If the object (or person) of your worship does not positively, irrevocably transform your life forever, then you really need to change the direction of your worship. (Part 1)

If your so-called real religion doesn't irrevocably transform your life forever, then you need to change your so-called religion.

AS GOD THE SON, JESUS LIVED A PERFECT LIFE, BUT HE DIDN'T DO THAT AND DIE ON A CRUEL CROSS AT CALVARY TO MAKE YOU RELIGIOUS.

HE DIED TO MAKE YOU BRAND NEW SPIRITUALLY. WE ALL NEED HIS FREE FORGIVENESS.

RELIGION AIN'T ENOUGH -- CAN'T SAVE ANYONE.

I SAY Preach simply (not all preachy). Preach the Cross like Paul did that.. cuz the Cross head-on addresses man’s pride, self-righteousness, and rebellion against Authority.

I was Recently Asked..Will the coming Antichrist Be Islamic. Good Question huh. Ever Wondered 'boit That..if He'd Be a Muslim? It Sure looks Like He Could Be.

"The Mahdi will be a Messianic figure. He will be a descendant of Muhammad. It will be an unparalleled, unequal leader. He will come out of a crisis of turmoil. He will take control of the world. He will establish a new world order. He will destroy all who resist him. He will invade many nations. He will make a seven year peace treaty with the Jews. He will conquer Israel and massacre the Jews. He will establish Islamic world headquarters at Jerusalem. He will rule for seven years. Establish Islam as the only religion he will come on. A white horse with Supernatural power. He will be loved by all (the world) people on Earth. It does sounds familiar. That is a precise description of the biblical Antichrist. We know that the writer on the White Horse in Revelation 6 is the Antichrist. They use that verse. To describe their Mahdi, you go into any kind of a study of that, and you will find that all the details match up perfectly. The the Bible's Antichrist is Islam's Savior." ~ John MacArthur

ISLAM: started by Muhammad claiming an angel gave him a message.

MORMONISM: started by Joseph Smith claiming an angel gave him a message. 

BIBLE TRUTH: "..even if an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him" (Gal. 1:8)!

“The Coming Man of Sin..” (In the Bible), man, who could he be? I'm personally not seeking him, but I am seeking Christ and His Kingdom. I don't have time to endlessly play pin the tail on the antichrist. 

Q: So will real Biblical Discernment be needed in the very near future? Uhh, yes cuz it is really needed now in our day.

RELIGION, IT CAN POLISH THE OUTSIDE A BIT.

ONLY CHRIST CAN FORGIVE/SAVE AND SANCTIFY YOU.

HE ALONE CAN SEE AND TRANSFORM THE HEART.

RELIGION CAN'T - IT NEVER HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

IT CAN CHANGE ROUTINES.

JESUS CHANGES LIVES FOREVER.

RELIGION ALONE CAN'T. THERE ARE A LOT OF RELIGIOUS AND MORAL PEOPLE IN HELL TODAY CUZ THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.

RELIGION PRODUCES RULE-KEEPERS.

JESUS CREATES NEW CREATURES. IT'S STILL THE GREATEST MIRACLE HE DOES.

DON'T SETTLE FOR ANY RELIGION MINUS HAVING GOD IN YOUR HEART. EXPERIENCE TRUE REPENTANCE, SAVING FAITH AND THE NEW BIRTH.

When you come to Christ on His terms instead of on your own, He gives you a completely new life, a new beginning. Your old life is gone, the sin if forgiven, and a new life has begun. See 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

RELIGION WITHOUT GOD, YIKES, IT'S SO LAME IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN.

SO WHAT'S RELIGION REALLY ABOUT?

IT'S WHEN WE PEOPLE HAVE MASTERED THE OUTWARD RELIGIOUS FORMS... WHILE MISSING THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

IT'S PRINCIPLES WITHOUT GOD'S BLESSING OR PRESENCE.

IT'S A CREED WITHOUT CHRIST.

IT'S SERVICES WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT DIRECTING THOSE SERVICES.

IT'S LOTS OF ACTIVITIES WITHOUT GOD'S ANOINTING.

IT'S NICE MUSIC SOMETIMES WITHOUT MAJESTY.

IT'S EVEN SOME PRAYERS SAID WITHOUT ANY POWER. KNOW THE LORD PERSONALLY AND PRAY IN HIS NAME (ACCORDING TO HIS WORD AND WILL).

IT'S EVEN SOME CROWDS WITHOUT CONVERSIONS. IT'S THE SMELL OF INCENSE AND THE SIGHT OF PHYSICAL AESTHETICS LIKE PRETTY, COLORFUL WINDOWS OR STATUES WITHOUT HAVING JESUS DIRECT AS LORD IN YOUR HEART.

THE GREATEST TRAGEDY IS NOT AN EMPTY CHURCH PER SE.

IT IS A FULL CHURCH WHERE THE FATHER, THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THE CHRIST OF THE BIBLE GOD ARE ABSENT.. YOU KNOW, WHERE THE BIBLE'S TURN FROM SIN TO THE SAVIOR GOSPEL MESSAGE IS MISSING.

"My presence shall go with you.." Exodus 33:14

There are so many religions; which are worth going for? So is the religion of Islam one of Peace? We hear a lot about that today as we see tens of thousands of Muslims go across many borders. NGOs keep inviting and helping them to do what is illegal, and who is behind all this?

Is it a religion of peace? Nope, not according to their own book and many of their fervent devotees. Go check it out for yourself. There are hundreds of violent Suras in their book that you really need to see.

Why did Jesus say, “I did not come to bring peace” (Matthew 10:34)?

Why can't religions coexist peacefully?

Who is Allah?

Islamic antichrist? Will the antichrist be a Muslim?

Should Christians be concerned about the idea of Sharia Law?

IS IT A RELIGION OF PEACE? NAWW, Far from.

QURAN 9:5 - "KILL THE POLYTHEISTS WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM, CAPTURE THEM, BESIEGE THEM, AND AMBUSH THEM AT EVERY POST."

KNOWN AS THE SWORD VERSE

THE MOST DIRECT KILL COMMAND IN THE BOOK.

QURAN 9:29 - "FIGHT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE OF THE SCRIPTURE, THAT'S JEWS AND CHRISTIANS BY NAME UNTIL THEY PAY TRIBUTE IN WILLING SUBMISSION WHILE HUMBLED."

THIS ONE EXPLICITLY TARGETS CHRISTIANS.

QURAN 47:4 - WHEN YOU MEET THE DISBELIEVERS IN BATTLE, "STRIKE THEIR NECKS" UNTIL YOU HAVE INFLICTED SLAUGHTER."

BEHEADING IN PLAIN LANGUAGE.

QURAN 8:12 - "CAST TERROR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO DISBELIEVED" AND STRIKE THEM UPON THE NECKS AND EVERY FINGERTIP."

What Even Is True Religion?

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
James 1:27 esv

Our world is overflowing with religion, yet desperately starving for truth. Throughout history, mankind has built temples, written creeds, observed ceremonies, climbed mountains, repeated prayers, made pilgrimages, and invented countless systems in an attempt to reach God. Yet the greatest question has never been, "Do you have a religion?" The real question is, "Do you know the living God through His Son, Jesus Christ?"

Knowing Jesus personally is infinitely better than merely knowing about Jesus. Likewise, knowing Christ is infinitely better than merely knowing about Christianity, church history, theology, or any religion on earth. A person may fill his mind with religious information while his heart remains untouched by saving grace. One can master biblical facts without ever bowing before the Lord of the Bible. The Pharisees were experts in Scripture, yet many failed to recognize the very Messiah to whom the Scriptures pointed (John 5:39-40).

Christianity is not merely information to be learned. It is reconciliation with the living God through Jesus Christ. Eternal life is not simply learning religious truths; it is knowing Christ Himself.

Jesus prayed,

"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3)

That kind of knowledge is deeply personal. It transforms the whole person from the inside out.

Knowing and Following God the Son is so Much More than a Mere Religion

More than eighty percent of the world's population identifies with some form of religion. Yet the word religion itself is surprisingly difficult to define because every religion answers life's greatest questions differently.

So who really is God? He is the.. I am. 

Who is man? We are sinners that need rescuing spiritually. 

Why is the world so broken? Because of sin. We were warned about this. 

What is truth.. your truth, or my truth. Nope, there is only one truth and all truth is God's truth. 

How can we be forgiven? Repent and ask Jesus for this. 

What happens after death? Eternity in real locations called heaven or hell. 

What is right and wrong? Exactly what the Bible teaches is right and wrong. Yep, God tell us. 

Every religion offers different contradictory answers. Some emphasize rituals. Others stress moral achievement. Some rely upon mystical experiences. Others elevate human reason or tradition. Their views of God, salvation, morality, authority, family, eternity, and human purpose often stand in direct contradiction to one another.

In its broadest sense, religion describes an organized system of beliefs and practices concerning spiritual realities. It shapes how people think, worship, live, and understand the world around them.

But Scripture takes us deeper than definitions.

The Bible continually directs our attention beyond outward religion to the condition of the heart.. and then to the ultimate Solution God the Son. 

God has never been impressed merely by ceremonies, rituals, impressive buildings, religious titles, or external performances. He searches the heart.

"The LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

How is Jesus different from other religious leaders?

Why does it matter that Jesus rose from the dead?

What does the Bible say about faith?

What is Taoism aka Daoism?

What do Taoists believe?

What is folk religion?

Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees so harshly?

Religionists Have Been Wrong A Whole Lot Before.. 

...but some have been right in certain things they have said at times. 

Too Many Are Dead Wrong Consistently

Not all religion pleases God.. Duh, Many Have Been Far From Pleasing To God. Please never go against what the Bible teaches. That's not smart.

This surprises many people.

The Bible never teaches that sincerity alone makes a person right with God. A person may be sincerely devoted and sincerely wrong at the same time. Proverbs 14:12 warns,

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."

Jesus made an even stronger statement:

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

That single declaration forever separates biblical Christianity from every competing religious system. Christ did not merely claim to know the way. He declared that He is the Way. He did not simply teach truth. He is the Truth. He did not merely improve life. He is the Life.

The issue, therefore, is not whether a person is religious.

The issue is whether that person has been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

Why is faith without works dead?

What is repentance from dead works in Hebrews 6:1?

What is the biblical understanding of faith vs. works?

Who is Joel Osteen, very popular, but and are his teachings biblical?

The Test of True Worship

Here is a question every one of us should honestly answer:

Has the object of my worship actually transformed my life?

Scripture teaches that genuine faith produces genuine fruit. Salvation is entirely the work of God's grace, received through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet the grace that saves never leaves a believer unchanged. God's Spirit begins conforming His children to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

As Jesus said,

"You will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:16, 20)

A faith that never changes the life should cause us to examine whether genuine saving faith is present (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Not aiming to offend anyone, I often remind people of this:

"If the object—or the person—of your worship does not positively and permanently transform your life, then you need to change the direction of your worship. If your so-called religion leaves your heart unchanged, your desires untouched, and your life unmoved toward Christ, then you do not merely need another religion—you need the risen Savior." — Kurt von Schleicher

The issue is not finding a better religious system.

The issue is finding the Savior who changes dead sinners into new creations.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

James Gives God's Definition

James does something remarkable.

Rather than debating religious philosophies, he gives God's own description of religion that pleases Him.

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27)

Notice what James does not emphasize.

He does not begin with church buildings.

He does not mention religious clothing.

He does not point first to ceremonies, pilgrimages, liturgies, traditions, denominations, sacred objects, or outward appearances.

Instead, James points to two unmistakable evidences of genuine faith.

First, believers demonstrate Christlike compassion toward the helpless, especially those unable to repay kindness. Orphans and widows represented society's most vulnerable people. Genuine faith opens the eyes to those whom the world often overlooks.

Second, believers pursue practical holiness. God's children do not blend comfortably into a sinful world. While they live in the world, they are not to become like it (John 17:15-18). They increasingly hate what dishonors Christ and love what pleases Him.

These two realities beautifully summarize the Christian life.

A heart that truly loves God will increasingly love people.

A heart that truly loves Christ will increasingly hate sin.

Love without holiness becomes compromise.

Holiness without love becomes legalism.

The Gospel produces both.

Worthless Religion

James also warns us that religion can become completely empty.

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." (James 1:26)

That is an astonishing statement.

A person may faithfully attend church, sing hymns, quote Scripture, teach Bible classes, give generously, and appear deeply spiritual. Yet if his speech is consistently filled with lies, gossip, slander, harshness, profanity, bitterness, or uncontrolled anger, James says his religion is empty.

Our words reveal our hearts.

Jesus taught,

"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34)

And again,

"By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:37)

Our speech is often the thermometer of our spiritual temperature.

The tongue reveals what the heart treasures.

Christ Came to Give Life

Every false religion ultimately tells people to climb upward toward God through human effort.

The Gospel announces that God came down to rescue sinners who could never climb high enough.

Jesus did not come merely to improve religion.

He came to save people.

"The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

The difference between biblical Christianity and every man-made religion is not simply one of degree.

It is one of direction.

Religion says, "Work your way toward God."

The Gospel declares, "God has come to you in Jesus Christ."

Religion asks, "What must I do?"

Grace answers, "It is finished." (John 19:30)

Religion points to human performance.

The Gospel points to Christ's perfect performance.

Religion says, "Try harder."

We each are to evaluate carefully with the Bible helping know the truth. 

What are some Bible verses about judging?

What are some Bible verses about hypocrisy?

What is the conviction of sin? 

What does God mean when He says, “Come out of her” in Revelation 18:4?

What does the Bible mean when it says, “Do not judge”?

How does God judge people raised in other religions or not at all in a so called system of faith?

Are all religions the same? Nope.  

What is pragmatism.. is that also a religion? 

How does pragmatic ethics define morality?

What even are pragmatic ethics?

What is a real Christian's worldview?

Jesus simply teaches us to repent and believe,

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

That invitation still stands. KnowGod.org

The greatest need in our world is not another religion.

The greatest need is for people to repent, believe the Gospel, and personally know the risen Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace forgives, whose Spirit transforms, and whose glory satisfies forever. KnowGod.org

We've seen some wars and we've heard some rumers of em too. Be encouraged anyway.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah" (think on that awhile) Psalm 46:1-3.

"'Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!' The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" (Think some more) vv. 10-11.

There was once a rupture vertically first (relationally), and guess what followed? There was another rupture.. horizontally, second. Yep, then lots of wars. 

Wars, won't they ever stop? Are we in the last minutes of the last days now? 

North Koreans are ramping up missile tests while the world is so busy elsewhere.

Man, They Have Conducted Their Sixth Missile Test In 2026.

So called, ‘Rocket Man’ Kim Jong Un enjoys this! He watches On As Cruise And Anti-Warship Missiles Are Launched From a Destroyer.

The Bible says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). 

Is it a good day for true repentance and saving faith in God? Yes! What are you waiting for? Jump (all) in the water's fine! Scriptures tell us there will be wars and rumors of wars. Seems like we've gotten the wars, and we've gotten the rumors too. 

Q: Have you seen that list of the countries with nuclear weapons from David Jeremiah? The United States currently has 5400 of em, and Russia currently has 5900 nukes. And who is the next closest? It is China with 350. 

So, between Russia and us here in the USA, there still seems to be an arms race. Racing to see which of us nations can build up enough.. to possess the most nuclear weapons. 

You've been watching how America, with Israel, just ended a war. The purpose was to keep another country led by real terrorists from getting their own nuclear weapons. Cuz they would use them on Saturday and on Sunday (Israel and us their "great Satan"). Man, I'm glad Iran can no longer cast their missiles at Europe or at the USA, as they could have done. Check out how far they were already shooting them. 

In American and European colleges, where liberal young people are now further brainwashed, they teach that the USA started this war and it's been wrong. But Iran actually started this war some 47 years ago when they took American hostages. 

Jesus in Matthew 24, with His sermon to his disciples on Mount Olivet, said: you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom. 

Hey, war is basically a curse from man's disobedience to God. It wouldn't have happened here if Adam and Eve had never sinned in the Garden. True! 

True, we'd have no deaths, rapes, theft, or wars here if it weren't for sin in this world. Grace brings hope. Jesus brings life - both abundant and eternal life that starts at the point of repentance and faith (spiritual regeneration inside)!

Factoid: Since 36 BC there have been over 15,000 wars. And before World War 1 there were 2.6 new wars every year. But since World War 2 ended, there have been three new wars every single year (Said MaCarthur Jn.)

According to an article in the New York Times, the world has been at peace for only 268 out of the past 3,400 years. In other words, only 8% of our world history has been peaceful. No one knows how many people have died in times of War. 

The New York Times speculated that at least 108 million people were killed in wars in the 20th century alone, and some believe that over a billion people have lost their lives during the military conflicts. 

Sad that vicious military conflicts have marked history like bomb creators! 

Mr. Clive Staples Lewis wrote about the curse of War to Ms. Mary Willis Shelburne on June 17, 1963 (it was published in Collected Letters, Vol. 3). He was reflecting on his own experiences in World War I. He had been sent out to the front lines in France. After a few weeks there, he was hospitalized with a bout of trench fever. Many had it, and when he was discharged from that hospital he was in, he was immediately returned to the frontlines, where only three months later, he got wounded in three places on his body by an exploding shell that actually killed the sergeant who was standing right next to him. Makes one think of PTSD huh. 

Mr. Lewis carried those three scars and experiences with him for the rest of his life. And then when World War II arrived, he wrote these following words: 

"My memories of the last war haunted my dreams for years. Military service to be plain includes the threat of every temporal evil, pain and death, which is what we fear from sickness, isolation from those we love, which is what we fear from Exile. Toil under arbitrary Masters, which is what we fear from slavery, hunger, thirst, and exposure, which is what we fear from poverty, he said. I'm not a pacifist, but? If it's got to be, it's got to be. The flesh is weak and selfish, and I think death would be much better than to live through another War.

Maybe you have served in the military. If you've experienced War at any level, you know exactly what C.S Lewis is talking about. War is an awful thing. But war is not the worst thing.

You know how Iran has backed terror groups—like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—and has viciously persecuted its own people—including Christians. Yet despite the intense opposition, Christianity has grown dramatically in Iran through smaller house churches and the underground believers there. It's been like that before; persecution often fuels real spiritual awakening.

You know how modern-day Iran is ancient Persia—the land of Queen Esther, Daniel, and King Cyrus, whom God (not man) called His “anointed” in Isaiah 45. God has indeed worked in that nation before.

Iran is not simply a political topic for the Right and the Left to discuss these days, but Iran is a land of biblical significance. Iran (ancient Persia) has been considered a major player in end-times prophecy.

I have told my two sons this: Christians should support Israel’s right to exist on earth. We enjoy existing here. We desire that Jews and Christians exist in peace -- yes, and live well spiritually in Christ our one Messiah.

God chose Israel to be a “light to the nations” (see Isaiah 42:6), and Jesus, a Jew, fulfilled that perfectly. Thus, Israel indeed has a special place in God’s plan. We pray for our Jewish friends who have constantly been under attack, that many will soon turn to the Messiah (The Bible Jesus seen in OT and NT Scriptures. Many have already.

Christians may not always agree with the nation of Israel’s methods, but when faced with hostility from Muslim countries like Iran, we should unify in our support for the nation that God personally chose.

Of course, not every instance of Iran in the news media, including with war, means it is the very end minutes of the end.. yet. While it is important to pay close attention to what is going on in this world gone crazy, especially as it relates to Israel. God has already told us what to look for before the end of the end times. While tensions between Iran and Israel can feel like unmistakable signs of these times, Scripture gives more specific markers for the very end—global proclamation of the gospel in every nation, unprecedented tribulation, and the clear revelation of the “man of lawlessness” (Matthew 24; 2 Thessalonians 2). He'll demand to be worshipped.

This political hostility, like in Western Lands by itself, even when it clearly echoes of ancient rivalries from yesteryear, is not enough to draw prophetic conclusions from. No worries. Trust and obey the Lord. Let's be wiser (than those who have foolishly set dates) and just ponder how this perspective should actually steady us in our individual walks with Christ.

Is this war in Iran a sign of the end times?

What specific role will Iran play in the end times?

What is the significance of the Medo-Persian Empire in biblical history?

Perhaps you would enjoy a good study for our Muslim friends (that God loves). They say the Bible is true, but they need to read it cuz their beliefs as a people have been way off from what it really teaches.

What are specific signs of the end times?

Does the Bible say anything about Russia in relation to the end times?

What do you think about Russia? What are Gog and Magog? 

China needs oil badly. Will they play a role in the end times? 

Do you consider Revelation 16:12–16 to possibly refer to China in the end times?

Want all End Times People and Nations to be organized into subcategories? 

Will there really be a World War 3 before Jesus returns?

Perhaps you have some more questions about this period of time?

Who is the prince of Persia in Daniel 10?

People keep asking, as some of them run back to church with fears—is Bible prophecy unfolding now?

Face it, "war" is an awful thing, but even though war in a general sense is a bad thing, it's not the worst thing. 

The worst thing for you and for me, is to be somebody for whom nothing is worthy of fighting for ever. Many give in to their fleshly demands and what the enemy, the prince of this corrupt world system, demands, and thus send themselves off to split Hell wide open. That's far worse. 

Some people don't care about anything except themselves and how they feel while they are here. They have thus depended on better people than themselves to fight the just wars that keep them free and safe. 

In America, aren't you happy we have a country that has stood for the truth? It's not who real Americans are.. for us to go fight meaningless wars, like the one we're now in. 

Hopefully, it won't be long before we're totally free of wars.

Q: Have you ever visited the Karnak Temple Complex, located on the east bank of the Nile in Luxor? It is the largest religious structure ever built in human history.

The Karnak Temple complex in Egypt is so large. People have viewed some of the oldest ruins in history there, decayed temples, chapels, and residences, too. Check it out. On the wall of one of these temples there, one can see Egyptian hieroglyphics, which have been translated by skilled linguists. The ancient etchings give us a clear description of the very first recorded war in the history of the world was like. 

We don't know if this was the first of all wars that happened, but it was the first recorded conflict in the history of the world. 

It was the first recorded war written down in an enduring form. The battle took place on April the 16th back in 1457 between Pharaoh Tutmos III in a coalition of Canaanite tribes. 

Both armies had about 10,000 fighting men, and they retreated into the walled City known as Megiddo. Yep. The Egyptians laid siege to the city and took it in seven months. 

That's interesting huh, but the location of that war is more interesting. So where exactly did this battle happen? That battle between Egypt and the Canaanites, the first recorded battle in all of world history, actually occurred in the valley of Armageddon. 

There are a whole lot of acres on this terra firma, but that spot has been said to be a perfect battleground. The planet Earth (you've seen NASA's photos of it from the area around the moon lately..) has a land surface of more than 57 million square miles and yet, the first and last recorded battles in all of man's history are fought at that location. Yes, in the very same place, and then we can kiss man's bloody wars goodbye! 

You've read about that future conflict called the Battle of Megiddo right? 

I have not yet visited any of the ruins of Megiddo in Israel. We might. 

From the top of Tel Megiddo, one sees the valley of Jezreel, known as the valley of Armageddon. 

Right now this location is acting as the Bread Basket of Israel, good dirt for growing, a very nice agricultural plane yielding large amounts of grain and fruit. Lots of barley, wheat, and smaller oranges etc. 

There have been countless wars in the valley of Megiddo, yes, as many as 200 different battles were fought there. 

This is the place where the Antichrist will set up his forward operating military base in the final war of History for the battle of Armageddon. It will happen and I'm not sure what the soldiers will be thinking at that time. 

The Bible tells the truth about us people, about history, and about the God who rules over both.

You have read in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 right? When it opens its window over human life on earth, King Solomon does not offer some glorified romantic vision of things here. He gives us a complete one, though. Pairs of opposites sweep across the landscape of existence. Birth and death. Weeping and laughter. Embracing and refraining and in that final pair, Solomon writes with very sobering clarity about “a time for war and a time for peace” (Eccl. 3:8).

This is not permission. It is recognition.

In the original language, “war” speaks of armed conflict deliberately waged against an enemy. “Peace,” the rich Hebrew word shalom, is far more than the absence of conflict. It is wholeness, harmony, rightness with God and with others, and even a settled quiet within the soul. Solomon is saying that human history moves along a spectrum that includes both the clash of nations and the longing for rest. And over it all stands God, who “works all things together for good” (Romans 8:28).

Even in ancient times, war had its appointed seasons. Armies marched in the spring, not during harvest (2 Samuel 11:1). Today, nations still do not enter conflict randomly, but in response to particular pressures, threats, or ambitions. Yet Scripture is clear. War, while never good in itself, is not outside God’s sovereign purposes. David could say, “Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war” (Psalm 144:1), while also longing for peace.

The deeper issue is not geopolitical. It is spiritual.

The Bible traces the origin of conflict to the human heart. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10–18). James asks with piercing simplicity, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires…?” (James 4:1–2). War is the outward eruption of inward rebellion. What began with Adam’s fall became Cain’s violence, and from there the story of humanity has been written, again and again, in conflict.

History confirms what Scripture reveals.

One analysis often cited from The New York Times notes that of roughly 3,400 years of recorded history, only about 268 years have been free from war, about 8% of human history. Estimates suggest at least 108 million people were killed in wars in the 20th century alone, with some broader historical estimates reaching into the hundreds of millions or more. These numbers are not neat statistics. They are a testimony to the depth of human brokenness.

And yet, even in such a world, there are moments when war becomes tragically necessary.

As C. S. Lewis once wrote, “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things.. the decayed and degraded state… which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse.” 

C.S. Lewis knew what he was saying. Wounded in World War I and marked for life, he did not glorify war. He simply refused to deny that sometimes evil must be resisted. History bears witness. Had tyranny not been confronted in World War II, the cost in human life would have been far greater.

Scripture agrees. God forbids murder (Exodus 20:13), the intentional taking of innocent life with malice, yet He does not forbid all taking of life under all circumstances. He commanded Israel at times to go to war (Deuteronomy 20:1–4; Numbers 31:7; Joshua 10:40). He is not contradictory. He is just. And His justice sometimes confronts evil with force.

Still, the Bible never lets us become comfortable with war.

Jesus speaks into this tension with remarkable clarity. When the disciples asked about the end of the age (Matthew 24:3), He answered, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled… but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6). That is striking. Wars are not the signal to panic. They are the normal condition of a fallen world moving toward its appointed end.

He continues, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom… all these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:7–8). Wars, along with famines and earthquakes, are not the final sign. They are the early contractions, reminders that history is moving somewhere under God’s hand.

So when we see conflict multiply, we should not be shaken as though something strange were happening. Scripture told us this would be so.

And the scale of modern warfare only deepens that awareness.

Today, nine nations are known to possess nuclear weapons, with a global inventory estimated at around 13,000 warheads. The United States is often cited with roughly 5,400, Russia about 5,900, and China approximately 350. The destructive capacity of a single nuclear-armed submarine can exceed multiple times the total explosive power used in World War II. These figures are widely reported by organizations such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and the Federation of American Scientists.

This is the world Jesus spoke about without ever naming its technologies. A world where the means of war expand, but the heart of man remains the same.

Yet here is the surprising center of His teaching. In the face of all this, He says, “See that you are not troubled.”

The word means do not be terrified. Do not let your soul come undone.

How is that possible?

Only because peace, in the biblical sense, is not anchored in circumstances but in God Himself. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You” (Isaiah 26:3). “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

There is, even now, a “time for peace” available to the believer that no war can take away. Jesus said, “In Me you may have peace… In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

And there is a greater peace still to come. He will stop all the wars pretty soon. 

“The LORD.. makes wars cease to the end of the earth” (Psalm 46:9). Isaiah saw the day when “they shall beat their swords into plowshares… neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4). The Prince of Peace will reign (Isaiah 9:6), and the final conflict described in Revelation 19:11–21 will give way to a new creation where “there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:1–4).

Even creation itself will be transformed, as Isaiah’s vision declares: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain” (Isaiah 11:6–9).

So we live between two realities these days.

There is a time for war still because sin still lives in the human heart. War is in many human hearts. There is a time for peace because God offers it now through Christ and will one day establish it forever. He's still the pricne of peace. 

Until then, the calling is clear. Not to panic. Not to grow cold. Not to withdraw into fear. But to become faithful people in an unsteady world.

Jesus did NOT say, "Watch all the wars and get all uptight and anxious inside or have another panic attack." 

Nope He encouraged us simply to come to Him, to abide in Him (righteously, relationally), to grow spiritually in His word, and go proclaim the gospel. “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world… and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

That is the one sign He told us to watch for.

So while nations these days rage on and weapons just multiply, our mission does not change any like Christ promises and message never change. Pray for leaders (1 Timothy 2:1–2). Pray for all men. Honor rightful authority and delegated authorities ..short of sinning (Romans 13:1–4; 1 Peter 2:17. Obey the Word). Seek peace where it can be found (Romans 14:17–19). And walk closely with the Lord, who holds every moment in His sovereign hands. Walk with other growing christians cuz there are still some spiritually healthy local churches. 

In a world that knows both war and the rumors of war, the Christian believer can still know the livng Word (the Lord) and His true written word. Yes, we can know some things much deeper than man's wars and rumors. 

We can enjoy a harmonious union with the God who knows the future and all things. We can ask Him questions too. He doesn't mind. 

Have a settled soul. A guarded heart. A quiet confidence.

Not self-confidence like Peter had, but choose to put your confidence in Him. 

No time to waste. These are your last days and mine. How old are you now? Because the same sovereign God who appoints the times also redeems them, we can fully trust Him. Will you redeem the time that He has given to you? 

With discernment be critiquing ideologies and messages, without dehumanizing individuals. The Bereans checked these things out against the true word of God. Do like they did.

When Compassion Loses Discernment, YIKES! 

Want to Talk about Truth, Tolerance, and the Crisis of Our Moment?

The spiritual battle more and more.. is arriving in Western Countries and the enemies are: Woke-ism or Marxism, combining with Islamism to go after what we call the American way of life.

At first glance, the tripartide alliance seems so surreal—hyper-liberal Woke activism, strands of Marxism, and Islamist movements marching beneath the same banners. These groups that champion their "free radical sexual autonomy" align with ideologies that would silence, imprison, or execute them if given the chance or authority. It feels irrational. Yet history reminds us that moral confusion often masquerades as moral clarity.

Scripture warns us plainly: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). When compassion is severed from truth, it does not liberate—it blinds.

This strange coalition is not driven by coherence but by two powerful forces.

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1. The Seduction-Use of Victimhood

Modern progressive ideology often measures moral authority by victim status. Whoever is perceived as oppressed is assumed righteous; whoever is perceived as powerful is assumed guilty. Over decades, Islamist movements have mastered the language of grievance—framing themselves as perpetually colonized, marginalized, and silenced.

To many on the far Left, this creates an emotional shortcut: “We are victims; they are victims; therefore, they must be our allies.”

But Scripture calls us to discern spirits (and what they say) against the word of God (1 John 4:1). In places like Gaza or Tehran, the same activists chanting slogans in Western streets would face swift persecution. This is not solidarity—it is sentimentality without sight.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer warned of this moral fog when he wrote, “Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice.” History proves him right.

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2. A Shared Hatred of the West

Though their worldviews are mutually incompatible, Islamist ideology and Marxist revolution share a common adversary: Western civilization shaped by Judeo-Christian truth.

Ever heard: "First comes Saturday, then comes Sunday" (in Arabic that's: Min sallaf es-sabt lāqā el-ḥadd qiddāmūh). That's an Islamist slogan of their conquest goals and crazy-rad-goals and aim. 

For Islamism, the goal is conquest and submission—domination in the name of Allah.
For Marxist and neo-Communist movements, the goal is demolition—dismantling capitalism, biblical morality, the traditional family, and national sovereignty.

Their partnership is not philosophical harmony but strategic convenience. As Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of Hamas’s founder, bluntly observed, the radical Left serves as “useful idiots.” One side imagines friendship; the other sees leverage.

Scripture is clear: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3). This alliance walks together only long enough to burn the same house.

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There's Indeed a Civilizational Divide

Christianity makes a singular, audacious claim: truth is ultimate. Jesus Christ is the truth and the only way into God the Father's holy heaven. Come to Him as you are here and now.

Jesus did not merely speak truth—He is Truth. “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14). “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Truth stands above power, above politics, above coercion.

Islamist ideology, by contrast, does not elevate truth as its highest value. Power is ultimate. Expansion is sacred. Deception is permitted if it advances the cause. That is a foreign moral universe to historic Christianity, which commands: “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth” (Ephesians 4:25).

Christians are commanded to follow Jesus. To know the Lord well, and make Him well known, to make disciples—not by force win people to Him, but by persuasion, love, respectful explanation, proclamation, prayer, and transformed lives (Matthew 28:19–20). The gospel advances by obedient witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit, not by fear and the sword.

That is why civilizations shaped by biblical Christianity birthed and protect freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and freedom of religion—principles that Islamism explicitly rejects. You may question Christ. You may mock the church. You may disagree openly. Truth does not fear scrutiny. We will still pray for you to be blessed, saved, and helped in Christ. 

We don't want our worst human enemies to spend all eternity in that real place called Hell or the Lake of Fire! 

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The Dangerous Lie of “Tolerance”

One of the most corrosive ideas of our age is the tolerance of intolerance. It's been the vogue theme of the decade, it seems. 

Emily Schrader rightly observed:

“The tolerance of intolerance is one of the most dangerous trends of the last two years. Left-leaning governments have conflated cracking down on Muslim Brotherhood Islamism with Islamophobia—and that failure protects extremists while endangering Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.”

If Arab Muslim nations have outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood (terrorists), why have Western democracies hesitated with this?

Scripture answers soberly: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). Don't let any sin grow like an algy in your life, town or nation -- it'll grow so ugly, destructive and out of control! 

True tolerance does not mean moral surrender. Timothy Keller wisely noted, “Tolerance isn’t about not having beliefs. It’s about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.”

To tolerate evil is simply not mercy. Adam Smith warned, “Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.” Abraham Lincoln echoed this same truth: “The caring shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat.”

Or as the ancient Jewish Midrash puts it: “He who is merciful to the cruel will end up being cruel to the merciful.”

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Our Response for This Hour? Start on Your Knees in Prayer, Discern and Act Wisely. Know the Worldview God wants You to Have and Clearly Articulate it. 

George Barna research consistently shows that large numbers of professing Christians struggle to articulate their own biblical worldview. That vacuum is quickly filled by strange cultural ideologies. If the Church and local churches do not teach Bible truth clearly, the world will catechize relentlessly starting with your children..even in their schools.

Yet our call is not panic, to fear into paralysis, or to live all agitated inside, or anxious, or hesitant with trepidation, all jittery-nervous with panicky paranoia. — but God's call for you and me is to Himself, to fruitfulness and faithfulness in His Son.

We must speak legally, constructively, kindly, and courageously. Voltaire’s famous line still resonates: “I do not like what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” That principle flows not from secularism, but from a Christian view of conscience.

We are to pray for and respectfully show love to our neighbors (wisely)—including Muslims (with their clear agenda)—while refusing to baptize ideologies that oppose God's truth, liberty, and the gospel message. We distinguish between individuals made in God’s image and belief systems that deny God’s truth. I have Muslim friends I want to win who are far from radicalized. Not yet are they, I hope they never are. My dear friends seem primarily focused on gaining luxury items and wealth right now (that perishable stuff will only leave them empty inside). I really don't want them to miss Jesus and heaven. 

“Truth forever on the scaffold,
Wrong forever on the throne;
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch above His own.”

This is not merely political. It is spiritual. “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12). The battle is for truth, for conscience, for the soul of civilization.

Christians must be neither cruel nor naïve—neither silent nor shrill. No time for any folly. We speak the truth in love, guard the flock, protect our families, or Nation, and welcome the stranger who is legal. We choose to resist all deception and proclaim Christ without any apology.

Because in the end, truth does not need physical force to prevail—only faithful witnesses in Christ.

“Buy the truth, and do not sell it” (Proverbs 23:23). 

Q: Like me have you asked yourself: Why are the Democrats in the USA all-in with combining their Liberalism with Wokeism, Marxism and Islamism to go after our American way of life here in the West? 

Charlie Kirk spoke about this stuff as it relates to reborn Christians here in the West, but this subject is also much broader than that. He said:

"Islam is not compatible in Western Countries. It's not compatible with reference to civilizations. We're talking about the macro-ideology, where many of them gather together and what that metastasizes into. So, I want you to try to filter out any individual interactions because that is a distraction from what is happening. Civilizationally, how is it incompatible number one?

We, as Christians, believe in freedom of speech; we believe that it is our Birthright. Islamists do not believe in freedom of speech. {Period}, you cannot question Muhammad. You cannot make fun of them. You cannot question this day, number two. They do not believe in Freedom, expression, or freedom of religion in Islam.

In their verses (Islamic Koran Surahs) you are allowed to lie, you are allowed to deceive. In front of God, as long as it advances the aims and goals of Islam. You are allowed to masquerade a different version of yourself a foreign concept to those of us as Christians. Because what is the ultimate value claim of Christianity?

It is truth. Because our Lord and savior is truth and truth became flesh. At the top of all of it, it is truth. In Islam, it is not truth. Truth is not the ultimate Islamic value. It's not, it's power. It's domination, subjugation, conquer and conquest. Islam is taking over. By force.

There's a reason why it is a religion of the sword to create a global caliphate. Islam is not compatible with Western Civilization, period. I'm not talking about an individual. We're talking about the macro ideology where many of them gather together and what that metastasizes into." ~ Charlie Kirk

Please be where you live legally, constructively, kindly, and respectfully and say all the ideas you want to speak about.

“I do not like what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” ~ Voltaire

"Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent." ~ Adam Smith

"The (caring) shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's throat..." ~ Abraham Lincoln

“Mercy to the wolves is cruelty to the sheep” ~ Dr. Tim Gray

“Tolerance isn't about not having beliefs. It's about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.” ~ Timothy Keller

"Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil." ~ Thomas Mann

"He who is merciful to the cruel will end up being cruel to the merciful." ~ Jewish, Midrash Tanhuma

To tolerate an injustice of which we are not a victim is not tolerance but indifference or selfishness.

“ Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather, it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.” ~John F. Kennedy

"If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace." ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

"If a profound gulf separates my neighbor's belief from mine, there is always the golden bridge of tolerance." ~ Anon.

"The tolerance of intolerance is one of the most dangerous trends of the last two years. Left-leaning governments have conflated cracking down on Muslim Brotherhood Islamism with Islamophobia and that failure protects extremists while endangering Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. If Arab Muslim countries have outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, then why haven’t the UK and Australia?" ~ Emily Schrader

It's a good question, huh: Why are the US Democrats all-in with combining their Liberalism with Wokeism, Marxism, and Islamism to go after our American way of life here in the West? They don't like being out of power now, but they too, want to dominate and control at any cost. Remember this:

"In Islam, in the Quran's verses, you are allowed to lie, you are allowed to deceive inn front of God, as long as it advances the aims and goals of Islam. Foreign concept to those of us as Christians. In front of God, as long as it advances the aims and goals of Islam. Foreign concept to those of us as Christians. Because what is the ultimate value claim of Christianity? It is truth. Because our Lord and Savior is truth and truth became flesh. At the top of all of it, it is truth. In Islam, it is not truth. Truth is not the ultimate Islamic value. It's not, it's power, it's domination, subjugation, conquer, Conquest. You see, we are called to make Disciples of all Nations. By winning them over by converting them with songs, praise teaching scripture prayer. Islam is taking over. By force. There's a reason why it is a religion of the sword." ~ Charlie Kirk

Plain and simple:  Sharia law is incompatible with American values and the U.S. Constitution. Let's simply say NO. And no to any politicians or religious folk pushing this. Plain and simple: Sharia law is incompatible with American values and the U.S. Constitution. It's not for here:

• Supplanting American Law: During his first presidential campaign and into his 2024 and 2025 terms, Trump has advocated for an "ideological screening test" for immigrants. He stated in August 2016: "Anyone who believes Sharia law supplants American law will not be given an immigrant visa. If you want to join our society, then you must embrace our society, our values and our tolerant way of life".
• Criticism of Western Allies: In a September 2025 address to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump accused European leaders of allowing their countries to "go to Sharia law," specifically targeting London Mayor Sadiq Khan. He warned, "Now they want to go to Sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can’t do that". He further described European immigration policies as "suicidal" and a threat to the survival of the West.
• Ideological Threat: President Trump’s administration officials, such as DNI Tulsi Gabbard, have echoed these true sentiments in 2025, describing Islamist ideology as a "direct threat to our freedom" that seeks to replace Western civilization with "governance by Sharia law".
• National Ban Proposal: In December 2025, reports surfaced that Trump proposed a nationwide ban on Sharia law inside the United States, arguing that parallel legal systems are not admissible in a democratic country. 

"Islam is as dangerous in a man as rabies in a dog" ~ Winston Churchill