Whether it is coming or not, we know now what to do. We know that masking does not help, nor does any more shots. I think the best thing to do is let ourselves get it so we can get some immunity. I think it is also wish to just go about our normal way of life and refuse to be afraid–refuse the lock downs…if possible. At any rate, I will go about my normal business and will not just stay in my apartment. Being out in the fresh air is the best things we can do anyway.
It is all hands on deck right now to bring back Covid mandates. Mask mandates are slowly making a comeback in schools across the country. Joe Biden recently announced he will be wearing a face mask since Dr. Jill supposedly tested positive for Covid.
Los Angeles County may bring back mask mandates due to the new Covid variants BA.286 and EG.5 New Yorkers were told to mask up over the Labor Day weekend.
The World Health Organization sounded the alarm over a new wave of Covid.
“We continue to see concerning trends for COVID-19 ahead of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere,” WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus said Wednesday at a press conference.
I was just taking a walk in my usual place and I happened to see this big bird way up in this tree, just sitting there. First I thought it was an Osprey. They are most common around here. But then I said, No, this one’s bigger and the feathers are darker. I think it may just be a Bald Eagle. On my way back home I ran across an old man on a bench. He said, “Did you see the bald Eagle?”
I have just finished writing my latest book, THE TRIBULATION. I think it is my best book and I hope you will consider getting it. It is available now at my Lulu website:https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/lordteachustopray/
As I have noted on the book description,
This is not a book on all the personal tribulations/trials we may go through [now]. It is on the seven-year Tribulation written about in the book of Revelation, and also in the Old Testament prophetical books. The Tribulation is a product of my study of Scripture, and also from a few other bible scholars whom I trust. As to its content, about half of the book introduces the Tribulation, giving important information as to it setting, its purpose, and its nature. Then in the second half, the judgments (the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls) are expounded on, and each Tribulation event is highlighted. I’m sure that this book will serve you well in your understanding of The Tribulation as it is given to us in the Scriptures.
Oh oh. Here we go. I just hope blogging isn’t in trouble—or my Christian books. I wonder how long it will take to get here to America. We already know that some things are affected, like certain Presidential candidates and what they say on Twitter. Conservative speech, and Christian speech is pretty much hate speech these days.
Censorship of the Internet has been getting worse for years, but we just crossed a threshold which is going to take things to a whole new level.
On August 25th, a new law known as the “Digital Services Act” went into effect in the European Union. Under this new law, European bureaucrats will be able to order big tech companies to censor any content that is considered to be “illegal”, “disinformation” or “hate speech”.
That includes content that is posted by users outside of the European Union, because someone that lives in the European Union might see it. I wrote about this a few days ago, but I don’t think that people are really understanding the implications of this new law.
In the past, there have been times when governments have requested that big tech companies take down certain material, but now this new law will give government officials the power to force big tech companies to take down any content that they do not like. Any big tech companies that choose not to comply will be hit with extremely harsh penalties.
Beware of the AI-Bible and the AI-Jesus. They are the newest thing in our global world. I am afraid that young people will be drawn to it—because it will give them just what they want.
The Ai-bible is mostly our bible with additions and subtractions; subtractions that will take away the things that they don’t want, and additions that add things that are new and more up-to-date.
The AI-Jesus is more of a robot Jesus that will point people to the AI-Bible. He (it) will be a new Jesus created by man in our image. So, he will be just what we want—what makes us happy. Each person can have his own AI-Jesus and he will point us to the truth(?)—our own truth.
I say beware of these things because of what the Bible says in Revelation 22:18-19:
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
In reference to AI-Jesus, Jesus has warned us of it in Matthew 24:5:
For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
I am sure that this AI-Jesus is just one version of all that will come in Jesus’ name, but it is a big one. Beware!
In the last one-hundred years there has been an effort to divide Christians into two groups: carnal and spiritual (Read 1 Cor. 2:14-3:3). And they have likewise said that many have received Christ as Savior, but not as Lord. They would be the carnal ones. They would be saved but not really committed to Christ.
And surprisingly, some have been okay with this, because they say that if they accept Him as Lord they would be guilty of human works.
But this is crazy, because that would be dividing Christ. For He is both Savior and Lord. And so, when we seek to be saved we must accept all of Him, in all that He is—Savior and Lord. He must be our Savior and our Lord. If He is not, we really haven’t accepted Him (the real Him) at all.
And, as far as being guilty of “human works,” Jesus tells us that true faith requires works (James 2:14-26); that without works faith is dead. And works is not something we do without His help. He is the worker in us. When we are saved He gives us a new life, a life that naturally does the work of God.
And by the way, if you are called a carnal Christian, you may not be a Christian at all. Because carnality is not of God. A carnal person is a person void of spirituality, or void of the Holy Spirit. So here it is: a carnal person is a pagan, not a Christian; and a Spiritual person is a Christian, because he walks by the Spirit and he does the works of God (Romans 8:9-11).
However, there will be periods in the Christian’s life when he takes the wrong road or gets off track. But that will be only temporary. God provides for him a way to get back on track—he will just need to repent of his sins and start again. And this will happen many times because we are still in our fleshly body. And God understands this—and so should we. But we endeavor to abide with Him from day to day failing along the way, but getting back up again and again. And thank God that He has provided for us constant forgiveness and cleansing (1 Jn 1:9).
We depend on His constant forgiveness and cleansing; yet we strive to abide with Him and trust Him more.
This gospel demands our commitment, our obedience, our Lordship, and our turning from sin.
The title of this blog is the title of a book written by John MacArthur, Jr. in 1988. This book, I remember created quite a stir, and it is still having an impact. I have had it on my book shelf for a while and just now decided to read it again more seriously. This time I intend to blog through it.
The theme of the book is getting the true gospel clear—from Jesus’ teaching. It is also to refute the wrong, misguided way of salvation. MacArthur strongly refutes all those who bring “another gospel,” those who “distort the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6-8).
In the first chapter MacArthur confronts all evangelists who have used gospel presentations such as …
“Accept Jesus as personal Savior”
“Ask Jesus into your heart”
“Invite Christ into your life”
“Make a decision for Christ”
MacArthur says that none of this terminology is biblical. And I have to admit that I have used all of it myself! It was how I was taught, how I heard it growing up in the 60’s and 70’s.
MacArthur rightly points out that “the gospel Jesus proclaimed was a call to discipleship, a call to follow Him in submissive obedience, not just a plea to make a decision or pray a prayer.” (p. 21)
Looking back at my own point of salvation, I am thankful that my counselor did it right. He pointed me to the Scriptures and also gave me the idea that conversion was the point where I was deciding to follow Jesus and to allow Him to be in the drivers’ seat.” That I was giving Him control of my life, that I was being submissive to Him, that I was beginning a new life of submission to His will.
But MacArthur points out that many evangelists of today, when they present the gospel, give no invitation to making spiritual commitments whatsoever, or to turn from sin. They insist that this would amount to human works and have nothing to do with faith (p. 22).
So apparently, some say that conversion is just a prayer said, just making a decision for Christ, and then letting Jesus bring that Lordship issue along later. Yes, I remember this being said. But it is wrong. Jesus demands Lordship and commitment from the start. He demands a life of obedience from the start. He says, follow Me!
We must believe that genuine assurance of salvation will come from seeing the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in the life—seeing the fruit. Hence, real salvation cannot be isolated from His work in us. There must be not only justification, but also regeneration and sanctification. Yes, there must be evidence of a holy life.
Hence, we must not dismiss holiness in the life. And we should not only point to a person’s salvation experience. We should not encourage a person to base his salvation assurance on the memory of a prayer, or walking an aisle, or speaking in tongues, or some other experience.
Faith that does not result in a righteous life is dead faith. A real and growing faith must have fruit—the fruit of righteousness, the fruit of the Holy Spirit. A true Christian must be able to look back and see that he has put aside his old life and is growing to be more like Christ, that he is growing to hate the world and to love God and His word. A true Christian loves to go to church and hear the word of God preached, and to sing songs of praise to God with others. A true Christian longs for heaven and to see Jesus; and he hates sin, sin in the world and sin in himself.
Pray for the deliverance of all the nineteen innocent ones, who were only trying to make our elections fair. Pray that they would be safe in the Fathers arms, and safe from all evil. Pray that they would experience God’s wonderful love and protection through it all.
And pray that justice would be done—punishment for the evil ones and mercy for the innocent.
Stephen Nielsen 