A Preoccupation with the Demonic

In the video below, Minister Bertram H. Clendennen teaches on how evil imaginations will be a particular mark of the end times.

Artwork by Joyful Toons

• Jesus says that as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be in the last days
• Every civilization that does not glorify God is turned over to a spirit of perversion (Romans Chapter 1)
• The end is always contained in the beginning
• One of the most important characteristics of the time of Noah was that the people's minds were on evil continually
• God must be made real again, must be made alive again in His church to stand in these days
• There would have never been a Clinton in the White House if there hadn't been whoremongers in the pulpit
• The wickedness seen out in society is only a reflection of the wickedness in the heart of the church

Turning to FLIGHT The Armies of the Aliens

"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. " Hebrews 11:33-34

This is the type of faith I want to see in my own life.  This is the type of faith that God wants us to have.  Why else would it be held out to us as an example in Hebrews Chapter 11?  And remember this, these individuals had such strength of faith even without the opportunity to be born again!  They did not have the indwelling, regenerating power of the Holy Spirit as we do now.  So what has happened???  What is our excuse?

How is it that man has been empowered with more of God's Holy Spirit - even to change the very nature of who we are - and yet Jesus could ponder, "Will I find faith on the earth when I return?"  How is it that these men and women of old could wrought such awesome victories through faith in God and yet now many of God's people seem to be disempowered by and oppressed under the assaults of the enemy?  These things are listed for us in Hebrews 11 as evidences of their faith!  If God has provided "some better thing" for us (Hebrews 11:40), then where are the evidences of our faith (James 2:14-26)?

I am not speaking of earning salvation or seeking after signs.  I am speaking about the reality of walking in resurrected life with Christ.  Do you truly believe that such is the expectation of God for His people?  Or has serving God merely become about doctrinal debates, church niceties, and religious posturing?  Do you really expect to do "greater works than these" (John 14:12) simply because it is God's will to do such through His people?  Is our God dead or is He surely alive (in your estimation)?  Should we not examine ourselves to see if we "be in the faith" (II Corinthians 13:5)?

Unforgiveness

A Brutal & Unrelenting Taskmaster

I have been in prayer about a young woman who is struggling with the spirit of lesbianism.  God has been placing her on my heart for over the past year, but I have known her since she was a child.

This morning in prayer, I asked the Lord to please give me the words to say to touch her heart.  I know the sin that she is in, but when I see her, I still see her as God revealed her to me many years ago: a precious daughter of the Most High.  In prayer, I really felt God pressing upon me that the root cause of this issue for her was unforgiveness.

When I got up this morning, I had a message from a sister on Youtube, which led me to her videos below.  They speak about her personal testimony of being delivered from a spirit of homosexuality and having to address the root of unforgiveness.  Let me tell you that God is faithful!!!!

I am posting the videos here because I know that they will be a blessing to many others.  It takes true deliverance to be able to speak boldly about what we were and what we have been delivered from; not to glory in those things, but to give God the glory for what He has done our lives. 

Et Facta Est Lux?

"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:22-23

The phrase "Et Facta Est Lux" is the Latin translation of "and there was light."  It is a reference to the latter part of what is stated in Genesis 1:3, "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light."

In this day and age, the word "light" is used to refer to any "truth" man wants to herald.  Yet, Jesus said that we must be sure that light within us is not actually a great darkness.

One thing which made this extremely apparent to me is a recent effort by those affiliated with Morehouse College to address what they view as "collective" concerns about the future of this institution.  In voicing these concerns to the Morehouse Board of Trustees, these men make an appeal to the college's motto: Et Facta Est Lux.  They remind all that the guiding principle of the college was to be an instrument of God's light in the earth. 

Soldier vs. Commander

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with God

Another aspect in the original relationship between man and God can be seen in God commanding Adam.

tsavah: to command, charge, give orders, commission, lay charge

God is a Commander and man was under His command. What God declared, man submitted to. Where God placed man, he stayed. That which God ordered, he heeded.

As mentioned previously, there was some contrary force in the realm of the earth with which man would have to contend. Man was expected to take dominion and subdue the earth as an ambassador for God’s Kingdom. Man was given authority, but also had to submit to authority so as to understand humility and faith in God. To teach him these things, God called man to be a soldier (Matthew 8:9; Luke 7:8).

We saw in Genesis Chapter 2 that God breathed into man the breath of life, allowing him to become a living soul. The Scriptures also speak of another purpose brought about in man when the Spirit of God is breathed upon him.

Creature vs. Creator

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with God

The first chapters of Genesis also give us insight into man’s relationship with God. One fact becomes immediately clear: There is a God…and it is not man.

Man is not the master of his own domain. He was not even the purveyor of his own existence. Prior to being bought (redeemed) with a price, man was made for a purpose. We are not our own and have never been our own.

Man is a created being, designed by an omnipotent Creator. Yet from the beginning, man shared an intimacy with God that no other creature did. Man was made in the very image & likeness of God because he was made with the ability to contain God within.

The word 'adam translated as “man” means “to be red”, representing the clay from which God made him. Once the Potter formed this clay from the earth, Scripture says that He breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life so that he became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). This breath is representative of the Spirit of God being imparted to man’s spirit.

Self-validation: The New Gospel

THIS is the Condemnation

I had mentioned previously how the CD player in our car is broken and, as a result, we have been listening more to the radio.  As we do, it is becoming increasingly apparent that much of the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and Gospel scene is nothing short of poison.  The music is often so unbiblical that I have to literally turn it off because it offends the Holy Spirit within me.

It makes me wonder, "What is worse?  Downright raunchy, profanity-ridden secular music or 'Christian' music which promotes 'another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel'?  Which is more damning?  To be an outright sinner or a hypocritical Christian?"  Jesus would say it is the latter (Matthew Chapters 6 and 23).

My children would often be bewildered when I turned the station.  In their eyes, if it is on a "Christian" radio station then it must be "Christian" music.  So I told them, "You know, this is not Praise & Worship music."  When they asked what the difference was, I had to consider that myself.

What was it that was so offensive about much of what was being played on the radio?  While perhaps not a technical definition, I told them, "Praise & Worship focuses on the Lord: His majesty, His mercy, His grace, His power, etc.  It glorifies Him.  Most of this music on the radio focuses on man and what God can add to man."  In a nutshell, one comes from a place of God-consciousness and the other self-consciousness.

Quite honestly, I have never heard such gobbledygook & psycho-babble as what is being passed off as the truths of God in music these days.

Shake OFF the Snakes

The Spirit of Divination

"And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour." Acts 16:16-18

Sometimes you read things in Scripture which you think you understand, but through life experiences God shows you how cursory your understanding really was.  Such is the case with me recently and the spirit of divination. I thought I understood this spirit, but did not realize until I saw it in action how little I knew. 

While this post is not a part of the book, this understanding has indeed helped in that regard as well.  The word for "divination" here is actually the word for python. This references the Oracle of Delphi (also called the priestess Pythia) which was one of the most important temples in all Greece and a focal point for intellectual inquiry.  It was dedicated to the god Apollo, who was believed to have the gift of prophecy and was able to impart this "gift" to his oracles. It is this serpent spirit which is referenced in the text above.

Scripture says that the serpent was more subtle than any beast the Lord had made (Genesis 3:1a).  There is a reason why Satan chose this creature to try and deceive man in the Garden of Eden.

subtle: not immediately obvious or comprehensible; difficult to detect or analyze; cunning or wily; operating or executed in secret: a subtle intrigue

Many times, people operate in this spirit and are not even aware of it.  Yet there are certain things about this spirit that we can discern from the Scriptures.

Preparation for Damnation

"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Numbers 23:13

I am still working on the book, but wanted to share the following video from The Ministry Is His.  It features an excerpt from Pastor Gary Price entitled "Preparation for Damnation" which discusses how people deceive themselves about the judgement of God.

• God's judgment is sure and His word promises that judgment will be executed in righteousness
• The Bible is not given to debate or quibble about, but to obey
• Religious dogma or data is not salvation
• Colleges & Universities try to indoctrinate you with the humanities so that you will have a mind that is the antithesis of God
• Anything you obtain in life is just an avenue to save souls, a tool to accomplish God's purposes
• Two things people do not like hear about: 1). The finality of death and 2). Eternal damnation in Hell
• God has an out-stretched hand to save, but who will come?
• It is important to truly know the voice of Jesus Christ and not just assume that the voices which tickle their ears are the Lord.  The serpent is subtle and able to deceive if we are not careful.  Man is able to deceive himself about God; we must examine ourselves.
• No one can save themselves.  We need to each be purged and cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ

One Flesh

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with Woman

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

Here we see the institution of marriage being established for the first time as that which was created male and female is now husband and wife.

One might ask, “Why is Adam making such a statement? What did he know about a relationship with earthly parents or about becoming one flesh with his wife?” Yet, we know that Adam had access to the logos of God. The same Spirit which inspired him to name the animals enabled him to make that prophetic statement. These were not Adam’s words, but God speaking through Adam to proclaim His will for marriage.

“And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed.” Malachi 2:15a

In Genesis 1 & 2, God makes clear His purpose for the earth: it was to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord and reflecting His glory. Crucial to this objective was the establishment of the family unit. God would use the union of the husband and wife to produce a godly seed from which He would reap a harvest (James 5:7).

Is it any wonder then why Satan so ardently attacks marriage, and by extension the family? What Satan attempted in the Garden he still tries today: pervert the marriage union so as to prevent a godly seed. In all the days of creation, Satan did not rear his ugly head. Yet as soon as the institution of marriage is in place, he comes swiftly to deceive.

A Head & A Help

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with Woman 

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18

Unlike some believe, woman being a "help" for man was not a product of the fall. This was God’s original design for her.

When it comes to the solution for man’s loneliness and the appropriate mate for him, God is not ambiguous. Woman was created specifically for this purpose. The woman is the help which is “meet” (fit or worthy) for the man.

help: (ezer) One who helps or succours

for him: (neged) Against, parallel to, opposite

When God saw this need in man’s life, He did not decide that it would be good for man to have a maid. Rather, He saw the need for one who would offer man strength in his areas of weakness and complement him in a way that no other creature could (Genesis 2:20). In a similar way, Scriptures indicate that God serves such a purpose for mankind; He is our "ezer" (help).

Being a help “meet” for man therefore illustrates how woman was purposefully designed for him.  The Hebrew word neged implies that which is “against” another, but its use here is not in an adversarial way. Physically and spiritually, God made woman so that she would be a complement to man. Together they would form a symbiotic relationship, like two puzzle pieces fitting together, each having a particular set of strengths from which the other would benefit.

These distinctions would prove vital in the roles God determined each to fulfill: the man being the head and the woman being his help.  As there was an established order to be preserved between man and the earth, there was also an order between the man and the woman.

Equal

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with Woman 

 “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone…” Genesis 1:18a 

How compassionate is our God! It was “good” that He had personally formed man in His image, given him dominion over His creation, and inspired him by His Spirit. Yet, He did not stop there. God was concerned with man’s companionship and determined that it was "not good" for man to be alone.

God always desires the best for His creation and He knew that man needed someone with whom he could share the love God had placed within him. Genesis Chapters 1 & 2 show us God’s plan in that regard.

Equal 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27 

God’s image was reflected in two types of creation: male and female. There are attributes of God in the male character as well as in female character. They are both equally created as a reflection of God’s nature. In terms of importance, one is not less or more before God than the other. When God decided to make man in His image, He decided to make depict His image in both the male and the female.

Harmony

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with the Earth 

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.” Genesis 1:29-30 

This was not about a command for a vegetarian vs. a carnivorous lifestyle. God did not say, “Eating meat is bad, so eat vegetables, fruit, & grain.” There was no prohibition against eating meat because such was simply not necessary. The plants and fruits had all of the nutrients both man and beast needed to sustain life.

 The significance of the text was not the diet, but to illustrate that: 1) God Himself was the Provider of nourishment for His creation; and 2) All God had just created was in harmony with each other.

God made supernatural provision for man and the animals in terms of sustenance. Neither had to work to produce it, but God ensured that the earth provided for it (Genesis 2:5-6, 9; Matthew 6:25-29). Man surely had work to do from the Lord, but he was not “working for food”. From the beast, to the fowl, to man…all were given herbs, plants, and fruits to eat.

All creatures were in harmonious relationship with each other. Man had nothing to fear from the animals and the animals had nothing to fear from man. Although animals are not man’s equal, they are alive in the sense that blood flows through them as it does through us (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:11-14; Deuteronomy 12:23). God’s provision of food reinforces that there was no need to take the life of another, there was no need for the shedding of blood; there was no need for death.

Dominion

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

Man’s Relationship with the Earth 

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26

Out of all creation, why was it important that man be made in God’s image & likeness? Because God was trusting man with dominion. Having established His creation, God did not just leave the earth & its inhabitants to themselves, but saw fit to assign a guardian over it. In doing so, one of the first purposes God had for man was to uphold His order. Man was not an entity unto himself, but was an ambassador for God’s Kingdom, having dominion over “all” the earth.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7 

To whom did God entrust the stewardship of His creation? To Himself. God trusted nothing less than that which reflected His own nature to care for what He had so personally created. Man is only a pile of dust apart from the inspiration of God (Genesis 3:19). From that which is trodden under our feet without thought, God formed man. Indeed, man is no different than the beasts of the earth apart from God’s Spirit (Genesis 2:7,19).  This is why the animals and man were created on the same day.  Man is fearfully yet wonderfully made; fearfully because he can be no better than the beasts of the field and wonderfully because he can also reflect the image of God.  

Who WAS Adam?

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

The First Man

Once at a retreat, the question was asked, “What does the normal condition for man look like?” Instantly I thought, “Normal was Adam.” In Adam and Eve (before the fall), we see man as God designed him to be; not one flaw, no shortcoming, devoid of perversion.

When it comes to man’s redemption, Jesus is the standard. It is His image we must be molded to in our inner man, so that the life of God may be seen in us. It is He alone who paid the price for our atonement as a sinless offering so that we might be reconciled to the Father (Acts 4:12).

To reconcile means to “bring back into a former state of harmony”. The normative condition of man before sin was that he reflected the image of God. Through the propitiation obtained in Christ Jesus, God is bringing man back to that state. Such is the function of salvation (Romans 8:29). Looking back to man’s creation, we can glean important aspects of God’s will for mankind and the spiritual battle in which we are engaged.

People have often wondered why there are two renditions of the creation story in Genesis Chapters 1 and 2. Some have gone so far as to suggest that these are conflicting stories. They are not in the least. Like all of God’s word, these texts are inspired of the Holy Spirit and reflect the mind of God. Collectively, these two perspectives give us insight into the nature of God and His peculiar creation in man.

Book Dedication

The following is part of the book, Why Adam Cannot Be Saved, whose sections can be accessed here.

“My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5 

One thing the experience of writing this book has shown me is that I am but dust. There were many times when I was overwhelmed as I basked in the beauty of God’s word and His presence, considering His sacrifice for us all. At times it truly seemed too much.

“What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? And that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?” Job 7:17-18

TOC - Why Adam Cannot Be Saved

The purpose of this post is to provide a quick reference to the Table of Contents (TOC) for the book, "Why Adam Cannot Be Saved."  From this page, you should be able to quickly navigate to any section of the book.  This TOC will be updated as additional portions of the book are completed.