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Season's Greetings

Year after year Christmas is celebrated worldwide by believers as well as non-believers, by bigots as well as atheists. It seems just about everybody loves the holiday. For some people, though, it's not so easy to get into that special mood because of the weather. I mean, where's the snow? Oh dear, oh my, a "no snow" would simply ruin everything! No fret now, there's still a couple of weeks to go before 2024 comes to an end.

Well, it's been another year of political upheaval, vanishing taboos, blasphemy, widespread fear, violence and crime, as the world has taken another giant step towards the abyss. It's really high time for the "Merry Xmas & a Happy New Year" routine.
Same procedure as every year. I'm not a stranger to that Christmassy feeling, been feeling it for most of my life around this time of year. I remember a church service, where the evangelical preacher ranted and pounded on the pulpit in "holy indignation" about the use of the word Xmas: "They're leaving "Christ" out of Christmas!" This, of course, was followed by a chorus of 'amens' and 'hallelujahs' from the congregation. Sorry guy, but you're wrong on both counts. The New Testament in most Western Bibles is translated from the Greek, and in this case Χριστός translates to "Christ" and has often been abbreviated with "X" since the Roman Emperor Constantine (306 -337). So actually, it's nothing new. Secondly, how can Christ be left out of Christmas? Christ never was in Christmas in the first place! The English word is derivative of Christ + mass – a Catholic combo, a Catholic holiday.

How about some 'food for thought' for these so-called peaceful days of reflection and self-contemplation? Nowadays they're calling it the "Festival of Love". Yeah, right. Define love. Consumers buying like there's no tomorrow, the non-stop ringing of cash registers, a mighty cash injection for the economy, high sales of alcohol for the drinking parties and ball games on TV, gorging food till the buttons pop and belts are loosened – sounds more like the Festival of Lust. Granted, family get-togethers can be fun but also stressful, depending on the family. You might like the holiday activities, with that warm fuzzy feeling inside, or perhaps you are the religious type and like spending some serious time of devotion in a church, in honor of the Baby – truth is, there's absolutely no record of the early church or the Apostles celebrating Christmas, the word's not even found in the Bible. The Lord's birth could not have taken place during the winter months – those shepherds were tending their sheep in the fields at night, winter in that area would have been too cold and rainy, and so the sheep would have been tucked away nice and snug in their stalls. It really doesn't matter, though. Why? Because we were not told by our Lord Yeshua to celebrate His birth, but rather His death and resurrection (Luke 22:19-20) Acts 2:38 = Repent (His death), baptism (burial) and gift of the Holy Spirit (resurrection).

Funny thing is, in most cases the Lord is not even invited to His own birthday party. While people give gifts to each other, the birthday child is often ignored. What a strange custom! Truly a festival by the people for the people, in fact a carryover from the pagan festival 'Saturnalia' of the ancient Romans, dating back to 500 years before Christ. They celebrated the winter solstice in honor of their sun god Sol Invictus. Guess which date the celebration was on? December 25! Now rewind back to 325 AD – the year the Roman Catholic Church was founded. The Emperor Constantine was in a dilemma, as the pagans were not willing to give up their holiday, and so he had to come up with a plan to keep the pagans and the religious leaders happy. Constantine declared Catholicism to be the official state religion and then renamed Saturnalia to Christmas. Saturnalia had involved sun worship, traces of which you can still see in the Catholic Church today. No time to visit your local mass? No problem, there's Google. Just type in something like "sun symbols catholic church images" and get all the sun you want.

I realize this is a feel-good time for many people. If you get joy out of giving presents to others, it's certainly not because of a pagan holiday. God says: "It is more blessed to give than receive" (Acts 20:35). Being a cheerful giver is what counts:
"Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Just imagine! You've got a whole year's time to make someone happy with a gift. Paul scolded the Galatian believers for observing various holidays:
"But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. Now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days, months, seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain" (Galatians 4:8-11).
By the way, the goings-on of this "jolly season" are described in the Old Testament, written down some 700 years before the birth of the Messiah Yeshua:

"Do not learn the ways of the pagans. Do not be dismayed at the signs of the heavens [winter solstice = decrease and increase of the sun], for the pagans are dismayed at them. The customs of the people are futile, for they cut down a tree from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with an ax. They decorate the tree with silver and gold and fasten it with nails and hammers so that it will not fall over. Those trees stand upright and cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk by themselves [as they are dead idols]" (Jeremiah 10:1-5).
The pagans of ancient Babylon celebrated the rebirth of their king Nimrod with drinking parties, decorating trees and exchanging gifts. 

"Season's Greetings" for me, at most, can only be referring to the winter season. At this time of year, it's nice to go for a walk through a Winter Wonderland after a heavy snow. I prefer doing so, however, without those nasty ancient gods, without putting Christ into the mass. Among other non-biblical practices, Catholics pray for the dead during mass. Problem is, you can pray for the dead till you're blue in the face, it won't change a thing if you are an unbeliever. Once in the grave, there's no getting out till you hear the command "Arise!" The Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah, is the Giver of life and the way to Him is by faith and trust in what you cannot see. Religion is stocked full of rituals performed to dead "saints" as well as to dead gods of wood and stone. Such gods are visible but cannot speak, walk or help you in time of need:

"For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God. Not of works [religious rites, rituals and ceremonies], otherwise anyone could boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Christmas or Xmas, whatever you call it, is anything but biblical. It's not a holy time but rather a time to buy and consume, and to fatten the bank accounts of those shop owners ready to sell their souls for money. A time for partying, overeating and binge drinking. And so, once again, the tree is cut down, set up in the home, decorated with silver, gold, colorful ornaments and lights, to be looked [stared] at and admired. There it is, the "Christmas spirit". Can you feel it? Maybe another glass or two of wine will help produce that special atmosphere. Christmas is a worldly festival by the pagans [heathen, unbelievers] for the pagans. It's a festival full of idolatry, for example the dead Catholic "saint" Nicholas [Nikolaus], the Christ Child [Baby Jesus], the Christmas tree, and so on. None of the above has anything to do with the enthroned King Yeshua. If you go on and celebrate Xmas anyway – do what you must do, but quit mixing the holy things of God with the unholy practices of paganism:

"What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:15-18).

Dear Family & Friends, most of you will enjoy time off from work and hopefully spend some quality time with your loved ones, all cosy indoors with some hot tea or wine and a Winter Wonderland outdoors. Though I no longer celebrate Christmas, I do wish you blessed days of rest and relaxation, and God's blessings for the New Year 2025!
Fred

LGBTQ

Walking along Rhode Island Avenue in the heart of Washington D.C., you can read the Mission Statement of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) headquarters carved in stone at the entrance:
"The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community."
Human Rights are certainly being violated in many ways and many places in the world, but it seems the HRC is mainly preoccupied with Sodom and Gomorrah. As it is, not every human right is necessarily a Godly right. Though the Bible condemns the gay lifestyle as sin and a perversion of God's order, those opposing it are said to have an "anxiety disorder", for example, the arachnophobic fears spiders, the claustrophobic has a fear of confined places and the homophobic a fear of gays and their lifestyle. However, my fear is godly, with a whole lot of respect for God's Word. It's all been turned around now and it's considered normal for two people of the same sex to live together and adopt children, as of course they can't reproduce their own as God commanded. Speak out against homosexuality and society will say that you are the one with a problem and a phobia. In Isaiah 5:20 we read:
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."
I recently saw a news headline that read "Worldwide Persecution of Homosexuals". Why don't they write about the worldwide persecution of Christians? The gay lifestyle has been crammed down our throats by the media and propagated by Hollywood, or more accurately, "Hellywood". The sense of outrage and disgust people showed years ago has meanwhile turned into acceptance. Leaving those dark rooms behind, gays are popping up all over the place and delighting in the warm welcome of society. Most people know it's wrong, thanks to the New Covenant God has made with mankind:
"This is the covenant that I will make with the people in those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts and in their minds I will write them" (Heb. 10:16).
God's laws are there in your heart and in your mind to know the difference between right and wrong, unless you are among those people who have rejected God and His Word often enough and have passed the point of no return, no longer able to discern between good and evil. It's the sad condition of a godless generation, where "love" is no more than the carnal desire called lust. What the cultured intellectuals and gays call "freedom", the Bible calls "corruption". Contrary to popular belief, people are not born as lesbians, gays or transgenders. God "created them male and female" (Genesis 5:2).
Once again the Earthlings have corrupted their ways, the same as in the days of Noah before the Flood came over the entire world and destroyed all life on Earth. The word "corrupt" not only refers to homosexuality, but also to other forms of depravity such as murder, violence, child abuse and pornography, perversion of every kind, greed for money, mutual hatred among ethnic groups, and so on. The lust of the flesh knows no boundaries, as it was in the ancient world:
"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on Earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart were evil continually. God looked upon the Earth and saw that it was corrupt and filled with violence” (Genesis 6).
According to the covenant God made with Noah after the Flood, life on Earth will never again be wiped out by flood waters. God promised that whenever we see a rainbow in the sky, it will serve as a reminder of the covenant (Genesis 9:12-17). Interesting that gays and lesbians have chosen the rainbow as their symbol – as if they are just daring the Lord to do something about it. The next time life on Earth is destroyed, in any case, it will be by fire (2 Peter 3:10).
The last letter of the Bible, before the apocalypse of Revelation, is Jude. His letter describes what life will be like shortly before destruction comes upon mankind. The condition of the world today is quickly turning into the way it was when Sodom was destroyed by fire. The homosexuality of Lot's time was "the last straw that broke the camel's back" (Jude 6-7). If you wonder what society will look like shortly before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, just switch on the news. The Earth is soon to be shaken and the increasing disasters and conflicts of the present time are the warning "sorrows" of the last days as described in Mark 13:8. So, you think gay is okay? The Bible tells us point-blank what God thinks about it:
"Women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise the men, leaving the natural use of the woman and burning in their lust for one another. Men with men committing what's shameful and receiving the due penalty of their error" (Romans 1:26-27).
"Don’t you know that unrighteous people will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t delude yourselves — people who engage in sex before marriage, who worship idols, who engage in sex after marriage with someone other than their spouse, who engage in active or passive homosexuality ... will have no part in the Kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 CJB).
Those who practised homosexuality in Old Testament times were put to death (Leviticus 20:13). Noah, with his wife and children, found safety from destruction in the ark he built according to God's instructions. In these last days, God provides an ark for our safety, Messiah Yeshua, also known as the Lord Jesus Christ. In these New Testament times the "door of the ark" is open for whoever chooses to believe, repent and receive forgiveness of sins. In seeking refuge in Christ Jesus, who is the Ark of God, a new life begins, a lifestyle that does not include gay. The original meaning of the word "gay" was "cheerful and happy", but there's nothing cheerful about a godless lifestyle and the end won't be a happy one. People have rebelled against their Creator from the beginning, and homosexuality is the ultimate rebellion.
In Genesis 1:28 we read that "God created man and woman [Adam and Eve, not "Adam and Steve"] and told them to be fruitful and multiply."
"The night is almost over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and arm ourselves with the weapons of light. Let us live properly, as people do in the daytime — not partying and getting drunk, not engaging in sexual immorality and other excesses, not quarrelling and being jealous. Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah; and don’t waste your time thinking about how to provide for the sinful desires of your old nature. (Romans 13:12-14 CJB).
Fred

THE ANCIENT OF DAYS & THE ANGEL OF LIGHT

The prophet gazed in wonder at the vision of thunder and lightening around the throne of God. The eyes of the Ancient of Days are like flames of fire, His feet like fine brass refined in a furnace, and His voice the sound of rushing water. His hair is white like wool and the throne He sits on a fiery flame, its wheels of burning fire.
An angel had been created who was glorious in appearance, graceful in movement with a contour of excellence. Strolling down the streets of splendor for all to admire, Lucifer, the Angel of Light,  flaunted the beauty, glory and magnificence given to him by the enthroned Creator. Wings soft as cotton, handsome face and a body built to perfection, that was the angel. Beauty, perfection and then … pride. The angel of light, not content with the great honor and admiration of the heavens, desired to be higher than the Most High Himself! One third of the angels of God joined ranks with Lucifer in rebellion and the battle raged, resulting in their expulsion from Heaven. The fallen angel and his armies have descended to the Earth and into the underworld, ranting and raving.
“Rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great anger, because he knows that his time is short" (Rev. 12:12).
"I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven" (Jesus in Luke 10:18).
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakens the nations! For you said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the pit" (Isaiah 14: 12-15).
The once beautiful angel Lucifer had become Satan the Rebel. Over the course of time, separated from the light of God, he mutated into the Prince of Darkness. The devil has meanwhile established his kingdom on Earth, today more than ever, deceiving mankind time and again as an angel of light. The “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) has formed and shaped religions, governments, educational institutions as well as the way people think and speak, but one of Satan’s greatest strokes of genius in leading the world astray has been the movie and TV industry, which promotes everything that God hates and the Bible forbids. Murder, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greed, hate and just about anything else that is anti-Christ and contrary to sound doctrine, have become elements of entertainment.
The narrow path to eternal life, a life lived by denying your own desires and living for God and for others, is well described in the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. According to the film industry, most people are Catholic (they’re constantly crossing themselves in movies) and just about everybody gets to go to Heaven, although the Word of God is very clear on the matter:
“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who will go in by it. But narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life and there are few who will find it” (Mat. 7: 13-14).
The word gospel means "good news", but what is dished out in living rooms and cinemas all over the world is in fact bad news for a person’s spiritual health. For the time being, the powers of darkness have gained the upper hand until that coming Day when the final prophecies of the Word of God reach their fulfillment. Nowadays there are organizations that spread their own church doctrine rather than the gospel. It’s no coincidence that while secular America propagates capitalism and the acquiring of wealth, the church world produces prosperity evangelists who preach the same philosophy in contradiction to what the Bible teaches, where their "Jesus" is similar to a stockbroker (give me your money and the Lord will multiply your returns):
“… useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself” (1 Tim. 6:5).
Satan is the father of lies, as it says in John 8:44. As the prince of the power of the air, he uses that power to move people to lie and blaspheme. Have you noticed how inhibitions are falling away and how easy lying has become? Those who scream fake news are themselves full of the same, and not ashamed. And the way the name of God is being abused can only come from Satan, the god of this world. I remember as a child, only those who were not so fine (primitive) ever included the names of God and Jesus in their collection of cuss words. Those were coarse, mean and nasty people, who often seemed to live „on the other side of the tracks“. Nowadays it’s the „in thing“ to do. People say it without even thinking. I like asking people,“Is He your God? Because you keep saying ‚my God!‘ so I was just wondering.“
For the god of this world Satan and the angels who rebelled with him, who are now demons, there will be no returning to their cosy home in Heaven. Their final destination will be the Lake of Fire, “made for the devil and his angels" (Mat. 25:41). Free will that we have, we can choose to walk in the light of God and enter His Paradise or remain in the darkness of unbelief and suffer eternal destruction with the prince of darkness:
“The cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and ALL LIARS shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8)
So, does it all sound like a fairytale? Think after you die you'll never wake up? Or wake up in Hollywood heaven? Taking the chance? Have you ever thought about how the hours you sleep at night have no meaning until you wake up the next morning (unless you’re plagued by a weak bladder, but even then three or four hours might go by that you’re not the least bit aware of). Our bodies are refreshed after eight hours of sound sleep, but for our consciousness it was only a second or two. The sleep of the dead seems so long to us who are still among the living, but just imagine this scene:
Someone dies, perhaps the last thing he sees are the faces of his loved ones surrounding his bed ... he passes from this world ... tick-tock ... and awakens for his appointment to appear before the Ancient of Days.
Still say “no”, that it’s simply make-believe, fiction? You might believe, as many do, that your own inner power is the way, that evolution is the truth and that "doing the best you can" is the life. Jesus proclaimed:
“I am the way, the truth and the life.”  Now, that's profound. What if it is true?  I believe Him. Do you? Or do you listen to the whispers of the prince of the power of the air around you?
In John 1:5, it is written that "the light shines in the darkness but the darkness does not comprehend it". How to obtain such light? How to secure a dwelling place in the realm of the Ancient of Days, where there is not one trace of darkness? The following scripture is awesome:
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 8:12).
There you have it. Got it?

The Ancient of Days was seated on His throne, the court was open, let judgment begin. The dead stood before God and books were opened. Another book was opened as well, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their works, by the things written in the books. Those whose names were not written in the Book of Life were thrown into the Lake of Fire, which is the second death. (see Revelation 20).
The first death is around the corner, just waiting. The second death, however, doesn't have to be. It can be avoided, it's up to you
Fred

Are You a Good Person?

Do you see yourself as a good person? Most people consider themselves basically good, especially compared to those who are not so good. If you think you're good deep down inside, read what the Word of God says in the Old and New Testaments:
"We are all like an unclean thing and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags." "There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none who understands, there is none who seeks God. They have all turned away and become useless. There is none who does good, no, not one" (Isaiah 64:6 / Romans 3:10-12).
Now, after reading the above scriptures, if you still believe you're a good person, then it's time to try the Test. I think three or four of the Ten Commandments will be enough to make the point. Ready? The answers in this Q & A are standard replies by various respondents. If you're honest, what would your answers be?
Q: Have you ever told a lie / Do you sometimes lie? A: Sure I have, like everyone else.
Q: Have you ever stolen anything? A: Only small things, no harm done, like a pen forgotten on a table.
Q: Do you ever take the name of God in vain [OMG –misuse – blasphemy]? A: Yes, I'm afraid so./When I get angry./It's modern, a person has to go with the times.
Q: Men, have you ever looked at a woman with lust? Nowadays a stupid question, I know. Women, have you done the same with men? A: Yes, of course. Who hasn't?
The word of God tells us: You shall not lie – You shall not steal – Do not blaspheme the name of God – You shall not commit adultery. Jesus said, if you look upon a woman (or man) with sexual desire (not including your husband or wife, of course), then you have already committed adultery in your heart.
If you responded YES to the above questions, even though you are a good person in your own eyes, you just admitted that, according to God's law, you are a lying, thieving, blasphemous adulterer. Now if God judges you according to His law, you're in trouble and are not headed for Heaven, on the contrary.  Still think you're a good person? Think again!
When I first heard about this, I thought: "Oh, I'm in trouble! How do I get out of this mess?" And then I heard that all I have to do is ask God to forgive me my sins. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Just remember, though: If you come to God with a sincere heart, and you are really sorry for breaking His commands, He will forgive you and give you a clean slate. There is something, however, you need to remember.
In the Gospel of John 8:10-12, the religious people brought a woman to Jesus who had been caught in the very act of adultery. They were testing Him to see what He would answer, hoping to have something to accuse Him of. They said that Moses, in the Old Testament, had commanded that such a one like that woman be stoned to death. Jesus simply replied: "He who is without sin, let him throw the first stone at her". One by one the people left, beginning with the oldest ones on down. Their guilty consciences got the best of them. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman standing there, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 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 8:10-12)
So you see, forgiveness and cleansing by your Creator only makes sense if you stop sinning. You will surely stumble now and then, but there is forgiveness for that. But this is not a "Catholic thing", where a person makes confession to a priest and goes out to continue sinning, only to come back to that priest soon again. He is a mere man and cannot cleanse you of sins, only God can do that.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
There you have it. Being what you consider a good person will not get you into Heaven. Also, many so-called converts have "accepted" Jesus at some time or other during a church service, only to live like the world during the week – no difference, no change. You must be born again [regenerated] by the Spirit of God to live the way you need to and to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:3-6).
This is a self-loving generation (2 Timothy 3:2). Rather than following Jesus, many of those so-called new converts expect Jesus to follow them, to be included in their "great and exciting" lives – with the phone in one pocket and Jesus in the other! Won't be long before you see them standing at the "altar" at the front of the church holding a selfie stick to capture the moment. I just have to wonder what kind of "moment" we're talking about here. I can tell you this: If there is anything good about me, it's because of Adonai Yeshua, the Lord Jesus, who works His miracles in those who turn their lives over to Him. Yeshua compares people with trees:
"Every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, or a bad tree good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire! So you will recognize them by their fruit." (Matthew 7:17-20 CJB).
People might jump around and shout 'Hallelujah!' in a building called 'church', wave their arms like crazy while grinning from ear to ear, but tune in on their lives on a daily basis to see what kind of fruit they bear. A good tree will bear good fruit – the good fruit of following Yeshua and keeping His commands. So they attend a "charismatic worship sevice" on the weekend that 's similar to a rock concert, but their fruit must be different than those concert-goers during the week.
Are you a good person? In Bible language it's like asking: "Are you righteous?" In the book of Romans in chapters like 3, 5 or 10, for example, we read that God makes us righteous alone through faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Without a born-again relationship with God, your 'righteousness' is no more than self-righteousness. There is plenty of self-righteousness in the world – both among the religious as well as the non-religious.
Fred

A flood, a flood of information, we're drowning in it. Everyone knows something, something they heard, read, saw, were told; news, news to pass along at the regular get-together of familiar faces sitting around a massive oak table in a pub. Sharing with one another livens the conversation, and a proper dose of intoxicating drink turns talk into babble, as each one has to "put in his two cents" on this or that topic. The info stems from the heart of the matrix, the media. Just talk the talk and you'll be fine – politics, sports, job, holiday plans, even religion – stay within the boundaries of the matrix to get those nods and smiles."
Stop! Don't you dare be a party pooper and leave the matrix! Oops, too late, I'm out of bounds. Just the mention, one mention of the Gospel and the Name above all names, Yeshua or Jesus, whichever you prefer, wipes those smiles off in a flash. It's only a name, right? But what an impact:
"God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in Heaven and on Earth, and of those under the Earth, and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."    (Philippians 2:9-11)
Though not a laughing matter, the reactions are comical. The eyebrows around the table tell it all – knit together with concern, raised in arrogance or unbelief, arched in surprise or shock – the smile is replaced by a frown. It's serious business now, business not on the usual evening agenda. It's so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Here and there a mouth hangs open, minds are at work and they're getting ready to counterattack. Such hostility towards King Jesus, tsk, tsk! Just about everything is accepted as true except the truth of the Gospel, and yet:
"Let God be true, but every man a liar." (Romans 3:4).
Many are the replies, like "Leave me alone with that ... nonsense, don't try to missionize me!" or "I don't believe that way". It's amazing, the junk people believe – once dead, always dead – a higher power somewhere in the universe – reality creation – Buddha – mother goddess – one's own inner power – evolution – all of which are safely within the matrix, accepted by society and never met with hostility.
Corporate Media dishes out a potpourri around the clock. Seasoned with the right amounts of fake news, propaganda and fairytales, huge sums of money are invested and an army of people are employed to lead the masses down the yellow brick road of fantasy and unbelief. Media mush is swallowed whenever they bury their noses in a newspaper, watch the evening news or keep their eyes glued to their smartphones. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:5, "They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world and the world hears them." By the way, the closer you get to God, the less fascinated you are by the world. Many so-called Christians nowadays have grown weak by their fascination for the world and are hard to distinguish from unbelievers. As if the motto is something like "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em", meaning "if your adversaries are stronger than you, it is better to join their side". Wait a second, it's supposed to be the other way around. Remember? The Bible says point-blank:
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them [the world], because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4)
To know the living God is to be interested in Him and His kingdom. This old world here no longer holds much of an attraction, for "old things have passed away and all things have become new" (2. Cor. 5:17). Not so with the dead gods of religion. "You shall not kill" is the command from outside the matrix, while the religions and nations of the world hate and kill each other, disregarding the Word of God. For peace in the midst of turmoil, connect with your Creator and find your way through the maze of obstacles intent on keeping you from the Source of Life. Jesus says:
"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Unplug from the media, plug into the Spirit of God, disconnect in order to connect. Shut down, time out! Just imagine Google not knowing where you are, if only for a few short hours. People never doubt the existence of the Global Positioning System (GPS), though it's invisible, but they doubt the existence of God and refuse to believe that He watches over them. God knows the thoughts of the mind and the intent of the heart.
"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve." (Jeremiah 17:10)
As far as data privacy goes, they've got "nothing to hide", but when it comes to God, they just might have "plenty to hide". Get off alone and unplug. The system of media plays with our minds by changing its mind. What was bad for consumers last year is no problem this year, depending on the expert who does the reporting. Experts never agree, the perfect tool to spread confusion. Media is manipulative, steers discussions and forms opinions. Unplugging from the system, as often as possible, steps up your chances of connecting with the Light. We've been blinded by Satan, the creator of the matrix. Time to take off the blindfold!
"If the Gospel is veiled [hidden], it is veiled to those who are perishing [lost], whose minds the god of this age has blinded. They do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
Switch it off, pull the plug, dare to be cut off from the matrix! Do it while it's still allowed. All by yourself – no radio, no Internet, no TV – alone with your thoughts. Find out for yourself what was important to mankind before media started thinking for us. Freedom is just a prayer away. Talking the talk, walking the walk of this world is getting old and tiresome. The matrix is slowly but surely self-destructing. In the days of Noah, Satan was busy building and shaping his matrix. Then came the Great Flood and destroyed the whole thing. Now he's back with a vengeance, the matrix is reloaded and ready to serve his purpose - namely to drag as many people as possible down into the fiery pit, where he himself is heading along with his fallen angels. Sound like a fairytale? It's not. It's time to leave Babylon, time to get out of her "while the gettin' is good". If you leave her at a snail's pace, you just might be squashed. Don't walk, run – run for your life!
“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4).

The Watchman

Fun Generation

"Nothing to do! I'm bored to tears!" "That's all, only tears? I'm bored to death! Where's the action?" Boredom is a modern day illness, more so among the Millennials & Gen Z than the baby boomers (interesting is that "z" is the end of the alphabet). The more digitalized we become, the more bored we get. Mr. Bored sits there messing with his phone, when it suddenly rings in his hand: "Hey, ya wanna hang out, watch a movie or something?" "Sure. Nothing else is going on!" Being bored is better with a friend than alone, misery loves company. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), we think less and do less, and we can't survive without being entertained. First fews times you play that digital game, it just might be fun and fascinating, but at some time or other it gets boring. Like alchohol or drugs, you need a little more each time for the same effect. If your only hope in life is to wander from pleasure to greater pleasure and from fun to more fun, you haven't got much and you're headed towards a dead end, literally speaking. A life lived for and in Yeshua (Jesus) knows no boredom:

"You will show me the path of life. In Your presence is fullness of joy. At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11)

It's meanwhile the no. 1 topic: "Whatever we do, stay in or go out, let's have fun! If it's not fun, it's boring." This is the age of entertainment. A choice of a zillion songs and any number of games is at our fingertips, and yet – there it is, back again, boredom. And so the pleasure-seekers forever ask: Where's the party? Fun, anyone? Another drink? Your place or mine? What's there to do? Forever seeking and never finding. Not happy yet? Try again tomorrow? Same disappointment? Check this out:

"Happy are the people whose God is the Lord." (Psalm 144:15)

Once upon a time there was a faraway world full of hedonists, pleasure-seekers in pursuit of money, having fun and self-indulgence. They shaped the cityscapes and gradually mutated into the ungodly and decadent – hetero, gay, lesbian, transgender – the whole lot. They loved and lived for pleasure, showing absolutely no interest in God their Creator nor in the message of ADONAI (the Lord) for their lives. And then, the Flood came and swept them all away – end of fun and party time, end of life – just as Noah had warned of the coming judgment. What a ridiculous notion it had been to them – the judgment of God. And today? In the Bible (2 Timothy 3) we read that in the last days, the end times, people will be:

"lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power." 

The beauty industry makes tons of money off of modern day hedonists who strive for perfection, a "form of godliness". Point is, people are once again seeking pleasure rather than God. The modern teenager is completey digitalized, yet he moans and groans, "I'm bored. What's there to do?" We had no "digital fun" when I was growing up, but life was full of fascination and adventure. Left to ourselves, the word "boring" was not part of our vocabulary. I can't recall one dull moment, except perhaps when we had to sit still and watch vacation movies or slides of some relatives or friends of the family. Thanks to modern technology, you can now enjoy a lot more boredom more often in the form of selfies. Our phones are equipped with two cameras, front and back, one for the person taking the selfie and one for his reflection in the mirror. They're taking snapshots like crazy! Taking pictures for dead moments afterwards in a photo album. They roam around in a trance, mesmerized by their handheld devices, deaf to the voice of God. King Yeshua is ready to give life to the walking dead, those who open up when he comes knocking:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" (Rev. 3:20).

Clearly a message that's largely ignored and rejected by the zombies who are only interested in the short text messages that beep from their phones. Swollen egos, crazy about money and having fun, they idolize everything from movie stars and athletes to their dead gods of religion and pleasure. Without giving God a second thought or even believing in Him, they abuse His name non-stop in outbursts of OMG emotion – anger, impatience, surprise, but also when they're having fun.
Speaking of fun, Friday night is coming around again. After a long week of work, we deserve to party, time for some serious "bar-hopping". It'll be loads of fun! The British term "pub crawl" is a good description for later on in the evening. What begins with a hop will surely end in a crawl after drowning your dreams in drink. What fun! Enjoy the thrill of vomiting on a street corner and a throbbing headache the next morning. Keep those senses deadened enough, you might not notice when the world comes crashing down until it's too late:

"The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the Earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?" (2 Peter 3:10-12).

It's true that any one of us could pass away before this old Earth does. The young partygoers had a fun evening together – nobody likes to drink alone – then wobbled to the car with arms wrapped around each other, only to wrap the car around a tree on the way home. Never know when your time's up. A message to all you hedonistic pleasure-seekers planning tomorrow's fun:

"You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).
Fred

Humanism

We live in a day when there is a great war going on in the society in which we live. There are many battlefronts and aspects to the war, but the primary war in our day is between Christianity and humanism. Humanism is a religion and a philosophy of life which views man as the supreme being of the universe, while rejecting the existence of God. It sees moral values as relative and changing, and varying from person to person. It is important for every Christian to know the subtle ways that humanism is manifesting itself all around us. It is important for us to make decisions on a daily basis that demonstrate that we have not been captured, to any degree, by this intoxicating and persuasive philosophy and religion.
"Beware that no one takes you captive by means of philosophy and empty deceit, following human tradition which accords with the elemental spirits of the world but does not accord with the Messiah" (Colossians 2:8).
The above scripture tells us to beware, because humanism can unconsciously sneak its way into the life of a Christian. A good example, among many, would be when you're told that you need to "forgive yourself". That sure sounds Freudian to me, psychobabble to the max. For the Christian, the real believer in and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, it's so important to let the Bible be your guide, which can save you from deception. My reply to a Christian who says that you need to forgive yourself would be to simply ask: Where is that in the Bible? Jesus as well as the Apostles preached forgiveness of sins by God. That's all you need. Not once did the Lord or His Apostles ever tell the people to "forgive themselves". Look it up, you  won't find it. Such a philosophy of empty deceit is a product of humanism. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, the Word of God says to "Examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith", but it says nothing about forgiving yourself. Once again, this is man putting himself in the place of God. God alone forgives sin.
There are various signs that reveal if humanism has entered your life. When we recognize any of them, we need to pray and ask the Lord for forgiveness and to remove humanism from our lives. Major signs of humanism are, for example, taking God's name in vain, as in "oh my God!", without respect or reverence. It's what unbelievers are doing nowadays, it's modern, all the more reason for believers not to do so. The humanist also acts and talks as if evolution is a scientific fact and that anyone who disagrees is ignorant. Evolution is the only way he knows of to explain the existence of life, since he denies the existence of God. He considers the Bible of little interest, as the mere product of men. The humanist sees man as basically good and thinks that people should feel good about themselves regardless of their behavior. He tries to deal with guilt by positive self-talk.
The humanist rejects the idea of a “sin nature”, believes that whatever he wants to do is ok, as long as it “doesn’t hurt anyone else” (but is often shortsighted in deciding what may hurt someone else!). Since this physical life is all there is in the mind of the humanist, his goal is to get as much happiness and gain as many things as he can before time runs out and he "ceases to exist". He believes that values, morals, and ethics are determined by each person for him or herself. Therefore, to tell someone else that their behavior is “wrong” or “sinful” is considered to be intolerant. “Intolerance” (defined this way) is not tolerated! For the humanist, there is no absolute right and wrong, everything depends on the situation.
Godliness/Godlessness
The vast majority of humankind consists of unbelievers – people who reject God, His Word (the Bible) and, more often than not, deny the very existence of God their Creator. For those who disagree by pointing out all of the religions in the world, my reply is that religion usually has little or nothing to do with the true Living God of the Bible. So there we are again, back to the Bible. If you want to get to know God, if you want to have a personal relationship with Him, it will take more than reading your cute little "verse of the day". You need to study His Word! In talking about His return to Earth [the Second Coming], Jesus didn't wonder if He would find religion, for there's plenty of that; He wondered if He would find any faith (original Hebrew Bible "trust"; Luke 18:8).
Believers are taught throughout the Bible how to live godly in an ungodly world. No one said it would always be easy, but it's definitely possible and not so difficult with the help of Adonai Yeshua – the Lord Jesus. All you need is ... trust!
Hedonism
Hedonism was widespread in the ancient world and is back with a vengeance in our modern times. While translating a brochure, my attention was drawn by a new concept for a chain of economy hotels, where the 3 main catch words were innovative, sustainable and hedonistic. All right, innovative we know, and yet:
“That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done and there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9).
We’ve also heard "sustainable", but is anything really lasting? Well, yes:
“For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations” (Psalm 100:5).
So what is hedonism? Who is the typical hedonist? I offer the following official definitions.
Hedonism: The school of thought of philosophy stating that pleasure, in the sense of the satisfaction of desires, is the highest good and the proper aim of human life.
Hedonist: One who believes in the pursuit of pleasure and sensual self-indulgence. He is not only pleasure-seeking but strives to maximize net pleasure (= pleasure minus pain).
You might ask "So what?" The point is that people are seeking pleasure rather than God. That’s what! Each of us has a "spirit being" on the inside and so it follows that genuine, lasting pleasure can only come from God, who is the Father of spirits. In this world we are taught to seek “our best life now”, also by a number of tv evangelists who are actually no more than motivational speakers fattening their bank accounts off their “gospel". Contrary to the Bible, they teach a hedonistic Christianity. Here too, as with the world of unbelievers, the keywords are fun and pleasure. For this reason, the hedonistic church services are geared to offer entertainment for the world, instead of spiritual food and truth. Problem is, the level of the quality of what they offer is often lower that what the world offers. If anything, people want (and need) something new, something for a blessed eternity, something to feed their starving inner self.
Hedonistic Christians portray Jesus as a heavenly stockbroker, where high returns are promised for donating your hard-earned money to some ministry. Meanwhile the Lord's image is similar to that of Santa Claus: Just give Him your wishlist and He will take care of it.
The Word of God leaves no doubt that if you fail to invest spiritually in your future (not referring to money here), then you will suffer spiritual bankruptcy on the day your "best life here" comes to an end, which it most certainly will:
"It is appointed for every person to die once, but after this the judgement" (Hebrews 9:27).

Fred

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