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By "The Good Professor" J.J. Bucci February 20th 2024 “I read the news today, oh boy.” John Lennon owed his inspiration for the song, “A Day in the Life” to the news of his day (Fleming, 2017). Lennon began the song lamenting about the death of a friend; and along the way integrated observations about several newsworthy items. There is a sense of spectating in all of the scenes described in the song, identified by one source as perhaps the finest of all Beatles’ songs (Fleming, 2017).  The final verse responds to another news article, viewing a government report with disdain and wondering why potholes were counted and not simply filled in (BeatleDoc, 2006).   I thought of Lennon’s musings as I skimmed my own news from this past week: news of football victories and unique commercials caught my attention. One reporter wrote about a group that spent $7 million for a 30-second ad where two actors prayed during the Super Bowl (Olmstead, 2024). How about that? Mark Wahlberg and Jonathan Roumie teamed up on the eve of Ash Wednesday to present a Christian prayer app called “Hallow,” and to pray… during a football game?   At the website set up for people to download the app ( https://hallow.com/get-hallow/ ), the webpage declares that the Hallow  app is the number one prayer app in the world ( https://hallow.com/get-hallow/ ). Other resources on the app include novenas and litanies, sleep and Bible stories, daily gospel readings and meditations. There’s one testimonial on the website, where a woman tells the story of a life-saving transformation that occurred as she began to pray with the app (Jones, 2024). Her family was restored, her husband returned to her, and they each received forgiveness from the other for hurtful things they had done. Pretty outstanding for a little prayer app.  One author who commented on the app believed there was something more sinister that was behind all this – which she describes as “odd things” (Olmstead, 2024). The author described some of the personalities who were mentioned as a part of various features offered on the app. Each one was described not only for their contribution to content; but also for something detrimental in their background or a past known attitude or action. It was fairly easy to identify these background reminders, because many of them were in parentheses (in case you might have forgotten). Lest we see these folks as offering some insight to their faith, or using their current platform to encourage prayer, we needed to be reminded of their past failure. How could we ever take anything they might currently say seriously (my attempt at sarcasm)?   Believe it or not, all of us have said or done something detrimental or hurtful, as did Sarah, which if this were plastered on a Super Bowl commercial, would not be very flattering. But all of us are grateful for the opportunity to pray and seek forgiveness, particularly during such events. Some of those who have seen their lives turned around, like Sarah, hope to use their current stories to point people towards hope, and to forget the past. The Bible tells us that for a repentant sinner, God Himself forgets our past (see Isaiah 43:25: “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Or Hebrews 8:12: “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” We thank God for the reminder that there’s something greater than this sporting event on which we have focused our attention.   There’s a God in heaven who cares for us, and is willing to forgive us as we commit ourselves to prayer and repentance and reflection. Sarah and hundreds of other failed human beings can attest to the power of these prayers (Jones, 2024). We thank God for those who have made this app so successful, winning over the hearts of failed sinners and stars alike. Sounds like good news today, oh boy!   Joseph J. Bucci has served as a Pastor, Author, HR Director, Director of Training, Professor and Consultant. His latest book, Redemption Inc. was published in 2022. Contact Dr. Bucci at joe@josephjbucci.   References:   Fleming, C. (2017, January 19). Beatles’ ‘A Day in the Life’: 10 Things You Didn’t Know. Rolling Stone Magazine . Retrieved from https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/beatles-a-day-in-the-life-10-things-you-didnt-know-191427/ .   BeatleDoc (2006, October 11). Lyric Interpretations [Web Blog]. Retrieved from https://www.lyricinterpretations.com/beatles/a-day-in-the-life .   Olmstead, M. (2024, February 11). What’s the Deal With That Mark Wahlberg Prayer App, Exactly? Slate Magazine: Human Interest  [Web Blog]. Retrieved from https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/02/super-bowl-commercials-ads-mark-wahlberg-hallow-prayer-app.html .   Jones, A. (2024). 10 Million Downloads & Series C Funding. Hallow  [Web App]. Retrieved from https://hallow.com/blog/10-million-installs/ .

By Robert Anthony February 16th 2024   Getting involved with politics you come to learn about this concept of “Power Centers” and you quickly realize that there are those who will use practically any means necessary to retain said power .  Stand Up Michigan  has become one of these power-mongering groups in Michigan politics.   I am taking Kevin Skinner’s word for the conspiracy surrounding Ron Armstrong’s take over the Stand Up Michigan company (it is not a Non-Profit, but very much FOR  Profit).  I would reference Kevin Skinners public testimony  about what Stand Up Michigan and Ron Armstrong did to force him out, clearly against his will.  I have never heard a single testimony from neither Garrett Soldano nor Ron Armstrong making a case against Skinner, so as far as I am concerned Skinner must be telling the truth.   It must be said, my personal experience with Ron Armstrong was very much in line with the things Skinner had to say.  Here is my story with Stand Up Michigan and Ron Armstrong: I was reaching out to Ron Armstrong since I was involved with Rep. Steve Carra drafting the bill to audit Michigan’s November 3rd 2020 election.  I have not sat down to count every email, text and phone call I made to Mr. Armstrong because quite frankly it is almost embarrassing how persistent I was in trying to reach him.  I would guess I tried to get a phone call or meeting with him more than 20 times before finally launching the petition to DeCertify Michigan’s Nov 3rd 2020 election but to no avail. (Ron Armstrong) I can not tell the story of Stand Up Michigan and Ron Armstrong without mentioning Pat Colbeck.  The very first time I met Colbeck, at Lindell’s Cyber Symposium, he lied directly to my face saying, “Stand Up Michigan was working on a petition to Audit the Nov 3rd 2020 Election”.  Understand how strange this was, Colbeck knew I was at the Cyber symposium with Rep. Steve Carra who was actively drafting a bill to audit Michigan’s election!?  Colbeck wasn’t promoting Carra's bill but instead making up some petition with Stand Up Michigan!?  Why? The whole 7-10 minute conversation was so strange… I knew I was being lied to but I didn’t understand why.   I knew nothing of Michigan politics. I was a minister for 15+ years and completely out of politics.  I had only moved to Michigan in 2020 so all these dynamics I could have no way of understanding. Why was Colbeck promoting Stand Up Michigan when he knew I was there with Carra?  I will get back to this.    After the Cyber Symposium, Carra decided to transform his bill into a petition (A Ballot Initiative).  About 15 of us gathered together to create a team for the petition.  I was surprised to have been nominated to be on the board. I felt honored and was happy to serve. The next thing you know, Mellissa Carone was nominating me to lead the board!?  She said, “Robert is the only one here not campaigning.  He is an obvious leader and honest.  I think we should have him lead the board.”  But Jon Rocha was decided upon because he and Carra and others already had deals to promote each other’s campaigns and this Audit Petition would be a great platform for them to run on.  After we started that board, the proverbial doo-doo hit the fan.   It's a very long story why I dropped off Rocha/Carra’s petition board.  But I did it within a few weeks of being voted on.  I saw the disfunction within the team, I saw Rocha’s intent to campaign off of this petition and his inability to keep his word and I knew without a doubt this petition would go no where.  About the same time I was planning to leave the board, Melissa Carone started calling me.   A whole lot of controversy started around who actually had the rights to this (AuditMI) petition-language.  Things got very very strange.  Melissa Carone, Matt DePerno and Jovan Pultizer explained to me that this petition and bill does not belong to either Carra or Rocha.  They wanted me to work with them in creating a new petition, going very public against Carra and Rocha, exposing these two for what DePerno, Pulitzer and Carone all felt was theft .  To me it was pointless to go on the offense against Carra and Rocha (in an election year) plus it was too difficult to prove theft  – I told Carone, DePerno and Pulitzer I was willing to talk about creating our own petition in competition with Rocha/Carra and team but I was unwilling to publicly assault them.  DePerno was so upset with me that I would not attack them publicly that he started to disparage my name all throughout Michigan.  Ending almost entirely any relationship with me altogether.   The bill with Carra was gone, I was uninvolved with the petition with Rocha, DePerno/Carone’s team would go nowhere without me or a new (sucker-) leader to do their bidding so I was back at the beginning.  In my estimation there was no path for an audit, Rocha’s petition would fail (because he was too busy campaigning and did not have a team to support such a great work) plus (back to Stand Up) I knew that no one would support Rocha’s work.  I had reached out to Armstrong more than 20 times at that point – several times while working with Carra on his bill and several times while on the board with Rocha. Armstrong never responded, not once.   I had become friends with Sandy Keisel (of EIF) throughout this process of bills and petitions and audits. I told Sandy, “I have THE PLAN for Michigan to deal with this Nov 3rd 2020 election fraud” but I would not tell her the plan.  My trust had already been betrayed more than enough to realize that no one can be trusted throughout the Michigan GOP – everyone I had met was disingenuous, seeking to be elected, seeking for power and position before anything else.  I knew I would need a good lawyer to help with the petition I wanted to do and I would need a good fundraiser!  These petitions, to get passed, require large amounts of funding.  I continued to build a working relationship with Sandy and EIF - hoping that they might be the answer to getting this petition off the ground!   January 2022 the miracle happened!  I met this odd, off-the-beaten path, genius-syndrome attorney from Northern Michigan who agreed to help me write my petition, Pro-Bono!!  The Miracle happened, kind of .  I immediately started to see (let’s call it) irregularities in my new found attorneys character but what choice did I have?  He was ingenious in matters of law, very good with the Michigan Constitution and seemed to share much of my vision.  I was more or less stuck with him.  We drafted THE PETITION TO DECERTIFY MICHIGAN’S 2020 ELECTION and then we went to work!    Interestingly enough, who helped me to draft the petition?  Who led me to believe he would help me fundraising and put me on shows to get the word out there!?  Who led me to believe he was going to support the effort personally?? Literally helping to draft the petition?? None other than Pat Colbeck! I knew I had to involve him.  Colbeck wiggled his way into every single election integrity effort in the state of Michigan.  Colbeck even help to create the Election Integrity Fund (EIF) - he was one of its founding members! There was no way I would get anywhere without him involved.  Or, I had to know early on that he would come against me (I never thought for a moment Pat could be neutral).  When Colbeck started helping write the petition, I was surprised and thought,  "Maybe he isn’t so bad after all?  Maybe I had misjudged him?"  Me and my team launched two efforts, both at President Trump’s Rally in Washington, Michigan, April 1st 2022: The Petition to DeCertify the Election and AuditYourVote.com   There was word that maybe AuditYourVote.com was going to get space on the JumboTron!  So we rushed to make a simple commercial to get the word out, but it never made the cut, to this day I don’t know why? So much happened so quickly.  Sandy Keisel broke my trust very early on.  I had trusted her and EIF to get petitions at the rally, to have volunteers ready to go, so that I could be doing my dog-and-pony show winning the big named supporters!  When I got to the rally, I realized that Sandy was actually promoting EIF and often acting as if this petition was there’s – the petition was more of an aside than it was the purpose of us all being there.  Understand, before that day, Sandy had led me to believe that she was going to quit her work at EIF to come and run the petition with me full-time.  I thought we were in complete unison over the plan, there was never any discuss to the contrary.  But the day we launched, the day at that Trump rally, I realized Sandy could not be counted on.  Things went downhill from there.   Then, suddenly Ron Armstrong wanted to meet with me!?  But he would only communicate thru Sandy?  He acted as if I wasn’t trying to reach him, now more than 40 times!  He never mentioned all my texts, phone calls and emails.  He never mentioned how many people were encouraging him to have a meeting with me.  He simply demanded of me to attend a zoom meeting with him and his team.  Sandy too was awfully forceful on the matter – for this reason I lost my temper, yelling at Sandy, “Who’s side are you on Sandy?”  I couldn’t believe she would throw me to the wolves like this.  I was extremely clear with her that Armstrong was not to be trusted and yet there she was brokering some kind of deal behind my back.  I told her and “My Lawyer” – “Do Not Get On That Zoom Meeting with Stand Up – You do not have my permission to speak for me, You do not have my permission to speak on the behalf of the petition!”  Neither of them listened and attended the meeting against my direct instructions (Remember, everything was mine. AuditYourVote.com , the Petition, the Committee, the LLC, everything was in my name and my name alone. It was in writing the the lawyer was helping me and nothing more.)   If Armstrong had any good intentions with me he would have called me directly, man to man.  If there was anything redeeming quality about him at all he would have at least had a phone call with me, at an absolutely minimum.  If I was Armstrong, an older man, a Christian man, a man of such power and influence, I would have at least taken a meeting with me – after all I had by far the best movement in Michigan (arguably in the nation) that could remedy Nov 3rd 2020.  But no.  Armstrong offered no support, clearly nothing financial but worse than that!  He decided to come against me publicly.   That was always his intention.  Which I told Sandy and “My Lawyer”.  I knew Armstrong was only doing this Zoom meeting to say, “I looked into it and realized that there was no chance it would succeed.” But that was a huge deception.  Armstrong told me thru Sandy, "If your petition signers agree to sign our Secure MI Vote petition we will support you." But I didn't even believe that! I had already learned too much about these folks: Armstrong, Colbeck, and their "Christian" buddies. They had no intention ever to fix Michigan's election system and do you want to know how I know this as an absolute certainty?   Who funds Stand Up Michigan  (the Stand Up Michigan that Colbeck sits on the board of)?  Well, we know Mike Shirkey’s PAC does .  That’s public record.  I heard from a very credible source that Stand Up got 4 Million from Heritage Foundation in DC for their Secure My Vote petition.  Stand Up Michigan could have had upwards of 10 Million in their accounts at the time I was launching my DeCertify Petition.  Think of what they could have done to help!?  Instead of destroy.  But why is Ex State Senator Mike Shirkey an important part of the story?  I’m glad you asked. What if I told you that Mike Shirkey and Ed McBroom ( both came out publicly declaring 2020 was the safest election ever in Michigan’s history !) both ran the Senate Committee on Elections.  What if I furthermore told you that Pat Colbeck was the Co-Chair of that Elections Committee!!  And now Colbeck sits on the board of Stand Up, who receives large funds from Shirkey.  Do the homework for yourselves.  Listen very carefully, THE REPUBLICANS CREATED THE ELECTION SYSTEM IN MICHIGAN!  Sec of State Ruth Johnson signed for the largest purchase of Dominion election machine equipment during her tenure and Pat Colbeck ran the MI Senate Committee on elections  at that time, with Shirkey by his side!  (MI Senator Ruth Johnson currently chairs the Senate Committee on Elections... by the way.)   Why on earth would Colbeck and Shirkey and the rest want to scrutinize an election system they helped create!?  (And remember, McBroom was mentored by these two – here is his famous McBroom Report .) It was a short three weeks after Colbeck hyped me up about all that he was going to do to help with AuditYourVote.com and the DeCertify Petition when without any warning he and Armstrong issued their public rebuke of our petition and movement. If these two had anything decent about them: 1. They would have let me know what they were planning and given me a chance to change their minds, 2. Colbeck would have never led me to believe he was going to help and support the effort, 3. Colbeck would have tried to preserve the friendship, letting me know what led to his sudden change of heart/mind (out of no where). Etc.    What was almost more troubling was who they recruited to sign on with them! Rick Warzawak had only days before just promoted DeCertifying Michigan’s election at President Trump’s rally after meeting me, signing my petition publicly. Trucker Randy never so much as tried to contact me - i had several calls and texts into him also.  But others: Joe Moss was a friend, he helped with web work early on when I was working with Carra, Joe and I had talked often – he too never even bothered to call.  The list goes on.  Imagine what we (Michigan) could have done if these “Christian Republicans” had supported the work instead of fighting against it!? But they would never.  I watched Colbeck with great cunning and craft infiltrate and destroy every single chance we had in Michigan at Auditing the Election – all the while going on speaking tours about election integrity and working at Mike Lindell’s right hand!    The story only gets crazier from there.  My lawyer stole 60,000 petitions from me.  Sandy Keisel decided to support him, practically enabling him in his out and out theft.  I called the lawyers’ pastor to try and convince him to return my petitions!  But the pastors advice, “You will need to call the police I guess?  He won’t speak with you or let me make peace.”  Within a week the Attorney General’s office was involved!  It was getting crazier by the day!  The AG’s office asked me if I wanted to press charges?  I declined.  I just wanted my movement back. But the damage was total and complete by that point in time.  Colbeck and Armstrong convinced many donors not to fund the movement in any way; word spread so fast throughout Michigan from these two and others lying about me, calling me a grifter and worse!  What Colbeck and Armstrong weren’t able to accomplish, my lawyer was able to, creating such conflict within the movement and slowing me down about 4 weeks!  I was living a literal nightmare.   The lawyer eventually went away and left me alone.  Why?  Because he ended up almost dying in the hospital!  He was in the ICU for 2 or 3 weeks!  It took all that for him to leave me and my movement alone!  I never did call the state bar to report him.  I don’t know why I gave that man such mercy.  But I did.   It was May 2022 now and we only had a short month to collect signatures!  The team went to work! It was amazing what we were able to accomplish all things considered.  We got just short of 25,000 signatures!  We had no budget.  Only volunteers and me funding what I could, putting myself into terrible debt.  We were against the strongest players in Michigan!  All things considered we did pretty amazing – I want many of you who helped to hear this!  We could have been successful without all these “Christian” GOPers against us! Perhaps sometime I will tell you all the whole story!  I met with so many powerful GOP people throughout the nation about this petition, AuditYourVote.com and the work we were doing to fix the stolen election.  I was able to get in touch with some of the biggest players in the Republican party nationwide, and most of them Christian!  I don’t want to tell you all their names.  I don’t want to tell you about so many around the President who refused to help.  I wonder if President Trump ever even knew what we were doing?  Does he know about AuditYourVote.com and the 100K+ missing votes for him we found?  I spoke with at least 10 people (maybe more) who know him personally.  I wonder if any of them brought it up? What grieves me the most of all of this is that these were mostly Christians.  Stand Up as an organization, functions almost entirely thru the churches!?  I was a minister and missionary from 2008-2021’ish as a career, full time.  Hearing Colbeck and Armstrong and their buddies on Trucker Randy’s radio broadcasts, Rick Warzawak’s prayer calls, and more was enough to make me sick!  They spread out-in-out lies about me, calling me a grifter, insinuating I was some sort of a plant, attacking my person and character and doing everything in their power to recruit my key leaders out from under me, all while preaching the bible and running their movement thru God’s Holy Church!?   It's hard to believe anything that comes out of Stand Up Michigan.  Why did their petition fail? Remember, Secure MI Vote petition to have voter ID’s?   Who do they receive all their funding from?  What are their actual intentions for the state of Michigan?  Why do so many people continue to prop them up?  How come Michigan, at large, continues to support people like this throughout it’s politics and government?  Grieves me to say the least.   Until we Stand Up , Michigan and demand better leaders within our politics, until we stop empowering these sorts of professional deceivers and power-mongering politicians, the status quo will remain.  Are we addicted to complaining?  Are we merely content to repeat over and again how nothing will ever change?  Or will we stop empowering these types of characterless and destructive men within our state from advancing their status quo agenda’s and finally change things!    I, for one, read that the US Constitution affords me the right to Liberty, wherein we once escaped the chains of tyranny to form a much better union; and I am not ready to lay down these rights because of a few, even within my own party, who will use any means necessary to advance a power and position over the will of the people, in direct opposition to the truth and that spirit which first made this nation so Great!  This elitist and dictatorial manner of leadership is what “We The People” are sincerely striving against; we will either allow the power-brokers, political elites, polluted lobbyists, Wall Street Titans, global interests and purchased souls to destroy all that we hold dear (given to us by God in this nation) or we will Stand Up , draw a line in the sand and say, “This is enough” and “You shall not pass!”.   To Michigan, and to the rest of our Republic, I say, “Hold the line!”  Watch who you are empowering and enabling.  Take careful consideration where your $5, $10 and $100 donations are going.  Take care what rallies you promote, even by your attendance.  When you march and show your strength, is it for the cause of Justice and preserving this Constitution, truly?  Or so yet another Ron Armstrong and Pat Colbeck can retain their power over you, only to strike you down when life fills your veins and you decide to make a difference for your state, for your generation?   It's going to take integrity, character, honor, a willingness to listen and learn, humility and love to win this nation for generations to come.  We, the People, are battling on several fronts and we do have victories, great and small.  But we need many more (servant) leaders.  We need an entirely new generation with an entirely new vision to believe that a change is possible, and with great persistence and diligence perform their oaths, not unto man, but unto God who sees all things and will one day reward us openly for all that we have suffered in the darkness.  But what if no one wants to do good?  What if everyone is content to sell their will, soul and life’s efforts for wealth, reputation and advancement?  How dark will the darkness become!?   It would be wonderful if the Armstrong’s and Colbeck’s of the world would repent and become something better!  It would be nothing short of miraculous for DC and its world-wide capabilities to suddenly grow a heart and soul!  But as the poets, song-writers and Holy Scriptures have all proclaimed throughout history, “The Change Starts with Us!”    The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness must flee.  But it will take courage to believe and to live this way because the fear and doubt will do everything they can to lie and deceive us into thinking that they have the power.  But who is this Light?  Perhaps I will write about that in my next article? The Light remains the power .   For now, Michigan, I leave you with this hope: one man or woman standing on the truth has always been more powerful than a thousand willing to corrupt their souls for temporal gain, advantage and pleasure.  But what if the good men say nothing?  What if the best among us continue to enable the destruction and demise of all truth and goodness?    How dark the darkness will become.   Saying a prayer for you now, Michigan. Saying a prayer for so many of you whom I know personally, vouch for and confide in!   There is a brighter future in store for all of us who believe!   God is with us… So who can be against us? Greatest of love, Robert

By Robert Anthony March 3rd 2024   It seems every time there are drastic changes in the world, war follows.  The discovery of the New World was followed by years of bloody conflict, the industrial revolution was immediately followed by years of bloody conflict, the technology explosions of the early 20th century were followed by years of bloody conflict, etc.    We are on the tail-end of another societal revolution with the advent of the internet, wireless connections, smart phones and now the introduction of learning machines and A.I.  And every advanced nation on earth has their own ambition: be it in the stars, or their own vision for genetic modification, or some hopes and dreams for quantum computing, machine learning and beyond.  And behind closed doors no one can agree on any of this: who gets to own what and so on...  The competition has heated up to a boiling point between the world leaders: China, Russia, UK, USA, India, EU, Japan, the Korea's, Israel, Iran, Brazil, the Gulf-Arab States, etc.  The world, behind closed doors, is jockeying for position and surely our own shadowy, three-letter-agency powers have a pulse on the whole drama as it is unfolding.   What an intense and complex time to be alive.  Never before have we eclipsed such a moment in our abilities that we, mankind, can destroy ourselves in such a myriad of ways: horrifying weapons of mass destruction, the terrifying possibilities of what we might create as we toy around with the building blocks of life, A.I. in-general, the science experiments with our physical reality like what they are doing at CERN with their large-hadron collider and more, experimental vaccines all but forced on a population, etc.  Any one of these science experiments goes wrong and they might just accidentally wipe out 20-99% of the entire world’s population!?  And so... the world goes to war.   The disagreements are just too far apart, the differences are widening and the little bit of love that was in the world has seemed to vanish, practically overnight.  So how to bring the world back from the brink?  Will Russia suddenly realize their ambitions throughout Eastern Europe were misguided, apologize and give back whatever they have taken?  Are we Americans so naïve to think that China will chose to be content, subservient still to the west for decades to come?  Or tomorrow Iran will see the err of their ways, stop chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” and turn over a new leaf ?  It seems these are the conflicts that have all been a long time coming.  Russians at large have held to the grudge of losing the cold war to the west, Iranians have been carefully building armies throughout the middle east for decades now, China has been strategically infiltrating many of the power centers throughout the west and especially in our own United States thru their thousand talents program , China has no desire to continue to play second or third fiddle to the west any longer and India just became the largest population in the world - and India has never got along with China and Pakistan, both nations at their borders.  North Korea and South Korea seem ready to war again, Japan is building their largest army since WW2 as I write to you now and every day that goes by another regional conflict erupts throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, etc.   In a way it’s amazing we have lasted as long as we have.  Considering how many times we, as a people, have approached the abyss, stood even at its shores but somehow miraculously walked back from it to live another generation - it makes me wonder when our luck will finally run out?    And the people look to another political leader for salvation?  We are all so desperate but where to find hope when the world is about to burst at its seams?  I wish I didn’t know so much.  I wish I wasn’t so darn curious and could enjoy my days, letting the world pass me by without a care or concern.  Who taught me to ask so many dang questions anyway!?  Hahaha.  If only I could take that (Matrix) pill and forget what I have seen and discovered all of these years.   Maybe it’s good that I can speak to the people with a certain conviction?  A conviction that can only come from experience, miles on the road (or in the air), gains and losses, triumphs and failures - marriage and raising children in this mess perhaps has purchased for me a kind of a right to speak and be heard?  But who will listen?  The old men are too far down their road of life to admit any fault and change, the young men haven’t failed enough yet to realize what they are doing simply won’t work.  And then there’s us, the regular people, the largest portion of the population who only want peace, to raise our families, to serve our God, to grow old and watch our generations flourish.  Who is to blame?  Everyone is at fault but then again, we are all but powerless to stop it.   I wish I could reason with these powerful men.  I wish I could get their attention somehow and convince them to be good.  Love our enemies.  Pray for those who spitefully use us.  Turn the other cheek.  And before all of that, Tell the Truth !  But they have all been playing this game for so long, it’s too late for the majority of them to turn back now.  They have been lying to themselves for a lifetime and a man who lives deceiving himself, how will he ever find the truth for his nation or people!?  We need a different kind of a man leading, we need lovers, we need men of great heart and compassion, we need martyrs.  One of my favorite lines I have ever heard sung in a Christian song goes, “In the absence of Martyrs there’s a presence of thieves who only want to rob you blind.”   And that young girl wrote something so much more profound than she could possibly have understood in her late teenage years.  Because we, as a people, have in fact traded away so much of the beauty, hope, justice, truth and love... and for what? the comforts of life, keeping up with the Jones’ and a larger 401K retirement account.  Billy Joel sang, “We didn’t start the fire… no we didn’t light it but we’re trying to fight it.”  Maybe we are…   A few things are for certain:  1. We won’t stop the end of this world, it will eventually end;  2. We have an incredible amount of power but it’s all hidden in our God and there will be few who will find it;  3. Every man and woman will be held to account for their actions, the books will be opened and everyone’s life will be measured in the balance.  And finally, 4. God loves us.  But there will be few who will receive of His love.   Since the beginning mankind has bought into a sort of a propaganda, it’s the great deception and generation after generation follows after it.  This propaganda is fully present in our childhood, in our schools, in our universities, in our businesses, throughout our government and even within our churches and religious establishments.  This propaganda has almost completely taken over the world.  It begins with this lie: What you have is not enough .  And it continues with: You should be very afraid .  And it ends with: No one will come to save you .  And this propaganda, this deception is behind nearly everything wrong in the world today.  This Great Deception will bring about the end of this world as we know it.  But this world has to come to an end.   And our life is our offering before heaven’s everlasting throne.  But scripture records, “Many of the least among us, will actually be the greatest in eternity”.  So at a minimum, we should present God with a clear conscience, a pure heart and a truthful-childlike soul – for such are the things He desires.  It’s hard to save another soul.  Very hard.  It takes much care, and time, and devotion.  But it’s absolutely impossible to save any soul while ours is drowning in the deluge.  Like every good lifeguard learns on his first day of training, your head must stay above water if you are going to save someone else going down .    So with all diligence, keep watch over your own soul in these times of trial and temptation.  Guard your heart , the scripture tells us, for from it proceed all the things pertaining to life .  God has an escape for us.  He has declared it in scripture when He told of this often prophesied time.  Now, this is the season of patience and longsuffering.  It’s the final hour.  Soon everything will be revealed.  We must endure, children of God, we must set as it if were a watch over our own souls – keeping in mind the quickly approaching day that we will stand before Him, face to face.    Do not grow weary in well-doing , scripture admonishes us, for in due season we will not fail to reap the fullest reward !    Our God knows how long the road is at times.  Talk to Him.  Listen.  Follow His leading.  He is kind, full of tender mercies and suffers long.  He does not give up on us, ever.  He does not put on us the burdens that we put on ourselves.  Sometimes we simply need a rest.  Read Hebrews 3 and 4.  There is a rest for the people of God.  Enter into His rest .   I hope this encourages you... At least, I feel encouraged (Haha)   We will make it to the finish line, friends The Best is Still yet to Come, In His Love, Robert

By "The Doctor" J J Bucci March 12th 2024 I have for many years attended Business mixers and networking events. I go to build relationships with other business professionals; and am always intrigued to find out exactly what people do. I love listening to attendees tell their stories, describing their job and sometimes giving a short version of their business sales pitch. For those who are engaged deeply in their work, it is always a joy listening to people express a sense of satisfaction over things that they have accomplished. According to one source, in a survey by the employee engagement company WorkProud, 43% of US full-time employees responded that they had the highest level of pride in their work (Segal, 2021).   Our work is often about doing, because that is why we are paid. Our pay is not a reward for our doing, like a dog who is rewarded for doing his business outside. Our pay is remuneration for the labor effort that we exert to accomplish different tasks. The greater the task and responsibility, the greater the pay. That’s the way pay systems work. We are not paid for being, and this becomes very evident when a person loses their job. Suddenly, they stop doing things for pay. Because people are so accustomed to doing, and all their talk of their jobs is about what they do, it becomes more difficult to adjust to not doing any longer. But our lives are not about what we do, but about who we are inside.   The Christian faith reminds me that my self-worth is not in what I do, but in who I am; and more importantly, in Whose I am. According to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “You are not your own, for you were brought with a price (ESV).” I am a child of the Father, who bought me with a ransom paid by His Son Jesus (1 John 3:1-2). My only role, as the Apostle Paul writes, is to “walk as children of light… and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8, 10).     This has helped me a little bit as I have grown older to see my job as more than just an accumulation of the tasks that I do. My job is not who I am. I enjoy my job tremendously. I love the interaction with colleagues and students. But my life is more than my job. This thought was recently echoed in an editorial in the February/March edition of Fortune magazine (Shontell, 2024). Discussing the blight of tech layoffs and the massive failure of once darling unicorn start-ups now failed, editor Alyson Shontell wrote, “You are not your job. And you owe it to yourself to maintain your mental and physical wellness” (Shontell, 2024).  Editor Shontell also quoted from Andy Dunn, CEO of Bonobos, who said the following: “As entrepreneurs, we struggle to separate our egos from the prospects of our startups. We conflate the fate of the enterprise with our value as human beings” (Shontell quoting Dunn, 2024). In other words, for the entrepreneur, we become our jobs. Dunn suggests that it is easy in our perception to convince ourselves that we carry the weight and fate of our employees and this company’s success on our shoulders. But this is fundamentally not true. Whether you are the founding member of a complex start-up effort, or simply the average employee: you are not what you do. You are not your job. This knowledge is all the more significant during difficult times of job loss and dissatisfaction.   Over the past two years it has become a trendy thing among tech companies large and small to promote layoffs, with tech CEOs suggesting that the purpose is, “to better align with our business priorities” (Gold and Trueman, 2024). Whatever the current accepted corporate lingo is, people are out of work, prices are out of control, and people are scared. The pandemic caused tech companies to bulk up with staff to manage remote work and solidify e-commerce (Gold and Trueman, 2024). But revenues are down; and the quickest way to boost revenues is to trim staffing, since staffing is the largest cost of any business. It doesn’t help that Wall Street loves these moves, since they often lead to short-term profitability gains and even the payout of stock dividends (Reeves, 2024).   But we return to the same situation. While finding a job seems to resolve my need to be “doing” once again, there are still deeper questions we must ask ourselves about our work and our lives. We are not what we do; and we never will be. The old saying is true, that someone on their death bed never hoped for “more time in the office” (Covey and Merrill, 1994). In fact the opposite is true, according to author Bronnie Ware. In Ware’s classic book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying , people wished that they had been more true to themselves, and not lived the life others expected of them (Ware, 2012). They also wished that they had let themselves be happier; and that they demonstrated the courage to express their feeling… and get this one: they wished that they hadn’t worked so hard (Ware, 2012). Perhaps one reason for this was another of the five wishes: they wished that they would have stayed in closer touch with their friends (Ware, 2012).   Friend, you and I are created in the image of a Heavenly Father (Genesis 1:26-27) who loves us, and who through Jesus Christ gave us salvation and freedom from guilt and condemnation (Romans 8:1-2). If we are not what we do, then who are we when we are not working? Work is a socialization experience. Our work socializes us into interactions which complement our personalities and give expression to our giftedness. When we are not working, the greatest loss is not simply the loss of a paycheck. We lose out on those Thursday lunches with our friends, when we talk about upcoming weekend projects or sporting events. We lose out on ordering coffee at the drive-through window, and that smile from the clerk who knows us and asks, “You want that coffee light and sweet, right?” because they have seen us dozens of times before.   These touchpoints are experiences for which we can make adjustments – and we need to do this. For if we pursue these interactions outside of our “doing” hours, then these experiences will bring our fragile efforts at living by “doing” into clearer focus for what it really is: my effort at finding value in what I accomplish. And that is a race you will never win. Or as comedian Lily Tomlin famously said, “The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat” (BrainyQuote).   All of this revolves around this issue of self-worth. Beloved, you have so much more worth than you can gain by all of your “doings.” Jesus told His disciples that God knows the concerns that we have; and God knows the details in our lives, even down to the very number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30). God knows the joys we share and the pains we hide, and not even a sparrow might fall to the ground that is unknown to Him… but according to Jesus, we are worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:31).   If God knows the number of hairs on our head, and if He knows when the sparrows fall; and if to Him we are worth more than many sparrows, then how should we respond to layoffs and failed ventures? We can walk with confidence, knowing that God is with us, and He will make a way where there seems to be no way. This may not put money in your pocket, but there are things that are greater than money: like the love of a child, or the time spent with family and loved ones; or time spent exploring this world, and its great works of art and music and literature. Remember back to the greatest regrets of the dying (Ware, 2012)?   This is not the time for self-pity or wallowing. This is the time for redoing resumes, boosting skills, and investing in oneself to better oneself. And the best way to invest in yourself is to reflect on this truth: that there is a God who has given His all to give value to your life by redeeming His son’s life for yours (Mark 10:45). And I hope when we meet at the next Business mixer I hear you tell me that while you are proud of what you do, you are not your job. You are a child of the King!   Joseph J. Bucci has served as a Pastor, Author, HR Director, Director of Training, Professor and Consultant. His latest book, Redemption Inc. was published in 2022. Contact Dr. Bucci at joe@josephjbucci.   References: BrainyQuote: Lily Tomlin. Retrieved from https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lily_tomlin_100013 .   Covey, S.R.; & Merrill, A.R. (1994). First Things First. New York: Simon and Schuster.   Gold, J.; & Trueman, C. (2024, February 23). Tech layoffs: A timeline. Computerworld: Technology Industry [Web Blog]. Retrieved from https://www.computerworld.com/article/3685936/tech-layoffs-in-2023-a-timeline.html .   Reeves, J. (2024, February 7). 2024 layoffs: How they affect stock prices. US News: Money / Investing [Web Blog]. Retrieved from https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/2024-layoffs-how-they-affect-stock-prices .   Shontell, A. (2024, February/March). You are not your job. Fortune, 189(1), pg 4.   Segal, E. (2021, September 14). What works—and what doesn’t—for building pride in the workplace. Forbes: Leadership Strategy [Web Blog]. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/edwardsegal/2021/09/14/what-works-and-what-doesnt---in-building-pride-in-the-workplace/ .   Ware, B (2012). The top five regrets of the dying: A life transformed by the dearly departing. Carlsbad, CA.: Hay House.

By Robert Anthony March 26th 2024  It seems clear enough throughout scripture that God chose Israel, He chose Israel to be His out from all the nations.  But what is less clear is why He chose them and for what purpose?  Not that it is easy for man to understand the ways of God or even our right to know why God does what He does, but certainly God has a purpose in the things He does and the way He does them…?   Looking throughout the history of God’s chosen people, especially throughout the early centuries, we see a warring and controversial people.  From their very inception, adversary nations and men have been trying to subjugate them and even wipe them out entirely.  The moment they started becoming a nation, Egypt realized that they would soon become stronger than they and moved to crush them into submission.  For some 400-years God’s people remained slaves to Egypt!  Until the time came for God to deliver them.   Understanding God’s plan has always been something of a mystery, something the must be revealed, as if to say that God Himself must chose to bring us in on His (secret) plans.  At what point did God reveal to Israel the “why” in His choosing of them?  For this great reveal we turn of course to scripture and to the history of the Hebrews, who became Israelites and Jews.   First, look at what God said to Abraham, “The nations will be blessed by you” (Genesis 18:18, 22:18, 26:4, etc.) – “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”  Well, How?  How will God’s chosen bless the nations of the earth?  And has God performed this yet?   The years immediately following the covenant God made with Abraham, God was already fulfilling this word, “blessing the nations”, How?  Abraham went to war!    To understand why this was a blessing to the earth in its entirety it would help for my reader to read everything I have written about Transhumanism in the Bible, even through the time of Abraham.  In short, Abraham battled the giants, those mutated men of broken and defiled genetic structure, always at war with God and man.  Abraham battled against false god worship, idolatry, the iniquity of the nations (around him) and even Nimrod!  (Click here to read my three part series about “The Giants”, Transhumanism in the Bible and the beginning of our history.) Therefore, immediately following God’s covenant-promise that Abraham and his seed would bless the nations, Abraham was already blessing the nations, even before his seed was born!  It’s actually quite the story, behind the story.   And Israel went on to battle in this same manner after their forefather Abraham.  The iniquity and wickedness of the ancient world cannot be overstated!  Although we do not have a perfect understanding of these things we can see much of the picture throughout scripture.  We know all throughout the lands of Canaan there were giants , men of broken and defiled genetic structure  who always hated God !  We know all throughout the ancient world they worshipped false-gods who exacted a terrible price upon their followers, even asking for their children in ritual sacrifice!  The horrors of the false religion throughout the ancient world was an abomination to God but also to man – there was never going to come any blessing to the world through the adherence of this madness!  (I encourage my reader to study the cruelty and insanity that was the purveying, pagan, idolatrous religion throughout the ancient world and continues to lurk throughout our modern society even today.)  It is clear, for one, that Abraham and his generations were chosen to bring a true worship of God to the earth!  It is clear that immediately upon choosing them, God was working thru them the abolition of false religion and replacing it with His righteousness upon the earth!   Remember, God promised Abraham a nation also.  Abraham was promised not only a people but also a land!  With the covenant promise from God came also the promise of their own nation and land!   Many times throughout scripture it is prophesied that righteousness would go forth from Israel and Jerusalem!  That God would create a sort of center in Israel, a hub for His righteousness to extend out to the nations!  There is much alluding to this throughout the law and the prophets.  Even Solomon’s dedication of the temple included this, “Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house; then hear thou from the heavens, even  from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth  thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.” (2 Chron. 6:32,33)     Throughout the whole of the history of Israel it has been known that they would be a blessing to all the nations!   But Israel had a hard time upholding their end of the bargain.  A countless, many times throughout their history the scripture records them, “Going whoring after other gods” and leaving the God of their father, the only Living God, to worship these same pagan, false-gods. At times Israel even would sacrifice their children to them, they did so even during the time of Solomon, just after he built and dedicated that temple to the Lord!?  God had chosen them to bring righteousness and truth and to bless the nations but Israel would hardly remain with Him throughout their history.  And it was all recorded throughout scripture.   So how would God’s plan be fulfilled now, with this people, who hardly ever obey Him?   But this is a judgmental and condemning way to look at Israel.  Even the question I pose is filled with judgment and condemning, with little mercy or understanding do I almost rebuke God’s people without telling the whole of the story.  Because being chosen by the hand of God is not a thing to be taken lightly or without consequence, as if it were a small or insignificant act when God selected this people out from among the rest.  I will explain.   In a way, being chosen by God, a person or people is also being chosen to suffer and at times suffer much worse than any other people on earth!  On the one hand, we want to rebuke and chastise Israel, criticizing them for their inability to remain loyal and faithful to their God, who chose them.  But let’s look at the entirety of the story before we do jump to harsh judgment or criticism.  The children of Abraham and the people of Israel suffered greatly being chosen by God, it’s as if this Word, once it shows up in our lives, puts us into a crucible and into the fire, to be burned up and refined by the hand of God and the power of His love.    For the whole of the history of Israel and later the Jews, there is great suffering, tragedy, loss and refinement.  But truly with anyone who signs up for the things of God, to walk with Him, to become a part of His kingdom and story of salvation… Everyone who comes to walk with God is choosing a life filled with pressure, loss and suffering.   The nations did not receive the word of God and His law, but Moses gave it to God’s Chosen people.  The nations did not receive the ordinances for the tabernacle and the atonement with the ark of His Covenant.  The nations were not invited into this way and truth, to walk in holiness, set apart with their God, at least not at first.  God Chose Israel.   But what was He working thru His holy people?  How many nations were they in fact “blessing” or saving throughout antiquity?  These are complex thoughts that are not easily answered.  But we have to keep in mind two things to judge the matter more accurately: One, God gives all men (and nations) the freedom to choose for themselves (truth or destruction); Two, The Holy Spirit was not yet given to men and so iniquity was prevalent throughout the whole of the ancient world.    What God was doing through Israel and His Covenant with them would not be fully revealed until the prophets.  David in many ways began something in Israel and many others followed after him.  While David was fully king of Israel, he was also known to prophesy!  And the Lord God gave David much insight into the gift that God would bring forth (for all the nations) thru His Israel!  God showed King David much of a coming King/Messiah, even who would come out of His own seed (2 Samuel 7)!  And following after David: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc. all received glimpses of the promise who would come out of Israel, The Messiah, the One from God who would come to save, not only Israel, but the world!    Of everything God chose Israel for, the greatest blessing to the nations would come from God’s own Son being born of a virgin (Isaiah 7) of the children of Israel, sent to man to redeem the earth!  Some 300-400+ prophesies of Messiah’s coming were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth’s life, ministry, death and resurrection!   God fulfilled His word to Abraham and Israel, “Out of their seed” truly all the nations have been blessed!  But is the covenant over and done with Israel?  God forbid.   Salvation came thru Israel.  That is the first fulfillment of Israel and the Jews blessing all the nations of the earth! Messiah came, born of the generations of Abraham, Isaac, Israel and David!  God fulfilled His Word to Israel and to the world!  God’s gift of salvation has come.  But is it now over for the Jews?Has God fulfilled His purpose and is now thru with them?Have the followers of Messiah, Jesus, become the new Keepers of the Covenant, replacing Israel and the Jews? Continue to Part Two...   There is much more in this mystery that is unfolding…

by Robert Anthony March 26th 2024   Books have been written about Israel’s blessing to the nations.  Have you ever considered how everywhere the Israeli/Jewish people went, that nation/people flourished!  For the WHOLE OF HISTORY!  It’s a wild wild story – but God has upheld His end of the bargain, to the fullest extent!   Egypt, Canaan/Israel, Nineveh/Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, the European kingdoms, the New World! The America’s, the United States!  Everywhere the Jews have gone, those kingdoms and empires flourished.  I am not a studied about the Jews arrival to Asia, but certainly the same theme would certainly remain.Egypt was not an Empire ruling the world until the Israelites showed up.  We can discuss the fullness of the miracle God did thru Joseph to make Egypt to rule the world for a time.  Then Israel ruled for a short time.  Especially under David and Solomon!  The Assyrian Empire rule was short lived, but they were not a world power until after they destroyed (the ten tribes of) Israel to the north and brought back the captives.  Babylon ruled the whole world, but not until they destroyed Jerusalem and brought back the Jewish captives.  The story continues similarly throughout the Greco-Roman world reign, and then throughout the history of European world rule.  It is well known now that Christopher Columbus had Jewish blood, if not was a practicing Jew in secret!  His voyages were funded by a Jewish banker!  And a countless many Jews got on boats and fled from Europe to the New World, escaping the Spanish Inquisition!  Not long after the Jews fled Europe, the power of the world shifted to the Americas!  It’s quite the story!   But let’s focus more specifically on Revival and its relationship with the land of Israel itself:   I would like to insist that whenever the Jews are home, whenever Israel returns to their land and occupies, THE WHOLE WORLD IS BLESSED!  Let’s investigate.   A long and wonderful study is to read all throughout the scripture about how Israel was warned what would happen Should They Do Evil in their Land  and How God Would Scatter Them to The Nations !  But then, if they would repent and return to follow the Lord their God and His Command, God would restore them… TO THEIR LAND!  Very Very important to understand this theme throughout the whole of scripture!  Moses in the Torah was very clear about this, so was David, Solomon prayed this way as he dedicated the temple, all the prophets prophesied this way!  It is constant throughout the whole of Scripture:The world will be blessed by Israel – but especially WHEN THEY INHABIT THEIR LAND!  I would insist, throughout world history, every time God scattered Israel to the nations and they were removed from their land a darkness fell upon the earth!  For instance, The Dark Ages, the period of time wherein a great evil and darkness permeated the whole of Europe and what we know of world history, happened during a time when practically NO ISRAELITES or JEWS Lived in Israel whatsoever.  Volumes of books could be written on this subject.   There is a very very amazing story of how God’s Revivals broke out in Europe and the America’s and the whole world paralleled together with the Jews returning to Israel!   The earliest conversations among the Jews of returning to Israel to reclaim their nation began around the 1600’s.  The centuries of Christian revivals started (again) about the 1600’s!   Christianity had been almost completely taken over by the Roman Catholic Church.  Most any other group holding to the things of God and His Christ, outside of the Catholic Church were warred against, dismantled and even destroyed throughout nearly a thousand years of European history!  The Inquisition was probably the most dramatic example of this…   But something started to happen around the 1600’s!  A revival started, back to the things of God that would continue until today!  I want to insist that the Jews returning to their homeland is the event that sparked God’s Spirit to pour out upon Christianity in such a way!  God promised to bless the whole world thru the Jews, but more specifically thru the Jews while IN THEIR LAND and Worshipping their God!   The 1600’s began many academics and thought-leaders throughout Jewry to promote a return to the land of their fathers, the Land Promised to them by God.   By the 1700’s these thoughts started to prevail throughout the whole of Europe even as more prominent Jews started to promote the return!   But in the 1800’s the Jews started to come together to actually begin the process of reclaiming their land!  The actual numbers vary about how many Jews actually returned to the Promised Lands of God those years but even conservative estimates put that number well above 50,000!  And look what happened as 50,000+ Jews returned to their land after being gone for more than a thousand years!  Revival broke out all throughout Europe, England and the Americas!!!  This is such an amazing story!!   The Revivals back to the simplicity of the gospel (and away from the Catholic Church) began in the late 1500’s and early 1600’s but so much moreso throughout the 1700’s and 1800’s!  The dates are very revealing!  Within less than a decade of the First Zionist Congress, arguably the first act of re-establishing a government for Israel, some of the greatest Christian revivals in the history of the world started in Wales, in California, in Hungary, in Australia, all throughout Europe! Millions converted to Christianity the immediate years following the first Jews returning to their land! The first Aliyah, as it is commonly referred to, was between the years 1881 and 1903.  There were nearly no Jews living in Israel when these first pioneers returned to their land, mostly from Eastern Europe and Yemen.  Immediately thereafter, what was God’s response?  To reign down His Spirit all throughout the world!  But even moreso!  Follow this theme into the 1900’s…The Jews continue returning to their land and gospel of their Messiah spreads the globe!  Missionaries cover the nations!  And Christianity spreads the globe!  But then look what happens following WW2.  Even more revealing: Israel becomes a nation!  And the biggest Christian revivals in American history begin!  The 40’s, 50’s and 60’s were full of tent revivals, crusades, and the whole of America becoming Christian!  As much as America had settlers come from Europe, puritans and pilgrims seeking the freedom to worship their God apart from the dominance of the Catholic Church, that was still the minority coming to America.  I would present to you all that America was truly brought to Christianity the years following WW2, that is to say, the years following the re-creation of the Nation of Israel!   But it doesn’t end there!  Many historians would argue the greatest revival in American history actually started with the hippies in California!  The late 60’s God starts to pour out His Spirit on the hippies outside of San Francisco, California and this great outpouring of the Spirit of God spreads the nation and then the whole world!  And what Major event happened in Israel just before this revival?  1967.  Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel for about 3,000 years was restored to the people of God!    Every single time the Jews take back their land, every single time they inhabit what was given to them by God, the Spirit of God is poured out upon the earth!    Israel is fighting for its God-given land right now.  If they take it back, Revival will spread the nations!  If they regain control of Gaza and the West Bank, the Spirit of God will pour out all throughout the nations of the earth!   But the warning I would give Israel.  The warning to us all, should Israel remain with their God, they will remain in the land.  If Israel departs again from their God… should Israel reject the things of God for: wealth, politics, what is convenient, etc. God will again remove them from the land He gave to them, and God will pull back His Spirit and a great darkness will return to the earth.  As dark and difficult as it is in our nation.  As difficult as it is throughout the western nations as our nations continue to reject their God it can get much worse.  But it seems to me that God is preparing something great for us, for those who love Him. It seems to me a Great Revival is coming to the world!  Not merely to the west, but to the nations of the earth who would receive their God, His Son and Holy Spirit!  Israel, take what is yours, do not be afraid or dismayed.  Your God is with you!  Take what He has given you and run to your Father and God, He will uphold you, He will defend you but even moreso, He will reveal Himself to you ANEW!  He lives!  Your God lives!  The same God who et Moses atop the mountain, the same God who has revealed Himself to so many of your fathers and kings and prophets, He Lives!  Return to Him in prayer, fasting and supplication.  He will open your eyes and your will see Him, like you’ve never seen Him before!Be confident.  Be assured.  Your God fights for you.   He has a miraculous and blessed ending in store for you!   Turn off your ears to hearing all the bad news and lies published all around youEven by the church and other Jews and Israelites in your midst.YOUR GOD REIGNS!  He loves His people.And He is returning for you!!   The most glorious ending imaginable is in store for those who are His! “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish from the way… from the LAND!” Psalm 2:12   God has your best interests in heart. He wants to bless you.  Trust Him. And Obey.  Run to your God and Father And find your comfort and peace in His Presence. The best is yet to come, Israel The best if yet to come for you and all the nations of the world!   In His Messiah I do write unto you and to whoever has an ear to hear… His reward is with Him and His work is before Him… The King is coming… Amen.

The Fundamentals of Revival Series Part One: "If Only We Would Do It Like Jesus..." by Robert Anthony April 17th 2024 I’ve really been into this “personal revival” message lately.  Before trying to change world, maybe I should change myself some, invite the Lord in, even to His fullness.  It’s been a long journey to say the least.  Trying to forget some of the failures and even the victories of the past and press into what the Lord has for us now!  But it’s hard to do.  Very easy to drag the past around with me. Unfortunately.   Jesus really didn’t do much the way we do it.  He was so perfect.  Flawless.  In every way.  I get so grumpy, I lose heart too easily, I get distracted with issues of the heart: remembering some past hurt, bitterness, despair.  “But for the Joy set before Him”, Jesus endured the cross!  He never lost heart, even in His moments of trial He would turn to His Father and be strengthened. He is truly our champion!   I don’t want to be overly critical of our religion because I found the Lord within the walls of the established church.  I don’t want to be overly critical of what men have built because some of it was laid upon the foundation of the kingdom of God.  But there are times to call what is black, darkness and what is not working, broken.  Simply put, there will be no religion in heaven.  In eternity, we will all be one big and loving family and nothing will divide us.   So much of what we have built over the past centuries has little to nothing to do with the word of God.  Even still, many other things we build are actually working in opposition to His word!  “But if it keeps the pews full” we might say to ourselves, in compromise.  Jesus was and is the fulfillment of the word of God.  Every single thing He did and said was perfect, He was perfectly equipped to minister to us.  We should reread His story and teachings with these things in mind.   Jesus lived among the people.  I never hid Himself away in buildings, secret places or lofty positions wherein only a select few could venture.  He did not hide behind titles, pulpits, formality or decorum.  He was 100% invested, His love on display, vulnerable among the people, ready and willing to serve and show the world God's commitment and unending devotion to us!  He was beautiful.  A shining, radiant beacon of God’s glory!  I think our own brokenness is like a veil, obscuring Him from us – making it difficult to truly see the Son of God.   He was and is so wonderful.  When He would do a miracle or a wonder of God, usually He would tell the people to be quiet about it.  Matthew 8, “And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Here Jesus is again with His disciples, Matthew 16, “Then He commanded [them] that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ [Messiah].” After they saw Him upon the mountain, Mark 9, ”He commanded [His Disciples] that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.” Luke 8, after He healed the little girl, “And her parents were astonished, but [Jesus commanded] them to tell no one what had happened.”   If we performed such wonders of God, I'm sure most of us would run out and get film crews, documentary producers, YouTube channels, radio shows and websites to show the world what power we have and just how remarkable we are!  But Jesus didn’t do it they way we do.  He was intimate, modest, understated, meek... If only we could be people like Jesus!  Try and imagine a world like that - it would be heaven on earth!   So, I am rather focused on a personal revival at the moment.  Jesus began His entire ministry after a time of prayer, fasting and one might say personal revival ... alone in the desert, battling the devil.  He would not try and minister without the power of His Father: the One we call, Holy Spirit.  And after His time of trial and testing, Jesus came out of the wilderness, was baptized, received the Holy Spirit (John saw Him descending like a dove upon the Lord) and His miraculous, ministry began!  The power of God was on display – but also the majesty and beauty of His love, grace and perfection!   If only we could do it like Jesus.  Well, technically we can.  If only we would  do it like Jesus, I should say.  How dramatically our Christianity would change!?  How much salvation would come to our city, nation and people!?  We would come to walk with our God, hand in hand, never turning, never retreating, always hidden in His presence and full of His Spirit!  It’s the same thing God did with all of His disciples. He taught them to live with Him, never departing, never leaving His presence.   Reread the book of Acts.  Peter, James, John, etc. they had almost no power until Pentecost came.  Then they received the power from on high!  They received the spirit and grace and anointing to bring God’s kingdom to the earth!  They followed in lock-step with what their Lord and Teacher had shown over the three or so years when they lived with Him.  And then those twelve men turned the whole world upside down for God!  If only we (Christians) would live as our Messiah, Jesus lived.  We just might just be amazed at what God does thru us!   “But as the blind leads the blind eventually everyone falls into a ditch,” (Matthew 15) My personal revival is beginning with my return to the True Shepherd and King of my Faith .  I fear that I might have accidentally started to look to men, hoping for some salvation to come out of them...  I might have been confused and taken my eyes off of the Lord?  I fear I have been deceived and started to look at the wind and the waves, letting the loud noises of the storm overcome me and perhaps I have been sinking ..? But we have all like sheep gone astray.   “Revive me, Lord.  Take away all these distractions, all these things that war against my spirit and quench Your Holy Spirit remove them from my life.  Baptize me again in Your Power, in Your Hope, in Your Love, in the Strength of Your Spirit, Baptize me anew.  I have been weary for a long season now.  I need your anointing to flood over me again.  I need Your Spirit to wash me and to fill my cup.  I cannot do this without You.  Fill me up, Adonai, help me, my Savior!  Fill me to overflowing.”   Brothers and sister, Some of us need to repent and cease from our sins.  Some of us need to seek Him out and come to know Him as if for the first time.  Some of us will need some time away, in the wilderness, alone with our God.  Some of us need to cast our cares upon the Lord and trust Him with the things going on around us.  Some of us need to be discipled and taught in the ways of the kingdom of God.  Some of us need to lose our religion and start anew with Jesus, who is the True Shepherd of our Faith!  So, by faith, let us live a new life today with our God and Father for “Today is the day of [our] salvation!”   Eternity lies before us.  And “His reward is with Him…”  There has never been a better time to surrender to the goodness of our God   I hope and pray this encourages you saints.   It encouraged me   Greatest love and affection to those who are called by His name. (This is a wonderful worship song)

by Robert Anthony April 26th 2024 The Fundamentals for Revival Series  Part Two: The Return of the Brotherhood I     I grew up in Church.  I have heard hundreds if not thousands of sermons.  I think something happened to us, as Christians.  I think Christianity was hijacked a long long time ago.  If we, as Christians, were to forget everything we have been taught (and mostly we have been taught thru religion), reread the New Testament and then obey it – our Christianity would look unbelievable different!    I realize I sound so radical writing these things.  I don’t mean to be so radical but if the Christianity around us is content to worship God however they see fit but without concern for how God actually wants to be worshiped; and if I am one of the few who are actually interested in what God says, wanting to adhere to His Word – then yes, I would seem quite radical to many.    I might write about it later?  I don’t know if it will help us to try and figure this out but somewhere along the way, we got off track and built this religion.  I would have to define religion as “Man’s way of approaching God, as opposed to how we actually enter into relationship with Him.”  Simply put, religion is man-made .  I have so much to say on the subject actually and maybe I will in the next articles...  This could easily be a book I write.   So, forgetting for a moment all the religious tradition and dogma that permeates our understanding of the things of God – let’s return to the Bible, anew.    Losing our  religion, and returning to the story of God, who sent His Son to us, Jesus Christ, our Messiah, what do we actually see?  Jesus came to us humbly, without pomp and circumstance, without the nations bowing down before Him, without armies surrounding and protecting the coming of the Son of God… Jesus came, born in what we would call a barn .   The Son of God remained rather modest and discreet among us.  Even though He would perform miracles, miracles that have never been recorded in the whole of human history, the Son of God remained rather contrite and understated.  He was entirely meek all throughout His ministry and life, having absolute power from God and yet choosing to remain somewhat obscure, withdrawn and one might even say, in hiding…   Look at what His brothers and sisters said to Him on occasion, “Depart [from here], and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is  no man that  doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If [you can] do these things, shew thyself to the world.” (John 7:3-5) And then the scripture records, “For neither did his [family] believe in him.” The Son of God chose all throughout His life and ministry to remain as if hidden, withholding of Himself but revealing Himself to whomever He chose.   This is a very important point to consider: God’s own Son was extremely purposeful, choosing who to hide Himself from and who to reveal Himself to.  Here is another story I enjoy: Jesus had just finished rebuking the religious leaders and they were so angry with Him, as they often would be, they “rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.” (Luke 4:29) The religious leaders and religious zealots were out of their minds angry, ready to throw the Son of God off a cliff and murder Him!  But Jesus, “passing through the midst of them went his way…” What did He do?  Or how?  How did He do that!?  How do you simply “pass throughout” “the midst” of an angry crowd ready to murder you and leave!?  Did He make Himself disappear?  What on earth did He do to peacefully leave them!!?  It’s a truly remarkable story. But even moreso remarkable, to me, is the way Jesus chose to deal with that crowd.  If I was God’s Own Son, imputed with the powers of creation, having absolute authority over it, even able to bend and break it’s natural laws, like walking on water or calming a storm with my words, I might choose another way of dealing with evil and wicked, religious zealots.  In another story, another one of my favorites, John 18, Jesus sends the band of soldiers coming to arrest Him, probably around 600 strong, tall men, to the ground! At His word!  They asked, “Where is Jesus of Nazareth” and Jesus responded, “I am He”.  And “as soon then as He had said unto them, I am He , they went backward, and fell to the ground.”   So in one occasion Jesus shows us He is more than able to destroy, even at merely His word but in another occasion we see Him being ever so merciful and patient with the people, instead of destroying them, simply “passing thru the midst”.  The Son of God had all power and authority throughout His days on the earth and yet He chose over and again to love us, to extend mercy and compassion, even towards His enemies!     So what was the Son of God’s purpose on the earth?  He clearly wasn’t showing off.  He was very purposeful in everything He did.  I think this is one of the keys to unlock the whole story and not just Jesus’ story but to unlock the whole story of God!  The Son of God came to save us, without a doubt and He chose to do so by pouring Himself into twelve men, twelve men who became His best friends .   I think we miss this because of our form of religion.  I think our religion obfuscates and veils actually who God is.  I think looking thru the lens of religion we see a very different version of Jesus and His kingdom.  I believe once we remove these dirty and curved glasses, we will be able to see Him as He truly as, even as if for the first time ever!   Jesus ministered to the masses but only at times .  The way I see the story, and I think this is Biblical, the Son of God chose for Himself twelve friends, twelve friends who also chose to befriend the Son of God, leaving all that they knew for Him, and they, together, grew in closeness, intimacy and friendship.  In the same way we will share everything with our best friends, Jesus withheld nothing from those twelve friends of His.   Reread the New Testament, I believe this is the truth of the story and purpose of God’s Son and His time with us.  He would minister to many people all throughout scripture but then He would always retreat and find time to be alone with His buddies, His bro’s. He had three closest friends out of the group, I love the story wherein He took them atop a mountain and the Bible describes, He transfigured in front of them, shining like the sun and becoming something altogether different than a man.  The Son of God literally revealed everything of Himself to His best friends.   He wasn’t interested in fame, actually.  He wasn’t interested in being known .  He was actually entirely content to hide Himself and often.  This is a truth all throughout scripture.  How many times did He heal someone and say, “Tell no one.”  His mother wanted Him to help out at the wedding (when they ran out of wine) and He rebuked her, telling her, “Woman, my time has not yet come.”  (But Mary assured the attendants at the wedding that Jesus would listen to his Mom and do her this small favor for her friends.)   How much of the power of God in Jesus’ life wasn’t even recorded!?  John ends his gospel in such a way, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”  What we do know, and clearly, is that Jesus had absolute authority over His creation (which He made) and yet constantly withheld of His power, even unto death!  What an amazing and beautiful story is the true story of God!   Then, even at the end, He didn’t even pray for the world, He wasn’t focused or concerned about the masses but He went into the garden and wept, praying for His very best friends. John 17, “I pray for [my best friends]: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are yours.”  Such a wonderful and beautiful and intimate and amazing story of God!  He is so much better than we are, so much more loving and genuine and caring and intimate and perfect – and we are all so messed up.  But it’s Ok.  He knows.   I love the story of God.  I love talking about it, writing about it, singing about it, etc. – I love everything about God and His Son, Jesus.  I hope this has blessed you all...      God chose to treat us like friends, like His own family, like brothers  – and yet we are ruled by men and rule over men? Even in His name…?  Jesus was abundantly clear on this point, “Be Brothers and Friends” – listen to what He commanded them – “But Jesus called them unto him , and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)   I would paraphrase this scripture like so, “The world and the powers of the world function thru dominance and hierarchy but with you, who are my Apostles and Disciples, let it not be so.  If you want to be great in my kingdom, become the true servant of men.  Whosoever would be the greatest among you, would be the best minister, the one to serve them the best!  Even as I came to you humbly, broken, contrite and meek, often withholding myself and my power, so you give your lives for them, even as I have.”  I think that’s a pretty good paraphrase.   We were never supposed to dominate or crush the world into submission, but to love them.  We weren’t supposed to create this religion but to become very close friends, the family of God on the earth .  But somehow, we become this religious version of Christianity.  We should repent, change our ways, learn to be brothers and sisters, and become again the family of God.  I have so much to say on the subject.He sent them out by twos!  Reread the scriptures.  There wasn’t a man ruling them all.  There was something like a body or family of believers.  Throughout the scriptures we are taught that there are all kinds of parts of the body, many different roles and participants and gifts in the family: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers; other gifts like, tongues, miracles, healing, faith, prophecy, governments, etc.  There were bishops, deacons and elders appointed among them.  Christianity, what was given to us originally, is a teamsport .   In many ways we really need to scrap everything we are doing and start all over again, like hitting the reset button on a computer. We need to start a fresh, asking God, “How do we live as your children on the earth?  We really don’t know how to do it…”.   And in doing this, a countless many leaders and elders and rulers and old men and women will oppose us.  Jesus said, “Drink New Wine!”  But answered Him, “The old is better.”   There is something broken about us that doesn’t like to change, we are often rebellious and want to do things our own way.  We like to stick to what we know often because we are afraid, afraid of the unknown.  But this is not what it is to be children of the Living God.  I have so much more to say about this.  I pray that many hear me.  If we return to Him and chose to live out our days walking with Him, loving who He loves, being the family of God…. We will see the victory!  Even with our own eyes!   More to come.       (Great song - on Topic)

by Robert Anthony April 30th 2024 The Fundamentals for Revival Series Part Three “The Return of the Brotherhood II”   I was thinking this morning about all the brothers that have come in and out of my life (and I have had some really awesome brothers!).  Considering I have preached in some 40 US States and 15+ nations, considering how many ministries, nonprofits and churches I have been a part of, the fact that I traveled almost full time for 8+ years… I met a lot of (Christian) brothers.   I want to testify that I have seen the position(s) get in the way over and over - well, money and position, I should say.   We tend to look at the world and blame, everyone.  We blame the politicians, we blame the rich, we blame the atheists, the nonbelievers, the satanists, the pagans, the muslim’s, the jews, etc..  I remember when Obama was President and the body of Christ was so upset!  So many were preaching he would be the antichrist .  But we have the power, brothers.  WE  have the power.   You see, the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us!  I don’t know that that same Spirit lived in Obama.  Judging by his actions, its hard to believe he was being ruled by the Spirit of God while destroying so many of the foundations of God.  But he never had the power.  Never.  But we have the power.   We blame people who are powerless to change anything (for the good)?  What kind of sense does that make.  We look at the most worldly, fleshly and rejected by God and waste our time and energy judging them!?  If the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, then we have the power to make changes – and therefore the fault lies almost squarely on us.  Sorry if that seems harsh, but we  are in fact the Living Breathing, Body of Christ left on the earth. Now, I don’t want any of you to feel judged or condemned.  I’m merely reminding us all, all my brothers, of the actual power we have.  But the devil is a chief strategist.  He really is.  He gets us all fighting among ourselves, competing, envying one another (like Cain envied Abel, until finally he put righteous Abel to death), and worse.  His strategy has been rather simple since the beginning – get the armies of God on the earth in confusion, full of offense, separated one from the another and they will be powerless.  And it has been working.  It has often worked since the very beginning.   The fact is, we never had a chance against him, not without the presence of God ruling in our lives.  We have always needed these fruits of God reigning in us, in our Churches, in our families: love, and joy, and peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control.  But we, like sheep, all go astray.  All of us: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, bishops, elders and deacons… All of us, like sheep, go astray.   How are you, men, going to go to war without a band of brothers?  How are you going to stand against this evil, which has veiled the masses, even large numbers among our fellow saints, which has penetrated nearly every power-center of our world today, and fight alone?   But if we would all go to war?  Everything would change.   Something quite dramatic changes in men when they are at war.  We don’t have time for petty differences, we don’t have time to argue endless debates and waste time in meaningless squabble.  Go To War!  Suddenly when our lives are on the line, we will quickly figure out how to get along, how be brothers.  Ever hear, “There are no atheists in a foxhole”?   It was a surprising bonus, how much easier i found it to remain in the presence of God as a missionary.  I didn't expect this as another reward of serving Him.  Sleeping in the mid-huts in Africa, on endless flights over never-ending oceans filled with turbulence, bad weather and rough landings, stuck on trains with my pregnant wife in the middle of ex-Soviet Russia while she’s having terrible morning sickness, rarely having much more than enough money for the day in my pocket, in the midst of the battle it was much easier to remain in His presence.    But it’s unbelievably hard to do it alone.  When I left the country I practically begged three of my closest brothers: “Come with me!”  The first said, “I have debts to pay off,” the second said, “I just started a business and I need to attend to it,” and third said, “I just got engaged and need to start a family…”. I’m pretty sure there is a parable somewhere in the scripture that sounds this way… Hahaha.  But I praise God, I was never too much alone, I had true brothers everywhere I went.   In America we are in the belly of the beast.  In as much as Rome was very much the beasts headquarters, we have a unique position to be able to hold back the darkness from spreading the world (and overtaking it) from within the USA.  But it will take an army.  The days of celebrity-superstar, lone-preacher are over.  That’s old-fashioned now.  Anyone interested in what God is doing upon the earth now will come to the conclusion, Our Father is restoring the brotherhood .   “One will put a thousand to flight but TWO will send the legions fleeing”!  Here’s another one, “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”  Jesus said, “Two or more of you gathered together…” and I will be in Your midst.  He said, “Two or three of you agree on anything in my name, and it shall be done for you.”  John 17 He prayed, That we would be One and Agree .   We can not live the reality of this Christian life having another man to rule over us.  It’s simply not possible.  We can not be ruled and free at the same time.  We can not rule them and free them together at the same time.  We must choose, brothers, do we want to rule them or to set them free?  Jesus set them free .  Who are we to subjugate them to ourselves?   There exists a place for (servant) authority in this brotherhood.  It’s not complicated or challenging.  Both things function together, in the kingdom of God – and God remains The Lord, The Shepherd, The King over all.  How did we miss this?  “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” And then we try to exalt men and put them over other men?  Brothers, it should not be so.  Let the Spirit have rule over them – we should serve them and love them…   Jesus is returning for the body but He is returning also for a brotherhood.  I can preach on this for hours because it’s everywhere throughout the scriptures.  In Revelation, 5 churches get rebuked, 2 churches do not.  Of the two churches who do not get a rebuke, one of them is more or less neutral, not incredibly edified but not rebuked either - but one church clearly stands out among the rest: The Church of Philadelphia .  “Philo” translated means, “ Brotherly Love ”. As they say, THAT WILL PREACH !   Jesus is returning for the Church of Brotherly Love .   I hope this truth changes us all.   I hope it penetrates our hearts.   The world is lost, dying, alone and afraid They need to see the Light of Christ shining thru us   And “They will all know we are Messiah’s, by our love, One for another…”   Amen.

by Robert Anthony May 20th 2024 ( In Ukrainian Below - Нижче українською ) The Ukrainian Constitution is a surprisingly amazing document, giving tremendous power into the hands of the Ukrainian people – they formed a true democracy in 1991.  What is commonly known about Ukraine are it’s scandal’s, political corruption and tumultuous beginnings but there is a rich under-belly of democracy and freedom that permeates throughout its, especially modern, history.  More about the Ukrainian constitution in a moment.   It is not a secret that Russia has been waging a kind of unconventional war with the west over control of Ukraine.  Many Russian people are not satisfied with the demise of the Soviet Union and the loss of such power throughout the world.  So, in spring 2014 Russia turned this political war into a conventional war, taking Crimea by force.    It’s difficult for us in the west to understand a people who desire war and conquest.  Perhaps because we have been on the winning side of history for so long?  But many among the Russian (and Chinese) people have a deep-rooted patriotism but also a jealousy  towards the west so much so that they are willing to go to war, to take for themselves by force a better life.   We, in the west, cannot understand the poverty throughout places in Russia (and China).  Western poverty looks nothing like it does in many nations throughout the world.  When Russia offers their new recruits $2,000 USD a month  with a $50-70,000 bonus to their families if they die that is like winning the lottery for many of those living in abject poverty throughout Russia’s interior, who often make less than $200 USD a month! ( Russia is now paying Cubans to come and fight in their invasion .)   Russia (and China) will have its army funded and fully staffed for years to come, even without a draft.  Originally Putin had tried to draft himself an army (about 6 months after the war began) but hundreds of thousands fled Russia.  He quickly shifted his strategy to raising the minimum wage for a soldier and has had this policy for a year and half now.  The sad reality for Russians is that the majority of them will die before even collecting their second paycheck!    The truly amazing Ukrainian constitution allows for religious/moral exemption from any compulsory military service.  When the war began in Ukraine a draft immediately ensued and by and large, those protections in its constitution were upheld.  And it’s vital to understand, the democratically elected leaders of Ukraine shut their borders down on the very first day  at the start of the war!  All Military aged males (18-60) were prohibited from leaving the country without certain permissions.  So many were trying to flee the country, especially in those earlier days of the war that it would take three, four and five days to cross Ukrainian borders!  ( It’s hard to imagine exactly what it’s like to watch upwards of 5 million Ukrainians fleeing their nation! ) (Ukrainian refugees walk alongside vehicles queuing to cross the border - walking in Ukraine to Moldova on February 26, 2022) Within three months of the start of the war, policy changed dramatically and the Ukrainian government stopped upholding these protections.  And worse yet, Ukrainian war officials started grabbing men off of the streets and throwing them into recruitment centers  (Called TRCs or Territorial Recruitment Centers) and often tossing these civilians to the front lines!  Ukraine’s borders have since remained shut to any and all civilian men trying to leave the worn-torn homeland.   And none of this is news to the funding partners of Ukraine’s war.  The EU, the UK, our own USA, everyone is fully aware of this simple fact: Ukraine will run out of troops well before Russia will. All of these draconian measures forcing Ukrainians to war will not change the simple fact that if the west wants to keep Ukraine out of Russia’s hands, the west will eventually have to provide boots on the ground, in a real hot-war against the old Russian Bear .    I can’t help but wonder if Putin would have invaded Ukraine if there was a different leader in the White House, or at 10 Downing Street, or among the EU Parliament?  How intimidating would it have been for Putin (and Xi, and Putin’s other partners) to invade Ukraine knowing that a united western force lay in wait for them!?  Putin took Crimea while the left was in power, 2014.  He waited and watched the 2016 election and then was rather subdued during the Trump Administration.  Seems rather easy to forecast what Russia and her partners will do following the 2024 election.   ---------------------------------------   More than 1,000,000 souls have perished to date from this new round of Russian aggression.  Contrary to many policies, continually throwing money at this nightmare in Ukraine will never win the war - the souls of men will absolutely be required.  Certainly, we  do not want a world war unfolding in Europe and the Middle East (and then in Taiwan?) but we  did not decide to invade a sovereign nation. (And we  did not encourage Hamas to slaughter some 2,700 Israeli’s, mostly civilians on Oct. 2023.)   The numbers are staggering in Russia!  Something like 80% of the nation supports Putin and his war effort (at least publicly these are the numbers being reported).  Many of the Russian people are still bitter having lost so much of their old Soviet Empire, many are envious and willing to fight and take back those nations by force insomuch that they might have a better (even more western) life.  And much of the Chinese people’s sentiment is similar to that of Russia’s.     Have we, in the west, finally past the point of no return?  Is this the three or four front world-war scenario unfolding that we have been fearing for the past 60+ years?  The months ahead and the impending election will reveal much.   For the time being, is it in Ukraine’s national interests to keep the borders closed to civilian male migration and forcing conscripts into their standing army ?  Perhaps the pressure coming down on President Zelensky convinces him and his administration so but in truth he is ensuring that Europe will remain on the sidelines.  As the President of a nation, is his commitment to lands, businesses, money and positions of power or to a people ?  I would argue his commitment is first to a people, all other structures in the nation be damned.  Without a people, united and alive, there is no nation but only an empty shell that was once a thriving society. (Ukrainian refugees line up to receive residence permits - Prague, Czech Republic, March 2, 2022) “Let the proverbial chips fall where they may, Ukraine.”  You can do no wrong in keeping yourself committed to your people!  Nations rise and fall throughout the whole of history but will your leadership be remembered as a group of tyrants who allowed the Russian bear  to slowly grind and devour your families into oblivion - or will you be remembered as the true friends and leaders of Ukrainian who put the innocent first, above pieces of land and title – ensuring Ukraine lives on in its people, for generations to come!? Will Europe come to Ukraine’s aid in her hour of need, even sending in troops?  History is being written each day.  For certain imprisoning your men, their families and civilian population is not helping to convince Europe of the desperation of the hour.  Now reports are emerging of men trying to escape the Ukrainian draft being shot at their own borders !  And these tyrannical policies reek untold havoc on morale and actually work against the cause that is saving Ukraine!  ( This is the new law just passed making it even harder for men to leave the country .) (From CDM.press Ukrainian man shot trying to cross border) None of us in the west want to see Ukraine lost to Russian ambition and greed.  Europe must not stand by idly watching Russia take by force whatsoever her heart desires, many other adversary nations are watching.  Our western competitors have declared economic war, a propaganda war, sowing social unrest - stoking division among our nations, toying with our elections, etc. but now they seem to be surrendering to the eventuality of a hot-war, World War III-scenario.  How the west responds in the few months ahead, rallying behind its allies and partners: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, etc. will either give permission to the enemies of peace and freedom to expand their campaign or retreat, unwilling to pay the cost of standing against a united allied force.   I pray President Zelensky, his administration and military turns and decides to weigh their decisions based on eternity, looking to their policies lack of legacy, remembering that these are short-lived, shifting allegiances who are negotiating to keep the innocent people of Ukraine at war but their own nations at a distance.  It seems to me these Ukrainian leaders are ensuring the ruthless howbeit slow-moving demise of their country as they continue to kowtow these powerful and wealthy European elite.  Praying these leading Ukraine relent from this myopic and unpatriotic strategy in which they have thrust upon their people.   (Ukrainian children hold placards during a protest outside the Russian embassy - Bucharest on October 14, 2023) Fight for the families of Ukraine!  Have faith!   Goodness and even miracles can happen when we choose to do what is right in the sight of God and man!  Take heart!  There is a God in heaven who will fight for you, Ukraine… But we all must surrender to His much higher  ways. Praying for the war to end in Ukraine now, For the Russians to return to their homeland And for peace to be restored. Як Україна зможе вижити в цій ситуації?! Автор: Роберт Ентоні Конституція України є надзвичайним документом, що дає величезну владу в руки українського народу – вони створили справжню демократію в 1991 році. Що зазвичай відомо про Україну, то це її скандали, політичну корупцію та бурхливий початок. Але є багате підґрунтя для демократії та свободи, що пронизує всю її, особливо сучасну, історію. Більше про українську Конституцію за мить. Не секрет, що Росія веде свого роду неконвенційну війну із Заходом за контроль над Україною. Багато росіян невдоволені розпадом Радянського Союзу та втратою величезного впливу у всьому світу. Тож навесні 2014 року Росія перетворила цю політичну війну на реальну, захопивши Крим силою. Нам на Заході важко зрозуміти людей, які прагнуть війни та завоювань. Можливо, тому, що ми так довго були на стороні переможців історії? Але багато серед російського (та китайського) народу мають глибоко вкорінений патріотизм, а також заздрість до Заходу, настільки сильну, що вони готові йти воювати, щоб силою здобути для себе краще життя. Ми, на Заході, не можемо зрозуміти бідність у таких місцях, як у Росія (і Китай). Західна бідність виглядає зовсім не так, як у інших країнах світу. Коли Росія пропонує своїм новобранцям 2 000 доларів США на місяць  із бонусом у 50-70 000 доларів їхнім родинам у разі смерті, це як виграти в лотерею для багатьох із тих, хто живе в жахливій бідності у глибинних районах Росії, де часто заробляють менше 200 доларів США на місяць! (Зараз Росія платить кубинцям, щоб ті воювали на їх війні) Росія (і Китай) буде мати свою армію профінансовану та повністю укомплектовану на багато років вперед, навіть без призову. Спочатку Путін намагався мобілізувати собі армію (приблизно через 6 місяців після початку війни), але сотні тисяч чоловіків втекли з Росії. Він швидко змінив свою стратегію і підвищив платню для солдатів і вже півтора року дотримується цієї політики. Сумна реальність для росіян полягає в тому, що більшість із них загине, перш ніж навіть отримає другу зарплату! Дійсно дивовижна Конституція України дозволяє звільнення від будь-якої обов'язкової військової служби за релігійними та світоглядними підставами. Коли війна почалася в Україні, одразу було оголошено мобілізацію, і ці конституційні права, переважно, були дотримані. Важливо зрозуміти, що демократично обрані лідери України закрили кордони в перший же день початку війни! Усім чоловікам призовного віку (18-60 років) було заборонено залишати країну без спеціальних дозволів. Дуже багато людей намагалися втекти з країни, особливо в перші дні війни, так що для перетину українських кордонів потрібно було три, чотири і навіть п'ять днів! (Важко уявити, як це – бачити, як понад 5 мільйонів українців тікають зі своєї країни!) (Українські біженці йдуть поруч із чергами автомобілів, що перетинають кордон України з Молдовою 26 лютого 2022 року) Приблизно через три місяці після початку війни політика змінилася кардинально, і український уряд припинив дотримуватися конституційних прав українців. Більше того, українські військові працівники почали хапати чоловіків з вулиць та доставляти їх до призовних центрів (так званих ТЦК або Територіальні Центри Комплектування), часто відправляючи цих цивільних прямо на передову! Українські кордони з того часу залишаються закритими для всіх цивільних чоловіків, які намагаються залишити розорену війною батьківщину. І все це не новина для партнерів, що фінансують війну в Україні. ЄС, Великобританія і наші власні США – всі вони повністю усвідомлюють наступний простий факт: в Україні військо закінчиться набагато раніше, ніж у Росії. Всі ці драконівські заходи, що змушують українців йти на війну, не змінять простого факту, що якщо Захід хоче утримати Україну від рук Росії, то зрештою доведеться надіслати власні сухопутні війська на справжню гарячу війну проти старого російського ведмедя. Не можу собі уявити, чи наважився б Путін вдертися в Україну, якби в Білому домі, на Даунінг-стріт, 10 або в Європарламенті був інший лідер? Як би налякало Путіна (і Сі, та інших партнерів Путіна) від вторгнення в Україну, знання того, що об'єднані сили Заходу готові дати відсіч!? Путін захопив Крим у 2014 році, коли при владі були ліві. Він чекав і спостерігав за виборами 2016 року, а потім був досить стриманим під час адміністрації Трампа. Здається, досить легко передбачити, що Росія та її партнери зроблять після виборів 2024 року. На сьогодні від нової хвилі російської агресії загинуло понад 1 000 000 людей по обидві сторони. Всупереч думці багатьох політиків, тільки вливання грошей у це жахіття в Україні ніколи не виграє війну. Абсолютно однозначно потрібні люди. Звичайно, ми не хочемо, щоби світова війна розгорнулася в Європі та на Близькому Сході (а потім у Тайвані?). Але не ми вирішували вторгнутися в суверенну державу. (І не ми заохочували ХАМАС до різанини приблизно 2 700 ізраїльтян, переважно цивільних, у жовтні 2023 року.) Цифри в Росії вражають! Близько 80% населення підтримує Путіна та його військові зусилля (принаймні публічно повідомляються такі дані). Багато росіян досі гірко переживають втрату значної частини своєї старої Радянської імперії, багато хто заздрить і готовий битися, щоби силою повернути ці країни, аби жити краще (мати більш західне) життя. І багато китайців теж мають подібні до росіян настрої. Чи ми на Заході нарешті перейшли точку неповернення? Чи це розгортається світовий воєнний сценарій на три або чотири фронти, якого ми всі боялися останні 60+ років? Наступні місяці та майбутні вибори багато чого розкриють. На даний момент, чи відповідає національним інтересам України тримати кордони закритими для цивільних чоловіків і змушувати призовників вступати до регулярної армії? Можливо, на президента Зеленського чиниться тиск. Хтось переконує його та його адміністрацію в цьому. Але насправді такими діями він гарантує те, що Європа залишатиметься осторонь. Як президент українського народу, його відповідальність лежить перед народом, чи перед землями, бізнесами, грошами та посадами? Я б стверджував, що його відповідальність насамперед лежить перед народом, а всі інші сторони не повинні братися до уваги. Без єдиного живого народу, немає нації. Не хотілося б, щоби залишилася порожня оболонка, яка колись була процвітаючим українським суспільством. (Українські біженці вишикувалися для отримання дозволів на проживання – Прага, Чехія, 2 березня 2022 року) “Нехай все іде своїм ходом, Україно.” Ти не помилишся, якщо залишишся вірним своєму народу! Нації піднімаються і падають протягом всієї історії. Але чи запам’ятається твоє керівництво як  група тиранів, які дозволили російському ведмедю повільно знищувати ваші сім'ї, чи вони, як справжні друзі та лідери України, ставлять невинних людей вище за землю і титули – забезпечуючи те, що Україна буде жити в її народі протягом поколінь!? Чи прийде Європа на допомогу Україні в годину потреби, навіть надіславши свої війська? Історія пишеться щодня. Безумовно, ув’язнення ваших чоловіків, їхніх сімей та цивільного населення не допомагає переконати Європу в невідкладності ситуації. Тепер з’являються повідомлення про те, що чоловіків, які намагаються втекти від українського призову, розстрілюють на власних кордонах!  І ці тиранічні політики завдають невимовної шкоди моральному духу та фактично діють проти справи порятунку України! (Щойно прийнятий новий закон ще більше ускладнює життя чоловікам та виїзд з країни.) (Згідно CDM.press , цього українського чоловіка застрелили при спробі перетнути кордон) Ніхто з нас на Заході не хоче бачити, як Україна стане здобиччю російських амбіцій і жадібності. Європа не повинна байдуже спостерігати, як Росія силою захоплює все, що їй заманеться. Багато інших ворожих нам країн спостерігають за цим. Наші противники оголосили економічну війну, пропагандистську війну, сіють соціальні заворушення – розпалюють розбрат серед наших народів, втручаються у наші вибори, тощо. Але тепер вони, здається, схиляються до неминучості гарячої війни, сценарію Третьої світової війни. Те, як Захід відповість у найближчі місяці, об'єднавшись зі своїми союзниками та партнерами: Україною, Ізраїлем, Тайванем, тощо - або дасть дозвіл ворогам миру і свободи розширити свою кампанію, або змусить їх відступити,  оскільки вони не забажають заплатити високу ціну протистояння об’єднаній союзницькій силі. Я молюся, щоби президент Зеленський, його адміністрація та військові змінили свої рішення, орієнтуючись на довгострокові цілі, а не на короткочасні плани своєї політики. Пам’ятайте, що ці короткочасні, мінливі союзи із західними політиками ведуть до того, що вони змушують невинних людей України воювати, а свої країни тримають осторонь. Мені здається, що українські лідери на даний час забезпечують безжалісну, хоча й повільну, загибель своєї країни, продовжуючи підкорятися цим могутнім і заможним європейським елітам. Молюся, щоб керівники України відмовилися від цієї короткозорої та непатріотичної стратегії, яку вони нав’язали своєму народу. (Українські діти тримають плакати під час протесту біля російського посольства – Бухарест, 14 жовтня 2023 року) Боріться за свої родини, українці! Вірте! Чудеса можуть статися, коли ми обираємо робити те, що правильно в очах Бога і людей! Будьте мужніми! Є Бог на небі, який буде боротися за вас, Україно… Але ми всі повинні підкоритися Його вищим цілям. Молимося за негайне припинення війни в Україні. Щоб росіяни повернулися на свою батьківщину. І щоб мир був відновлений.

By Robert Anthony May 25th 2024 (L. Glotzle depiction of Melchizedek blessing Abram, who would become Abraham, father of many nations.) The Fundamentals for Revival Series Part Four “A New Covenant includes a New Priesthood”   In this Article* you will Read: Let us open ourselves up to receiving something New of God! The Mediator of the New Covenant from God (with man) was of a New Priesthood and fulfilled the old covenant, to perfection. What do we actually know about this New Priesthood? The scripture declares it is the order of Melchizedek.  But we love our traditions so much!  I am worried that we allow our traditions more prominence than the actual Word of God. In Closing: What is in fact the fullness  pertaining to the Church for which Jesus is returning? *Suggested Reading: most (if not all) of the book of Hebrews, Psalm 110, Genesis 14 and Jeremiah 31:31-36       1.   Many of us around the Church and preaching for years, many of us who went to Bible Colleges and seminaries, many of us raised in organized religion have heard of the things pertaining to the gospel of Christ and perhaps thousands of times but how much do we really know of the holy and eternal  things of God?   Whether or not we admit it to ourselves, we are like children looking into eternity, something that we simply cannot comprehend with our natural minds and trying to make sense of it all – and then often trying to teach it.  Some of us, more convinced than others, declare to the congregation, “We See!”  But the trouble is, all of our forefathers, of whose foundation we are all now building upon, agreed quite to the contrary, saying, “We see in a mirror only dimly and we only know in part, only then we will see fully even as we are fully known.” (I Corinthians 13:12)   What we have we hold to by faith.  And Jesus teaches us to live humbly, and of this matter He rebuked the religious leaders of His day, saying, “For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.” (John 9:39)  It would be better that we would remain humble, teachable, like children, understanding that in all our years seeking Him, even into our eighties or nineties, we will still be merely as children to the Living God, peering into eternity as if almost blind.   Our God is a mystery and yet we know Him!  He is past finding out and yet He is our Father.  We seek Him and we find Him and yet we will still be discovering Him well into eternity.  Throughout our walk with God, we are peeking into eternity and trying to grasp something literally out-of-this-world!  Wisdom would perhaps tell us, let us minister the holy things of God with a modicum of reverence, Godly fear and humility – and allow God to lift us up and to give us the eyes to see. Amen?   2.   In all our preaching, church services and studies, what has actually been revealed to us about this mysterious figure, Melchizedek ?  Hebrews actually has more to say of him/Him than anywhere else in the Word of God.  But there is a very revealing passage of scripture in Psalm 110:4, “The LORD-Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art  a priest for-ever after the order of Melchizedek.”  And then Hebrews recites this prophecy over and again, 6 times the author of Hebrews refers to Jesus being of the order of Melchizedek  (and not of the order of Aaron, of the Levites)!   One would think we would have entire courses in Bible college and throughout Christendom unraveling this mystery and yet, this foundational truth almost never even discussed.   Jesus was not a Levite but according to Moses’ first covenant, the covenant given to the Israelites and Jews, a High Priest had to be a Levite.  Hebrews  does a wonderful job explaining how Jesus could make intercession for the whole world (who would believe on Him) and yet be of Judah, not Levi .   Hebrews also explains a new covenant comes with new laws!  “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” (Hebrews 7:12)  This story is getting deeper and deeper the more we read!  A New Covenant, A New Priesthood and now New Laws!?  What an amazing mystery!   Let’s begin more or less at the beginning, where this all this newness began, Jeremiah 31:31-34:   “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that  I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be  the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”   And it has been written,   “Behold I make all things new!” (Rev. 21:5 and 2 Cor. 5:17)   3.   But what really do we know of this new covenant, priesthood and new set of laws?  What we tend to preach all throughout the churches very well pertains to the forgiveness of sins, the sprinkling of blood, the exaltation of Messiah who is the Son of God and some of the prophecy of the end of the age.  But whereas the old covenant was to be administered around a tabernacle, a holy place, a land and a people, we lose sight of the administration of this New Covenant - I fear we, as the Church, hardly understand the distinction in two covenants at all.    We know well that the old covenant gave power over to the priests to make intercession for the people, to offer sacrifices for the remission of sins and to pay gifts unto God upon an altar.  We know well the old covenant ways of seeking out a man to be our mediator, raising him up, giving him titles and honor and looking to that flesh and blood for our way to God.  And yet the whole of the old covenant way of abiding with God was all but fulfilled and is about to be done away with.  Return to Hebrews, chapter 6, verse 1:   “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God…”   Did we just read to “leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ!?  The author of Hebrews is encouraging us on to perfection, to not remain as babes forever drinking milk, but to mature, to stop sinning, to come up higher  and sit at the feet of our Messiah and learn of His ways!  To be brought before the very presence of God and come to know Him, individually, uniquely.   But just as the people would not go up the mountain with Moses to meet God, today’s church is too often content to find for themselves another man (pastor/priest) to make the attempt in him to live their faith.  Brothers and sisters, this must not be so.  We may not have complete understanding of this new priesthood and covenant but what we should be able to see clearly throughout the gospel of the kingdom is that thru Messiah, God is now our Father – and we were restored to be with Him, uniquely .   Melchizedek was clearly king and priest (we learn throughout scripture).  The Son of God we know now was King of all creation, the heavens and earth, but we also know that He is our High Priest - making intercession for us before the throne of God.  We of His Church are now of that order of Melchizedek thru Christ Jesus our Lord.  Scripture is unbelievably clear on this subject.  Jesus teaches us clearly, “No man might come to the Father but thru me.”  But that also means to us, WE CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THE FATHER!   This concept of being able to go directly to God was not introduced in the Old Covenant.  Of the things we don’t see clearly about this New Covenant, certainly we should be able to see this: in Christ Jesus, God is now our Father .   4.   There is plenty throughout the New Testament of scripture pertaining to this new priesthood, although it is not referred to as a priesthood because in Christ we are ALL PRIESTS AND KINGS!  We have to lose a lot of tradition to get this truth into the deep places of our soul.  We do not need another man to come before the throne of God, the Son of God already made the way.   Paul, one of Messiah’s apostles, writes plenty pertaining to the administration of the Church.  Most all of his letters, as given by the Holy Spirit, are explaining the day-to-day function of the Church.  But Paul focused his writings exhorting the flesh and blood leaders as opposed to function, as if to say, how  the church might function.  In fact, we have very little about how the church should function outside from the stories in Acts.    Throughout the whole of scripture there is very little about how to have something called a “Church Service” or “Have Church”.  Those commandments regarding function are simply not in the entirely of scripture.  Let me explain:   In Acts we learn that they gathered “Daily” and met “House to house” and “Breaking Bread” they ate together and gathered daily in prayer, “with gladness and unity (singleness) of heart” (Acts 2:40-47).  Even as the church spread the nations, we learn that they were having meetings in their houses. In Romans 16:5, 1 Cor. 16:19, Colossians 4:5 and Philemon 1:2, Paul asks at least five times throughout his letters to the churches, “Greet the churches meeting in your houses!”    But again, throughout the whole of the New Testament we simply do not find anywhere it lays out to us a method of “Church Service” but almost to the contrary we are taught often commandments of how we engage when gathered together.  1 Corinthians 12-14 are fundamental chapters teaching us what to do as we gather, not necessarily as a format but as how the church should esteem one another and exhort each other in Christ.  I will write about this more later.   Foundationally, we have to reintroduce into the body of Christ that every one of comes before Him uniquely, that there is an order to the function of the family and a way in which we are to behave ourselves as the body of Christ, left to lighten the earth.   In Melchizedek now we are all Kings… and Priests!     5.   I don’t think it is clear to us how the entirety of the New Testament is actually our blueprint from God, given to reveal and explain to us what is this New Covenant!  (Remember, the Word New Testament literally translates, New Covenant .)   And to understand the fullness of this New Covenant is to come to know its administrator, its minister .   Who was and is the minister or mediator  of this New Covenant?  We have called upon Him, Jesus !  And He saved us.  Amen!  But then He left… remember?  So who remains the minister of this covenant now?   Jesus quite literally told them/us, “I am leaving you.”  In fact several times He told them so…   But He promised not to leave them/us comfortless .  He told us He was sending us the Promise of His Father , from heaven!  (This is all from John 14-16)  And this same Spirit, the Holy Spirit from God, would lead us into all truth, comfort us, help us find our way and reveal to us things from the future!  Now again, fundamentally, there was simply no church until the Holy Spirit  was given in that upper room.   The whole of the ministry of that first church was administered entirely by God’s Holy Ghost .  They would (daily) follow the leading of God as revealed by His Holy Spirit and they would not move until they were filled with His holy presence.  Reread the book of Acts with these things in mind.  The first Church was wholly devoted to following God by obedience to the Word of God and surrender to His Holy Spirit.  This is the New Covenant we were given by God and Acts explains it, chapter 2, verses 16-21:   “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”   Melchizedek was a foreshadowing of things to come in Christ.  He quite literally did communion with Abraham, blessing him with the breaking of bread and wine!  And it was AFTER the blessing of Melchizedek that Abram’s name was changed to Abraham!  The “Ham” in “Abra ham ” being added signified “The Breath of God” or the “Spirit of God” being imparted to Abram – another foreshadowing of things to come in Christ!   But men will create their own religion when they do not want to surrender to the ways of God.  Even more concerning, is that if men do not want God’s way, then aren’t they in essence making themselves out to be their own god… yet again??  This was also the sin of Cain when he offered to God a sacrifice that was unacceptable unto heaven.     The truth is we are incapable of ministering to the God of eternity.  We are far too broken, fleshly, limited and powerless to minister before Gods’ throne… that is another reason why our Father sent to us His Spirit.  “It is not by (our) might nor by (our) power by His Spirit says the Lord.”  His Spirit will even make our offering, sacrifice and worship pleasing before the Father… Amen??If we are to come into the fullness of the things of God in Christ Jesus, if the bride is going to make herself ready, all these things will come by the power of God, and thru His Holy Spirit.  (And His Holy Spirit manifested His Word, and these two agree, perfectly.)  We know that Jesus is at the right hand of God, they watched Him depart into heaven.  But now, Jesus is continuing His ministry to us thru His Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who will finish the work that He started.   It could be therefore summarized that the whole of the New Covenant was laid upon Christ Jesus, God’s only Son, who made intercession before the throne of God and so the Father gave to us His Own Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead.  And His Spirit now ministers to us, bringing all things to the glorious New Beginning that will be revealed come His day… Amen!!?Still plenty to pray about hidden in the mystery of this Melchizedek.  But I hope this inspires you all further into the mystery of God!    To know Him And to be known by Him…   Greatest love Because we are now His! - Robert   (This is a great 10 min. mini sermon that compliments this article.)

By Robert Anthony June 9th 2024 I am so impressed with this New Tucker Carlson, unshackled by the constraints of his past life!! Very wonderful interview. So much of what he is doing is inspiring! Must Watch!!