Celebrating Halloween

“Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity;

and do not let me eat of their delicacies.”  Psalm 141:4 (NKJV)
 

     The word Hallow means to “make or set apart as holy” and to respect or honor greatly; revere.  Jesus himself told the disciples that an example of prayer is what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. In this prayer he used these words; “hallowed be thy name.”  It is obvious that the word ‘Hallow’ is directly linked to God [our Father which is in heaven].  How did this word change to Halloween and how we celebrate it today?

      Originally this celebration was an unholy ritual used by the Roman’s and the Celtic Druids [you can look this up anywhere on the internet]. During the Middle Ages (about 600 years ago), the Roman Catholic Church at that time, decided to make the change-over from pagan religion to Christianity a bit easier, and therefore allowed the new converts to maintain some of their pagan feasts. It was agreed, however, that from now on they were to be celebrated as "Christian" feasts. So instead of praying to their heathen gods, they would now pray to the saints and remember their deaths.  For this reason the church decided to call November 1 the "Day of All Saints".  

     The name, Halloween, comes from the Catholic, ‘All Hallows Eve’. In 1745 this name evolved into Halloween because the Scots used the word ‘een’ for eve; thus the name Halloween and has been called that through the years.  As time went on it became more and more a secular celebration.  In the seventeen hundreds it was not at all ‘spooky’, but was celebrated by lighting candles and placing them on the graves.  There were many more practices over the centuries, such as believing souls of the dead returned to their homes and so they had parties for the souls, followed by eating and drinking and building bonfires.

     As we know, Halloween is definitely not celebrated as a Holy Day, or Eve.  It tends to be directed toward things of evil which is against Christian beliefs, because of the comparison of a Hallowed God, the Father, and the Hallow of evil practices by cults.  The practice of dressing up with masks and trick or treating only began in 1927 in Canada and eventually spread to the U.S.  Where did the tradition of carving pumpkins come from? Centuries ago, people carved out turnips and put a candle in them to light the way as they went from house to house celebrating.  Some would carve faces on the turnips or paint things on them.  Thus in the nineteen hundreds, in America, people began carving pumpkins and putting a candle in them.

     Is there anything wrong in our children dressing up in costumes and going out to gather up candy?  Probably not in itself, because most of these children are not thinking they are doing anything evil; they are just having fun.  Knowing the history of Halloween, it is up to parents to decipher the pros and cons for their children.  The Bible says we should train up our children in the ways of the Lord.  If you feel this does not oppose the Word of God, you will probably let your children Trick or Treat. 

     We have alternatives to celebrating Halloween such as Harvest Parties, family get-togethers or school activities.  Kids can dress up like cartoon characters, Bible characters or animals, but dressing up like something dead or evil should not be something you should select for your children.   Some of these things must be so offensive to our heavenly Father, like pregnant angels, or pregnant nuns; cute little devils or ghosts.  How about zombies?  They might sound funny to some, but are against the Word of God.

     “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” [Hebrews 9:27]  People are not going to wander around half dead and half alive.  The Devil isn’t cute!  God’s heavenly creation – angels are not going to be pregnant for they are neither male nor female.  Let’s be real; there is nothing funny about evil! 

     A word of advice, when you are out trick or treating on Halloween and you get a creepy feeling that someone or something may be watching you or following you, you are probably right.  Just remember these spirits are not from God, so where do you think they came from?



Battle of Armageddon

The Battle of Armageddon

“And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.”                                                                                                   Revelation 16:16 (NLT)

            As we have read the last couple of weeks, there is a great war yet to come and most call it ‘Armageddon’, but that is only to explain where it will take place.  This war could also be called ‘World War III’, which will come after a series of smaller wars.  To know when this final war comes, we need to go back to some Bible prophesies.

           Following the war of ‘God and Magog’ that we read about last week, the Antichrist will rise in power and a 7-year peace treaty will be signed with Israel.  This will be the beginning of the seven year Tribulation.  Daniel 9:27 describes what this treaty is about.  “The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings.”  He is showing that a new Temple will be built in Jerusalem and the Antichrist will enter in and proclaim himself to be God. Then begins the last half of Tribulation and the ‘Wrath of God’ will fall on the world. (Read: Matthew 24:15-21)
            Jesus tells us when this will take place and this is what he said, “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”.   Matthew 24:29-30 (NLT)
            Then all of the nations and peoples will gather together in a valley east of Mount Megiddo.  The book of Revelation 16:16 tells us that this place, in Hebrew, is called Armageddon.  That is why it’s called the Battle of Armageddon, but in reality it is a war that ends all wars.  The battle begins and Jesus returns to fight this great battle.  “He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.”  Revelation 19:13-14 (NKJV).
            The battle ends in one day and this clearly explains how it ends. “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Revelation 19:20 (NKJV) This will usher in the Millennium where Christ will rule and reign for 1000 years.
            Now this is really a very short description of the great final war; many things will happen during the 7-year period leading up to it.  The antichrist has yet to appear and the 7-year treaty for Israel hasn’t happened yet.  Two great witnesses will arrive in Jerusalem and will prophesy in the streets for 3 ½ years.  The enemy is powerless to kill them until God says it’s enough.  Then they will be killed and lay dead in the street for 3 ½ days while the enemy parties.  Suddenly, God sends breath back into their bodies and they stand up.  Terror strikes the world and then God calls to them, “Come on up” and they rise up into the heavens like Jesus did in Acts 1:9.   
            After this the Wrath of God begins to fall on this world as we read about in Matthew 24:29.  “Immediately after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.”  The earth will not be as we know it today and we can only pray that God will deliver us from the wrath to come.  (See 1 Thessalonians 1:10)
                Whenever all these things happen, it is important to turn your life over to God Almighty.  You may be a great person, full of wisdom and knowledge, talented and doing things for the church, but if you haven’t given your life to Jesus, it really doesn’t count in the end.  You’ve heard the phrase, ‘sold out to Jesus’?  It may not say it that way in the Bible, but over and over again it says to follow Jesus.  Let your life stand for something; make God number one in your life and everything else will fall into place.  Just talk to God like you would talk to someone very close to you.  I promise He will hear and answer you.  Only God can save you from what is coming sooner or later, but it will come because He said it.  Amen.



War of Gog and Magog

The War of Gog and Magog

“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries,

                  and bring you into your own land.”       Ezekiel 36:24

 

 This is part 2 of 3 parts concerning present wars and wars to come.  This is a prophecy given in the time of Ezekiel and was fulfilled in 1948 when Israel became a nation once again.  Then in Ezekiel 38:11, we read about Israel being a peaceful people who live in cities that have no walls or gates.  This is how Israel is at this present time in history and we know that the surrounding nations want to destroy Israel.  It is also prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that those nations will gather to cause war, which in the Bible is called the Battle of God and Magog. Now let’s see what is beginning to fulfill this prophecy.

Let me make clear that this battle, or war, is not the same as the Battle of Armageddon, which we will discuss next week.  The Bible names nations at that time, but today we know them as Iran, Libya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Turkey and other Muslim nations which are known as Magog.  Islam will call this ‘jihad’ and consider it a religious war against Jews and Christians.  Many believe that Russia will lead this invasion.  Why Russia?  They have long wanted the water port and the oil wells on the Arabian Peninsula so they can once again become a ‘super power’.

Russia is busy arming several of these countries of which most, or all, hate Jews and Christians. So they will be involved in some way. How will the United States fit into this?  Seeing how they are reacting at this time to ISIS, it’s hard to tell.  However, looking at Matthew 24:16-20, Jesus said that when the Anti-Christ is in Jerusalem and in the temple telling that he is God, the people should get out of the city and into the mountains. How will they get there?  Revelation 12:14 may be the answer to the U.S. being involved. “But the woman was given two wings of a “great eagle” that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”  In earlier blogs I have explained why the U.S. is considered the eagle in Daniel 7:4. If this is correct, then it is possible that the U.S. helps the Israelis escape to the mountains.  It appears the mountain referred to Petra in Jordan, south of the Dead Sea.  It is amazing in that there is only one entrance to this historic city where the huge buildings were carved out of the rock.  It was once used as a place of safety and according to theologians will be used again as a place of safety in the end days.

On a day yet to come, this group will come together and descend on the mountains of Israel.  When they come in to Israel, we are told what will happen to them in Ezekiel 39:2-6; God will cause a great earthquake to kill them.  “You and your army and your allies will all die on the mountains. I will feed you to the vultures and wild animals. You will fall in the open fields, for I have spoken, says the Sovereign LORD.”  In verse 12 it says that it will take 7 months to bury the bodies and cleanse the land. Also, Israel will take all the weapons and arms that are left.  Ezekiel also talks about this being a 7-year period of clean-up.  The only 7-year period mentioned in the Bible is the 7-year Tribulation, so in all probability this Battle of Gog and Magog will take place between now and the beginning of Tribulation.  The Battle of Armageddon will take place at the end of the Tribulation.

            Somewhere in this timeframe, the Anti-Christ will put together a 7-year peace treaty between Israel and her Muslim neighbors.  This treaty will give Israel the right to build a temple beside the Mosque on the temple mount, and they will once again begin to offer live sacrifices.  Israel as a whole will accept the Anti-Christ until he desecrates the temple and names himself ‘God’. Then they will see the horrors of the Wrath of God.  [Read of this in Revelation]

            If we are still on this earth and if the Rapture has not come, there is no need to worry. At this point in time, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 tells us “to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”   No one knows for a certainty when the Rapture will occur, but we know it will be before the wrath of God falls on this earth.  Don’t be left behind; ask God to forgive you of your sins and to live in your heart.  Then when the Rapture comes, you will go with Jesus to live in heaven forever more. 

            Trust God and believe his Word for it is always true. [Thessalonians 4:17-18] “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 



Wars and Rumors of Wars

Wars and Rumors of Wars

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”     Matthew 24:6

           With so many are asking “What’s Next”, I decided to write a 3-part series about wars of the future; “Rumors of Wars”, “The Battle of Gog and Magog” and “The Battle of Armageddon”.  We will begin with rumors of wars.

There are wars going on across the world, but for some reason or other, we do not call them ‘wars’.  One right now is the ‘conflict’ of Russia and the Ukraine.  Russia says it is not a war, but just taking back what belongs to them.  There are the ongoing attacks with al Qaeda, a global terrorist group that is responsible for the 9-11 attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Now we are involved in a conflict with ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).  The President call it ‘ISIL’ which stands for (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant which includes (Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and southern Turkey)).

             In this day and age it is difficult to understand why such care is taken to not call an act of terrorism what it is.  Major Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood army base, shot and killed several US soldiers and wounded many others while shouting, "Allahu Akbar", or "Allah is greatest”.  He was not called a “Terrorist”.  The man in Oklahoma had recently converted to Islam when he beheaded one woman and stabbed another was not called a terrorist.  Why are we afraid to call it what it is?  Who is it we may offend in our country of the United States of America?  Regardless of the fact the President of the United States say we are no longer a Christian country.  We surely aren’t an Islamic country!  Their Allah is not our God.

This country was founded on the Christian belief in an Almighty God and whether you believe it or not, the Almighty God is still our foundation.  You better pray that God does not take His hand off this country or you will see and experience things you don’t even want to think about. God still hears our prayers and we need to be praying more than we ever have before.  

Wars and rumors of wars are all around us like never before.  Yes, there have always been wars in this world, but in order to believe this scripture is for us today, we need to look at the whole scripture. Continuing on in Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus to tell them about the end times and these are the words he spoke to them.  Verse 7-8, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Take a look around you and you will see how this fits in the picture of today’s times. 

Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, among several others are having famine’s effecting from 2.3 million to 6 million starving people per country.  Never in history have there been this many people in the world who have almost no food. No one country in the world can produce the food needed to help feed them.  Millions will die of starvation in these last days.  As for pestilences, new viruses are appearing around the world and the threat of Ebola will no doubt reach plague numbers.  Did you think it wouldn’t happen in America?  Now it has.  One man has infected over a hundred people that they know of.  Thousands in Africa have already died of Ebola and there seems to be no way to stop it from spreading to other countries.

Most of us don’t realize the increase of earthquakes over the last 50 years.  Did you know that there are were over 500,000 earthquakes over the last year around the world?  Many aren’t even felt but they show up on the Richter scale.  Many of them we don’t even hear about, but there is such an increase that many place are getting concerned.  Just think – California had 10,000 recorded quakes in a year’s time. 

Did Jesus know what he was talking about when he spoke these verses in Matthew 24?  I’m sure he did and what he said 2000 years ago is happening today.  Wars and rumors of wars?  We might not call them wars, but our country alone is fighting on several different fronts.  We hear rumors of what might take place shortly and most don’t even think about it.  We never thought our country would be attacked, but it happened.  We never thought the scripture in Revelation 20:4 would really happen in our country or to our Americans.  Well, it happened.  Two Americans were beheaded by ISIS in Syria and one woman here in Oklahoma.  Who is next?

If you think this is bad, Jesus said in verse 7, “the end is not yet”.  No, this is not the end; there are other battles to be fought and things will get worse.  Next week we will talk about the Battle of Gog and Magog and when it may occur. 

In the meanwhile, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (Jesus Christ) draws near.”  [Luke 21:28]  He is coming one of these days and we don’t know when, but He is coming for us. This is not the time to be afraid; it is the time to make a stand for Jesus Christ and trust Him.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope,  comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.  2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NLT)