The Boneyard - Jesus Prays

This week's Bible study will be part 2 of Luke chapter 11

A Kingdom That Is Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand

[Luke chapter 11, verses 14-28]

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When we left off last week at verse 13 of chapter 11 of the gospel of Luke, Jesus had just finished giving his apostles and those in the crowd that surrounded them the ultimate pep talk. Seek, Jesus said, and you will find. Ask, and it will be given to you. Knock, and the door will be opened. As I wrote last week, the flip side of all the above is that if we don't seek, ask, or knock, we shouldn't expect one lousy thing. Nothing at all! As Luke's written narrative continues today, we find ourselves in an altogether different setting, probably on another day during Jesus' ministry. As we begin our study starting at verse 14, Jesus is driving out a demon from a possessed individual, much to the consternation of the contingent of people from the Temple at Jerusalem, the scribes and teachers of the Law.

“Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of them said, 'By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons'. Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: 'Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house that is divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim I drive out demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.'” (Luke 11, verses 14-20)

As you can see, Jesus certainly had his detractors. Mainly, they were members of the Hebrew religious establishment of that time. It would be like having our modern-day religious establishment vilifying Christ is he were to return today! Imagine that – everybody from the pope to televangelists like Pat Robertson and Kenneth Copeland to the heads of every Protestant denomination you can think of – all of them disbelieving Jesus if he were to return today, all at the same time! This is exactly what Jesus faced every day of the year. So now you know that you worship a Lord and Savior who is tough as nails, who keeps on ticking whenever he took a licking, and a King who cannot be defeated! (Can I get a witness??) Also, notice that the perception of the people was superior to that of the Jewish religious establishment. The crowd was amazed at the miracle Christ performed, but the members of the religious establishment said that only by the “prince of demons” could Jesus drive any demons out at all. The crowd believed Jesus was the Son of God, while the Pharisees did not.

“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house that is divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?” Kingdoms that are internally divided will fall. This sounds disturbingly like modern-day America, doesn't it? I have seen the violent pro-and-anti-Trump rallies on the Internet (I don't watch TV), and watching the demonstrators from both sides clashing with each other is like watching a riot from a safe vantage point. “A house that is divided against itself will fall.” Dysfunctional families are a good example of this. Once the children in dysfunctional families are grown, those families have a tendency to disintegrate, with everyone going off in different directions, scattered to the four winds. I know because I came from such a family. At any rate, Satan's kingdom – and there is such a thing as this – is united against humanity. If it were not so, Satan's kingdom would have long since fallen and been forgotten by now, but it's still here, ever present, and it's not going anywhere until the 2^nd and final return of Christ to the earth.

“Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” Here we have Jesus using a little 'right-back-at-you' with his critics. The answer to Jesus' question, of course, is that the religious establishment of his day couldn't drive out demons at all! 'If I am driving out demons by Beelzebub', Jesus was telling them, 'then so are you!' “So then, they will be your judges.” 'You will be judged by those same demons you are working for', Jesus was saying to them. But if I, Jesus then told them, drive out demons by the power of Almighty God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived. Meaning, Jesus is the messiah, the anointed One of the Lord, except that he didn't say that in so many words. He didn't bother because he already knew they wouldn't believe him anyway. No, Jesus said that for our benefit! So now let's continue our study, beginning at verse 21.

“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” (Luke 11, verses 21-23)

What was Jesus trying to say here? One minute he was driving out demons and answering questions designed to entrap him, and next he's talking about 'guarding your house'. I think what Jesus meant here was that if we performed our due diligence and kept our guard up against Satan and evil people in general (and there's plenty of those to go around), we would never be susceptible to demonic possession in the first place. The words 'our house' symbolize the human heart, mind and soul. If we are not spiritually diligent, the forces of evil will overpower us up to and including full-blown demonic possession. That which possesses such an unfortunate individual will “divide up the spoils”, meaning Satan will make mincemeat out of you if you give him even the slightest opening, even the very least opportunity, to take over your heart, mind and soul. Let's all be sure to steer clear of that!

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” We are either working on the Lord's behalf as ambassadors for Christ and as soldiers in his army, or we are working for the enemy. If this sounds like we're in war time to you, that's because we are! Lucifer and his armies are in full attack mode, and he and his minions will stop at nothing to capture your very soul! Think I'm kidding?? Look at all the pop stars, movie stars and all the gangsters both past and present that died prematurely and unexpectedly. Look at how they all self-destructed while trying to achieve fame, fortune or notoriety. Was all that worth it? Look where they are now – in hell, or at least the majority of them are! Don't work against God. When we work only for ourselves, with ourselves as the only beneficiary of the works of our hands, the payoff has little meaning. But when we work with Christ harvesting souls, the payoff is eternal. We either work for Jesus or we work against him. The choice is ours, and I hope you all make the right one. And now let's conclude today's study starting at verse 24.

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left'. When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.' As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, 'Blessed is the mother who gave birth to you and nursed you.' He replied, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.'” (Luke 11, verses 24-28)

Notice once again that Jesus uses the word 'house' to mean the heart, mind and soul of any individual (“I will return to the house I left”). When demons are driven out of people – and exorcism is very real – all the evil that comes with that demon is driven out too. Harboring continuous anger and a bad temper, jealousy and envy, maliciousness and ill will, sexual immorality, theft and corruption – all of the above go hand in hand with being possessed. But when that demon – by whatever name – is driven out, it leaves a void that can only be filled with the presence of Jesus Christ. This means having two baptisms; first by water, and the second by spirit – the Holy Spirit! But more than that, this also means embracing Jesus as the Lord of your life, as your personal Savior and your best friend and confidant. Many preachers and evangelists use the phrase 'accept Jesus', but to me that term isn't strong enough. I much prefer the word 'embrace' because that's exactly what occurs when Jesus comes into our lives! 'Accepting Jesus' sounds as if we're doing him a favor by allowing him into our hearts, as if to say, 'well OK, I guess you can come on in'. But an embrace comes from pure love, unrestrained and unlimited!

“Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” The moral of the story is that if we don't maintain our relationship with Christ – that 1-on-1 personal, best friend, counselor type of relationship – if we don't keep Jesus alive within our hearts, minds and souls, Satan will eagerly come and take his place. Plus, when he returns he will bring reinforcements! “As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, 'Blessed is the mother who gave birth to you and nursed you.' He replied, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.'” Check that out! Now you know my own motivation for writing, posting and publishing all these Bible studies, which I've been doing since 2011. I do it all for Christ because he saved me from hell. To me, this is the least I can do. I certainly don't do this for the money! But the most we all can do, that is, our very best, is to live all our lives for him, as we spend our remaining lifetimes in His service as soldiers, ambassadors, pastors, deacons, counselors and therapists, emergency relief volunteers, and all the other good things people are doing to try and make this world a better place. Let's focus on that for the rest of the week, and next time we'll move on to part three of Luke chapter eleven.

Another Warning From God About America's Future

Think This Week Was Bad For America's and Trump's Reputation? Wait Until You See What God Has Shown Me About Her Future.

By Pastor Paul J. Bern

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Like any other person of faith, I read my Bible as often as I can. The Word says we're supposed to read it every day, but even I can't always do that. It's like we all get so caught up in all the stuff that's going on during our busy days that we find ourselves laying down to sleep nearly before we know it! This past week a colleague of mine showed me a passage out of Isaiah chapter 24 that directly applies to modern-day America and other nuclear-powered countries like her. The clarity and brutally frank language that's used here by Isaiah, as he was prompted himself by the Holy Spirit, is startling and an ominous vision of the fairly near future.

The debacle inside the Beltway in Washington, D.C. this past week has made the USA and its president the laughingstock of the world! I see no way I can say this with too much emphasis. The Trump administration's attempt to repeal Obama-care and replace it with what amounted to a forcible confiscation of the health care coverage of 24 million Americans – combined with yet another tax break for the rich – has revealed Donald Trump for what he is: an opportunist who is in the White House for his personal enrichment first, and America second. If the Trump administration's failed efforts to repeal the ACA are any indication of how Washington is going to handle America's domestic affairs, what will happen when it comes to America's relations with the rest of the world? If America does not repent (turn away from) its ways, a great calamity will befall her, and that without remedy. Allow me to quote the first 6 verses of Isaiah 24:

“See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants – it will be the same for priest as for people, for master as for servant, for mistress as for maid, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken his word. The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish. The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.”

The earth as we know it, it says in the very first verse, is going to be destroyed. I don't think this means we're going to collide with another planet or wayward moon or anything like that. This includes all the talk about the so-called “planet X/Nibiru”, or whatever other names there are floating around out there. This planet is currently located somewhere between Neptune and Pluto. Assuming that “planet X/Nibiru” is closer to Neptune than to Pluto, juxtaposed with Neptune's orbiting the sun every 160 years, that means if “Nibiru” is traveling at a similar speed to Neptune it will take it another 80 years (give or take) to reach earth. Moreover,it has been proven by NASA, backed up with corroborating data from the European and Japanese space agencies, that this 9^th planet in our solar system is not – repeat is not – on a collision course with earth. So all you “Nibiru” fear mongers can put your fears to bed once and for all.

“..... he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants.” The words 'scattered inhabitants' suggest that population centers – cities – will be destroyed, and that casualties will be high in number. “.... it will be the same for priest as for people, for master as for servant, for mistress as for maid, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken his word.” The same fate will befall everybody, and there will be only a lucky few who escape. Moreover, the complete destruction of the cities of the earth is the only thing that will destroy economic inequality. To put that another way, the only way to destroy inequality will be to destroy the financial centers of the world, beginning with the US. Although I can't say exactly how this will happen, it definitely will. “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers, the exalted of the earth languish.” There will be a huge global drought, crops will fail, and people are going to starve to death, even in the Western world where this normally never occurs.

“The earth is defiled by its people.....” What does this mean to our modern world? Do these words still have any meaning after all these centuries? The answer to this question is an emphatic 'yes'! How have we managed to do this, you ask? When did I defile the earth? Every time we throw a piece of trash on the ground, or throw a wrapper or scrap of paper out of our car or truck window while driving, every time we throw anything (!) in a landfill, pour our old engine oil down a drain or elsewhere – need I go on? – we defile the earth. There is a gigantic flotilla of plastic bottles and other similar scrap items the size of the entire state of Texas floating in the middle of the Pacific ocean as I write this. Need still more proof we are in grievous sin?? The permanently damaged nuclear reactors at Fukishima, Japan (there are 4 of them) are leaking radioactive water into the north Pacific ocean at a rate of 400 million gallons per day! At this rate, the entire northern Pacific ocean from Japan to the west coast of North America will be devoid of life in no more than 10 years!

Suppose you (somehow) made a planet and inhabited it with 7 billion people, giving them life and the power and will to live it, and they turned around and destroyed it just because they could. How would you react? Now you know how God feels. “They have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth....” What laws? We could start with the 10 commandments. When you break one, you break them all, that's what the Bible says. Or how about the two greatest commandments: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself'? As before; if we break one even once, we have broken them all as far as God is concerned. “Therefore a curse consumes the earth”. Does this mean God will curse the planet and everything on it? Of course not, don't be so fearful! Is God going to personally intervene and cause all this to occur? No, it does not appear so, as we further examine this quote from Scripture. “Its people must bear their guilt.”

Guilt for what, you're probably thinking? For all the things I mentioned above, from ruining the Pacific ocean to the 10 commandments and so on, but that's not all. Nope, sorry, there's one more major thing – waging war. Although people will accuse me of being unpatriotic, and I do not wish to be offensive to anyone, the USA is addicted to war, and has been for at least the last 75 years. Our national economy depends on it and has been ever since I've been alive, and I'm 61. Moreover, we remain the only country in the world to have used nuclear weapons in a time of war. America has let the nuclear genie out of the bottle, and it cannot be put back no matter how great and well intentioned the effort. Meaning, we are indirectly responsible for the Fukishima disaster, as well as for any future nuclear conflicts regardless of who starts it. Granted, no one could have predicted an earthquake and tsunami of that magnitude, but the reactors should never have been located that close to the ocean in the first place. Not in an earthquake-prone country like Japan, at the very least! So in the end, the nuclear threat that we face globally is America's fault, and we're going to end up paying the price.

How? “Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.” Nuclear war. What else could this be describing, just read it and let it sink in. This is what the Bible says will happen to us if we don' t change our ways. The heat generated by a thermonuclear explosion is 10 times that of the surface of the sun. Those who are caught up in what I suspect will be the coming nuclear conflagration – again, unless America changes its ways – will be instantly vaporized. Not a pleasant thought, to say the least. How do we stop this? By protesting in the streets and getting involved in our country's political process. I see no other way. Besides, in the process of protesting, we'll be siding with God. Suits me fine.

Bible study this week will be the last of chapter 10 plus the first part of chapter 11 of the gospel of Luke

Jesus, Two Sisters, and His Teaching On Prayer

[Luke 10, verses 38-41; Luke 11, verses 1-11]

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When we left off last week at verse 37 of chapter 10 of Luke's gospel, Jesus had just concluded a conversation that followed his Parable of the Good Samaritan. The teacher of the Law – who today would be addressed as 'Rabbi' or 'Professor' – wanted to justify himself. So he had asked that Jesus explain what he meant when he asked our Lord and Savior, “Who is my neighbor”? Jesus told him, 'everybody', and commanded him to be merciful towards other people when he said, “Go and do likewise”. So as we begin today's study, we find ourselves at the final verses of chapter 10, where Jesus and his disciples happen upon a village that welcomes them with open arms. They are at the home of a lady named Martha, where they are receiving some good hospitality and a place to rest. Once again the Biblical theme of showing mercy while expecting nothing in return is prominent in the apostle Luke's gospel. Our narrative as told by him begins at verse 38:

“As Jesus and the disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and ask, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset by many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her'.” (Luke 10, verses 38-41)

Here we have an illustration of two different ways people react when presented with the Good News of Jesus, and in person, no less! Suppose Jesus came to your house and you invite him in for dinner and an evening of Divine Instruction – how would you react? Would it be more like Martha, or like Mary? Let's say it's just you and your spouse or significant other, or whomever (pets not included), and one of you is doing all the work while the other is with all the other guests in the living room listening to Jesus teach. Would you get as exasperated as Martha? (“Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”) Maybe, or maybe not. The point here is that the very presence of Christ inspires everyone who welcomes him into their home – and so into their hearts – to serve him in different ways. But in the end, all will receive the same reward, and it will be a generous one, even more generous than all the preparation efforts of 100 Martha's!

'Don't you care?', Martha asked. Of course Jesus cares, far more in fact then my limited human mind and vocabulary could ever enunciate to you! But Jesus told Martha that caring was not the issue, but that service was. “.... you are worried and upset by many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” And what is that “one thing that is needed”? The thing that Martha and Mary already had – they just hadn't yet recognized its significance – was Jesus residing in their hearts. It is clear to see that by opening their home to Christ, they had opened up their hearts as well. That's what Jesus was saying to Martha, only not in so many words. Which ever way or method of worship and service one is best suited for, that way or method will never be taken from any believer. The salvation of Christ, then, regardless of your denomination, creed, race or nationality, is irrevocable! In the next verses, Jesus teaches us the Lord's Prayer, starting at chapter 11 and verse 1.

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.' He said to them, 'When you pray, say, 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive all who have sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation.'” (Luke 11, verses 1-4)

Let's stop here momentarily and have a look at the context of this question. As I have taught in previous Bible studies of the apostle Paul, the apostles were all Jewish men except for Luke, who was the only Gentile of the Twelve. As such, under the Hebrew traditions established from the time of Moses, all the prayers and atonement for the sins of the people were made to the high priest, who would burn the sacrificial offerings of the people to God on their behalf. The whole idea of praying directly to God through Jesus Christ – who is the new sacrifice and a replacement for the old – was completely foreign to the apostles at that point in Jesus' ministry. It was outside the scope of their collective experience. That is why they said to the Lord, 'Teach us to pray'. They were asking Jesus for clarification – not because they were dull or lacked understanding, but because there was a fire of truth burning in the hearts of each of the apostles to perform a good service, because they were inspired by Jesus to act in his interests instead of their own! Notice, too, that the disciples of John the Baptist had asked him an evidently similar question, and this had apparently intrigued the apostles and sparked their own curiosity. Also notice that it is apparently Luke who asked this question, since the narrative declines to name him. So, although this is a shortened version of the Lord's Prayer that we have come to know and love, that doesn't mean it has any less meaning. And now let's conclude our study starting at verse 5.

“Then he said to them, 'Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, loan me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. My door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will getup and give him what he needs. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks him for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him'!” (Luke 11, verses 5-13)

The New Living Translation of the Bible says the first part a little differently, and I quote from verse 8: “But I tell you this – though he won't do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you what you want so his reputation won't be damaged.” Jesus was and is telling us that if we want to be his followers, we must be very, very persistent in doing so – because, when we do, then and only then will he give us the desires of our heart! By that I don't mean wealth and luxury goods, either. I'm writing more about the things that matter – taking care of each other, watching out for everybody's kids when the parents can't or are distracted, making sure everyone's basic needs are met, companionship, family and so on. That's how everyone can follow Christ; by taking good care of that which our heavenly Father has created.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” As you can see here, the idea of maintaining a “positive mental attitude” did not originate with motivational speakers and life coaches. It originated with the Book of Job in the Old Testament, and it gets an update and reaffirmation from Jesus himself right here in Luke's gospel. Let's look at the inverse of what Jesus was saying to the apostles – if we don't ask for what we need or want, we should expect nothing! Anybody who waits around for their 'handout' will be waiting for the rest of their lives. If we don't seek, we'll never find what we're looking for. If we don't knock, how will anyone know to open the door for us? Standing in front of the door while failing to knock would look ridiculous, to say the least. No, we are to knock if we want to be let in. Anyone who enters by any other way is a thief and a robber!

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” 'Don't just do these things for your loved ones and all others who are close to you', Jesus was saying. Perform random acts of charity with complete strangers while expecting nothing in return. In so doing, we emulate God, who gives to us freely while expecting nothing in return – except obedience to his commandments. So in conclusion we can plainly see that it is in our own best interest to ask God for whatever we want, only we must pray to Jesus, who is our high priest and our sacrifice for all our sins, in order to receive it. Jesus is our defense attorney, our advocate before the Lord God Almighty, and he intercedes for us continuously against Satan the accuser of the brethren. So do not be fearful or worried about anything. Just ask Jesus or, as it says in the last verse, pray to the Holy Spirit and you will receive what you need – again, provided that we obey his commandments. And next week we'll move on to part 2 of Luke chapter 11.

Is America Turning Into a Pseudo Dictatorship?

Acute Hitler Syndrome – Why Our Elected Officials

Are Adopting the Tactics of Tyrants

by Pastor Paul J. Bern

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Spontaneous acts of tyranny have been cropping up lately like cancer tumors. Come to think of it, this began to occur around or just after January 20^th – inauguration day. Let's go through a few examples and see what the Bible has to say about this. If “Trump care” gets passed into law as it is, 24 million people will lose their health insurance, and the birth of a child will not be covered at all. Hear that, ladies? If you're pregnant and don't qualify for Trump-care, you're on your own! Enjoy having your baby at home in the bathtub. Or if you deliver at the hospital, your new presidential administration doesn't care that your medical bills will bankrupt you, either. The same goes for everyone else who will lose their coverage. Moreover, the “Meals On Wheels” program for the poor and infirm would also be eliminated. So if you're sick and bedridden and unable to go to the grocery store, you're going to starve if you have no other resources, and many of these people don't. If the new Trump administration gets its way, America's poor will be trampled underfoot by an 'alt-right' stampede.

I watched all this with a sense of sadness and disgrace for the human race. You know, the apostle James had something to say about this: “Listen, my dear brothers: Has God not chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?...Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of Him to whom you belong?” (James 2, verses 5-6) And then a realization hit me like a bolt of lightning – this is occurring because people are only following the examples set by others. These random acts of tyranny aren't really random acts at all. They are the infantile acting-out of behaviors the childish American public has witnessed being demonstrated by their "leaders." The TSA sexually molesting air travelers isn't just a violation of fundamental human rights – it's also a demonstration to the mindless masses that this is the new "normal" behavior in society. So as the masses observe Big Government reaching down their own pants, they now get the message that it's okay to sexually molest little boys at church, or that it's okay to take children away from parents, even if it's for all the wrong reasons.

When the American people saw George Bush set up secret military prisons and condone water-boarding torture techniques during the 2^nd Iraq war, only to see even more of the same from president Barack Obama after voting Bush's party out of the White House, we the people are calling for president Trump to stop this practice for good. After all, past and present U.S. leaders will do to other human beings just as much as they think they can get away with. And yet, for some reason, these high-level government operatives who engage in these same torture techniques are never even questioned. This phenomenon of everyday American people mirroring the behavior of federal and law enforcement "authorities" who act as tyrants needed a name. So, I'm calling this phenomenon AHS, which stands for Acute Hitler Syndrome.

Just as children mimic the actions of their parents, the childish minds of the insecure (and fear-pummeled) mainstream masses also mimic the actions of their parental role models. To many Americans – and especially those of a more liberal mindset – government takes on the role of their parents. The government is supposed to tell you what to eat, what to buy, what to believe and of course how to express your patriotism when needed to justify the latest war launched by whomever. Government is the "authority" and the problem solver in the lives of these people. So naturally, in their childish mindset they seek to replicate the behaviors their parental role models are openly exhibiting.

Here's how this looks on the street: Your average city police officer is a wannabe tyrant who now. By watching the criminality of the federal government, he or she feels they have permission to engage in the same tactics of intimidation and arrogance in ruling over the public (rather than serving to protect them). That's why so many big-city police officers have recently morphed into paramilitary jack-booted thugs; dressing in black, unlawfully arresting people for no justifiable reason, tasering innocent victims in wheelchairs, and generally acting out what is essentially a childish reflection of the very same tyranny they witness being demonstrated by high-level tyrants in Washington D.C., right on up to the Oval Office. The FBI, for its part, is busy actually masterminding the very same "terror plots" that it then magically "prevents" with great fanfare. As recently exposed in The Guardian (and other newspapers), the FBI actually develops terror plots, provides the plans, weapons, funding, motivation and equipment necessary for these "terrorists" to carry out those plots (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/201...).

Acute Hitler Syndrome is also now being seen in local schools, where "zero-tolerance" rules get children kicked out of the public education system for merely bringing a butter knife in their home-packed lunch, for example. Or a child caught with an aspirin tablet is labeled a "drug abuser" and condemned to special remediation classes. The tyrants are everywhere in American society now. Think about the tyrants that have now descended upon you in your own life – the tyrant down at the DMV, the tyrant dog license enforcer, the tyrant building inspector and the tyrant food service worker, also sometimes known as "soup Nazis." These types of people are setting examples to be followed by every single person across America who finds himself or herself in a position of authority. That's it! We'll just ALL be tyrants! What a perfect solution!!

Through its moronic (and completely fabricated) war on terror, the national leadership in the USA has made it politically correct to terrorize anyone over whom you exercise power. If you're a librarian, you can terrorize little children over past-due books (that is, if children actually read books at all anymore). If you're a septic tank inspector, you can terrorize people over the layout of their septic pipes. If you're a doctor, you can terrorize people over flu shots and chemotherapy, all being aggressively pushed with the very same fear tactics now used at the highest levels of national government. The Trump administration justifies their brutal crackdown against “Love Trumps Hate” and “Black Lives Matter” protesters by pointing to how U.S. law enforcement bodies took a 'firm stance' against Occupy Wall Street protesters. 'Love Trumps Hate', Black Lives Matter' and the #NODAPL protests at Standing Rock, S.D., are the new “Occupy” protesters, you can be sure about that.

Acute Hitler Syndrome happens because the political leaders of America have broadcast a message across the nation that terrorizing innocent people is not merely okay, but downright patriotic! Anyone who says they're not going along with all the terror nonsense, the spy-on-your-neighbor paranoia and the "worship-your-imperialist-government" cultism is immediately branded an "extremist." It's now "extreme" to not believe in torture and home-grown terror as a way to keep the “sheeple” in line. "Extremism" is now defined as opening your eyes, asking some commonsense questions, and refusing to follow the hypnotized masses as they are marched off a high cliff by the globalist population controllers.

Merely thinking for yourself, it turns out, is now "extreme." It's a brave new world after all, I suppose. Fear and paranoia is being marketed to the public in an attempt to transform the citizenry into a huge spy ring. The social acceptance of spying on your neighbors and promoting fear has reached a new fervor across America, very nearly reflecting that of Nazi Germany in the late 1930's. It's now okay to call 911 on somebody merely because they happen to be writing something down on a scrap of paper in a public park (that's one of the signs of possible terrorism, according to ludicrous DHS public service videos that only breed paranoid thinking). It's now okay to spy on everyone around you and secretly observe them to see what they're doing. It's now your duty to watch over every scrap of luggage at the airport and start screaming about terror threats if some poor sap walks more than 10 feet away from his bags for a few seconds. And when we're out driving, if we see someone we think is driving way too fast, instead of calling in their tag number to 911, people will race to get ahead of that car and then cut in front of them and slam on their brakes, causing a chain-reaction collision! Here in Atlanta where I live and work, this kind of self-righteous behavior happens all too often.

Fortunately, there's a ready solution to all this. The antidote to Acute Hitler Syndrome is decentralized management, a non-hierarchical model that can also be called "grassroots people power." There will be no more psycho managers, control freaks or power mongers. This is what happens when ordinary, everyday citizens realize that all government power comes from the American people and that government is the servant of the people, not the other way around. So they take to the streets and protest. They take their money out of the accounts of globalist banks. They stop buying GMO's. They fight against water fluoridation in their local towns. They spread the word about Bernie Sanders during the 2016 presidential primary. People Power is so powerful that it will sooner or later overcome Acute Hitler Syndrome, but only if enough people actually remember what liberty actually feels like. That's why I urge you to practice liberty in everything you do. Don't settle for tyranny when you can insist on liberty! After all, the Bill of Rights guarantees you a number of extremely important rights, many of which are now being quickly eroded. Stand up for restoring those rights and you will empower the phenomenon of People Power (grassroots liberty as defined in the Declaration of Independence as being “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”), which is the ultimate solution against Acute Hitler Syndrome.

You can also defend liberty by practicing common courtesy (and common sense) in your own positions of power. Don't terrorize people just because you can. Exercise common human decency and compassion for those who deserve your assistance. When you practice random acts of kindness, you alter the entire emotional landscape across America, replacing fear with kindness, replacing terror with confidence, turning negatives into positives everywhere we go. If corporate CEO's would practice this, then most corporations would probably go out of business because they're mostly in the business of screwing people over for a profit. Remember, there is no such thing as a victim-less billionaire. That level of wealth accumulation simply doesn't happen without taking from lots of others in the process. But remember: In the end, kindness will always win out over terror. Good triumphs over evil. Spread a little around, and you'll see what a world of difference it can really make.

VAULT 7 EXPOSES THE CIA SPYING ON CITIZENS

This week's Bible study will be part 2 of Luke chapter 10

Jesus, the Professor, and the Good Samaritan

[Luke chapter 10, verses 22-37]

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Last week when we concluded the first part of chapter 10, Jesus had just prayed to his Father about the great success the Seventy-two had had in proclaiming the Gospel and bringing the good news to the poor. He then compared them to the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious leaders of that time, as being like a bunch of unruly children, an apt description if ever there was one. Sadly much the same is true today for churches of the 21^st century. The real truth has been hidden from them, and revealed only to those who embrace Jesus with the wide-eyed wonder of a little child, being reborn like little babies in the massive soul saving power of the Holy Spirit. Today as we begin this week's study of the apostle Luke, we find Jesus commenting on this very thing as he finishes this train of thought, beginning at verse 22.

“'All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.' Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.' On one occasion a teacher of the Law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher', he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'What is written in the Law?', he replied. 'How do you read it?' He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, to 'love your neighbor as your self'. 'You have answered correctly', Jesus answered. 'Do this and you will live'. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'” (Luke 10, verses 22-29)

The first two sentences were uttered to the crowd that was gathered all around, which had become routine stuff to our Lord and Savior and his disciples by now. Jesus told the crowd, 'I am the heir to the entire universe. As such, nobody can ever approach the Father except for myself, and that's just the way it is.' But then, right at that moment, Jesus turned to the apostles and says, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” The apostles and other followers didn't know how good they had it. Try to imagine, if you'll bear with me for a moment, what it would be like to be right there watching Jesus preach and listening to him teach! I honestly am not sure whether I would be able to keep my emotions under control, or whether I would break down and cry like a little kid. You know, like one of “these little children” that Jesus prayed about just a few minutes before.

“On one occasion a teacher of the Law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher', he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'What is written in the Law?', he replied. 'How do you read it'?” This is the modern-day equivalent of a theology professor at a major university or a college professor at a seminary challenging Christ, only to have Jesus deflect the question right back. 'You're a teacher, am I right? What do you think it says?' The professor responded by reciting Leviticus 19: 18 perfectly. Notice how Jesus responds: “'You have answered correctly', Jesus answered. 'Do this and you will live'.” Meaning, the flip side of that coin is that if we do not obey those 2 all-encompassing commandments, it will result in our untimely demise, and that's never a good thing! But the teacher/professor wanted to justify himself all the more, wrote the apostle Luke. Evidently he was, if nothing else, a rather egotistical individual. One thing you can be sure of – there will be no egomaniacs in heaven! So he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” This was anther wrong move on the teacher's part, because we can never justify our own selves. No human being has the right to do that because we have no such authority. Only the blood of Jesus, shed upon the cross, can do that. Trying to justify ourselves would be like having a pathological need for validation coming from others, when in fact we should be finding our validation through Christ. In other words, not only is being egotistical wrong, it is a form of idolatry because it's self-worship. So Jesus, not wanting to publicly humiliate the man even though he could have, answered the man in the form of another of his many parables, beginning at verse 30.

“In reply Jesus said, 'A man was going down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him', he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have'. Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him'. Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise'.” (Luke 10, verses 30-37)

So here we have Jesus telling his “parable” about this hapless traveler who gets jacked up by some thugs and barely survives his experience. As you can clearly see, crime is nothing new – it's been going on for centuries. The main stream media's coverage of crime here in America is reported in a way that gets more readers, subscribers, and television viewers rather than reporting the news honestly and without bias towards one special interest or another, or against any other (like minorities). Maybe if the sensationalism about criminal activity that is generated through the media was redirected towards the healing of poor communities and confronting the growing cancer of income inequality across the world, that would go a long way towards making our world a better and more equitable place to live.

The next thing we notice as Jesus relates his parable to the crowd around him, and particularly to the Pharisee who had asked him the question, is his continuing contempt for the religious establishment of his time. We can all be sure that the Lord's contempt for man-made religion, which under scrutiny is found to be an attempt to replace or duplicate God, still applies to the religious establishment of the modern world. Not much has changed over the centuries. The only exception is the mushrooming of the true Church in the last 500 years or so, the church without boundaries of dogma and creed, the church where there is only One who can be truly called 'Father', and where all are equal under Christ without exception! For those who are unsure about the accuracy of what I'm saying, to find out the ultimate fate of the World Church from the Last Days – a church that is already here and active – go and read Revelation chapter 18. It only takes about 5 minutes, and the answers to all your questions are right there.

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.” The key word here is 'pity'. This Samaritan, who was from what were considered to be a lower class of people during Jesus' time, had compassion and empathy for the badly injured man, something the world needs a lot more of! Some of us have been physically injured, but many more have been hurt mentally or spiritually by other people and circumstances. If we're going to be followers of Christ, it is vitally important that we all become more attuned to the needs of others rather than that of ourselves. “I desire mercy”, Jesus said, “not sacrifice.” Luke's narrative makes it quite clear the teacher of the Law understood the meaning of the parable exactly. “ Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him'. Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise'.” That's our task for the rest of the week, people. Go and find someone to be merciful to. Then, don't stop with only one person. Keep doing it until it becomes a habit. Remember that money is not the solution to every problem. Sometimes it boils down to being there for someone when they are needed.

PROPHECY UPDATE: TRUMP PREPARING FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN DEAL?

Science Proves GOD is Real?

What has Prompted Massive Troop Movement in the US?

We can have wealth and materialism or a relationship with Christ, but not both

Wealth or Jesus: We Must Pick One or the Other

by Pastor Paul J. Bern

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The definition of cognitive dissonance is a person’s brain trying to reconcile two contradicting realities. One common example of this is an abusive relationship, where the man/woman obviously understands there’s abuse from their significant other, yet they love them anyway. Often their brain will then develop excuses for such action. It’s their fault or the other person has just been under a lot of stress. The reality is their brain simply cannot accept two different realities that contradict, so it creates yet another. This is never more prevalent than when it comes to wealthy conservatives and Christianity. They are the proponents of policies that contradict much of what Jesus taught.

These top 1% folks, who are sitting on 99% of America's wealth, allegedly do so in order for the rest of us to enjoy the windfall of their generosity through increases in top 1% revenue. Let that sink in for a second – an economic policy based upon this notion: 'If we subsidize greed even more than it already is, the rest of society benefits as a result.' When has greed ever benefited a society? While we're at it, what does the Bible say about greed? “He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loves abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10) It becomes a driving obsession to acquire still more. Once the acquiring has happened, then comes the need to protect what has been acquired. This is selfishness and it is sin, as it is written: “There was a man all alone, he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling', he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless – a miserable business!”(Ecclesiastes 4:8)

Once the greed-driven have acquired and secured everything in sight, they're still not satisfied! They are never satisfied with all they have; their eyes always search for more, as it is written, “Then Jesus said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). This coveting begets more greed, which snowballs into more selfishness, and the selfishness begets more coveting and so on – to utter madness! “The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much: but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:12) By this point, there is no room left for God. Money is now the master of the house, as it is written, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:24)

Seems pretty straight forward to me, how about you? Greed is a vicious circle that feeds on itself, generating ever increasing amounts or degrees of craving still more. The more they have the more they want. Isn’t that what we’ve seen for the last 40 years? Isn’t this what “Trickle Down Economics” has given us? In the last 40 years the top 1% has grown exponentially, never more so than in the last decade. Yet what has it brought us? Economic failure caused by a cadre of millionaires crying out that they need even more. Many of the same businesses that proved in the 90′s, even with higher taxes, that they could yield historic growth are now fighting a return to those very same tax levels. They now claim economic prosperity isn’t obtainable at those “job destroying” levels of taxation. The fact is, they’re right. Their economic prosperity cannot be sustained at a higher level of taxation. The more we fed into this myth of Trickle Down Economics, the more lower taxes benefited them, the more they expect to expand their greedy nature. To raise their taxes would mean their giant profits would probably be taken down to just, well, significant profits.

This isn’t about these businesses making profits, they can easily do that, but they want larger profits. What they had in the 90′s is no longer good enough, they want more. Of course it’s impossible to return to the very same tax rates that brought us the best economic growth in our history, because then their greed would have to return to a lower level, and as the Bible says, greed is perpetual and never ends. We gave them more and now their solution to fix our problems? You guessed it, they want even more! Isn’t that exactly what the Bible warns will happen? Did we not have wealthy Americans in the 50′s, 60′s and 70′s? The answer is yes, they just weren’t as wealthy. Trickle Down Economics was the catalyst for the acceptance of greed. It gave those with the most more, and any mention of returning it to their rightful owners is met with a horrific depictions of economic Armageddon.

And there you have it, cognitive dissonance. The top 1%'s political ideology completely contradicts the realities we’ve seen and those the Bible supports. They preach Christian values at the same time they advocate a policy that says giving into greed will benefit our society. They vehemently denounce abortion while advocating war and conquest, resulting in 1.2 million civilian deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan alone since 2001. So unborn babies get a great deal of attention in churches, but once you're born, you're screwed, especially if you live in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, etc., etc.! The human brain simply can’t handle two conflicting realities, so it creates one of its own. The more we allowed the wealthy to have, the more they asked us to give. We did this to the detriment of our own economy and ourselves. If trickle down economics works, shouldn’t their success and our success mirror one another? As they gain, we gain. You know, like 'a rising tide lifts all boats'? However, that isn’t what happened because life no longer works that way thanks to the 1%. The more the 1% gains, the more they want, and they've made sure that everyone else chips in!

Think of a small fishing boat. If weight is equally dispersed it’ll stay buoyant and afloat. But what if the weight shifts more forward or backwards, what happens? The boat becomes unstable. Now imagine if suddenly all the weight is shifted forward, what would happen? Simple – the boat will suddenly suffer instability, capsize then sink. As our nations’ wealth rushed to the top 1% in the last decade, that’s exactly what happened – our boat capsized and then sank. Does this contradiction between faith and political ideology suggest that conservatives believe Jesus supported greed? It looks to me like they believe he condemned homosexuals and demeaned women, and considered the poor as lazy people seeking a handout. So why not perpetuate the belief that He would have supported greed? Don’t let the Bible scriptures sway your views, it’s much easier to simply allow yourself to give into and concoct a delusional reality.

What religious conservatives have done is a complete distortion of the Christian faith. The so-called “prosperity gospel” (LOL) doesn’t even fit into the very nature of what Jesus lived and died for! Every economic stance they support benefits the wealthy at the expense of the remaining 99% of us! How does it make any sense to have a portion of American society that pushes themselves as the Christian majority, the party of values and decency, and yet their entire economic stance contradicts what the Bible and Jesus says about greed? What religious conservatives claim to follow isn’t Christianity at all, and it sure doesn’t emulate Jesus. Remember what Jesus said about that, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required”, meaning those who have the means to make a difference should do so unreservedly and unselfishly. Yet, to a religious conservative this is essentially “socialism”. It’s allegedly unfair. But isn’t Christianity about giving, loving, and helping those who cannot help themselves? These are the principles I try my best to live by as a practicing Christian.

But I’m neither Republican or Democrat. I'm neither liberal nor conservative because I think there are good points to both sides. On one hand I could be considered conservative because I am in favor of small government and free enterprise. But I could also be considered liberal because I'm a firm believer in universal health care (no, not Obama-care because it seems woefully inadequate to the task), free higher education and a $14.00 per hour minimum wage. We all know that the two-party US political monopoly lacks faith and morals. They envy the rich, and all of that rhetoric the “good” Christian Republicans use against people, yet none of it is true. Yet there they sit, a walking contradiction. A party who supports faith in God above anything and policies that favor greed over everything.

The Jesus I worship is a man who we should all strive to become because he is the Son of the Living God. Jesus was a man who didn’t casually judge people, who stood up for those who couldn’t stand for themselves, who never felt slighted or that life was unfair. Jesus was wary of people who spoke of God on their lips but lacked true faith in their hearts. He was a man who embraced everyone, even those who disagreed with him. A man who personified everything mankind should be. As for those conservatives, who knows what man they worship. If the policies they support are reflective of the faith they follow, it sure isn’t Christianity and that man sure wasn’t Jesus.

This week's Bible study will be the 1st half of Luke chapter 10

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-two

[Luke chapter 10, verses 1-21]

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Last week when we closed out chapter 9 of Luke's gospel, Jesus was relating to many the cost of being his follower and believer. His instructions are abundantly clear – we must either follow Jesus exclusively, above and beyond anything and anybody else, or not at all. There is no such thing as an 'in between' or a 'maybe' when it comes to worshiping Jesus as the Son of God and being his follower – which we do by obeying his commandments. Jesus was asked about this very thing during the course of his ministry. When asked about which commandment was the greatest, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22, verses 37-40). So if we set our minds on these two integral commandments continuously, we will all be well on our way to becoming true followers of the Lamb of God! Today as we move on to chapter 10 of the gospel of the apostle Luke, we find Jesus imparting these very things as he sends out his Seventy-two, as they are now called, to preach and teach the good news of Jesus' coming. So let's begin at verse one.

“After this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was to go. He told them, 'The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field. Go! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house'. If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for a worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.'” (Luke 10, verses 1-7)

“The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.” Send more workers! That's us, everyone! How do we work in the harvest field Jesus described? By telling as many others about him as we can. Sometimes this is accomplished with our words, but many other times it can be by our actions. Since not everyone can be a pastor, evangelist or even a counselor, the best way to go about this is on an individual basis. Tell people about Christ and what he has done for you, especially the part about having eternal life because Jesus rose from the dead ahead of all of us. Some will receive your message of faith, while others will outright reject it. Expect that – it comes with the territory. Think of telling others about Jesus as being like making a sales call, except that we don't ask for anyone's money. The more calls you make, the more successful you will be.

Just to clarify my point, this doesn't necessarily mean we all have to turn into extroverted salespeople to be effective servants of God. Oftentimes, 'loving our neighbor as ourselves' is the most effective way we can witness for Jesus. Which is better – to make a religious speech in front of 1,000 strangers, or to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for 10 hungry and homeless children? I don't know about you, but I think the Lord would look more favorably on the second choice than the first one. Since there was no technology like we have today, news traveled by word of mouth, particularly since illiteracy was widespread back then. Since these 72 apostles acted as preachers, teachers and news reporters all at once, Jesus charged them as follows: “Go! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house'. If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; if not, it will return to you.'” 'Don't rely solely on yourselves when you preach the gospel', Jesus instructed them. 'Rely on me'! The very same thing is still true today because Jesus is eternal like his Father, never changing and always consistent! Jesus also instructed them to 'not greet anyone on the road'. Jesus was telling them to talk only to those who would listen, and to rely on his Spiritual guidance for discernment in this area.

“Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for a worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.” Notice this is exactly the opposite of what are proudly displayed as “American values” – the Seventy-two were instructed to be dependent on their hosts for their sustenance, whereas here in America we are 'rugged individualists' and 'independent persons'. Americans depend on no one, we stand alone, and we're king of the hill! This is diametrically opposed to the instructions of our Lord and Savior, and if America does not collectively repent of this, together with its so-called “exceptional-ism” – which has its roots in racism and alleged “white supremacy” – I prophesy it will be her undoing! The Seventy-two, instead of having their own resources – they didn't even carry luggage or a purse! – relied on the Holy Spirit, who prompted the hosts of these apostles to supply their needs. Their needs were met Spiritually instead of materially. Also, since they carried no purses, this meant they weren't permitted to turn anything more than a minimal profit from their ministries, if any at all. I find there is a very stark contrast between that and today's “prosperity gospel”, which alleges that Jesus wants everybody to be rich. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a lie from the stinking pits of hell!! Enough said about that. And now let's move on to part 2 of today's lesson, beginning at verse 8.

“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick that are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust in your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were preformed in you were performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths! He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects Him who sent me.” (Luke 10, verses 8-16)

Again, as before, Jesus instructed the Seventy-two to conduct themselves in the course of their ministries in a way that is completely contrary to the way some churches are operated today. Although this is not universally true by any means, many pastors draw very comfortable salaries for themselves compared to the working people they often minister to. While this is particularly true in large churches, when it comes to small churches, the pastors oftentimes have a day job Monday through Friday while drawing no salary from the church to keep it solvent. But the Seventy-two apostles did none of the above. They ate whatever food was set before them. They didn't exactly order from a menu. The Seventy-two did not draw salaries, did no work except to preach and teach, and expected nothing in return. Ordinarily, people would say this is a 'losing proposition', but not in God's kingdom! Evidently, the Seventy-two got all their needs met. Nobody died of hunger or thirst – on the contrary, all their needs were met by those they ministered to, whether it was food, clothing, shelter or any kind of financial assistance, and it was all done voluntarily. Also, notice that at no time was anyone asked to tithe 10% of their income. In fact, tithing is only mentioned in the New Testament in reference to the Pharisees, the same religious rulers Jesus prophesied against.

“But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust in your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town'.” 'Whoever rejects you', Jesus instructed the Seventy-two, 'rejects me'. Moreover, as Jesus taught the apostles in our study of the previous chapter, “Whoever rejects me rejects the One who sent me.” It's a free country we live in, so people are free to reject God if they insist on doing so. I will not stand in their way. In fact, having brought those individuals the Gospel of Jesus over the Internet, I have fulfilled my duty to the Lord my Savior. Whether others accept or reject my message is entirely up to them. This is the essence of what Jesus meant when he mentioned towns like Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. These were all towns where Jesus had preached and performed miracles, but the people still rejected him. All these cities are little more than ruins today, especially Capernaum. And now let's conclude this week's study starting from verse 17.

“The Seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.' He relied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overthrow all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.' At that time Jesus, full of joy from the Holy Spirit, said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.'” (Luke 10, verses 17-21)

The Seventy-two had put their commission and their faith into action, and look what happened! They “returned with joy”, which was immediately followed by the equivalent of Jesus telling them, 'You ain't seen nothing yet!' But note what he says next; “...do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” That, ladies and gentlemen, is Jesus' entire point which the apostle Luke has conveyed to us by sharing his version of the Gospel. Whether any individual serves the Lord as a pastor, elder, Sunday school teacher, or as an usher or even a janitor does not matter. The names of each and every one of those I have mentioned, plus any I may have forgotten, are “written in Heaven”! Everybody gets the same reward, which is eternal life! And then Jesus thanks his heavenly Father, remarking as he prayed that, “...you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” The “wise and learned” Jesus was referring to were the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious establishment of that time. The “little children”, are anyone who would humble his or her self and submit to Christ, making him the Lord of their life instead of themselves. We are to put Jesus in charge and trust him to lead us down the right path in our lives, just like little kids willfully following their parents. On that note, I think I'll concluded this week's lesson, and next week we'll explore the second half of chapter 10.