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Monday, December 23rd, 2013     At last the mystery has been solved: How does Rudolph’s red nose glow? Researchers in Sweden caught the phenomenon on a thermographic camera which measures heat emissions. Rudolph’s redness is due to an oversupply of blood to that part of the famous reindeer’s anatomy to keep his nose form freezing. Reindeer forage for food in the snow and God (evolution and Mother Nature to unbelievers) arranged for reindeer to have warm blood in their noses so their proboscises can function in the deep of winter. That’s not all that’s interesting about reindeer. They pause to pee. They are unable to walk far without relieving themselves, about every six miles, and the Laplanders of Finland in olden times actually used this information to measure distances. Flying? The 1820s poem by Clement Clarke Moore immortalized the idea of Santa’s reindeer whisking him through the air. That idea may have come from reindeer eating hallucinogenic mushrooms and then shamans drinking their urine to get high, and thinking the reindeer were flying.

Fascinating speculation, but what’s the spiritual point of this? Myths, legends, and cultural stories develop fanciful exaggerations from real facts. But myths, whether “urban” or cartoonish shouldn’t be the basis of belief, especially when it comes to eternity. Creation to Hindus began when either the god Vishnu projected his thoughts into material substance or the god Brahma, sitting on a lotus flower, expressed his essence into the world we know. Buddhism has no beginning for anything, only endless cycles of reincarnation. In fact classical Buddhism sees even asking the question of origins as pointless.  For Christians, “In the beginning God . . .” is the source of all that is, including morality, meaning, and eternal life. Unlike Rudolph’s nose, Creation by the God of Scripture is no myth. It’s rooted in actual historical reality. The writers of the New Testament said so (Hebrews 11:3) and so did Christ who validated the Genesis account (Matt. 12:40). Whether it’s flying, red-nosed reindeer, or the truth of man’s beginning, it best to get your facts straight.

Friday, December 20th, 2013     Strange medical procedure to save man’s hand. Honestly, I don’t mean to gross you out. But look at that photo again. It’s not retouched. It actually shows a man’s hand medically attached to his ankle. What’s going on? A few weeks ago a man in Changsha, Hunan province, China named Xie Wei had his hand cut off in a work accident. Doctors determined the only way to save the hand was to temporarily graft it to his leg, so it could have an instant blood supply. As you can see, both foot and hand seem to be doing well. Subsequent to this photo the hand was removed from the ankle and attached to Wei’s arm. Even though the photo might make some a bit uncomfortable, the outcome was positive. An oddity that had a good result.

Seeing this photo got me thinking about strange things spiritually that might make one feel uneasy, but have a divine intention. Like the baby in the manger this Christmas season. Stables are smelly, filthy places. Animals carry all kinds of diseases. Hardly a sanitary environment to welcome the Son of God. The Passion of Christ was also odd. No other God in any other religion redeems His creation by the kind of sacrifice we witness concerning the crucifixion of Christ. A bloody beating followed by a torturous, ignominious death. Even the resurrection was strange. A tomb, a rolled away stone, angels announcing the miracle, and Jesus walking the earth afterwards, teaching his followers the meaning of it all. Strange, very odd. I’m sure that Xie Wei cares little about how unusual his medical procedure was. He has his hand back. Likewise, people shouldn’t be put off by the unconventional way that God in His purposes chose to redeem humanity. Wei accepted and loves his new hand. We should accept God’s plan of salvation and love Him for how he redeemed us, no matter how odd it may seem to our human minds.

Thursday, December 19th, 2013     A family outing in the ’50s. Dinner time of a bygone era. It’s not easy being a parent. I know. My wife and I have three girls, 12, 16 (well, almost), and 19. No matter who you are, what your race or religion, being a good parent is one of the most difficult jobs on earth.  Life changes, hormones, cognitive acquisition, social skills, religious faith, the list of challenges is endless. Things just aren’t like they were back in the 50s and 60s, even the 70s when there was no Internet, no texting, and no Snapchat. Ask most moms and dads and they’ll admit that their roles get harder every year that passes. But a series of recent studies discussed, in of all places, the liberal huffingtonpost.com concludes that parents who are religious have a less stressful job than those without belief. The liberal canard has been that religious teachings set standards of behavior impossible to achieve and thus put parents in a guilt trap when failing. The truth, born out by several reports, is that Christian parents are ahead of the game.  There are several reasons for this. First, seeing parenting as a sacred responsibility sanctifies or sacralizes the role of a mother and father. They see themselves as helping to fulfill God’s plan on earth through their children. They are performing a religious duty. And they get validation for doing a good job.

A psychology professor at Bowling Green State University says that in the battle to be good parents “some emerge from struggling with doubt to develop a strong faith that enables them to be happier mothers and fathers.” Also, according to one study, “The more husbands contributed to daily infant care, the lower their parental aggravation.” Once again, religion plays a role since good fathers are often validated by their church and Christian friends. Sociologist Richard Petts of Ball State University reported the followiong findings in the Journal of Marriage and Family: Religious participation “was associated with greater involvement with children, reduced parenting stress and a lower likelihood of engaging in corporal punishment.” So much for the misconception that Christian parents who believe in not sparing the rod are will be abusive because of their faith. Furthermore researchers found that daily prayer reduces stress for married mothers (Surprise, surprise!). It’s sort of sad that it has taken an academic study to note what’s obvious to my family and the Christian families we associate with. The family that prays together is more likely to stay together, and have a whole lot easier time doing one of the hardest jobs in the world – being a good parent.

Wednesday, December 18th, 2013     Sixteenth Century ink and pigment Scripture text and artistic depiction of Christ casting out demons from the demoniac of Gadara. In a new book by Michael Brown, entitled Authentic Fire: A Response to John MacArthur’s Strange Fire (a book I admittedly haven’t read yet), there is an excellent quote that I found on a web site, a quote on which I’d like to put a spin. Brown quotes noted Christian writer A. W. Tozer as having said, “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.” I agree completely with that observation. Contemplating the ministry of healing and deliverance to which the Lord has called me, I’d also put it another way. If every instance of healing and deliverance ceased in the church today, most Christians would hardly notice. If miracles, signs and wonders, and healing and deliverance had been removed from the Early Church of the first three centuries A. D., there would be no Church as we know it today!

To put it more directly: if the casting out of demons and the healing of sick bodies and souls had been ignored when the Church started, there likely wouldn’t be much of a Church today, including those preachers and denominational bodies who actively oppose deliverance. In my new International School of Exorcism� (call 303-980-1511 to register and find out about special scholarships), Level 1, Course 2, I cite the observation of Dr. Geoffrey Lampe, British Anglican priest who for ten years was professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. Dr. Lampe argues in his writings that exorcism was the dominant miracle of the Early church and that it “provided support of a person’s authority, character, and doctrine.” In short, if there had been no exorcism in 200-300 A. D. (The First Century was the apostolic age and Scripture clearly tells us they cast out demons during that period.), the Church could not have survived the opposition of Rome, the mightiest pagan empire on earth. Every preacher who opposes deliverance is part of the legacy of deliverance which started in early Christianity. Even a John MacArthur can do what he does because those first Christians cast out demons!

Tuesday, December 17th, 2013     Book that coined the word affluenza. Ethan Couch, whose drunken driving killed four people. Four people are dead, killed by 16-year-old Ethan Couch who was driving drunk and hit them. Surely this absolutely irresponsible kid should pay some kind of price for taking the lives of four people, but no. A clever lawyer got him off with just 10 years of probation in a cushy rehab by presenting an “affluenza” defense. The word affluenza was popularized in the late 1990s by Jessie O’Neill, the granddaughter of a past president of General Motors, when she wrote the book The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence. Bear in mind that the American Psychological Association doesn’t officially classify this “affliction.” No wonder. It describes spoiled brats, like Couch, who come from rich families and act out bad behavior. Usually the term refers to kids who skip school or abuse drugs. In this case, its homicide. But can what happened be excused by partially blaming the parents, whom defense lawyers claim never set limits for their child and gave him everything he wanted? Does this kid need treatment, as the judge declared, or the tough lessons of a no affluence prison cell for a very long time?

It’s obvious that this crime was without any serious consequences. And if that doesn’t make you mad enough, consider who was killed: a youth pastor, two young women, and a mother – all Christians. Plus this utterly irresponsible driver was dumb enough to let two kids ride in his truck’s bed, and they were seriously injured. Oh, and if your blood isn’t boiling by now, Couch, the killer, was drunk from booze he’d stolen from a Walmart! One more thing: Couch bragged to one of the passengers after the accident, “I’m Ethan Couch, I’ll get you out of this.” And there’s more. Three days before the accident, Couch threw a wild, drunken party at a private mansion given to him by his father!!! Whether or not there will be any reversal of this outrageous decision, the judge who rendered this ridiculous verdict would do well to heed the words of Psalm 89:14 regarding the attributes of God: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your [God’s] throne.” His Honor who let this kid off with murder may preside over a respectful perch in the courtroom, but the “throne” of his jurisprudence has a very shaky foundation.

Monday, December 16th, 2013     Near the site of Mandela’s resting place. Car carrying Mandela’s coffin from capitol of Pretoria. This past weekend began the final farewell to Nelson Mandela, a lengthy period of mourning in his rural childhood village where he’ll be buried. After all the fanfare of world dignitaries saluting Mandela’s statesmanship, a very different aspect of the man now unfolds. The late leader’s spirituality was little-mentioned for good reason. No one was really sure what he believed. But there can be no mistaking what his last, final wishes were, and any mention of Christian values will now take a back seat to traditional African witchcraft. Whatever his politics, Mandela was a member of the Xhosa people, a tribe that still adheres to ancient demonic rituals. The Xhosa call on ancestral spirits for guidance and believe that the body of the dead must be properly introduced to the next life. Consequently, a family elder in the village of Qunu will sit by the coffined corpse and talk to Mandela’s spirit to explain what’s going on before the final funeral arrangements are concluded. Then an ox will be slaughtered as a blood covenant offering to the spirits and the food eaten by the mourners. A year from now, another ceremony will take place to bring back Mandela’s spirit to continue guiding his family.

Secular cultural anthropologists and religious liberals may view all this as a quaint, affectionate way for tribal traditionalists to process the grief of death. But anyone who has dealt with witchcraft demons in Africa, as I have, knows that diabolical deeds are taking place during these tribal funeral rites. I’ve dealt many times with Africans who have participated in ceremonies such as these and can give first-person testimony that demons operate in such settings. The African demons summoned by animal sacrifices are some of the most powerful satanic spirits on the planet, and the blood offering of the slaughtered livestock enforces the spiritual darkness. Those who sit by Mandela’s graveside and eat of the ox killed in his name give permission to the worst kind of demons of enter them, even if that isn’t their intent. Mandela was a man of the western world, leading a country that at one time called itself Christian, notwithstanding the hypocrisy of apartheid. The memorialization of his death, and noble life, by such witchcraft rituals may spiritually undo much of the good he did by his acts of magnanimity.

Thursday, December 12th, 2013     Chart from recent New Zealand census showing religious affiliation It has been said that under President Obama we are economically becoming Europe. With the Obamacare disaster, it should be obvious that creeping socialism has a terrible price to pay. While our economy looks more and more everyday like European socialism, let’s pray that spiritually we don’t become New Zealand. The latest census results from that country indicate it is far more non-religious than anyone realized. According to the most recent published poll, 42 percent of the population professes to have no religion. In 1956, over 90 percent of the population identified as Christian. As part of the British Commonwealth, New Zealand is officially a Christian nation, like England, owing allegiance to the Church of England.

I’ve been to New Zealand many times and love the country. Kiwis, as they are known, are great people. They are some of the friendliest you will find anywhere. New Zealand is a beautiful country. One of my favorite cities on earth is Queenstown. It’s there that I para-sailed over a mile in the air to help overcome my phobia of heights. But it appears that the people of New Zealand are developing a phobia against God. I pray revival will come to that land so it doesn’t become another spiritual wasteland like Europe. In the meantime, America needs a spiritual wake up call so our economy doesn’t become like Europe and our spirituality doesn’t become like new Zealand.

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013     Mention exorcism or deliverance and people give you strange looks. They also have odd ideas as to what it’s all about. I have spent a lifetime attempting to demystify deliverance. Old habits die hard, and people still envision an exorcism like something out of a Hollywood movie. Our YouTube channel, which now has nearly 3,000,000 viewers, has changed a lot about the way people think of deliverance. If you have the idea that deliverance is a spooky ritual in an old cathedral, performed with a ritualistic formula based on specific incantations, try this on for size. I’ve done exorcisms live on the radio and live in television studios, on one occasion nationwide in South Korea. I’ve done exorcisms over the phone and on Skype. Every day my schedule is filled with face-to-face encounters as well as internet sessions and phone calls.

Last night I ministered to a woman who was driving her children to a school event.  Once the children had been dropped off, she pulled the car to the side of the road and sat there with her cell phone in hand. I talked with her about her issues, identified what demons she had, and called them forth to face God’s judgment. Sitting in her car, the woman growled and snarled, as I listened.  Then, the demons came out. She was sent free with a cell phone 2,000 miles from where I was talking to her. Forget everything you’ve ever been told about healing, deliverance, and exorcism. You can be set free wherever you are, whatever the circumstances. Your freedom is a phone call or a Skype session away.  You journey to liberation can begin any time you are ready to call upon the Lord and allow someone such as me to pray for you. Modern technology has brought us a lot of evil, such as Internet porn and sexting. But it also brings the hope that deliverance from the devil is just a mouse click or iPhone away.

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013      Throughout my ministry I’ve made a point to be informed about all sides of a  topic. Sometimes that involves a bit of a theological and philosophical dance. To be well-informed you sometimes have to investigate primary sources to be sure your facts are correct. Caution and biblical balance is always important when reading what the enemy has to say. I don’t recommend that everyone do this. But as a writer, researcher, and apologist I sometimes have to look in the garbage to describe its danger to others. From time to time I’ve read what both Satanists and occultist have to say, as well as political liberals. Frankly, I’d rather read the former then the latter. Case in point.

A prominent liberal blog site, dedicated to defining the presidency of Barack Obama, recently took aim at Sarah Palin. She gets fired at all the time, but perhaps you should know how vicious the establishment of the liberal left can be. To attack her latest book about the war on Christmas and her recent speech at Liberty University these choice adjectives were used to describe Gov. Palin: “world class idiot,” “charlatan,” and “imbecile.” She was accused of “having no intelligence.”  My purpose is not to defend Sarah Palin, she has a sharp wit and is capable of defending herself. But when she is publicly accused of leading a conservative war against “women, the poor, gays, and equality” you need to know how vicious and intellectually dishonest the liberal left can be. Lies, mockery, insults, and fabrication are too often tactics of the liberal left. (Yes, some on the right can be vitriolic, but those spokespersons are usually not mainstream like the source I am citing.) Most of all Progressives dislike Christians and are particularly upset this time of year whenever the emphasis is on Christ. The progressive  political agenda is not just about politics. It’s also about ridding every semblance of Christianity from our culture. If you want to know what they really think, save the Rolaids and let me read it for you and tell you what they are saying. To Sarah Palin, I say “Go girl!” and do everything you can to keep the emphasis on Christ this time of year.

Monday, December 9th, 2013     Nelson Mandela 1918-2013 These quotes are from the late Nelson Mandela:

• “Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.”
• “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”

The statements of wisdom above are contrasted with the ones below:

• “If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don’t care for human beings.”
• “Long live the Cuban Revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro.”