EYES OF A COBRA

   Some of the best actors in the world are politicians as well as ministers and priests of religions and false churches.
   Most are highly educated, and they are skillful debaters. 
   They are charismatic, charming, and they have piercing eyes as the eyes of a cobra. 
   They know what to say, how to say it, and when to say it. 
   They know how and when to smile, and they know how to look at you with sad, sad eyes.
   They are also highly persuasive, for they want to convince you that their policies and programs are the best in the world, and that what they are offering is just what you are looking for.
   Both have much success when people are experiencing times of hardship, desperation, or sorrow:  such as the grieving widow, or the heartache of a broken marriage, or the child who just lost a loving parent.  They appeal to that crack in the soul when people are most vulnerable, and in that crack they inject their venom with a tender pat on the shoulder, or a simple "I understand how you feel".
   Politicians want us to believe that we are better off with their leadership than with the leadership we have had in the past.  They also want us to continue to believe that our lives will get better and better with them at the helm of the ship, and that our ship will never experience muddy waters because they want us to believe that they know best what is best for us.  For without them, what would we possibly do?  How could we get along without them?
   Actors of religion and false churches also want us to believe that our lives will get better and better with their dogmas and doctrines, and that our ship will never experience muddy waters because they want us to believe that they know best what is best for us.  For without them, what would we possibly do?  How could we get along without them?
   So then, will you bow your head and let them pray for you?  Will you let them kiss your babies and caress your hand with the tender touch of an angel from above?
   Oh, my!  Politicians and false ministers and priests are truly good at what they do.  They are such good actors that surely they would be in line for Oscars if they were in Hollywood!
   What is sad about this story is the fact that millions of people have been deceived by them for thousands of years, and people are continuing to be deceived by them to this very day.  For even now, they are in governments all over the world, and they occupy positions of power in religions and false churches:  telling lies that are as sweet as honeycomb, or as nectar dripping from the lips of gods. 
   As actors, they are most proud of their wardrobes, for they are always dressed appropriately in their uniform of the day:  just as a snake grows new skin.
   And the only time you will see them at local diners and feeding kitchens is when television cameras are present and with a hoard of reporters with pens full of ink:  for they are the news.
   Please remember:  they have eyes of a cobra.
   Jesus warned us to Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7: 15)

ON THE INTERNET

   When I consider the leaders of nations all over the world, I have not found one who believes in Almighty God, Creator of the universe.
   When I consider the leaders of religions all over the world, I have not found one who believes in Almighty God, Creator of the universe.
   Neither have I found the leader of any nation, nor of any religion, who believes in the Holy Bible.
   No, not one.
   The leaders of nations and religions keep digging up stuff out of the same hole while trying to persuade us to believe that their findings will be good for us.
   And when I consider the most influential people in the world, from both nations and religions, I have not found one to be a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
   No, not one.
   The most recognized speakers in the world today are spreading the news of governments and religions:  and the words they are giving us are words of death.
   Perhaps the most people speaking for God today are on the internet, for the internet can reach people in places where we are unable to go; and God's voice can still be heard on the internet.
      My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:  because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be not priest to me:  seeing thou has forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget about thy children.  (Hosea 4: 6)

OUR ONLY HOPE

   The leaders of your nation do not love you, and neither do they love Almighty God, Creator of the universe; for if they did, they would speak for Him:  but they do not.
   The leaders of the nations of the world are cold and heartless people, for their primary interest is in themselves and in their governments over people.  They are not interested in feeding the hungry people throughout the world, nor in providing clothing for the needy, nor in providing medical attention for the sick and those inflicted with disease.
   The leaders of the nations of the world have no interest in stopping human trafficking, nor in ridding the streets of drugs and drug lords. 
   The same can be said for the leaders of religions all over the world.  Their primary interest is in themselves and in their religion over people.  They are not interested in feeding the hungry people throughout the world, nor in providing clothing for the needy, nor in medical attention for the sick and those inflicted with disease. 
   The leaders of religions of the world have no interest in stopping human trafficking, nor in ridding the streets of drugs and drug lords. 
   The leaders of governments and religions are interested in MONEY, and by controlling the money they control the world. 
   To control and dominate is the theme of the New World Order, and the New World Order is an evil enterprise of both governments and religions. 
   Thus the leaders of governments and religions are content to watch people die, to watch people go without proper clothing, to watch people hunger, and to watch people go crazy with their addictions to drugs. 
   The corrupted minds of the leaders of governments and religions are consumed with evil, and in manifesting more evil is the way they think.
   The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest event in human history:  without which, there would be no love of God, nor knowledge of God, upon the face of the earth.
   Where, then, do we find love?  Where do we see love in this world that knows not the love of God?
   The leaders of governments and religions have not the love of God, and neither do they have the knowledge of God:  for the absence of God is written across their faces.  Their faces are cold and virtually without emotion.  Their words and their actions are robotic. They have no zeal for the happiness of people, for all they want is to control and dominate.  They are deceivers, they are liars, and the truth is not in them.
   For if you consider the most influential people in the world today, not one believes in Almighty God, Creator of the universe, and not one will lift his or her voice and speak for Jesus Christ.
   You are therefore encouraged to read the Holy Bible, which is your source for the love of God as well as for the knowledge of God. 
   Our only hope is in Christ Jesus and His resurrection---without which, we have no hope.
      For we are saved by hope:  but hope that is seen is not hope:  for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.  (Romans 8: 24-25)
   Christ is coming again---in which we hope for!

UNDER THE IRON DOME

   The U.S. Government has the power to convert Continental U.S.A. to a Nazi prison camp, a feat that can be accomplished within a matter of days, and not in weeks, months, or years.
   Systems are in place now that could take control of all food and water as well as all forms of transportation and communication, at which time the United States could become a police state with a dictatorship.
   Even now, F.E.M.A. trains are prepared to take Americans as prisoners to F.E.M.A. concentration camps, located all across the United States.  Doesn't this sound like Nazi Germany?
   Not only is this possible in the United States, but this same power is now in place to accomplish the same conversion in every nation around the world, at which time the whole world would become a global police state with a global dictatorship.
   All of this is possible because of the evil that abides in the hearts of wicked people, the people who have been planning the New World Order for more than two hundred years.
   The Illuminati is the invisible empire that rules the world now, working with all other secret societies of people in governments, militaries, business, finance, entertainment, music, and religions to create a global world order, or an evil empire, as people all over the world will become its prisoners under an iron dome. 
   Millions and millions of innocent people will be murdered worldwide.  There will be no human rights, no freedoms of any kind.  The New World Order will not be a world of order, but rather a world of disorder and chaos.
   Under the iron dome, there will be one religion:  the worship of the beast.
   The beast, of course, is Satan, and at a certain time in the future, Satan will become visible.  He will appear as an angel of light and people will believe he is a god, or a messiah, and they will worship him. 
   Please remember:  Christ did not come to earth to launch a new government, nor to initiate a new religion.  Christ came to manifest the love of God and to defeat the works of Satan.  For Christ is above all powers of the earth, above all governments, and above all religions.  And when Christ puts His foot down upon the earth when He returns, all people will bow to Him and to Him alone.
   Therefore, we should be aware of the future that is before us.  Please consider the things you can see in this world, but also consider the things you do not see, which is the invisible power of the people in governments and in religions all over the world, which is the invisible power of evil.  Flee from it and flee to Christ, or else this evil will consume you.
      My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:  because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me:  seeing that thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget about your children.  (Hosea 4: 6)

A HOUSE OF LIES

   In the garden of Eden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was the serpent, and Adam and Eve chose to agree with the devil instead of continuing to believe in God.
   It's a fine line between good and evil, and, like Adam and Eve, we must choose on which side of the line on which to stand:  whether to believe in God, or whether to agree with the devil.
   A false church is just like the serpent in the garden of Eden; in fact, a false church is a serpent religion. 
   The fundamental foundation of a false church is built on lies, and all of its dogmas and doctrines, rites and rituals are lies:  harvested out of ancient religions and transformed to take on the appearance of something wonderful, something new, or something that people can believe as truth---like a candy-coated apple, or a box of chocolates, or as an assortment of presents in fancy wrappings under a Christmas tree.
   In a false church, the presence of the serpent is hidden within the wonderful appearance of the building, and by the ministers and priests in exotic uniforms called priestly garments, doing their best to look holy and sound holy, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, sent by Satan to capture lost sheep. 
   The presence of Almighty God has never been within man's ancient religions, and the Almighty's presence is not within a false church. 
   A false church is part of the evidence of the fact that Christ is alive; for if Christ had not arisen from death, there would be no need for a false church with false ministers and false priests.  But false churches exist because Satan wants to hide the fact that Jesus lives and thereby to prevent people from knowing Christ the Lord.
   Satan is the god of deception, and just as he deceived Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, the serpent continues to work in false churches to deceive people from knowing Christ.  Satan lied to Adam and Eve and he lies to people through his ministers of darkness in false churches.
   Like Adam and Eve, people have the choice to come out of false churches or to remain there and agree with the serpent.

LET FREEDOM RING

    The fundamental foundation of our nation has been shaken, and a slow, subtle, and sneaky society of evil people is building a wall around the freedom of our nation.  This organization is the New World Order, being orchestrated by the United States, in conjunction with the United Nations and governments all around the glove. 
   The New World Order is a work of deception:  slow, subtle, and sneaky.  Its engineers are from corrupted politics and corrupted religion, which have corrupted the minds of people in the United States and in nations all around the globe:  with false political ideologies and false dogmas and doctrines out of religion.
   Pedophilia, pornography, starvation, sickness, disease, drugs, and human trafficking are out of control around the globe while the news media outlets of this world use their power of communication to focus our attention on politics, on sports and entertainment, and on the civil unrest across the Middle East; for if we do not see these scourges on nightly television, we will not know just how serious conditions are for millions of people.
   Governments around the world are in favor of the New World Order as well as the religions of Islam and Roman Catholicism, the two largest religions on planet earth, which together represent more than two billion people.
   Dominating and controlling the world has been a fundamental desire of pagans for thousands of years, so the doctrine of the New World Order is nothing new; but by stitching the minds of people together through corrupted politics and corrupted religion, it is now possible to achieve a goal that is out of the mind of Satan.
   Because of the slow and subtle changes from corruption, many people in the world are simply sleep-walking through life and totally unaware of the evil empire that is rising; for to believe that a global government with a global religion could happen sounds outrageous---or more like a conspiracy theory.
   Just as a snake is slow, subtle, and sneaky, so is the New World Order:  and all of the people involved in this rising empire are slow, subtle, and sneaky.  Like snakes, they do not want to be seen or known. They disguise themselves as educated leaders in communities, and even as religious ministers and priests:  for they are masters of deception, just as a snake is a master of deception.
   Many times Jesus said, BE NOT DECEIVED.  Open your eyes and consider the things that are not easily seen:  but they will become more visible when you know the truth.
   Please pray for the United States as you also pray for nations all over the world and God will hear our prayers; for He tells us in His Word:  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten.... (Joel 2: 25)
   Only with God's help can we let freedom ring.

WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION

  The co-dependency of two people means that they have an attachment that is like two hands in one glove.  Emotionally, they are inseparable.  Though attached, they are not co-equal:  one will dominate the relationship; the other will be submissive.
   As such,
      one leads; the other follows.
      one dictates orders; the other fills the shopping list.
      one rules the house; the other scrubs the floors.
   Their personalities are blended together as one, and they think alike.
   Co-dependent people are introverts:  mixing with others is not natural.  They do not invite others into their world, for they wait to be invited, which helps them to feel important.  Their best friends are usually family members, or people they can control and dominate.  They do not want others to know them as they truly are, which means they are not forthcoming and honest.  They do not talk about matters of the heart.  Therefore, their friendships are limited. 
   Co-dependent people stick together like glue.  They like the same things and do things together because they are emotionally inseparable. 
   Co-dependent people lack self-confidence and they have low self-esteem.  Because of their pride, however, they want to be the show, to get the attention, and, hopefully, to be the star or the hero:  all of which is a cover-up of their confidence and esteem.  They want others to think as much of them as they think of themselves.  They are also selfish as well as unwilling to change or to learn something new.  To them, their way is the right way and their way is the only way; therefore, they want others to follow their lead because they think they are leaders.  If they are uninvited, they feel left out; for, after all, who would not want them under their tents!
   Co-dependent people do not need God because they have religion.  They cannot get along without their religion and their religion cannot get along without them; and they want others to know just how religious and pious they really are. 
   If you disagree with co-dependent people, they will not like you:  for, in their own minds, they cannot possibly be wrong about anything.  And if you do not polish their egos, they will find other people who will:  for they are truly in love with themselves.
   Co-dependent people are the same as people without natural affection (II Timothy 3: 3).  Their smiles are fake, their laughter is fake, and everything about them is fake because their lives is a fantasy, or a fairytale, or a "once upon a time".  For in their fairytale, they are the chief characters:  perfect in all of their ways and everybody else is imperfect.  They are not caring and sharing people because they are in love with themselves, and they always want their own way.
   In conclusion, people without natural affection are perfect hypocrites. 

UNSHACKLED

   In religion, people are at the top of the mountain:  there is nothing else to achieve.
   The lives of people have been planned and orchestrated by the clergy and people have no power to change any of the dogmas and doctrines that govern their lives.  They have been trained where to sit, what to say, when to stand, when to bow, and when to say "amen".  They have been taught to get in line, to participate in the rites and rituals, and when to return to their seats.  And after the benediction, they are free to leave the building, but not to be free:   taking the laws of their religion with them with the hope that they will not fail to break their religious law.
   From their toddler years until their end, religion is the same cup of soup:  with no more hope for a better tomorrow than they had on the day when they were born, or from the day they joined an institution of religion.
   Religion offers nothing new, nothing different, and people can do the same, predictive drill with their eyes closed because the drill never changes and because the menu never changes.
   In reality, religion is an institution of spiritual slavery.  It is where people are captured and held as prisoners until the day they die.  Their ministers and priests are the same as prison wardens, who hold the leash on members; and the members, being prisoners, submit themselves and their children to the authority of their ministers and priests.
   The institution of religion is the same as a dictatorship, and the ministers and priests are the same as an Adolph Hitler---keeping the eyes and minds of people shielded from Almighty God, from learning about Christ, and the Holy Bible is strictly forbidden.
   As such, people fear the ministers and priests because they have been deceived to believe that their clergy are as all-powerful gods:  with the authority to forgive sins, but also with the authority to withdraw the forgiveness they have given.
   Prison life is a life of misery, and people of religious institutions do not realize the misery of their situation. 
   When Jesus saved me, He set me free from a life of religious misery.  As such, I am free to think and free to live a life of freedom, which includes the freedom to worship Almighty God and to pray to Him directly at any hour of any day. 
   When Jesus saves people, He breaks the shackles that bind them and releases them from prison. 

A COMING OUT

   In knowing Christ, there must be a coming out of religion:   for God is not included in man's religions; nor is Christ included, and neither is the Holy Bible.
   The Holy Spirit does not operate within man's religions, and neither does the Holy Spirit function within false churches:  for there is nothing holy within man's religions, nor is there holiness within false churches.
      Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.  (II Corinthians 6: 17-18)
   Christ does not enter within man's unholy systems:  for Christ is without and not within.  The Lord will not mix His holiness with man's unholy ways, and neither will the Lord allow Himself to be mixed or blended with man's unholy ways by the hands of false priests. 
   Christ appeals to the hearts of people:
      Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:  if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.  (Revelation 3: 20)
   Christ knocks with the opportunity for everlasting life:  but it is we who must open the door.  By knocking, Christ is extending the invitation to know Him; and by opening the door to receive Him, we receive the gift of everlasting life. 
   All people who have come to know Christ have experienced a coming out of religion as well as a coming out of false churches.

AN INVISIBLE WALL

   There is an invisible wall that exists between certain people, or at certain times.  It is a wall of separation, and it prevents relationships from being sealed.  It is a wall that prevents people from knowing the heart of people we meet face to face.  We know them, but we are prevented from knowing them better because of the invisible wall of separation.  It is like keeping people at arm's length.  They will not allow you to know them better, and they do not want to know any more of you than they know of you now.
   Perhaps you have experienced this wall; perhaps not.
   Why is the wall there? 
   Perhaps this is God's way of keeping us from knowing more about them, for there could be something about them that God does not want us to know.  And it could just be that the people on the other side of the wall are deeply involved in something evil, but their evil is disguised by their personalities. 
   If you should meet a person with changing voices and changing personalities, beware of them; for he or she could be a person possessed by demons.  Such people know that Christ abides in you, and they will not allow you to know more about them, and they do not want you in their world.
  So if you feel you are up against a wall with certain people, back away.  For this is a battle for the Lord and not a battle by yourself.

MATTERS OF THE HEART

   It seems that much of our communication with people today is limited and usually with short, quick bursts of spoken words, or with a written email, or a text message on cell phones and iPhones. 
   What do people believe?  What do people stand up for or stand against?  How do people truly feel about themselves, about others, or about their own circumstances?
   From deep within, what do you feel in your heart?  What would you like for others to know about you more than anything else?  What would you like to do that you have never shared with another person?  What changes would you like to see in your home, in your community, in your church, or in your nation?
   Do you ever get the feeling that the things that matter to you do not matter to others?  While others want you to know about the things that matter to them?  And do you ever get the feeling that your words are quickly deleted as if you never spoke at all?
   So then, how do you feel when you speak and all others do is stare and glare, or roll their eyes?
   To whom do you speak while knowing that they truly care about the things that matter to you?
   It is truly difficult to find a true friend.  It is truly difficult to find a friend who will truly be interested in the things that matter to you.
   People are so busy today that they do not have time for others.  They do not have time to sit and talk; neither do they have time to listen.  Their minds are occupied with the things of this world that they neglect the person sitting at the table. They do not have room in their minds for the thoughts and feelings of others, which also means they do not have room in their hearts for the things that matter to others.
   For what the world lacks more than anything else is the love of God; and when people receive the love of God through Christ Jesus, perhaps this is the first time when they become interested in matters of the heart.
      Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbol.  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.   (I Corinthians 13: 1, 13)
 

SIGNS & SYMBOLS

   The power of television, the power of music and movies, and the power of drugs have done more to change and shape America more than any other factors over the past sixty years.  These same powers have also done more to change and shape nations all over the world more than any other factors.
   These four powers have been blended and mixed with the power of politics as well as with the power of religion. 
   On television in our homes, we are seeing Satanic signs and symbols displayed during evening programs, in commercials, newscasts, and televised sporting events. 
   At musical concerts and in movies, Satanic signs and symbols are continually displayed by the actors and performers as well as by the people in the audiences.
   Signs and symbols represent a language, speaking to people who understand the language, which is the language of Satanism.
   The people who flash Satanic signs and symbols KNOW what they are doing.  Their signs and symbols represent their pledge of allegiance to their god, who is Satan.  Such people are also  members of various religions and Satanic religions by various names. They are against God, against Christ, and against the Holy Bible.
   The primary institution that has been leading in this rebellion against God is the false church, known in the Bible by the name of Babylon, to which it is written:
      by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. (Revelation 18: 23)
   The false church is the oval office of Witchcraft, and the ministers and priests of the false church are the executive officers of Witchcraft.
     

FEAR & PRIDE

   A false church is the residence of fear and pride.
   In a false church, people fear the priest because their minds have been taught to believe that their priest is God, which is why they call him Father.  The people have also been trained to believe that the high priest is the Holy Father.  As such, the Holy Father determines how the people will get to heaven as well as determines the people who will go to hell, or purgatory, if they do not believe in the words of the Holy Father.  And the Holy Father's order of priests exercise the power of the Holy Father. 
   Out of fear, the people bow to the will of the priest because he has the power to forgive their sins as well as the power to wash away their sins with water.  At the same time, the people fear because they also believe that the priest has the power to remove their salvation if they do not adhere to his policies and programs.
   A false church is a religion, which calls itself the Christian Religion, and the minds of the people have been trained to believe that Jesus is the founding father of the Christian Religion.  This is not true, however, but the people have been trained to believe that it is true.
   The operation of a false church is the same today as it was on the day that it was created and it will be the same tomorrow.  The menu never changes.  Nothing has ever been added that is new, and nothing new will ever be added.  It is a system that keeps adults believing as toddlers and the toddlers never become mature adults.
   As the people believe in the system of their false church, pride fills their minds and hearts; for now they believe that their false church is the only way people should believe, and that their church is the only church that should be on the face of the earth:  and that all other churches are false churches.  This is the reason members of a false church resent the people of Christian denominations, who call themselves Christians.  And this is spiritual warfare, for the people of a false church are spiritually at war against Christians of denominations. 
   Because fear and pride dominate the minds of the people of a false church, their minds resist the truth of Jesus Christ.  Their minds resist the Holy Bible.  And their minds resent Christians of denominations.  For now they think of themselves as better than Christians of denominations, and better than the people who believe in the Holy Bible.  And because the people of a false church believe that they have their Holy Father, they do not need Almighty God, they do not need Jesus Christ for their salvation, and they definitely do not need the Holy Bible.
   Fear and pride dominate the minds of the people of a false church because the system is a wonderful work of mind control; and because of mind control, the people are under total control of its dictatorship because the church owns their souls because of their submission to the priests and their system of salvation. 
   A false church keeps Christ hidden while keeping the minds of the people on a false priest; therefore, the faith of people in false churches is in their Father priest or their Holy Father.  They believe that their Father priest is God and that their Holy Father is Almighty God---which is blasphemy!  For they are pretending to be God.
   Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and not men in priestly garments, nor clothed with human skin. 

TIME

   God is eternal, and so is time.
   Time has no beginning, and time has no ending.
   Because time is eternal, people do not grow older:  we simply age as we live within time.
   God gave us a simple way to understand time when He gave us ways to count the days of our lives with days, weeks, months, and years; and without the knowledge of days, weeks, months, and years, all of our days upon the earth would be as one day.
   Neither would there be a difference in the days of our lives without the rising and the setting of the sun, which is the division of day and night; and without the changing of the seasons and the change of daytime and nighttime, all of our days upon the earth would be as one day.
   God created sleep for us so that we can work in the daylight and sleep in the darkness; for if there was no night and if we never slept, all of our days upon the earth would be as one day.
   At death, time does not end:  we simply move from the physical arena of time to the spiritual arena of time:  from the visible to the invisible:  at which time that which is invisible to us now will become visible.
   Beyond death, however, we take our minds with us as we leave our bodies behind; and in the spiritual visible of time, people will know that they are in heaven with God, just as people will know that they are in hell without Him.
   Heaven is the place for everlasting life while hell is the place for everlasting death; for in hell people will be continuing to die even though they will never die.
   Heaven is the place for eternal light, while hell is the place for eternal darkness.
   Heaven is the place for eternal happiness with God, where time will never end, while hell is the place for eternal punishment, where time will never end.
   As we die, time becomes ever-present.  People in heaven will never age while people in hell will be suffering forever, and the forever never ends.
   God is infinite, and time is also infinite.  Time can only be measured as we understand time to be as time fits human history; and from the time of Adam and Eve until this day is the length of time of human history upon the earth.
   The knowledge of God is infinite, and the love of God is also infinite.
   In conclusion, time cannot be measured in days, weeks, months, or years, and I suppose that the universe itself is both infinite and timeless.  And when God created the universe, the universe was dark---until God said, Let there be light:  and there was light. (Genesis 1: 3) 
   For God turned on the light so that people can see His wonderful, colorful world of creation!
  
  

GRAND ILLUSIONS

   Around the world, people are living under a grand illusion:  that life upon earth is going to get better because of the goodness of people; yet evil is destroying all of the good that people accomplish upon the earth.
   In government, people believe that their government is going to make their lives better, which is also an illusion.
   In the United States, people are living under the illusion that life in America will get better under the leadership of Barack Obama; yet, for five years, Obama's policies and programs have been no better than the policies and programs of previous presidential administrations.
   In Europe, people are living under the illusion that life in Europe will get better because of the European Union; yet nations, all across Europe, are having continuous problems.
   In any nation in the world, people are continuing to suffer because of continuous problems that governments do not fix.
   In religion, too, people believe that their religion is going to make their lives better, which is also an illusion; for religion can do no more for people today than what religion has done for people for thousands of years.
    Poverty, sickness, starvation, and disease prevail throughout the world while the leaders of religion and governments keep the money that could be used to help needy people.
   A false church has several illusions:
      1.  the illusion that a priest is a god, who has the power to forgive sin:  when only Almighty God can forgive sin.
      2.  the illusion that water baptism can wash away sins:  when only the blood of Christ has the power to wash away sins.
      3.  the illusion that infant baptism washes the sins of babies; and when babies become adults, they live under the illusion that water has saved their souls for heaven ever since their days of infancy.
      4.  the illusion of purgatory, in which people believe that they can ride an elevator out of hell and reach heaven.
   Because of these illusions that reign in the imaginations of people in false churches, they do not believe that Christ is sufficient for salvation because Christ is presented as a graven image, or an idol, who does not possess the power of their human priesthood.
   The only way out of grand illusions is to have faith in Christ for salvation.  When this happens, we cease to have faith in politicians, we cease to have faith in religion, and we cease to have faith in false priesthoods for our faith is in Christ the Lord.  For this purpose Christ was born.
      For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  (Luke 2: 11)

SALVATION BY PERCEPTION

   The storybook of false churches can easily be called, Salvation by Perception.
   For thousands of years, this has been the program of man's religions, which became the program of false churches after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
   Jesus said, Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7: 15)
   For nearly two thousand years, false churches have been spinning the same yarn that has been spun by pagan religions---luring people in their webs with doctrines and dogmas that appear to be real; for it is in imagination where deception abides:  and people, as innocent lambs, have been tricked by cunning wolves.  Therefore the wolves, dressed in priestly garments, are in the sheepfold shearing the sheep in false churches, and because of deception, the people do not know that the wolves are even there!
   To begin, the people have been tricked to believe that the priests of false churches have the power of God to forgive sin---so much so, in fact---that the people call them Father, and the High Priest they call Holy Father.  The people bow to them and submit to them as if they are God Almighty. 
   They further perceive that these humans possess the power to wash their sins with water as well as to secure the eternal future of their little ones by submitting their babies for infant baptism. 
   Furthermore, because of deception by perception that reigns in the minds of the people, Easter and Christmas are of equal value to the pagan festivals of Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, and Mardi Gras; and they eat fish on Fridays as the feast of Dagon, the half-man/half-fish deity of ancient Babylon.  Christmas and Easter are simply part of the total religious package, which means that the birth and resurrection of Christ means no more than rubbing ashes on their foreheads on Ash Wednesday, and that Christ means no more than Dagon.  Jesus is part of the package, the religious experience, or a baby idol.  Instead of looking to Jesus for salvation, they look to their human priests!
   The founding fathers of false churches embraced the rites and rituals of pagan religions and their flocks do the same because of the perception of their minds.  They have never heard the truth about God, about Jesus Christ, nor the truth that is contained in the Holy Bible, and the people still live in fear today just as their families have lived in fear for hundreds of years; for many of the people in false churches believe they have received a religion by inheritance:  they perceive that they were born to believe this way.
   Salvation by Perception is a sad story, but it is also a tragedy.  For people all over the world, from the poorest to the richest, from the uneducated to the educated, still believe in this ancient paganism as if it is as fresh and new as the morning dew.
   May God give them the grace to know and to accept the truth that is in Christ Jesus.
   Amen.

RULERS OF DARKNESS

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (Ephesians 6: 12)

   Who are these rulers of the darkness of this world?
   To begin, Satan and his demons are the rulers of this darkness of this world.  They exist in the invisible realm of this world, unseen by human eyes.  They are not in hell, bound in chains.  That will come later, at the appearing of Jesus Christ, but now they are free from their eternal judgment in hell.
   Satan and his demons are likened unto computer hackers:  they are invisible thieves, trolling the internet in search of an open window through which they will steal vital information and destroy the lives of people with identity theft and empty bank accounts.
   Satan and his demons have the power of spiritual influence in the minds of people:  directing people to choose evil instead of choosing good; influencing people to use their creative imaginations in order to create things that are evil:  to produce evil images, such as the images of pornography and sexual visuals for television programs and movies; to create evil music; and also to produce images of gods and goddesses, or idols that people worship as gods.
   Secondly, Satan's ministers and priests of religions are also rulers of the darkness of this world.  Their duty is to keep the minds of people focused within their religions and not to look for Almighty God, and to keep them focused on their gods and goddesses, or idols, whom they worship.
   Thirdly, the ministers and priests of false churches are rulers of the darkness of this world.  Their duty is to keep Christ hidden, to keep the Bible hidden, and to keep people focused on the programs of their churches, on the rites and rituals, and on the dogmas and doctrines that govern their lives, and to keep focused on their priesthoods.
   Moreover, the priests of false churches have created images of gods in the imaginations of their congregations and the people worship those images.  By keeping Christ in the image of a baby, the resurrection of Christ is less important.  By keeping Mary, the mother of Jesus, in an image as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven, people worship her image as a goddess.  By promoting people to the position of saints, the images of these dead people are worshipped as gods and capable of answering prayers.  And by removing the Bible from the hands of the people, the people consider the Bible as an image of forbidden fruit within their church system.  Overall, the truth of Christ is not taught in false churches.
   The ministers and priests of both religion and false churches also keep Satan hidden.  They do not want their congregations to believe that Satan is a real creature---while, at the same time, the ministers and priests worship Satan in their secret chambers of darkness.
   Fourthly, the people of secret societies are rulers of the darkness of this world; for within these societies, they have a secret or mystery religion, which is the worship of Satan in their tunnels and secret chambers that are underground, hidden from public view.
   The ministers and priests of both religion and false churches are also members of secret societies.
   Secret societies are represented by armies of people, highly organized and highly efficient, in an effort to cloak themselves in the secrecy of Satanic worship, but to also appear as normal people within their societies wherever they live.  They are deceivers and masters of deception and illusion, highly educated, and wealthy with the world's money. 
   Together, the ministers and priests of religion, false churches, and secret societies control the world by controlling the governments of all nations.  They control the money, and, by controlling the world's money supply, they control every other entity of evil throughout the world.  Their ultimate goal is to control the world with a false church and to raise up a false messiah. 
   The rulers of the darkness of this world are all over planet earth, including the communities and neighborhoods where you live.  Some are your neighbors, some are people with whom you see at church, and some could also be within your own family.  They are deceivers, liars, and the truth is not in them.
   All of the rulers of the darkness of this world are against Christ, and their system of deception is working by keeping millions of people chained in the darkness of images of their imaginations.
   Please remember:  Jesus is alive!  And the only purpose for religions and false churches is to keep the knowledge of Christ hidden, which is the purpose of the rulers of darkness.

BATTLESTATION ONE

   Even though we can be humble and exhibit the behavior of humility, be not deceived:  for pride never completely leaves us, nor forsakes us, nor goes away.
   Pride is like a snake in the grass.  We do not see the snake, but he is there, hiding and concealing himself in total silence, in shadows of darkness.  He is sneaky, he is sly, and, in moment when least expected, he strikes:  at which time we can exhibit the behavior of a prideful person.
   Therefore, it is important that we guard our minds: guard how and what we think about; for the devil looks for opportunities to strike in our minds; and if our minds absorb his venom, we will strike at others. 
   It is important to remember that we are human and not gods. 
   We must be aware of our thinking at all times, not merely some of the time. 
   We must remember that we are flesh and not spirits. 
   As Christians, the devil wants to destroy us.  The devil wants to bring us down.  The devil wants to tear down that which has been built up. 
   As for the ministers of Christ, the devil wants to entice them to engage in sinful activity in order to knock them out of pulpits.  To do so, he will attack their minds with a seductive woman and the man's mind will do that which is natural:  he will think about sex with her, and, if he is unable to change his mind, he will follow his thoughts that will lead him to her door.
   The same is true for a Christian woman.  The devil will hang a carrot on a stick and she will fall to a seductive man if she is unable to change her mind.
   The human mind is a place of warfare, the battleground where we must choose between good and evil.  These two choices will never go away, and these two choices never change.  They are always there in the present tense.
   The mind is our Oval Office, and we are the Presidents and Chief Executive Officers of our decisions.  The decisions we make impact the way we live each moment of each day, but our decisions also impact the lives of other people.  Therefore it is important to remember that, before we exercise a decision, think about the consequences for ourselves but also the impact of our decisions in the lives of others.  This is not always easy, and, it can be quite difficult.  For at first we want to please self, which is prideful.  And if we can resist that which is prideful we have made the correct choice.  But, without a moment's notice, we can again be in the position to make an executive decision, which can become an executive order. 
  And we have this power.  If we can submit this power and allow God to govern our minds, we will make good choices; but if we submit this power to the governance of our own pride, we will make bad choices. 
   The human mind is therefore BATTLESTATION ONE.  It is the place of continuous warfare, and this warfare is spiritual:  the battle between good and evil.
      For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (Ephesians 6: 12)
  

THE TEMPLE OF SATAN

   A religious mind is a prideful mind.
   As such, a religious mind is not concerned with anything new or anything different.
   A religious mind controls and dominates a person's life and all of his or her activities; therefore, they are unwilling to learn anything new or anything different because they believe they know everything. 
   In athletics, for example, a prideful mind is impossible to teach; for the person is unwilling to learn the fundamentals of a sport because he or she believes they know everything.  Consequently, they will not submit themselves to a coach because they know more than the coach, and thus unwilling to become a student and allow the coach to be the master.  Because they are prideful and unwilling to learn the fundamentals of a sport, they will likely never be much better than they are today.  But in their own minds they want others to believe that they are good at what they do.
   A prideful mind is not interested in seeing others, but its interest is in being seen by others.  Watch me.  See me.  Hear me. 
   A mind that is consumed by religion has no concern for others, for its interest is in itself.
   A person with a prideful, religious mind is co-dependent with his or her religion; and it is from the belly of the religion that feeds the person all of his or her nutrients of life.  As such, they cannot think outside of themselves because their focus in on themselves.  Watch me.  See me.  Hear me.
   Religion is a consuming fire, burning in the minds of prideful people.  It controls and dominates their lives because the religion owns their minds. 
   A religious mind, therefore, is the temple of Satan because religion is from the mind of Satan.
   As such, a religious mind is co-dependent with Satan and the two hands are in one glove.
   The god of a religious-prideful mind is the person's religion, and people consumed by their religion live and act like gods; and they will destroy the relationships of other people because they want their own way.  Watch me.  See me.  Hear me.
   If you recall, it was the religious-prideful people of Jerusalem who killed Jesus; therefore people, who are consumed by religion, are as much against Christ today as the people who crucified the Lord; for their spiritual daddy is Satan, and he abides in their minds.  So wherever they go they take Satan with them because their mind is Satan's temple.
   As it is written, Be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.  (Romans 12: 2)  Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (II Corinthians 10: 5)
   As it is also written, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.  Amen.  (II Corinthians 13: 14)
  
  

HE RESTORETH MY SOUL

   Sheep are led and cattle are driven.
   Shepherds are leaders while ranchers are drivers.
   Shepherds lead their sheep while ranchers drive their cattle.
   Shepherds lead their sheep home while ranchers drive their cattle to the slaughter.
   Sheep live long lives, producing wool, year after year after year; while cattle are raised for immediate consumption.
   Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He leads His sheep; and the sheep hear His voice and follow.
   Leaders of religion, however, are ranchers---and they drive their cattle to the slaughter.  They are not shepherds, and they care not for their herds. 
   The Good Shepherd gave His life for His sheep while the ranchers of religion die for no one, not even their baby calves. 
   The Good Shepherd leaves the flock to find lost sheep; while ranchers of religion search for strays  on the way to the slaughter.
   A shepherd will carry his wounded sheep; but a rancher will let his sick cattle die on the prairie.
   A shepherd leads his flock to water and green pasture; while a rancher leads his herd on the prairie:  amid the dust, rocks, and dry bones.
   A shepherd is interested in his flock; but the rancher is only interested in money.
   A shepherd sells the wool; but a rancher sells his herd at the slaughterhouse.
      The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul.  (Psalm 23: 1-2)

A BLOOD WAR

   Controlling and domineering people use ANGER as their weapon of warfare to keep their subjects in line and in obedience to their commands.  They are like toddlers, always wanting their own way and always wanting others to do as they say.  When there is disobedience in the camp, they throw temper tantrums and stomp.  Their words come out of their mouths as flaming darts.  Those in obedience to their commands buckle at the knees:  they do not resist, and, like trained puppy dogs, they heel, for they are always on a leash. 
   In families, they are the keeper of the clock, for they control work time, play time, rest time, chow time, and also church time. 
   Controlling and domineering people are PRIDEFUL.  They are selfish, always wanting their own way as well as the way of others within their command.  They are also envious and jealous.  In their own minds, no one else is better than themselves.  They are proud of themselves, proud of their homes, proud of their possessions, and most proud of their religion or church. They have no praise for others for that would rob them of the shine of their own halo.  If they do something for others, they expect a "thank you" card to arrive in the mail.  Disagree with them, and their fury will come out of their eyes and mouths like fire-breathing dragons.  And they will stomp.
   Controlling and domineering governments are also prideful, for they are managed by prideful people; and the personality characteristics of a controlling and domineering government are the same as prideful individuals.  If people do not buckle at the knees, they will employ ANGER to get people to toe the line.  This is when the government will send soldiers to capture, imprison, or even kill disobedient citizens.
   But beyond individuals and governments, religion also controls and dominates people; and religion will use ANGER if it does not get its way; and religion will send its soldiers to capture, imprison, or even kill disobedient people within its command.
   Jesus was killed by angry people.  They were prideful, wanting their own way, and thus they killed the Son of God, believing that they could continue living without the interference of Almighty God.
   The people who killed Jesus were also religious as well as members of government. 
   As for the millions of martyrs of Jesus, they were also killed by angry people---members of religion, which was also the government, for religion and government had merged as one body.  Thus,  religion sent its soldiers to capture, imprison, and to murder the people who believed in Christ.
   Therefore we are engaged in spiritual warfare, which is A BLOOD WAR.  This war features the soldiers of Satan against the soldiers of Christ, which is a war that began with the crucifixion of Christ as well as a war that is not yet finished; for in the future, when government and religion become one, Christians will be captured, imprisoned, and killed by the prideful people of government and the prideful people of religion. 
   As Christians, this is our future.  What we have, however, is what the world is missing:
      But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  (Hebrews 2: 9-10)

GRACE

   Grace is unmerited favor from God.  It is receiving something from God that we have not earned, nor can we work to achieve this favor from God.  For grace is a gift from God, and, as a gift, it is absolutely free.
   Salvation also is a gift from God.  It is something from God that we have not earned, nor can we work to achieve this favor from God.  Like grace, it is a gift from God, and, as a gift, it is absolutely free.
   Grace, however, comes first.  And to receive grace, we must become humble, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  (James 4: 6)
   In the game of life, God reveals Christ to us, knowing that Christ will help us in our game of life.  If we are proud, however, we will resist Christ, which means we will not receive grace, which means we will not receive salvation.
   In our pride, we will continue to believe that whatever we believe is better than Christ. 
   In our pride, we will continue to believe that we know a way to heaven that does not include Christ. 
   And in our pride, we will continue to believe that our religious system has cleansed us from our sins, such as rites and rituals, but also from water baptism. 
   Because God loves us, He keeps coming back to us as He continues to point our minds toward Christ.   
   God knows that we are prideful, and, as disobedient children, God the Father continues to love us, even in our sin, just as a shepherd goes in search of his missing sheep.
   To God, we are the sheep of His pasture.  And when sheep hear the voice of the Shepherd, they follow. 
   When you hear the voice of Christ, the Lord is speaking to you as one of His sheep.  This means it is time to come home.  It is time to stop living as a lost sheep away from the fold.  For a sheep out of the fold will become food for the wolves. 
  Wolves are prideful, and the wolves are Satan's ministers and priests who are working to keep you in captivity, to lead you to the slaughter.  If you do not turn around and follow the voice of the Shepherd, you will die there with the other little lost lambs. 
   When I heard the voice of Christ speaking to me for the first time, I resisted.  I resisted many times, in fact. Like a loving father, the voice of Christ kept coming back to me.  But when I humbled myself at the feet of God, I received grace; and after receiving grace, I asked for and received salvation---free and clear!   And my life has never been better!  I have never known the peace that I have known since the day of my salvation.
     

MANNEQUINS & MASQUERADES

   The most beautiful part about knowing God is in knowing that I know Him without a building; for if God is not the Lord of my life in my present location, He will not be the Lord of my life when I enter a building. 
   God is not my idol because idols never leave the buildings; for idols remain there, in stone-cold silence, having no eyes or ears, never breathing. 
   Neither are dead people my idols because necromancy is the worship of the dead, which is man's way of promoting dead people to the position of gods; and like physical idols, they have no eyes or ears, and they are never breathing. 
   Knowing God also means that I can pray to God at any time, no matter where my location may be.  With idols, this is not so:  for people must enter buildings to pray to their idols, which have no eyes or ears, and are never breathing.
   With God, I can ask for forgiveness for my sins at any time of day, no matter where my physical location may be.  With idols, this is not so:  for people must be in the presence of idols to ask for forgiveness:  from gods that have no eyes or ears, never breathing.
   God created the universe, but people have created idols out of God's created universe.  Such people are the same as thieves and robbers:  they have stolen the identity of God and given it to idols, or things that God created. 
   Idols are like the mannequins you see in department stores.  They are not real people.  Neither do they move unless living people move them from place to place. 
   Mannequins are masquerades:  they are dressed to look like real people even though they are lifeless.
   Idols are also masquerades:  dressed to look like real gods even though they are lifeless.
   False apostles, ministers, and priests are also like mannequins, and they are masquerades:  they are dressed to look like ministers and priests of God, when they are actually ministers and priests of Satan; for they do not teach people that Christ is alive!
   If I did not believe that Christ is alive, I would not believe in Him for my salvation; neither would I waste my time writing about Him.  At which time I would be no more than people who enter buildings to worship idols, and I would be like a mannequin, dressed as a masquerade.
   For nearly two thousand years, the false apostles, ministers, and priests of false churches have tried to change Christ to a mannequin and to dress Him as a masquerade:  to keep Him dead and not living; to keep Him as an idol of worship as having no eyes or ears and never breathing. 
   But when Christ returns, such people will fear Him:
      Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him:  and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen.  (Revelation 1:7)
  

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

   Snakes do not want their presence known; therefore, they are sneaky, sly, silent, and secretive.       
   Hypocrites exhibit the same behavioral characteristics of snakes:  sneaky, sly, silent, and secretive.
   A false church is the same as a pagan religion, and a pagan religion is a serpent religion because Almighty God is not the god of a false church. 
   Satan is the lord of false churches, and not Jesus Christ. 
   The identity of Satan is hidden within false churches because the ministers and priests of Satan do not want the people to know that they are worshipping the devil.
   The ministers and priests of Satan are deceivers, liars, and the truth is not in them, yet they appear to be ministers of God.  Their work is to keep the eyes of their members focused on the idols within their church, or pagan religion:  to keep the eyes of people looking down and not up.
   When people of false churches know that Christ is the Son of God, yet refusing to acknowledge Christ for salvation, they become hypocrites.  They do not want their true identity to be known, so they become as snakes:  sneaky, sly, silent, and secretive.  They want others to believe that they are Christians, yet they have nothing to say about Christ.  Their ministers and priests have deceived them to believe that they are Christians from their relationship with their church. 
   Hypocrites know that Christ is the Lord, just as the people who killed Christ knew that Jesus is the Son of God.  This is the reason hypocrites hide themselves within the identity of their false churches because they do not want others to know that they are against Christ:  for they have become children of the devil. They prefer to worship the god of their church, or religion, instead of worshipping at the feet of Jesus.
   Hypocrites are proud people.  They are proud of their establishments, proud of the buildings, proud of the programs, the rites and rituals, and they are proud of their ministers and priests.  Above that, they are proud of themselves because Satan has deceived them to believe that they have a way to heaven that does not include faith in Christ.  As such, they are now thieves, just as the devil is a thief, and, as thieves think, they believe they are getting away with something.
   As children of darkness, hypocrites do no have true feelings, or emotions.  They have no true joy of life, and even their laughter is phony.  Above this, they have no tears because they have no humility.  They have no true interest in other people, nor in the success of others.  They are quick to judge others, to point out the flaws in others, because they see themselves as perfect in all of their ways:  and that their religion---or false church---is the only place for true Christians. 
   Like Satan, or the serpent, hypocrites are sneaky, sly, silent, and secretive; for their personalities have conformed with the personality characteristics of their father, Satan.
   Satan has always been the god behind the curtain of false churches as he is now; for the profile of a snake never changes.
      And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end will be according to their works.  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  (II Corinthians 11: 13-15)
  

ANGRY LIONS

   Anger is the evidence of pride, and pride is the evidence of domination and control.
   Pride is the absence of love; therefore, prideful people cannot truly love others because they are in love with themselves:  they are selfish and self-centered; they are takers and not givers.
   An angry woman or an angry man seeks to dominate and control the home.
   The gait (or walk) of an angry person is not normal:  they stomp.  Even when not exhibiting tirades of anger, they stomp when they walk.  They stomp through the house, they stomp at work, they stomp on sidewalks, and they stomp wherever they go. 
   The gait of an angry woman is not the normal gait of a woman without anger.  She does not have a feminine walk.  She stomps.  She stomps through the house, at work, at play, on sidewalks, and wherever she goes.  There is nothing feminine about the gait of an angry woman.
   An angry person is arrogant.  Their opinion is the only opinion that matters, and they want their opinions to dominate and control conversations.  Disagree with them and their anger will stand up within themselves for they cannot be wrong.  Neither do they like being corrected, or challenged; for statements they make are statements others should accept---with no questions asked. 
   Arrogant people like to give orders, not make requests.  And they do not like for their requests (orders) to be rejected; for they fully expect people to follow their orders, to do as they say.
   They can be subtle; they can be crafty:  for the heart of the angry is to be the master.
   An angry person has no humility.  They are not truly interested in the lives of others.  They rarely ask how you are doing, for they do not truly care.  They rarely ask about your interests and accomplishments, for they do not truly care.  When they arrive at your house, they are there to be seen and heard, not you.  If you have a spot of grease on the wall, they will point it out, so that you will know that they know it. 
   When two prideful people marry, they become co-dependent---like two hands in the same glove.  Yet one will dominate the relationship and the other will be submissive, for there can be only one boss; and the submissive one will live in fear of the boss.
   Dictators are prideful, they are angry, and they seek to dominate and control other people.  They have no love for others because they love themselves. 
  As dictators, they roar as the roar of a lion.  They roar to inject fear in the minds of others.  They roar to subdue their prey.  They roar to bring others under their control and domination.  They roar to be heard above all others.  They roar, but also they stomp:  to crush their enemy.
   Above all else, prideful people do not know God, nor Christ, because they have no humility:  and without humility, their lives are absent of the love of God.  They reject Christ, and because they have rejected Christ, they have rejected the love of God.
      God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  (James 4: 6)

BLOOD KIN

   Throughout human history, thousands and thousands and thousands of people, men and women, have been crucified on crosses and on trees across many nations.
   Their names are not recorded, mentioned in history books, nor even known by people living today.  Many had wives and husbands, children and grandparents. They had dreams and goals of their own, but their lives were taken from them, for they were robbed of their right to live by cold-bloodied killers.
   Like us, they wanted to live, build homes, be happy, and perhaps travel from place to place, or to see the world. 
   Like us, they wanted to be free:  free to stay, free to go, free to explore, and free to invent and be creative, to write poetry or songs or paint portraits.
   Like us, many of them did not want to harm other people.  Perhaps many of them were not thieves and bandits. 
   Like us, they wanted to live.
   Looking back, and from the lack of information, it is as if they never lived at all, for the stories of their lives and names have vanished from the face of the earth.
   Over these thousands of years of human crucifixions, do you think it is an accident that the name of only one person in the world is remembered for His death by crucifixion?
   Unlike all the others, the story of Jesus is recorded.  We know about His birth, we know about His parents, and we know about His travels and relationships with people.  We know about the stories He told. We know about the people who liked Him, and we know about the people who wanted Him to die, even though He never did anything worthy for death by crucifixion.  Is this knowledge to us simply an accident?
   Over the past two thousands years, Jesus has been talked about more than any person who has ever lived.  Is this, also, simply an accident?
   Is it an accident that you can go on the internet and read about Jesus more than any other person?
   It is not an accident that God reveals the name of Jesus to the minds of people and more than any other person.
   Since Christ is not an accident, it would be wise to pay attention. 
   God's revelation of Jesus Christ is a message from Heaven.  God wants you to know His only begotten Son.
   If you study your genealogy, it is possible that people in your family tree were killed by crucifixion?  These would haven been your blood kin.
   Is it also possible that people in your family tree were martyrs for Jesus Christ?  These, too, would have been your blood kin, dying for Christ.

THINGS REMEMBERED

It is easier to remember
   the things we do wrong
 than to remember
   the things we do well.

   When I was in the third grade in elementary school, I stole a boy's new pencil from the top of his desk when he walked away. I did that.  Upon returning to his desk, he challenged me in the case of the missing pencil, and I lied.  Then he marched to the front of the class to get the teacher to divide the stories, and I continued to lie.  I told a story that could fill the pages of a little book, but the teacher was not buying it.  Finally, I confessed my wrong, returned the pencil to the boy, and he and I remained friends throughout high school.  On top of this, the teacher issued no punishment, and this incident was never mentioned again.
   That event happened nearly sixty years ago, and I have remembered it all these many years---detail by detail, lie upon lie---and today is the first time I have ever told this story. 
   In like manner, when we confess our sins to Christ---just as I confessed my wrong to the teacher---there is no punishment, and the Lord erases our wrongs from His mind.
   For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  (Hebrews 8: 12)