7. September 2010 by PawBill.

Stop for a moment and think about hell.  What do you think hell will be like?  For those who do not believe in an afterlife or hell you can go back to your meaningless lives and await your death to find out whether you were right or wrong.  For the rest of you ponder on this question, “Is hell Satan’s home and will you spend eternity with him if you are destined for hell and not the heaven of Jesus?”

Satan is commonly thought of as a red dragon with a long tail and a pitchfork.  This description of him is untrue.  He is referred to in the Bible by many names: Serpent, Devil, Satan, Beast, Evil One; his true name is Lucifer.  He is a created angel of God and is described as the Morning Star, son of the dawn in Isaiah 14:12. 

Lucifer can masquerade as light or as darkness and is like a roaring lion.  In 2 Peter 5:8 it is recorded, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prows around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Lucifer’s down fall was that he sought to rise to the level of his maker (God) and to make himself like the Most High, see Isaiah 14: 11-19 NIV.  For this offense he was cast from God’s presence.

The final resting place for those who die without God and the salvation of Jesus Christ is not hell but is called the lake of fire or the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Revelation 19:20).  The lake of fire, however, can be thought of as hell as it is described as a place of torment that will last forever and forever. 

Satan will spend eternity in the lake of fire just like the rest of humanity; all who die without Jesus Christ and whose names are not written in the book of life (Revelation 20:15) will be cast there after the Great White Throne Judgment.  But unlike the common assumption that Satan will be in charge, Satan will be just like everyone—tormented day and night forever and forever. He will not be a ruler, just another fallen one.

Just as the serpent (Satan) deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, Satan can also deceive you by his craftiness.  You are not an equal of Satan; he is more powerful than mere man.  He is real! “Even Michael the archangel of God when contending with him did not make reviling accusations against him but only said, ‘The Lord rebuke you’.”  Paraphrased from Jude 1:9.  Do not scheme with him because you will come out the loser.

Turn you life to God.  He holds the key to your future.

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7. September 2010 by PawBill.

America is losing her way; she is abandoning the God of her founders and is trusting in the humanity of man to be her defender of truth and justice alone.   As Bibles gather dusk across America, decay quickens as its ugly tentacles ensnare those who have not accepted the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Only by returning to God can America reclaim the freedoms its founders fought to establish.  Our nation is in grave danger of losing what many feel was God ordained.  In no other form of government can these words ring true, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

I was recently engaged in a conversation with my spiritual adviser and confident, let the reader understand, about the current state of moral decay that is running rampant across our airwaves disguised as “Truth in News and Commentary.”  If you can stomach to watch hour upon hour of Fox, MSNBC, ABC, CNN or CBS and read Internet postings the likes of the “The Huffington Post” in the search for truth, the truth you seek will elude you until you seek to know God—the only conveyor of truth “yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

For full disclosure, the Fox and CNBC channels are my primary sources for news, commentary and market trends although I do view as time permits other Network programming.  The Weather Channel is my most trusted channel in that the weatherpersons do not intentionally distort their forecasts and programming for political purposes.   (Have you noticed that there is a high incident of pregnancy among weatherwomen; it refreshing to know that some women are not aborting their babies for their television careers.)

I record most of the programs I plan on viewing because of the viewing time wasted having to sit through seemingly unending commercials.  I fast forward through all the commercials although subliminally my mind is actively viewing those as well.  The “Glenn Beck Comedy Hour” is my barometer for comparing “honesty of programming” against the other networks commentators or propagandist, if you prefer.   No one has proven him wrong and I am sure the other networks are jealous of his ratings given the “untruth and spin” they give in reporting on his activities, but his message of God and country resonates with most Christians.

It really all boils down to this, people who believe in God are not afraid to talk about God and morality and are not judgmental of the actions of other who do not.  But, people who do not believe in God are quick to judge and criticize those who profess a religious faith.  For Christians, who represent a vast majority of the people of the United States, their Judea-Christian belief in the God of the Bible—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and His commandments serve as the basic code of morality that is essential in maintaining America’s freedoms; freedoms that can be lost if godlessness is allowed to become prevalent. 

When you are a sinful person you do not like to be reminded of your worldly transgressions, but deep down you know you are guilty.  The godless, however, cannot remain silent when confronted with people of faith and a belief in God.    Their neck hairs bristle, like the hairs on a dog’s neck, when “God Talk” subconsciously begins to convict them of their acts of immorality.   Yes, they may claim to be agnostics, amoral, atheistic, godless or whatever, but there is a “genetic moral code” in play that convicts their hearts and souls.  Not to be allowed to do whatever they want to do to satisfy the desires of the flesh is an affront to their own code of conduct, “Do Unto Others Before They Do Unto You.”   Non-believers can be moral people but their reliance on their own humanity is a slippery slope that ultimately binds their soul and spirit and prevents them from ever being truly set free in their hearts and minds.

In the godless mind, there is nothing wrong with abortion if a fetus is “declared by the courts or society” not to be a living soul just as there is nothing wrong with: homosexuality, murder, witchcraft, idolatry, lying, cheating, adultery, lust and steeling, except they are all condemned by God as violations of His code of morality.   Without God, the acts listed above are permissible but unfortunately they will lead to a degenerate society expressing itself in extremisms of hatred and condemnation against those who refuse to practice or accept the godlessness of their “godless religion.” 

For depravity at its worse, look at the story of Sodom and Gomorrah found in Genesis 18-19.  As the story goes, God was going to destroy the cities because of their wickedness and sexual deviancy.  When God’s messengers (angels) entered the city of Sodom and became guest of Lot, the men of the city sought to have sex with them.  Lot, the nephew of Abraham, offered the men his daughters if they would not harm his guest, but the men of the city refused Lot’s offer and attempted to take the men who were staying with Lot by force. Lot’s guest blinded the men of the city and rescued Lot and his two daughters.  The cities were then destroyed.  I have abbreviated the story but the bottom line is this:  The abandonment of God will only lead to the deterioration of a nation into an ever-deepening state of immorality.  Look at your history, Rome for instance, and you will find moral decay the culprit for all prior great civilizations downfall.

Those without hope of an afterlife refuse to engage in a conversation with those who do.  While I am willing to overlook a godless person who wears a shirt with a statement such as, “God Sucks,” that person would be offended if I wore a shirt with, “Let me tell you about Jesus” written across the front or back.   Just what is it about the name of Jesus that offends so many people?

Jesus never did anything wrong.  It is true that many in the name of Christianity have committed horrific acts against their fellow man.  However, a true believer in Jesus Christ, who is led by His Spirit, does not commit acts in violation of His teachings.   Acts of atrocity done in the name of Christianity were not God ordained but were the acts of man done under the guise of Christianity.   Yes, it is true as recorded in the Old Testament that deviant cities and their population were ordered completely destroyed because of their pagan immoralities, child sacrifice for instant, so that its sinful people would not corrupt the Israelites as they journeyed to the promised land.

Believers in God know that one day they will be judged for their transgression but rewarded for their faithfulness.  Jesus Christ by His death on the cross and His victory over death by His resurrection, paid for the transgressions committed by those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior. 

Non-believers in God do not believe they will be judged for their transgressions.  If they are right, believers have been deceived.  If they are wrong, their ultimate reward is judgment and everlasting punishment in the “lake of fire” spoken of in Revelation 20: 15 (NIV).

These words will mean nothing to those who are enraged by the mere mention of God and the name of Jesus.   Let the “Heathen Rage” and enjoy their moments in the sun.  Their acts of greed, lust and immorality have been embraced before by the godless and like before, they will be defeated. Unfortunately for them, they will never be able to claim, “And the piece of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 (NIV).

Can you make that claim?  If not, claim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life today.    

Comments to: bt@northloopcottage.com

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