"We see, in many a land, the proudest dynasties and tyrannies still crushing, with their mountain weight, every free motion of the Consciences and hearts of men. We see, on the other hand, the truest heroism for the right and the greatest devotion to the Truth in hearts that God has touched. We have a work to do, as great as our forefathers and, perhaps, far greater. The enemies of Truth are more numerous and subtle than ever and the needs of the Church are greater than at any preceding time. If we are not debtors to the present, then men were never debtors to their age and their time. Brethren, we are debtors to the hour in which we live. Oh, that we might stamp it with Truth and that God might help us to impress upon its wings some proof that it has not flown by neglected and unheeded." -- C.H. Spurgeon . . . "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31, 32 . . . . .

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Sunday, December 10, 2017

THE SEVEN MOUNTAINS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD - PART 2 of 2


~ By James Fire


HEBREWS 12:18-29
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet, once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet, once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore, receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

In this second part of the article THE SEVEN MOUNTAINS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, we will consider more mountains representative of the kingdom of God - and of Israel. In the first half we already looked at four of them, so we will turn our attention to the other three.

Read more!

Saturday, December 9, 2017

THE SEVEN MOUNTAINS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD - PART 1 of 2


~ By James Fire

That which is known as the NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION Movement believes the church must dominate all aspects of this world, ‘Christianizing’ it by instilling Christian beliefs and morals (even if there is no genuine salvation). This movement holds to the false doctrine of Dominionism, meaning that until the church achieves dominion over all the world, Christ cannot come back to rule and reign.

There are seven ‘mountains’ or domains that NAR wants to dominate in this world: 
1) Education 2) Religion 3) Family 4) Business 5) Government/Military 6) Arts/Entertainment and 7) Media.

The reason I bring this up is because I want to talk about Seven Mountains in the Holy Scriptures, both Old Testament and New, but before I do, it must be made absolutely clear that this has NOTHING to do with NAR doctrine or the bad theology behind Dominionism.

HEBREWS 12:18-29
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet, once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet, once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore, receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Mountains are quite often a symbol in the Scriptures for the Kingdom of God and in a lesser sense, the various kingdoms of this world. It makes sense to use a mountain as a symbol for the Kingdom of God. The ‘King of the Mountain’ is Jesus – because He is the servant of all, taking the lowest place, and willingly offered Himself as our sacrifice on the Hill of Golgotha.

Those who prove to be the most faithful (note: NOT more successful) in their service to the LORD will rank higher in the Kingdom (MATT 23:11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.); the less faithful ranking lower.
We read about how the Kingdom of God will come about and the Messiah will rule and reign – and it isn’t by the church ‘taking charge in Jesus Name’.

Read more!

Friday, December 8, 2017

GOSPEL PRESENTATION – TURNING POINT TOWARDS ETERNITY


Life is full of turning points; we have all experienced them; where our life was heading in a certain direction, then an event happened, or a decision was made, and it affected the remainder of our life by going in a different direction. 

Sometimes we wonder, had we made a different decision in life, where it would have led.
Turning points include the choices we make: in who we make friends with, what hobbies or activities we engage in, where we go to school, what we major in, in college; what job we take, where we decide to move to, who we marry. All these decisions affect the path of life we are on. Turning points can lead to great blessing or terrible tragedy . . .

Read more!

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

WALKING WITHOUT STUMBLING – PART 2 of 5: SAMUEL: FAITHFUL JUDGE and PROPHET

A Five Part Series Examining the Lives of Samson, Samuel, Saul, Solomon and the Savior

~ by James Fire

Moses had been dead a long time ago; Joshua, who led the children of Israel into the Promised Land was gone as well. In their place GOD raised up various ‘Judges’ who were defenders of the nation against foreign powers, such as the Philistines. The likes of Samson and Jephthah and others. Then came Samuel, who was also a prophet as well as a priest.
This is the account of this man of GOD; his strengths, his weaknesses, his high points and low. We begin with his mother, Hannah, before Samuel was even born. . .

1 SAMUEL 1:9-11
9 So Hannah arose after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the tabernacle of the LORD. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish. 11 Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head
" (And Hannah makes good on her promise as we see in vs. 22, 27-28).

Read more!

Saturday, November 25, 2017

WALKING WITHOUT STUMBLING: PART 1 of 5 - The LIFE and TIMES of SAMSON The JUDGE of ISRAEL

~ By James Fire

A Five Part Series Examining the Lives of Samson, Samuel, Saul, Solomon and the Savior

The Scripture admonishes us as believers to “walk in the Spirit” and by so doing, we will not “fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (GAL 5:16). 

We want to walk in victory, in the life that the Spirit gives to us, without stumbling, and falling into sin.

This is not to say that we will ever – (while in these corrupted bodies upon which the curse of sin remains until they too, like our hearts, are redeemed at the coming of the LORD; ROM 8:23) – walk in sinless perfection, as is believed by some, but that we are to grow in the knowledge and grace of our LORD and in holiness (2 PET 3:18; 2 COR 7:1).

Just as babes take their first steps, they tumble and fall as they teeter, trying to gain a sense of balance and coordination but grow and mature and finally walk effortlessly with assured confidence; we also as saints, should mature spiritually until we walk with assured confidence in Christ and His enabling Spirit. 

Yet just as we adults may still stumble and fall occasionally, so too we saints may do so. It should be the aim of every disciple of Christ to establish safeguards and parameters, lessons and living in such a way that promote a walk without stumbling.

In this study we will examine the lives of five men; their challenges, struggles, weaknesses, their downfalls as well as their victories and successes: Samson, who was a Judge of Israel; Samuel who was also a judge as well as a prophet of Israel; Saul, the first King of Israel; Solomon, the second King of Israel from the tribe of Judah and finally the LORD Jesus Christ the Messiah and Ultimate King of Judah – in whom there was never any downfall, though He had met many challenges, and succeeded with unequaled supremacy!

Read more!

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

The GOSPEL of MATTHEW: Ch. 26 – Part 2 The MESSIAH and HIS KINGDOM MESSAGE

By James Fire

We left off in the first half of MATTHEW 26 where the LORD dropped a bomb-shell on His beloved – basically declaring that He would soon die by the most excruciating means possible: crucifixion (MATT 20:19).
Peter made an oath, that though all the others might be offended in Him, He would never be (and the other disciples said likewise). The LORD prophesied that he would deny Him not just once or even twice, but three times!
The LORD lets it rest and leads His followers to Gethsemane – and we witness all of that which transpires; everything from the unlawful trials He went through, the Satanic influences that inflamed the Sanhedrin as well as the society in Jerusalem – this is where we pick up on PART 2:

Read more!

Sunday, October 29, 2017

The MILLENNIUM: REIGN of the MESSIAH - Part TEN


By James Fire

Previously, after a brief interlude of treating the idea of national Israel being reborn and brought back into the land as the expressed plan and purpose of God, and how such prophecy clearly indicated that this would happen, and has, we now return to the primary subject of this ongoing series, the Millennial Reign of the Messiah.

Read more!

Monday, October 2, 2017

The GOSPEL of MATTHEW: Ch. 26 – Part 1 The MESSIAH and HIS KINGDOM MESSAGE

By James Fire

We all have hopes, dreams, even ambitions that we look to in our future; aspirations for greatness can be a tremendous motivator to ‘give it all we got’ in making our dream a reality.
When these apostles were just fishermen, tax collectors, carpenters and what not, the most they probably hoped for was a fairly prosperous life, being successful at their trade, blessed in their families and friends.

How surprised, shocked even, they must have been when this One, Jesus of Nazareth beckoned them to follow Him. Gradually they came to know Him as a man Who was unique above all others, with remarkable power, wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures; they recognized Him as prophet, but eventually, as the very Messiah of Israel.
From that point on, they realized that they had it made! These twelve were specifically chosen to be leaders in the Messianic Kingdom, the reborn Kingdom of Israel in accordance with the Davidic Covenant! This far exceeded their wildest expectations – but then came the events as we find here in MATTHEW 26. To say that their dreams and aspirations were crushed would be a horrendous understatement . . .

Read more!

Monday, September 4, 2017

The PORTENT of PERSECUTION and PERILOUS TIMES

By James Fire

This is not my typical sort of article to write – when it comes to political commentary and our biblical perspective on such, in light of what the Bible says is in store for the church of Jesus Christ, that’s usually Anne Kisly’s – my co-writer – sort of thing.

Be that as it may, this subject is coming up more and more frequently and as Christians, particularly American Christians, we need to keep our eyes open, aware of the country’s political/social climate, and understand the times in which we live (1 CHRON 12:32).
We realize that most of the church, in most nations, during most of her 2000-year history has suffered, to one degree or another, persecution; and most especially from the various religious groups and idolaters of this world.

America has been one of the exceptions in history . . . so far.

Read more!

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The GOSPEL of MATTHEW: Ch. 25 – The MESSIAH and HIS KINGDOM MESSAGE

By James Fire

At the risk of repeating myself, ad nauseum, may I beg your indulgence in reminding us all that the Gospel of Matthew is directed towards a particular people group: the nation of Israel.
Each Gospel account has a different audience it is appealing to. The portrait of Jesus in this Gospel is specifically as the coming King of Israel, Who is intent on establishing the kingdom of Israel, once the sins of Israel were paid in full by His own Holy blood.

Yet they rejected their Messiah – nevertheless, He paid for all of their sins, as well as for all the sins of the world.
In these kingdom parables, the church is often seen as the subject, however, if one examines the text and rightly identifies who the church is, who Israel is, who the Gentiles are, then one can understand who these are in the parables of the kingdom of Israel.

MATTHEW 25:1-5
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept

Read more!

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

The NARROW VIEW of the SCRIPTURES

By James Fire

Rebuttal to: Why Teaching Your Child to Read the Bible Literally Might Destroy Them… Literally.

Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence and/or reality, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations. Its primary tenet is simply, “truth is that which corresponds to reality”. Or putting it another way, “the truth is that which is true.”
In language, we incorporate significance to words as they correspond with reality. If I write the word ‘house’ – in your mind you picture some semblance of a house with walls, a roof, windows and doors. If I write the word, ‘happy’ you think of the condition and experience of being agreeably content and feelings of well-being.

We can therefore attribute a literal meaning to words, but they can also express a certain figurative meaning as well. When you thought of the word ‘house’ it could have a figurative meaning, in that it could express the idea of a real family lineage, as Joseph and Mary were “of the house of David”. Obviously, they didn’t live in King David’s house, but rather they were, in reality, his descendants.

Read more!

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

BEWARE OF LEAVEN!!!

By James Fire

In Mark’s Gospel, chapter 8, the LORD Jesus fed four thousand hungry souls by miraculously multiplying some bread and fish. He did the same thing earlier in His ministry and fed 5000 (MATT 14:21).

After feeding the multitude in Mark’s account, the Pharisees approached Him and sought a miraculous sign from heaven, for which He rebukes them (having already performed this incredible miracle which they just witnessed).

He and His disciples then leave them all, and get into a boat to depart to the other side of the sea of Galilee. While in the boat, the LORD charged them:

MARK 8:15
15 . . . saying, ‘Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod’.


Read more!

Sunday, July 30, 2017

The BIBLICAL MODEL of MAN - ULTIMATELY in The SON of MAN!


By James Fire

Let us consider the “first Adam” (1 COR 15:45) = Ah-dawm “Man”. The creation of God as the ideal and the model of man prior to the fall. The following list begins with the letter “I” and addresses Adam’s condition and qualities prior to the fall:
Read more!

Monday, July 3, 2017

AFTER HIS KIND

By James Fire

We live in an amazing time of rapidly increasing technology. There are some Sociologists who refer to our current time period as a 'technocracy' – where our culture and everyday life is intricately interwoven with our technology and governed by technological experts, particularly where computers and the Internet are concerned. The level of advancement in computing power and information processing in our day and age is staggering.

Consider:


Everyone today has a smart phone, with micro-miniaturized circuitry that enables these palm sized gadgets to function as hand-held computers. The average smart phone in 2016 has more computing power than the NASA Command Center had during the days of the Apollo missions to the Moon back in the 1960’s!

Read more!

Saturday, July 1, 2017

The GOSPEL of MATTHEW: Ch. 24 – The MESSIAH and HIS KINGDOM MESSAGE

By James Fire

The LORD, after His triumphant entry into the City of Peace, riding humbly on a donkey left the people of Jerusalem with a solemn warning. They would not see Him again (once His mission of atoning for the sins of the world was completed), until His return to Earth, greeted by their worshipful hails of “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”. He spoke of His protective guard over His people being removed, and the desolation of the land.

Immediately afterwards, we come to chapter 24 in the Gospel account, and it seems that the LORD and His disciples are departing from the Temple, and He Who build all of creation both the seen and the unseen is given a tour by them of the constructed monument built by Herod the Great. I would presume He wasn’t all that impressed . . . 

Again, the LORD issues another solemn warning which entails the destruction of the Temple – and this happened in 70 AD by order of Caesar, which was carried out by General Titus Vespasian.  

This stunning declaration prompted the disciples to ask three questions: When will these things be (the destruction of the Temple)? What shall be the sign of the LORD’s coming (The LORD’s return which He spoke of previously in Chapter 23), and of the end of the world (age)?

Read more!

Sunday, June 25, 2017

TTUF REVIEW of – WONDER WOMAN: A Heroine Whose Time Has Come

~ by James Fire

Wonder Woman is a 2017 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, directed by Patty Jenkins, with a screenplay by Allan Heinberg, from a story by Heinberg, Zack Snyder and Jason Fuchs, and stars Gal Gadot as the titular character with Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen, and Elena Anaya in supporting roles. Wonder Woman is the second live action theatrical film featuring the titular character, following her debut in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Jenkins' role as director makes her the first female director of a studio superhero movie.

Wonder Woman was released in the United States on June 2, 2017. It received positive reviews from critics, with many praising Jenkins' direction, Gadot and Pine's performances as well as the screenplay, action sequences, and musical score. It is the first film in the DCEU to receive generally positive reviews. The film set records for the biggest domestic opening for a female director ($103.3 million) and the biggest opening for a woman-led comic book film. It has grossed over $598 million worldwide, making it the sixth highest-grossing film of 2017.

A SYNOPSIS Of the Film based on this Wikipedia article 
In present-day Paris, Diana Prince receives a World War I-era photographic plate couriered by Wayne Enterprises and recalls her past . . .

Diana was born and raised on the hidden Amazon island of Themyscira, home to the Amazon race of warrior women created by the gods of Mount Olympus to protect humankind. In the distant past, Ares, the god of war, slew all his fellow gods, but his father, Zeus, struck him down. Before succumbing to his injuries, Zeus left the Amazons a weapon capable of killing his renegade son: the Godkiller, which Diana believes to be a ceremonial sword. Queen Hippolyta, Diana's mother, believes that Ares will never return and forbids Diana from training as a warrior, but Diana and her aunt General Antiope defy the queen and begin training in secret. When the two are discovered by Hippolyta, Antiope convinces her sister to allow Diana's training to continue.

Set in 1918 during World War I, the film tells the story of Princess Diana (Gal Gadot), who as a young woman, rescues American pilot Captain Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) after his plane crashes off the coast of Themyscira.

The island is soon invaded by a German landing party pursuing Steve. The Amazons engage and kill the German soldiers. Interrogated with the Lasso of Hestia, Steve reveals that he is an Allied spy in the fight against Germany and that he stole a notebook with valuable information regarding the manufacture of a deadlier form of mustard gas under the orders of General Erich Ludendorff. Believing Ares is responsible for the war; Diana then leaves her home, armed with the ceremonial sword to end the conflict, destroy Ares and becomes Wonder Woman in the process.

Arriving in London, they deliver the notebook to the Supreme War Council, including Sir Patrick Morgan, where Diana translates the notes and reveals that the Germans plan to release the deadly gas at the war front. Steve is forbidden by his commanders to act, but with secret funding from Sir Patrick, recruits some men to help prevent the gas from being released. When the team reaches the Western Front in Belgium, they are halted by the enemy lines of No Man's Land but Diana pushes through and rallies the Allied forces to liberate the village of Veld.

A gala is held at the nearby German High Command and Steve infiltrates the party, intending to locate the gas and destroy it. Diana, however is intent on killing Ludendorff who she believes is really Ares and that by doing so will end the war. Steve stops her to avoid jeopardizing the mission. Ludendorff unleashes the gas on Veld, killing its inhabitants. Diana blames Steve for intervening and pursues Ludendorff to a base where the gas is being loaded into a Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI bound for London. Diana fights and kills Ludendorff but is confused when his death does not stop the war.

Sir Patrick appears and reveals himself as Ares and tells Diana that although he has subtly given humans ideas and inspirations, it is ultimately their decision to cause violence as they are inherently corrupt. Destroying the ceremonial sword, Ares tells Diana she is the true Godkiller, as she is the daughter of Zeus. Ares tries to persuade Diana to help him destroy humankind to restore paradise on Earth but while the two battle, the rest of Steve's team try to destroy Maru's laboratory, Steve pilots the bomber carrying the gas to a safe altitude and detonates it, sacrificing himself in the process. Ares attempts to harness Diana's rage and grief at Steve's death by convincing her to kill Maru, the creator of the deadly gas, but Diana's memories of Steve inspire her to decide that humans have good within them, and she spares Maru before destroying Ares. Back in London, the nation celebrates the end of the war.

In the present day, Diana sends an e-mail to Bruce Wayne thanking him for the photographic plate of her and Steve and reaffirms her mission to protect the world as Wonder Woman.
HER SHOCKING BEGINNINGS

Dr. William Moulton Marston*, an internationally famous psychologist, was her creator, having fashioned this character who became as popular as her male counterparts, Superman and Batman, in 1942. In his own words, “Frankly, Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who, I believe, should rule the world.”

*- PROFILE ON MARSTON:
Dr. Marston held three degrees from Harvard, including a PhD in psychology [was also] a lawyer, a scientist and a professor. He is generally credited with inventing the lie detector test: He was obsessed with uncovering other people’s secrets. He’d been a consulting psychologist for Universal Pictures. He’d written screenplays, a novel and dozens of magazine articles)

Olive Richard” was the pen name of Olive Byrne, who lived an adulterous lifestyle with him. She was also the niece of Margaret Sanger, (she and Marston kept their ties with Sanger a secret)
,  one of the most important feminists of the 20th century. In 1916, Sanger and her sister, Ethel Byrne, Olive Byrne’s mother, had opened the first birth-control clinic in the United States.

When Marston created Wonder Woman, in 1941, he drew on Sanger’s legacy and inspiration. But he was also determined to keep the influence of Sanger on Wonder Woman a secret
.
At a time when war was ravaging Europe, comic books celebrated violence, even sexual violence. In 1940, the Chicago Daily News called comics a “national disgrace.” “Ten million copies of these sex-horror serials are sold every month,” wrote the newspaper’s literary editor, calling for parents and teachers to ban the comics, “unless we want a coming generation even more ferocious than the present one.”

Marston and Wonder Woman were pivotal to the creation of what became DC Comics; in 1941 he submitted a draft of his first script, explaining the “under-meaning” of Wonder Woman’s Amazonian origins in ancient Greece, where men had kept women in chains, until they broke free and escaped. “The NEW WOMEN thus freed and strengthened by supporting themselves (on Paradise Island) developed enormous physical and mental power.” His comic, he said, was meant to chronicle “a great movement now under way—the growth in the power of women.”

And yet Marston seemed obsessed with describing scenes to artists involving Wonder Woman in bondage: “In his original scripts, Marston described scenes of bondage in careful, intimate detail with utmost precision.” He said himself that “the secret of woman’s allure is that women enjoy submission—being bound.”

One Army General who read the Wonder Woman comics was aroused to see her regularly bound; the editors for the comic were concerned about these scenes depicted among its pages, and showed the General’s letters to Marston, who replied,

“I have the letter in which he expresses his enthusiasm over chains for women—so what?” As a practicing clinical psychologist, he said, he was unimpressed. “You can’t have a real woman character in any form of fiction without touching off a great many readers’ erotic fancies. Which is swell, I say.”

The shocking beginnings and scripts of Wonder Woman gets even darker than this – for those who want to investigate this further, read the entire article upon which this section is based. 

There came a day though when there was a ‘clean-up for comics’:
“In the wake of the 1954 hearings, DC Comics removed Bender from its editorial advisory board, and the Comics Magazine Association of America adopted a new code . Under its terms, comic books could contain nothing cruel: “All scenes of horror, excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust, sadism, masochism shall not be permitted.” There could be nothing kinky: “Illicit sex relations are neither to be hinted at nor portrayed. Violent love scenes as well as sexual abnormalities are unacceptable.” And there could be nothing unconventional: “The treatment of love-romance stories shall emphasize the value of the home and the sanctity of marriage.”

From that time on, until our more recent history, comics towed the line where morality was upheld and respected. It seems however, that among today’s comics – or the more preferred term – graphic novels are becoming more, well, graphic!

The recent film LOGAN, the third solo film of X-Men character, Wolverine received an R rating, and for good reason: the violence and mayhem was unprecedented in a superhero film (and for that reason I passed on seeing this one!). You can see these gory scenes on youtube clips if you have the stomach for it – I don’t recommend it however.

In the comics, the son of Wolverine named Daken is an openly practicing bi-sexual. And the violence factor has stepped way up, most notably among the super-hero video games.

FOCUSING On The FILM

This is a period piece that harks back to early 20th century and the producers did an excellent job of creating lavish sets that depicted life in those days. The choreography, lighting and visual feel of the film was captivating – as was the sense of movement and timing. The fabric of the film felt very much like another film based on that period, War Horse
.

Think of Wonder Woman as a combination of the two Marvel films, Thor and Captain America. Thor for its references to ‘the gods’ and mythic legend, and Captain America for its superhero in the midst of a war story – and she even carries a shield like Cap’!

One scene after another shows Wonder Woman charging fearlessly into battle, facing off myriads of armed soldiers and inspiring Allied troops to follow her and breach the impenetrable German blockade that was known as No Man’s Land – go figure, that it took a woman to go boldly where no man could go before her!

In a moment of righteous rage, she hoists up a tank and and with epic strength throws it at her enemies! And yet for all her feats of marvelous intrepidity and physical strength, what attracted me to this more modern incarnation of Wonder Woman, was that she never allowed her super-human abilities to compromise her femininity, her heart of compassion and sympathy that women have in abundance, exceeding what is typically observed in the average man; and in her case specifically sets her apart from her male super hero counterparts.

Throughout the film she says things like:

I will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves . . . [At one point Steve Trevor tries to discourage Diana from charging out into No Man’s Land, saying it’s a hopeless situation trying to save all the Allied soldiers, and her response is:]
Diana Prince: So... what? So, we do nothing?
Steve Trevor: No, we are doing something! We are! We just... we can't save everyone in this war. This is not what we came here to do.
Diana Prince: No. But it's what I'm going to do. I cannot stand by while innocent lives are lost!

It was her unswerving allegiance to justice and caring for those too weak to defend themselves against oppression, giving her a kind of maternal motivation in protecting others which Gal Gadot, the actress that portrays Wonder Woman in both Dawn of Justice
 and her debut solo film did with such believable heart and conviction.

There is of course the prevailing theme of ‘gods and monsters’ in this film, as has lived in legend and myth among ancient civilizations, comprising of the pantheon of the gods and demi-gods – all of which is, I believe, a warping of the GENESIS 6 account. 

As I have mentioned in other articles – like the TTUF article on Thor which comments on the film industry (particularly super-hero movies) that this concept could be used by the enemy of the church to promote the idea of such ‘super-hero’- style “mighty men of great renown” are actually good, and to be admired . . . even worshiped?

This article by no means wishes to express any such ideas. However, there are some statements made in the film that are worthy of examination.

In the Man of Steel film, the theme was “hope” (The ‘S’ symbol on Superman’s chest, on his homeworld of Krypton signified hope). In the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice film, the theme was “faith” (Bruce Wayne had lost faith in having allies, being betrayed repeatedly by those who were sworn for the cause of right, only to turn to become a villain; case in point – Harvey Dent, aka Two Face. But by the end of the film, Wayne’s faith in allies was restored). In Wonder Woman, the theme was “love” (She held the conviction that not brute force, but love will save the world) – and there we see the triad of faith, hope and love as spoken of in 1 COR 13:13.

At different points of the film, the idea of “being worthy” and “deserving” is brought up:
Queen Hippolyta, Diana's mother said to her on the eve of her departure from their Island Paradise to join in the war against evil, “Be careful in the world of men, Diana. They do not deserve you. You have been my greatest love. Today, you are my greatest sorrow.”
In raising a toast to their successful secret mission, one of Steve Trevor’s team members added:

Charlie: May we get what we want...
Steve Trevor: ...and may we get what we need.
Sameer: But may we never get what we deserve.

Ares/Sir Patrick says to Diana regarding the creator of the deadly gas to be used in the war: “Destroy her, Diana. You know that she deserves it. They all do.”

Diana Prince: [in tears] My mother was right about the world, they said they didn't deserve me...
Steve Trevor: Maybe it's not what you deserve, but what you believe. I believe that this war should end. If you believe the same, then help me stop it! Help me, please!

And in the final scene in the battle between Ares and Diana/Wonder Woman, the villain implores her that man does not deserve mercy and to join forces with him to wipe out mankind and all of the corruption he has wrought, she responds with:

Diana Prince: It’s not about what they deserve. It's about what you believe. And I believe in love. Only love will truly save the world.
And her last statement at the end of the film:

Diana Prince: I used to want to save the world. To end war and bring peace to mankind. But then, I glimpsed the darkness that lives within their light. I learned that inside every one of them, there will always be both. The choice each must make for themselves - something no hero will ever defeat. And now I know... that only love can truly save the world. So, I stay. I fight, and I give... for the world I know can be. This is my mission now. Forever.

I have said so many times – justice is getting exactly what you deserve; mercy is not getting what you deserve; and grace is getting something that you don’t deserve.

The film touches on the corruption of man, particularly where the lust for war, wealth and violence is concerned. Diana falsely assumes that it’s entirely Ares’ doing (who fills the role of Satan*, as it were) that mankind hates and kills – but as Ares said in the film,

“I am not the god of war. I am the god of truth. Mankind stole this world from us and ruined it day by day... I’ve been whispering into their ear—ideas for weapons... but I don’t control them.”

*- Incidentally, Mars or Ares is the god of war in ancient mythology; in Babylon, he is referred to as Ba’al or Beelzebub (MATT 12:24), which biblically is a type and in some cases a synonym for Satan himself.

So, none of us can say, “the devil made me do it” because while he can provoke and entice and within certain God-ordained boundaries, drive fallen humanity into depravity, deception and destruction, it is essentially man’s own heart that is destructive and wicked and must be dealt with.

The film would have us believe that both good and evil exist in all of humanity and that we must choose on an individual basis which way they will follow: the light or the dark.
The Scriptures are evident in their declaration that the heart of man is purely wicked (JER 17:9; MARK 7:21; 2 PET 2:14) and that no choice we make can bring us to a ‘self-improved’, ‘evolved state’ of betterment.

The only choice we can make to be truly free of the darkness is to call upon the LORD and seek Him, at the leading of His Holy Spirit, for deliverance:

ROMANS 10:13
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 PETER 2:9-10
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy
.

And along with mercy, and believing – despite what we justly deserve, which is holy judgment at the hand of God – in love, and biblically speaking, the love of God, and what sacrifice He made on our behalf (and not the other way around as the pagan gods demand in their blood lust) we who know the LORD understand that this is the very heart of the GOSPEL.

PSALM 103:9-11
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear
[revere] him.

TITUS 3:4-6
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour
;

ROMANS 4:5-8
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin
.

ACTS 16:31
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house
.

JOHN 3:15-19
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil
.

The idea of love that is redemptive is the very message that God delivered to us in His Word. That Wonder Woman carries the same theme – albeit, a love that we as a race are supposed to allow to shine as the inherent light within ourselves that cuts through our own darkness, and thus a kind of self-redemption – is certainly something that we can relate to those who have seen this film and use it as a launching point in sharing the love of God.

That love through which the only One Whose Love led Him to the cross at Calvary, where He took upon Himself the entirety of evil and sin that thrives in the hearts of humanity as well as the Judgment of God against such and allowed the road of righteousness to be opened for our traversing into the Kingdom of God. The LORD Jesus Christ is no mere ‘super-hero, He is LORD, Savior and God made flesh, but if He were, He’d be the ‘Super-est’ Hero of them all!

We shall see more of Wonder Woman, along with Batman, Superman as well as Aquaman, the Flash and Cyborg in the upcoming Zack Snyder Justice League film.
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Monday, June 12, 2017

The GOSPEL of MATTHEW: Ch. 23 – The MESSIAH and HIS KINGDOM MESSAGE

By James Fire

When those who speak the truth, do so out of a sincere heart to correct an error, or some misconduct, there are always others who will say “Judge not, lest ye be judged!” or “where’s the love?” Frankly speaking, there are those who tend to lean more heavily on the side of truth than on grace, and vice versa. The One and Only Who ever had these two in perfect balance is the LORD Jesus Christ (JOHN 1:17).

There is an increasing tendency today in the church to sacrifice truth ‘in the name of love’ and ‘unity’. As well as this there are among those involved in discernment ministries, some who are cut-throats in the name of truth, well-nigh barren of any grace.

Yet it is the truth that unites us (EPH 4:13), based on the truth of God’s Word (JOHN 17:17) and the Spirit of Truth (JOHN 14:17; 15:26). Nothing could be more loving and compassionate than to tell someone the truth, though it may hurt, though it may bring discomfort, or alarm. People in a burning building will appreciate a person who yells out, “fire!” when there is one. An ailing patient will be grateful to the doctor who truthfully tells them that they have cancer – and prepares them for treatment.

Jesus is God made flesh (JOHN 1:1-3,14), and we know that God is love (1 JOHN 4:8). Here in the Twenty-third chapter of MATTHEW’s Gospel, we have Love Incarnate saying these things, which, when you think about it, is astounding! If you and I were to say such things, we would probably need to get our blood pressure checked! These words that the LORD speaks, cuts to the bone, and indeed, the Word of God does divide asunder between the soul and spirit and the joints [bones] and marrow (HEB 4:12), but He is saying them in perfect truth and perfect love. Perfectly balanced.
Let us hear what Love Incarnate is saying, and let us not be dismayed if we find some of these things convict us.

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Sunday, May 14, 2017

Hindered Prayers: Part 7 And Final Thoughts

By Pastor Sonny Islas
Afterword by James Fire


We’ve learned a handful of reasons why our prayers may be hindered. And if we desire to have a rich prayer life, we must take heed to scripture. When we walk contrary to God’s Word, God walks contrary to us (LEV 26:23,24) and therefore puts our prayers on hold. 
LEVITICUS 26:19 says, And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:

When Israel refused to obey God’s Word, they experienced Drought and Barrenness – And if we don’t take heed to God’s Word we too will not enjoy the rain and fruit of answered prayers. We don’t want our prayers ricocheting off an iron heaven to a brass earth (where we’re sending up prayers but they’re just bouncing right back!) – like a paddle ball or a game of tether ball.

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Saturday, May 13, 2017

FOUNDED ON THE ROCK: The Sure Foundation of the Saints

By James Fire

ISAIAH 59:13-15
13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.


Since our society has pretty much committed familicide on all the members and relatives (pardon the pun) of ABSOLUTE TRUTH – those members being justice, integrity, honor, righteousness and many others, it seems even the professing church isn’t even flinching when unbiblical, false teachings and practises are introduced and embraced by its members! It’s no wonder that the Emergent Church Movement has been welcomed with open arms! And the New Apostolic Reformation Movement, and the Word of Faith Movement and the Hebrew Roots Movement, and so many others in this apostate age!
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Sunday, April 23, 2017

The MILLENNIUM: REIGN of the MESSIAH - Part NINE

By James Fire

For some 1800 years after the diaspora of the Jews from their native land of Israel in 70 AD, the idea of a Millennial Kingdom established in the nation promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob where the Messiah would rule His people Israel (LUKE 1:32-33), even among the most competent of Bible scholars, seemed unlikely. The Jewish people were dispersed throughout the world. The land known as ‘Palestine’ (a name created by Israel’s enemies) was a barren wasteland of parched, dusty deserts and malaria infested swamps. Muslims who owned much of the land around major cities would apply a tax on any tree that the Jews had on their properties to promote further desolation.

Very few pastors and teachers taught that Israel would be reborn, but those who took the Word of God seriously, understood that her day would be coming prior to the Second Advent of Christ!
But before we continue in this series on the Millennial Reign of Christ, I want to address this issue of Israel’s rebirth as a nation (there are some, even professing Christians, who deny the authenticity of the State of Israel and dismiss it out of hand for certain reasons I would like to respond to) and what is in store for her. So, let’s have a look at this amazing prophecy in EZEKIEL 37!

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Monday, April 17, 2017

The GOSPEL of MATTHEW: Ch. 22 – The MESSIAH and HIS KINGDOM MESSAGE

By James Fire

Here again we have the LORD Jesus speaking in parables; He began this in chapter 13 because of what transpired in chapter 12: the Pharisees attributed the power by which the LORD Jesus cast out demons to Satan, rather than the Holy Spirit, Who anointed Jesus as the Messiah – “the Anointed One”. This was a seriously grievous deed, and by rejecting the witness of the Holy Spirit, by Whose power the LORD worked these miracles (prophesied in Scripture to be signs done by none other than the Messiah Himself; see ISAIAH 61), they were guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

As the national leadership, these Pharisees brought judgment upon Israel by their rejection – the LORD is still reaching out to individual Jews, but this was a pivotal point in the nation’s path (also prophesied in Scripture; see ISAIAH 53). This judgment took the form of speaking in parables, which, for those who reject the truth, will hide truth from their understanding.

So, when the disciples came to Jesus in chapter 13, asking why He spoke to them in parables, He said:
MATTHEW 13:11-17
11 . . . Because, it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
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Sunday, April 16, 2017

HINDERED PRAYER Part 5 & 6

By Sonny Islas

HINDERED PRAYER – PART 5 

Prayer is essential for the Christian disciple of Christ. Lord teach us to pray . . .
That’s what the disciples asked of the LORD in LUKE 11:1.

So far, we’ve discovered (in Parts 1 & 2 in this series) that (1) marital discord, (2) insincerity, (3) selfishness, (4) coldness (and in Parts 3 & 4) (5) a lack of confidence, (6) overlooking God’s will, (7) not praying, (8) an evil lifestyle (of the unbeliever), and (9) staying away from God’s Word hinders our prayers.

Today I’m going over the next four ways in which our prayers can be hindered.
Hindered prayers is a temporary blockage between us and God. It’s kind of like a blood clot. A blood clot blocks the blood from freely flowing to the heart and in the same way hindrances block our prayers from gracefully flowing to God’s heart.

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Sunday, March 19, 2017

HINDERED PRAYER: Part 3 & 4

By SONNY ISLAS

INTRODUCTION:
In this seven-part series, Sonny Islas, pastor of Eternal Living Word Church (where I currently fellowship) brings valuable teachings and insights on the causes of and cures for hindered prayer.
Since prayer is ESSENTIAL for every Christian, this series which I have attended in service with ready heart and ears is something that must be recorded and provided for all the saints, and so it is with great honor and blessing that I've been allowed to bring these teachings to The TRUTH Under FIRE! May the LORD bless and keep us all, His beloved!

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Saturday, March 11, 2017

The PROGRESSIVE DISEASE OF SPIRITUAL DECEPTION IN OUR TIME

By Gregory Reid

There was a time when ideas like yoga or eastern meditation in the church were only associated with Christ Science churches, Universalist Churches, and a few spurious non-biblical fringe places. In a few scant decades, the walls have been so completely torn down that we not only see no harm in these things, we promote them.

This is exactly what Theosophist (Luciferian) leader Alice Bailey predicted would be part of the new age infiltration into the church:

"The three main channels through which the preparation for the new age is going on might be regarded as the Church (emphasis mine) the Masonic Fraternity and the educational field." (The Externalization of the Hierarchy, Page 511.)

So, in fact, this has been underway for some time. It probably began to get a real foothold in our present time with Norman Vincent Peale’s “Power of Positive Thinking” theology, quickly adapted by Rev. Robert Schuller who was really the first modern “megachurch” and “Seeker Friendly” church pastor. Their ideas were once considered a bit of an aberration from mainstream Christian doctrine. But here we are decades later, and seeker friendly and power of positive thinking is normal and unchallenged. The crack into Bible-based evangelical churches had begun to open just a little…

Fast forward: In the last three decades we have opened our doors to things like the laughter movement, barking like dogs and oinking like pigs and calling it the “anoinking of the Spirit,” and worse. A number of leaders challenged these things, but its promoters did not repent of it.
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EVIL - THIS STRANGE PREDICAMENT

By James Fire

This has been a discussion throughout the ages; something that 'saints and sinners' have wrestled with from the beginning when good and evil were perceived and wondered about, and the struggle ensued in an attempt to reconcile their co-existence.

The term "predicament" may be defined as follows:
"noun 1. an unpleasantly difficult, perplexing, or dangerous situation.
2. a class or category of logical or philosophical predication.
3. Archaic. a particular state, condition, or situation.

Defining evil is a bit more difficult; in similar fashion 'holy' may also pose difficult to define.

The problem of evil as we deal with it daily in the news media as well as our own observations and experiences certainly reveals it to be perplexing and dangerous , to say nothing of it being difficult and unpleasant. But deal with it we must.

I hope that in this article I will present some insights into evil and its nature that will prove encouraging and helpful to the reader. So let us begin . . . 


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