“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14
It’s Time
Author: Valerie Cullers
Marla’s Story
Marla looked into the mirror. She liked what she saw…thirty-five going on twenty-five, dark hair, slim except for a bit of a rounded tummy…testimony to the two children she had during the last five years. She fastened the gold chain that Zack had gotten her for Christmas and put on the matching earrings.
As she walked around the corner of the dining room, Zack caught a glimpse of her. He smiled and then whistled. “Hey lady, would you like to go to a party tonight?”
She smiled back, “I’ll think about it.”
She walked into the living room and looked at Kerry, their babysitter. She was playing with the kids, and everything looked okay. “We’ll be back around midnight.”
“No problem, Mrs. H. I can spend the night if you decide to stay out later.”
Marla and Zack headed out of the building and flagged down a taxi. She was excited to go to the mayor’s New Year’s Eve party. “Wow,” she thought. “What a group of movers and shakers we will be with tonight. I wonder how many new contacts we will make for our real estate business?”
She had met Zack at the office, and over the last ten years, they had climbed the sales ladder. They were close to being at the top, and she was happy. What more could she ever ask for?
The taxi dropped them off at Gracie Mansion. She felt almost giddy as they walked in the door. She looked around and smiled. There were so many people that she recognized but didn’t really know, and of course, there were several actors. She tried not to stare at them, but wow, what a night this was going to be!
They walked over to the bar and got their drinks. As they turned to walk off, Rob, a man from the office, came up. “Do you mind if I talk to Zack for a few minutes?”
Marla looked at Rob, then Zack. With a slight note of irritation, she said, “No problem.” Rob steered Zack over into the corner of the room and their conversation began. Marla looked around. She didn’t recognize anyone she knew, so she thought she would just walk around and look at the architecture of the place. When would she get another chance anyway?
There were people in almost every room on the ground floor. She walked slowly as she perused each room. She walked back into the living room. Rob was still droning on with Zack. “Well, that’s about enough of that,” she thought. “I am just going to the ladies’ room, and when I get back, I am going to rescue my husband from that bore.”
She walked into the ladies’ room and was surprised that there was only one lady there. She had her face down on her mirror and looked like she was trying to inhale something. “Excuse me,” Marla said. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“No problem, dearie. This is the only way I can get through another of these nights. They are just so bo-r-r-ring!”
Marla turned to use the facilities. She heard the lady behind her say, “Would you like to try a line? It’s on me.”
At first, she was indignant, “Who does that lady think I am?” She thought to herself, then, “I’m sure she doesn’t mean anything by it.” She said, “No thanks.”
“You’ll never know what you are missing,” the lady said.
Marla used the facilities and came out the door. The lady was still sitting there. She looked normal, not even strung out, just normal. “Last chance, dearie. These things are the ultimate bore.”
Marla began to consider her offer. She had never used drugs, especially cocaine, but she had heard a lot about it. Several people she knew used it occasionally when they had a lot of work to get done. “I mean, what could it hurt?” She knew it wasn’t instantly addictive. At least, that’s what she had been told.
She looked around. No one was in there but the two of them. “I don’t know,” she said.
“Aw, come on, you’ll thank me later. I promise you,” the lady said.
Marla hesitated again. “Just this one time, maybe I will try it, just this one time,” she thought to herself. She turned towards the lady. The lady lifted up the mirror; and handed her a rolled piece of paper. “Just inhale. It will light up your night.”
Marla sniffed the white powder up her nose, and then, Wham! She instantly felt energized. I mean alive, really alive for the first time. She felt like she could do anything. “Wow,” was all she said.
“I told you,” the lady said. “This party will be ten times the fun.”
Marla turned to go. She looked back at the lady, and the lady just had a sly smile on her face. She hesitated, then walked out the door.
She went back into the living room and found Zack. She rescued him from Rob, and they walked around the mansion together. She was just SO happy and SO high, she realized. Zack didn’t notice a thing. He was looking at all of the people and pointing them out to her. They walked into the ballroom and sat down at one of the tables. Every now and then, they would get up to dance. She had so much energy, she didn’t even feel tired at the end of the night.
When they got home, Zack was beat. He wanted to go straight to bed, but she knew she wasn’t going to be able to sleep. She told Zack she was too excited from the night out and would come to bed in a while. She poured herself a bourbon on the rocks and slowly drank it. She began to relax. After a couple more, she felt like she could go in and sleep. “She wasn’t going to try that again, but boy was it ever fun,” she thought.
Other than a bit of a headache, she felt fine the next morning. It was Sunday, and she, Zack, and the kids all hung out for the day. She had a relaxing day, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the rush she got from the drug….wow!
They attended a few parties every month, but she never saw anyone else doing cocaine, and so she tried to forget about it. It was always in the back of her mind, though. Finally, about three months later, she was at a party, and true to form, there was a group of people in a closed room, and they were all doing lines of cocaine. She wandered in, and they asked her if she would like to do a line. She didn’t hesitate this time…just said yes…and true to form, there was that feeling she had been craving. “Somehow, I need to work this into my life, every now and again,” she thought to herself.
She began to choose parties to go to where she knew there would be people doing cocaine. She would slip into the room, do a line, and then check her face. She didn’t want any white powder on one of her nostrils. The more she attended the parties, the more she wanted that feeling. At the last party she went to, she asked who their supplier was and where she could purchase some. She was handed a slip of paper with a name and number on it.
She could hardly wait until Monday when Zack was working. She told him she didn’t feel well, and then, when he was out the door. She called the number. She made arrangements with the man on the line, and it was delivered to her door. She always had plenty of cash around, and Zack would never know.
She waited for the kids to go down for their naps and then did a line. “Ah, that feeling she loved was there.” She would have to work a line in every day so she could look forward to that feeling.
Marla was able to keep the charade up for a few months. She began to drop weight, and Zack was worried something was wrong with her. He insisted she go to the doctor. He thought she was becoming anorexic. They began to fight about it, and finally she admitted to Zack what she had been doing.
Zack was stunned, to say the least. He looked at her, didn’t say a word, and walked out the door. When he walked in that night, he said, “We need to talk after the kids go to bed.”
Marla began to get nervous. Zack had changed, and in the blink of an eye, no less. He was very serious and not happy at all. She told him he had nothing to worry about and that she had it under control. Zack looked at her and said, “No, not in my house. You either give it up, or I will file for divorce and take the kids.”
“How dare he?” thought Marla. “I have been a good mother, kept the house clean, and worked at the office. I mean, I have been twice as productive as I normally am.”
Marla tried to reason with him, but he would not budge. She was going to have to think about it. She loved her husband and kids, but she really loved the feeling the cocaine gave her. She didn’t think she would be able to go a day without it.
Marla didn’t say a word. She got into bed and stayed awake all night. She had a great life, but life with cocaine was an even better life. Why did he want to take it from her?
In the morning, after he went to work, she packed a bag. She bought a plane ticket to see her friend, Lisa, in Las Vegas. She waited for Kerry to come over; and then left a note for Zack. She told him where she was going and that she would let him know her answer when she made her decision.
That morning, she flew to Las Vegas and took a taxi to Lisa’s house. They had been best friends as kids and had stayed in touch. She knew she would be welcome there. She knocked on the door. A tired and somewhat shocked Lisa answered it. “Marla, what are you doing here?”
“I tried to call, but you didn’t pick up. I had to get away and think, and this is the only place I knew to come,” Marla said.
Lisa brewed a pot of strong black coffee and listened to Marla’s story. She didn’t say a word until she finished talking. “So, what you’re telling me is you’re addicted,” she finally said.
“I’m not addicted. I just love it, and I love the way it makes me feel. Why is that so bad?” Marla asked.
“Come on, Marla. You aren’t addicted, but you would leave your husband and kids over it? Get real.”
Marla felt she had been slapped in the face. How dare Lisa say she was addicted to Coke? She hadn’t even been using it a year. “You don’t understand Lisa, you really don’t!”
“Do you know where you are? Do you know what goes on down here?” Lisa asked.
“Not really,” Marla said sheepishly.
“I must know at least twenty women who have come down here to use drugs and live the way they want,” Lisa said. “And not a one of them is happy, really happy.”
Marla thought for a moment. In her self-righteous anger, she believed Zack didn’t understand. But she knew in her heart that somehow Lisa knew her story and understood.
“Do you know what I do? ” Lisa asked and then answered her own question. “I am an escort.”
Marla was shocked. “I knew you had a good job. I just didn’t know how you earned your money.”
“I wouldn’t suggest you start down this road. Once you do, Zack won’t want you back, and you will be too ashamed to see your kids. You can stay here until you figure this out, but what you really need is to go into rehab.”
“Rehab? You must be joking. I am not addicted. I can stop anytime I want to,” Marla said.
“Okay, I dare you to. Go without it for a week, and then tell me how you feel,” Lisa said.
Marla reached into her makeup bag. She took the white powder out, and she gave it to Lisa. “It’s a deal…one week…then we’ll talk about it.”
Lisa took the cocaine and flushed it down the toilet. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room. It’s going to be a rough week.”
Marla took her suitcase and followed Lisa down the hall. She sat down on the bed and unpacked her suitcase. She put her makeup in the guest bathroom, and then she lay down on the bed….could she do it? Was she really addicted?
The next week crawled by. She had trouble sleeping and felt agitated most of the time. Lisa tried to fill their time with shopping and going to different shows, but all she could think of was getting more cocaine and getting high. She was also hungry for the first time in a long time, and she wanted to eat, really eat a full meal. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt like that.
On the sixth day, she got out of bed and looked at herself. She really looked at herself. She looked emaciated; she had lost about twenty pounds, and she didn’t have it to lose. When she was high, she thought she looked great, but nothing looked quite as good as it did back in New York. Everything was flat here, and she could see herself for what she was, and she didn’t like it.
She spent hours in the bedroom that day. She didn’t open the shades; she just sat in the dark and thought about her life. How could everything change so much in less than a year? She knew she was addicted, but when did it start? She thought about the woman at Gracie Mansion. She knew that she was addicted from the very first time; from then on, that’s all she really thought about, that first rush, that first high.
She knew if she was going to stop, it had to be now. If not, she would never stop. That desire would consume her. She had been willing to give up her husband, her kids, her job, and her entire life just for the cocaine. She shuddered. She needed to call Zack, now.
“Zack. Hi,” she said. “I’m coming home. Please find a rehab facility for me to go to. I can’t do this alone, and I don’t want to lose you and the kids.”
“Thank God,” Zack said. “Anything you need, Babe, anything.”
(This story is creative non-fiction. I heard a woman interviewed about twenty years ago. This was how she became addicted. She lost her husband, kids, job, and her health. She became a sex worker to get her drugs until she finally came to the end of herself. Just one line was all it took to upend her life.)
Temptation
Temptation – we all deal with it. It comes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and types. So let’s look at a few and what we need to do about them.
Obvious:
The easiest kind of temptation to identify is the obvious kind. What are we not supposed to be doing? Most of us have a list of those things we need to keep away from. So how do we do it when confronted directly by them? First, identify it in our minds. Second, make a conscious choice to not indulge in it. And third, turn around and walk away. The Scripture says, “But flee youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 It sounds simple, but it can be very difficult. If we make the choice to turn away at the very start of the temptation, we have a much greater chance of not falling into it.
Subtle:
This kind of temptation is much harder to identify in the beginning. It just sneaks up on us and then wham, we are right in the center of it. This kind of temptation usually comes with a thought that flies through our minds; we don’t even recognize it, it is there, and then it is gone. A while later, it comes into our minds again, lingers a bit and vanishes. Again, we take no thought of it. This begins to happen over and over during the day, and at the end of the day, we realize we have been fighting a battle in our minds and have not even recognized it. That thought has come in so many times, that it has begun to take root. Again, we need to Identify it, Reject it, and Evict it. Joyce Meyer said, “Frisk every thought.” I will add, “at the door of your mind.” Excellent advice. The sooner we recognize it, the sooner we can evict it.
Manageable:
This is the kind of temptation that makes the Enemy of our Souls laugh. We realize we have a weak area, but we make excuses or provision for it. We say to ourselves, “Well, I can handle this temptation.” We may be an alcoholic, but tell ourselves we will be okay going to the bar with our friends. The fact that we usually end up drunk at the end of the night should alert us to the fact that we are not okay, and should make a different choice. What about the temptation to only look at porn that one time? “I can handle it.” How many people have been sucked into that addiction? To think that we are somehow stronger than everyone else is a lie straight out of the pit of hell. Again, we need to Identify it, Reject it, Turn around and leave it behind. This one comes with a caveat…and get help if you need it. Some battles cannot be fought alone. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide the way out so you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians, 10:13
Tornadic
“Tornadic – 1. relating to the nature of a tornado 2. characterized by violent or devastating action or emotion. ” Oxford Languages
It’s been two weeks since the beginning of the year, and I feel like my mind has been assaulted by tornadic news casts. I turn on the news, and I hear about: Venezuela, Maduro, Greenland, Denmark, Iran, and Ukraine on the international front. That is followed by news on the national front: Minnesota, ICE, New York, Congress, the Supreme Court, etc. By the end of the newscast, my head is spinning. How about you?
Just as there is a warning before every real tornado, there should be a warning before each tornadic newscast. First, there should be several loud beeps to bring you to attention, and then the warning:
Tornadic Newscast Approaching….International Supercells (Venezuela, Greenland, Iran and Greenland) will be colliding with National Unstable Situations (Minnesota, ICE, Congress, the Supreme Court). These conditions will continue for an indeterminate period of time.
Recommendation: Take shelter and do not overexpose yourself, lest you be hit by flying debris. Those suffering from enlarged heart conditions will likely experience compassion fatigue, and those with mental conditions, such as logical thinkers, will have an inability to process all of the information in a linear manner. Those with integrity who are searching for the truth in each story will have difficulty finding it due to biased reporting and AI deepfakes.
Of course, we know that no such warning will be happening any time soon, so may I make a few suggestions to help keep a sane mind and a level head during such a time as this? First, do not saturate your mind with the news; it is a well of negativity. Second, pick a few subjects you are truly interested in and stay informed about them. Let the rest go. Third, give your mind a break. Go on a news fast one or two days a week to cleanse it from all of the negativity. Spend more time in prayer about the issues that are of concern. You will be surprised how fast your peace will return, and you will have a better perspective on the events of the day. And last, some helpful words from the word, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8
Photo by Willgard Krause. Courtesy of Pixabay
The Road Ahead
I spoke with the Cartographer and asked him for a map of the road for 2026. He told me that since the road is new and unfinished, he could not send me one. He did send me an Itinerary and I will give you the highlights.
Destination: 2027
Time to Destination: A whopping 365 days…knowing that it takes about 8 days to get to the moon and back, one could travel to the moon over 40 times during this particular journey.
Passport: Required
Visa: Daily visas will be issued for 24 hours each day. Everyone will not necessarily receive one to complete the journey. Advisory: “For what is your life: It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” James 4:14
Vaccinations: None Required Advisory: There are several vectors along the swampier parts of the journey. Fear and Anxiety are the most annoying. Please take along sufficient medication. Isaiah 41:10 seems to calm fear, “Fear not, for I am with you, Be not dismayed, for I am your God.” Anxiety lessens with Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Accommodations: None guaranteed. The new road goes through many places not prepared for tourists. Be prepared to sleep in your car or tent camp. “And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:9.
Road Conditions: Varied. The engineers report several long stretches of good highway; however, our trip will take us up several high mountains where there will be breathtaking vistas and hairpin turns. The guardrails will not be up yet, so drivers are advised to keep their eyes on the road. Dangerous areas will be marked with signs.
Weather: Expect every type of weather. There will be lots of sunshine and warm weather. There will also be long stretches of fog, stormy weather, and even a few tornado warnings. Be prepared for every eventuality.
Safety warnings: Will be issued as needed. Previous years’ warnings have included several from Matthew 24. “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet.”
Everyone is advised to get an Itinerary.
Sending best wishes for a safe and secure 2026.
Valerie and Mike
The Unopened Gift
Several years ago, I lived in the mountains. One Christmas, I was invited to spend it with a wealthy elderly gentleman. I had never met him but knew he had a sterling reputation, so I said yes. He was known for inviting ten people from the surrounding villages to his home each Christmas. When I read the invitation, it said, “Please RSVP with one thing your heart truly desires.”
At that time, the Vietnam War was raging and was in the news nightly. I had such a desire for peace, and so when I sent my RSVP back, I just said peace. As the day approached, I selected what I was going to wear and packed my bag. We were to arrive the night before in time for a late dinner at 9:00.
At about 8:00, I got into the Land Rover and headed up the road to his home. I drove slowly as the roads were covered with snow and ice. Those of us who lived in the mountains were used to driving in these conditions and knew that if we just drove slowly, all would be well. The Rover lumbered along at about 25 mph, and I thought about what the next day would be like. I wondered what the gentleman would be like, and all the time I was imagining spending a night in the home of someone I had never met.
As I neared the top of the mountain, the road ended in his driveway. There was a large gate across the road. I got out of the Rover and walked over to the gate. There was an intercom on the post. I pushed the button and waited. “Yes?” the voice on the other end asked. I stated my name and what I was there for. I heard a buzzer sound, and the gate opened automatically. I got back in the Rover, drove up and parked at the end of the circular driveway.
The home was magnificent, huge by any standard, and it looked like a forest lodge. It was built entirely of wood and stone, and floodlights covered the driveway and front with a soft yellow light. I picked up my bag and walked up the sidewalk. I could see several people inside as I looked in the front window. I rang the doorbell and again waited. Soon, a butler opened the door and asked to see my invitation. I opened my purse and showed it to him. He checked it and crossed my name off the list. “Welcome,” he said. “We have been expecting you. There is only one person left to arrive, and we can begin our festivities.”
I walked in and another servant showed me to my room. I followed her upstairs and down a long hall. She opened the door to a room that was almost iridescent. A candle had been lit, and the walls glistened as the light bounced off them. “Wow,” I thought. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.” I thanked the small woman, and I closed the door. I unpacked and put on my favorite dress and went downstairs.
People were talking in the great room. I looked around for our host, and in the corner, I saw an older man with white hair chatting with one of the guests. He kept looking out the window for the final guest to arrive, but the man or woman never came. After about an hour, the butler came into the room and announced that dinner was served.
Everyone looked for their names on the place cards on the table. I finally found mine and sat next to a younger man and woman. There was one place empty at the table, and the older gentleman would look there off and on. You could see it bothered him that whoever he had invited did not come.
We all then participated in what I would say is the most memorable dinner I had ever eaten. Over the next few hours, we went through several courses. Each course was a delicacy of one sort or another. The gentleman introduced himself, and then each of us introduced ourselves and shared a little about ourselves. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and it took away any sense of shyness I would normally feel in a group of people I had just met.
When we finished dinner, we were told to go pick up our gift by the Christmas tree. We were to take it to our room and open it. He made a point of telling us that our gifts had been purchased specifically for us by his son. When I picked up mine, I walked back up to my room. It was beautifully wrapped, and I wondered, “What could possibly be in there?” After all, my desire was for peace.
I sat down on the bed and slowly pulled on the bow. I pulled the ribbon off the box and took off the lid. There inside, under the tissue paper, were two envelopes. The parchment was delicate, and the writing was in calligraphy. One envelope said, “For the World,” and the other one said, “For you, Valerie.” I opened the one for the world, and inside was a piece of parchment written in calligraphy. It said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men.” I thought about those words for a few moments. Yes, I had heard the story about angels showing up at the birth of Christ and announcing it. Those words were famous, but had I ever believed they were true, that God’s desire for the world was peace and goodwill towards men? I really hadn’t given those words any real thought. The world I lived in was ruled by war and crass materialism. Was there really a benevolent God who existed and wanted good things for men, even though they were so far away from what he desired?
Slowly, I opened the other envelope. There was another exquisite piece of parchment with beautiful writing on it. This one was for me personally. It said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you.” And sure enough, after I read those words, I did feel a peace come over me. I could not control the world and all of the terrible things going on in it, but I personally could have the peace of God if only I would accept the gift I had been given.
I put my envelopes back in the box. I put my pajamas on, turned off the light, and lay down in the bed. For the first time in years, I realized there was a God, and if I would only accept what he was offering me, I could have his peace. I got back up and opened the box. I took the envelope that was meant just for me and held it in my hand. I lay back down in the bed and put it next to my heart. I remember thinking that I wanted that feeling to last forever as I fell asleep.
The next morning, I awoke late. I had slept longer and more deeply than I had for a long time. I was refreshed, and I pulled the curtain and looked out at the snow. This would be my last day here, and we would all leave after the mid-day meal. I didn’t want to go, but I knew I would have to. I got dressed and went down for brunch. The table was full of Christmas sweets, and people wandered in and out of the dining room, ate, and then went and sat by the fire. Everyone was quiet and reflecting on the gifts they had been given. As I went and sat by the fire, I noticed there was one gift left, unopened by the tree. Whoever had been invited had not come, and had missed out on a tremendous experience, perhaps even a life-changing one.
Over the years, I wondered about that person. Who was he or she? Was it someone I knew? Who missed out on such an important event? I will never know. All I know is that our host was saddened by the fact that this person had not come. His son had purchased a gift just for him or her, and it would never be picked up or opened. As I drove around each year at Christmas time, I looked at the people shoveling their driveways; or skiing along the paths. That person had no idea what they missed out on, and perhaps never would.
What if it had been me, or you? I shudder to think of how my life would be today if I had not accepted the invitation. It was a milestone in my journey to find the Father and get to know his Son, Jesus Christ.
May you open every gift available to you during this Christmas season.
Vile
“Vile – Loathsome, disgusting,” The American Heritage Dictionary
Have you ever been at a campground and turned on a spigot, and brown water came out? You take one look at it, and you say, “Vile.” There is no way that you want to take that water into your body. It is polluted, and you know if you drink it, you will probably get sick.
It’s the same way with people. We come into contact with someone who is spouting negative and hurtful words, and we react the same way. We recoil and think in our minds, “Vile. That person is saying some very bad things, and I don’t want to take them into my mind. The things the person is saying are polluted.“
I was listening to a man speak, and he shared some videos of people who are openly antisemitic in the public forum. I heard one man deny the veracity of the holocaust and others promote conspiracy theories about the control that Jewish people have in the world. When I heard these people speak, I just thought, “Vile…what these people are saying is downright vile.”
I am from the generation of children whose parents fought in World War II. I remember the pictures of the death camps and the absolute horror of the soldiers who came upon them at the end of the war. The world was shocked, and you can bet that the holocaust was real. If it wasn’t, do you think the UN would have ever partitioned off the land of Israel and given it to the Jews?
What bothers me the most is that this is the kind of rhetoric that was floated in Germany by the Nazis in the 1930s. They used it to poison the minds of the populace against the Jews. The very same thing is being done today in our country. I don’t care if you are on the right or the left. The haters want to make you hate the Jewish race. For those of us who have studied history and seen what it can do, there is no word for it other than vile.
We must learn to not hate any ethnic group of people. When we do, we demean them, make them subhuman, and the next step is to stand by while people try to destroy them. Let us not give credence to those who trumpet this kind of hatred. It is vile, polluted, and it will sicken the soul of anyone who takes it into their hearts and minds.
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Photo by Steve Buissine. Courtesy of Pixabay
Heart Check
“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:15
When I first read these words in the Bible, I thought they were a bit harsh. If you hate someone, you are a murderer? But I have reflected on these words a lot in the last ten days.
I was deeply saddened by the murder of Charlie Kirk. Let me tell you, I didn’t know who the man was. I had heard his name mentioned a few times, but that’s it. What saddened me was that he was killed because of his political and religious beliefs. I was also distressed by some of the reactions to his murder.
It seems to me there are not too many steps between hatred and murder. When we begin to hate someone, we naturally devalue them in our hearts. Their life matters little to us as we allow that hatred to grow and overtake us. Most of the time, we don’t murder them with a gun, but we can certainly assassinate their character with our words. We look at one person killing another and think, “I would never do that.”
But what is the real truth? Once we begin to hate someone, our heart begins to rot. We may think we are justified when we hate another person or group of people but the Lord doesn’t see it that way. He sees hatred for what it is, the antithesis of who He is and who He wants us to be.
Jesus told us, “to love our enemies” and “to pray for them who persecute you.” It is only love that will break the bondage of hatred in our hearts. As we pray for those we disagree with or have hurt us, we begin to see them for the flawed human beings they are. Their value goes up in our eyes. We also begin to see ourselves for the flawed humans we are.
Let us all do a “heart check.” Do we hate anyone or any group of people? If so, let’s ask the Lord to help us change our attitude. We can hate the things people do or say, but we are not supposed to hate them. We want God’s spirit (eternal life) abiding in us. And surprisingly, it is our willingness to pray for them that will usher in God’s grace and free our hearts from the bondage of hatred.
Photo by Mohamedgado15. Courtesy of Pixabay.
The Mark of the Beast
A few weeks ago, my brother called me. He had just read an MSN article titled, “Bill Gates Declares the End of the Smartphone Era and Unveils its Surprising Replacement.” The article talks about a new kind of electronic tattoo that has been developed. It uses invisible ink and has nanocapacitors that are integrated into the body. “Instead of holding a phone in our hands, these tattoos could allow us to communicate, access the internet, and even monitor our health, all without a screen in sight.” He wanted to know if I thought this new technology was “the mark of the beast.”
At the moment, I don’t believe that it is “the mark of the beast,” but that doesn’t mean that the technology couldn’t be used for it in the future. In fact, several technologies have been in place for well over a decade. A 2018 NPR article, “Thousands of Swedes Are Inserting Microchips Under Their Skin,” informs us that microchips are being used in Sweden to help people “speed up their daily routines and make lives more convenient – accessing their homes, offices and gyms is as easy as swiping their hands against digital readers.” No longer is this kind of biotechnology in the realm of science fiction or wild conspiracy theories. It is here and is being used and tested in several countries. It has been so popular in Sweden that the owner of the firm, Biohax, was “developing training materials so he can hire Swedish doctors and nurses to help take on some of his heavy workload.”
If you want to know if something is “the mark of the beast,” your best bet is first of all to read Chapter 13 in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. It talks about a man who will deceive those who dwell on the earth. He will make an image of the beast, and he “causes as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark of the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
In my mind, in order for something to be “the mark of the beast,” you first have to have the beast, or the AntiChrist as he is called by many, on the earth and exercising power. This mark is about allegiance to this powerful man. An image will be made of him and “as many as would not worship the image of the beast will be killed.”
Make no mistake, should that person come on the earth, the technology is already here to make these prophecies a reality. In the meantime, what am I going to do? For starters, I am not going to have a microchip implanted in my body. I am also not going to have an invisible tattoo placed on my skin with all of my personal information on it. We should all be very aware as to where this technology could eventually lead and who it could be used by.
On the prophetic timeline, I see us standing at the beginning of chapter six in the book of Revelation. Many significant events are coming in the future, and the Lord’s judgments will come upon the earth before His Second Coming. It’s time to wake up and look around at what is happening in the world. Especially look at what is happening in the realm of technology. The brave new world is already here; it is not waiting in the wings. We need to familiarize ourselves with the scriptures so we are not caught off guard by events that will soon take place.
If you are interested in this subject, one of the most informative books I have read is “Revealing Revelation” by Amir Tsarfati. It is written for everyone and is easy to understand. The book is very well written and the author is humble enough to admit he and other scholars do not know what certain allegorical references mean. I would highly recommend it.
Image by Suj026. Courtesy of Pixabay.
Confirmation Bias
“Confirmation bias is the human tendency to seek, interpret and favor information that confirms or supports one’s preexisting beliefs or values. This cognitive shortcut leads people to overlook or dismiss information that contradicts their views, reinforcing what they already believe to be true.” Google
We all have a tendency to listen to information that confirms what we believe. If you don’t think so, think about the news station you watch. Does it have newscasters that support the political views you already hold? Whether you are on the left or the right, it is easy to find a news source that will reinforce your own particular bias.
While confirmation bias keeps us from opening our minds to information that doesn’t match our political views, my biggest concern is for those who are in the church who hold rigid views on upcoming prophetic events. Many of us have our favorite teachers who expound on the subject…I do too. But if we only listen to those who believe the way we do, we may end up disappointed or worse, losing our faith if future events don’t play out the way we are expecting them to.
The subject that concerns me the most is that of the rapture. So many people in the church believe in a pretribulation rapture. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you know that many legitimate scholars hold different views. In other words, some very learned men (and women) in the church believe in a mid-trib or pre-wrath rapture. Still others favor the view that Christ will only come one time for his church and that will happen at the end of the tribulation.
You see, no one really knows for sure how prophetic events will play out. We all hope that the church will be raptured (taken to heaven to be with Christ) before the seven-year tribulation occurs, but what if it doesn’t? Are you one who is so entrenched in your view that you won’t consider another alternative? If you are, how will you react if the rapture doesn’t happen when you think it should? Will you be in shock, dismayed, and disillusioned? Will you fall away from the faith because events didn’t happen the way you believed they would?
We need to ask ourselves serious questions and be prepared for prophetic events however they play out. Remember, the religious scholars of the day couldn’t accept Jesus because he didn’t come in a way they believed he would. They were so sure He would look a certain way that they missed Him when he was standing right in front of them.
We can take comfort in the fact that Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” We must remember that he is faithful and will be with us. He will help us navigate whatever circumstances we find ourselves in the future. What is important is that we live in a way that prepares us to be ready to meet him whenever he comes.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
Valerie Cullers 