Satan - Authority Given By God

Authority is a very important issue for God. His is the ultimate authority, but He also puts others in authority over us in the forms of all areas of government, our parents, teachers, husbands etc. And all "authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 13:1-2 And we're told in Daniel that it's God alone who "sets up kings and deposes them." Daniel 2:21.

Even after God took the Kingdom from Saul and his line and gave it to David and even though Saul repeatedly tried to kill him, David refused to take any action against Saul or even to say anything evil against him. Saul was still on the throne and was put there by God. David understood since God put Saul on the throne it was up to God alone to remove Saul. Until then, David could only wait to be crowned. Even after Saul was dead, any disrespect against the former king, which was ultimately disrespectful to God's authority, was punished severely ( 2 Samuel 1:4-10).

Authority and authority figures are not something to take lightly. The only time we are to disobey those who have authority over us are when their laws go against God's. Otherwise, we must be respectful to all in authority, honor their position and be obedient. Doing so is highly honoring to God. If we're wronged, we're to take it to God only, trusting Him and waiting for Him to act.

Without naming names, it's common to see and hear mainstream Christianity railing against Satan and his demons. Everything from "we bind you devil!" and "I'm stomping on you Satan!" to outright slander. It's so common that it's accepted as the norm. But is this condoned in the Bible?

First, we need to understand a few things about Satan. He was and still is an angel. Ezekiel 28 explains the origins of Satan and his fall. From it we learn Lucifer was the most beautiful and wisest of created beings. He was perfect in every way (Ezekiel 28:15) He was the most powerful of God's created beings and he had to be because he dwelt in the presence of God constantly. Lucifer was the worship leader in Heaven (Ezekiel 28:16). The chapter then goes on to describe Lucifer's fall and what caused it. Verse 15 says "iniquity" was found in him. Iniquity in the Hebrew is evel and it means perversion and wickedness. Verse 17 goes on to say "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth".

Isaiah also described the scene of Lucifer's fall and being thrown out of Heaven, "How you have fallen from heaven,O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth," Isaiah 14:12. Isaiah then tells us exactly what kind of perversion was found in Lucifer's heart, Isaiah 14: 13-14 "You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' "

He wanted to be God and he thought he was qualified. He wanted to be worshiped and he still does. He prefers direct worship, but will take proxy worship as well.

Genesis 3:4 Satan deceived Eve by taking what God said...the truth and twisting it. He first questioned her about what God said. Then he made it seem she hadn't really heard Adam right and got it wrong. Then he said God didn't really mean what He said. He distorted the truth, lied to her and manipulated her until she believed him. Once she disobeyed God he had Adam too.

Notice that he went after Eve and not Adam. Adam was the head, the leader, so he went after weaker Eve knowing she would be easier to deceive and he'd get Adam through her. Ultimately, Adam was held responsible as the authority figure. Instead of obeying God he rebelled.

Didn't Satan realize he was a creature and not the Creator? Didn't he realize that God is Almighty and he could never win against Him? Who knows? But Satan's character is an example of what excessive pride does to a person. He thought he was smarter, stronger, better looking and more capable than God and in Ezekiel 28:17 it says his heart became proud. He became the very first Narcissist.

According to Revelation 12:4, Lucifer was not the only one thrown out of Heaven. A third of the angels were thrown out too. Lucifer was causing a rebellion in Heaven. Following their mutiny they were all tossed out. That's a lot of angels! There are billions of angelic hosts so we can gather hundreds of millions were kicked out. This isn't describing being escorted out of heaven, it's more along the lines of being picked up an literally thrown out and this great eviction took place not long after the earth was created.

Lucifer lost his place and position in Heaven. He lost his authority as the guardian cherub and worship leader and was stripped of his glory, but he's not gone yet. His day hasn't come for destruction.

God could have wiped out Adam and Eve, destroyed Satan and started over, but He chose not to. This could be for a number of reasons. Instead He allowed Satan and man to continue in this state until His own appointed time. In John 14:30 Satan is referred to by Jesus as the Prince of this world. In 2 Corinthians 4:4 he's also called the god of this age. Prince and god, even with a lower case 'g' are titles of authority and are used by Christ Himself and backed up by Scripture.

"'The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, 'I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.'" Luke 4:5-6 

Satan made a stunning declaration here to Christ and Christ did not dispute his claim. Not only does Satan have power and authority over the entire world, but it's also been given to him by God. His rule is limited and has an expiration date, but nevertheless, he is the ruler of this world and all things in the world are under his dominion and jurisdiction. From mankind to the world's philosophy. When the time comes to remove him, God alone will do it.

Lucifer is far more powerful than man could ever be, but he's not all powerful. He's far more intelligent than man could ever be, but he's not all knowing. He's faster then man will ever be, but he can't be everywhere at once. Lucifer is still only a created angel with delusions of grandeur. Once again, his position in the earth is at God's good pleasure. So how are we supposed to deal with Satan? We're not. 1 John 4:4 makes the distinction that it is the Holy Spirit in us that is greater than he that's in the world. We are not to engage him in any way. "For the battle is not yours, but God's." 2 Chronicles 20:15 


Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong not in ourselves, but in God alone and His power and strength when we're attacked by him because only God can handle Satan. We are simply to resist him by standing firm in the faith Ephesian 6:13-14 and putting on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11) not to fight, but to "take your stand against the devil’s schemes". No where in Scripture are we ever told to do "battle" with Satan. Studying what the armor itself means and is used for is valuable. We are to resist him (James 4:7) by standing firm whenever and where ever he assembles an attack against us. His attacks are for the purpose to bring us down so we are ineffective for God. When he attacks we're not to slander him, stomp around yelling at him. Stand firm and keep our eyes focused on God who does the fighting for us.

As I stated earlier, engaging Satan and slandering him has become common especially among false teachers and false prophets who are notorious for it and encourage their followers to do the same. 2 Peter chapter 2 is dedicated to these corrupt teachers...

2 Peter 2:10-12
"He (God) is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling. But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings."

Peter says they despise authority then he follows it with scoffing at angels without fear. Satan has lost his position in Heaven and his authority there, but he is still an authority figure in the earth and is being allowed  to keep it until God's appointed time. Who are they scoffing at? Supernatural beings. Who are the Supernatural beings? Satan and his angels. Peter draws the distinction between the two by stating that God's angels don't dare to do such a thing.

Jude 1:8-9
"In the same way, these people--who claim authority from their dreams--live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

Now Jude uses the term defy authority and scoff at supernatural beings. Then he tells us even Michael would never do such a thing. In the moment Michael found himself arguing with Satan over Moses' body, he invoked the Lord's name to rebuke Satan. In Revelation 12 it was Michael and and his warring angels that threw Satan and his bunch out of Heaven. It's also Michael who will be the one to chain Satan up for a thousand years. Yet, Michael never disrespected Satan. Michael not only recognized the limited time of Satan's authority given by God, but he also still recognized Satan's previous authority when he was second in command. If Michael and the angels show restraint how much more should we? We are to recognize all authority whether it's demonic or human and never lash out against it. Instead we're to trust God.

2 Kings 24-25 records the account of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar who conquered Judah, Jerusalem it's capital, destroyed Solomon's Temple, and took the people of Judah to Babylon in 586 B.C. Jeremiah the Prophet was raised up by God long before this was to happen. In a state of constant disobedience to God's Law, God warned Judah he would exact the consequences of the Law against them for disobedience and He'd do it using the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and take them into exile. He begged the people to repent and turn from their sin through Jeremiah. Jeremiah prophesied for 40 years regarding God's punishment if the people didn't turn back and they wouldn't listen.

For 40 years Judah accused Jeremiah of being a false prophet. For 40 years they refused to listen to him truly believing God would never use the Babylonians, a people more wicked then they were, a pagan people to punish them for their sins. The Babylonians were God's enemies. They couldn't comprehend such a thing. Suddenly the time comes and God raises up Babylon and uses them to punish Judah. It's too late for repentance. Most absolutely refused anyway.

There's no denying Jeremiah was a real prophet now. The Babylonians have arrived! Then King Zedekiah musters all fighting people and tells them they can withstand the attack from their enemies. That's not what God had in mind. Jeremiah 38 tells us Jeremiah comes on the scene and tells them they were not to fight. Instead they must give in to the Babylonians. God tells the people if they will submit to the Babylonians they would be taken in exile to Babylon for 70 years and all would be well with them. After 70 years they would be allowed to return to the land.

They think Jeremiah has completely lost his mind. Still Jeremiah kept warning them that whoever fights against the Babylonians God will fight against them and destroy them. Whoever submits will live. Was God now considering the Babylonians friends when he ordered this? Of course not. The Babylonians were still God's enemies, but submission to the Babylonians meant submission to God and His discipline against Judah for its sin. Babylon was simply the agent God used to discipline Judah.

Likewise, Satan can only do what God allows him to do (Job 1).  God is always in control. In 1 Peter 1:6-9 Peter is telling Christians who were suffering persecution to submit to God even in the harsh trials and set their hope on Him. They were not to fight back against their persecutors, but to bless them and pray for them Romans 12:14 and Matthew 5:44 and submit to God, His plans, His wisdom, His will and His Sovereignty. Their persecutors were being allowed to carry out their plans by God against the Christians for purposes of discipline, training in righteousness, teaching, purification and to bring each person closer to God in relationship. Just as with the Babylonians, God will sometimes allow Satan to succeed for a time,  using him as an agent and to fight back is fighting God. Though Satan intends evil, God will use it for our good in the long run.

Daniel 10 describes an incident where Gabriel was sent to give Daniel a message, but was opposed in Persia by a fallen angel only called the Prince of Persia. This wasn't Satan himself, but one of his co-mutiny angels. This angel was one of many "Generals" that acts as a sort of Governor for Satan over different nations. This angel opposed Gabriel for 21 days and wouldn't let him pass to deliver his message. Finally, Michael was sent to restrain the Prince of Persia so Gabriel could carry out his mission. Again, we get an example of authority figures even in the demonic.

We're not to submit to Satan and his angels. That's rebellion against God. We are to submit to God and rely on Him in faith to fight for us. We're not to fight back whether against demons or humans. If angels, by example, and Scripture tell us to show restraint with Satan and demons then we should listen. Anything other than that is disdainful, disrespectful and sinful to God and will only bring about judgment on ourselves. He has allowed these positions of authority whether good or bad, human or not. It's not esteeming Satan, it's esteeming God when we place our trust in His prerogatives and His Sovereign rule.

David

In Samuel 13:14 God referred to David as a man after His own heart. What made David special to God? Was he without sin? Nope. David made some huge blunders as King. To name just a few, there's the murder of Bathsheba's husband Uriah for example. Not to mention committing adultery with Bathsheba (Solomon's mother). He not only got Uriah's wife pregnant, but he tried to trick Uriah by getting him drunk so he'd go home to his wife and they could pass off the baby as Uriah's. When that didn't work David sent Uriah back to the front lines and told Joab through a note that when the battle picked up to have the men back away from Uriah so he'd be killed. As if that's not bad enough, David sent that note to Joab by Uriah himself. The poor man carried his own death sentence back to the battle and didn't even know it.

There's also the census he took (2 Samuel) in Israel out of pride so he could boast in his kingdom as if he made it, exalted it and sustained it himself. Then later in life we know he was a slack father. His kids ran amok and he didn't discipline them. He didn't even defend his daughter Tamar when her brother Amnon raped her. Remember Absalom his son? He took vengeance on Amnon for the rape...something David should have done. Then later Absalom caused a rebellion and usurp David.

What made David so special to God was David repented. He was humble and when he sinned he admitted it. Because David was humble he was teachable.

When Nathan the prophet went to David about Bathsheba, David admitted his guilt, humbled himself, repented and turned away from his sin. He accepted the punishment God measured out by taking the baby she was pregnant with, but because David repented, God gave them Solomon who eventually took the throne. In every instance David humbled himself to God. That's what made David special. That's what made him the apple of God's eyes and it's not something all of us can't reach. We all sin. We all blow it. But when we're humble and we repent when we've sinned, no matter how embarrassing or crushing to our pride it might be, that's when God looks at us too and says "they're after My own heart".

He's not a tame lion

CS Lewis wrote that in the "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" concerning Aslan the Lion

If you don't know who CS Lewis is then I'll tell you! lol CS Lewis was not only (and still is) a highly respected theologian but also wrote the books (which are now movies) "The Chronicles of Narnia". He's dead now but his books (nonfiction and fiction alike) are still widely read

CS Lewis based his fiction books on the Bible and Bible characters. For example Aslan the Lion represented Jesus "the Lion from the tribe of Judah" Rev 5:5. But he made no truer statement about Him when he said "He's not a tame lion" but we're not only taught otherwise we conjure up this tame idea about Him ourselves. Part of it is ignorance and part of it is fear

Often times because God doesn't take immediate action on evil or sin we get this idea that He's indifferent to evil. Indifferent to sin especially our sin. We don't equate this with mercy, compassion, understanding and patience because He knows we are just dust (Psalm 103:14) and can be easily consumed (Lamentations 3:22) No we equate it with

1. He doesn't care
2. He's like us
3. God is good so that makes him a giant sappy pushover sitting in the heavens

It's our own sinful nature that settles on this idea about God. When we think of "Holy" we think "Good" and "Loving". We love to think of him with the above characteristics but we don't really think about those characteristics. We throw them around about our own sin. We throw them around about others but the idea of "patient" alone should tell us that at some point patience runs out!

Anyone possessing those qualities will be bulldozed by others. It's in us all to take kindness, compassion, patience, mercy for weakness and we will take advantage of someone like that long before we don't. It's our nature to do that! And we do the same thing to God. The fact that He's merciful doesn't make us stop in our tracks with reverent respect for Him. It makes us take advantage. It doesn't make us question why He's merciful or why we need mercy. It just drives us to presume His mercy, expect it and demand it even

We're know the stories of Jesus being born of a virgin in a lowly stable. We know He was born to die. We're ok with it that He was meek, humble, kind and good. He was indeed loving. But the corrosive idea rampant now is He was some long haired hippy giving everyone the peace sign and chanting "make love not war man!" We're even ok with the idea that He was God in the flesh but we're not ok with justice. O we want justice when we've been wronged! But we don't want justice about our wrongs

We like the idea of Jesus being "the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world." (John 1:29) We like the idea of him walking around saying all these nice things and carrying a helpless, fluffy lamb. Those are so nifty! It also makes God harmless and we like that

The same God that appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai, sent the plagues, slaughtered 23,000 Jews in a single swoop is the same God that took on human flesh, willingly was beaten severely and then went to the cross to die for us, to pay our debt to God, to save a people for Himself when He brings destruction and damnation. To satisfy His own laws, Holiness, justice and wrath cause we aren't capable of doing it ourselves. The same God described as the sacrificial Lamb is also called the Lion

There are over 330 prophecies in the OT just about Jesus's first coming and every single one of them were fulfilled down to the smallest detail. There are twice as many prophecies about His second coming...that's right I said TWICE as many. The second coming will be nothing like the first. This docile being will descend as the rightful King over the earth. And as any king must conquer and subdue his kingdom so must this King

This Lamb will return as the Lion. This Lamb is described as coming to conquer and damn. This Lamb is described as slaughtering most of the population of the planet. It will be completely one sided like a 2 year old trying to take on a ferocious, starving lion. His robes are described as dripping with blood (Rev 19:13). The earth will be covered is corpses...the blood so high and so much that it reaches the bridle of a horse (Rev 14:20)

Does this sound like a hippy, lamb carrying push over to you? That's a conquering King, that's an Emperor coming to dominate and to slaughter! He is described as bolting out of Heaven in an affront, ferocious, vengeful, wrathful offensive...He means to ride down and annihilate his enemies being absolutely ruthless in His execution of justice

This is not something that will happen in secret. This conquering King will make Alexander the Great look like a 2 year old playing army! He promises that when He comes back every eye (Rev 1:7)...ya every single person will see Him coming. It won't take place in secret where only a lucky few know. That kind of scene is setting people up for manipulation and brain washing. Especially when Jesus warned specifically that many false Christ's will come and we're not to believe them or follow them (Matthew 24). Then He followed it with the statement everyone will see Him coming. Scholars have even debated whether his descent with an army of angelic hosts following him will in fact be an all day event. As the earth rotates every person will see His awesome, vast, procession out of Heaven

I've heard people say "I believe that on the day of Judgment if I'm truly sorry for my sins He will forgive me and let me into Heaven."

There's no reason to live according to what God demands. They already have it in their heads He's merciful therefore if they cry, beg and are really sorry He'll totally go against everything He's commanded, every part of His Word and let them stroll into Heaven. That's man! That's the sinful nature

I recently told a woman in Romania who said "You know on the day of judgment that is going to be the only time you and everyone whose ever lived will be truly sorry for anything. If you think God will let you in based on that then what's the point of commandments? What's the point of Law? What's the point of sacrifice? What was the point of Jesus?"

Then I pointed out in the book of Ezekiel where God said on the day of His judgment He will have neither mercy or pity. Then I took her through the Bible where that day is described as a day of absolute horror for most people. The way it's described is billions will be wailing, screaming, begging, crying, gnashing their teeth in sheer, unadulterated horror and terror as they're judged before the living God, sentenced then drug off to hell(Matthew 13)

They won't go quietly! They will be fighting, clawing at the floor, screaming, forced into eternal destruction. Does that sound like a scene of calm, peace and mercy to you? It even goes on to describe those who will be entering heaven standing by and watching the madness...crying themselves as they witness their loved ones, friends, family, children, spouses being thrown into hell (Rev 21). Can you imagine how many of those will be wailing themselves and screaming out to them "I told you! I warned you! Why didn't you listen to me?! WHY?!!!"

We often think because we're not hurting anyone else and also because God has taken no action against us that He's OK with what we do. Psalm 50 destroys that concept...

"What right have you to recite My laws
or take my covenant on your lips?

You hate My instruction
and cast My words behind you.

When you see a thief, you join with him;
you throw in your lot with adulterers.

You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.

You speak continually against your brother
and slander your own mother's son.

These things you have done and I kept silent;
you thought I was altogether like you.
But I will rebuke you
and accuse you to your face.

Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you"

Does that sound like an indifferent, sappy, laid back, uninvolved, just like us, tame God? Does that sound like a God that thinks like us, talks like us, acts like us? Absolutely not. That sounds like a Holy God!

Because He is Holy He must judge sin. Because He is Holy, He must be righteous and punish sin. Because He is Holy He must be wrathful. He wouldn't be Just if He didn't judge and punish. The same God that John said "is Love" in 1 John 4:8 is also the same God that destroyed the earth and most people by flood. The same God is who merciful and compassionate is also the same God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and all it's inhabitants except for Lot and family. The same God that is patient and kind is also the same God who sent the plagues on Egypt. The same God who is understanding and long suffering is also the same God who will pour out His wrath again and destroy the earth by fire and send most people to hell. The same God who is giving, generous and good is also the same God who says He will tear us to pieces. He has to! He must!

Would you love a God who was ok with evil? Would you love a God who didn't hold a rapist, child molester, murderer, abuser accountable? Would you love a God who was indifferent to suffering? I couldn't and you couldn't either

So we search for God all our lives...groping in the dark like blind children whether we claim to be religious or not. Whether we believe in God or not. We're still searching for Him constantly. We know He's there. He's given us the ability to sense Him, to know He's there and no matter how we search and in what ways we're all still just looking for Him but the question is what kind of God are we looking for?

A God of our own making that's really nothing but an idol? Something we've conjured up in our heads or something we've been taught since we were babies. We think He's just like us. We think He thinks just like we do, He acts and talks just like us and if He doesn't He's ok with how we act, think and talk because He's not demanding. He's understanding of our awkwardness, failures and sins and He's happy to sit in the corner we assign Him until we need Him. Then He can pop out like some genie from a lamp and say "your wish is my command". The problem is in all our searching we're looking for the wrong thing. We're chasing and groping for our own small, ignorant, dark, silly, man-like ideas. We want to bring God down to our level and He's no where near our level. We want God to meet our standards when the truth is God refuses to lower Himself to our standards! Instead He demands and commands that we meet HIS standards

I saw a cartoon once of a character chasing a small animal into a dark place. He threw in a rope and it latched on to something. With all his might he pulled and pulled trying to drag the small animal out but instead what came out was a monstrous, huge animal. The character turned white, his eyes popped, his arms fell limp and he ran away in terror. That's not what he was looking for. That's not what he thought he hooked

We throw in our own hooks in our search never really expecting something to pull back. We don't really expect there is a life, a Person, a very much real Being that catches the other end and we freeze like kids sitting around telling ghost stories who suddenly get quiet at the noise in the hall. Is it real? Is something really out there? Then we get scared and throw down the cord. We really don't want to find out because for a brief moment we suddenly realize what's at the other end may not be what we want or expect. We didn't really want it to come to that did we? To come to a moment that we suddenly face what we were searching for. A sense of dread comes and we remember the old saying "be careful what you wish for. You may get it"

We want God but we become petrified at the thought of the real God at the other end and instead of pulling back He suddenly approaches at the speed of light like a thundering bolt. As we drop the cord we realize it's too late...He's suddenly found us

An encounter with the real living God is life changing. It changes your entire perspective and rocks your very existence to the core. You are suddenly forced against your own will to face reality and not something we've created limited to our own view of the world from our corner of the planet. Instead something infinitely greater than we could have ever imagined. Something so powerful, majestic, awesome, terrifying and alien to us that our minds would sooner melt than reach any tiny drops of understanding about the Being at the other end

There is no possible way the creature can stay the same after having come in contact with its Creator. Life changes. The mind suddenly goes through a complete twisting and overhaul without your consent! The world you once knew so well and trusted has suddenly become so tiny, dark, insignificant and seems to vanish before such a Being. This is not what you expected! But this King of Kings is infinitely superior to anything you could have ever created in your own mind. And you suddenly must face the fact that this Being doesn't live, breathe and exist at your whim, at your idea, at your command, at your little spot in the universe. You exist only for Him! As your mind bends and you fight to wrap your brain around what you're facing and the truth. As you struggle to come to some kind of grips with what every fiber of your being always believed to be true you instantly must face the shocking reality...that you lived an entire lie. You believed an complete lie. Your entire life was built around a lie

This is what keeps us from searching too deeply. We look long enough then come up with an idea about God we can handle...we can deal with...one that is to our liking and we settle with that because we know deep inside that if we look to hard we may have to face something we really don't want to face. Ignorance truly is bliss and we prefer ignorance to truth even if that willful ignorance destroys us later

He is no tame lion and all of our ideas about God are warped because we are warped creatures. How can you ask a blind man who has been blind since birth to understand the color blue as you do? But we must be willing to be taught. We must be willing to face truth. We must be willing to know that what's at the other end won't be what we wanted, expected and believed. We must not expect a fuzzy harmless bunny to come crawling out of its hole. The search for God is really about God searching for you. You've entered the territory of the Lion. He can smell you, He can hear you and when you throw our your rope don't let go

The Shepherd to His Love

Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That valleys, groves, hills, and fields,
Woods or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the rocks,
Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow rivers to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.

And I will make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of th purest gold;

A belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me and be my love.

The shepherds' swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my love.

-Christopher Marlowe

101 Reasons

Post moved

America will never fall to enemy outside. It will collapse from within

KUHNER: Will America break up?
Abortion threatens to split the nation like slavery

By Jeffrey T. Kuhner

President Obama is splintering America. The passage of Obamacare was a historic victory for liberal governance. Yet, its true cost may be that it triggers the eventual breakup of the country.

Mr. Obama has achieved what his liberal predecessors - Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Bill Clinton - could only dream of: nationalized health care. Obamacare signifies the government take-over of one-sixth of the U.S. economy. It has dealt a mortal blow to traditional America. We are now a European-style socialist welfare state. The inevitable permanent tax hikes, massive public bureaucracy and liberal ruling elites will stifle competition and initiative.

Republicans vow to repeal Obamacare. Their past record, however, leaves many conservatives rightly skeptical. Since FDR's New Deal, Big-Government liberalism has been on the march - Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Education. The Republican Party has been unable to roll back the tide of statism. In fact, under Richard Nixon and both George Bushes, Great Society Republicans have been complicit in erecting a nanny state.

Socialism is the road to economic ruin and fiscal bankruptcy. It subverts democracy, threatening the very future of our constitutional republic. Socialist states degenerate into some form of autocracy or technocratic neo-feudalism, whereby the productive class is taxed and exploited to sustain a growing dependent class. Factions are pitted against each other; groups vie for handouts at the expense of their fellow citizens. The bonds of economic union and national solidarity slowly dissolve.

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not," warned Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson was right: Redistributionist welfare policies are undermining our democracy. The resentments in America are growing. Tea Partiers believe that their government no longer represents their interests or values. The heartland is becoming dangerously alienated from the political class, whom it feels has betrayed them.

Obamacare may be the last straw. It strips away fundamental economic liberties, empowering the federal government to de facto nationalize everyone's body by controlling our health. Americans are compelled - upon pain of penalty and eventual imprisonment - to purchase insurance.

Moreover, the law codifies the federal funding of abortion. Taxpayer dollars will be used to subsidize the murder of innocent life. Hence, Mr. Obama has violated the social compact: He has abrogated the conscience of pro-lifers, making them tacitly complicit in the slaughter of the unborn. Obamacare is a radical assault upon fundamental religious freedoms.

The Obama revolution threatens to tear America apart. This has happened before. Slavery eventually triggered the Civil War between the industrial North and the agrarian South. Abortion is the slavery of our time - the denying of basic human rights to an entire category of people.

The bitter debate over Obamacare has exposed the country's profound divisions. We are no longer one nation or one people. Rather, there are now two Americas: one conservative, the other liberal. Increasingly, we no longer just disagree but we despise each other.

Our disagreements encompass everything - politics, morality, culture and history. We no longer share a unifying essence or common values. One half of America believes abortion is an abomination; the other half considers any attempt to repeal it as oppressive and sexist. One half opposes homosexual unions because it elevates immoral and unnatural behavior to the sacred status of marriage; the other half supports it as an extension of civil rights. One half reviles Mr. Obama's socialist agenda, viewing it as the destruction of capitalism and our constitutional government; the other half embraces it as the culmination of social justice and economic equality. One half reveres America's heroes - Christopher Columbus, George Washington, James Madison, Davy Crockett - and its glorious history; the other half is ashamed of its past, seeing it as characterized by racism, imperialism and chauvinism.

Ultimately, a country is not simply its geographical borders with the people inside of it. It is something more - and deeper. A nation must share a common heritage, language, culture, faith and myths. Once upon a time, Americans celebrated the same heroes, sang the same patriotic songs, read the same history and literature, and gloried in its exceptional nature: a city upon a hill, with liberty and freedom for all. It was understood that, for all of our different ethnic and religious backgrounds, America is a product of English and Christian civilization. Those days are long gone.

Instead, we are going the way our Founding Fathers warned us against: increasing balkanization and sectionalism. A constitutional republic - unlike an empire - is only as strong as its national cohesion. It is based not on imperial coercion but civic consent. Mr. Obama is recklessly pulling at the strings of unity, further polarizing us.

In confronting Obamacare, state sovereignty, states' rights and state nullification of federal laws are being asserted. This is what happened in the 1830s and 1840s. They are the signs of growing political anarchy and social frustration - people can only be pushed so far. Mr. Obama's drive for a socialist super-state threatens America's very existence. As Jefferson warned about slavery, it is time we start ringing the "fire bell in the night."

"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold," wrote William Butler Yeats. "Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world."

Conservatives will not be passive in this onslaught on all our core values. Mr. Obama's true legacy may be that he divides us deeper than ever before - unless he abandons his revolutionary project.

Paul Washer to atheists and other religions

the other guy is a translator and was edited out...don't mind him lol

It will cost you everything

Steve Lawson


It Will Cost You Everything from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

Ravi Zacharias debates a Muslim

Ravi Zacharias debates a Muslim. It's not a preplanned debate but something that happens on the spot. This is an amazing vid and something everyone should watch no matter what religion they follow. I gotta hand it to the Muslim...he wasn't afraid to debate someone like Ravi who is considered the greatest theologian and apologist of our time. He also wasn't afraid to hear the responses concerning Islam and Christianity he got from Ravi or to consider what was shown him. So many times Christians, Muslim, Jews whatever are afraid to hear the other side cuz whether they admit it or not they're actually afraid that their beliefs will be torn down or shaken. We can't be afraid of that! Someone told me that those people who went on to do amazing things in the world are those who had their beliefs and worldviews shaken violently

video fixed! I believe this debate took place at University of Michigan

A real friend

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" -Proverbs 17:17

"a friend loves at all times. During times of trouble, difficulty or conflict we need people we can rely on and who will be there for us. when the people you know go thru this what kind of friend will you be? will you be a runner because conditions aren't pleasing or comfortable for you or will you stand by them...will you be there when they need you? a real friend will stand by them no matter what...thru good times and the worst

you may be the only person they have...the only one who sticks around and what a huge difference it will make just knowing they have you if and when they need you :)