God Blog

• "By faith, Moses, when grown, refused the privileges of the Egyptian royal house. He chose a hard life with God’s people rather than an opportunistic soft life of sin with the oppressors. He valued suffering in the Messiah’s camp far greater than Egyptian wealth because he was looking ahead, anticipating the payoff. By an act of faith, he turned his heel on Egypt, indifferent to the king’s blind rage. He had his eye on the One no eye can see, and kept right on going. By an act of faith, he kept the Passover Feast and sprinkled Passover blood on each house so that the destroyer of the firstborn wouldn’t touch them." Hebrews 11:23-29 MSG

• All true passion is born out of anguish. All true passion for Christ comes out of a baptism of anguish.
• Hear’s what God said, “I’ve heard the words of this people. They have well said all that they have spoken. O that there were such a heart in them. That they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them, and their children forever!”
• “When I (Nehemiah) heard these words (regarding the ruin of Jerusalem) I set down and wept. And morned certain days and fasted. And prayed before the God of heaven.”
• We face a similar situation except ours is many times worse.
• Does it matter to you at all that God’s spiritual Jerusalem, the church, is now married to the world?
• Does it matter about the Jerusalem that’s in our own hearts? The sign of ruin that is slowly draining spiritual power and passion? Blind to lukewarmness. Blind to the mixture that’s creeping in.
• You won’t fight. You won’t labor in prayer anymore. You won’t weep before God anymore. You can sit and watch television and your family go to hell!
• Does it really matter to you that your unsaved loved ones are dying and we’re getting closer and closer to the end?
• Where’s the anguish. Where’s the tears. Where’s the mourning? Where’s the fasting?
• It’s going to take more than preaching. More than a new revelation.

• Please don’t tell me you’re concerned. Don’t tell me you want your unsaved loved ones saved while you’re spending hours before the internet or television. Come on…

• There’s going to be no renewal, no revival, no awakening until we’re willing to let Him once again break us. Folk’s it’s getting late and it’s getting serious.

• “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:1-3 NIV

• “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” James 4:4-5 NIV

• “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:6-10 NIV

• “You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.” James 4:2 NIV

• “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3 NIV

• “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? James 4:4 NIV

• “Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” James 4:4-5 NIV

• “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6 NIV

• “Submit yourselves, then, to God.” James 4:7 NIV

• “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 NIV

• “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8 NIV

• “Wash your hands, you sinners,” James 4:8 NIV

• “and purify your hearts, you double-minded,” James 4:8 NIV

• “Grieve, mourn and wail,” James 4:9 NIV

• “Change your laughter to mourning,” James 4:9 NIV

• “and your joy to gloom.” James 4:9 NIV

• “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:6-10 NIV

COVID-19

The repentance formula found in James 4 (J4) clearly emphasizes both the necessity for and correct form of the Prayer of Anguish (POA). Having done so for millennia it does so still. In fact, given the chapter's opening verses describing and condemning the worldliness of 1st century Christians, whom were pre-school sinners compared to we their 21st century counterparts, the passage's relevance is growing exponentially.

Case in point. I've frequently referenced and linked to David Wilkerson's abridged version of a Call To Anguish. Even going so far as providing the partial transcript from above long ago in the GB article Habakkuk's Complaint. I've also referenced J4's step by step analysis in GB's companion article Worldliness.

That said, this full length article on the Prayer of Anguish was written during the first week of April 2020 as much of the world, and the U.S. in particular, are literally in lock down during the COVID-19 crises.

The true origin and nature, impact and aftermath of C-19 is unknown. Its current and future ramifications on healthcare and economies, families and societies has yet to be seen. What should be clear to Prophetic Christians is the full extent of the crises/opportunity such a previously unprecedented circumstance affords. This includes:

1. Reflection: Global non essential business shutdowns, shelter in place ordinances and social distancing mandates all but force moments of pause. Such a global, real time pandemic, provides ample opportunity to ponder a variety of often overlooked issues. First and foremost, that while in the developed nations we posses a quality of lifestyle rivaling that of mythological gods, we are yet fearfully and wonderfully made. And for all our pomp will die as do dogs. Thus everyone clearly has a critical need to both know and please our Creator and Savior.

2. Discernment: Christians are commanded to correctly discern everything. Jesus warned, "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.." Truth itself must be spiritually discerned. This includes the primary and secondary religious lessons C-19 offers:

• Temptation and deception, entitlement and sin have ripened modern society for rack and ruin. Such judgments hardly need to be Divine, given global specters of violence and war, abuse and slavery, immorality and abortion, poverty and economic inequality, climate change and nuclear holocaust present current and future threats. As do viral pandemic and artificial intelligence, cyber tech and bioterrorism issues. Many reseting the 2020 Doomsday Clock of Atomic Scientists to 100 seconds to midnight. Closer than ever before.. Closer than ever before.

• Far from immune, modern Christianity is compliant with, if not guilty of, much if not all the above. And more, given our Scriptural mandate to be society's salt, and the light of the world. Carrying out such a Great Commission requires more than words, particularly the wrong ones. According to the Gospels, Book of Acts and Epistles, power evangelism and discipleship are essential. Sadly, the genuine gifts of the Spirit are clearly in short supply. Up to and including miraculously healing the sick in demonstrable ways. Yet Scripture identifies miraculous healing and deliverance as "the children's bread," a trademark of Biblical Christianity.

2. Powerlessness: For obvious and opposite reasons, the dishonest doctrine on both sides of the aisle not only justifies each side's errors, but results in pandemic powerlessness. A anemic condition all the more acute given such entrenched positioning all but guarantees the vast majority of both cessationists and charismatics failure to even recognizing and admit, much less with brokenness and confession repent, of our nearly universal and continual grieving of the Holy Spirit. In this and a myriad of other vital matters.

3. Prophetic Christians: An honest appraisal of the shameful stalemate described above leaves little hope. Interestingly, David Wilkerson is attributed by Dr. Mike Evans with an 1986 prophecy reminiscent of the current C-19 crises:

• “I see a plague coming on the world, and the bars, churches and government will shut down. The plague will hit New York City and shake it like it has never been shaken. The plague is going to force prayerless believers into radical prayer and into their Bibles, and repentance will be the cry from the man of God in the pulpit. And out of it will come a third Great Awakening that will sweep America and the world."

• “If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discernment, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in Christianity, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.”

• "And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. " 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 NIV

• " I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power." 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 NIV

• "There’s going to be no renewal, no revival, no awakening until we’re willing to let Him once again break us. Folk’s it’s getting late and it’s getting serious."

• "Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." Luke 13:1-5 NIV

• "Everyone’s after the dishonest dollar, little people and big people alike. Prophets and priests and everyone in between twist words and doctor truth. My people are broken—shattered!—and they put on Band-Aids, Saying, ‘It’s not so bad. You’ll be just fine.’ But things are not ‘just fine’! Do you suppose they are embarrassed over this outrage? No, they have no shame. They don’t even know how to blush. There’s no hope for them. They’ve hit bottom and there’s no getting up. As far as I’m concerned, they’re finished.” God has spoken." Jeremiah 6:13-15 MSG

• "The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament."

• “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” Matthew 7:24-27 MSG

Fresno County California
Fresno County population = 1,000,000
Population over 65 years old = 120,000
Number of confirmed COVID-19 cases = 1,288
Number of deaths under 65 = 0
Number of deaths over 65 = 17
Chances of contracting COVID-19 in Fresno County = 1.5 of 1/10th of 1%
Chances of dying from COVID-19 if under 65 = 0%
Chances of dying from COVID-19 if over 65 = 1.4 of 1/100th of 1%

Viewed another way, by the end of June 27, 2020, the provisional death tolls stratified by week and age seem to reveal that once the U.S. stopped forcing nursing homes to take COVID-19 patients, the death toll numbers fell drastically. Which is where 0 to 44-year-olds had always been throughout the entire timeline (as represented in the bottom 3 age groups in the graph below).


A 11/26/20 article from AIER entitled, "New Study Highlights Alleged Accounting Error Regarding Covid Deaths" reported that after adjusting for the U.S. average death toll over the last 6 years, as extrapolated from CDC data and adjusted for factors such as a larger population, "COVID-19 has not lead to any significant increase in deaths."



The AIER article explains:

• A new study (link removed or site crashed but now available at Archive.org) published by Dr. Genevieve Briand at Johns Hopkins University notes some critical accounting errors done at the national level. The study – which is still being vetted – simply examines the raw data that should have been questioned months ago. The overall conclusion is that Covid-19, at least according to collected data, is not the killer disease that it is currently hyped up to be. AIER is not endorsing the study as is without further study, but we are interested in the argument being examined and discussed.

• Essentially, there is an average number of deaths every year due to a variety of causes that for the most part have remained constant through the years. This includes morbidities such as heart disease, which has long been the leading cause of death, and cancer, which has long plagued our existence. For Covid-19 to be a serious cause of alarm, it would need to significantly increase the number of average deaths."

• However, according to the study, “These data analyses suggest that in contrast to most people’s assumptions, the number of deaths by COVID-19 is not alarming. In fact, it has relatively no effect on deaths in the United States.”

• What is even more interesting if not more alarming is that the spike in recorded Covid-19 deaths seen in 2020 has coincided with a proportional decrease in death from other diseases. Yanni Gu writes “This suggests, according to Briand, that the COVID-19 death toll is misleading. Briand believes that deaths due to heart diseases, respiratory diseases, influenza and pneumonia may instead be recategorized as being due to COVID-19.” 

• Deaths have remained relatively constant, yet reported deaths due to deadly conditions such as heart disease have fallen while reported Covid deaths have risen. This suggests that the current Covid death count is in some capacity relabeled deaths due to other ailments. According to the graph, reported Covid deaths even overtook heart disease as the main cause of death at one point, which should raise suspicion.

• This aligns with many other well-established facts about the virus, such as those with comorbidities are the most at risk. According to the CDC, about 94% of Covid deaths occur with comorbidities. This suggests that it could be possible that a large number of deaths could have been mainly due to more serious ailments such as heart disease but categorized as a Covid-19 death, a far less lethal disease.

The AIER article continues:

• "According to this graph provided by the study, deaths labeled under Covid-19 increased while deaths labeled under others decreased. It is important to note that this sample only applies to the month of April as the author notes these were the weeks with the highest reported deaths. Gu writes, “The CDC classified all deaths that are related to COVID-19 simply as COVID-19 deaths. Even patients dying from other underlying diseases but are infected with COVID-19 count as COVID-19 deaths. This is likely the main explanation as to why COVID-19 deaths drastically increased while deaths by all other diseases experienced a significant decrease…

• “If [the COVID-19 death toll] was not misleading at all, what we should have observed is an increased number of heart attacks and increased COVID-19 numbers. But a decreased number of heart attacks and all the other death causes doesn’t give us a choice but to point to some misclassification,” Briand replied.”

• "Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James 5:13-16 NIV

• "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed." Acts 5:11-16 NIV

• "Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 NIV

• "Look! Listen! God’s arm is not amputated—he can still save. God’s ears are not stopped up—he can still hear. There’s nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in you. Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God. Your sins got between you so that he doesn’t hear." Isaiah 59:1-2 MSG

• Honesty: A willingness to admit and accurately appreciate the issues presented thus far will prove essential qualities for POA members. While numerous debriefings and defining of goals are a given, having to continually explain and defend even subtle foundational truths would be counterproductive. When and if possible, this should be done outside the POA/J4 meetings.
• Stability: Participants should be selected not only by the quality of their Christian world view, but their ability to handle and live out Biblical truth. Given the subjective nature of "Spirit Filled" meetings, a proven track record of openness to the Spirit through orderly means would be helpful.
• Authentically Pro-Life: As previously noted in regards to the Isaiah 59 passage, Scripture repeatedly warns of the dire consequences of either participation in or apathy towards the shedding of innocent blood. Legalized clinical abortion on demand's approaching the 50 year mark, and the issue of contraceptive abortion remains a non starter within the Protestant church. This not only reflects mass insensitivity to the Holy Spirit but a mishandling of Scripture. On both of which POA/J4 style meetings are built. For more information please see the Pro-Life series of GB articles, including Authentically Pro-Life and Anti-Judgment, Abortion and the Good Samaritan, Abortion and the Church and Aborting Prayer and Worship.
• Experience: The rigors implicit in fully engaging in ongoing POA/J4 meetings are not for the novice or faint of heart. Preferably, invitees will have expertise in both various modes of prayer, as well as Scriptural based spiritual sensitivity. Hopefully developed over years of honest Bible study and practice.
• Scriptural Savvy: Comprehension of the context of Scripture is crucial to understanding its content. Context also plays a vital role in accurately discerning and responding to the times and seasons in which we live. While no longer in vogue, Scripture's context is most certainly one of warfare theology. Like the whodunnit story of Job, considered by many to be the oldest Book of the Bible and perhaps its key codex, conflict between God the "Lord of Hosts" (angel armies) and Satan the "prince and power of the air" (god of this world), provides the backdrop to Job's story. And much, if not all, the entire Old and New Testaments. For this and a plethora of reasons, the content of Scripture can only be fully understood by embracing the Bible's overarching context. This crucial concern is developed more fully in GB articles such as the Evil One and demonic Resistance, as well as Eternity…The Wager (see excerpts Brief History of Eternity and Satan's Accusation). For an excellent example of previous generation's handling of this topic see the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther's hymnal lyrics of "A Might Fortress Is Our God." Note: Also a better than average grasp of the quantum nature of Biblical content is extremely helpful when dealing with the often overlooked mega messages of Scripture.
• Sanctification: Modern Christianity overwhelmingly tests positive for worldliness. Diagnosis and treatment of this critical disease requires a good grasp on the importance of personal and collective sanctification. Including apprehending the differences between positional and conditional righteousness, as well as insight into the nuance of increasing levels of sanctification. For an old-timey world view altering call to individual and corporate sanctification see the video Revival Hymn.
• Commitment: The Bible asks, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" Jesus also cautioned, "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it?" Commitment to not only pressing in, but praying through pre-revival repentance to the necessary objectives of renewal, revival and reformation is a must.
• Expertise: Experienced Christians, including lay and professional leaders, often specialize in one of more areas of study and/or service. As is true for most teams, individuals having something of value to offer increases odds of success. In the area of giftedness, unity and uniformity should be augmented with specialization and diversity.
• Team Membership: While POA/J4 meetings are a corporate endeavor, participants should be selected by quality not quantity. As the old adage goes, "A camel is a racehorse designed by a commitee." Given a Kingdom quorum appears to be "two or more" better less members in greater agreement, than greater numbers less agreed.
• Gender: Of all the suggestions so far, gender separation may be the most contested. While not directly required by the New Testament in regards to prayer meetings, there are clear instructions on the role of women vs. that of men. There are several reasons for this recommendation, ranging from gender giftedness to propriety. In sharp contrast to the prevailing viewpoint of modern Christianity, the Bible is clear that its gender directives are not cultural, but rather Kingdom requirements. When dealing with male vs. female roles, the Apostle Paul goes so far as to warn, "If anyone thinks and claims that he is a prophet [a true spokesman for God] or spiritually astute [filled with and energized by the Holy Spirit], let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. If anyone does not recognize this [that it is a command of the Lord], he is not recognized [by God].” For an in-depth handling of this touchy, albeit important topic, see GB's article Role of Women.

• Frequency: Reconciling modern Christianity with God with is as mission critical as it is challenging. More a platoon style expedition than destination. Doing so requires exceptional quality and quantity of participants and their prayers. According to James, such spiritual combatants must be unusually "fervent" and "righteous." And their prayers "effective." Settling in to such a daunting task is not a once a month affair. Once a week would be little more than the ante in the highest stake contest imaginable. From the Book of Acts to Azusa Street, daily and lengthly corporate prayer has always been the norm for undertaking pre-revival repentance in serious pursuit of genuine renewal, revival or reformation. Understandably, such concerns must be weighed against the rights and responsibilities of modern life. Commitments and careers, marriage and child care need be considered. On the one hand, Paul warns good life stewardship is a prerequisite for Christian leadership. On the other, Paul cautions against getting "entangled in civilian affairs."
• Duration: Frequency and duration go hand in hand. As with most endeavors, the effort should be commensurate with the objective. Like military assignments and maneuvers, insightful and Spirit led prayer meetings require debriefings. Time should be allotted to encourage participants, redirect efforts and delineate short and long term goals. With repentive/overcoming prayer the focus, POA/J4 meetings require an initial commitment of 2-3 hours. If not longer. Superficial attempts at colossal undertakings fail before they begin. Like salvation, such undertakings require costly rather than cheep grace. Consider David, Scripture's only psalmist and prophet, warrior and king. Having once again having fallen prey to Satan's deception, this time by numbering Israel's army, he incited a plague from God killing 70,000 of his own people. Positioning himself to end the destruction, he was freely given Araunah's threshing floor on which to offer the required sacrifice. Exacerbated by such needless slaughter, David refused the gift, stating he would not offer the Lord that which cost him nothing.
• Style: While painful to admit, as previously mentioned, the goal of POA/J4 meetings is nothing less than reconciling modern Christianity to God. Or at the very least, restoring the full measure of Kingdom power. This includes Prophetic Christians, whom while genuinely a cut above our more worldly counterparts, often lack insight and/or fervency, sanctification and/or power. As referenced earlier, a decades old friend and counselor's excellent formula for conflict resolution between both ourselves and God, as well as each other, may suffice to provide a basic style. Firm (POA/J4 viewpoint), Fair (admission there are other world views), Factual (given the circumstances POA/J4 is the logical course of action) and Friendly (such a difficult objective will be pursued through the hope and guidance of the fruit of the Spirit).
• Leadership: The purpose of POA/J4 meetings is to greatly increase, if not completely restore, the Holy Spirit's leadership of His church. To motivate and equip believers into becoming radical disciples to the point of spiritual transformation into entirely New Creations: neither Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. Full Kingdom citizens, having already "passed from death into life." Overcoming Christians having "rivers of living water" "springing up into eternal life" saving ourselves and families, friends and neighbors, and thousands if not millions of others. As far as the need may be. Such a lofty goal will require much. Not the least of which is both firm and flexible leadership. Firm enough to keep team members disciplined and on point. Flexible enough to encourage individual gifts and expertise to arise. The First Church Council of Jerusalem provides an excellent example. Acts 15 records the early church working through the potentially divisive issue of requiring Gentile believers to keep Jewish customs. Peter, Barnabas and Paul each had a say. But in the end, it was James (Christ's half brother and author of J4) who interpreted the Scripture and discerned the Spirit's guidance in rendering the final verdict and issuing the council's proclamation. In no way did James' style or role inhibit Peter and Paul's incredible ministries. Even so, they deferred to James, whom having lived with Jesus his entire life, seemed to have been given the leadership position. Note: While attending a POA/J4 meeting is not technically a leadership position, it's pretty close. And Kingdom leadership is not to be taken lightly. As James warns, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. This holds true for professional and lay leaders, particularly those who, while assuming to lead and/or correct modern Christianity, have committed sexual sin. According to pivotal passages in Timothy and Hebrews, while such can be forgiven and restored to service, they can never again lead. Such passages are almost universally overlooked. So much so, in this day and age of ubiquitous and growing levels of gross temptation and immorality, I've taken to frequently reminding myself and men in leadership, misuse "your gun and you're done."

• Comfort: Duration is one distinguishing factor between the average prayer meeting and one designed with the expressed purpose of breaking through the silence and distance of God. James 4's instructions are onerous enough that there are few if any takers. Those hardy souls willing to invest hours on end putting their shoulders to the task may benefit from some creature comforts. Welcoming rather than sterile environments seem preferable. For smaller meetings, perhaps homes over church auditoriums? Couches and cushioned chairs might be preferred to plastic or metal seats. Those choosing to sometimes kneel or prostate themselves (another reason for suggested gender separation) for long periods of time may want to bring pillows or yoga mats. While advisable, such concessions are modern contrivances. Millions of past and present believers have persevered in seeking God in squalid conditions undesirable to those of us raised in today's pampered lifestyles.
• Private: Intensity is another hallmark of POA/J4 meetings. While holy rolling or barnyard shenanigans are precluded, repentive sobs and broken hearts are standard fare. As may be long periods of sorrowful silence punctuated with cry's for forgiveness and help. As Hebrews notes, "During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission."

• Clarify: Initial and ongoing direction regarding all the above is vital to promoting understanding and unity. Kept short during meetings, it makes great conversation before and after.
• Debrief: Prophetic Christians are somewhat isolated given the lack of resonance with their less astute, though equally precious, brothers and sisters in the faith. Hopefully not for reasons of quirkiness or worse. Time for updates and encouragement, redirection and venting is par for the course. Again, during POA/J4 meetings, this necessary activity should be time sensitive given the overwhelming need for overcoming prayer.
• Repentive Prayer: Crucial for a variety of reasons, while deep repentance is one of the least utilized forms of prayer, it is in fact the most necessary. And remains so throughout living faith's journey. Biblical salvation is dependent on it. So much so, we should rethink the answer to the popular Evangelism Explosion question, “If God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into My Heaven?' What would you say to God?” While E.E.’s answers are good, in light of our atrocious behavior and upgraded culpability, Christ’s may be better: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14 NIV. Of how much greater importance is genuine brokenness and repentance for Laodiceans such as we approaching the Almighty God for ever greater grace, at this time of escalating sin and unparalleled need. As noted by Frank Bartleman, official spokesman for the Azusa Street Revival, "The depth of our repentance will determine the depth of our revival."
• Scripture: Correct interpretation and obedience to Scripture is foundational to successfully seeking and pleasing the Lord. Particularly in regards to Divine requirements and providence. Serious and insightful Bible study is of far greater importance still for those endeavoring to wait on, and even wrestle with, God. Such an expedition demands paying special attention to the meta-messages emphasized by Scripture. For a relatively unimportant example of recognizing and complying with the whole of Scripture, consider something as innocuous as praying over a meal. Hundreds of millions do so daily. But how? A moments pause, perhaps with eyes closed, offering a word of thanks? Sounds good enough, but is it? Not according to Paul's first letter to Timothy regarding abstaining from certain foods, "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." While hardly a deal breaker, it would seem 99% of Christianity, failing to quote Scripture over their meal, are eating food only half "consecrated."
• Silence: Periods of quiet can clear the mind and acclimatize our souls to the importance and practice of serious prayer. Honoring God and giving our Creator and Savior a little equal time is a must. POA/J4 participants need be attentive in hope of insight and understanding regarding such important topics as honesty and humility, genuine and living faith, salvation and discipleship, fellowship and acceptable worship. Not to mention temptation and deception, immorality and sin, endurance and sanctification, radical discipleship and power evangelism. See GB's Prayer of Silence.
• Listening: Stillness before God takes silence to a deeper level. As has been noted, "Only in stillness does the imperceivable become discernible." As stated by the oft quoted yet underutilized verse, "Be still and know that I am God." While silence tends toward sorrow and repentance, stillness lends itself more to equipping and obedience. In the movie, Cowboys And Aliens staring Daniel Criag (James Bond) and Harrison Ford (Hans Solo), a cowboy preacher rightly chides an ill-equipped bartender (Sam Rockwell) while teaching him to fire a gun in hopes of saving the man's captured wife: "Surely you don't expect the Lord to do everything for you, do you? You got to earn His presence. Then you got to recognize it and then you have to act on it." Active stillness and accurate listening represents a vastly neglected form of prayer and untapped resource. See GB's Be Still.
• Spiritual Gifts: All of Christianity, if not life itself, can be boiled down to spiritual sensitivity. From avoiding temptation and deception to perceiving and entering the Kingdom. From detecting the difference between faith and presumption to appreciating and rightly interpreting Scripture. From judging between the differing Christ of various denominations to recognizing Biblical requirements of churches. From discerning the times and season to serving God and others. Any POA/J4 fellowship would benefit greatly from individual and collective sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leadership and empowerment. Given the heart of our quest is to restore the genuine fruit and gifts of the Spirit, particularly that of miraculous healing of the sick, the accurate and orderly use of any and all authentic giftedness would be of great benefit.
• Personal Prayer: If POA/J4 meetings hold any promise, there is a price to pay. Religious misunderstandings and conflicts abound under normal conditions. When advancing to recover critical spiritual resource, overt and covert demonic resistance is a given. Time should be scheduled in each meeting to intercede for members before, during and after trouble arises. In larger meetings, for brevity's sake, this might best be done in small groups.
• Fellowship: As in the Lord Of The Rings, the fellowship of such an intrepid band requires not only courage and endurance, but care and camaraderie. While POA/J4 meetings may or may not take the place of a Biblical church, it should reflect all characteristics of genuine Kiononia. Aspects should include growth in friendship and commitment, discipleship and sanctification. See GB's Christian Fellowship.

• “Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 MSG
• “They are going to throw you to the wolves and kill you, everyone hating you because you carry my name. And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other’s throat, everyone hating each other. In the confusion, lying preachers will come forward and deceive a lot of people. For many others, the overwhelming spread of evil will do them in—nothing left of their love but a mound of ashes. Staying with it—that’s what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13 MSG
• “But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36 MSG
• So get yourselves together. Shape up! You’re a nation without a clue about what it wants. Do it before you’re blown away like leaves in a windstorm, Before God’s Judgment-anger sweeps down on you, Before God’s Judgment Day wrath descends with full force. Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people who live by God’s justice. Seek God’s right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life. Perhaps you’ll be hidden on the Day of God’s anger." Zephaniah 2:1-3 MSG

•  For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21 NKJV

Sacred Assembly After Pre Revival Repentance

From time to time there have been, and will continue to be, efforts made to attempt to address our obviously deteriorating spiritual condition. Some admirable. Others less so. Many target some form of renewal, revival or even reformation. Almost universally, such attempts fall far short of their objectives for several key reasons. These include:

1. Lack of Discernment: The ability to fully recognize the glaring need for individual and corporate repentance, both within and without modern Christianity, is in short supply. Less that one percent of church leaders are able and/or willing to do so. Of these, a small minority rightly diagnose the seriousness of the systemic disease. Sadly, even within this discerning fraction of a percentage, fewer still understand the severity of the treatment required to mitigate the ubiquitous and increasing levels of temptation and deception, worldliness and sin pandemic in society and Churchianity.

2. Faith vs Presumption: Well intentioned or not, it's surprisingly easy to think and/or act prematurely. Assuming salvation, inappropriate worship and claiming Scripture's promises without recognizing, much less adhering to their corresponding conditions, is the new norm. The same holds true for those who seek to rectify unprecedented disbelief and rebellion without fully following the New Testament's steps of brokenness and restoration.

From evangelism to discipleship, from doctrine to practice, from worship to communion, from prayer to miraculous power, Churchianity has so fallen from grace as to need a re-baptism. The original outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost gave birth and empowerment to the 1st century church. This unprecedented move of God began with John the Baptist’s message of extreme repentance preparing the way for Christ. 

Few appreciate what an amazingly significant role John’s accomplishment played in preparing "stubborn and hardheaded" believers for the appearance of their Redeemer. Without a single recorded miracle, John's coming in the spirit of Elijah, accomplished what Elijah’s three accounts of heavenly fire could not. Jews, including Pharisees, came to listen and even immerse themselves in the waters of the Jordan. The entire region thereby participating in an unprecedented act of repentance. 

Baptism, as instituted by John, exemplified by Jesus and implemented by the apostles was Scripturally unique. While the concept may have arisen from the Jewish ceremonial washings of Mikveh, John's application was certainly next generation. John used baptism to demonstrate his message of extraordinary repentance by requiring Jews to undergo a rite reserved for Gentile converts. Baptism, for example, is listed by the Jewish philosopher Maimonides, along with circumcision and sacrifice, as one of the three requirements for Gentile proselytes to Judaism. By commanding Israel to repent and be baptized, John dramatized his message that God’s people had fallen from their privileged position as "sons of Abraham." 

There is no modern equivalent in Christendom. Even the Pope commanding all Catholics to be re-baptized and re-confirmed, and/or a Billy Graham figure demanding all Born Again Christians get back to the altar and pray through until it took, would fail in comparison. Such proclamations would be as radical as they would be unwelcomed. Yet, not nearly so much as that of the Baptist’s. Jews inherited their faith and had never been baptized into it to begin with. Additionally, males proudly carried in their bodies the mark of sanctification through circumcision. 

Of particular interest is the method John employs for his altar call. The first of only two recorded in the New Testament. Establishing himself as the Baptist, he calls Israel to repentance, yet note the tenor of his accusation and its unusual timing. While his audience obediently responds, John stops them short with a strange question and criticism:

• Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:7-9 NKJV
  

• "So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."... And with many other exhortations he preached to the people." Luke 3:10-18 NKJV
  

• "When Solomon finished praying, a bolt of lightning out of heaven struck the Whole-Burnt-Offering and sacrifices and the Glory of GOD filled The Temple. The Glory was so dense that the priests couldn't get in—GOD so filled The Temple that there was no room for the priests! When all Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the Glory of GOD fill The Temple, they fell on their knees, bowed their heads, and worshiped, thanking GOD: Yes! God is good! His love never quits! Then the king and all Israel worshiped, offering sacrifices to GOD. King Solomon worshiped by sacrificing 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep at the dedication of The Temple. The priests were all on duty; the choir and orchestra of Levites that David had provided for singing and playing anthems to the praise and love of GOD were all there; across the courtyard the priests blew trumpets. All Israelites were on their feet." 2 Chronicles 7:1-6 MSG

• "For seven days there were people there all the way from the far northeast (the Entrance to Hamath) to the far southwest (the Brook of Egypt)—a huge congregation. They started out celebrating for seven days, and then did it for another seven days, a week for dedicating the Altar and another for the Feast itself—two solid weeks of celebration! On the twenty-third day of the seventh month Solomon dismissed his congregation. They left rejoicing, exuberant over all the good GOD had done for David and Solomon and his people Israel." 2 Chronicles 7:8-10 MSG

• " After all this was done, the leaders came to me and said, “The People of Israel, priests and Levites included, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring people around here with all their vulgar obscenities—Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, Amorites. They have given some of their daughters in marriage to them and have taken some of their daughters for marriage to their sons. The holy seed is now all mixed in with these other peoples. And our leaders have led the way in this betrayal.” When I heard all this, I ripped my clothes and my cape; I pulled hair from my head and out of my beard; I slumped to the ground, appalled. Many were in fear and trembling because of what God was saying about the betrayal by the exiles. They gathered around me as I sat there in despair, waiting for the evening sacrifice. At the evening sacrifice I picked myself up from my utter devastation, and in my ripped clothes and cape fell to my knees and stretched out my hands to God, my God. And I prayed: “My dear God, I’m so totally ashamed, I can’t bear to face you. O my God—our iniquities are piled up so high that we can’t see out; our guilt touches the skies." Ezra 9:1-6 MSG

• "Ezra wept, prostrate in front of The Temple of God. As he prayed and confessed, a huge number of the men, women, and children of Israel gathered around him. All the people were now weeping as if their hearts would break. Shecaniah son of Jehiel of the family of Elam, acting as spokesman, said to Ezra: “We betrayed our God by marrying foreign wives from the people around here. But all is not lost; there is still hope for Israel. Let’s make a covenant right now with our God, agreeing to get rid of all these wives and their children, just as my master and those who honor God’s commandment are saying. It’s what The Revelation says, so let’s do it. “Now get up, Ezra. Take charge—we’re behind you. Don’t back down.” Ezra 10:1-4 MSG

• "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." Galatians 6:7 NKJV

• "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind." Hosea 8:7 NIV

It can’t be overstated that according to the context of Scripture, spiritual conflict is not a mythical analogy, but rather eternity’s reality. In fact, in a variety of ways, a myriad of Biblical passages attest to the unpleasant fact that all creation is at war with (alongside or against) God. There is no neutral territory.

Consider Christ's quantum parable of the Sheep and Goats. It is an event that will take place at a designated future place and time. It is true that all of mankind will be separated into those entering “everlasting punishment” and “the righteous into eternal life.” It is not true that people are sheep and goats. Although “sheeple” often seems an apt metaphor. It is true that Jesus is “the savior of all men.” Here and elsewhere, Scripture reveals that all humanity is loosed from the power of the first death through universal resurrection. A shared benefit of Christ’s costly atonement. It is not true that this translates to universal salvation. Just ask the goats. As well as “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Here, according to Jesus, not only sins of commission, but omission, carry an eternal penalty:

• “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:41-46 NKJV
  

Such conflict theology partially explains the Bible’s harsh or even horrible accounts of earthly conquest. For example, consider one of Scripture’s most gruesome passages of Divinely sanctioned genocide:

• “Moses said to the people, “Some of you must take arms to wage Jehovah’s war against Midian…  And every man of Midian was killed. Among those killed were all five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. Balaam, the son of Beor, was also killed. Then the Israeli army took as captives all the women and children, and seized the cattle and flocks and a lot of miscellaneous booty. All of the cities, towns, and villages of Midian were then burned… but Moses was very angry with the army officers and battalion leaders. “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to worship idols on Mount Peor, and they are the cause of the plague that destroyed us. Now kill all the boys and all the women who have had sexual intercourse. Only the little girls may live; you may keep them for yourselves.” Numbers 31:2-18 TLB

• “This plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours! For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours.” Isaiah 55:8-9 TLB

Another small problem with the primary tenants of this article is that they are impossible. Tasking, much less requiring, elders of the church to regularly and miraculously heal the sick is patently absurd. Yet, Christianity is synonymous with impossibility. From the incarnation by virgin birth to the atonement and resurrection. From Kingdom signs and wonders to the entire Book of Revelation.

Faith producing miracles is by definition rare. Should mountain removing levels of mustard seed faith be common, the world would be quite a different place. Even so, The New Testament is not only replete with the miraculous, but depended on it. Both as a foundation for 1st century Christianity, as well as a litmus test for Biblical authority and power evangelism/discipleship. Nothing is more troubling and telling than modern Christianity’s lack of miracle producing levels of faith. Nor is anything more needed and necessary than its restoration. As the primary and demonstrable aspect of both the Kingdom and glory of God, its importance and influence is infinite and eternal.

Improbable or not, failure to face difficult, or in this case impossible truth, undermines the offer of power implicit in the New Testament. Without which much is left lacking. As with any split vessel, half the Gospel holds little or no promise of living water.

So, what modern church would open such a spiritual pandora's box? How many in positions of leadership are willing to risk all they have on an impossibility with little or no chance of success? Even if persuaded to do so, what explanation would suffice for having delayed so long? What would parishioners and colleagues think? What other unpleasantries might require addressing?

This is exactly Kierkegaard's point when sardonically stating, "Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world?" A reasonable question. Thankfully one asked and answered by a great cloud of witnesses, the likes of which we are told "The world was not worthy." Up to and including Martin Luther and Blaise Pascal, Charles Wesley and Hudson Taylor, Charles Finney and Smith Wigglesworth, George Müller and Evan Roberts, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Jackie Pullinger, Brother Yun and Nik Ripken. To name just a few.

Countless Christian men and women have proven the old adage, "The difficult is done at once, the impossible takes a little longer." Or as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz,  Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, commanding Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II is credited as praying, "God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless."

With such examples and so much to gain, validating and complying with the directives of James 4 hardly seems too much for God to ask. For those hardy souls willing to venture in, we highly recommend a thorough read of GB's Prayer of Anguish, where step by step exegesis and helpful suggestions are provided.

As a final word of warning, the Apostle John's Book of Revelation is remarkable on many levels. Within its pages John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, reveals the greatest time of suffering and death Earth has ever known. Just two of his sixty predictions will take the lives of half of humanity!

Our generation has been given unprecedented and tremendous gifts and would do well to remember Christ's warning, "to whom much is given much is required." Besides reaping the answers to the prayers of all generations we also have 2,000 fulfilled Bible prophecies and the pages of the Scriptures's final Book of Revelation coming alive as a prophetic witness of Biblical authenticity.

The Apostle John, perhaps well educated in the knowledge of his time, still knew far less about the world than today's average elementary school student. Even so, he was able to look ahead into the future and describe in detail what were then unimaginable events. Two thousand years later the honest reader of his words can see the stage being set for the last chapter of human history as many of of his prophecies begin to unfold!

For example, the nation of Israel is a key player in Revelation's drama, yet in the Apostle John's day Israel was being ground under the boot of Rome, a global power showing no signs of weakening. For John to suggest Israel would become the center of world wide attention was ludicrous. All the more so after 70 A.D. when the Romans literally wiped it off the map. Yet in 1947 A.D. Israel reappeared in the same location. Never before or since has a nation having vanished for two centuries, much less two millennia, suddenly reemerged so. Israel's resurrection as a nation, not to mention its global status, is unprecedented in human history. Adding to Israel's miraculous modern history is the unbridled hostility of billions of Muslims, hundreds of millions of which all but surround the small plot of land Israel resides on. About the size of San Bernardino County in the Los Angles basin, Israel's population has been as little as 3 million. The Muslim nations nearby occupy as much territory as the United States, with over 300 million and yet in every war and conflict Israel has not only survived but conquered its attackers. The odds of Israels reappearance, growth and national prominence are astronomical. Additionally, there are a host of other previously impossible predictions all testifying to the validity of John's awesome and awe-full prophecy. These include the potential of a nuclear holocaust and fallout, as well as the technology necessary for the Mark of the Beasts, both for the first time in human history at the stage of development necessary for the kind of implementation Scripture warned of two millennia ago.

The Alive After The Fall video is a short but well produced overview of last day prophecies in light of recent events. It also offers a reasonable though fearful handling of America's currently apparent place in Biblical prophecy, along with resources to help equip individuals and families to survive what may well be coming. GB highly recommends watching the video, but if necessary you can click here to view the transcript.



Spiritual Press Release

The imagined text of the Spiritual Press Release below was prayerfully written in quantum hope a week prior to Pentecost Sunday 2020 as if offered the day after:

By the end of May churches across America, and much if not most of the world, had been shuttered for months. Bowing to pressure he helped create, on May 22 President Trump finally declared that in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic, houses of worship were essential and ordered state governors to remove bans against congregational gatherings. He also directed the CDC to issue reopening guidelines.

Yesterday, Pentecost Sunday 2020 came and went. Judging by millions of messages before, during and after, it was business as usual. Temporarily reduced in the scale.

Multitudes joined in cautious and joyful reunion, to fellowship and worship, enjoying renewed albeit limited freedom.

Conspicuously absent from this oft forgot religious anniversary were remarks targeting, much less prayerful confessions regarding, our doubtful habits and besetting sins. Beliefs and lifestyles having reduced modern Christianity to our current deplorable state.

False doctrines embraced by scores of sects were happily resumed, rather than repentantly redressed. Habitual justification of anemic faith, by teaching and obeying half the Gospel or less, continued unabated. Reinforced by the false comforts of assumed salvation and presumptive worship.

Subdued services on this anniversary of Pentecost failed to note the height of irony. Few if any, gathering on the memorial of the birth of the church by Holy Ghost fire dancing on the heads and tongues of fully sanctified 1st century believers, soulfully lamented the spiritual pandemic of powerless so blatantly pervasive in the 21st.

After months of costly and mountainous evidence, growing concerns regarding conspiracies and conspirators arose here and there. Yet none concerning our own. A conspiracy of silence through designer doctrine artfully concealing the loss of the gifts of the Spirit offered and imparted on the original day of Pentecost. As both Christianity‘s birthright and responsibility. Particularly telling has been the wholesale theft of the children's bread of Divine deliverance and miraculous healing.

Pulpits were silent on the issue for obvious reasons. Not the least of which being the need to placate parishioners and replenish bank accounts. Elders were shielded from suspicion, much less inquiry, regarding their unacknowledged and unmet responsibility to heal the sick and forgive sins through the prayer of faith. Ministries and worship teams we’re not only given a pass, but were celebrated for their resolve and resourcefulness in employing technology and social media to provide comfort and assurance. In obfuscated opposition to the spiritual Koinonia and unity marking the first Pentecost, Churchianity joined in false harmony proclaiming, “Peace, peace, when there is no peace.”

What fingers were pointed targeted ubiquitous and growing levels of temptation and deception, immorality and sin. All conveniently outside the camp. While right to do so, we were equally wrong in failing to discern and confess the plain and simple heart of the matter. That the presence and power of darkness grows in direct proportion to the absence and impotence of light. Both naturally and supernaturally.

Here again, as ever before, little or no heed was paid to the more numerous fingers pointing back at us. Thus the primary and principal lessons from not only the global health and economic crisis of COVID-19, but the coming and going of Easter and now Pentecost, was lost on the spiritually shuttered eyes and ears of modern Christianity. Even Prophetic Christians failed to enter the crucible of James 4's Prayer of Anguish. We, the only people on earth possessing even a remote hope of hearing and rightly responding to what the Spirit is saying to the church, nearly to a man yet again refused to listen.

God have mercy. Christ have mercy.


Update:

COVID-19 Pentecost 2020 came and went as predicted. Sermons before, during and after continued to be status quo and seeker friendly. Many minored on the topic of change, yet remained mired along traditional lines. Most justified previous positions, with little or no questioning regarding the problem of powerlessness made obvious by C-19. Few, if any, offered deep dives into such crucial topics as worldliness and entitlement, brokenness and repentance, sanctification and unanswered prayer. Passages like 2 Chronicles 7:14 were given lip service at best. James 4's Prayer of Anguish was ignored entirely.

Here and there, the importance of Pentecost was raised without doing the subject justice. Much less pinpointing the glaring global need for a new Pentecost of our own. If and when talk of a Sacred Assembly arose, there was little interest in even discussing prerequisite pre-revival repentance. In regards to healing the sick or the importance of power evangelism and discipleship, there were no mentions of our fall from grace. No church councils were convened to address the matter. No team tasked to recover the gifts of the Spirit.

What could and should have been our finest hour, was largely our darkest.

Sermon titles and subjects varied. Some more interesting than others. Yet nary a one chose the clearest text of all. "Behold I stand at the door and knock." Rampant and rising levels of temptation and deception, immorality and sin on display everywhere. Both without and within modern Christianity. The threat of present and future global pandemics abound. Economic tribulation reverberating worldwide. Forty three million seeking unemployment benefits in the U.S. alone. Coast to coast rioting and looting, violence and murder over the death of career criminal George Floyd. To the point of choreographing race riots with militias on both sides (if link does not play click here to download militia video). All this while calling to defund the police after already making the crucial job of society's protectors all but impossible.

Scripture is clear such manipulations of facts and logic, much less the rebellion and anarchy they promote, are forbidden and will prove disastrous for all parties involved.

Makes one wonder how much louder Christ need knock.



For additional information regarding these and related topics please see GB Articles: COVID-19, Missing Something, Litmus Test, Pre-Revival Repentance, A New Pentecost, If My People, Prophetic Advice, Sacred Assembly and Renewal, Revival, or Reformation.

UPDATE: Roe vs. Wade Overturned

To the joy of countless millions, on Friday 6/24/22 the landmark decision Hobbs vs. Jackson by the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe vs. Wade. Thus auspiciously ending 40 years of national tyranny against 60 million pre-born.

Or at lease throwing the decision to allow mothers to continue conspiring with physicians to murder the offspring within their wombs back to America's 50 individual states...

While I now live in North East Texas, years ago I spent nearly 100 Saturdays at Central California clinics warning and imploring up to twenty girls a day to spare their babies. Via public parking constraints, forced to pass near I implored, “If God gives you the gift of a child don’t let anyone harm it.”

Often alone, sometimes there would be nearly a handful of us. On a good day, one or two mothers would listen and change their minds.

On many other occasions none at all.

As in Christ's end time parable of the Sheep and Goats, there I discovered Jesus in His smallest and most innocent form. Totally dependent for “food” and “drink,” “naked” and “in prison” in the very womb of His mother. There I watched as He was repeatedly carried, “Like a lamb to the slaughter,” into a medical clinic. A most solemn and sorrowful scenario with grave spiritual ramifications.

One repeated in Fresno alone over 50,000 times.

In over two years I don’t recall a single member of the clergy or even lay leader joining us. Though I understand the odds may have somewhat improved through the influence of 40 Days For Life.

Only a fraction of fraction of a percent of ordained ministers have served as a director of a leading pro-life organization. Far less still have had the honor and responsibility to act as a leading liaison to over a thousand churches in state wide pro-life political initiatives.

With well over thirty years in strategic Christian service, including more than a decade of pastoral ministry and pro-life activism, the author is privileged to belong to a select fraternity. This and other articles and books represent a culmination of this experience. Using such depth perception, this commentary is intended to introduce the true nature of the challenge presented by abortion. Particularly to modern Christianity.

During California’s 2005 Prop. 73 Parent’s Right To Know initiative I produced the pro-life political DVD entitled “Protect Me…Please” to be shown in hundreds, if not thousands of churches, prior to or on election Sunday. Groundbreaking, the 3 minute video featuring post abortive laments of teenage girls, made the front page of both the LA Times and San Francisco Chronicle. Prop. 73 failed by a narrow margin.

During the subsequent Prop. 85 initiative I achieved another milestone. For the first time, four leading Protestant state denominations, the Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God, Calvary Chapel and Foursquare, officially endorsed a political initiative. Again Parent’s Right to Know (PRK) was defeated.

Our third attempt in 2008 with Prop 4. affectionately dubbed “Sarah’s Law” failed as well. More than political, my involvement was spiritually motivated. After having spoken to thousands of Christians across denominational lines, it was clear that far less than 1% of either clergy or laity had the vaguest notion of the scale of abortion’s true threat to either the pre-born or the Church.

As a topical Biblical commentary, Quantum Christianity was designed in recognition of the need to examine and handle truth carefully and honestly. Scriptural and otherwise. The nationalized legalization of clinical abortion, and its apparent overruling, presents a perfect case in point.

A faithful handling of the Old and New Testament requires would be students and adherents to develop spiritual discernment on a variety of subjects crucial to Biblical Christianity. The lack of which has produced hundreds of differing denominations espousing various Christs and versions of the gospel. Tragically, many of the hopeful insights inherent in Christ's command to "Judge with righteous judgment" continue to go largely unrealized within modern Christianity.

Such is certainly the case when considering the American church's 40 year track record in regards to an appropriate response to abortion. Or more accurately, the lack thereof. Both clinically and contraceptively.

Bear in mind that church attending Christians could have ended abortion in a single day, 365 days a year, for nearly 40 years, by simply sending 1% of our congregations to have family friendly picnics in front of every abortion clinic in America. With thousands peacefully blocking entrances, even should there be numerous arrests, the sheer numbers involved would shut down all abortuaries in a single day. With 99% more now authentically pro-life Christians waiting for a chance to join cause.

Yet nothing could be further from the case. Then or now.

Nor have we seriously addressed the widespread use of abortifacient contraception throughout Christendom. A topic that many, if not most, churches and even pro-life organizations know or speak little about. Most often chemical in nature, early term abortions are a result of various forms of birth control and other devices. Abortions of this kind happen before the mother is aware of her pregnancy. The exact numbers are unknown. Some estimates suggest the daily total of these types of abortions may be surprising large. In the U.S. alone perhaps between 834,000 to over 4,000,000 per year (Dr. Bobmir Kuhar, Infant Homicides Through Contraceptives Pg 27.) Lower estimates range around 100,000 to over 1,500,000 annually (Randy Alcorn: Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions? How Often Does the Pill Cause Abortions?)

Thus the compelling need to rethink Jesus' directive to "Judge with righteous judgment" should be abundantly evident.

But is it? Throughout the Hobbs vs. Jackson decision by the Supreme Court celebratory posts and podcasts, sermons and ceremonies, is there any awareness of the reality of the seriousness our situation? Or brokenhearted repentance in light of the depth of our failures?

Are any of today's joyful messages cognizant of the Bible's repeated warning that God is not mocked.

• “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap. Galatians 6:7 AMP

• For they sow the wind [in evil] And they reap the whirlwind [in disaster]. Hosea 8:7 AMP

• “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.” Ephesians 4:28 New Living Translation

• “Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?” James 2:19-20 The Message

1. Halt: “If you are a thief, quit stealing.”

2. About Face: “Instead, use your hands for good hard work…”

3. March: “and then give generously to others in need.”

• Sample Daniel Horowitz: "Twice Daily Nose Flushing Can Reduce Covid Hospitalization and Death Researchers Find" by 85%
• Sample Link: Steve Deace **9/15/22 Circumvent Medical Cartels with Dr. Harvey Risch** Simple straight talk from preeminent  honored immunologist and cofounder of The Wellness Company TWC.health 
• Sample Link: **Ivermectin Nobel prize** In 2015, the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, in its only award for treatments of infectious diseases since six decades prior, honoured the discovery of ivermectin (IVM), a multifaceted drug deployed against some of the world’s most devastating tropical diseases. Since March 2020, when IVM was first used against a new global scourge, COVID-19, more than 20 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have tracked such inpatient and outpatient treatments. Six of seven meta-analyses of IVM treatment RCTs reporting in 2021 found notable reductions in COVID-19 fatalities, with a mean 31% relative risk of mortality vs. controls. During mass IVM treatments in Peru, excess deaths fell by a mean of 74% over 30 days in its ten states with the most extensive treatments.
• Sample Link: Daniel Horowitz: **9/26/22**The Woman Who Survived American Hospital Holocaust with COVID in Plano TX**: One could make a movie about Gail Seiler’s experience in a Plano, Texas, hospital during the pandemic. Our hospitals have become killing fields. From remdesivir and illegal DNR orders to denial of treatment, forced starvation, and abuse based on vaccination status, Gail experienced the horrors that hundreds of thousands of other Americans suffered in the hospitals. Except, thanks to her husband and help from state Senator Bob Hall, she wound up being forcibly extricated from the hospital after 14 days of torture (7 days no water…). Even though the doctors said she wouldn’t last a day longer, she is now perfectly healthy and is trying to raise awareness about the hospital genocide.
• Sample Link: Daniel Horowitz: **The Risk of Cancer from Both the Shots and Perpetual Mask Wearing with Guest: Dr. Colleen Huber | 6/3/22** “Clot shots. Poisoning of Americans (World) beyond belief, as they prepare to stick babies as young ad 6 months old. HOW IS THIS NOT THE ISSUE OF OUR TIME?  That it perpetuates the virus, destroys the immune system, and causes every ailment known to man… And yet to this day, it’s like it doesn’t exist. It’s a complete lockout…” “If you don’t get it you have your career destroyed. If you do get it you have your body destroyed. And then everything they plan on doing there on down with it. And everything it represents, with biomedical state, track/trace, transhumanism... Dr. Colleen Huber: Neither Safe Nor Effective: The Evidence Against the COVID Vaccines (Cancer Researcher/Get eBook). 
• Sample Link: **Died Suddenly** Documentary featuring video of alien and deadly clots being pulled from arteries and bloods vessels during autopsies, surgeries and from a beating heat. Never before seen clots harming and killing large cross section of population after receiving MRNA “vaccines” and/or boosters. Devastating effects on US military and civilians. Extreme rise in prenatal death and birth defects among newborn. Cover up and collusion by. governments, health care and media industries. Great Reset agenda of elites through population reduction and control.

• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **The Thirty Tyrants** USA adopts China’s citizen control polices  
• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **Time To Start Believing In Conspiracy** Theories

• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **A Clarion Call Go On The Offensive** Interview with Dr. Peter McCullough
• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **8/24/22 The jobs/Dr. Ryan Cole**Excellent interview with Dr. Ryan Cole who is treated over 500,000 Covid patients and has impeccable credentials explaining the clot shots are extremely dangerous and genetically mutating. 

• Sample Link: Candice Owens: **George Floyd was a Criminal (Facts)**
• Sample Link: Matt Walsh: **Episode 571: 9/24/20 Summary of BLM "Martyrs"** 
• Sample Link: Matt Walsh: **It’s officially time for BLM to be labeled a domestic terror group.** DNC comments:
• Sample Link: Matt Walsh: **When the media says unarmed black shootings:** Actual case by case review
• Sample Link: Matt Walsh: **Police Shooting Stats:**

• Sample Link: **Crimes or Cover Up** Glen Beck Exposing The Worlds Most Dangerous Lie:  History of C19 conspiracy with dates and facts. 

• Sample Link: Ben Shapiro **Daily Wire. Episode 1159 is entitled, Do You Speak Woke?** 

• Sample Link: Matt Walsh: **Episode 727: The Evil Quacks Mutating Our Children**: Reviews Irreversible Damage The Gender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Schreier
• **Transgender Craze Seducing America**: interview with the author Abigail Schreier: Chowchilla prison article

• Sample Link: **Dinesh D'Souza** Author and filmmaker (2,000 Mules) Dr. Simone Gold, the founder of America's Frontline Doctors, tells us how she went from being a guest speaker at the Capitol on January 6 to facing a 60-day prison sentence for doing nothing.  
• **Epoch Times**
• Sample Link: **The Real Story of January 6th** Epoch Times New Investigative Report and Video: 
• Sample Link: **Jason Whitlock Fearless Blaze Media** Ep 124 | January 6: Little Lies Lead to Huge Deception | Kamala, Biden, AND Ted Cruz ALL Get It Wrong
• Sample Link:  Matt Walsh: **Might Be Time For A National Divorce:**

• Sample Link: **Texas Tribune Arrests along U.S.-Mexico border top 2 million a year for the first time.** https://www.texastribune.org/2022/09/19/u-s-mexico-border-arrests-record-2022/amp/
• Sample Link: **Tucker Carlson Battle For The Border**

• Sample Link: **CDC Fentanyl Facts** 
• Sample Link: **Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.**
• Sample Link: **National Institue on Drug Science 92,000 persons in the U.S. died from drug-involved overdose in 2020.**

• Sample Link: **Blaze Media current odds are 1/178 an American resident will be murdered during their lifetime.**

• Sample Link: **Tucker Carlson Insane policies, energy and fuel crises.**
• Sample Link: **Daniel Horowitz The Only Ones Who Can Save Democrats Are Republicans and Diesel Shutdown.**

• Sample Link: **Steve Deace 12 Republicans who voted for the so-called "Respect for Marriage Act."**
• Sample Link: **Daniel Horowitz The Only Ones Who Can Save Democrats Are Republicans and Diesel Shutdown.**

• Sample Link: **Washington Post President Biden declares MAGA Republicans represent extreme and/or greatest threat to US.**
• Sample Link: **Fox News President Biden twice threatens Second Amendment supporters with F15's.**

• Sample Link:  **Monopoly: Who Owns The World**
• Sample Link:  **Great Reset Introduction** Prager U interview with author and commentator Glenn Beck
  

• Sample Link: Eric Metaxas: **Letter to the American Church** Eric Metaxas wrote the definitive 24 hr audiobook biography on Bonhoeffer. His point is the American church is letting unprecedented evil arise and will perish today if we fail to respond to Bonhoeffer’s warning against cheep grace to the German church. 
• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **3/8/22  Americans: A Very Serious People**. (We are the problem. Including republicans & Ukrain is the new Covid).
• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **3/13/22 Weekend Of American Debauchery** (Hopeless…)
• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **8/3/22 The People Are The Problem** (There are no red states)
• Sample Link: Steve Deace: **8/9/22 We’re Quickly Running Out Of Time** Crossing A Line: DOJ - FBI Raid on Trumps House. Coming for you…

With Hell to loose, and Heaven to gain, few questions in life are as important as where God draws the line in regards to Biblical Salvation. What does Scripture teach we must do to be saved? Is following Christ, the authentic Jesus, different in the the modern world than the 1st century?

When aboard a massive ocean liner, in certain respects it doesn’t seem as if you’re moving. Because you’re not, when judged by those around you aboard ship. To plot your course and speed, you need a waypoint off ship.

The same holds true for entire generations. There may be no sense of momentum, because we’re all aboard the same massive ocean liner. But actually, we may be moving at a rapid pace, into dangerous waters. Or in our case, questionable if not heretical doctrine and worldly lifestyles.

As noted above, few recognize the growing gap between 1st century Biblical Christianity and 21st century Modern Churchianity. Or even the requirements of salvation popularized by a pair of well known sermons by two of the primary architects of the 18th century First Great Awakening.

Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God may simultaneously be the most famous and infamous sermon of all time. Lightyears from the “cheap grace” of modern Christianity, it’s as interesting as it is a difficult read.

While not religiously correct, the God of the Bible is simultaneously awe-full and awful, and should be approached as such. While Churchianity considers itself exempt from judgment, Jesus and His apostles tell a different story.

Fully grasping the message and exacting meaning of this sermon is crucial if we are to recover even a fraction of what has been lost. Beginning by developing living faith rather than presumption, whereby we assume salvation rather than seeking and serving God acceptably by means of serious sanctification and radical discipleship. All necessary foundational requirements should we realistically hope to experience Biblical Revival, much less Kingdom Reformation, in our generation.

Instead of reading GodBlog's classic 18th Century version, we highly recommend downloading "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God: Updated to Modern English Kindle Edition" by Jason Dollar. It can be read for $2.99 on any device by downloading the Kindle app or simply on the Amazon cloud. It is a far easier and meaningful read when updated into modern language and format. The author also includes a balanced introduction and second sermon entitled "Love The Sum Of All Virtue" to present Jonathan Edwards in a more accurate light.

Nevertheless, reader be warned. When Edwards uses the phrase “Born Again” in the 18th century, it is not with the same flippancy as in the 21st, whereby we erroneously grant blessing to have our cake and eat it too. Doctrinally justifying continuing our pursuit of the Christian/American Dream, while living mostly worldly lives.

To understand the difference, you will need a sermon by his contemporary, John Wesley, founder of the once puritan Methodist Church, entitled "The Almost Christian.”

Another crucial consideration is that of the Cruise Vs. Battleship analogy. While you won't find it taught in seminaries or churches, Conflict Theology is actually the underlying context of Scripture. Widely recognized for nearly two thousand years, the modern world long ago changed course, sailing far from puritanical definitions of repentance and morality, faith and discipleship and sanctification and holiness. The result has been the nearly wholesale substitution of assumed salvation for repentance, presumption for faith and inappropriate worship for sanctification.

Decades old, the increase of temptation and deception, has resulted in a devilishly cunning strategy of incrementalism that over time has all but uprooted millennia of spiritual and sociological gains. Part and parcel of the dramatic and disastrous deterioration in the Times and Seasons in which we live, and vastly worse on the horizon. Evidence of the spirit of the Antichrist terraforming the entire planet for the beginning of Divine judgment and Great Tribulation.

If Christianity’s a cruise ship, sailing merrily from here to Heaven, then certainly Christ’s costly atonement is more than sufficient passage. The cross of Jesus is indeed all anyone could ever need. If however, Heaven and Earth are at war with fallen angels and devils, Christianity is a battleship and we must follow our Commander and Chief’s example and directives by daily shouldering our own.

Even if Christianity could be likened to a pleasure cruise, given Churchianity’s collision course with so many modern temptations and deceptions, up to an including immorality and the blood red mountainous iceberg of abortion, in certain respects might even many well intended ministries be reduced to simply arranging deck chairs on the Titanic?

So is Christianity a cruise or gunship? We must decide. And do so quickly and carefully. Military directives and drills, cramped quarters and sea rations, would be absurd on a pleasure cruise. So too, civilian itineraries and activities, opulent suites and sumptuous banquets, would be anathema during a time of war.

Click here to read QC's parable, "Water World: Cruise Vs. Battleship."

Much has been lost and our situation dire. Nevertheless, QC dares to hope against hope that while as in the account of Christ's debut miracle at the wedding feast of Cana, we have clearly run out of wine, still today Mary's perfect intercession, through timely and appropriate brokenness and repentance, yields insight as to how we may yet find Jesus has once again saved the best for last.





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