Evil Reality.

 We don't believe it's real. We don't  know anyone who is affected in this way, not personally. We see sensationalized, fictional movies, and read fiction best sellers with this content- but they are just made up stories meant to excite your imagination with something that is harmless, not reality at all. We glorified the subject and make it into weekly tv series, or mini-series on our streaming networks, and we just don't think too much of it all because it's  just not real. Plain and simple it doesn't really exist so we can toy with the subject all we want, in any way we want to. A long running television series pitted demons, angels-good and bad, men and woman affected by them, those fighting against all the evil and this series lasted for a long, long, very long fifteen years. That show ended but there are still many new show out there with the same type of premise- different names, different actors, different scenarios but same bottom line theme underneath all the glitter and makeup. 

Evil in the form of demons, in the form of a real presence of Satan- just doesn't truly exist for the majority of people. The reality has been fictionalized away so very much the truth of it all is lost. We'd sooner sit down and watch these stories of make believe than contemplate any truth of evil. We'd be laughed at if we suggested anything remotely portrayed in these shows could be real. It's harmless so long as we know it's not real, or so that's what we've been made to believe. 

How do we imagine the REAL Satan looks at all these evil themed shows. You say as long as the good has defeated the evil that they are okay, so he can't like the shows because he doesn't want evil defeated? That's possible. Good vs evil… with good winning- this is what we desire.

A Christian wants this very thing in REALITY. God has defeated Satan, only Satan isn't done filling his coffers with followers, and God isn't done preparing places for his saints.  THERE will come a day- we don't know when- but there will come a day when God will declared the cup filled and it cannot be filled any further- evil has gone as far as it will ever go. All those that are God's are sealed as such, and all those that are Satan's are marked as such- and all that remains is for the last horrors of evil's reality to arise and God's sealed will suffer greatly and then….Our Savior Jesus Christ Our LORD will return, calling all His saints, all the sealed to Him.

Reality. There is a lot of reality mixed up with fiction and Satan wants us to be desensitized to the evil and he's done a very good job of that. Do you ever find yourself rooting for the demon side over good? Do you ever just love the supposed good, moral upstanding demons fighting against bad ones? Are you ever happy watching monsters wreak havoc because, they are good monsters? Desensitized to evil, so that we call evil good- and mean evil is harmless when it is anything but.

What a world we live in. What tragic times. Will God find faith on earth when He returns?

Luk_18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Mat 24:9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 

Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

To ENDURE means having something you need to endure.  This world is corrupted and the disguises once worn by evil have been removed so that they are believed to be good, accepted as good, believe to be good, and truly appear to be good to all who look upon them. Enduring to the end, enduring the deception that overcomes all but the very elect. Praying to be among those who endure, to be one of the very elect this is what we must do.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 

2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

May we believe ONLY TRUTH!

May we ENDURE to the END!

All through the power of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! 

Please Father in Heaven, please almighty God to whom we give all glory and honor, all praise and thanksgiving, please, keep us from all the evil of this world, let us belong to our Savior now and always! Please, this is our prayer, this is our plea!  All in the name of Jesus Christ, now and forever! AMEN!

(Excerpt)

POSSESSED WITH DEMONS

We use the term "demons" because it is the language of the Scriptures; to conform to the language and the facts of the Bible we keep up the distinction between the devil, or Satan, and the demons, the fallen angels, who are under his control. Those who were possessed with demons acted strangely. Sometimes they were exceeding fierce (Matt. 8:28); no man could bind them, no, not with chains; they dwelt among the tombs (Mark 5:3, 4); they would cry out and cut themselves

(verse 5); they would throw themselves into the fire and into the water (Matt. 17:15); they knew Jesus and cried out that he was the Son of God (Luke 8:28, etc.). It is expressly said that these persons were possessed with demons; that the demons had entered into them. And it is manifest that the devil had in some way gained possession, or control, of these persons, so that he and his angels acted through them, and made them act just as he pleased. All their actions were attributed directly to the devil, or to demons, and not to themselves. Mark 9:17-26.

It is well known that there is such a thing as mesmerism, or hypnotism, by which one person of strong nerves and a strong will can so control another of weaker nerves and will as to gain entire possession of him, body and mind. Then the mesmerizer can put his own thoughts into the mind of his victim, and make him speak and act just as he pleases. In short, the person so mesmerized

becomes the passive agent, or medium, of the person who has mesmerized him. And so it is with persons possessed with demons. They have allowed Satan to mesmerize them until he has gained complete control over them, mind and body. Then he and the demons use them as mediums through whom to speak and act.

Modern Spiritualism, the work of spirit mediums, is nothing more nor less than this. The spirits magnetize the mediums, and thus gain control of their organs, and then speak through them.

Judge Edmonds, a noted believer in Spiritualism, speaking of a manifestation through Dr. Dexter, medium, said:- "It was conducted throughout with unusual, and, indeed, unknown violence. He [the spirit] took entire possession of the doctor, not merely his arm."

Professor Brittan, another Spiritualist, says:- "We may further add, in this connection, that the trance mediums for spirit intercourse are equally irresponsible. Many of them are totally unable to resist the powers which come to them from the invisible and unknown realms."-  Telegraph's Answer to Mahan, p. 10. In many cases the spirits treat their mediums just as they did those possessed in the days of Jesus. Here is an example given by Dr. Gridly. Of a Medium he says:-

"These spirits would pinch and pound him, twitch him up and throw him down, yell and blaspheme. They forbade his eating, to the very point of starvation. He was a perfect skeleton; they compelled him to walk day and night, with intermissions, to be sure, as their avowed object was to torment him as much and as long as possible."-Astounding Facts from the Spirit World, pp. 253, 254. Compare this with Luke 8:26-30, and it will be seen that the possessions are identical in nature. There is not a particle of difference between the Satanic possessions in the days of Christ and the spirit control of the present time. When once the demons got control of them, the persons possessed had no power to free themselves from their influence. But Jesus had power over these spirits, and He gave the same power to His disciples, through faith in His name. And at the

present time, the mediums become helpless in the hands of the demons. But they can get no control over those who resist them steadfast in the faith of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 5:8, 9; James

4:7, 8; Eph. 6:10, 11.

Spiritualists themselves assure us that each medium has an attendant spirit, which appears at every call, and can personate any for whom inquiry is made. This gives opportunity for any amount of deception, and it is identical with the doctrine of familiar spirits, so often mentioned in the Scriptures. But consulting familiar spirits was strictly forbidden, the Lord declaring that it was an

abomination to Him. The spirits are demons of darkness, and consulting them leads away from God and from His revealed truth.

Angels: Their Nature and Ministry-  (Excerpt - for continuing study) Revised by J.H. Waggoner.  1891 by Pacific Press Publishing Co.)

Overcome This World.

We need to overcome the world.

Faith is the victory, truly. Faith in Christ is the victory in overcoming the world.

This world will drag you down to great depths of despair. If you don't think so then I'm really surprised. There is not a person alive with sound, or mostly sound, mental faculties that can't agree that there are times in this world where we are knocked down to an emotional abyss where everything is dark, sad and very, very dreary. I don't know ONE single person who hasn't experienced some sense of despair in their life time. I'm not saying everyone has been brought to the point of wishing for death over life (not necessary suicidal) but just having the wish even momentarily for an end to whatever suffering it is they are going through. This world offers us plenty of opportunities for suffering in all sorts of ways. 

If I were to be a promoter of Earth and humanity upon Earth to- let us say, an alien race, trying to get them to want to help earth by coming to live here with us and bring their own technologies etc, what would I have to offer in way of promotion?

Yes, there are a lot of beautiful, amazing and wonderful things on Earth, but let's get down to the nitty gritty. Even those people who have everything money can buy, often lack things money can't buy. Even those people who have nothing, lack the things money can buy. People who have money often use (employ) those who don't and those employees are not always happy in their positions of subservience to the rich, rather they wish they had the riches and had servants of their own. Yet, there has to be a servant- there has to be those who are not living the life of ease so many dream of in this world we live in.  If we brought an alien down here and showed them the rich lifestyle and the most beautiful that Earth has to offer, they would not be able to help but see that not all the people on Earth are in that rich lifestyle- it'll be all around them every time one of the rich people has a not so rich person do something to accommodate the alien.

And if I were an alien race looking to possibly share my technologies with and maybe enjoy mingling of alien races for the sake of exploration and way of life- I would want a sample of all Earthlings and how they all live. I'd want an overall picture, not just the one presented at its best.

If I had to witness the enormous amount of suffering that takes place all over Earth, would I truly want to consider mingling with such an existence?

Yes, these fictious aliens are living in a world with no pain, heartache and suffering- these are my fictious aliens so I can have them that way if I want them that way, right?

The aliens don't die, they don't hurt, they don't have any diseases, or sickness at all. The aliens don't have any mental or emotional illness, but truly are a contented people that have never had to live with the ravages of sin. When they come here and witnesses all that sin has done to this world and us who live upon it, there is no way they would want to live here exposed to all the heartache, the pain, and the horrors of life upon planet Earth.

Do we need to OVERCOME this world? We most certainly do!  And how do we overcome this world? We live, by faith in the ONLY ONE who can help us because HE overcame this world and promises us that help. We overcome this world by living for the world to come, the promised world found only through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, the SON OF GOD.

1Jn 5:1  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 

1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 

May God help us live for HIM, for believing in HIM and all HE would have us believe. May we through HIS power live for HIM. We surrender our entire life to GOD to use according to HIS WILL, for HIS purposes. We believe and ask that HE help any unbelief that arises in us. We long for the return of our would be KING after His priestly ministry is completed in the Sanctuary in heaven. We long for our KING to lay aside the priestly garb and come for us to take us from this pit of sin into His heavenly home, and eventually bring us back to Earth as He destroys all that sin has done to the world and makes it new for us. This is our HOPE that we find only in the ONE who can save us from ourselves, from all that sin has brought to this world. Please, Father God, please keep us from evil. We believe in Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior, the Son of yours, God, and wipe away any unbelief we might harbor anywhere within us. Lead us in the way everlasting. Help us to love YOU and love all others as YOU would have us love. All through JESUS!

Amen.

Doubt Unacceptable.

Mal 2:17  Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? 

Being able to live in this world as a follower of Christ, a believer in God, means many things. It mean we recognize doubting God is one of Satan's very useful tools of which he has many to ensnare people into his grand deception. It is no fantasy, no piece of fiction for entertainment purposes but a very harsh reality that Satan does indeed have many tricks and traps all set up around us and he is ready at a moment's notice to play those tricks and spring those traps. When people doubt God there is a tendency to say it's normal, but is it? We can cite many Biblical passages of those chosen by God for special purposes - doubting God, but never ever did their doubt not deserve repentance. Is doubt normal, I ask again, and answer - it's only normal in so much as sin is normal in needing forgiveness, it is NOT normal in such a way as we should accept it or encourage it in ourselves or others.

The verse above talks of wearing the LORD with words- the words that reveal a heart despising God's seeming blessing upon those who work the works of evil because the evil seem to be and are the most prosperous in material and worldly possessions. Tell me it isn't true and I won't believe you because I know that the evil in our world is rich in world power and monetary gain.

Constantly we see posts on social media about how much those in our governing system in the United States make in salary a year and the various lifetime perks they receive for serving their countries people, and then we see how much your average person makes in that country and the staggering difference between the two. Those with the power give themselves the most while those they are supposedly serving live lives of destitution in comparison.

It's no secret at all in our entertainment business here in the United States and most likely worldwide, that there is a great shunning of things Christian, except for a few in comparison, rare acceptances. And those in the entertainment business- the few compared to the masses of people in existence- are rich beyond measure compared to those masses. 

The injustices in our world are blatant and very real, and Satan loves to use this to point the finger at God and say- He's not fair, He's not Just, He's not a true believer in good over evil because He allows evil to prosper, while good suffers.  Such words truly weary the LORD because He's made absolutely NO secret of the hardships people will face- the just and the unjust. He's made NO claims that the good will forever and always prosper while the evil will suffer here and now upon earth. Fairness is NOT something that exists in our current condition as sinners.

Mat_5:45  … for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

We weary the LORD when we accuse Him of being unfair, of doubting His goodness. The LORD has made such an unfathomable sacrifice so we may have hope in Him, and know He is always and forever good, He is love. When doubt Him and His ways constantly and consistently, unrepentant, we have truly forgotten our way. He promises a FUTURE not of this world and therein lies all our hope- where HE IS, and WHAT HE PROMISES TO COME. Here and now we should not be shocked to suffered constantly one hardship after another, one tragedy after another while often people who profess no love of God at all, seem to live lives of ease and prosperity. 

Lives of ease and prosperity can be a whole new sort of tool Satan uses to his evil end and yes, that is in reality. He exists and does so solely to snare every single person he can in his lies.

May God keep us from wearying Him with our unbelief in His truth, in His love. May we trust solely in HIM and HIS judgment which is forever true and just. May we be protected from the evil of this world- ALL the EVIL every single bit down to the last molecule of evil in existence. Evil comes in many disguises, may we not be deceived! Protect us Heavenly FATHER, protect us and keep us from all evil! All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR now and forever!!!!!!! 

Amen.

Woe

Woe, now there's a word you don't hear all that often. Woe.

Woe- 1)a serious affliction or misfortune

2)grief or distress resulting from a serious affliction or misfortune

Woe unto them.

Serious affliction and misfortune to them.

If I tell you that you are going to suffer a serious affliction, and have serious misfortune that's not a very good thing, right? No one wants to suffer affliction, no one. And when misfortune befalls us we are not very happy, not ever. When we do suffer afflictions and misfortune overcomes us we usually are very distressed with good reason. If we tell a friend about our afflictions we'd gain sympathy from them. Bottom line- WE DO NOT WANT serious afflictions NOT EVER and WE DO NOT WANT misfortunes in our lives NOT EVER. They'll happen, but we do all we can to prevent them, don't we? We never willingly invite serious afflictions and misfortunes into our lives. In fact we try to prevent serious afflictions and misfortunes. We take precautions to prevent hardships. I personally do not know a single person who invites serious afflictions and seeks out misfortune, quite the opposite.

When God's word tells us- WOE UNTO THEM….  Pronouncing serious affliction and misfortune on people we'd better pay attention.

Isa_5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

If you call evil…good, then woe unto you!

If you call good…evil, then woe unto you!

If you put darkness for light, then woe unto you!

If you put light for darkness, then woe unto you!

If you put bitter for sweet, then woe unto you!

If you put sweet for bitter, then woe unto you!

Contrariness is what is at play here in these verses.  You are living a life contrary to God's design. Make no mistake there are going to be a lot more people living contrary to God's plan than those who live for it. This is why we know the world right now seems to have come unglued and is clearly falling apart morally. Yes, morally. 

What is evil? You can name some things can't you? Just name a few evil things that exist. Murder is evil, yes? Stealing is evil, yes? Torture is evil, right? Can you dispute these statements? Some will say they can and give various situations where such things may be justified, but without any sort of justification whatsoever- they are evil. As soon as we admit to evil existing there has to be the opposite of evil. Not murdering is morally sound, not stealing, not torturing anything is morally good. God has moral standards for His creatures, all of us. We usually comprehend right from wrong early on in our lives. There is something in us that knows when we do wrong and a sense of guilt results from the wrong we do.

There exists right and wrong and for reasons that we can understand, and some we cannot understand. When we can't understand we need to trust it is for our good. WE DON'T have to understand to accept and believe, we trust, we have faith without full comprehension.  In our everyday lives we are often called to trust others. If you love anyone and are dating or married to them- you have to develop a trust in that love because otherwise you will live in a constant unending state of fear and suspicion which would warp any love that exists. Yes, very often trust and faith is broken, and when it is we are understandably very hurt. But it isn't always broken, not everyone breaks the trust and faith others put in them.

We must have faith in the morals that God has revealed in His word to us, words that are untwisted and unaltered. 

We have to have faith in God's goodness, His light, and the things He calls sweet.

When we choose to take what God has revealed as good, light and sweet, and change it to evil, darkness and bitterness- we can only expect misfortune and affliction of the eternal kind.

When we choose to take what God has revealed as evil, dark, and bitter and change it to good, light and sweet - again we must only ever expect woe to befall us.

The trouble arises when we take this so far that we no longer care to know the difference between good and evil, light and dark, sweet and bitter. When we as a society begin to teach our children contrary to God's moral standards we have created a future society that like Sodom and Gomorrah, a society such as the one which existed before Noah and the flood-  it is so corrupted with evil there is nothing left to do but destroy all but the very few who have kept the faith of God.

Pro 17:15  He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

This is truth!

We live in a world that justifies the wicked, and condemns the just all too often. We are not to raise up any arms and fight against this tide of evil overcoming the world, we are to continue on in the love of God. We are to pray, we are to render only God's love to every single enemy of God and therefore, us. God's moral laws were created out of love, and it is in that love we are to live in His moral laws.  God please help us, and protect us from the vile evil that has filled our world at every turn. Protect us from the evil that seems to demand we give into it or else suffer under the condemnation of the vast majority of the world. Let us live solely in YOUR LOVE as JESUS revealed to us and as the HOLY SPIRIT keeps us in always.

Please Lord, help us to forever discern between good and evil, light and darkness, sweet and bitter, and let us follow only in the good, the light and the sweet - all through Your mercy, Your grace, Your love now and forever!!!!

Amen!

STRIVE to Enter In At the Strait Gate

Forever before us is the gospel. The good news, and that good news is one of salvation. What is salvation? It is being saved from the life of hopelessness. It is a realization that something went terribly wrong in this world. It's the knowledge that things are not how they are supposed to be. It is recognizing that a flaw exists and because the flaw exists there must be a correction, a fixing of the flaw, a doing away with the flawed so the fixed can take its place. We need to recognize the need to be saved before we can be saved.

There are many people in the world that are resigned to their existence and the existence of others around them, and the existence of those to yet be born, and they believe this is just how it is and can be no different. 

History to them has proven time and time again a striving by mankind to improve how things are and they believe it will forever be a striving until hopefully one day, somehow things will fall into place and everyone will find a peaceful existence.

I personally recognize that this world as a whole is extremely messed up. There are not too many people (at least among the sane and logical) that would say this world is a perfect place, that all is right in our world.

From the gravest of grand scale tragedies, to the tiniest private heartbreak- there is no possible way that all is as it should be in our world.

Salvation offers the hope of that perfect existence, one which we can all share in should we choose.

I lay before you the Word of God and found in the Word of God is the knowledge of the truth, the hope of Salvation from this evil existence.

The way that is right must be the way offered by God to us all, and we must take heed to His way given to us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

An entire way of life is outlined in the Word of God, and should we pick out only the bits and pieces that sound good to us we are in danger of being caught up in deception.  Too many claim the title of Christian and fall far short of recognizing what a true Christian life is. To be a Christ follower is to do just that, follow Christ and Christ's way. To follow Christ's way you have to know Christ's way, and once you know Christ's way if you veer from following His way, you can no longer truly lay claim to the title Christian. Daily sacrifice, daily recognition of our need of salvation, of repentant, of forgiveness, daily putting God first, others second and ourselves last. A Christian has a daily walk following Christ's way, not a weekly way, not a monthly way, not a yearly way- but a daily forever walk, a striving to enter the narrow way all through Christ.

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 

Luk 13:24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

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

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 

Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 

Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

Lam 3:40  Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. 

Eze 18:27  Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 

Eze 18:28  Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 

1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 

1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 

Rev 3:2  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 

Are You Wearing Satan's Blinders?

God is spirit.

Joh_4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God did not make us in spirit form.

God made angels in spirit form.

Psa_104:4  Who maketh his angels spirits

God created us out of the dust of the earth.

God put the first breath in our lungs which infused our entire being with life. We cannot live without air in our lungs, without air infusing our body.

Gen_2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The first body created out of dust was lifeless as it lay there on the ground. There was no thought in the newly created brain, why? Because there was no breath of life in the body. God did not separately created another being made of spirit with the same brain as that in the lifeless body and merge them later intending to divide the two when the body ceased to function. There is no mention of such a thing at all in the Word of God.

Why would death be considered a punishment for separating ourselves from God's will if it isn't a punishment but rather a transition to another way of life?

What makes death a punishment?

What makes death an unwanted state of being?

God did not tell Adam and Eve if they sinned and ate of the fruit from that single tree then they would enter a new phase of living, and a good one at that if they were sorry for what they did.

God did not say He would strip them of their flesh, but let them continue living in spirit form.

Adam without the breath of life in his dust created body was not alive in anyway at all. The body lying there did not breathe, he did not have a single thought in his head, there was no awareness of anything, no heart beating. Adam was a husk made of dirt until God breathed life into Him awakening his entire body and all its miraculous attributes. The breath of God entered and Adam's lungs filled, his heart beat that first of many continuous beats, his brains sparked to life waking from the nothingness just as our brains do when we wake from being asleep.

Think about it, wouldn't living on after death in any form make us immortal beings? If our thoughts which make us each unique to ourselves are unending, that makes us immortal, yes? Not immortal flesh but immortal in spirit. Yet there is no mention of us being able to live on as spirit beings after death. We are not given any immortality not until Jesus returns.

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, AT THE LAST TRUMP: for the trumpet shall sound, and the DEAD SHALL BE RAISED incorruptible, and we SHALL BE CHANGED. 

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY.

Again, I have to ask, why is death considered a punishment if you believe that you transition from flesh to spirit form instantly upon your body dying?

God could have said 'in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely lose your flesh body and there will be a physical divide between you and those who haven't lost their flesh bodies, at least until they lose their flesh body too and join you.'

God said-

Gen 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

Die. As if it's something not to desire, yet who wouldn't want to desire a spirit existence over a pain fill physical existence?

Die. As if it's something to dread and shun at all cost.

God most assuredly did not give a word of warning as a pleasantry.

Eat of every tree- do this- eat of every single tree in the garden BUT…

Do NOT eat from this one tree.

DON'T DO THIS ONE THING.

Why shouldn't they want to do this thing, what was the deterrent to doing this? Punishment.

God was giving them an unending existence it was theirs for the taking. God was there in the garden with them, communicating with them.  However, God told them that unending existence would end if they disobeyed His direction.

Life or death.

Living or dying.

And if dying isn't the end of living, what is it?

God held out hope to the couple AFTER they chose to die, and that is what they did when they did the very thing God told them not to do, they chose death.

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

A hatred would be placed between humanity that belongs to God and the humanity that belongs to Satan, and that hatred would ultimately destroy Satan even as Satan hurts the humanity belonging to God.

The hope held out to Adam and Eve along with their future descendants was for the ultimate destruction of the one who caused the disobedience to God's command.  The hope was that there would be those who belong to God, who lived with a hatred for Satan.

Meanwhile… until that destruction…

Gen 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 

Gen 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 

Gen 3:18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 

They would continue to live until such a time they returned to the ground.

Where?

Until they return to the ground… until they returned to dust.

What would they be?

Dust.

Could it be any clearer?

Did God say… they would eat until they split from their flesh body and lived on in spirit form, like Him?

They were told they would return to dust because they were created out of dust. They were NEVER told they would return to dust but live in heaven in spirit form, not once!  What God said sounded awful. Being returned to dust after a lifetime of hardship all because they chose not to obey God but to obey Satan.  A drastic punishment for a drastic action.

However, there was that hope left to them of Satan being destroyed at some point, but for now they would suffer in their dust created bodies, and then return to the dust they came from, their body no longer maintaining a shape but ultimately decayed to the very dust they were created from.

They would create more dust created creatures, and they too would live in a world where Satan would ultimately be destroyed. The destruction of Satan meant hope for the end of evil, the end of what caused disobedience between the creature and Creator. The end of the separator between God and man. The end of death.

Until then…

You will return to dust.

Now there is a punishment.

You will be dust.

Pickup a handful of dust from the ground… what is it? Does it think? Does it praise God? Does it have memories? Does it love? It's dirt.

You will have no form at all because you will be dust.

God even said this…

Gen 3:22  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 

Gen 3:23  Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 

Gen 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. 

NO longer will man be allowed to eat from the tree that keeps him living forever. NO longer will man have access to what would keep him from turning back to dust.

So, tell me if God went to such great lengths to keep man from living forever, why would man continue to live after death? What would the point be? It is ludicrous to think there is immediate life after death, because then there is no death, no real downside.

Man wasn't told he'd be changing shape and get sent to a new location after he turned to dust.  If that was the case, the end of living wouldn't really be the end of living.

Jesus would have NO ONE to call out of the grave, NO ONE, if no one is in their graves.

Why people want to believe they don't turn to dust without any ability to think any longer is beyond my comprehension.

The alternative to not believing you return to dust- is believing you live on and then comes the whole where do you live on? Of course most believe they'll go to heaven, some believe they'll go to a place in-between heaven and a fearful burning forever place, a waiting penance filled place so they can earn their way to heaven, and some believe they'll go on to that fiery burning place. There are others who believe they just jump into another body and we are all just endlessly repeating people. Some believe they'll take on animal form, and so on and so forth. There are numerous beliefs for those choosing to believe they go on living after their bodies turn to dust.

All those beliefs are not of God though, they are lies from the very one who told Eve she would not die leading to the original sin of mankind.

Satan has wrapped up his grand lie in pretty packages and offered them to everyone and so many have taken the pretty packages, unwrapped them and cling to their contents refusing to believe the pretty packages are filled with eternal death, eternal non-existence. Deception by the greatest of all deceivers.

If I'm called to return to dust, I want to stay dust until my Savior calls me from my grave and I rise up to meet Him in the air- that is what I want my first thought to be upon my resurrection- Jesus!  And what joy there will be as all those who are His are raised from the dust at the same time, and those blessed not to have tasted death are changed to immortality. What a perfect, love filled return to life- no living on right after death in any form especially not in a form that can continue to witness the pain and heartache of loved ones still living- how disgustingly morbid to think there are no more tears after death and yet you can witness horrific things. That is NOT of God! That is pure deception and why such deception can bring people comfort is beyond my comprehension.

Please Lord, remove the blinders that Satan has placed upon the eyes of so many! Please open their understanding before it's too late and they are caught up in Satan's deceptions leading to their eternal nothingness. Please!

Come, Lord Jesus, come and raise the dead in You to life, and raise the living in You to You.

Few Find the Way.

2Ti 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom

I have a question, if the living (quick) and the dead (not living) will be judged at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ- who exactly is He judging? 

What do I mean? The living and the dead cover everybody who was ever lived from Adam to the baby born a moment before His return, right?

Let me rephrase the question- how can the Lord Jesus Christ judge the dead if… they… are… not… dead?

What do I mean?

The majority of people believe that death is just another way of living, don't they?

Raise your hand if you've been taught that when you die you are instantly living in the world of those who have died. You've either gone to heaven, or an place of torture, or you've gone to a waiting/working place until you can get to heaven.  In this place you've gone you can still witness all your loved ones till living in the flesh and some believe you can help those still living in the flesh.

Keep your hand raised if you believe in some sort of after death instant life- reincarnation, paradise, etc.

People have sought proof of this instant life after dying, and they say they have the proof from various people who have died and come back to life. Some of these people tell about the wondrous heaven they've encountered. Some talk about walking to a light. Some say they've seen themselves dead as they left their bodies and all this proves that they'll live again as soon as they die.

Let me ask my original question again in light of all we've just talked about.

Let me rephrase the question- how can the Lord Jesus Christ judge the dead if… they… are… not… dead?

If we are either only living in the flesh or living in the non-flesh form we're given immediately upon dying, then we are all alive in one form or another, aren't we?

And if we are told the Lord Jesus Christ will raise the dead upon His return, isn't that odd? What is He raising them from if they are all already raised? Seriously, what is He raising up?

And how could David still be among us in his grave having never received his reward, if he was brought into a new form of life right after he died?

1Th_4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first

Act 2:25  For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 

Act 2:26  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 

Act 2:27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 

Act 2:28  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 

Act 2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 

Act 2:30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 

Act 2:31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 

Act 2:32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 

Act 2:33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 

Act 2:34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 

Act 2:35  Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 

Abel all the way down to Samuel, David, the prophets… have NOT received the promise.

Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect

They- all those who died in Christ- would not be made perfect without all those who haven't died in Christ, but are Christ's.

Why does it all matter?

I was recently told that believing you go right to heaven upon death isn't such a big deal.

No, it isn't such a big deal if you want to believe that Jesus Christ died for no reason.

Seriously. Why would Jesus have had to come to earth in the flesh and suffer if people just automatically go on to live upon death already? If a system was already set up for people to live in heaven, why die?  Where is the significance of death if you just live? Where is the significance in Jesus dying if it only means as soon as He died He lived in a new form? We talk about believing that when Jesus died for some reason He didn't instantly live again like others, He stayed in His grave - why, how, if that's not how death works? Why did He tell His disciple Mary not to touch Him until He'd ascended to the Father? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever if Jesus died and instantly took on His new form and went to heaven, instantly meeting God. That's not what happened though, He didn't go instantly in a new form like most believe everyone does, to a new spirit life. 

And why, please tell me why, Jesus would bring a person back to life from death if they've suffered through the worst of life-dying- and entered their new and much better life?

IT MAKES NO SENSE and IT DOES MATTER A LOT because, if we believe a lie we are DECEIVED.  If we choose deception over truth whose side are we really on?

Ignorance of the truth is one thing, coming face to face with the truth and turning from it is another.

Everything makes perfect sense if the dead truly are just that- dead (not living). If the breath of life given to them returns to God, and they sleep in the dust of the earth until Christ returns to raise them to life out of that dust, is makes perfect sense. Christ raising from the grave is so much more a miracle when we realize the dead aren't raised from the grave automatically, but only by a special dispensation. That is why it is remarkable when we read about the very few who have been raised from the dead.  That is why a body couldn't be found for Enoch, Elijah… Jesus, because they'd been raised from the dead- their entire body raised and then transformed, or simply taken while still alive. That is why so many remarkable men and women of God have not received that promise yet, they are still in the dust of the earth- or else we would read about how they have received their promised reward.

It's important, it really is, because Satan used it as his first lie to deceive Eve.

Gen 3:2  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 

Gen 3:3  But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die

What would it matter if she died if it meant a better life for her?

Why was death something to fear, if it means a better life?

Death is an end to existence and that end is ONLY temporary until our Savior returns and wakes us up-  some to life and some to another death.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power

Dan 12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 

Who exactly are sleeping in the dust of the earth that need waking up, if they are already and have already been awake this whole time- in a new form?

 Are we to allow ourselves to be deceived by the same lie that Satan told Eve which set us on a course of sin, or are we going to believe the truth, and recognize our need of a Savior for our salvation. Are we going to believe that eternal life is to be lived in Christ upon His return for all of His people- living and dead? Are we going to believe the we will receive the promise along with all the others that are Christ's, all of us together, or believe the lies of Satan.  Is our hope in Christ and salvation offered through Him or do we place our hope in Satan's lie and live for the lie he offers?

It matters.  Truth matters.

We must remember this--

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 

Great signs and wonders will be used to deceive people… and they will be so great that if God didn't intervene through the Holy Spirit- that even the very elect - those who are God's, would be deceived.

When you say you witness a loved one in spirit form - communicating with you - please know that a whole hoard of evil spirits can do many things to perpetuate deception.

2Co_11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Hold fast to truth, always seek truth! Do not believe in comfortable, soothing lies just because they've been handed down to you, and just because the majority believe the lies.

Mat_7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Mat_7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat

And…

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God help us ALL.

All in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, NOW and FOREVER!!!!!!!

May we be truly Yours, Lord, truly Yours!

All glory, power, honor, praise, all thanksgiving unto you LORD, always!

Amen.

Little Evils.

If someone wrongs you, do not wrong them in return.

Be known for your honesty.

Live in peace (if possible) with all people.

Don't seek revenge- the LORD will take care of the need for all vengeance.

If you have an enemy and he's hungry- don't withhold food from him- feed him. If you have an enemy that is thirsty- don't keep water from him- offering him a drink.  By feeding your enemy and giving your enemy something to drink you are revealing the love of God in you and prayerfully your enemy will desire to know how you could be kind to one who is so evil to you, barring that, your kindness will bring out even more evil from them and for that they will have to answer.

Do not let evil overcome you, don't become like your enemy- overcome the evil in the situation with the good that comes from God.

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 

Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 

Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

I don't know when it begins, the need to hurt others because you've been hurt, but it is at the root of most bullying- not all, but most. I'm not just talking about school yard bullying, I'm talking about adult bullies as well, and there are a lot of them. Often the bully will not use his or her bullying against the one who caused their inner anger, but use that built up anger on others. They are not overcoming the evil with good, but increasing the evil with more evil.

That's what happens when anyone is evil towards us in any way. The subtle slight, the small dig, the humor wrought at your expense and brushed off as just kidding around, no harm done- all of that has a base in evil.

Evil at its core is the worst you can imagine, but evil tendrils from that solid core can stretch out far and thin making themselves into the smallest of hurts, pinpricks of emotional pain.

The tiniest of evils still must be overcome by good.

You don't have to wait around for a substantial evil to be committed against you before you choose to overcome evil with good. All you have to do is hold the door for one who pushed past you only a moment ago giving you a sneer of disdain. To the one who gives you that backhanded compliment- for example- That old shirt looks good on you. Acknowledge silently that yes, you've been slighted but are going to choose to ignore the slight, that is overcoming evil with good. 

So often, too often in fact, people excuse their evilness behind the guise of meaning well, of caring or else they wouldn't have said anything.

Little evils have a way of taking on disguises that the big evils could never pull off. Little evils dressed up in glitter and sunshine surround us and we in turn find it very easy to fill our lives with these pretty little evils.

We need to overcome all the evils in our lives, every single one without any excuse for their cute, harmlessness.

Loving our enemies, includes the loved ones who are enemies in disguise.

Overcome the evil with GOOD, not with more evil.  Payback is left to God not us. No return of evil for evil in anyway is a good thing. No spreading the evil in anyway is a good thing.

May God help us to overcome evil with good in all the ways we possibly can and if we find ourselves wanting to return evil for evil, please Lord, help us repent and seek forgiveness.

Please, Lord, we would be Yours, now and forever!  We believe, help Thou our unbelief! Teach us in the ways we should go. Let the Holy Spirit live in us in all things. You are our HOPE, our everlasting, eternal HOPE. Keep us from evil- Jesus prayed this for us, and we pray for this- deliver us from evil. YOURS is the kingdom, YOURS is the power, YOURS is the glory forever, God, forever!

Amen.