In The Name Of Atheism

My previous video/article, “Proof That Christianity Is Harmful?”, was click-bait content in order to drive home a point: atheism is actually harmful for people, not Christianity. In response, someone wrote to me and said, “look up how many have died from 1800 to now by either the hand or command of atheists.”

That’s good advice. Now, for commands, there must be a commander — someone who commands the people who obey the commands. Well, this sounds like GOD and Christians, right? Certainly, atheists have no commander, right?

Secularists, agnostics, and atheists alike all tend to claim that the world would be a better place without religion. After all, who caused the Crusades? Religious people! Who was in charge of the Spanish Inquisition? Religious people! Whose was behind 9/11? Religious people! As if listening to John Lennon’s song “Imagine” on repeat, the godless who are anti-religion seem to sing their secular song that there would be no need for greed or hunger, nothing to kill nor die for, and we would all live in peace. But is this true? Do the facts support this claim? No.

Now, as Christians, we must first admit that manmade religion does possess the potential to create evil in the world. As Christians, we should admit that evil has been created in the name of GOD. However, it is also important to remember that even GOD told us that manmade religion can create evil and it’s detestable in His sight (1Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11-17; Matthew 23:27). Both the prophets and Jesus condemned the rigmarole of religious rituals and pious performances in the name of tiresome tradition, performed out from pride by super-saints. Not everything done in the name of GOD accurately reflects the true teachings of GOD. And that’s why what is descriptive in the Bible does not equate to being prescriptive. What GOD permits through our free will does not equate to what GOD prescribes us to do. There’s a big difference between allowance and approval. All the evil that has been created in the name of Christianity does not accurately reflect what Christianity actually teaches. Thus, if people actually do what GOD actually commands, people will not live evil lives. Instead, they would love GOD, love others as they would love themselves, and even love their enemies. In fact, do you know why I’m making this video? Because I love you enough to tell you the Truth.

Sadly, not all religions can say the same. Groups such as Al Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah are actively killing in the name of Islamic religion today. (There’s a big difference between Islam and Christianity.) Even some Hindu groups such as Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad result in violence as well. (There’s a big difference between Hinduism and Christianity.)

But what about all the violence done in the name of secularism? If religion has to apologize for all the violence done in its name, so should atheism. Manmade religion is not the only cause of evil in the world; in fact, it’s not even close to being the biggest reason for evil in the world. More people have been killed by atheist regimes in the 20th century than in all the religious persecutions of Western history. Mao was responsible for over 40 million deaths, Stalin for more than 20 million, and Hitler’s count is over 10 million. And those are just the big three atheists – we haven’t even mentioned other godless tyrants yet like Pol Pot, Enver Hoxha, Nicolae Ceausescu, Fidel Castro, and Kim Jong-il. In a single century, atheism is responsible for the deaths of more than 100 million people. On the other hand, the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the witch burnings together killed about 200 thousand people. That’s still horrible. But it’s only 0.2% of what godless people have done. Even when self-proclaimed Christians are at their worst, they don’t even achieve 1% of the evil the godless people have achieved. It is not violence done in the name of religion that has caused the most evil in the world, but violence done in the name of atheism.

Secularist violence is the result of humanity playing the role of GOD and doing a horrible job of doing so. All violence done in the name of atheism is in alignment with its beliefs that self-preservation is right because natural selection is survival of the fittest. All violence done in the name of Islam is because Islam teaches conquest. All violence done in the name of Christianity, however, is because those people are not actually practicing what true Christianity teaches. Many people claim to be Christians yet they are far from it. And for those people, the Lord will say to them, “I Never Knew You; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Secularism sees humanity, not GOD, as the measure of all things. Instead of seeing humankind as sinful and in need of redemption (which is evident by their own violence and lack of love), secularism is convinced that humans can become perfect and create utopia here on Earth. Secularist regimes do whatever it takes to achieve this, including taking complete control of society and murdering anyone who gets in the way. Without GOD as the absolute moral standard, we cannot even distinguish between what is good and what is evil.

The facts of history reveal that religion is the cause of only a very small percentage of wars. Two different (one and two) comprehensive encyclopedias about wars (multi-volumes) examined 5 millennia worth of wars and found that only 7% were “religious in nature.” However, if we remove the 66 wars waged in the name of Islam, it cuts the number down to a little more than 3%. Politics and government control, on the other hand, has the secular body count at more than 100 million… in the 20th century alone. It is also the godless who have murdered over 63 million babies in abortions since 1973 Roe v Wade.

So, who are the evil commanders and the wicked people who act out those evil commands? The godless. Now, I do concede to the fact that manmade false religions do cause wars and create some evil in this world. But Christianity is not a ‘religion;’ rather, it is Truth. False religions that exist apart from Truth most certainly do cause wars. And just so you’re aware, the war is constantly waging in your mind. The adversary wants to cover Truth and disguise lies by creating counterfeits so that the lies appear to be true. And that’s why you have consumed propaganda and indoctrination while allowing woke celebrities, wicked professors, and self-professing experts to manipulate your mind and determine your direction. You are in a war whether you realize it or not and whether you like it or not. From advertisements, to entertainment, to “education,” the godless are destroying lives. Do you want the Truth? Here’s the Truth: Jesus is the Truth, the life, the light, and the only way. …The only way. And the Truth is the only way you will ever be set free (John 8:31-32; 14:6).

Now, it is true that the pages of history are stained with the blood of religious violence; however, those same pages are also covered in the blood of Jesus because of His perfect sacrificial love on the cross. So, why does GOD always get blamed when the godless are the cause of most evil in the world? Do you hate evil? Good! So does GOD. That’s why GOD commanded evil to be purged in the Old Testament and why Christ will be returning as the King to purge evil in His second coming. Do you want that utopian life you’ve always desired? Then put your faith in Jesus because He is the Commander who will command evil to be cast out! Jesus is the One who will separate all the evil from the righteous and then cast all the evil into eternal quarantine so that there will be no evil on the new earth under the new heavens (Genesis 1:4; Leviticus 10:10; Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:19; Job 14:4; Ezekiel 44:23; Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; 10:32-33; 12:30,33-37; 13:18-23,37-43,47-50; Luke 13:23-30; Revelation 3:15-16; 20:11-15).

Many atheists claim, “I am my own commander!” No. You are deceived and delusional. It is written in Romans 6:16, “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?”

The godless are not the captains of their own ships; rather, they are the captives of the devil who is the slave owner. You are either a slave to sin or you are a servant of righteousness. The godless believe themselves to be the captains of their ships, but they don’t realize that without the Holy Spirit for a Christ-compass, they travel the wrong direction and sail right into the enemy’s hands. And when they least expect it, the enemy will make it known to them at that time that they were never truly in charge. [video: Captain Phillips, “I’m the captain now”]

The evidence is clear: my previous video revealed that atheism is harmful for people and this article reveals that the godless are the cause of most evil in this world. Choose this day whom you will serve. But as for me, I will serve the Lord.

Spiritual Warfare

Someone wrote to me and asked, “What are the best tips for spiritual warfare according to the Bible?”

That’s a good question. It is quite evident that we are in the last of the last days. Jesus told us that we will recognize the season even if we do not know the exact day nor hour (Matthew 24:33,36). The birth pangs are getting more intense and the time between them is becoming shorter and shorter (Matthew 24:8). Global elitists are uniting together with an evil agenda against the Kingdom of GOD; and worse, the church has been infiltrated and corrupted. We are in the apostasy. Many have fallen away and many are falling away. People are not enduring sound doctrine; they are not remaining faithfully obedient to the Word of GOD; rather, they only want preachers who will tell them what they want to hear so they can pursue pleasure at the expense of their purpose. And so GOD gave them their desire! And now pansy preachers stand behind the pulpit and they pedal lies to the people for the sake of their own profit. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing!

Listen, we are all in a war against evil whether you want to be in it or not. So you might as well be trained and ready for battle. When you received your calling as a Christian, you were drafted into the Kingdom’s army. So, what does the Word of GOD instruct us to do?

James tells us to submit to GOD. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to GOD and He will draw near to you. Do not be double-minded (James 4:7-8).

John tells us, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1John 2:15).

Jesus Himself told us that those who desire to gain the whole world will do so at the expense of their own souls (Mark 8:36).

Paul tells us, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons” (1Corinthians 10:21).

It is for this reason Joshua challenged the entire Israel army: “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

However, no soldier goes out onto the battlefield without first putting on his/her armor. And this is why Paul instructs us, “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints!” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

ARMOR UP!

We need to become warriors of the faith who diligently present ourselves approved to GOD as workers who do not need to be ashamed of the Gospel because we are able to accurately handle the Word of Truth. Now, if anyone desires to be trained up and equipped with the full armor of GOD, I will be teaching this in great detail on my podcast in my Superhero University series. You can find me on Anchor or Spotify under “Pointless Thorns”

Are you a soldier of the Kingdom, or not? Armor up!

Superhero: Righteous League

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

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This is Part 11 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love. In Part 5, we learned that superheroes are solution seekers. In Part 6, we saw that solution seekers are willing to sacrifice if necessary. In Part 7, we saw that sacrificial love steps forward and offers service. In Part 8, we saw that superheroes go above and beyond the call of duty. In Part 9, we saw that superheroes never give up! In Part 10, we saw that superheroes don’t need recognition – they are motivated only by love!

In this message (Part 11), we will see that relationship matters and teamwork works!

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When was the last time you felt a desire to be loved? We all possess an innate desire to be loved. You know this to be true from your own personal experiences, but it is also evident by humankind’s creations and entertainment choices. From books, to music, to movies, love is prominent and even dominant. Even in the hustle and bustle of New York, where busy businessmen buzz by the bystanders to get to the office buildings, love is showcased and seemingly celebrated in the form of a big 13-ft. high sculpture in Manhattan:

Granted, music, books, and movies often confuse love for lust; however, even when people confuse love for lust, love is still the ubiquitous message intended to connect with the audience. But because people often confuse love for lust, it is imperative that we know and understand the definition of love. If you need a reminder as to what defines love, refer back to chapter 3 in this Superhero series: “What Is Love?“

Humans possess an innate desire to be loved because we were all created by Love; GOD is love (1John 4:8,16). GOD – who is Love – created us out from love and for the purpose to love. But because GOD gave us the great gift of free will, relationship matters. In fact, GOD’s Word reveals to us that relationship is more important than religion (Isaiah 1:10-17; 58:6-12; Hosea 6:6; Zechariah 7:4-6; Micah 6:6-8). True religion is relationship with GOD and doing GOD’s will (Matthew 7:21; 12:50; 22:36-40; John 13:34-35; Romans 2:13; James 1:22-25; 1John 2:4). But we can’t do GOD’s will and have a relationship with GOD unless we know GOD (Matthew 16:13-17; John 8:19). Do you know GOD? We can know GOD by knowing GOD’s Word and spending time in prayer. Relationship matters.

GOD gave us the awesome opportunity to experience the greatness of love through relationships. We are not meant to live life alone. If you live life alone, you will end up like the character, Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks), in the 2000 movie, Cast Away, who spent his time talking to a volleyball!

In Genesis 2:18-24, GOD said that it was not good for man to be alone and so He created Eve. And Adam basically responded by saying, “Wow! A suitable companion! A perfect partner!”

Love matters because relationship simply isn’t possible without it. Relationship is a reflection of love and is necessary to showcase a covenant union. And because relationship matters, fellowship matters. All throughout the Bible, it is evident that people need relationship. Even Moses needed others. First and foremost, Moses needed GOD (Exodus 3:11-12). But he also needed Aaron’s strengths in order to help fill in the gaps of his own weaknesses (Exodus 4:10-16). And finally, we see that Moses needed others because he simply couldn’t do everything by himself (Exodus 17:8-13; 18:13-27).

Teamwork makes the dream work! Teamwork works! Consider sports. Boxing and wrestling are solo sports where teammates don’t exist. The upside to solo sports is the fact that you own every victory. The downside to solo sports is that the competitor is never allowed to have a bad day or else he/she loses; in a one-on-one fight, just one bad decision can cause a great upset and loss. The following video reveals some amazing comeback fights in MMA. Take notice that for the person who lost, it took mere seconds within one bad decision to feel the devastating consequences of that bad decision.

However, in sports such as football, soccer, hockey, baseball, and basketball, the individual can have a bad day and still end up winning the game because of the other teammates. In life, we need teammates to help carry us to victory if we ever have a bad day. Consider this example: In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Iron Man saved Spider-Man. Ponder on that. Yes – superheroes save other superheroes. Why? Because no superhero is perfect.

 

Now, examine the three images (above). What do these three images have in common? What message do these three images convey? Well, the Justice League – a fictional group of superheroes – is the altruistic ideal that was created from the same concept by which the historic Peloponnesian League was formed in ancient Greece: The purpose was mutual protection. Greater than the sum of their awe-inspiring parts, an alliance was formed to respond to threats too massive for any single hero. In fact, that’s why the Avengers formed! That’s why X-Men teamed up together! Consider the legendary Spartans who were known for their elite warriors. Each Spartan hoplite came together to form the phalanx; all Spartans came together to act as one Sparta. Leonidas – the leader of Sparta – wasn’t great alone. (He was a great warrior, but that does not make him great.) In fact, Sparta wasn’t able to be great alone and that’s why the Peloponnesian League formed. Think about it: many people consider Superman to be the greatest; however, even Superman chose to be a single link in a mighty chain called the Justice League.

Muhammad Ali is considered to be one of the greatest boxers in history. In fact, during his prime, Ali often proclaimed to both the contender and audience at large, “I am the greatest!” However, in 1981, Ali was forced to admit that he had been defeated and that his body simply could no longer perform as it once had been able to do in the past. Question: if someone is the greatest, how can that person be defeated? Truly, if you can be defeated (and I assure you that you can), then you’re not the greatest.

Therein lies the problem with riding solo: losing is inevitable. The wisdom found in Proverbs 6:6 tells us to consider the ant. Though that specific passage is about work ethic, comparing a person’s laziness to the ants’ diligence, the wisdom to consider the ant still applies for this message. Ants work as a team. Teamwork works! Consider the ant: in a flood, a bunch of ants were discovered floating because they linked together so as not to sink and drown; their unity kept them alive. Together, we can accomplish more than we can accomplish alone.

Christ Himself – who is the greatest – single-handedly defeated evil, conquered death and saved us! However, Jesus also showed us the importance of teamwork by forming the ‘Righteous League,’ which consisted of 12 unique disciples (and then expanded from there). Further, Jesus emphasized the importance of fellowship which highlighted humanity’s inability to live life alone. But then again, GOD made that evident when He created Eve for Adam (Genesis 2:18-24).

The Peloponnesian League remained in existence until the 360s when Corinth and other member states were obliged to quit and separate after Sparta’s defeat by Thebes. But why did the Peloponnesian League fail? The foundation was built on quicksand: Sparta only cared about itself; the alliance was superficial. In stark contrast, it is the selfless and sacrificial love of Jesus that is the ultimate standard by which we should all strive to reflect and connect with others. Christ is the Cornerstone (Isaiah 28:16-17; Ephesians 2:19-21), the foundation on which all creation firmly stands; all other ground is sinking sand.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
(Matthew 7:24-27) -ESV

Examine that comparison. Two different lives. They both build, they both hear, and they both experience the storm of life; however, only one is called wise and survived the storm. The difference is that the wise person took action after hearing Jesus’ words. The wise person lives according to the Word of GOD.

“For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”
(Romans 2:13) -ESV

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
(James 1:22) -ESV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
(Matthew 7:21) -ESV

The point I’m trying to make is that superheroes simply cannot be superheroes if they never take action. Spider-Man would not be a superhero if he knew he should save someone but didn’t do it (James 4:17). It doesn’t matter what you’re capable of doing if you refuse to take action. That’s called wasted potential. Possessing superpowers is useless unless you use them. What good would Superman be if he decided not to use his powers but decided instead to watch television all day? But as we’ve already learned, even an active solo superhero can lose the battle due to one bad decision. Let’s consider the active ants and join together as a team. Even the superhero Ant-Man teamed up with the Wasp. But even if we come together as a team, we need to take action. A phalanx doesn’t remain stationary, hiding behind their shields. An inactive phalanx is as intimidating and ineffective as a turtle that refuses to come out of its shell. A turtle may have a fairly good defense, but how long can its shell withstand the hammer’s blow before cracking under the consistent pressure? Love is active.

The Righteous League’s Leader (Jesus) became the servant and the sacrifice in order to insure the protection of everyone who seeks to be covered; and this is why He is the Savior. From servant, to sacrifice, to Savior, Jesus Christ is the greatest insurance policy you will ever be able to obtain. Nationwide Insurance might claim to be on your side (as their slogan suggests), but they are more like a leech that latches onto your side to suck your blood. Jesus isn’t on your side – He leads the way in front of you, clearing paths before you, yet He also completely covers you! Christ doesn’t take your blood, didn’t require your blood for sacrifice like Sparta demanded of its hoplites; instead, Jesus covered you with His own blood. The Righteous League is not a superficial alliance that easily separates! And why not? Because it is a bond linked together by agape love.

We (Christians) are the Righteous League! Rise in righteousness! Not as a self-righteous and self-proclaimed super saint who believes him/herself to be superior over others – no! In fact, we huddle together in humility, knowing we are saved by grace and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9)! We are not an elite group who excludes others; rather, we invite everyone to join. It’s time to form our own phalanx; however, rather than creating a wall of physical shields that act as barriers and carrying dangerous spears that can take lives, let us hold up our shields of faith as our defense, stand firmly on the foundation of GOD’s Word, and outstretch our arms with love in order to combat evil and save lives. Get into formation! The movement is on the way! Peter instructed us to be sober-minded, alert, to keep watch, and resist the devil (1Peter 5:8-9); James also instructed us to resist the devil (James 4:7). Paul instructed us to put on the full armor of GOD (Ephesians 6:10-20). As a member of the Righteous League, I exhort you to heed the wise advice found in the Word:

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) -NLT

Superheroes desire to be loved as much as they love others and long for meaningful relationships. Spider-Man (Peter Parker) accepted love from Mary Jane Watson and Superman (Clark Kent) accepted love from Lois Lane. Because superheroes are motivated by love, they also long for love. But superheroes don’t just long for eros love, but also phileo love. Batman was a good fighter, but he teamed up with Robin; Iron Man was smart, but he still linked up with the Avengers; even Superman linked up with the Justice League!

As Christians, we should form a phileo phalanx of fellowship, uniting together, holding up the impenetrable shield of faith. We are the Righteous League! We are called to overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:21). That means we are active! We are not turtles who hide in our shells! Turtles that hide in their shells don’t experience life and can’t help anyone. Christians are supposed to be active and more like the fearless Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! And just like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, we are not meant to live life alone! Those found in isolation become victims of the predator who preys upon the lonely. Not only was that true in the 1990 movie of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles where Raphael was targeted because he was alone, but it is also true in nature. Does not the lion hunt the isolated victim? The one who falls behind without covering is highly susceptible to attack.

Don’t allow the predator to prey upon you; instead, pray to GOD for strength and security found through fellowship. And if you need somebody to lean on, then lean on me. And then together, we will lean on the immovable Cornerstone of Christ.

 

Superhero: Never Give Up

 

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…

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This is Part 9 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love. In Part 5, we learned that superheroes are solution seekers. In Part 6, we saw that solution seekers are willing to sacrifice if necessary. In Part 7, we saw that sacrificial love steps forward and offers service. In Part 8, we saw that superheroes go above and beyond the call of duty.

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But what good would it do for a superhero to start traveling the extra mile journey if he/she quits halfway through? If we make a commitment to go the extra mile, then we need to follow through and see that we go the distance to complete the second mile. In this message (Part 9), we will see that superheroes might get tripped up and fall down. Superheroes might even get beaten up and knocked down, but they do not stay down! Superheroes never give up! To help us understand this message, let’s examine two examples from real life situations: boxing and racing.

Boxing: Get Back Up!

Muhammad Ali, who is arguably the greatest boxer of all time, said, “You don’t lose if you get knocked down; you lose if you stay down.” One of the greatest victories I’ve ever seen was in the 2005 boxing match of Corrales vs. Castillo. Corrales got knocked down twice in the 10th round, only to get back up and walk away as the winner:

Another one of my favorite boxing matches was the 1990 match of Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas. Tyson was undefeated and had a 42-0 record. Douglas – the obvious underdog – was knocked down in the 8th round and didn’t even get back up until it was almost too late at the 9-second mark. But in the 10th round, Douglas managed to knock Tyson down and out for the win.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
(2Corinthians 4:8-10) –NIV

We are not impervious to attacks from the enemy. We’re going to get tripped up and fall down. We’re going to get beat up and knocked down. Unless you’re Rocky Marciano or Floyd Mayweather, you’re going to experience a loss at some point in your life. But truth be told, even if you are undefeated in life, you can still lose in death. Are you living life in preparation for death? Rocky Marciano died on August 31, 1969 (the eve of his 46th birthday) in a plane crash. Did Marciano go to Heaven or Hell? Only GOD knows. But even conquerers in life can end up being conquered in death. And this is why it is of utmost importance that we never give up and finish the race well. And if I could tell Floyd Mayweather and anyone else currently undefeated only one thing, I would share this:

“For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”
(Luke 9:25) -ESV

Those who are motivated by money or propelled by the pursuit for power typically stay down if the winnings of their worldly ways comes to an end and they experience a loss. Because if your treasure is only found in this world, you are destined for disappointment.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:19-21) -ESV

Where is your heart? If you know your ‘why,’ then you will refuse to lose, you will get back up, and you will never give up. In a post-fight interview with Buster Douglas, it was later revealed that he won the fight against Mike Tyson because his ‘why’ was more powerful than Tyson’s punches. Only 23 days before the legendary fight took place that took Tyson’s “0” and gave him a “1” in his losses, Douglas’ mother died. Before she died, she told Douglas that he was going to beat Mike Tyson. Simply put, love is what won the fight for Douglas. And truth be told, love is what we need to persevere! Love compels us to get back up and never give up. In the amazing 2005 movie, Cinderella Man, based on the boxer, James Walter Braddock, there’s a scene where the press is asking him why he’s winning fights. Russell Crowe (Braddock) states he knows what he’s fighting for: milk. The motivation behind the action was love for his family. This movie showcases the power of the ‘why.’

Racing: Finish The Race!
A man by the name of John Stephen Akhwari represented Tanzania in the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He wounded his knee and dislocated a joint in a fall, but he got back up and continued the race. He finished last place. By the time he crossed the finish line, it was dark outside and most of the audience had already gone home. When later interviewed and asked why he continued running, he said, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.”

It was the greatest last place finish ever! John Stephen Akhwari didn’t come in first place in that race; however, he was a winner because he finished the race! There are many people in this world who do not finish the race. In fact, suicide prevents many people from finishing the race. Too many people give up before reaching the finish line.

This world teaches that in order to win we must be first or the greatest. But is that true? Even if you are the last person to arrive in Heaven, you still achieved what others who never arrived never achieved. Last place can most certainly be the best finish. In fact, Jesus told us that those who are now last would be first and the first would be last (Matthew 19:30; 20:16; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30). Jesus also told us that If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35).

When John Stephen Akhwari finally finished the race, it was dark outside and most of the audience had already left. And so it is with life. The majority of people that will be around when you start the race might not be there when you finish. Also, people typically only want to be with you during your greatest moments and tend to disappear during your struggles. And when that happens, it may feel like it’s dark outside and the empty bleachers might make you feel as if no one cares. But the people who truly care about you will stay with you while you are down, struggling, and out of the spotlight. But even if you feel alone and abandoned, know that love will help you finish the race so that you may finish well. Be encouraged: Jesus’ disciples abandoned Him when He got arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50). But Jesus’ love for others was the ‘why’ that compelled Him to finish what He started (John 19:30).

As I have written before in one of my songs, I don’t care to win over the crowd – I’m fulfilling all that I have vowed. With or without audience applause, I’m going to do what I do because I do it for the cause. Love compels me to continue and because of that, I care to finish the race so that I may finish well.

I am grateful for John Stephen Akhwari and for many other people like him for being an inspiration and reminding me of what is truly important in life. Indeed, the struggle is real, but our GOD is greater than our problems. What’s truly important is finishing well.

I may not be the best at anything or ever receive praise for any of my efforts, but if I get knocked down, I will always get back up after I fall. I will not stay down. And even if I get injured along the way, I will finish the marathon that is known as life! GOD did not bring me here to merely start my journey – GOD brought me here to finish the race and to finish well! It doesn’t matter how long it will take me to cross the finish line. The goal is to do my best until my last breath.

Persistence, Purpose, Endurance, Eternity:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
(2Timothy 4:7) -ESV

The apostle Paul wrote these words near the end of his life. These three statements reflect Paul’s struggles in preaching the Gospel of Christ and his victory over those struggles. In the 1st century, the Romans celebrated both the Olympic Games and the Isthmian Games. Competitors would spend up to ten months in demanding and difficult physical training. Because the Corinthians were familiar with these events, Paul used the games as an analogy for a believer’s life of faithfulness. He wrote to the church in Corinth saying, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1Corinthians 9:24-25). Paul’s exhortation is that believers should be as focused and dedicated as those ancient runners in the games. Our motivation in serving Christ is much higher; we “run” not for a temporary crown, but for an eternal one. So, by declaring “I have finished the race,” Paul told Timothy that he had put every effort into the work of proclaiming the Gospel. He had completed the course set before him; he had left nothing undone; he did his best. He was ready to cross the finish line into Heaven. And to finish the race well is to experience victory.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
(Hebrews 12:1-2) -ESV

If we are to finish well, we will need persistence with purpose and endurance for eternity. First, we need purposeful persistence in prayer. In seeking GOD’s will, we will find all we need:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
(Matthew 7:7-11) -ESV

But here is the special stipulation to this promise:

“You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
(James 4:2-3) -ESV

Our desires need to be in alignment with GOD’s will. But knowing GOD takes faith, focus, and follow-through. Jesus promises a reward for the passionate pursuit of seeking GOD’s will. We should be asking ourselves three important questions while being persistent in our prayers:

1. What are you asking for?
2. Why are you asking for it?
3. Will it benefit the Kingdom of GOD?

In order to finish the race well, we also need endurance. In fact, GOD calls us to endure until the end. Each of the seven letters to the churches in the book of Revelation contained a promise to the “victor.” In order to receive the promises, you must be a victor. How do we become a victor? Stay in alignment with GOD’s Word and His absolute moral standard! Keep the faith and endure until the end! The only way to be a victor is to fight the good fight, endure it until the end, and finish the race. Everyone who finishes the race will be exhausted, but they will also come into rest. Just as GOD rested from His work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2), we too will come into rest on our ‘seventh day.’ We can picture this life here on Earth as our six days of work and the New Earth under the new heavens will be our seventh day of rest. Everything we accomplish in life here on this Earth within our ‘six days’ falls short of perfection. It is only in our ‘seventh day’ that we will come into perfection and receive rest. Along with the good news of Christ’s return and ultimate victory, the main theme found in the book of Revelation running parallel to the good news is that we must endure until the very end, remaining faithful and obedient (Matthew 10:28; 1Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:14-16; 1Timothy 6:11-16; 2Timothy 4:3-5; Hebrews 10:35-39; 2Peter 1:5-11; Revelation 3:16).

Conclusion:
Remember: opportunistic predators wait until either you are too weak to fight or complacent and cannot see the attack coming. Demons don’t need to beat you while you are at your best; rather, demons simply need to slowly chip away at your defense until you become too tired and weak to defend yourself.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
(1Peter 5:6-10) -ESV

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
(James 4:7-8) -ESV

Satan only cares about the outcome, the final decision. Do not give up. Do not ever give up. We are in it to win it. It’s not over until it’s over. We must finish well. Starting is pointless unless we finish. We must fight the good fight. Get back up, go back in. Love never dies (1Corinthians 13:8).

GOD passionately pursues us with the mission of relentless rescue. And if we are to accurately reflect the love of Christ, we need to go above and beyond in love and endure until the end.

“Bow down to the Lord. He will lift you up.”
(James 4:10) –NIRV

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.”
(Ephesians 3:14-21) -NLT

The person who kneels humbly before GOD can stand up confidently in the name of Christ and resist the devil and watch him flee. GOD provides us with a way to escape temptations and to live through any circumstance until He calls us Home (1Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:11-13). Never give up!

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
(Galatians 6:9) -NLT

Listen! If I can’t inspire you, then I’ll just let Shia LaBeouf do it:

Church History (Introduction)

What does church history look like? When reading and studying the entire history of the church, we must keep our focus on the bigger picture and compare what GOD’s Word actually teaches to what GOD’s people actually did or did not do. There has always been and will always be deviation from Truth and lights that get extinguished from the church, leaving only darkness in some areas and at some times. This all is from the Fall. From Cain murdering his brother, Abel, to the Day of Christ’s return and the battle of Armageddon, GOD’s people and the church will always be forced to shine light through the darkness of this world. Sadly, when evil infiltrates and contaminates GOD’s people, the world is left with doubt about GOD and His Word. And when they look at the stained glass in the church window, they are uncertain if the color red should represent the claim of Christ’s sacrificial blood or the notorious fame of a blood-thirsty mass of supercilious saints who masquerade about with malicious motives and pious performances. GOD’s people must live out a delicate balance of love and Truth. Even the slightest ‘one-degree’ deviation demonstrates demonic deeds that make the world believe blood-saturated saints to be devils in disguise and Christ a mere guise.

This is what church history looks like — it is one long war with many battles of GOD’s people trying to keep the faith, defend Truth, yet all the while correct the mistakes that have tarnished the perfect name of GOD. As representatives of GOD, Christians, with wrong actions, are capable of driving people away from right belief. I recently encountered the trending hashtag on Twitter, “ChurchToo”, which essentially was used for people to share their horrible stories of how church members or church leaders abused their position and power in order to sexually assault people, or mentally or physically abuse people. Are all the accusations true? Probably not. This hashtag popped up only after sexual allegations against celebrities became popular news headlines and Hollywood started devouring itself like a king snake swallowing another snake. Many unbelievers probably took advantage of the situation in order to throw mud on the church. However, many of the “ChurchToo” accusations are undoubtedly true, coming from victims who had once been afraid to speak up but now emboldened to do so because of what’s happening in Hollywood. It is all a sobering reminder of the real problem of sin in this world and humanity’s inability to save themselves. While reading and studying church history, it is important to keep in mind the bigger picture of the Creator’s original design and intent, the Fall, and the purpose of Christ to reunite the creation with Creator. Keep these following points in mind while reading and studying church history:

• Humanity’s inability and often refusal to abide by the absolute moral standard does not prove GOD’s standard to be wrong, it only reveals that the Law is good and necessary (read Romans 7).
• Purity is good & commendable, which is highlighted by the uproar against immorality. The Law is good and necessary, which is highlighted by the uproar against injustice.
• The church is not a country club for saints but a hospital for sinners (read Matthew 9:11-13). The church is not a place for perfect people, but for finite and fallible fallen people who need a perfect GOD.
• Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone needs Jesus, all the time, even those in the church — especially those in the church.
• The church is not above correction; in fact, all Christians should be held to a higher standard because they should know better (read James 3:1; 4:17).
• We should not confuse the problem of sin with the only solution of Jesus and the absolute moral standard as being the problem. The mistakes of humanity are not accurate reflections of the character quality of the perfect GOD.
• To purge the church of sin is to restore the church to righteousness; restored churches will help victims heal from pseudo-saints.
• Sin is the problem, not the church, unless sin is in the church, then the church becomes a problem, but not the problem.

It all leads back to the beginning and we must keep our focus on the bigger picture and compare what GOD’s Word actually teaches to what GOD’s people actually did or did not do. For it is GOD’s Word and only GOD’s Word that should define how the church is to be both operated and viewed. And with that said, may GOD’s light of Truth shine as you read and study even the darkest periods of the church and remember that the church is the purified Bride of Christ at the end of days. View the church as a total makeover transformation, much like we have seen on reality television shows. The church is to be viewed as a whole and seen as Christ will see her at the end of days — she’s beautiful! Just as individual humans have had bad pasts before becoming good later in life, the church is the same. Just as individual humans have seemed ugly prior to receiving a total makeover transformation and then looking marvelous, the church is the same. Don’t judge the church by her past, judge the church by who she strives to become and who Jesus tells us she will be. Church history reveals the growth of the church. Just as Abraham’s descendants are beyond counting (Genesis 15:5), the church started out with a dozen disciples and it will end with a countless number (Revelation 7:9). Don’t judge a sequoia tree by the sprout or seed — only in its final stage will you know what its glorious state will be.

If you are already a Christian, then church history is your family history. Studying church history is like opening a photo album with commentary and exploring family heritage. If you are a Christian and do not know church history, it is imperative that you take the journey to learn the past. Our past history will help mature us for the future by rooting us in reality, replacing ignorance with Truth, and opening us up to understanding of what actually happened rather than us assuming what might have happened or what we wished would have happened. The beauty of church history is that it enables us to learn from past mistakes, which will help us to grow in righteousness and help us to stay in alignment. Church history provides us with perspective and helps us plan for our purpose. As you learn church history, may you be in awe of GOD’s faithfulness despite humanity’s unfaithfulness. Though church history is the study of the works of men and women, it is ultimately the study of the work of GOD.

[ Read: Church History – Part 1 ]