“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves,” Matthew 10:16. So often today, we only see a section of this verse being adhered to, and that’s to be harmless as doves. Many Christians seemingly dismiss the part about being wise as serpents. Jesus was sending His disciples out into the world, a world full of evil. His commandment still stands, He sends every Christian out into the midst of that same evil world overwhelmingly inhabited by evil, devouring, satanic wolves.
I send you forth as sheep. Don’t misunderstand the meaning here. The sheep in this case are those of us who are called by His name, those belonging to the Lord. Jesus is our good shepherd. We are His Church, His flock, and as such He sends all Christians out into the world to be the light of the world. We’re not to hide from the wolves, but we are to witness to them and to spread the good news of Christ to all those who are perishing. Even the most fearsome of wolves need to hear the Gospel.
Many Christians are content with remaining as sheep no matter who becomes their shepherd. On November 4th of this year, many professing Christians exchanged their true Shepherd, who calls them by their name, for a false shepherd, who will only lead them astray. Sheepish Christians will be led to the slaughter as they continue in the mindset of this false shepherd being their new deliverer. If this false shepherd has his way, the Christians in this country will become the apostate Church spoken of in the Book of Revelation.
In the midst of wolves. Jesus used wolves as a metaphor referring to cruel, greedy, rapacious, destructive men. Jesus said “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad, Matthew 12:30. Basically those who are the followers of Satan are the wolves in this case. Everyone – that’s everyone – who doesn’t follow Jesus Christ is a follower of Satan. Consider carefully Jesus’ statement above, Satan is utterly and emphatically against Jesus Christ. Satan spreads lies, because he is the father of all lies, and scatters people abroad. Jesus’ statement places everyone who is not with Him in the same category as Satan; Satan is already condemned and so are all who follow him. The difference being Satan can’t change his eternal destiny, but those deceived individuals who follow him can.
Many Christians today are so full of fear that they allow this evil world to dictate to them what they can do for Christ and what they can’t. My brothers and sisters, this should not be so. We are to be the example in a world of evil and we can only be an example if we are actually out in the world proclaiming the message of the Gospel of Christ. We have nothing to fear for “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,” 1John 4:4.
“Alas, how many are influenced by fear of men! Oh, you cowards, will you be damned out of fear? Will you sooner let your souls perish than show your manhood by telling a poor mortal that you defy his scorn? Dare you not follow the right though all men in the world should call you to do the wrong? Oh, you cowards! You cowards! How you deserve to perish who have not enough soul to call your souls your own, but cower down before the sneers of fools!”
Charles Spurgeon
Spurgeon certainly pulls no punches. As Luke, a friend my mine from Australia , so aptly puts it, “Straight down the line, no mucking about”. That was Spurgeon’s way, and why was that? Because that was our Lord’s way also. Jesus did not mince words and it’s not difficult to understand what He means by “Wise as serpents”.
Wise as serpents. The serpent was a symbol of cunning and wisdom. Jesus doesn’t want us to be complacent in our walk with Him but to be ever vigilant, prudent, and sensible as we confront this world and all its evils. The world is full of temptations that we Christians must, at all cost, avoid. The serpent was wise and cunning and Jesus expects His sheep to display at the very least those two characteristics, but to use them in a very different way than the serpents and the wolves of this world. We who are filled with His Holy Spirit use those characteristics with love and compassion as we confront the lost souls of this world.
“O that men were wise enough to see that suffering for Christ is honour, that loss for truth is gain, that the truest dignity rests in wearing the chain upon the arm rather than endure the chain upon the soul.”
Charles Spurgeon
Harmless as doves. The English word harmless is translated from the Greek word “akeraios” and refers to being of a pure mind, without a mixture of evil, free from guile, innocent, as in the case of a dove. Jesus isn’t saying we should be fearful but that we should be innocent as doves as we trust Him and step out in faith because it’s through His name, and through His power we do so.
Many of today’s prominent Christian leaders are admonishing their flocks, not to concern themselves with politics. They say spreading the Gospel is our concern and we can’t be harmless as doves if we are involved in politics. Yes, spreading the Gospel of Christ is number one on our list of priorities, and yet, every Christian in this country should know that if it hadn’t been for the overwhelming intervention of Christians when this nation was first established, there would be no United States of American as we know it today.
Many Christians today aren’t really following Christ’s commandment to preach the Gospel to all creatures and in that sense there’s no need to be wise as serpents, just harmless as doves, or a better description would be worthless as salt that has lost its saltiness.
Behold I send you forth. Simply put, God Almighty sends us forth to spread the Gospel of Christ to all who will give an ear. Sadly, many Christians today aren’t willing to spread the Gospel. As a matter of fact, many professing to have the love of Christ in them have no heart for the lost whatsoever. Spurgeon states that suffering for Christ is an honor. Is that our attitude today? Or are we merely going about our business unconcerned with the salvation of those who are so deceived that they follow Satan instead of Christ? What of their eternal destination?
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 9:12. You and I once walked as those worldly wolves of today, which is after the lust of the flesh. No longer are we tied to this world in such a way as to follow those who are under Satan’s power. We should not be lusting after personal gain to obtain self-reliance. Being indwelt by the Holy Spirit means we aren’t motivated by the flesh as is the world. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…” 2 Peter 2:9. Jesus will supply all the power we need to escape temptation if we will only trust Him.
As Christians we have been called by a Holy calling, and as such we are to be wise as serpents, cunning, and full of the wisdom that comes from God alone. As believers we are to approach each day as a child of the light, confronting evil and calling on the power of the Holy Spirit to bind evil from our midst as we spread the Gospel of Christ to a lost and perishing Christ rejecting world.
Be pure minded, innocent as doves, without a yearning to pursue evil desires, but still as wise as serpents. We’re in the world but not of the world, we are different, and that difference is what galls the world, they just can’t understand Christian behavior. They’re out there, those wolves, just around the next corner waiting to devour us. Thanks be to God we have nothing to fear from them.
Fear not is mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible. Clearly God’s wish for our lives is that we shouldn’t fear because we’ve placed our trust and faith in Him. True faith does not fear what we don’t know or can’t see, true faith and trust is allowing God to take care of all those little things. There’s an old adage that was passed around a few years ago and perhaps this is a good time to bring it back. It went something like this, “Don’t sweat the little things, and all things are little things to God”.
We have entered the last of the last days and Jesus will extract His Church very soon now, of that I’m sure. In the meantime, Christians are to be that light Jesus speaks about set on a hill, and most certainly we’re to be active in the governmental processes of our land. “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light,” Luke 11:33.
Jesus promised us that if we be “wise as serpents” we would not be deceived, especially in these end times when He told us there would be so much deception being promoted as truth. Even those individuals you’d love to follow can be deceived. Be careful, be diligent, and be wise as a serpent.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
The World in Review
1. Canada:
A police report revealed that hundreds of airline workers, with various connections to more than 60 active gangs, have used their security clearance in eight of the nation’s largest airports to smuggle drugs and people into the country.
Canada ranks last of 25 developed countries in child care, according to a study by the United Nation’s Children Fund. The report said Canada failed to meet nine out of 10 benchmark measures, which include providing subsidized care for children during their first years of life.
A Halifax teenager, accused of stabbing a man at a party in a fight between the two over how much time a frozen pizza should stay in the microwave, was sentenced to five years in prison. (See related article: “And the Earth Was Filled with Violence”)
2. United States:
“The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits surged more than forecast last week to a 26-year high, a sign companies are stepping up firings as the recession deepens…Initial jobless claims increased 58,000 to 573,000 in the week ended Dec. 6, the highest level since November 1982, from a revised 515,000 the previous week, the Labor Department...The number of workers staying on benefit rolls reached 4.429 million, also the most since 1982” (Bloomberg).
The House of Representatives approved a $14 billion government bailout plan to provide emergency loans to car giants, General Motors and Chrysler. The bill, which requires automakers to commit to drastic restructuring plans, has yet to be passed in the Senate.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that 43 states, which have already made spending cutbacks, are facing budget shortfalls and will be unable to cover their expenses next year.
Chicago-based Tribune Co. became the first major newspaper publisher to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which owns the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, and several major metropolitan newspapers around the country, including the Los Angeles Times and The Sun of Baltimore, is $13 billion in debt and has experienced a severe drop in advertising revenue, leading to its inability to meet its credit obligations. (See related news brief: “The Future of Newspaper, Magazine Industry Grows Dim”)
Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested on federal corruption charges after they were accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Illinois senate seat. The corruption charges came after federal investigators obtained secret recordings of the governor discussing the potential benefits that he and his wife could receive from the sale of the position.
“A daylong work stoppage during which employees were encouraged to ‘call in gay’ to express support for same-sex marriage drew spotty participation nationwide…Backers of ‘Day Without a Gay’ organized evening rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Logan, Utah, and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier Wednesday in Chicago and on several college campuses in California” (FOX News). (See related article: “Homosexuality – Out of the Closet, Into the Mainstream”)
3. United Kingdom:
The pound sterling’s value fell to a record low of 1.14 euros.
“Britain’s remaining troops in Iraq will begin withdrawing from the country in March on a timetable that will aim to leave only a small training force of 300 to 400 by June, according to Defense Ministry officials quoted by the BBC and several of Britain’s major newspapers” (The New York Times).
A television station aired a documentary titled “Right to Die?”, which showed an assisted suicide being performed.
4. Germany: Berlin-based anti-corruption organization Transparency International “interviewed 2,742 senior business executives to see which firms would pay bribes in foreign countries. Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Italy were the worst of the 22 major economies ranked in the survey” (BBC).
5. Greece: Riots raged after a 15-year-old boy was killed in a confrontation with the police. Dozens of people were injured and substantial property damage resulted from fires started by rioters.
6. Ghana: Polling stations are seeing a massive, but peaceful, turnout for the presidential and parliamentary elections. President John Kufuor is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms (BBC).
7. Zimbabwe: The collapse of the country’s infrastructure has led to a cholera outbreak that has spread to the neighboring countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia. (See news brief: “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Outbreak Spreads”)
8. Uganda: There have been reports of a mysterious disease having killed 15 people in the last two months in the Bundibugyo District (AllAfrica.com).
9. Kenya: At least 300 girls, some as young as nine, in southwestern Kenya are seeking refuge in churches to escape forced female genital mutilation. Though female circumcision is banned nationwide, it is a popular practice in certain areas, used to initiate a girl into womanhood (BBC).
10. Somalia: According to a 104-page Human Rights Watch report, all parties in Somalia’s escalating conflict—the Somali Transitional Federal Government, Ethiopian forces that intervened in Somalia to support it, and insurgent forces—“have committed widespread and serious violations of the laws of war. Frequent violations include indiscriminate attacks, killings, rape, use of civilians as human shields, and looting. Since early 2007, the escalating conflict has claimed thousands of civilian lives, displaced more than a million people, and driven out most of the population of Mogadishu, the capital. Increasing attacks on aid workers in the past year have severely limited relief operations and contributed to an emerging humanitarian crisis.”
11. Saudi Arabia: “More than two million Muslim pilgrims performed a second round of stoning walls symbolizing the devil on Tuesday, as haj pilgrimage rituals neared their end without major incident…The Jamarat Bridge in the valley of Mena outside the holy city of Mecca, where pilgrims stone the walls three times over three to four days, has been the scene of numerous stampedes, including one which killed 362 in 2006. The haj has also been marred in previous years by deadly fires, hotel collapses and police clashes with protesters” (Reuters).
12. South Korea: The worldwide economic downturn led South Korea’s central bank to record interest rate cuts, a full percentage point to 3%, more than expected.
13. Japan: The national economy, the second-largest in the world after the U.S., shrank by 0.5%, for an annualized rate of 1.8%, significantly greater than expected (BBC).
14. Papua New Guinea: Giant tidal waves battered the northern coastline’s 500-mile stretch, resulting in flooding, sweeping away homes and displacing thousands of people.
15. Australia:
“Australia’s unemployment rate has risen to 4.4%, the highest in 12 months, as the economy shed 15,600 jobs in November” (Reuters).
South Australia, the nation’s driest state, decided to purchase additional water supplies amid fears it will run out next year (BBC).
Authorities have identified more than 200 suspects in 70 countries connected with a child pornography network. Australian Federal Police charged 19 men from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and seized more than 15,000 videos and 500,000 images of child abuse during a 12-month investigation (ABC).
“Australia’s early childhood services are among the worst in the developed world, according to a UNICEF report that warns of the risk of placing children in care before the age of one. Among 25 developed countries Australia ranks third last, meeting only two of 10 benchmarks considered essential to protect children in their formative early years” (Sydney Morning Herald).
A police report revealed that hundreds of airline workers, with various connections to more than 60 active gangs, have used their security clearance in eight of the nation’s largest airports to smuggle drugs and people into the country.
Canada ranks last of 25 developed countries in child care, according to a study by the United Nation’s Children Fund. The report said Canada failed to meet nine out of 10 benchmark measures, which include providing subsidized care for children during their first years of life.
A Halifax teenager, accused of stabbing a man at a party in a fight between the two over how much time a frozen pizza should stay in the microwave, was sentenced to five years in prison. (See related article: “And the Earth Was Filled with Violence”)
2. United States:
“The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits surged more than forecast last week to a 26-year high, a sign companies are stepping up firings as the recession deepens…Initial jobless claims increased 58,000 to 573,000 in the week ended Dec. 6, the highest level since November 1982, from a revised 515,000 the previous week, the Labor Department...The number of workers staying on benefit rolls reached 4.429 million, also the most since 1982” (Bloomberg).
The House of Representatives approved a $14 billion government bailout plan to provide emergency loans to car giants, General Motors and Chrysler. The bill, which requires automakers to commit to drastic restructuring plans, has yet to be passed in the Senate.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported that 43 states, which have already made spending cutbacks, are facing budget shortfalls and will be unable to cover their expenses next year.
Chicago-based Tribune Co. became the first major newspaper publisher to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which owns the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise, and several major metropolitan newspapers around the country, including the Los Angeles Times and The Sun of Baltimore, is $13 billion in debt and has experienced a severe drop in advertising revenue, leading to its inability to meet its credit obligations. (See related news brief: “The Future of Newspaper, Magazine Industry Grows Dim”)
Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested on federal corruption charges after they were accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s vacated Illinois senate seat. The corruption charges came after federal investigators obtained secret recordings of the governor discussing the potential benefits that he and his wife could receive from the sale of the position.
“A daylong work stoppage during which employees were encouraged to ‘call in gay’ to express support for same-sex marriage drew spotty participation nationwide…Backers of ‘Day Without a Gay’ organized evening rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Logan, Utah, and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier Wednesday in Chicago and on several college campuses in California” (FOX News). (See related article: “Homosexuality – Out of the Closet, Into the Mainstream”)
3. United Kingdom:
The pound sterling’s value fell to a record low of 1.14 euros.
“Britain’s remaining troops in Iraq will begin withdrawing from the country in March on a timetable that will aim to leave only a small training force of 300 to 400 by June, according to Defense Ministry officials quoted by the BBC and several of Britain’s major newspapers” (The New York Times).
A television station aired a documentary titled “Right to Die?”, which showed an assisted suicide being performed.
4. Germany: Berlin-based anti-corruption organization Transparency International “interviewed 2,742 senior business executives to see which firms would pay bribes in foreign countries. Russia, China, Mexico, India, Brazil and Italy were the worst of the 22 major economies ranked in the survey” (BBC).
5. Greece: Riots raged after a 15-year-old boy was killed in a confrontation with the police. Dozens of people were injured and substantial property damage resulted from fires started by rioters.
6. Ghana: Polling stations are seeing a massive, but peaceful, turnout for the presidential and parliamentary elections. President John Kufuor is stepping down after serving the maximum two terms (BBC).
7. Zimbabwe: The collapse of the country’s infrastructure has led to a cholera outbreak that has spread to the neighboring countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia. (See news brief: “Zimbabwe’s Cholera Outbreak Spreads”)
8. Uganda: There have been reports of a mysterious disease having killed 15 people in the last two months in the Bundibugyo District (AllAfrica.com).
9. Kenya: At least 300 girls, some as young as nine, in southwestern Kenya are seeking refuge in churches to escape forced female genital mutilation. Though female circumcision is banned nationwide, it is a popular practice in certain areas, used to initiate a girl into womanhood (BBC).
10. Somalia: According to a 104-page Human Rights Watch report, all parties in Somalia’s escalating conflict—the Somali Transitional Federal Government, Ethiopian forces that intervened in Somalia to support it, and insurgent forces—“have committed widespread and serious violations of the laws of war. Frequent violations include indiscriminate attacks, killings, rape, use of civilians as human shields, and looting. Since early 2007, the escalating conflict has claimed thousands of civilian lives, displaced more than a million people, and driven out most of the population of Mogadishu, the capital. Increasing attacks on aid workers in the past year have severely limited relief operations and contributed to an emerging humanitarian crisis.”
11. Saudi Arabia: “More than two million Muslim pilgrims performed a second round of stoning walls symbolizing the devil on Tuesday, as haj pilgrimage rituals neared their end without major incident…The Jamarat Bridge in the valley of Mena outside the holy city of Mecca, where pilgrims stone the walls three times over three to four days, has been the scene of numerous stampedes, including one which killed 362 in 2006. The haj has also been marred in previous years by deadly fires, hotel collapses and police clashes with protesters” (Reuters).
12. South Korea: The worldwide economic downturn led South Korea’s central bank to record interest rate cuts, a full percentage point to 3%, more than expected.
13. Japan: The national economy, the second-largest in the world after the U.S., shrank by 0.5%, for an annualized rate of 1.8%, significantly greater than expected (BBC).
14. Papua New Guinea: Giant tidal waves battered the northern coastline’s 500-mile stretch, resulting in flooding, sweeping away homes and displacing thousands of people.
15. Australia:
“Australia’s unemployment rate has risen to 4.4%, the highest in 12 months, as the economy shed 15,600 jobs in November” (Reuters).
South Australia, the nation’s driest state, decided to purchase additional water supplies amid fears it will run out next year (BBC).
Authorities have identified more than 200 suspects in 70 countries connected with a child pornography network. Australian Federal Police charged 19 men from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and seized more than 15,000 videos and 500,000 images of child abuse during a 12-month investigation (ABC).
“Australia’s early childhood services are among the worst in the developed world, according to a UNICEF report that warns of the risk of placing children in care before the age of one. Among 25 developed countries Australia ranks third last, meeting only two of 10 benchmarks considered essential to protect children in their formative early years” (Sydney Morning Herald).
Friday, December 19, 2008
New Movie Answers Questions: "Are We Living In The End Times?"
http://www.movievine.com/interviews/article001028.shtml
Are We Living In The End Times is a documentary directed, produced, and written by Dr. Alfred Adams. The narration, along with the music score, was performed by international recording artist Steve Blaze of the wildly popular rock band Lillian Axe.
With the threat of war all around us and a push to a global government, one has to stop and think that it is absolutely impossible to make sense of this world unless a person takes the Bible prophecy into consideration.
Dr. Alfred Adams a world renowned expert on the scripture dealing with the end times gave us an inside look into the making of the documentary.
Rob Rath (RR) Dr. Adams could you tell us what prompted you to want to make such a film of this subject matter?
Dr. Adams (DA) I have always wanted to get the awareness out about the book of Revelation and how things that are happening around us is not just coincidence.
(RR) Every generation felt they were the last generation that the Bible talks about as "End Of Days" what makes this generation so different?
(DA) I don't think we are any different, I just think there is more proof or more Bible prophecy coming to pass right before our eyes.
(RR) In the documentary you asked people questions such as if they have heard of the RFID chip. I've seen this coming out on CNN but no one really pointed it to something that could or might be in Bible prophecy.
(DA) That is just it, the Bible does tell us that a "Mark" will be issued and that it will control all commerce. We are now heading to a social impact of a worldwide economic meltdown. RFID chips have already been FDA approved, and are in people. The read and write programs are not with banking information as of yet, but it would not be very hard to have that in place within days, if not hours if they already have not created the information data system.
(RR) Lou Dobbs from CNN covered the story on the "New North American Union" I was shock to see that people have not heard of this, and how would you put this into Biblical light?
(DA) It would be classified as a push to a one world government that is outline in the book of Revelation and Daniel.
(RR) The narration for the documentary was done by Steve Blaze of Lillian Axe, how did that come about.
(DA) I already asked Steve to be apart of the project from a music score perspective. The gentlemen I was working with never got back in touch with me so I asked Steve if he would be interested in doing the narration so we could keep the project moving forward, and he said yes.
(RR) I have been a long time fan of both the band Lillian Axe and of your work. How did the project come about for you two to work together, and have you two been friends for a long time?
(DA) Funny you should ask this I joke with Steve about this all the time. I sent him a cold e-mail telling him all about myself and the project and asking him if he would be interested in doing the music. I must have wrote like a thousand word e-mail to him, he wrote back "yes I would be interested". For a few days I was thinking there is no way I am having a conversation with this guy he never types out anything long. --Steve and I have been friends for about a year and a half, seems like forever though.
(RR) What is your time frame for this to hit the theatres and are there any other places this might be able to be seen?
(DA) We are looking at a late February early March of 2009 in theatres. I have had great discussions with both the National Geographic Channel, and Discovery, as well as pay-per-view about the project; they are all very enthused about it.
I have seen the trailer and I can’t wait to see the full documentary on this. If anyone has an interest in the trailer it can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgCEwiKBt9I
Are We Living In The End Times is a documentary directed, produced, and written by Dr. Alfred Adams. The narration, along with the music score, was performed by international recording artist Steve Blaze of the wildly popular rock band Lillian Axe.
With the threat of war all around us and a push to a global government, one has to stop and think that it is absolutely impossible to make sense of this world unless a person takes the Bible prophecy into consideration.
Dr. Alfred Adams a world renowned expert on the scripture dealing with the end times gave us an inside look into the making of the documentary.
Rob Rath (RR) Dr. Adams could you tell us what prompted you to want to make such a film of this subject matter?
Dr. Adams (DA) I have always wanted to get the awareness out about the book of Revelation and how things that are happening around us is not just coincidence.
(RR) Every generation felt they were the last generation that the Bible talks about as "End Of Days" what makes this generation so different?
(DA) I don't think we are any different, I just think there is more proof or more Bible prophecy coming to pass right before our eyes.
(RR) In the documentary you asked people questions such as if they have heard of the RFID chip. I've seen this coming out on CNN but no one really pointed it to something that could or might be in Bible prophecy.
(DA) That is just it, the Bible does tell us that a "Mark" will be issued and that it will control all commerce. We are now heading to a social impact of a worldwide economic meltdown. RFID chips have already been FDA approved, and are in people. The read and write programs are not with banking information as of yet, but it would not be very hard to have that in place within days, if not hours if they already have not created the information data system.
(RR) Lou Dobbs from CNN covered the story on the "New North American Union" I was shock to see that people have not heard of this, and how would you put this into Biblical light?
(DA) It would be classified as a push to a one world government that is outline in the book of Revelation and Daniel.
(RR) The narration for the documentary was done by Steve Blaze of Lillian Axe, how did that come about.
(DA) I already asked Steve to be apart of the project from a music score perspective. The gentlemen I was working with never got back in touch with me so I asked Steve if he would be interested in doing the narration so we could keep the project moving forward, and he said yes.
(RR) I have been a long time fan of both the band Lillian Axe and of your work. How did the project come about for you two to work together, and have you two been friends for a long time?
(DA) Funny you should ask this I joke with Steve about this all the time. I sent him a cold e-mail telling him all about myself and the project and asking him if he would be interested in doing the music. I must have wrote like a thousand word e-mail to him, he wrote back "yes I would be interested". For a few days I was thinking there is no way I am having a conversation with this guy he never types out anything long. --Steve and I have been friends for about a year and a half, seems like forever though.
(RR) What is your time frame for this to hit the theatres and are there any other places this might be able to be seen?
(DA) We are looking at a late February early March of 2009 in theatres. I have had great discussions with both the National Geographic Channel, and Discovery, as well as pay-per-view about the project; they are all very enthused about it.
I have seen the trailer and I can’t wait to see the full documentary on this. If anyone has an interest in the trailer it can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgCEwiKBt9I
Thursday, December 18, 2008
A Time For Prayer
What makes 2009 such an ominous year are all the potential flash points. I've never seen a time marked by so much activity related to Bible prophecy. Here is a list of the main ones:
The threat of a major terrorist attack
The social impact of the worldwide economic meltdown
The drive towards the establishment of the global government
Russia becoming more like the old Soviet Union
Iran trying to develop an atomic bomb
Israel being threatened by several of its neighbors
America making a sharp political turn to the left
With so much activity taking place today, you would think that prophecy-minded believers would be very busy getting ready for the Lord's return. I've noticed that the abundance of prophetic activity has had the opposite effect on Christians: Most seem to be doing nothing. It’s rather ironic that apathy is so prevalent; Jesus said that it would be a major sign of the end times.
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Mat. 24:44).
Right now, everyone seems to be watching for something big to happen. We might soon witness a major war in the Middle East, or the occurrence of some other calamity. Because the rapture could easily be the next event on God’s calendar, I would hate to have it occur while I was doing nothing.
There is no guarantee that Christians will be able to stand by as passive spectators. If our Lord tarries, hardship could be ahead as the current economic recession turns into a depression. As the world becomes more wicked, we may also find our religious freedoms soon coming under pressure.
Rather than just waiting around to see what happens, all Christians have the opportunity to take an active role in hastening our Lord's advent. Jesus Christ specifically told us to pray for His return. "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mat. 6:9, 10).
Now that 2000 years have passed and all the signs point to the nearness of the last days, our prayers have the power to be more meaningful, more important, and more necessary than ever. God is still in control the prophetic time clock, but He will certainly listen to the voices of His children if they join together to call on Him.
I don't know why any believer wouldn't be crying out in prayer to "hasten the coming of the day of God" (2 Pet. 3:12). For many years, I've felt like a stranger in this land. Lately, I feel like Lot must have felt as he lived amongst the Sodomites. Many non-believers email each day, wishing I would indeed be raptured away, so my hope is that they soon get their wish.
I ask every child of God reading this week's Nearing Midnight Update to spend sometime this week praying for the Lord's soon return. At this late hour, the triggering point for the blessed hope may just require a few more Christians to say “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
The threat of a major terrorist attack
The social impact of the worldwide economic meltdown
The drive towards the establishment of the global government
Russia becoming more like the old Soviet Union
Iran trying to develop an atomic bomb
Israel being threatened by several of its neighbors
America making a sharp political turn to the left
With so much activity taking place today, you would think that prophecy-minded believers would be very busy getting ready for the Lord's return. I've noticed that the abundance of prophetic activity has had the opposite effect on Christians: Most seem to be doing nothing. It’s rather ironic that apathy is so prevalent; Jesus said that it would be a major sign of the end times.
"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Mat. 24:44).
Right now, everyone seems to be watching for something big to happen. We might soon witness a major war in the Middle East, or the occurrence of some other calamity. Because the rapture could easily be the next event on God’s calendar, I would hate to have it occur while I was doing nothing.
There is no guarantee that Christians will be able to stand by as passive spectators. If our Lord tarries, hardship could be ahead as the current economic recession turns into a depression. As the world becomes more wicked, we may also find our religious freedoms soon coming under pressure.
Rather than just waiting around to see what happens, all Christians have the opportunity to take an active role in hastening our Lord's advent. Jesus Christ specifically told us to pray for His return. "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mat. 6:9, 10).
Now that 2000 years have passed and all the signs point to the nearness of the last days, our prayers have the power to be more meaningful, more important, and more necessary than ever. God is still in control the prophetic time clock, but He will certainly listen to the voices of His children if they join together to call on Him.
I don't know why any believer wouldn't be crying out in prayer to "hasten the coming of the day of God" (2 Pet. 3:12). For many years, I've felt like a stranger in this land. Lately, I feel like Lot must have felt as he lived amongst the Sodomites. Many non-believers email each day, wishing I would indeed be raptured away, so my hope is that they soon get their wish.
I ask every child of God reading this week's Nearing Midnight Update to spend sometime this week praying for the Lord's soon return. At this late hour, the triggering point for the blessed hope may just require a few more Christians to say “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
What Is Sin?
Judging from the feedback I've received lately, some of us don't know what sin is. The word comes from an old English archery term meaning “to miss the mark.” Jesus gave us the mark in Matt. 5:48 “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Anything short of that is missing the mark, and whether by thought, word, or deed, is sin. The main purpose of His three chapter Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) was to change our perception of sin. The Pharisees thought that if they obeyed the commandments they weren't sinning and therefore didn't need a Savior. To achieve their position of authority, they had to have lived such an exemplary life as to appear nearly perfect. This focus on perfection in their behavior made them arrogant, unsympathetic toward their weaker brethren. It had made them worse than useless in advancing the Kingdom. They were actually driving people away.
He began by saying that in judging our behavior, God would not overlook even the smallest detail of the Law. He said that even our thoughts would be held against us. Anger is as bad as murder, He said, lust is as bad as adultery, and so on. He said that unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees we will certainly not enter the Kingdom. (Matt. 5:20) Later on He said that they were like whitewashed tombs which are beautiful on the outside but full of dead men's bones. He said in the same way they appeared to people as righteous but were full of hypocrisy. (Matt. 23:27-28) The Pharisees were compulsive about their behavior, applying the Law to the most minute things in their lives, even giving a tithe of the herbs and spices that grew in their gardens. (Matt. 23:23) And our righteousness needs to exceed theirs? In all of their behavior they had achieved perfection.
Where Did That Come From?
Then where does sin originate if not in our behavior? In Mark 7:20-23 Jesus said: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "
Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) This is what he meant. Satan brings evil thoughts to the threshold of our minds. If we immediately take these thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ, there's no harm done. We've fended off an attack. (2 Cor. 10:3-5) But the moment we give them any consideration at all, we've sinned. Anger, jealousy, envy, lust, resentment, frustration, self-pity are some of the more obvious ones, but then there's admiration, pride, self-satisfaction, self-righteousness and a long list of others that give glory to someone or something other than God. Our hearts being incurably wicked we do two things that make us sinners. First, we harbor these thoughts, and second we think that because we don't act on them we haven't sinned. But whether acted upon or not, these and many more are all sins punishable by death. No one sees them, and they're so natural to us that often we ourselves are barely aware of them. To all outward appearances we appear to be fine, upstanding examples of Christian goodness, but inside we're rotten to the core.
Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of Calvary Chapel, once said, “We aren't sinners because we sin, we sin because we're sinners.” It's our nature. Those who claim to have stopped sinning simply don't understand this. The best we can say about ourselves is that because of our conversion we're perhaps a little more aware of our sins, but the research has shown that by and large most of us live lives that aren't any freer of sin than our unbelieving neighbors. Like them, we're after bigger and better stuff for ourselves while ignoring the needs of people around us. Like them we're jealous of the success of others while crediting ourselves with our own success. Like them we get angry about little things. Like them, we wish our lives were different. Like them, we have a secular world view.
But what has been most instructive to me lately is the way so many people actually think they're no longer sinners, just because they're saved. I guess the old saying is true. We all want grace for ourselves while demanding justice for everyone else. We want to be judged by our intentions but we want others judged by their actions.
As the Bible clearly shows, there is no hierarchy of sin. All sin brings death. We don't think there's anything wrong with being angry or envying the possessions of our neighbors or entertaining a lustful thought now and then, but we demand others stop their sinning or else be condemned. Please don't misunderstand me. There's nothing wrong with being uncomfortable around sinful behavior. There's nothing wrong with deciding to withdraw from it. And there's nothing wrong with demanding that the leaders of our churches adhere to Biblical principles about sin. But when we start saying that certain forms of sin disqualify a person for salvation, then we've put ourselves in God's place and risk having the same measure we use in judging others, be used with us.
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matt. 7:1-2)
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)
According to Biblical standards we all willingly, consciously and deliberately sin. The fact that some sins are more obvious to us than others is irrelevant. It's what's in our hearts that counts, and God sees them all. We forget that Jesus said every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 12:31) Every sin. And not just once. Enough to last a life time.
Repent And Be Saved
Having talked about sin, we should also take a look at repentance. The Greek word translated repent is metanoeo. Meta means after and noeo means to understand. To repent literally means to understand afterward. As it's used in the New Testament it means to change one's mind. The phrase “Repent and be saved” means change your mind about your behavior and realize that you're a sinner in need of a savior. It was first used with Jews who thought that keeping the Law would save them. When John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), Jesus (Matt. 4:17), and Peter (Acts 2:38) told the people to repent, they were telling them to change their minds about believing that their own works could save them. Only people who know their behavior is sinful will realize their need for a Savior. Once it becomes clear to us that we're sinners and can't save ourselves, we're ready to ask for salvation. We've repented.
But nowhere in the Bible is anyone required to change their behavior before they can ask for salvation. The old hymn “Just as I Am” makes that clear. To say that the word repent implies that behavioral change is a condition of salvation is an incorrect understanding of the word. The notion that Christians stop sinning once we're saved is similarly incorrect. The fact that God chooses to see us as a new creation is a function of His ability to look ahead to what we'll be in the resurrection. It's not due to our suddenly exemplary behavior.
There was a time in ancient history when people looked forward to cloudy days, because they thought the Lord wouldn't be able to look down and catch them sinning. It was like a free day. Today we understand how absurd that was. When a person is caught in adultery, or theft, or homosexuality it's obvious to everyone that he or she has been sinning. But the person who secretly envies his neighbor's possessions, is jealous, harbors resentment, or is self righteous, is every bit as much a sinner. The only difference is that nobody knows. Nobody on Earth, that is.
And then there's the sin we're not even aware of. This is what caused David to write, “Who can discern His errors? Lord, forgive my hidden faults.” (Psalm 19:12) We can't even figure out our own motives and yet are often quick to judge the motives of others. We say they could stop their sinning whenever they want to, and are only doing it by choice, while we remain in our secret sins having convinced ourselves that we're not sinning, and seeing no need to stop.
Do we think that condemning others and questioning their salvation, as so many in the Church do, is helping them? With the woman caught in adultery, Jesus saved her life by exposing the secret sins of her accusers. Once they understood that He knew the hidden flaws in their behavior, they no longer had the stomach for condemning her. This was a demonstration of his admonition in Matt. 7:1-2 to avoid judging others unless we want to be judged in like manner. He said He would use the same measure on us that we use on others. When He said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”(John 8:7) , He was saying in effect, “If you want to start killing people for their sins, are you willing to face the same judgment for yours?” He can expose our hypocrisy just as easily, you know. If we want other believers kicked out of the rapture for their sins, are we willing to be kicked out for ours? We've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It's true, Jesus said. "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of Heaven." But He can do that. He's Jesus. We're not.
After they fled, Jesus asked "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" she said, No one, sir. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:10-11) My guess is that she stopped committing adultery. Of course she also would have stopped if her accusers had killed her, but would she have been delivered from her sin?
The Pharisees were upset with Jesus because they considered Him “soft” on sin. After all, He palled around with “sinners”, had dinner in their homes, and said He came to save them, not to condemn them. I've noticed that the closer people came to Jesus, the more they became aware of their sins. They were often on their knees, weeping, pleading for mercy. The Pharisees stood in the back, scowling, arms folded across their chests, silently condemning. I think Paul was writing about such people when he said they show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance. (Romans 2:4)
Jesus said that prostitutes and tax collectors would enter the Kingdom before the Pharisees did. Why? Because they knew they were sinners in need of a savior. They had repented, whereas the Pharisees had not. (Matt. 21:32)
I think you get the point of this, which is to remind us that we're all sinners who deserve only judgment. There's not a single one of us who has earned the right to go in the Rapture. We should be so thrilled to know He's going to take us anyway that we search high and low trying to find a way to say thanks, instead of looking around for people we want to have excluded. And those of you who think that you only sin occasionally, if at all, and others are just weak, it's time you repent. Admit you're a sinner and ask the Lord to forgive you. He will immediately agree, and perhaps for the first time you'll experience the full measure of God's Grace, because he who has been forgiven much, loves much.
He began by saying that in judging our behavior, God would not overlook even the smallest detail of the Law. He said that even our thoughts would be held against us. Anger is as bad as murder, He said, lust is as bad as adultery, and so on. He said that unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees we will certainly not enter the Kingdom. (Matt. 5:20) Later on He said that they were like whitewashed tombs which are beautiful on the outside but full of dead men's bones. He said in the same way they appeared to people as righteous but were full of hypocrisy. (Matt. 23:27-28) The Pharisees were compulsive about their behavior, applying the Law to the most minute things in their lives, even giving a tithe of the herbs and spices that grew in their gardens. (Matt. 23:23) And our righteousness needs to exceed theirs? In all of their behavior they had achieved perfection.
Where Did That Come From?
Then where does sin originate if not in our behavior? In Mark 7:20-23 Jesus said: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "
Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) This is what he meant. Satan brings evil thoughts to the threshold of our minds. If we immediately take these thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ, there's no harm done. We've fended off an attack. (2 Cor. 10:3-5) But the moment we give them any consideration at all, we've sinned. Anger, jealousy, envy, lust, resentment, frustration, self-pity are some of the more obvious ones, but then there's admiration, pride, self-satisfaction, self-righteousness and a long list of others that give glory to someone or something other than God. Our hearts being incurably wicked we do two things that make us sinners. First, we harbor these thoughts, and second we think that because we don't act on them we haven't sinned. But whether acted upon or not, these and many more are all sins punishable by death. No one sees them, and they're so natural to us that often we ourselves are barely aware of them. To all outward appearances we appear to be fine, upstanding examples of Christian goodness, but inside we're rotten to the core.
Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of Calvary Chapel, once said, “We aren't sinners because we sin, we sin because we're sinners.” It's our nature. Those who claim to have stopped sinning simply don't understand this. The best we can say about ourselves is that because of our conversion we're perhaps a little more aware of our sins, but the research has shown that by and large most of us live lives that aren't any freer of sin than our unbelieving neighbors. Like them, we're after bigger and better stuff for ourselves while ignoring the needs of people around us. Like them we're jealous of the success of others while crediting ourselves with our own success. Like them we get angry about little things. Like them, we wish our lives were different. Like them, we have a secular world view.
But what has been most instructive to me lately is the way so many people actually think they're no longer sinners, just because they're saved. I guess the old saying is true. We all want grace for ourselves while demanding justice for everyone else. We want to be judged by our intentions but we want others judged by their actions.
As the Bible clearly shows, there is no hierarchy of sin. All sin brings death. We don't think there's anything wrong with being angry or envying the possessions of our neighbors or entertaining a lustful thought now and then, but we demand others stop their sinning or else be condemned. Please don't misunderstand me. There's nothing wrong with being uncomfortable around sinful behavior. There's nothing wrong with deciding to withdraw from it. And there's nothing wrong with demanding that the leaders of our churches adhere to Biblical principles about sin. But when we start saying that certain forms of sin disqualify a person for salvation, then we've put ourselves in God's place and risk having the same measure we use in judging others, be used with us.
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matt. 7:1-2)
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)
According to Biblical standards we all willingly, consciously and deliberately sin. The fact that some sins are more obvious to us than others is irrelevant. It's what's in our hearts that counts, and God sees them all. We forget that Jesus said every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 12:31) Every sin. And not just once. Enough to last a life time.
Repent And Be Saved
Having talked about sin, we should also take a look at repentance. The Greek word translated repent is metanoeo. Meta means after and noeo means to understand. To repent literally means to understand afterward. As it's used in the New Testament it means to change one's mind. The phrase “Repent and be saved” means change your mind about your behavior and realize that you're a sinner in need of a savior. It was first used with Jews who thought that keeping the Law would save them. When John the Baptist (Matt. 3:2), Jesus (Matt. 4:17), and Peter (Acts 2:38) told the people to repent, they were telling them to change their minds about believing that their own works could save them. Only people who know their behavior is sinful will realize their need for a Savior. Once it becomes clear to us that we're sinners and can't save ourselves, we're ready to ask for salvation. We've repented.
But nowhere in the Bible is anyone required to change their behavior before they can ask for salvation. The old hymn “Just as I Am” makes that clear. To say that the word repent implies that behavioral change is a condition of salvation is an incorrect understanding of the word. The notion that Christians stop sinning once we're saved is similarly incorrect. The fact that God chooses to see us as a new creation is a function of His ability to look ahead to what we'll be in the resurrection. It's not due to our suddenly exemplary behavior.
There was a time in ancient history when people looked forward to cloudy days, because they thought the Lord wouldn't be able to look down and catch them sinning. It was like a free day. Today we understand how absurd that was. When a person is caught in adultery, or theft, or homosexuality it's obvious to everyone that he or she has been sinning. But the person who secretly envies his neighbor's possessions, is jealous, harbors resentment, or is self righteous, is every bit as much a sinner. The only difference is that nobody knows. Nobody on Earth, that is.
And then there's the sin we're not even aware of. This is what caused David to write, “Who can discern His errors? Lord, forgive my hidden faults.” (Psalm 19:12) We can't even figure out our own motives and yet are often quick to judge the motives of others. We say they could stop their sinning whenever they want to, and are only doing it by choice, while we remain in our secret sins having convinced ourselves that we're not sinning, and seeing no need to stop.
Do we think that condemning others and questioning their salvation, as so many in the Church do, is helping them? With the woman caught in adultery, Jesus saved her life by exposing the secret sins of her accusers. Once they understood that He knew the hidden flaws in their behavior, they no longer had the stomach for condemning her. This was a demonstration of his admonition in Matt. 7:1-2 to avoid judging others unless we want to be judged in like manner. He said He would use the same measure on us that we use on others. When He said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone”(John 8:7) , He was saying in effect, “If you want to start killing people for their sins, are you willing to face the same judgment for yours?” He can expose our hypocrisy just as easily, you know. If we want other believers kicked out of the rapture for their sins, are we willing to be kicked out for ours? We've all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It's true, Jesus said. "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of Heaven." But He can do that. He's Jesus. We're not.
After they fled, Jesus asked "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" she said, No one, sir. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:10-11) My guess is that she stopped committing adultery. Of course she also would have stopped if her accusers had killed her, but would she have been delivered from her sin?
The Pharisees were upset with Jesus because they considered Him “soft” on sin. After all, He palled around with “sinners”, had dinner in their homes, and said He came to save them, not to condemn them. I've noticed that the closer people came to Jesus, the more they became aware of their sins. They were often on their knees, weeping, pleading for mercy. The Pharisees stood in the back, scowling, arms folded across their chests, silently condemning. I think Paul was writing about such people when he said they show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance. (Romans 2:4)
Jesus said that prostitutes and tax collectors would enter the Kingdom before the Pharisees did. Why? Because they knew they were sinners in need of a savior. They had repented, whereas the Pharisees had not. (Matt. 21:32)
I think you get the point of this, which is to remind us that we're all sinners who deserve only judgment. There's not a single one of us who has earned the right to go in the Rapture. We should be so thrilled to know He's going to take us anyway that we search high and low trying to find a way to say thanks, instead of looking around for people we want to have excluded. And those of you who think that you only sin occasionally, if at all, and others are just weak, it's time you repent. Admit you're a sinner and ask the Lord to forgive you. He will immediately agree, and perhaps for the first time you'll experience the full measure of God's Grace, because he who has been forgiven much, loves much.
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