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“Les Miserables” - the movie of the world’s longest running musical seen by over 65 million people recently starred in the Oscars 2013 ceremonies garnering accolades as it earned several nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Film … and Anne Hathaway wins Best Actress in a supporting role for her part as the tragic prostitute Fantine – in which she sings a heart-rending rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” - the sad romantic ballad that has enchanted listeners all over the world for decades. Another Oscar was won for make-up and styling … without any doubt an exceptional unforgettable movie. But still, talking spiritually now, this is yet another Hiroshima of modern deceptions.

The Puritan Preacher, Thomas Brooks would point, in his sermons entitled “Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices”, to twelve (listed below) most common demonic wiles and snares for entangling and dragging souls to damnation so all can be aware and warned. We are also in times of dangers assailing all that the saints hold dear … on our screens. FULL POST

Is there a link between alcohol and immorality? Ephesians 5:18 says you should be filled with the Holy Spirit and not with wine. That means, you should be so full of the Spirit that there is no room for any spirit of liquor to occupy. If you are not full of the Holy Spirit and you drink beer or alcohol, you cannot avoid confusion. Those who take alcohol will most likely find sexual sins attractive. Some of them have as a result gone into incestuous intercourse with their daughters or relatives or even rape. Alcohol makes one more vulnerable to immorality. If you were struggling with your flesh and you start taking alcohol, you will descend into a deeper level of bondage. Even if you are not struggling with immorality why do you want to create a doorway.

Proverbs 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33  Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. FULL POST

God speaks to us through His word even as He spoke to prophets of old. The old paths are not obvious or directly accessible. Indeed they do require careful enquiry and prayerful study. You may not find them detailed on the more popular articles – nor will they always align with contemporary thoughts on correctness. The term “old” is both odious and distasteful to the palate of every generation. Teaching the old paths to one who neither asks nor seeks for it is like offering pearls to swine. But God has ordained a restoration of the old paths so that many may come to His promised rest.

Jer_6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Asking combined with a purposeful stance, a divine vision to return to God and obedience to walk right - will result in rest … a ceasing from waste and vain efforts. The path refers to a way of life, an approach to matters and a direction that leads to a goal. May our end be good. It does not mean being old fashioned but it does mean learning from saints of old and Bible heroes and understanding their motivations and how they coped with pressures to divide their heart. It means being always out of fashion which is not the same as being old or new … rather there is a timelessness in the kingdom style waiting to be discovered. FULL POST

Mr. Sinner woke up one morning to find three letters in his post box bearing strange stamps illustrating angelic beings and sealed at the back with an unusual sticker tape with the words … "sent to you from the heavenlies" ... He quickly opened the first ….

Dear Mr. Sinner,

I am the angel sent to comfort you, to remind you that Christ died alone on the cross for you. He did this for your sins which are forgiven. He was the scape goat bearing your sins … sent to the wilderness never to be seen. His blood cleanses completely, bringing you clean to come boldly to His throne of grace and mercy. But my grace will lead you to live a holy life and no more to justify sin in your life and others. My grace will enable you to serve me and proclaim your testimony of my mercy all over the world so that many will hear and be saved. I will be coming soon … remember this when the journey appears tough and you are weary … it will not be long. Keep rejoicing knowing your name has been written in the book of life. Remember Naboth - do not allow your inheritance (the precious things of God) to be bought for filthy lucre, fame or exchanged with Ahab’s largesse nor can you ever be part of Jezebel’s circus. Stand alone if you must, but go without fear to every assignment especially where you will not be welcome … I have made a way for every work that I have commissioned. Repent. Be courageous. Jesus loves you. Sincerely yours. Angel Gabriel. FULL POST

Most battles have more obvious lines drawn to enable clear identification of the attacker that must be stopped. But not always so. There are unclear boundaries and many soldiers in uniforms too faded to ascertain whether they be on the Lord’s side or not. We often think of the story of David and Goliath as an example of a clear cut case but a closer look provides insights.

Sa 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

In the above text, one discerns three spirits at war or shall we say at play …, the spirit of the Philistine Goliath, the spirit of Saul and the Spirit of God on David. These are like forces, persons or even institutions in a virtual field involving nations, mindsets and cultures ...yet very real when considering implications of battle outcomes,

The easiest to identify of the three and perhaps understand … bold in its clear intent – is Goliath who has come against the agenda of God and to steal the joy and peace, ultimately to enslave and kill. Goliath is undisguised and must be stopped … indeed he is the anti-God adversary that makes no pretenses of an avowed intent to devour first with fear and dearth of truth and eventually with plagues, poverty, barrenness, bondage, disease and destruction. Goliath challenges the reign of the most High and proposes an alternative culture and mindset that must be imposed on captives – if unstopped. FULL POST

We are quick to scorn the critic as the troublesome devil sent to frustrate noble constructions. A culture of silent acceptance of the ridiculous can slowly emerge until someone is bold to declare “the emperor has no clothes” to the chagrin of many. I have discovered that where the humility to say “I may be wrong” is lacking or avenues for listening and making changes are stifled, a terrifying darkness and silence takes over. Both spiritually and even physically. We come to accept stagnation, evil and corruption as the norm as though these are indeed unavoidable not recognising that these are outcomes of deliberate choices associated with our decisions.

Jezebel rules with Ahab as the puppet … supported by the priesthood of Baal. He has a neighbor Naboth who we can conclude knew the Lord – for he declares “The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my father’s unto thee” … Ahab, though the King, does not care much for the ways of God. It is not unlikely that Naboth had at other instances expressed other sentiments that challenged the incursion of the Baalist syncretism. No surprise Jezebel hated Naboth and could only rest in the satisfaction that he had been permanently silenced. The rest is narrated in I Kings 21 and Naboth is soon trapped, discredited and skillfully eliminated. Israel is plunged into even greater darkness. Jezebel laughs. Years later dogs will lick her bones. FULL POST

Sweeping New Gun Control laws are soon to be rolled out in the US as the "too frequent" shooting deaths of "kids on street corners of Chicago" is referenced in the case for reinstating the federal assault weapons ban, requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales, providing mental health services in schools and allocating more funds for hiring of more police officers, as well as 23 other, more immediate executive actions on gun policy.

Improving policing and making weapons less available seems the right thing … but this policy also disarms people in an already toxic culture not about to change tomorrow. The policy of putting more power and responsibility in the hands of government has been known to facilitate a future totalitarianism. A disarmed people tend to be vulnerable where a mindset of violence is already high and killings unusually prevalent. Will law enforcement be overwhelmed in the transitional period?

In the Bible narration on Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, we read of how the brothers of Dinah – sons of Jacob were incensed at her rape by Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite and came up with a plan asking them to drop all their weapons and come under the protection of covenant by accepting to be circumcised so the Hivite Prince could marry their sister Dinah. All was well until the Hivites were most vulnerable… and then … FULL POST

The old hymn says Rescue the perishing and care for the fallen ... not excluding the wounded saint and even leadership in the body of Christ. It appears that there are more than a few in a misguided zeal who continue to remain aloof at best; that is when they are not hurting those in need of the balm that only the gospel can offer. Often the height of maturity is demonstrated in the uncelebrated ministry of restoring the fallen – and encouraging the depressed.

It does not help to spear down the dying and wounded with scriptures which remind only of the context of self-afflicted errors that caused so much pain, nor is appointing a period of painful quarantine …hoping the virus of depression will self-heal after isolation in “Timbuktu.” Instead there are indications in scripture of restorations which can guide all situations. The book of Philemon is short, precise and straight to the point.

Philemon 1:9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. 10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: 11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: 12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: 13 Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: 14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. 15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; 16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? 17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. 18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; 19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides. 20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. FULL POST

2013 is a year in which one discerns great global divides and when many nations, peoples and individuals and even the faithful have challenges to make far reaching choices. My prayer is that many come out of prevarications and boldly decide for Christ.

Luk_11:17  But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

Unholy Laws – Legislative Divides
How far does a nation need to go to protect the rights of groups who insist they are entitled to equal access to opportunities even when they have made decisions which the Bible and Christian tradition decry as unholy? The arguments that we can no more pass laws based on an ancient book or deny new social realities based on new social agreements on what is right and wrong are perhaps persuasive. The phenomenon of unholy laws is the new great legislative divider. Social options in reproductive rights, marriage and sexual behavior as we now see them may not be new but the demand for an overwhelming recognition and acceptance is unprecedented. The almost even divide in the polls on the issues is instructive. Gallup Editor-in-Chief Frank Newport recently reveals that 53% of Americans favor legalizing same-sex marriage and 48% favor legalizing marijuana. Societies have always placed a heavy premium on the wishes of its people …The Pharisees and Pilate wisely leveraged on this as the manipulated people echoed in unison …“Barabbas!” FULL POST

The year 2012 has been glorious and we have by His grace seen the anointing of the Holy Ghost come down like fire … a Holy Fire. The Fire has produced so many great testimonies, victories and we testify of many wonderful acts of preservation, mercy and healings – and perhaps some regrets and humiliations. Still these are the ashes of the fire of a year that is passing. In 2013, the Fire of God wants to burn even afresh and brighter … but must have fresh wood and not ashes. What must we do with the ashes that keeps wanting to be our focus and where do we find fresh wood?

Lev 6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. 11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place. 12  And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. 13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. FULL POST