Tag: ISIS

Religious Wars and Murderous Maniacs

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I hate to say it like this, but murder isn’t anything new. Ever since Cain killed Abel, mankind has had to deal with it. 

And can you guess what’s probably the number one reason a person would murder another human being? 

If you guessed religion, you’re absolutely correct. In some form or fashion you can trace the root cause of many murders to some sort of religion. 

It’s why Cain killed Abel. Abel’s offering was accepted by the Lord, and Cain’s wasn’t. God warned Cain about the sin which was creeping around his heart, and his need to master it or it would master him. 

Well, he didn’t, it did, and Abel was killed. 

In 1095 a series of wars were waged, lasting several hundred years, involving hundreds of thousands of people; the Crusades.

In the name of their pope, “Christians” waged wars against the Muslims who occupied ancient Israel. Much blood was shed for God, King, and Pope; including the blood of thousands of Jews. 

Nations were pillaged, land confiscated, women raped, as the Crusaders marched from Constantinople toward the Holy Lands.
In the “name” of religion.

It’s happening today. 

Each day it seems as though there’s another story regarding ISIS, Sharia law, and things pertaining to Muslim terrorists. American troops are on foreign fields fighting a war that can be traced back to a disagreement about religion. 

Like I said, there have been many wars fought over religion; man’s attempt to define God apart from His own personal description as revealed in His Son, Jesus.

“Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?” (John 14:9 ESV)

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV)

Back in the early days of the church, there was a young man named Saul. Well educated, highly indoctrinated, and an asset to any community. A Pharisee of Pharisees, having studied under one of the greatest teachers of the law and who was always held in highest esteem, Gamaliel.

Saul was an up and comer, totally ready to take on any and all heretics, and defend the righteous name of his God. 

I don’t recall him ever wearing a black hood, though.

A man with a mission: get rid of all the people who didn’t believe like him. 

He was present when Stephen was stoned to death; holding the coats of those doing the dirty work. 

But later, as he traveled up to Damascus with signed documents authorizing him to jail anyone he found in the Way, something strange happened.

He came face to face with the God He thought he was defending. 

And as he picked himself up from the ground, asking for someone to lead him by the hand since he was temporarily blinded by a bright light, the fight was removed from his soul, replaced with a newfound understanding of God’s love and power. 

Read all about it in Acts 7-9. 

So now I’m wondering; are the wars which are presently being waged throughout the world, the religious wars, too big for God to handle? 

Could there possibly be a few Sauls among them? 

And if God is allowing them to wage their murderous acts of terrorism in the name of their god, then how will this all end?

Is the war about religion, or maybe something else? 

And what if the Almighty intervened and wiped out all the bad guys? He is capable of such a feat. But would anyone want to acknowledge the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus as the true Champion?

I’m not discounting the heroics and bravery of our men and women in uniform. I have the deepest respect for them. 

But sometimes during the course of war, God is needed to intervene. Why, King Hezekiah was surrounded by almost 200,000 Assyrians. One night an angel, one angel, walked through the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 men. 

That’s what I call intervention. 

But is our nation ready to rely on divine assistance to keep our loved ones safe? 

Probably not. 

What saddens me, is that when all of this is said and done, this religious war, this nation won’t be any closer to the truth.

May Heaven help us anyway.

Menagerie of Madmen

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Well, it’s official. A Nigerian group of crazies joined forces with, and pledged allegiance to, the Islamic State goons.

How nice.

It’s reported that Boko Haram, a Nigerian Islamist (Jihadist and terrorist) militant group, has joined their brothers in arms in imposing Islamic rule both near and far.

Again, how nice.

Abubakar Shekau, leader of the terrorist group, both intellectually and spiritually, demonstrated his impeccable morality last year in April when his group kidnapped over 200 school girls. Announcing the girls have been converted to Islam, he also claims to be waging a Jihad against Christianity.

Beautiful.

Sharia law, meaning the “way”, or the “path”, is sure different from the ways of Jesus. For instance, when Jesus stood at the well in Sychar and conversed with the Samaritan woman, he didn’t call for someone to beat her with sticks and stones because she was shacking up with some dude.

He preached revelation, repentance, and restoration.

And forgiveness. 

Well, the woman changed! Then, the townspeople changed.

Not so when the menagerie of madmen are in charge. Forgiveness? No way! “Beat the women, beat ’em good”, is the cry of the clan. “Spread the expectations far and wide; everyone is going to follow the laws of the wild animals. Every person, and every law.”

Or they die.

Especially the women.

Renounce Jesus or die.

Embrace Islam or die.

Grab a gun, put on your mask, and shout to Allah. Forget the inward voice calling you to repentance and submission to God Almighty. Ignore it; it will eventually go away.

How sad. 

But here’s what’s even sadder to me. People who can’t tell the difference between Islam and Christianity.

Between the law and grace.

Between death and life.

Between condemnation and forgiveness, punishment and mercy,  justice and justification.

Slavery and freedom.

Sharia law, enforced by the menagerie of madmen, isn’t even close to the “way” or “path” God had in mind. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, provided not only a “way”, but one which included truth and life.

Jesus said…, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV)

Eventually, sometime within the next ten years or so, I’m expecting to see these Jihadists humbled, brought to their knees, by the power of God.

The menagerie of madmen will bow their knees to the God of the Christian. 

Oh happy, yet sad, day.

Boko Haram, and groups like it, will NOT win or annihilate the world before the Lord’s appearance. Oh, they’re trying. But they don’t have that many guns, or masks, to affect the world.

How do I know?

I’ve already found the way, the truth, and the life. Justification and restoration, forgiveness and tenderness have been given to me through the only weapon Jesus ever used to defeat the enemy of my soul, the Chief Infidel himself; the devil.

The weapon called The Cross.

 

 

 

 

The Fruit of Muhammed

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The world has been experiencing the fruit of Muhammed for more than 1400 years. And it’s amazing to me that people are confused as to the nature of his religion.

It’s common knowledge, if you want to know what the root of something is, look at its fruit.

Fruit reveals the root.

Approximately 600 years before Muhammed came on the scene, sharing with his world the revelations he purportedly had received from God, Jesus made this statement:

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (Matthew 7:15-20 NLT)

Every day there is a news item about the group ISIS. Apparently these self proclaimed defenders of both the Islam faith and Muhammed’s reputation believe their sole purpose in life is to eradicate every person who is not a friend of their Prophet, or a follower of their religion.

So how come people are still so confused about who the real Savior is?

By their fruits you will know them.

Not once did Jesus, the Prince of Peace, ever instruct his followers to kill, maim, annihilate, bruise, or even look crossways at an “infidel”; i.e. – someone who didn’t share His beliefs.

Not once.

In fact, Jesus was known as a “friend to sinners”.

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2 ESV)

Jesus doesn’t force anyone to believe in Him. He does not resort to violence, terrorism or intimidation to present His claims. Everyone is allowed to choose.

“God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son to die for the sins, and sinful nature, of each and every person. That way, WHOEVER believes in Him (commits their life to Him by receiving Him as Lord and Savior) shall not die (remain spiritually dead) but HAVE eternal life”, John 3:16.

Believe and have life. Don’t believe, and you and I remain the same, with an eternal consequence to face when we die physically.

And yet, the spirit of the age (the devil) has this world so confused into believing Jesus is the bad guy and Muhammed is the good guy!

But look at the fruit of Muhammed. Remember, the fruit reveals the root.

It’s time for people to realize that Muhammed is long gone. The spirit motivating his followers is the spirit of darkness; the spirit of satan, the one who WANTED to be God. The one who COULD NEVER be God; so he attacks God’s creation through false prophets such as Muhammed.

Muhammed isn’t anyone’s savior, he’s not coming back on a white horse or a slow train. His place, unless he received Jesus as his Lord and Savior, is in the place of the damned; eternally separated from the Presence of the Living God.

And no, he’s not being entertained by seventy gorgeous virgins, either.

Or even one.

Don’t buy the lies, or become entangled in the confusion regarding the real Muhammed or the true Savior, Jesus Christ.

Look at the fruit.

Dealing With The Crazies

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I know I’m not as smart as a lot of people. And sometimes I act pretty stupid. Sorry.

But I’m going to give my opinion about this ISIS group and their “beheading” videos.

And, how to deal with the crazies.

Why do people look at the videos? Why should anyone give crazy, demon-possessed people any attention whatsoever?

Why doesn’t every single news organization ignore the videos? Maybe, instead, they should broadcast information such as how ISIS is funded, and which U.S. citizens and U.S. companies send money for their support.

THAT would be worth watching.

I hate what is happening. But you can’t beat demoniacs by giving them free advertising.

Jesus didn’t offer the mad man of Gadara free advertising in the Jerusalem Post. Instead, He dealt with the host of demons with truth and the authority of God. And the crazy guy became the sane guy.

Crazy, isn’t it?

But most people, it seems like most, don’t want ANYTHING to do with truth or the authority of God. They didn’t in Jesus’ day, either.

No, they’d prefer to let the crazies show their gruesome videos of people getting their head chopped off.

I suppose it sells better than Sunday School stories.

So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles – as he often was – he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.” Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.” So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone. (Mark 5:1 – 5:17 NLT)

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