We Have a Lot to Talk About

We Have A Lot To Talk About

 Readers, this is a short satire I wrote for Unidentified Funny Objects. 

Writers of supernatural thrillers and suspense novels sooner or later come to realize the conflict between good and evil actually IS a supernatural conflict. Dean Koontz uses his talents to ask the what-if question, and then he follows it to some of its outrageous conclusions, making a commentary on modern society. What if genetic recombining could be accomplished? What if human and animal genes are mixed and produce a living creature? Is this beyond the realm of possibility?
I rather like the idea of a dog with human intelligence, which is one of Dean's better books. His Frankenstein books are clearly observations on a corrupt society. The monster has far more humanity than his evil creator. However the possibility of man creating life, whether it be human or animal, clones or not, has never been abandoned by science fiction. Or science for that matter. It began in the book of Genesis with the Nephilim.

Following is a spoof on a genetically modified man talking to his GMO wife:

Every day I kiss a strange girl. And also, every night I kiss a strange girl. The same girl—you. Strangely beautiful!

Not everyone has such a lovely third leg, and you should be proud of it. You saw the admiration in my lingering glances at your three lovely legs long before I ever asked you to be my wife.

How do I love you? Let me count the ways.

I love the way you wear that safety pin through your eyebrow. An eyebrow could fall off, and I wouldn’t want you to lose it the way you lose your ears. I really don’t mind when you borrow mine. I have ears to spare, and mine look good on you.

Genetic-recombining is becoming so popular, even though geneticists have had some mishaps. One modified fellow came out of the lab missing his entire left side. He’s all right now though, and in his right mind. He’s going to run for office. Probably as a Republican.

I love how active you are. Because of Genetically Modified Organisms, the gun manufacturers have come out with specially adapted weapons which have multi-handed grips and triggers. Naturally, some politicians are already trying to ban them. I was so proud when you sent a letter to the editor to explain that a man dropped dead in Iowa while pulling on his pants. “Obviously, pants kill people and should be banned,” you wrote. After that, people started sending dozens of designer pants to Hillary Clinton. And she wears them. What a brave woman!

Because of you, my little GMO activist, we have the Citizens-Against-Pants people. Think of the lives you’ve saved. And here’s another thing. The clothing designers are having a field day creating pantless-safe attire. Everything from Scottish kilts to speedo wrap-arounds. You’ve created more jobs than Steve Jobs. The insurance companies even have a new policy offered to pants-owners who prefer to wear their dangerous, life-threatening trousers.

I want to let you know how fabulous you are. I wish I had taken you out to dinner more often to your favorite restaurant. The one that offers genetically modified food for Genetically Modified Organisms. Did I tell you, they have started a trend by adapting their tables to the many GMOs who are over 400 pounds? 

Of course, the Obesity Supporters applaud the heavy weights. Oprah Winfrey hosted a special show titled, Obesity is Optimal. Marie Osmond was not invited. That woman has lost fifty pounds so many times she should be shrunk to nothing by now. Kinda like the invisible shrinking man. He still exists somewhere. Fighting off amoebas and paramecium.

I do wish I had confronted you more when you deserved it, like the time you told everyone that I don’t allow you out at night because you might eat the neighbor’s cat. I know you don’t eat cats. It just bothered me because some people might think that you really do. You know how hateful those GMO-Lives-Don’t-Matter people can be. Did you hear their president died from a freak accident? A freak fell on him. Since then, that group has all but disappeared from the world. They’re more afraid of freaks than pants.

We’re seeing far more intelligent and discerning clubs because of GMOs like you. The Tooth-Fairy fundraisers. The People-Who-Eat-Laundry-Soap-Packets supporters. I’m so amazed that anyone ever thought to do that. We’ll be seeing brain surgeons and nuclear scientists coming out of that movement, for sure.    

I especially like the Black-Labs-Matter Foundation. Labradors are fine dogs. So are yellow labs and white labs for that matter. We just aren’t allowed to mention them. It’s far too racist and discriminatory.

So, my darling wife, sit down with me on the love seat and prop your three pretty feet beside my eight. We have a lot to talk about. You see, I’m expecting. I know. We didn’t think it would ever happen outside the laboratory. But it has! I think we’ll be needing more than one nest. I’m hoping they all hatch out and already have jobs.

Who knows? We may even have them matured in time to run for president against Hillary next time. Although she’s always been well suited for president. Pant-suited that is. If we allow our youngsters to wear pants we must warn them. Those who get too big for their pants are always fully exposed in the end.

Now about the neighbor’s cat. I’m pretty sure he ran off with one of your ears. Never mind. I’ll lend you another one of mine.  

.

Salvation is Threefold

Dear Ones,

After I understood the following, it cleared up a lot of mysteries for me. 

Salvation Is Threefold

We are created a triune being in the image of the trinity. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, what three parts are we? We are body, soul, and spirit, (I Thess. 5: 23).

Hebrews 4: 12 states that only the Word of God can “divide asunder soul and sprit, and of the joints and marrow.” I cannot define the difference adequately.

Here’s what is important. Salvation happens for all three parts of us. Not just our spirits, as I wrongly understood for many years.  Simply put, our spirit is saved at the new birth (John 3: 5-6). Our soul is being saved by the renewing of the mind (Eph. 4: 22-32) and our body will be saved at the resurrection when what is corruptible shall put on incorruptible (I Cor. 15: 54).

When Jesus sweat drops of blood, He was taking on all the sorrows and griefs (our soul wounds) of the whole human race (Isa. 53: 4). He was pierced for our transgressions (our spiritual death), and by His stripes we were healed (physical illness). If you question that physical illness is part of the package, look at Matthew 8: 17, which clearly states Jesus healed physical bodies to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy. He is still healing diseases today because He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

He paid the penalty for all three parts of our triune being. That does not mean that we don’t have soul wounds or physical illnesses or that our bodies will not die. That means the curse of the Law has been fulfilled. Our appointment with physical death does not change because of Adam’s curse (not Moses’s law). However, our spirits have already passed from death to eternal life! (John 5: 24). Our bodies have been redeemed from the curse of all sickness and disease listed in Deuteronomy 28: 15-68. We need only to receive by faith what Jesus provided (Galatians 3: 13).

Sorrow comes, but we sorrow not as the world sorrows (I Thess. 4: 13). Soul wounds and illnesses will happen, but as we renew our minds (souls) we learn to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. 

Father of Light I rejoice in Your goodness and mercy! I could never imagine giving my child’s life as a ransom for the wicked. How great is Your love. May I walk worthy of so great salvation. Amen.

So simple and so profound

As we participated in the Daniel fast along with several hundred people at James River Assembly for 21 days, we read how Daniel was a prophet in captivity in Babylon, but still a "highly favored" prophet according to the angel Gabriel. Daniel was not released from his captivity. He still had to serve three pagan kings over his lifetime. The favor of God came in promotion from slave to overseer, dreams and visions of the future, and divine rescue from certain death on at least two occasions. We all know the story of the lion's den.
What was the secret of Daniel's favor? We know he continued to eat a kosher diet to honor God instead of the King's rich food. We know he also refused to worship false gods at the risk of death. He also worshiped God three times daily.
He practiced seeking God first, His kingdom and His righteousness. He loved spending time in the presence of the Lord.
In all the current teaching and emphasis on faith and how faith says what God says, the Lord is impressing on my heart that overcoming faith works by love. Yes of course we are to love one another. That is the new command Jesus gave to us in John 13: 34. However, to have faith that works by love, one must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Love Him. Seek Him first, and seek Him for Who He is, not just for what He can do for you. The rewards follow seeking Him First--not seeking first rescue, healing, provision, etc. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all, Psalm 34: 19. This deliverance follows seeking and loving the Father.
Faith that works by love spends time worshiping Him, like Daniel did. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart. I am impressed that the emphasis is on loving Him and delighting in Him first, even if it means being willing to lay down the desire of the heart.
I am confident that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, Psalm 27: 13.

Is it a Sin to Blame God for evil?

I have been meditating on this for days. Difficult to boil it down to 750 words, but here it is.

Is It A Sin to Blame God? (Job 1: 22)

Many Christians expect to endure afflictions and tribulation, thinking this is just part of "suffering because we live under the curse of a fallen world." Others are quick to blame God for the evils in this world. They forget there is a kingdom of spiritual darkness here, and Satan is the prince of this world (John 12: 31) until Jesus comes back again.

The Bible does say, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous" (Psalm 34:19a, KJV). However, that is only  part of the truth. The rest of this scripture is, "But the Lord delivers him out of them all" (v. 19b). People who blame God for "afflictions" have not learned the good part--deliverance! The Lord is not causing the afflictions, or He would not be delivering us from them all. However deliverance is not automatic. Most often it takes a good fight of faith. A fight that doesn't even begin if a person thinks God is afflicting him to somehow perfect his faith. If suffering perfects faith, the church would have been perfect long ago.

A careful look at the book of Job reveals that it is not God who afflicts. It is the adversary walking about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (Job 2: 2; 1 Pet. 5: 8).

I know what you're thinking. Satan had to get permission from God to torment Job. True, but it was NOT God who did the tormenting. Torment, death and destruction are never God's will (Luke 12: 32).  He sent His Son that we might have life abundant, redeem us from the curse of sickness, bind up our broken hearts, and bring peace that passes understanding in the midst of trouble (John 10: 10).

The Lord showed me an example. I permitted my 16-year-old daughter to drive a car. She ran a traffic light, got into an accident, and suffered a broken leg. Shards of glass are still embedded in her forehead today. This was not my will. I did not cause it. Yet because I permitted her to drive, someone could blame me for the accident.

Job 1: 22 states, "Job did not sin against God by blaming Him" for the devastation in his life. This verse shows that it IS sin to blame God for destruction, loss, and death.

God  permits. He does not cause.

When Mrs. Job said, "You might as well curse God and die," she was agreeing with the devil instead of trusting in the goodness of God. That was Satan's objective. He wanted Job to blame God for his suffering and curse God to His face (Job 1: 11). Scripture is clear that is was Satan who was afflicting Job, who "smote Job with sore boils," Job 2: 7. 

God is not interested in doing us harm. Jeremiah 29: 11 says God plans to do His people "good and not harm." Harm is saved for the enemies of the Lord.

Jesus said we will have tribulation, "But, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!" (John 16: 33). Do you see what Jesus is saying? It is the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom, (blessings and benefits) but because we have an adversary, there will be difficulties. We must fight the good fight of faith and overcome tribulation by His power working in us. If we do not resist, the enemy persists. Christians were not created for defeat. But so many do not know that. They are walking in the natural world and expecting only natural results. 

Christian author Grace R. Roos had a challenge which lasted for over two years, even though she exercised all the spiritual knowledge and faith she had. The problem persisted. Satan whispered, "You're going overboard in your zeal to make much of the blood of Jesus. Simmer down and leave it to God." Grace knew she could not do that: "I had to utterly believe, or abandon my stand on the power of the blood to deliver from satanic oppression." 

Grace knew that Jesus delivers the sick from oppression (Acts 10: 38).

Thoughts came against her. "You have battled this problem for two years and the end is not yet in sight." Then the Holy Spirit quickened these words: "Do not let anything shake your faith in the power of the blood of Jesus to overcome the enemy. Hold your ground."

She won the battle by her good fight of faith in the blood in the blood of the Lamb and the word of her testimony: 

I will not sin against God by blaming Him for oppression. My Father loves me, and He does not afflict, or make me sick. I do not allow the thief to steal my life, my health, or my family. The blood of Jesus empowers me for victory (I Cor. 15: 57)!" The enemy whispers, "What if you fail this time?' I answer as the three Hebrews facing a fiery furnace: Our God is well able to deliver us, but if He does not, we will not bow our knew to worship any other gods, including the gods of sickness and disease.  

Authority you do not use is Victory you will not have

Authority you do not use is Victory you will not have

I used to think God postponed Adam's death on the day he sinned. Actually, Adam did die that day. His physical body lived on for 930 years, but his spirit died. That is what Jesus calls death--  Separation from God. 

His oneness with the Father was broken. He lost that sweet fellowship with God Who had come to walk with him in the garden each day. He lost his crown of dominion (Psalm 8:5). He lost his garment of light, (Psalm 104: 2; Isa. 61:10;). He was naked and ashamed.  

From that day on, all mankind has been born separated from the Father and spiritually dead (Col. 2:13; Eph. 2: 1-3). Their only way to have any relationship with God was through the blood sacrifice of animals. In Gen. 3:21, God made a garment of animal skin to cover their sin. 

When we receive Christ, we are spiritually reborn because of His perfect blood which paid the ultimate price and legally satisfied Heaven's justice. God becomes our spiritual Father (Heb. 12:9). Not only are we cleansed of all unrighteousness, We get back our garment of light (Christ's robe of righteousness, Isa. 61:10). We have a crown reserved for us in heaven. We also get back our dominion on earth, which is our authority over the god of this world and prince of the power of the air now at work in the sons of disobedience (Luke 10:19).

Authority you do not know is yours and do not use is victory you will not have. The first commandment was to be fruitful, multiply and take dominion over the earth. Note. Satan was already there in the Garden. Adam had the legal right to command the creep to leave (Gen. 1:26). He gave up his dominion that day and Satan became god of this world according Jesus in 2  Cor. 4:4; Luke 4: 5.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for teaching me how to overcome the darkness that tries to steal Your plan for my life. I exercise my authority over the enemy and command him to leave my garden where You walk with me. In the Name of Jesus, I command you Satan to get out! Thank you Jesus for shedding Your blood on the cross for me and restoring my dominion over the earth. Amen. 

The Cross is the Dividing Line

These are short meditations and brief prayers for building faith for God's healing to manifest. They are inspired by a dear friend who is renewing her mind to the fact that healing is the children's bread. The Lord has impressed it on my heart to send her a daily prayer, and He gives me a new insight every morning as I meditate on His word. I am posting these insights for others who would like to have "Word medication and Intensive Prayer."  I will begin by saying that I do not know all the answers to the mystery of prayer for healing. God has mysteries. God has secrets.

As always, the Number One question when it comes to praying and believing for the sick is this: Why isn't everyone healed? Three common scriptural reasons are: Unbelief,  the traditions of men which make the word of none effect, and ignorance of the word, which includes lack of knowing the authority of the believer.  Unforgiveness is also a blocker. Faith, which works by love, will not activate healing in an unforgiving heart.  All these blockers to healing can be easily overcome by spending time in the Word, renewing the mind, and asking the Holy Spirit for revelation knowledge of these truths.

 As you continue to pray these scriptures, the truth in them will develop faith which comes through hearing the Word. And faith is the evidence of things not seen. You must learn to believe what you do not see yet, until it manifests. By the sun's natural light, people only believe what they see. In the supernatural Son light, we believe first what we do not see, and then the supernatural becomes evident in the natural (Mark 11: 23-24).

Everyone at times will lose a loved one or a church member, while praying with all the faith he has. Even Jesus was not always successful at praying for the  sick. In His own hometown of Nazareth, "He could do no mighty works there because of their unbelief," (Matt. 13:58 and Mark 6:5). However, He did NOT stop praying for the sick. We should follow His example.

Let's start with the day Jesus triumphed over death:

Sunday

The Cross is the Dividing Line (rightly dividing the Word of Truth ( 2 Tim. 2: 14-26).

                                

I am seeing more victory when praying for healing for myself and others today, NOT because I have any more faith than other believers. I have learned that the Kingdom operates by law, and when I have appropriated those laws, I see things happen.

Here is something the Lord has just shown me. In Numbers 12:13, When Miriam was stricken with leprosy, Moses cried out, "Heal her O god. Heal her now I beseech Thee."

This is what I call a begging prayer. And this is what most believers are taught to pray and do pray. I have prayed this way for years over two of my grandchildren without seeing any victory.

Then I learned a kingdom law.

Moses had to pray based on the law of blessing and cursing in Deuteronomy 28, and Miriam had brought herself under the curse by her disobedience.

The Dividing line between the old and new testaments is the Cross.

In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles NEVER prayed a begging prayer for healing. You won't find one example. They simply commanded, "be healed. Take up your bed. Walk." This is the prayer of authority. It is based on the fulfillment of the law, which Christ accomplished at Calvary (Rom. 8: 1-2). He set us all free from the curse of the law. He imparts this same authority over the kingdom of darkness to all who believe (Luke 10: 19).

Here are two examples:

A begging prayer:

For years my mother has suffered with continual sinus infections, allergies, and pain from metal rods in her leg. Together we have prayed something like this: "Father, we know you are our Healer. We know that Jesus took stripes on His back for our healing. We ask you to please heal these maladies and pain (if it be your will) in Jesus' Name, amen." We finally did learn to leave out the faith-destroying "If-it be-thy-will," because we discovered healing is His will (111 scriptures declare it). Still she did not have victory over those pains and disorders without taking a lot of antibiotics and suffering side effects from those strong medications.

A prayer of Authority:

Then we learned a kingdom--law that we have authority over our own bodies, so we began to speak directly to those aches, pains, sinuses, and command normalcy in Jesus' Name like this:  "Father first we submit ourselves to You to honor and glorify Your Name. You taught us to rule and reign over the kingdom of darkness in Ephesians 1:21. Sickness is a curse from darkness in Deuteronomy 28. So by the power of the Blood of the Lamb we overcome it! I speak to the body and command it to be normal. I speak to pain, arthritis, disease of any kind, and command it to leave. These curses are not staying on my mother. We do not allow sickness in the temple of the Holy Spirit. I declare the blood covenant over her body. You're not crossing it Satan. Get out in Jesus Name. Praise God."

            Mom was instantly healed, put her walker aside, cooked dinner and drove to town! Praise God.

* * *

Monday

Authority you do not use is Victory you will not have

I used to think God postponed Adam's death on the day he sinned. Actually, Adam did die that day. His physical body lived on for 930 years, but his spirit died. That is what Jesus calls death.  His oneness with the Father was broken. He lost his crown of dominion (Psalm 8:5). He lost his garment of light, (Psalm 104: 2; Isa. 61:10;). He was naked and ashamed. He lost that sweet fellowship with God Who had come to walk with him in the garden each day. From that day on, all mankind has been born separated from the Father and spiritually dead (Col. 2:13; Eph. 2: 1-3). Their only way to have any relationship with God was through the blood sacrifice of animals. In Gen. 3:21, God made a garment of animal skin to cover their sin.

When we receive Christ, we are spiritually reborn because of His perfect blood which paid the ultimate price and legally satisfied Heaven's justice. God becomes our spiritual Father (Heb. 12:9). Not only are we cleansed of all unrighteousness, We get back our garment of light (Christ's robe of righteousness, Isa. 61:10), we also get back our dominion which is authority over the god of this world and prince of the power of the air now at work in the sons of disobedience (Luke 10:19).

Authority you do not use is victory you will not have. The first commandment was to be fruitful, multiply and take dominion over the earth. Note. Satan was already there. Adam had the legal right to command him to leave the garden (Gen. 1:26).

Heavenly Father, I thank You for teaching me how to overcome the darkness that tries to steal Your plan for my life. I exercise my authority over the enemy and command him to leave my garden where You walk with me. In the Name of Jesus, I command you Satan to get out! Thank you Jesus for shedding Your blood on the cross for me and restoring my dominion over the earth. Amen.

* * *

Is it Fair to Blame God for All the Suffering in the World?

Is God really to blame for all the evil and suffering in the world?

Would a loving God really create a beautiful and perfect planet and then add germs, viruses, bacteria, destructive and catacaclysmic upheavals, earhtquakes, suffering, and death just to torment His creation? Some say yes. This is to test our faith. But does such inevitable tribulation really come from God? Jesus taught us to pray, "Deliver us from the evil one. . .Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." These evils do not come from heaven, although they do perfect patience in us according to James 1:3.

In keeping with His character of perfect love and holiness, God did NOT create Satan. He created Lucifer, a beautiful archangel filled with music and called the star of the morning (Ezek. 28: 11-17).

When Lucifer rebelled, he took a third of the angels with him (Rev. 12:9).  Some people believe that Satan lives in Hell. God did  prepare hell for the devil and his angels, (not people originally) Matt. 25: 41. However Satan and his mionions are not there yet.  Where are they?

Jesus saw Satan fall like lightning to the earth. So now we have the appearance of evil on the earth.

Satan, the deceiver, immediately went to work to destroy the perfection of God's creation. He caused Adam to lose dominion through sin, and then he stole Adam's crown (Heb. 2:7) and became the prince of this world (Jn 16: 11). Now we have two invisible kingdoms here on earth, the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of Light (Col. 1:13). There is a spiritual war going on and it does affect this planet.

We know that was not God's will. Sin and death (death is defined in John 5:25 and Gen. 2:17 as separation from God) was never God's will. He wanted to walk with us and talk with us as He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden It is not His will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).

We also know God had a secret plan, even before the foundation of the world, to redeem it (Rev. 13:8).

We know it was a secret plan because I Cor. 2:8 says the rulers (Satan and his cohorts) of this world would not have crucified our glorious Lord if they had understood God's amazing plan of redemption. Satan could not guess that the last Adam (I Cor. 15:45) would reverse the curse. He could not comprehend such great love the Father has for us.

Satan did not guess the power of the blood of the lamb, which was God's own blood. God paid the penalty for Adam's sin and legally fulfilled the law of righteousness. Then He invited all who would receive Jesus to enjoy eternal life (John 3:16).

God also has a plan to restore earth to its original, perfection (Rev. 21:1). Death and suffering are not His will. The last enemy to be destroyed is death (I Cor. 15:26).

God gets the blame for so many horrible things that are not His will. Think about this. If I permit my son to drive my car, I expect him to obey the traffic laws and drive  courteously and responsibly. It is not my will if he chooses to drive recklessly, or drunkenly, and causes an accident that takes lives. But ultimately, am I to blame because I permitted him to drive? It could be argued so.

If the young man recovers, repents and asks forgivenss for the accident he caused, should he be allowed to drive again? What would the father say?