The Face of Evil Strikes London

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

(ESV)

Once again, this time in London England, the face of evil has struck. (1) My prayers are with the families of those that perished in this senseless attack and with those who were injured and their families.  We must also pray that leaders in our nations will take seriously the threat of terrorism and stop politicizing this important issue.

In the most recent presidential election in the United States, one of the most important issues was the issue of national security and securing the borders of the country.  Common sense would tell any sanely thinking person that protecting the citizens of the nation against threats both domestic and foreign is a priority.  However, many leaders in our nations like to play politics with this issue, thus placing the citizens of their nations at risk. 

Muslim immigration to England is nothing new (2), but the fact that there are now 85 sharia courts in the UK means that it is not just the immigration of Muslims but the adoption of Sharia Law that makes the spread of Islam dangerous at this moment in history.  (3)  This coupled with the election of a Muslim mayor in London who has told citizens of London and New York to get used to terrorism (4) demonstrates the lack of desire by civic leaders to keep their citizens safe and possibly a desire of a Muslim mayor to insure radical Islam can cripple major cities with the fear of terrorism.  I for one, as a citizen of a major US city view this as insanity and call on leaders to begin taking this threat seriously.

Unfortunately, however in the United States, the talk of securing the borders of the nation, especially talk of building a wall along the southern border with Mexico, is met with severe political opposition.  For example, a growing number of congressional Republicans are objecting to the cost of building such a wall.  (5)  In other words, these leaders in Congress who all took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States which includes insuring the security of the nation, are more concerned about cost than the security of their citizens in a world of rampant terrorism. 

Some may argue that the illegal immigration of Mexicans is not related to radical Islam but I must disagree for radical terrorists seeking to murder citizens of the United States seek any way into the nation they can find.  There is little doubt they view our porous southern border as a path of little, or no resistance to entry into the country.  In fact, military intel already has evidence of the entry into the United States of elements of radical Islam.  (6) 

Not only is the southern border of the United States wide open, we also have local leaders opening their communities up to danger by declaring their cities and even states sanctuary cities and states in defiance of President Trumps executive order removing federal funding.  (7)  Once again, radical terrorists seeking a place from which to launch their murderous attacks on innocent citizens will gravitate to places of little or no resistance and will view these sanctuary cities as a place in which establish a headquarters.  This is especially true in smaller communities with less law enforcement.

The words of Ephesians 6:12 are still pertinent for our times for this battle with radical Islam goes deeper than just a flesh and blood battle with people practicing Islam that have been radicalized.  Jesus stated that He is the way truth and life (John 14:6).  Jesus did not say that he was a way implying that there are other ways to salvation, Jesus said that he is the way.  Satan, however, continues to deceive people and has succeeded in deceiving many across the globe into believing and justifying brutally murdering people not adopting their beliefs as a way to salvation.  Our battle truly is not a battle with flesh and blood but a spiritual battle over the way to salvation. 

Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh not to condemn sinners, but to save them (John 3:16-17).  While both Islam and Christianity claim to teach the only way to salvation, Christianity teaches the message of God’s mercy and grace for God came to sinners in the flesh and paid the penalty for their sins thus providing a path to salvation (Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:8).  Therefore, the Christian path to salvation is not violent but an act of believing and accepting the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins. 

I therefore urge anyone reading this to seek this peaceful path to salvation and not fall for the deception of Satan by praying 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 have complete salvation from sin and eternal life in heaven with God our creator.  Now, share this great news with others by sharing this post via social media and email.  I also encourage you to expose yourself to the liberating truth of God’s Word, the Bible and find a church home teaching the truths of the Bible where you can associate with fellow believers.  May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Reuters. Islamic State claims responsibility for British parliament attack. tribune.com.pk. [Online] The Express Tribune, March 23, 2017. [Cited: March 25, 2017.] https://tribune.com.pk/story/1363951/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-british-parliament-attack/.

2. BBC. History of Islam in the UK. www.bbc.co.uk. [Online] BBC, September 7, 2009. [Cited: March 25, 2017.] http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/uk_1.shtml.

3. Doughty, Steve. Britain has 85 sharia courts: The astonishing spread of the Islamic justice behind closed doors. www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] Daily Mail, June 29, 2009. [Cited: March 25, 2017.] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196165/Britain-85-sharia-courts-The-astonishing-spread-Islamic-justice-closed-doors.html.

4. Deacon, Liam. London’s Muslim Mayor Tells New York And London to Get Used to Terrorism. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, September 19, 2016. [Cited: March 25, 2017.] http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/09/19/londons-muslim-mayor-tells-new-york-terror-attacks-normal-trump-scapegoating/.

5. Raju, Manu. Hill Republicans revolt over Trump's plans to build border wall. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN, February 6, 2017. [Cited: March 25, 2017.] http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/03/politics/border-wall-republicans/.

6. Judicial Watch. Military Intel Confirms JW Reporting: Muslim Terrorists Entering U.S. Via Mexico. www.judicialwatch.org. [Online] Judicial Watch, August 16, 2016. [Cited: March 25, 2017.] http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2016/08/military-intel-confirms-jw-reporting-muslim-terrorists-entering-u-s-via-mexico/.

7. Robbins, Liz. ‘Sanctuary City’ Mayors Vow to Defy Trump’s Immigration Order. www.nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times, January 25, 2017. [Cited: March 25, 2017.] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/25/nyregion/outraged-mayors-vow-to-defy-trumps-immigration-order.html?_r=0.

The Power of Intercession

By:  Dale Weckbacher

James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

(ESV)

James concludes his one and only epistle by encouraging us to pray (James 5:13-20).  While at times it may appear that our prayers do little, James 5:16 reminds that the prayers of a righteous person, and since all of us who have confessed Jesus Christ as Lord are declared righteous in the sight of God (Romans 3:21-26), are powerful.  We therefore must begin to continually offer prayers of intercession for both the lost and believers in our world.  Unfortunately, one of the tools of deception used by Satan is to cause those declared righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ to believe they are weak and powerless.

Scripture, however, is full of seemingly small and powerless people achieving great things for God.

1)      Moses – Moses, raised in the household of Pharaoh had serious anger issues that resulted in him leaving his people in Egypt and fleeing to Midian (Exodus 2:11-22).  Fortunately for Moses this separation resulted in his encounter with God at the burning bush resulting in Moses receiving his mission from God as the one to lead his people out of their Egyptian slavery not through military force but by the power of God.  While Moses’ anger issues remained resulting in God forbidding him from setting foot in the Promised Land, God was able to use him mightily.

2)      David (1 Samuel 16:1-13) – Samuel grieves the fact that Saul is king of Israel but God is not about to allow him to wallow in his grief.  Instead God commands Samuel to fill his horn with oil and go to Jesse in Bethlehem in order to anoint the next King of Israel.  After God rejects the seven strong warrior sons of Jesse, Samuel asks Jesse if he has another son.  Enter David the shepherd boy and Jesse’s youngest son.  Samuel and Jesse believed the future King of Israel must be someone strong and powerful physically but God chose the shepherd to lead His people.  God is more interested in finding leaders that will lead according to godly principles and leave the power and might to Him. 

3)      Peter – In our PC age, the Apostle Peter would definitely not fit in.  A gruff rough fisherman from the poor section of Galilee would hardly be one that anyone, especially the Son of God would pick to lead His people (Luke 22:31-32).  However, after repenting of His sin, encountering the risen Lord, and receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit, Peter had all he needed to lead the early Church for he had power from God.

We who have been declared righteous through the blood of Christ also have access to great power and strength from God.  We therefore must make a concerted effort to set aside time each day, even if it is just a few minutes, to intercede in prayer.  We must intercede for,

1)      The safety of our President and other leaders (1Timothy 2:1-2) – Recent breaches of White House security (1) (2) coupled with the theft of a Secret Service laptop and credentials (3) have many concerned about the safety of President Trump and his family.  While most of us, unless we serve the President in the Secret Service, can do little to protect our President, our prayers of intercession, like the prayer of Hezekiah that resulted in the striking down of the much more powerful Assyrian army are powerful (2 Kings19:14-37).  Therefore, God’s people must continue to pray for the safety of those God has placed in authority over us.

2)      Safety and strength for the military and law enforcement – Military serves an important role in the safety and security of any nation.  However, history has demonstrated that even the most powerful army in the world can be defeated.  I live in the United States, a nation that was able to defeat the most powerful military and become a nation.  We therefore must not become lax in our prayers for the military and law enforcement who swear to protect the citizens of our nations by believing they have all the power them need to do the Job.  Instead we must remember they need our prayers of support in order to defeat the spiritual forces behind the visible evil they face (Ephesians 6:12,18).

3)      Safety and peace for our families – In my neighborhood we have an issue with street racers racing down our streets.  There have been deadly crashes and even instances of cars crashing through people’s yards.  This has served as a reminder to me of the need to pray for the safety of my family and myself, along with friends, co-workers, and neighbors.  I therefore urge everyone to pray daily, and even more frequently if necessary for God’s umbrella of protection around those close to us.

4)      Revival for our nation – In Deuteronomy11:26-28, God sets forth both a curse and a blessing on His people.  Whether the people receive the curse or blessing is contingent upon obedience to the commandments of God.  Scripture goes on to promise blessing upon any nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12).  It grieves my heart and the hearts of many of God’s people to see the abandonment of Godly principles in our world and nations.  This has led to many becoming deceived due to a lack of understanding of the truth that would set them free (John 8:32).  No politician, government program, or legislation will reverse this downward slide.  It is only the transformational power of the Blood of Jesus Christ and God’s people directing others to Jesus that will reverse this death spiral for our nations and culture.  However, the power of the intercessory prayers of God’s people unleashes the power of the Holy Spirit and defeats the powerful forces of Satan that is currently deceiving our world.  Therefore, do not cease praying for revival for our nations and world.

Intercessory prayer is a powerful tool in the toolbox of God’s people but like any tool, if it is left in the toolbox, it is useless.  I therefore urge those reading this to open the toolbox of prayer and begin using this powerful tool.  

1. Jeff Zeleny, Eugene Scott, and Peter Morris. Intruder breaches White House grounds, arrested near residence entrance. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN Politics, March 12, 2017. [Cited: March 19, 2017.] http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/11/politics/man-breeches-white-house/.

2. Bohn, Peter Morris and Kevin. Car and bomb claim at White House sets off security alert. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN Politics, March 19, 2017. [Cited: March 19, 2017] http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/19/politics/white-house-security-situation/.

3. Matt Dean, Malia Zimmerman, and Ed Henry. Secret Service laptop stolen in New York. www.fixnews.com. [Online] Fos News, March 17, 2017. [Cited: March 19, 2017.] http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/17/secret-service-laptop-stolen-in-new-york.html.

From Fear to Faith: Lessons from the Life of Peter

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Timothy 1:7

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

(ESV)

One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Peter.  This is because I find Peter someone I can relate to for even though Peter was someone who walked with Jesus and heard all His teachings, he still had a habit of opening his mouth before thinking.  In fact, Peter has the distinction of being someone who was silenced and interrupted by all three persons of the Trinity. 

1)      God the Father (Matthew 17:1-8) – Caught up in the moment of seeing Jesus in all his glory at the Transfiguration, Peter’s initial response is to build an earthly shrine at the sight where the event occurred.  While this would appear to be something great and a way to remember this great event, his response failed to consider the greater purpose.  In Matthew16:28 Jesus tells his disciples that some among them would not die until they saw the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.  Since all of those with Jesus at that time have died, Jesus was referring to the transfiguration which occurred in the next chapter.  In other words, the purpose of the transfiguration was to give Peter, James, and John a glimpse of Jesus in his Glory, confirming he is God in the flesh.  Therefore, before Peter could build some cult movement worshiping at the sight of the transfiguration, Jesus had to silence him.  We must be cautious not to worship glorious events where we experience the presence of God but to worship the God behind these events.

2)      God the Son (Matthew 16:13-23) – After making a profession of faith that Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 16:16), Peter rebukes Jesus for foretelling his death, how he would die for theirs and our sins, and rise from the dead declaring victory over sin and death (Hebrews 2:14).  Jesus response to Peter was not a rebuke of Peter, but a rebuke of Satan, the one placing the thought of rebuking Jesus in the mind of Peter (Matthew 16:23).  Romans 12:1-2 reminds us to allow our minds to be renewed by God. 

3)      God the Holy Spirit (Acts 10) – The early church was mostly Jewish.  In fact, it was referred to as “The Way” (Acts 9:2) or thought of as a sect of Judaism.  However, the vision given to Peter in Acts10:9-16 was to teach Peter that the Gospel was for all humanity and not just the Jews.  At the home of Cornelius, Peter begins by sharing the Gospel as he most likely usually did when asked to speak with someone but in this instance, he was speaking with someone who had already come to believe and fear God (Acts 10:1-2).  While sharing the Gospel was not bad, God had something else in mind for Cornelius, the receiving of the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44-46).  While we may believe we have everything figured out, often God, who knows all has other plans for us.

What I find most encouraging about the life of Peter is how he in the short span of 50 days was transformed from a man of fear to a man of faith. 

In yet another instance of Peter disagreeing with Jesus, we see Jesus telling Peter he will deny Him three times before the rooster crows (Matthew 26:31-35).  While Peter denied that he would ever deny Jesus, Jesus knew the fear in Peter’s heart and that when facing possible death due to his belief in Jesus as the Christ, would deny Him.

However, just 50 days later at Pentecost, we see this once fearful Peter speaking to some of the very people who were calling for Jesus to be crucified, boldly declaring who Jesus is and accusing them of having Him crucified (Acts 2:22-24).  However, Peter also teaches them that all that occurred was in accordance to the plan of God.  However, we must ask the question, what occurred during those 50 days that caused this miraculous transformation in the Life of Peter.

1)      Peter repented of his sin (Matthew 26:75) – Right after the realization of his sin of denying Jesus, Peter wept bitterly, repenting of his sin.  This is the direct opposite of the response of Judas when he realized his betrayal would lead to Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:3-5).  Later after his resurrection Jesus let Peter know he was forgiven and would have an important role in spreading the good news of the Gospel (John 21:15-19).  This repentance and forgiveness meant Peter no longer had to fear rejection by God.

2)      Peter saw the risen Lord (Luke 24:36-49) – Imagine the shock of seeing a beloved friend that you presumed was dead suddenly appear in front of you.  No wonder the disciples, including Peter thought they saw a ghost.  However, after they realized it was indeed Jesus, they no doubt remembered Jesus frequent teaching about how he must die and come back from the dead to receive full forgiveness of their sins.  While we do not physically see the risen Lord today when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we do so in faith believing the written accounts in the Gospels by those who did physically see Him and learn at His feet.  In fact, scripture tells us that those who come to know Jesus by faith without actually seeing Him are blessed (John 20:29).  However, Peter seeing the risen Lord no doubt alleviated much of his fear.

3)      The filling with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) – When Jesus appeared to His disciples after his resurrection, he ended by telling them to remain in the city of Jerusalem until they were clothed or filled with power from on high.  Even though seeing the risen Lord alleviated much of their fear, Jesus knew he was leaving them and that they would need the Holy Spirit to empower them to fearlessly spread the good news of the Gospel.  For this reason, once fearful Peter could with power and authority declare the Gospel to some of those calling for Jesus’ crucifixion and 3000 were saved (Acts2:40-41). 

There is much fear in our world as evidenced by how people have reacted to the election of Donald Trump as President.  However, fear is not of God and not how the people of God are to live their lives (2 Timothy 1:7).  We therefore must follow the example of Peter and learn to live lives of faith and not fear by repenting of our sins, meeting the risen Lord through His Word, the Bible, and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us, not to speak in tongues, but to receive empowerment of the Holy Spirit to better serve our Lord.    

This is Going to be Huge

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

(ESV)

History is full of huge magnanimous events.  Often these events are positive like the moon landing.  Other huge events mark the ending of something bad like the ending of a war.  Other events mark tragedy like the attacks on 911.  Those of us that were alive during these huge events most likely remember what we were doing when these events occurred.  There will no doubt be other huge events in our future but the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 is a huge future event that can either be positive or troubling.  While it will be a glorious event for those caught up to be with Christ, it will usher in a time of great tribulation for those left behind. 

Jesus disciples came to Him on the Mount of Olives and asked him for a sign of His coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3).  While Jesus’ disciples often made mistakes, and asked stupid questions, I believe this to be a wise question.  After all, they had the Son of God and God Himself with them and knew he had the answers.  Matthew 24:4-14 is Jesus’ answer to the question and describes the signs pointing to the biggest event to ever happen in the history of humanity.  Jesus answer includes,

1)      A warning not to be led astray (Matthew 24:4-5) – Satan the deceiver has used deception since the Garden of Eden so the fact that there will be false teaching and false messiahs is nothing new.  However, with social media and the internet, the speed with which false teaching can be spread has increased.  It is therefore wise for those of us living today to be cautious about what we see online.

2)      Wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6-8) – Wars and rumors of wars are nothing new either.  However, modern warfare has the possibility of causing mass casualties in an instant.  One of the major issues during the recent Presidential election was weapons of mass destruction coming into the hands of sponsors of terrorism like Iran.  (1)  North Korea, a nation that already possesses nuclear weapons, is currently testing missiles that have the capability of delivering nuclear weapons to the United States, something they have vowed to do.  (2) (3)  China is also building bases in the North China Sea by creating man made islands.  (4)  There is no doubt we are seeing wars and rumors of wars, wars that could erupt into a major conflict.  However, Jesus cautions us that these are just the beginning of events that will lead up to the biggest event in history (Matthew 24:8).

3)      Tribulation (Matthew 24:9) – Tribulation of believers in Christ is something that has occurred throughout church history.  This tribulation comes in two forms,

a.       Physical tribulation – In many parts of our world, being a believer and follower of Jesus Christ comes with a death penalty.  (5) 

b.       Social tribulation – In the United States and other nations where religious liberty is protected, one can usually freely practice their faith without fear of death.  However, choosing to follow Christ can bring rejection by friends or family or a form of social tribulation. 

4)      Falling away (Matthew 24:10) – Perhaps due to fear of either physical or social tribulation, many fall from the roots of their faith in God.  Peer pressure is nothing new but with social media and the internet, the speed with which one can experience this pressure has increased.  However, even in the digital age, we can resist peer pressure by,

a.       Turning insecurity into purity – Those experiencing insecurity are most susceptible to peer pressure for their insecurity tempts them to conform in order to belong to the group.  We have security in Christ and must resist any temptation to compromise our purity in order to conform.  (6)

b.       Know you are enough – We are all uniquely created by God with a special unique set of talents (Psalm 139:13-14).  Giving in to peer pressure to conform causes us to abandon the path God created us for and instead take a path of conformity that society and our peers view as normal.  Know God created you as you are with all that you need to serve Him.  (6)

c.       Love your neighbor – Often peers pressure us to conform out of a feeling of insecurity themselves and a need to feel superior.  Instead of giving in to their pressures to make us conform, we must stand firm out of love and serve in the unique way in which God created us.  (6)

5)      Deception and lawlessness (Matthew 24:11-12) – Unfortunately many are falling for the deception of Islam and many other false religions in our time.  In fact, if current trends continue, Islam will surpass Christianity as the world’s biggest religion.  (7)  The increase in violent protests and terrorism across the globe is also causing the hearts and love of many to grow cold but Jesus promises us that those that endure to the end will be saved.  Jesus closes his answer with the promise that the Gospel will be spread across the globe.  This is when the end will come.

As we can see, the signs of our time point to the eminent return of Christ, the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.  That is why I have a sense of urgency and want everyone reading this to be among those viewing this event in a positive way by being among those caught up to be with the Lord and not among those left behind.  If you are reading this and unsure which side of this future event you will be on, please 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.

Congratulations, you are now among those that will be caught up to be with the Lord and escape the time of Great Tribulation coming upon the world.  Now, share the news with others by sharing this post with them by email or social media so they too can have an opportunity to escape the Great Tribulation and be with the Lord.

May God Bless everyone reading this.

1. Weinthal, Benjamin. Iran nuke deal will fund terrorists’ war vs. America. www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, July 23, 2015. [Cited: March 13, 2017.] http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/07/23/iran-nuke-deal-will-fund-terrorists-war-vs-america.html.

2. Gale, Jonathan Cheng and Alastair. North Korea Missile Test Stirs ICBM Fears. www.wsj.com. [Online] The Wall Street Journal, March 7, 2017. [Cited: March 13, 2017.] https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-missile-test-stirs-icbm-fears-1488802971.

3. Knox, Patrick. KIM BOMB-UN Crazed North Korean leader threatens apocalyptic nuclear attack ‘ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME’ as US vows to shoot down any ballistic missiles. www.thesunuk.co.uk. [Online] The Sun, January 9, 2017. [Cited: March 13, 2017.] https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2567884/north-korean-kim-jong-un-could-launch-apocalyptic-world-war-3-nuclear-attack-anywhere-and-anytime-because-of-us-provocation/.

4. Cohen, Zachary. Photos reveal growth of Chinese military bases in South China Sea. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN, May 15, 2016. [Cited: March 13, 2017.] http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/13/politics/china-military-south-china-sea-report/.

5. Weber, Jeremy. ‘Worst Year Yet’: The Top 50 Countries Where It’s Hardest to Be a Christian. www.christianitytoday.com. [Online] Christianity Today, January 1, 2017. [Cited: March 13, 2017.] http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2017/january/top-50-countries-christian-persecution-world-watch-list.html.

6. Eddington, Majorie Foester. Peer Pressure Resisted. www.biblewise.com. [Online] BibleWise. [Cited: March 13, 2017.] http://www.biblewise.com/teens/relationships-identity/peer-pressure.php.

7. Miere, Jason Le. How Many Muslims In The World? Islam Set To Overtake Christianity As Most Popular Religion, While US Population Also Rapidly Growing. www.ibtimes.com. [Online] IBT, February 28, 2017. [Cited: March 1, 2017.] http://www.ibtimes.com/how-many-muslims-world-islam-set-overtake-christianity-most-popular-religion-while-us-2498931.

The Choice, Victim or Victor

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 10:10

 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

(ESV)

The world is in the middle of an extreme spiritual battle and in John 10:10 Jesus draws the dividing line in this battle.  On one side, we have the thief, Satan, who wants to steal, kill, and destroy.  On the other side of the battle line is Jesus Christ who came to give us abundant life.  Neutrality in this battle is not an option for every man and woman finds themselves on the side of Satan and destruction at birth unless they choose to cross the line and join the side of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23). 

While this choice would appear simple, after all, who would choose their own destruction, Satan is also known as the deceiver (Revelation12:9).  This deception began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) and Satan even attempted to deceive Jesus the Son of God to achieve all authority by worshiping him and bypassing the suffering of the cross (Luke 4:5-7).  The difference in these two accounts is that Adam and Eve fell prey to Satan’s deception while Jesus fended it off with the Word of God (Luke 4:8).  This deception continues today with what I believe to be a dangerous trend in our world, the acceptance and even rewarding of victimhood in our world. 

The riots in Ferguson are an example of people believing they are the victims of racism feeling justified in destroying property while law enforcement, those with a sworn duty to protect people and property were ordered to look on and do nothing.  (1)  A similar situation occurred during riots in Baltimore.  (2)  One of the reasons for this is that political charlatans profit from perpetuating racism and want there to be more victims that will give them their vote on election day.  (3)  While there are true victims of racism, instead of going after racist individuals or organizations, those profiting from racism paint a picture of a nation or world that is racist and promise those believing they are victims of racism that they will fix the problem when their true agenda is perpetuating the picture of national racism in the interest of continuing to profit from its perpetuation politically and economically. 

Feminism also has its share of charlatans that profit from creating victims of sexism as well.  According to a recent article appearing in the Federalist, feminism is its own worst enemy.  The premise of the article is that to promote gender equality, feminism defines gender as a socially constructed phenomenon meaning it is a product of social practices rather than innate characteristics such as biological gender differences.  (4)  While I agree a man and a woman of equal qualification should be paid the same in the workplace, to ignore the biological differences in the genders logically leads to depriving women of special needs, such as medical needs they have due to their biological differences. 

Once again, however, just we observed in racism, there are political charlatans who profit from feminism through the creation of victims.  One such instance is a reporter clicking on a trailer for the remake of Ghostbusters and when he pressed the dislike button because he was revolted by what he saw, soon discovered he had taken a stand against the rights of women everywhere.  (5)  There is little doubt some feminist charlatan used this data to raise funds for their organization.  Once again, we see organizations profiting from creating victims of feminism with no intention of ending sexual discrimination for that would end their ability to raise funds.

These two examples demonstrate a dangerous trend in our society, the perpetuating and creating of victims and deceiving them into believing some individual, organization, or government program will improve their lives and end their victimhood when the truth is these political charlatans intend on perpetuating and profiting from their victimhood.  In contrast, Jesus Christ finished his work on the cross and became a victor by conquering death through his resurrection (John 19:30, Romans 8:2).  We therefore do not need to live our lives as victims but can live lives of victory through Christ. 

This does not mean that all our problems or struggles magically vanish when Jesus comes into our lives but it guarantees us eternal live (John 3:16) and assures us a victorious life beyond the struggles of this life.  While we will still have struggles in this life (John 16:33) instead of having to depend solely upon some person or program that has an incentive to perpetuate victimhood, we can take it to the one who has overcome the world. 

We have a choice, victimhood or victor.  I encourage everyone reading this to choose victor by trusting the one who victoriously conquered sin and death by accepting his free gift of salvation by praying 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 have victory over sin and eternal life.  Now when struggles come or you feel victimized, do not wallow in victimhood but take it to Jesus the victor who overcame the world (John 16:33).

1. Howley, Patrick. EMAIL: Missouri Democratic Governor ORDERED National Guard To Stand Down During Ferguson Riots. dailycaller.com. [Online] The Daily Caller, January 22, 2015. [Cited: March 12, 2017.] http://dailycaller.com/2015/01/22/email-missouri-democratic-governor-ordered-national-guard-to-stand-down-during-ferguson-riots/.

2. Newman, Alex. Sheriff: Baltimore Police Ordered to “Stand Down” Amid Riots. www;thenewamerican.com. [Online] The New American, May 1, 2015. [Cited: March 12, 2017.] https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/crime/item/20787-sheriff-baltimore-police-ordered-to-stand-down-amid-riots.

3. Washington Examiner. Racism for fun and profit. www.washingtonexaminer.com. [Online] Washington Examiner, January 6, 2015. [Cited: March 12, 2017.] http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/racism-for-fun-and-profit/article/2558228.

4. O'Brian, G.R. Feminism Is Its Own Worst Enemy. thefederalist.com. [Online] The Federalist, August 31, 2016. [Cited: March 12, 2017.] http://thefederalist.com/2016/08/31/feminism-worst-enemy/.

5. Bosha, Will H. The Rise Of For-Profit Feminism. www.the odysseyonline.com. [Online] Odessey, October 18, 2016. [Cited: March 12, 2017.] https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-rise-of-for-profit-feminism.

Beware of Spiritual Atrophy

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Kings 8:52

Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you.

(ESV)

Webster defines atrophy as a decrease in size or the wasting away of a body part or tissue.  Another non-medical definition is a wasting away or progressive decline.  (1)  While medical atrophy is something we can easily see, we can suffer from a form of spiritual atrophy which can lead to the wasting away of our soul and the decay of our spirit.  Even well-meaning believers in Christ can fall prey to this serious disease and we must be on our guard against it continually. 

John 10:10 reminds us that the thief, Satan, comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  This was evident in the Garden of Eden where Satan destroyed Adam and Eve’s close intimate relationship with God, their creator (Genesis 3).  However, the second half of John 10:10 reminds us that Jesus came to give us abundant life.  Thankfully, Satan’s plans for the destruction of humanity were unsuccessful for Jesus, the sinless Son of God became man and restored the relationship with God that Satan destroyed in the Garden of Eden. 

However, just as our earthly relationships, and even our marriage relationships, can grow cold and suffer from atrophy, our restored relationship to God through Christ can atrophy as well.  To guard against spiritual atrophy of our relationship with God we must,

1)      Be humble (Ephesians 4:2) (2) – Proverbs 16:18 reminds us that pride precedes a fall.  Moses, struck with curiosity approached the burning bush and once he realized he was in the presence of God humbled himself (Exodus 3:1-6).  In this humbled state, Moses was able to hear from God and received his mission in life, to be the one to deliver God’s people from Egyptian slavery.   While most of us will not see a burning bush and receive a magnanimous mission from God, we all must humble ourselves in order to hear from God and receive direction in our lives.  Unfortunately, it is easy for us to allow our pride and belief that we can handle things to put up a barrier between us and God.  If this pride is not held in check by practicing humility before God, our relationship with God can suffer from atrophy.

2)      Offer Forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32) (2) – One item lacking in the recent Presidential Election in the United States was forgiveness.  One such instance involved vicious attacks by Donald Trump and Ted Cruz against each other. (3)  Many feared this divisiveness would cause the eventual nominee, Donald Trump to lose to Hillary Clinton in the general election.  Fortunately, Ted Cruz forgave Donald Trump and actually campaigned for him, contributing to his victory (4) Jesus provides the example of perfect forgiveness.  He suffered needless pain for us on the cross.  He was rejected by the religious leaders of his time who should have realized from scripture that He was the Messiah.  However, despite this pain and rejection, Jesus offered forgiveness and by his death and resurrection, restoring humanity’s relationship with God that was lost in the Garden was restored. 

3)      Communicate well (James 1:19) (2) – God gave us two ears and only one mouth.  In other words, we should learn to listen more than we speak.  Learning to listen more and speak less shows others that,

a.       We value them and their opinions

b.       We value their time

c.       We are able and willing to consider multiple points of view

d.       We are telling them what they have to say is important to us

e.       We are showing them we are mature and professional
      In any relationship communication is critical.  Jesus demonstrated his willingness to listen to us in his parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8).  However, why pray if we are not willing to take time to listen to God for an answer to our prayers.  We therefore must not allow our relationship with God to atrophy and spend time daily communicating with God in prayer and study of His Word.    

4)      Have patience (Romans 12:12) (2) – We live in an instant gratification society.  We can instantly communicate with others via our cell phones from anywhere and to anywhere in the world.  We can have a hot meal in minutes by using a microwave or convection oven.  However, our eternal God is not bound by the confines of time and therefore is patient and may not provide an instantaneous answer to our prayer.  When we become impatient waiting for an answer to our prayer, we begin to believe we need to take care of things ourselves and usually end up messing things up.  In the extreme, we may even begin to believe God does not hear us and our relationship with God can atrophy. 

Spiritual atrophy, just like physical atrophy, is a serious condition.  In our present chaotic times, it is critical for us to guard against spiritual atrophy of our relationship with God by being humble, offering forgiveness, communicating well, and having patience.  A lost world must see God’s people enjoying a vibrant growing relationship with God and not a relationship suffering from spiritual atrophy. 

1. Merriam-Webster. Atrophy. www.merriam-webster.com. [Online] Merriam-Webster. [Cited: March 8, 2017.] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atrophy.

2. Bible Blog. 4 BIBLE VERSES FOR MENDING A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP. blog.bible. [Online] Bible Blog. [Cited: March 8, 2017.] http://blog.bible/bible-blog/entry/4-bible-verses-for-mending-a-broken-relationship.

3. Blake, Aaron. 9 truly awful things Ted Cruz and Donald Trump said about each other. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, September 23, 2016. [Cited: March 8, 2017.] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/09/23/9-truly-awful-things-that-were-said-between-ted-cruz-and-the-man-hell-now-support-donald-trump/?utm_term=.98de6104a682.

4. Enloe, Chris. Cruz says he and his family have forgiven Donald Trump, says decision to endorse took months of prayer. www.theblaze.com. [Online] The Blaze, September 24, 2016. [Cited: March 8, 2017.] http://www.theblaze.com/news/2016/09/24/cruz-says-he-and-his-family-have-forgiven-donald-trump-says-decision-to-endorse-took-months-of-prayer/.

We Have Work to do.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 9:37

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

(ESV)

Islam is currently the fastest growing religion in the world and set to overtake Christianity by the end of the century if trends continue at their current rate.  (1)  As a concerned citizen, I find it alarming that a religion where violence such as we saw on 911, violence like we have more recently seen at an office in Santa Barbara, a nightclub in Orlando, and a Bastille Day celebration in France would be growing at all, let alone at such an alarming rate.  However, as a Christian I view this from another perspective, we as followers of Christ have a lot of work left to do.

Jesus parting words to His followers prior to departing to be with His Father were for His believers, His church, to spread the Gospel (Mark16:15).   The Gospel Jesus commanded his church to spread was not a message of hatred but a message of love for His fallen creation.  However, in Matthew 9:37 Jesus lamented that even though the harvest of lost humanity needing the message of the Gospel was great, there was a shortage of workers. 

In this past Presidential election in the United States, jobs were one of the major issues.  However, unlike the problem Jesus spoke of in Matthew, the message that resonated with voters, and helped propel Donald Trump to victory was an overabundance of workers and few jobs for them to do.  In both situations, we have work to do but before starting to work spreading the Gospel, we must gain an understanding of what the Gospel message is. 

Luke 5:1-26 records three different events in the ministry of Jesus and provides a snapshot of what it is to live for Christ and what the message of the Gospel means.  In this passage of scripture we see,

1)      Jesus calling the first Disciples (Luke 5:1-11) – Jesus is teaching by the Sea of Galilee and after his teaching he tells Peter to go out onto the lake and let his nets down for a catch.  What we have here is a carpenter telling a fisherman how to do his job.  However, Peter, seeing something special in Jesus after his teaching relents and does what he is told and has an amazing catch of fish.  After witnessing this miracle, Peter realizes he is in the presence of the Lord and comes to grips with the fact he is a sinful man.  Knowing his sin makes him unworthy to be in the presence of the Lord, he asks the Lord to depart from him.  However, Jesus would have none of this and tells Peter and those with him not to fear and uses this miracle to tell them that in the future they would become laborers, or fishers of men telling others about the Gospel.  We are all sinners and worthy of death (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23), but instead of leaving us to our doom, Jesus welcomes those that come to him and grants them eternal life (John 3:16).

2)      Jesus cleansing a leper (Luke 5:12-16) – Lepers were outcasts in society during the time of Jesus.  While others would shun them and never touch them out of fear of catching their disease, Jesus does the unthinkable and touches the leper, healing him of his leprosy.  Jesus then instructs the leper to go to the priest and make an offering for his cleansing.  The reason for this was so he could share with others, in this instance the priest, what Jesus had done for him.  We may believe our life is insignificant and uninteresting but when we accept Jesus as our savior and he transforms our lives, we have a miraculous story to tell.  In fact, Romans 10:9-10 instructs us to make a public confession of Jesus as our Lord so I encourage everyone reading this to freely share what Jesus has done in your life.

3)      Jesus healing a paralytic (Luke 5:17-26) – Jesus is becoming popular because of the miracles he is performing and literally packs out the house.  However, a packed crowd was not about to deter a paralytic from going to Jesus and receiving his miracle.  This included cutting a hole in the roof and lowering the paralytic down to Jesus.  Seeing their incredible faith, Jesus says something that the religious leaders of the time thought blasphemous, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”  They rightly thought that only God can forgive sins but failed to realize they were in the presence of God when they were in the presence of Jesus.  The most amazing thing about the Gospel is that God became one of us and took the death penalty for our sins so we can have eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

I encourage everyone reading this that knows Jesus as their savior to become laborers in the harvest and help eliminate the labor shortage.  If you have not yet asked Jesus to forgive you of your sin, I encourage you to do as the paralytic did but not tear a hole in the roof, and instead 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.

Now like the leper, you have been cleansed of your sin.  I encourage you to now tell others about what Jesus has done for you and join us in becoming fishers of men pointing men and women to their savior, Jesus Christ.

May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Miere, Jason Le. How Many Muslims In The World? Islam Set To Overtake Christianity As Most Popular Religion, While US Population Also Rapidly Growing. www.ibtimes.com. [Online] IBT, February 28, 2017. [Cited: March 1, 2017.] http://www.ibtimes.com/how-many-muslims-world-islam-set-overtake-christianity-most-popular-religion-while-us-2498931.

Building on a Solid Foundation

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Philippians 4:19

 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

(ESV)

In our independent society where individuals value their freedom, liberty, and independence the thought of dependency is foreign and even viewed as weakness.  Many view people living in poverty and dependent on others for their basic provisions in life as lazy or perhaps someone with a drug or alcohol problem.  While this may be the case for some, there are also others who are in poverty and a state of dependency through no fault of their own. 

Our society is full of single parents who are single because of a deadbeat spouse that abandoned them because they did not want to own up to their responsibilities as parents.  Others live in dependency due to their jobs either going away due to a sluggish economy or replaced by technology.  Many have become dependent due to their jobs going to another country.  Others are dependent due to failing health making it impossible for them to work.  The Bible cautions each of us not to judge others warning us that the same standard with which we judge others will be used against us (Matthew7:1-2). 

However, dependency on the wrong thing can lead to disaster.  For example, our society in the United States has been waging a “War on Poverty” since 1964 and as of 2013, 14.5 percent of Americans were living in poverty after spending three times what the nation has spent on military wars since the American Revolution.  (1) 

Even those not dependent on government or charity are dependent even though they may like to think of themselves as independent.  For example, I do not receive any government or charitable subsistence because God has blessed me with sufficient income to meet my needs.  However, I have that income from working for someone else and therefore am dependent upon their ability to pay me for the work I do for them.  In addition, even though I do not receive any direct aid from the government, I do depend upon them to provide security through the military and police force, basic services such as trash pickup and sanitation.  I am also dependent upon others to provide services I am not qualified to do such as fixing my car or plumbing.  In other words, even those of us appearing independent have some dependency upon others.  Even the efforts of the Obama Administration to eliminate poverty led to record numbers of people not working, (2) and record numbers of people on Food Stamps despite a low unemployment rate.  (3)  It would appear dependency on government to end poverty is a misplaced dependency leading to misery.

Those placing their dependency upon their career or education fare little better.  The recent revelation that Disney was replacing its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) employees with foreign cheaper labor, and even requiring the American workers they were replacing to train them, caused a firestorm of debate and even congressional hearings.  (4) (5)  People working these jobs that placed their dependency upon them have now discovered their job could be eliminated through an executive decision to seek cheaper foreign labor.  In addition, record numbers of defaults on student loans due to graduates’ inability to find good paying jobs demonstrates a misplaced dependency on education to provide for their needs.  (6)

The bottom line is that even though we all like to think of ourselves as independent, we all have dependency on something or someone else.  The challenge we all face is one of placing our dependency upon something with the ability to meet our needs.  That is why I have chosen to place my dependency upon God. 

This does not mean I abandon my dependency on job, career, or education.  It also does not mean that we refuse help from the government or charity when we have a genuine need.  What it does mean is an understanding that the things in the world such as career, education, and government change but God never changes and provides a solid foundation upon which to anchor our lives. 

Matthew 7:24-27 records Jesus parable about two men who built a house.  One of the men was wise and built his house the foundation of a rock.  When storms came, his house stood because of the solid foundation upon which it was built.  The other man however, was foolish and built his house upon a sandy foundation.  When storms came, his house fell. 

We live in stormy times politically, economically, and even emotionally and have a choice.  We can build our lives upon the sandy foundation of career, job, or some government program or we can build upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ and the Word of God.  As for me and my family, we choose the solid foundation of the Lord (Joshua 24:15). 

Which foundation will you choose?

1. Rector, Robert. The War on Poverty: 50 years of failure. www.heritage.org. [Online] The Heritage Foundation, September 23, 2014. [Cited: February 26, 2017.] http://www.heritage.org/marriage-and-family/commentary/the-war-poverty-50-years-failure.

2. Jones, Susan. Record 95,102,000 Americans Not in Labor Force; Number Grew 18% Since Obama Took Office in 2009. www.cnsnews.com. [Online] CNS News, January 6, 2017. [Cited: February 26, 2017.] http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/record-95102000-americans-not-labor-force-number-grew-18-obama-took-office.

3. Swoyer, Ales. Food Stamp Use At All Time High Despite Eight Year Low Unemployment Rate. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbard News, March 2, 2016. [Cited: February 26, 2017.] http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/03/02/19-million-more-americans-on-food-stamps-despite-low-unemployment-rate/.

4. Wisner, Matthew. Disney Workers Forced to Train Their Foreign Replacements. www.foxbusiness.com. [Online] Fox Business, March 1, 2016. [Cited: February 26, 2017.] http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2016/03/01/disney-workers-forced-to-train-their-foreign-replacements.html.

5. Benderly, Beryl Lieff. Displaced American STEM workers spur Senate hearing. www.sciencemag.org. [Online] Science, March 3, 2016. [Cited: February 26, 2017.] http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2016/03/displaced-american-stem-workers-spur-senate-hearing.

6. Looney, Michael Greenstone and Adam. Rising Student Debt Burdens: Factors Behind the Phenomenon. www.brookings.edu. [Online] Brookings, July 5, 2013. [Cited: February 26, 2017.] https://www.brookings.edu/blog/jobs/2013/07/05/rising-student-debt-burdens-factors-behind-the-phenomenon/.