The Religion of Hope or Fear?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims that homosexuality doesn't exist in his nation and there's a good reason for that--those who are merely suspected of being homosexuals in Iran are arrested and hauled before a religious kangaroo court where they are condemned to be executed by hanging.

Thus, both Islam and Christianity condemn homosexuality as an abomination before God but they deal very differently with those who practice that lifestyle. True Biblical Christianity offers homosexuals a way out of that lifestyle and the eternal condemnation it brings through the cross where Jesus Christ willingly died for the sins of the world while Islam offers only capital punishment for those who are caught practicing that lifestyle. Thus, Islam's method for preventing homosexuality involves the threat of death while Christianity's method is to offer God's grace through Christ's atonement on Calvary's Cross for those who truly confess the sin of homosexuality and repent of that lifestyle. Of course, those who refuse to repent of the homosexual lifestyle will never enter the kingdom of heaven, (1Corinthians 6:9-10) even if they claim to follow Jesus Christ as Lord.

So the question that some will ask is this: Who deals with moral depravity more effectively? Muslims will tell you that Islam deals with depravity more effectively by allowing for zero tolerance through Shariah Law. In nations such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, thieves who get caught stealing lose their right hands; women suspected of being unfaithful to their husbands are stoned to death and homosexuals are hanged.

While the fear of dismemberment and death may certainly provide a strong deterrent against crime and moral depravity, it doesn't change human hearts. The brutal oppression of the old Soviet Union kept crime and decadence in check throughout that political empire for nearly 70 years until it finally collapsed about 20 years ago. Then, crime, corruption and violence exploded across much of Eastern Europe because multitudes that were ignorant of God and had previously been restrained only by brute force were suddenly set free.

And so, Christianity restrains through one's recognition of a Holy God and his subsequent fear of God's supreme authority. Solomon wrote: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." (Proverbs 1:7) Thus, true restraint begins with one's recognition that one can only be absolved of sin through repentance, confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and an honest pledge to turn away from sin and live a holy life dedicated to honoring God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son.

Under Islam, moral restraint comes only by fear of death rather than the hope of eternal life through Christ. And that is a hope that neither Islam nor any world religion can provide.

The Death of Christianity

All that's preventing the Episcopal Church from allowing transgender men and women the right to become ministers in its churches is approval by the church's House of Deputies. According to Reuters: "The Episcopalian Church's House of Bishops voted Saturday (July 7, 2012) to include gender identity and expression in its non-discrimination canons, meaning sexual orientation, including that of people who have undergone sex-change operations, cannot be used to exclude candidates to ministry."

The Episcopal Church, which long ago abandoned the Bible as its spiritual inspiration for a universal gospel, has fulfilled end-time biblical prophecy concerning a great apostasy (falling away from biblical truth) within Christendom through its growing acceptance of multiple paths to God offered by world religions and its latest push to embrace "alternative lifestyles," i.e. homosexuality, lesbianism and transgenderism under the banner of inclusiveness. Episcopal bishops defend their embrace of alternative lifestyles by invoking the biblical command to love others unconditionally.

But according to the Bible, unconditional love doesn't mean tolerating and embracing sin, no matter what the circumstances. Certainly, human sexuality is a powerful emotion that often dictates the attitudes and lifestyles of human beings, sometimes even into the bondage of addiction. But then again, hunger, greed, hatred, jealousy, foolishness, depression and rage are also powerful emotions that left unfettered, can lead to destructive behavior and disastrous consequences. That's why three of the main themes stressed in the Bible are repentance of bad behavior, self-control and separating from bad influences. Even more important than these is the need for each and every person to be born again into eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ's death on the cross for their sins and his resurrection from the dead. The power of Christ to deliver repentant sinners from the death grip of sin simply cannot be diminished. And that power comes by faith in Christ, not through psychology or any of its myriad of 12-step programs that often fail, leaving its adherents feeling confused, guilty and hopeless.

If the apostle Paul was alive today, he would be banned from many churches because of writings such as this: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1Corinthians 6:9-10) Paul wasn't some philosopher who delighted in airing his opinions--he wrote his epistles through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who lived in him. Therefore, those who choose to dismiss Paul's writings as religious commentary are blaspheming God as a liar because God inspired Paul to write that.

The Episcopal Church used to believe what Paul wrote. But that was a long time ago. Now, the Episcopal Church, like many lapsed churches and denominations, believes that it can do God's work without obeying His word. It can't and the logical result of the Episcopal Church's abandonment of God's word has been the loss of His presence and power that can be seen in the millions who have left that church since the 1970s. Thus, the more the Episcopal Church tries to attract new members by selling out Christ for sin, the more ground it loses. If this keeps up, eventually there will be no more Episcopal Church, which is just as well.

The Historical African-American Gospel

From the Rev. Bill Owens, a spokesman for the Coalition of African-American Pastors: "We have requested a meeting with President Obama and until he meets with us, we are going to ask black Christians to withhold their support until he personally hears our concerns."

According to Rev. Owens, one of the Coalition's greatest concerns is Obama's recently professed support for gay marriage. There are other concerns as well--Obama's support for unfettered abortions and his expansion of government power that proposes to eliminate the proverbial wall of separation between secular government and religion. Owens continued: "More than anything, this is an issue of biblical principles and President Obama is carrying our nation down a dangerous road. Many African-Americans were once proud of our president but now many are ashamed of his actions."

Rev. Owens doesn't get much attention from the secular media because his message is starkly at odds with the prevailing message you usually hear today from African-American church leaders. Owens' message is the message that was preached by the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and it's a message that used to be the prevailing message preached in the pulpits of African-American churches until King was assassinated in 1968. That message was based upon the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ; that all men and women are created equal and loved by God regardless of race, creed or ethnic background, and that God sent His One and only Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for the sins of African-Americans and all human beings.

Dr. King preached that African-Americans were human beings created in the image of a Holy God and therefore deserved to be treated with the same dignity and respect as all other human beings and enjoy the same rights as all other human beings. Dr. King never demanded special rights for African-Americans nor reparations for the myriad of crimes committed against blacks during slavery or the oppressive years of Jim Crow segregation. Dr. King wanted the barriers of segregation and Jim Crow laws removed so that blacks could compete on a level playing field with everyone else in academics, politics, sports and business.

Unfortunately, after Dr. King was assassinated, some of his successors who took over the pulpits in black churches began preaching a social gospel with a heavy emphasis on grievance-mongering. Politics--particularly the kind promoted by the Democratic Party--became the conduit to government entitlement programs such as welfare that enslaved millions of blacks into generational dependency upon government and subsequently destroyed the very soul and spirit of a people that had flourished morally and spiritually under Jim Crow because they were solidly grounded by faith in biblical Christianity. One statistic speaks volumes: In the early 1960s when Dr. King and his message influenced African-Americans, only five percent of black babies were born out of wedlock; today nearly 79 percent of black babies are born out of wedlock.

And so, it isn't Barack Obama who needs to listen to Rev. Bill Owens and the Coalition of African-American Pastors, but rather the entire African-American community in the United States. Rev. Owens' message is Dr. King's message rather than the message of pseudo-Christian race-hustlers such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson or racist preachers such as the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. If African-Americans would start listening to Owens and study the historical message preached by Dr. King, they would reject the social gospel as the moral cancer that has murdered their souls and rotted their communities for nearly half a century. And they would put their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ as their true Messiah rather than in phony, man-made saviors such as Barack Obama.

Still the Greatest Nation

About the only hint of the United States in the Bible is a prophecy recorded 2,600 years ago by the ancient Hebrew prophet Daniel where the prophet (Daniel 8) allegorically referred to a western nation he described as "The King of Greece" that he revealed will destroy a wicked kingdom located in the Middle East that is now known as Iran. The allegorical King of Greece is actually the United States and we have dealt with this topic in Iran's Prophetic Doom.


That's the only mention of America in the scriptures. While some prophecy experts believe that the ancient Hebrew prophet Isaiah mentioned the United States in a specific prophecy regarding the last days, (Isaiah 9:10) that's highly unlikely because God clearly addressed only Israel through that prophecy and not some other nation either directly or indirectly. Therefore, the United States is found nowhere else in the Bible, other than in Daniel's ancient recording.

Nevertheless, the United States has played a unique role in modern history and has been greatly blessed by God since its inception in the 18th century. Unlike other nations, America's government was founded upon the biblical worldview that man is a fallen, sinful creature who cannot be trusted with absolute power. America's founding fathers established a government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial) that protected her people against the rise of bloodthirsty tyrants, power-hungry dictators and religious fanatics that claimed to be sent by God to establish his kingdom on earth. For well over 200 years, that government has provided a special blessing to millions who were fortunate to escape tyrannical nations under the demonic rule of fascists, communists, Marxists and Socialists. The United States has fulfilled the ultimate dream of providing freedom and prosperity for millions of immigrants who escaped totalitarian regimes run by the worst of human beings.

Unfortunately, there are those who hate America and actively seek her demise. Ironically, some of these people, such as the corpulent filmmaker Michael Moore, despise America's economic system and yet have become wealthy because of it. Some of these people, such as terrorist Bill Ayers, despise America's freedom and yet have been allowed to insult and lambaste America because their speech is protected by the First Amendment. And some of these people, such as the snotty, repulsive and arrogant Jane Fonda, despise America's military, and yet have enjoyed the political freedom that tens of thousands of American soldiers shed their blood and sacrificed their lives to protect.

And so, here's a recommendation: If you hate America and believe her to be an evil, oppressive regime, then find another country and get lost. If you truly believe that Marxism-Socialism-Communism is superior to democracy and independence, then why not consider Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, North Korea, China, Laos or Zimbabwe? Go ahead--make sure your visa is current and go visit one of these nations and apply for asylum. And take your Occupy Wall Street friends with you and go occupy someone else's country. We don't need you here; we don't want you here and we hope you never come back.

God Bless the U.S.A. and Happy Birthday America!

The Obamachrist

When Jesus Christ stood before Pontius Pilate shortly before Pilate condemned him to crucifixion, the arrogant Roman procurator informed Jesus that he had the authority to either set him free or crucify him. Christ then responded: "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above." (John 19:11)

With that statement, Christ revealed that Pilate was given his position and authority from God--although not directly. And if God ultimately placed Pilate in his position as the Roman procurator of Judea, then he places world leaders in their positions today as well. The proverbial $64 dollar question that begs to be asked is this: Why does God choose wicked and mendacious leaders who lie to their people while crushing their spirits and ruining their lives? The answer is simple: Because the people deserve these leaders.

When we examine the past 60 years in America, we see a steady erosion of morals and ethics, beginning in the late 1940s through today. For example, in the 1950s, nearly 80 percent of American households contained married couples, while today that figure is barely 50 percent. Fewer marriages mean more children are being raised in single-parent homes which often means serious trouble when fathers aren't around to help raise and discipline their children. Children from single-parent homes often struggle in school, reject authority and experience chronic failure throughout their lifetimes.

In the 1950s, most Americans feared and believed in God and attended church at least occasionally. Today, fewer Americans believe in God and many never go to church, even during Christmas or Easter. In the 1950s, homosexuality, lesbianism and transgenderism were considered an abomination by most Americans and an emotional disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. Today, these behaviors are considered normal lifestyles and those who object--especially on biblical grounds--are labeled as morons, religious fanatics, racists, bigots and haters.

And in the 1950s, violent crime was a fraction of what it is today because people respected authority and understood that they were morally accountable to a Holy God for their thoughts, actions and words. Today, God has become an outdated historical artifact to many who believe that human beings are nothing more than the end product of billions of years of random evolutionary forces. And of course, in the 1950s, abortion was illegal while the presence of the 10 Commandments was allowed in public schools. Today, the 10 Commandments are gone from schools while abortion has murdered over 40 million unborn babies since Roe v. Wade in 1973.

And so, the American people suffer economically and spiritually under President Barack Obama because they have earned him. And, Barack Obama has become the reflection of a morally and spiritually bankrupt nation that mocks God, defecates on his laws and persecutes both Israel and true born-again Christians. Like all human idols that have existed throughout history, Barack Obama is just another charismatic false messiah who has failed to deliver on his lofty promises.

Certainly, there's an election coming up on November 6, but if the American people believe that getting rid of Obama will solve their problems, they're mistaken. Remember that God chooses leaders. If the American people want good leaders instead of bad ones like Obama, then they need to heed God's own words spoken to Solomon in the ancient times: "If my people, who are called by name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2Chronicles 7:14)

Climate Change or Divine Judgment?

Of course, there are those who will blame the recent spate of violent weather that struck the United States on "Global Warming" or "Climate Change." Severe thunderstorms, triggered by an intense heatwave that has boiled much of the U.S. in recent days, resulted in widespread destruction that killed at least 13 people, knocked out electrical power to millions of residents and caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, homes and businesses that could total billions of dollars in losses.

A significant portion of the Washington D.C. area still remains powerless after the deadly storms and that spells big trouble for that area's residents because that means no air-conditioning in the dangerous, boiling heat. No electricity also means no running water in many places; no telephone, emergency 911 or internet service, no lights and no cellphone service for tens of thousands of people. And according to some electrical engineers, the damage is so extensive to various parts of the electrical grid in the hardest hit areas such as Washington D.C. and Virginia that it could take weeks for the utility companies to repair the damage and restore all the power.

It seems that over the past several years, the U.S. has been hit increasingly hard with these types of weather patterns, from monstrous hurricanes to searing droughts to damaging floods to killer F-4 tornadoes to crippling ice-storms and blizzards. And of course, Colorado has been hit hard recently with out-of-control wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and burned thousands of acres of vegetation. The question that begs to be asked is this: Is this extreme weather just part of a cyclical pattern that occurs periodically in time or is it indeed caused by "Global Warming" or "Climate Change"?

Or, could it be divine judgment handed down from God upon a rebellious and wicked nation? Few people want to believe that because (1) it sounds incredulous, unscientific and the sort of stuff that comes from religious nuts and (2) it places the blame for natural destruction squarely upon the behavior of the people. But stop and think: If God brought judgment upon ancient cities, (Sodom and Gomorrah) nations (Babylon) and even the world (the flood of Noah's time) for rebellious and aberrant behavior, then why wouldn't he do that today? Remember Hurricane Katrina that struck the city of New Orleans in 2005? That came just days after the Bush Administration coerced Israel into giving away some of its land (Gaza) to the Palestinians in a futile land for peace swap. That land was given to Israel by God (Genesis 17:8) and it was taken away by the Bush Administration which brought a curse upon America. Was Katrina divine judgment? You can decide.

If the current violent weather is divine judgment upon the U.S., then what has caused it? There are a myriad of reasons but we could start with the Obama Administration's recent betrayal of Israel by leaking the Jewish nation's top-secret mission to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. Not only did that alert the hostile Islamic nation to Israel's military intentions, but it inflamed the entire Islamic world. Since that classified mission was leaked, Israel has been bombarded with a series of rocket attacks.

And not surprisingly, since that leak the storms have begun hitting the U.S. and hard. Is it any coincidence that Washington D.C. got hit the hardest? Just wait--this is only the beginning.

Iran's Prophetic Doom

One of the reasons why Barack Obama seems unlikely to be reelected to a second term as president of the United States can be found in an obscure prophecy recorded by the ancient Hebrew prophet Daniel who lived about 2,600 years ago. The prophet received an incredible revelation from the Archangel Gabriel concerning an end-time invasion of a formidable Middle-Eastern nation by a powerful nation that came from the distant western world. (Daniel 8)

What does that have to do with Barack Obama's reelection chances?  Because the powerful western nation that Gabriel revealed will invade and conquer the Middle-Eastern nation will most likely be the United States.  It is highly unlikely that under Obama, the United States would lead a military invasion against any nation, no matter how serious a threat that nation posed to America, its allies or the world. Barack Obama is an antiwar president who was heavily supported by far left, antiwar activists during his successful 2008 presidential campaign. Obama truly believes that the power of his lofty rhetoric can convince even the most hardened radicals and warmongers to lay down their arms and give peace a chance. Considering that some of the rogue nations in the world believe peace talks to be a sign of weakness, Obama's faith in his ability to simply convince nations to give up their military plans for global peace is delusional and dangerous.

Who is the Middle-Eastern nation that Gabriel revealed to Daniel? Gabriel used an allegory to describe this nation as one of two nations that comprise a "two-horned ram" (Daniel 8:20) and the conquering western nation as a "shaggy goat" that featured a prominent horn between its eyes. Gabriel then revealed that the two-horned ram represented the kings of Media and Persia while the one-horned shaggy goat represented the king of Greece. Ancient Persia is now Iran. But who would be modern Media? Gabriel revealed that the horns on the ram represented two kings and one horn was initially longer (more powerful) until the other horn "grew up later". (Daniel 8:3) The longer horn (Media) represented Iraq's Saddam Hussein until he was removed from power in 2003 during the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its military coalition. The horn that grew up later is Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that has threatened to wipe Israel off of the world map. And the ram that the horns are attached to represents Islam that has aspirations of establishing a global caliphate.

But did Gabriel really mean that Greece will be the nation that will invade and overthrow Iran? Gabriel used the king of Greece as a metaphor for a powerful western nation. The modern nation of Greece is economically bankrupt, militarily impotent and poses no threat to anyone. So why did Gabriel refer to this conquering western nation as Greece? Because Greece was the most prominent gentile nation in the ancient world and the gentiles were often referred to as Greeks. Plus, Daniel revealed that this nation "came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground". (Daniel 8:5) Literal Greece exists just northwest of Iran and wouldn't have to travel a vast distance to invade that nation.

The nation that Daniel most likely referred to is the United States. The U.S. is still the world's greatest superpower and the Lord is going to use America to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities before the Iranians attempt to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons. But Daniel also revealed that once Iran has been defeated, the prominent western nation will be "broken off" (Daniel 8:8) and replaced by four new world powers. Why will the United States be broken off? Because America abandoned Israel when the Jewish state needed her protection the most. Besides leaking Israel's military plans to attack Iran, the Obama Administration also allowed the Muslim Brotherhood to take control of Egypt after Mubarak's demise and allow a dangerous enemy on Israel's southern doorstep. And because of that, the United States has been judged.