It sits on the tarmac near the hanger with the cockpit open awaiting the pilot.  The F-16 fighter jet is known the world over as a premier fighting machine.  It is as agile in flight as its sleek design would lead one to imagine.  The bubble shaped canopy that covers the cockpit is a very distinctive feature of this jet which makes it easy for the pilot to keep a 360 degree awareness of his surroundings at all times.  The performance factor of its engine and the pound per thrust ratio make it a superb aircraft.

The F-16 is only one of several fighting aircraft in the U.S. arsenal.  And then, there are those under development.  These aircraft are some of the best in the world.  They are highly sophisticated in their electronic warfare capability.  They can track multiple targets simultaneously and they can carry hefty payloads of very lethal and very accurate armament.

What the F-16 is to armies today, is very similar to what the horse was to armies way back then.  Back before the era of jet fighters, tanks, armored personal carriers and missiles, there was the horse.  The horse, in times past, has been a symbol of military strength.  In medieval times, a horse was outfitted with layers of thick covering draped over its sides and face, for the purpose of shielding the horse from arrows and swords of opposing armies. A soldier riding such a horse, had a tremendous advantage over an opposing soldier who was merely on foot.

For the purpose of this article, I am going to call the F-16 jet fighter an “Iron Horse.”  I could use a tank, which might seem more appropriate but, for this article, I am choosing the jet fighter. We, as a nation, have put our trust in the Iron Horse.  We, as a people, have put our trust in what we can build with our hands.  We, as a people, have put our trust in our ability to develop and fabricate highly technical and ultra-sophisticated electronic warfare devices. In the process of the time span covering the era of such high-tech warfare, we, as a nation, have marginalized our trust in God, and have instead begun to do what the Bible refers to as putting trust in the strength of a horse.  We read in Psalm 33:16-18 “No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy.” 

Here is the problem.  For every F-16 sitting on runway, you need a pilot to fly it. Not only do you need a pilot, but you also need maintenance personal, parts and fuel.  Then, once airborne, the pilot will need the support of air traffic control, ground tracking info and eventual landing and refueling location.  All of this requires a tremendous and expensive and elaborate support system.  Lots of money.  When looking at the money issue, we have even built one model of jet fighter (F-22 Raptor) that proved to be too costly to fly and maintain. Even now, the plane chosen (F-35 Joint Force Fighter) as the alternative, is proving to be very costly and by the time all the top military officials get their add-on features incorporated into the project, it will most likely end up being as expensive as the F-22. A serious threshold to be sure, but the money issue isn’t where I’m going with this.  There is something more serious.

What I see for our country that is the more serious issue, more than money, is the absence of a belief in God and the absence of vision for the future as a Christian society. This may sound old fashioned but, when one contemplates the transition that has begun, the future of our society looks anything but promising. We, as a nation, are going headlong into a post-Christian era.  Some, upon reading this may say “yes, this is a good thing.”  The arrogant, atheist intellectual may think he will one day live in a world free of all religion, but such an individual is naïve.  Mankind has been religious from the beginning, and will be in the end.  Imagining a world in which there is no religion, is the product of the mind of a person who has insulated himself from the rest of the world.     

The United States of America is drifting away from God.  The United States of America is transitioning from a Christian nation to a post-Christian nation.  If history proves correct, such a transition will not go smoothly.  We, as a people, have put our trust in the Iron Horse that we made with our hands.  We thought if we could build such technologically innovative and superior war machines that they, of and by themselves, would keep us safe and secure as a nation.  What we have failed to realize is that it is in God, and in Him alone where our security is to be found.  Once we abandon the foundation of faith and trust in God, then all is lost. Once we start putting our faith and trust in our own man made devices, all is lost.  It is the Lord who delivers a nation, not man.  It is the Lord who provides peace, safety, security and comfort, not man. If our future is left in the hands of mere men, then only misery awaits.

As important as it was to design and build the F-16, it was equally important to ensure that you had pilots to fly them.  As a nation, we needed to ensure that we were training up pilots we could trust and pilots who had the same vision and hope for the future.  We, as a nation, have failed in this area. It is the unity of vision and values in our society that is slipping away.  In other words, the dilemma rapidly overtaking us is “so what, if we are able to build the best jet fighters in the world.  If we don’t have loyal pilots to fly them, what good are they.” And, this is where I see our society heading at a rapid pace. It is coming down to the issue of trust.  Who do you trust to put on the Iron Horse?  If you cannot find soldiers you can trust and you cannot face an enemy with a unified force, you will lose the battle.  This is the dilemma we are facing as a nation.

We have chosen to put our faith and trust and in ourselves and the work of our hands rather than putting our faith and trust in God. So what, if we can build the sophisticated Iron Horse.  If our nation is rotten and corrupt on the inside, if our society has turned its back on God, if our people have gone headlong into a lifestyle of sin, then no degree of sophistication or lethality of our military Iron Horse can save us.  We are doomed. God will leave us to our own devices and we will fragment and begin fighting each other.  The Bible tells us in Proverbs 28:19 “Where there is no vision (prophetic revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint).  We, as nation have lost our vision. 

So, there on the runway sits the new Iron Horse.  Who will fly it?  What will be the loyalty of the pilot who sits in the cockpit?

read comments (0)

Are Christians destined to take over the world before Jesus returns?  Is there a requirement found in the scripture that Christians must take over the world before Jesus can return?  Or, has Jesus already returned and now, in a corporate sense He manifests Himself in the lives of all believers in the Earth and all Christians are now commissioned to take over the Earth?  Will there be a rapture?

The above questions are being asked within the rank and file of the Body of Christ and you may be very surprised to learn some of the answers to these questions.  Some of the sacred and age old theological beliefs of the church are now being redefined by some in the Body of Christ.  For more than a couple of decades now, we have witnessed an emphasis within certain camps of the Body of Christ on what has evolved to now be known as “Dominion Eschatology”.

Now some of you may be asking at this point “what is he talking about?”  If you are that person, then you need to read this post most of all.  Let’s begin by looking at an article found in the October 2009 edition of Charisma Magazine.  On page 20 you will see an article entitled “Last Days Fever” and as part of this debate there is an inset of two views of the rapture found on pages 22 and 23.  Pay attention to page 23 and C Peter Wagner’s article entitled “The Case For Dominion”.  In this article we see Wagner state “I now regard my former pre-tribulationism and pre-millennialism as escapist eschatology”.  Next, he says “My favorite term is dominion eschatology.  Why? Because Jesus did not give His great commission in vain”.  And finally, Wagner states “We are aggressively retaking dominion, and the rate at which this is happening will soon become exponential”. 

So, what is Wagner talking about?  C Peter Wagner and his ministry is a vanguard for what is known as the Dominion Movement.  This movement and its theology has gone by several names over the last couple of decades.  If you have heard the terms “Kingdom Now”, “Kingdom Dominion” or “7-Mountain Doctrine” they are all one in the same.  You will note that by his own statements, on the issue of the rapture, Wagner does not hold to the orthodox position of the church.

To put it in street, what the Dominionsts are saying is that Christians are supposed to be about the business of taking over the world, and once this has been accomplished, then Jesus can return, and note the emphasis on “can”.  Still not convinced that this theology is all that developed?  I invite you to take a look at the posting titled “Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism” by Sarah Leslie.  This article can be found at http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/05/sarah-leslie/dominionism.htm.  In this article, you will see a quite comprehensive description of the development of the Dominion Movement and the theology associated with this movement.  I don’t quite agree with all  that you will find on this particular website but, this overview of Dominionism is too thorough to ignore. And, it proves rather quickly that Dominionism is not a secret.  

Still not convinced?  Perhaps you are thinking, this group is on the “fringe” of Christianity, plus the writer quotes some dubious sources.  OK, fair enough.  Let me ask you then, have you heard of President Clinton?  Of course you have.  Well, he had a high-ranking advisor named Sidney Blumenthal.  Mr Blumenthal has a son named Max Blumenthal.  And, Max Blumenthal has written a book titled “Republican Gomorrah”.  This book has become a media sensation and has been critiqued extensively in the national media. Simply go to You Tube and type in “Republican Gomorrah” and see for yourself. 

In his book, Blumenthal pulls no punches in his all out attack on the Republican Party for what he describes as the hypocrisy of the many Republican leaders who have fallen into various sex scandals.  To be “fair and balanced”, some of Blumenthal’s criticism is justified.  In saying that, mind you, I am certainly not overlooking all of the Democrat sex scandals.  But, that is not the focus of my article.  What I want to point you to is that also in his book, Blumenthal has the dual thesis of chronicling what he perceives as a rising movement within Christianity to vicariously “take over the world” through the Republican Party. 

In his book, Blumenthal comes as close as any secular writer or reporter I have seen, to “connecting all the dots”.  Let’s talk plainly here.  If you are a Jew, a Muslim or an atheist and you hear certain Christian leaders talk of “taking control of the governments of the world” then, don’t you think you are going to get their attention?  I can assure you, they are listening. One thesis in Blumenthal’s book is that he believes there is an underlying design, on the part of the Christian Right, to take control of the government.  I see two theses in Blumenthal’s book.  He himself indicates as much in an interview on “Morning Joe” which can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqeqRf9czAY or, type in “Morning Joe – Max Blumenthal – Has The GOP Been Driven Outside The Mainstream”. 

What I am saying to all my Christian brethren out there is that the secular media has connected the dots of Dominion Eschatology.  If you are an adherent to this particular theology, and you think all of this strategy to “take over the world” is a “well kept secret” then, think again.  You cannot ignore the reality I am laying out in this post.  I was just listening to a news program the other day and a leading liberal news commentator stated that Max Blumenthal’s book is quickly becoming a primary source of information for those wanting to know about the strategy of the “Radical Christian Right” and its designs on influencing government.  I am telling Christian leaders out there, if you ignore such a thing as this, then you are shirking your responsibility to be “in the know” about developments concerning the Body of Christ.

You can go to Amazon.com and type in “Republican Gomorrah” and then go to the book review link and see for yourself the “firestorm” of debate going on between liberals and conservatives over this book. I can tell you, if the Dominionists continue to push this doctrine and move ahead with their attempts to implement these goals, things are going to get very ugly, very quickly.

Did Jesus say He needed Christians to be in control of all systems of society in order for Him to return?  I don’t read anywhere in the Bible where Jesus says that.  Let’s look at Luke 4:6 where, after showing Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, Satan tempts Jesus when he says “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish”.  It is serious theological error to assume by this verse that Satan is actually in control of the Kingdoms of this World.  This was a falsehood spoken by Satan and Jesus knew it.  How do we know this?  Look at Daniel 2:20-21 “Daniel answered and said: Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness,  And light dwells with Him”.   Next, look at Daniel 4:17 “This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, Gives to whomever He will, And sets over it the lowest of men”. 

So, after reading the above scriptures, it is clear that God is in control of the systems and governments of the world.  Understanding this, could it be possible that Satan today, is using the same trickery and temptation with certain religious leaders to get them to think that the kingdoms of the world are “up for grabs” and thus he is using the thought of being in control of these governments as a temptation once again.

Let me talk plainly.  I see that the Dominionists have gotten way off base theologically.  They are more worried about taking over the world rather than “winning the world for Christ”.  They are more worried about being an “Apostle” rather than preaching the Gospel of Christ.  These certain leaders have fallen for the very temptation that Satan tried to tempt Jesus with in the wilderness.  These certain leaders are being tempted with power, wealth, glamour, prestige and control.  It is very dangerous and it is bringing undue and intense criticism against the Body of Christ. 

Pastors and Christian leaders had better “get up to speed” on this.  This theology has made substantial inroads into the Body of Christ. Dominionism was even “in play” in the recent Presidential election.  And, I might add, it is one of the reasons the Republicans lost.

As Christians, we must remember the words of Jesus as found in John 18:36 “My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight…”

read comments (2)

We know the story of Pandora’s Box and the evil that Pandora unleashes upon the world and her unsuccessful attempt to stop what she had started. One cannot help but make the same comparison with the drama we see unfolding in the U.S. Senate. U.S Senator Charles Grassley has taken it upon himself to “investigate” several prominent Pentecostal ministries. Note that I said “Pentecostal”, the significance of which will become more distinct as we go.

As a pastor of Pentecostal persuasion, I am very interested, even concerned, about what is going on with this investigation. I was recently in Africa and that is where I first heard the news of the investigation. My point is, there are far more than just a few “disgruntled Americans” who are watching this investigation. A point that the Senator would do well to recognize.

By the way, I see that the Senator has been quoted as saying that he too, is a Christian. I am curious as to what denomination or church the Senator belongs? This question may sound like a non-issue to the casual observer, but in this investigation, it means everything. For you see, the ministries that have been targeted by this investigation are Pentecostal or, as some say Charismatic. By definition, Pentecostals and Charismatics believe in things like The Baptism in The Holy Spirit, Speaking In Tongues, the Gifts of The Spirit, Healing, Prophecy etc. Needless-to-say, these doctrinal issues are of major debate among denominations and groups within Christianity. Thus the question, what is the Senator’s theological frame of reference?

One can only imagine the outcry if ministries of non-Christian religions had been targeted by this investigation. On that note, why are not some of them included? I mean, what ever happened to the “stratified random sample”? Or, is this investigation to be interpreted as a “Pentecostal Only shake-down”? It is one thing to have a theological disagreement with another Christian, another denomination, another church, or another religion, but, it is an entirely different matter to open up a governmental inquiry into the activities of those you disagree with.

Read the rest of this entry »

read comments (0)