instead, the President must be a leader showing these dignitaries how the United States became great and encouraging them to follow our lead.  Instead of building a self-serving legacy, lining their own pockets with exorbitant speaking fees and book advances, we need a leader who builds a legacy where people remember them as a leader that led the nation back to greatness by pointing the nation back to what made it great.

3)       Not leading from behind using fear to push people into things they do not want but instead inspiring people to follow them forward into greatness – In the most selfless act ever, Jesus suffered the most brutal death anyone could suffer in his time by crucifixion.  However, he willingly performed this selfless act in order to make a path for us to have eternal life (John 3:16, Philippians 2:8, Colossians 2:14, Hebrews 12:2).  Jesus does not push anyone to accept Him as his or her Savior but instead makes a path to salvation for us and stands ready to lead us down that path, the path to eternal life with God as God intended us to have. 

Perhaps you are reading this desiring an end to squishy, self-centered, fear mongering leadership, and are seeking such a leader this election cycle.  However, if you have not already done so, I want to extend an invitation to come to know the greatest servant leader of all, Jesus Christ.  I want to introduce you to Jesus Christ a leader who abandoned all self-interest by leaving the glory of heaven and coming to earth among us (Philippians2:5-8).  A leader that does not lead by spreading fear but instead, a leader leading by example pointing people to eternal life. 

If you want to meet that leader, pray this prayer with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

You now know the greatest servant leader to ever walk the face of the earth.  Now in this election cycle, let us seek leaders that demonstrate the same servant leadership qualities understanding that even though they cannot achieve the same leadership level of Jesus Christ, leadership demonstrating these qualities is what is necessary to turn our nation back to what made it great. 

1. Schultz, Howard. Five Reasons Servant Leadership is Relevand. www.cairnway.net. [Online] Cairnway Center for Servant Leadership Excellance, August 10, 2015. [Cited: December 5, 2015.] https://www.cairnway.net/five-reasons-servant-leadership-relevant/.

Spiritual Warfare Strategy 1: Avoiding Deception with Discernment

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

NKJV

Many theologians believe we are living in the last days.  Among these is Alan Yusko who has stated “We are truly living in the last days before the return of the Lord Jesus!  The world is in the process of throwing away all forms of discretion, decency, and morality.”  (1)  According to Hebrews 1:2, the last days began when the world first heard from Jesus the Son of God.  We can therefore conclude that Mr. Yusko is correct and that his observations provide evidence that we are getting closer to the return of Jesus Christ.  Of course, since God sets the day of the return of Jesus, we do not know the specific day of the Lord’s return (Matthew 25:13).  However, each day brings us closer to the Lord’s return.  Our role, therefore, as believers in Jesus Christ is not as predictor of the day but a watchman warning others to prepare for the day is approaching. 

We live in the information age, a time when access to information has never been easier but also a time when much deceptive information is available.  We, therefore as children of God engaged in spiritual warfare must practice discernment in order to avoid deceptive information and instead focus on the truth.  To do this we must have some gauge with which to measure truth from lies. 

For believers in Jesus Christ, this gauge is the Bible.  However, in order to properly use this gauge, we must take time to study and learn what the Bible has to say.  2 Thessalonians 2:10 speaks of falling for deception due to not receiving the love of the truth.  I therefore want to urge everyone reading this who is a follower of Jesus Christ to develop a hunger for the truth contained in the Bible and begin a regular plan to study and learn what it has to say.  This includes,

1)      Daily personal bible study – This can be simply reading a chapter a day or doing as I do, reading from a one-year Bible each day.  However, for those of us desiring to enter into spiritual warfare, we must also embark on a more in depth study of the word of God by embarking on a verse-by-verse study of books of the Bible or topical studies of topics God leads us to that will help us develop a closer relationship with God.

2)      Regular church attendance in a church teaching the Bible – I included in this recommendation attending a church teaching the Bible.  Unfortunately, there are churches in existence that do not teach from the Bible and as such are not gauging their teaching against the gauge of the Word of God.  If you find yourself in such a church, I urge you to get out so you do not fall prey to deceptive teaching straying from the truth of the Bible. 

3)      Become part of a small group Bible study – Many of us attend large churches that do teach the Bible but there is something special about being part of a smaller Bible study group.  In these smaller group are able to ask questions when we encounter something we do not understand.  These smaller group studies also help us develop relationships with other believers or people who will pray for us and people we can pray for when we find ourselves in a spiritual battle. 

In John 8:32, Jesus tells us that knowing the truth sets us free.  In the information age there is a plethora of information available to us but, unfortunately, much of the information is untruthful.  We therefore must use the gauge of the Bible, the Word of God, to discern truth from lies. 

As we have previously observed, we are in a spiritual battle.  The greatest weapon our enemy, Satan, possesses is deception.  This was true in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-5) and remains true today (2Thessalonians 2:9-10).  However, Jesus came to declare the truth (John 18:37) the truth that sets us free from the deception of the enemy (John 8:32). 

Join me in arming ourselves with the weapon of liberating truth, the truth of the Bible, the Word of God. 

1. Berean Bible Church. The "Last Days". www.bereanbiblechurch.org. [Online] Berean Bible Church. [Cited: November 26, 2015.] www.bereanbiblechurch.org/transcripts/hebrews/1_2_last_days.htm.

The Incompetent Watchman

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ezekiel 33:1-6

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them:'When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.'

NKJV

The wall of ancient cities was their main line of defense for in order for an enemy to invade a city, they would first have to breach the wall.  Cities would appoint watchmen to watch for any approaching armies trying to breach the wall and sound a trumpet warning the people inside the city of an eminent threat.  When there was no eminent threat, they would leave the gates to the city open so people could go in and out of the city at will.  When the watchman saw an eminent threat approaching, he would sound the trumpet and they would close the gates to protect the people within the walls.  As Ezekiel 33:6 tells us, failure of the watchman to blow the trumpet meant the blood of any slain would be his responsibility. 

With the advent of aerial warfare, walls no longer provide defense from an enemy.  However, the concept of a watchmen warning citizens of an eminent threat remains important.  In the United States, this role is the duty of the President, the Commander-in-chief.  However, the current occupant of the White House is failing in his role as watchman.  His failures include,

1)      An erroneous belief that the enemies threatening the nation have been contained – It is not a good watchman that claims ISIS, an enemy to anyone not of the faith of Islam, is contained (1) on the very day ISIS carried out its brutal attacks on innocent citizens in Paris.  (2)  A good modern watchman would instead develop a plan to keep citizens safe while joining other countries like Russia and now France who have vowed to eliminate the threat of ISIS.  (3)

2)      Manipulation of economic data to provide the appearance that his economic policies are working and that there is no longer a threat of economic collapse – The labor participation rate, the number indicating how many people able to work in the United States are working, stands at 62.4 percent. (4) This means that 37.6 percent of those in the nation able to work are not working.  Because of a declining labor force, we are seeing record numbers of people on Food stamps.  (5)  However, the incompetent watchmen of the Obama Administration continue to tout how well the economy is doing based upon a low unemployment rate of 5.0% as of October 31, 2015.  (6)  This reported low rate is the U3 rate, which does not include those not working who have exhausted their unemployment benefits and given up on finding work.  A more accurate unemployment rate counting those that have given up and dropped out of the labor force is the U6 number (7) which is 9.8 percent as of October 31, 2015.  (8)  A competent watchman would report the U6 rate and develop a program to create jobs for the 37.6 percent of Americans not working in order to protect them, and the nation, from an economic collapse. 

3)      Opening up U.S. borders benefits the economy of the nation – In an environment with an increasing threat of a terrorist attack similar to what we observed in Paris and an economic environment with an increasing number of Americans chronically out of work, dependent on government subsistence, the last thing the nation needs is open borders.  Crossing our borders are not only people willing to take jobs due to their willingness to work off the books at lower wages, (9) but there are also reports of potential terrorists crossing the border (10) and ISIS even operating a base a few miles from the Texas Border in Mexico.  (11)  A competent watchman would secure the border, stopping the flow of illegals and potential terrorist to protect the nation against both an economic and security threat.

Even though the role of watchman is no longer a person standing on the wall, sounding a trumpet when seeing an eminent threat to the city, in the United States, the citizens elect a commander-in-chief to protect them from eminent threats.  Unfortunately, the current Commander-in-chief has failed to sound the trumpet alerting people to the threats of terrorism and economic collapse and therefore will have the economic and real blood of citizens on his hands when a terrorist attack or economic collapse occurs.  However, we do have an election coming in November 2016 giving us an opportunity to elect a watchman willing to sound the alarm. 

1. Poor, Jeff. Obama: ISIS is Not Getting 'Stronger,' We Have 'Contained' Them. www.breitbart.com. [Online] ABC News, November 13, 2015. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] www.breitbart.com/video/2015/11/13/obama-isis-is-not-getting-stronger-we-have-contained-them/.

2. Moriarty, Erin. Paris Latest City Where Terrorists Target Crowds. www.cbsnews.com. [Online] CBS News, November 15, 2015. [Cited: November 22, 2015.] www.cbsnews.com/news/paris-latest-city-where-terrorists-target-crowds/.

3. CBS News. Russia, France Pound ISIS Targets in Syria. www.cbsnews.com. [Online] CBS News, November 17, 2015. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-france-pound-isis-targets-in-syria-sec-of-state-john-kerry-says-tougher-response-needed/

4. Statistics, Bureau of Labor. Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey. data.bls.gov. [Online] United States Department of Labor, November 29, 2015. [Cited: November 26, 2015.] data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000.

5. Berry, Dr. Susan. Gallup Ignores All-Time High Food Stamp Usage as Reason for 7-Year Low Percentage Americans Struggling to Afford Food. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, June 7, 2015. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/06/07/gallup-ignores-all-time-high-food-stamp-usage-as-reason-for-7-year-low-percentage-americans-struggling-to-afford-food/.

6. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey, Unemployment Rate. data.bls.gov. [Online] United States Department of Labor, November 29, 2015. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000.

7. Investopedia. The True Unemployment Rate: U6 Vs. U3. www.investopedia.com. [Online] Investopedia, November 9, 2015. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/080415/true-unemployment-rate-u6-vs-u3.asp.

8. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Alternative Measures of Labor Utilization. www.bls.gov. [Online] United States Department of Labor, October 31, 2015. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm.

9. Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). Taking U.S. Jobs (2013). www.fairus.org. [Online] FAIR, 2013. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] www.fairus.org/issue/illegal-aliens-taking-u-s-jobs.

10. Ollstein, Alice. Rick Perry: Iraqi Terrorists Likely Crossing The Texas Border. thinkprogress.org. [Online] ThinkProgress, August 21, 2014. [Cited: August 26, 2014.] http://thinkprogress.org/election/2014/08/21/3474264/rick-perry-immigration-2/.

11. DeMarche, Edmund. ISIS Reportedly Operating Base Few Miles From Texas Border. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, April 16, 2015. [Cited: November 29, 2015.] http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/04/16/isis-reportedly-operating-base-few-miles-from-texas-border/.