A recent media statement during the Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination piqued my curiosity to search out Brett Kavanaugh’s affiliation with the Jesuits. Bingo! Direct hit! This motivated me to continue my internet search to find out the religious affiliations of all the Supreme Court justices, including Anthony Kennedy who recently retired. When I saw that six of the nine members are Roman Catholics, with three of these six attending Jesuit schools, and potentially still connected to the Jesuits, I was stunned. I shouldn’t have been, since the Jesuits are infamous for stealthily embedding themselves into areas of strong influence.

Is this coincidental? Consider this: In the USA, percentages of religious preference show that almost 50% identify themselves as Protestants, while only 21% as Catholics and 2% as Jews.     (http://www.pewresearch.org/ article, “If the US Had 100 People: Charting Americans’ Religious Affiliations.”) This indicates that the religious make-up of the Supreme Court justices is a little off balance, meaning almost 67% of the Supreme Court justices are Catholic when only 21% of the US population is Catholic. Shouldn’t there be at least one bombastic Baptist—or at least a moderate Methodist among the mix? Also interesting is that three of the nine justices are Jews, when only 2% of the population identifies themselves as such. However, the almost 67% Catholic makeup of the justices is more disconcerting, and I suspect it is not accidental. If Kavanaugh does get appointed, the number will stay the same since he is replacing the seat held by Anthony Kennedy, a Catholic too. Is there reason for concern? For all who have never heard, or have forgotten, history records the influence of Jesuits on the US. In his book, Fifty Years in the Church of Rome, Charles Chiniquy chronicled how the Jesuits planned the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and also disclosed their plot to control our nation. His book documents that the Jesuits have schemed throughout our country’s history to control the United States, and over a century later it appears they have gained control of the highest court in the land. This is a covert effort to control our judicial system through the Supreme Court. The statistics do not lie—there are six Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court—with three of them potentially connected to the Jesuits.

Chiniquy was a Catholic priest sent to Illinois in the mid-1800s to establish a Roman Catholic community. They were doing this throughout the Midwest to create voting blocs that would allow the Roman Catholics to gain political control in the US. Their desire was to transform the US into a sort of Roman Catholic satellite country. When they realized that Chiniquy was not going along with their program, they tried to take his property and his reputation and quite possibly get him hung in the end through rumors of harming a young woman. A concerned stranger told him of a young Illinois lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, and so he sought his counsel. In order to win the verdict for Chiniquy, Lincoln revealed their lies and treachery and exposed them openly in court.

Note: It is suspected that the revelation of the Jesuit’s plot to control the US fueled Lincoln’s drive to become President. Lincoln himself said about the Civil War, “This war would never have been possible without the sinister influence of the Jesuits.”

The Jesuits vowed to kill Lincoln (http://www.truthontheweb.org/abe.htm), and after he was elected President of the US, they plotted to assassinate him on the way to his inauguration (https://www.newhistorian.com/6006-2/6006/). In his book, Killing Lincoln, Bill O’Reilly revealed that the money to assassinate Lincoln came from Canada; however, the missing piece not mentioned in his book was that the Canadian Jesuits supplied that money. John Wilkes Booth was a Roman Catholic who was strongly aligned with the Jesuits, as was Mary Surrat, and all of the people John Wilkes Booth sought out for refuge after the assassination. (For more information on this, check out the Chick Publishing tract series on “Alberto” and learn of the almost unbelievable subterfuge and treachery of the Jesuits. “Alberto” is available at http://www.chick.com/m/catalog/comics/0112.asp.)

Again, if Brett Kavanaugh is given the empty seat on the Supreme Court, there will still be six Roman Catholics on the SCOTUS, with three potential Jesuit connections. The last Supreme Court justice appointee, Neil Gorsuch, attended the same Jesuit preparatory school as Brett Kavanaugh. What a coincidence! Two Supreme Court justices who were Jesuit trained and programmed attended the same Jesuit academy and will have potentially received consecutive seats. This should make all of us sit up and take notice.

The House of Representatives is composed of 55% Protestants, and the Senate is composed of 58% Protestants—both of which make sense when you look at the overall percentage of Protestant Americans.
But there is not even one Protestant within the Supreme Court justices. Instead, there are six Roman Catholics and three of them are Jesuit-trained.

Note: Not as though I am exactly pro-protestant, US history shows that 68% of all Supreme Court justices have been Protestants. In 2010, the last Protestant, John Paul Stevens, retired and for the first time there was not one Protestant on the court.

The questions we should be asking are as follows:

·         Who gave President Trump the list of candidates for the Supreme Court?
·         Does the panel questioning Kavanaugh know that he is a Jesuit and that they have an agenda to control our country? Do they even care?
·         Is the panel in on the subterfuge, perhaps along with the rest of the congressmen—or are they in the dark about the plot of the Roman Catholics to control the judicial system?
·         More importantly, do the millions of Bible-believing, conservative, Christ followers who elected President Trump—those who screamed about the next president choosing so many Supreme Court seats—know that two Jesuit-trained Roman Catholics could be consecutively installed into the highest judicial positions in the land, not for a few years, but for life terms?

The reality that there are six Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court, with three being Jesuit trained, is not coincidental. I believe this has been carefully and stealthily orchestrated.

Note: Many of the facts in this article regarding the Lincoln assassination can be found at   http://www.truthontheweb.org/abe.htm, “The Jesuit Connection to the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln.”

For a teaching on the Jesuits by Dr. Dale M. Sides, listen to “Sons of Belial Update: The Jesuits Did It,” available at https://www.lmci.org/library/play_media.cfm?itemid=753.
Posted by Dale Sides at 8:46 AM No comments: Simple Christianity

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ~2 Corinthians 11:3

There are nine usages of “little children” in the book of 1 John that reveal simple Christianity. The truths contained within these “little children” usages are vital to all of us as believers, but especially to those who are new to the faith. Are you new to the faith? Or do you know someone who is? Do you struggle with understanding what the really important issues of life are in the Christian faith? Perhaps you are mature in the faith but still need to be reminded of these truths. These “little children” lessons are truths that God wants all of us to know and understand. They teach us “the simplicity that is in Christ,” which applies to all of God’s children, regardless of our maturity level; and they chart out the lifestyle of a true Christ follower—the lifestyle Satan tries to beguile us from walking in.

The small, five-chapter book of 1 John contains nine usages of “little children.” We can think of it as a primer for newborn believers, with nine basic rules for Christian living. These salient truths our heavenly Father wants us to know, understand, and apply are like the basic lessons our earthly parents gave us as little children when they instructed us to “say your prayers every day,” “don’t take candy from strangers,” “be kind to others,” and “don’t play in the street.” The “little children” lessons in 1 John are simple, yet priceless, practical instructions for Christian living.

I heard once that the gospel of John was the best place to begin reading to learn about Jesus, and it is true that it gives an overall perspective of who He is; however, 1 John shows us how to have fellowship with Him and His family.

These are instructional lessons for little children in the kingdom of God and are words of comfort like a good earthly father would use in order to tenderly teach his young children. And yet, they also have words of warning that set boundaries to protect us from the evil one and his false prophets. Above all else, they contain the number one lesson of loving others, which is the key to successfully living in His family.

Before jumping to the lessons, let’s look at a comparison of 1 John, which according to tradition was written to the believers in Ephesus, and the epistle that Paul wrote to the Ephesians.

Comparing the Book of 1 John and the Book of Ephesians

First John and Ephesians are flip sides of truth—one being deep or complex and the other one being simple and practical. Paul wrote the epistle to the Ephesians (the deep one) about ad 62. He addressed it to the believers and to those who were faithful in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:1 KJV). It is perhaps Paul’s deepest revelatory writing. He was a deep thinker, and even Peter said that some of the things he wrote were hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). He was “Dr. Paul” of Tarsus, a very well-educated man, and his writings reflect that. When I was first saved, I was told to read the book of Ephesians. At my early Christian age, it definitely challenged me to go deeper into the things of God. I’m thankful, because the fruit of that depth is still being produced in me today. However, there were some foundational things lacking that are found in 1 John. We need instruction so simple that even a fool need not err therein. We need the simplicity that is found in Christ.

First John (the simple one) was penned by John the apostle and it too was addressed to the believers in Ephesus. The time of its writing is estimated to be around the same time as the book of Revelation, which John wrote while imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos, circa ad 90. That means some of the same believers Paul wrote to 28 years earlier may have still been in Ephesus at the time of John’s epistle. The message of 1 John shows us how we are to live simple Christianity. Although it was written specifically to the Ephesians who were newly born again, it also addressed the mature believers and reminded them of the simplicity that is found in Christ.

Another comparison between these two epistles to the Ephesians is that John was much older than Paul when they wrote their epistles. Older and, perhaps arguably, a little wiser than Paul would have been at when he wrote his epistle, which was probably around 57 years old. We know that all scripture is given by inspiration and all of it is accurate, but some writings are deeper than others and some are simpler to understand than others. Each one has a unique and separate profit.

Since John wrote his epistle at an older age than Paul wrote his, I believe he probably had gained a greater practical wisdom. He had personally known and walked with Jesus and was called the disciple that Jesus loved; Jesus had, in fact, entrusted the care of His mother to John at the cross. He was a refined, hard-working fisherman from Galilee who, while imprisoned, wrote some simple instructions to those he called “little children” of the faith. On the other hand, the epistle of Ephesians was written by a doctor of the law who was perhaps more concerned with doctrine and teaching but was led by the Holy Spirit to share the depths of truth that God had revealed to him. Maybe the same people that Paul taught the doctrine to needed to hear the sage wisdom of one of Jesus’ apostles when he called them back to simple basic Christian living 28 years later. Just as Ephesians is deep, 1 John is very practical. In my opinion, 1 John is a lot easier to understand; therefore, perhaps it should be the first book of the Bible that we recommend to new Christians to read. The epistle to the Ephesians is protein; whereas, 1 John is milk.

This is simple Christianity.

Who was John?

John was one of Jesus’ apostles and closest friends. He was referred to as the disciple that Jesus loved, and love is undoubtedly the biggest lesson to learn from 1 John. Why not learn it from someone who not only lived and walked with Jesus, but was entrusted with the care of His mother? Jesus must have seen the love that John walked in or He would not have trusted him to take on such a relational and personal commitment. I can see Jesus choosing John to write this. This is the disciple that Jesus loved.

As I began my serious quest into 1 John, I decided to do a little background research on the Apostle John to try and “get inside his head” and really understand the man who wrote this letter to the Ephesians. I had already done this with the Apostle Paul in the past and some of the other writers of Scripture, but never with John. As I share several things I learned about him, I hope it helps you to understand more about the revelation that God imparted to him.

John and his brother, James, were hard-working fishermen bc (before Christ). They were called “the sons of thunder,” perhaps because they were boisterous and loud—maybe using some of the salty language associated with today’s fishermen. They were among the first apostles Jesus called to follow Him, and we can only imagine the amazing transformation they must have gone through. They saw the miracles Jesus did, witnessed Him in His resurrected body, were present at His ascension, and received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. John and Peter healed the lame man at the temple gate (Acts 3), and then John lost his brother James, who was brutally martyred (Acts 12:2). Think of the lessons he must have learned throughout his life, especially after he met and followed Christ.

As mentioned before, he was the disciple that Jesus loved (which is testified of three times). Jesus loved not just his spirit but also his soul, because John 20:2 says that Jesus loved (phileo—brotherly love or friendship love) him, which means he liked him. Jesus considered him a friend who could walk beside him when they traveled and probably even slept next to when they stopped for the night. They were close companions. We know Jesus entrusted His mother to him (John 19:26), which indicates John was a caring and loving man. It makes sense that God would choose him to pen this basic, yet vital, message of simple Christianity.

A few years ago, Vicki and I visited Ephesus and saw what many consider to be the burial site of John the Apostle. According to history and concurred by our tour guide, John had been exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he miraculously survived being boiled in oil, and from where he wrote the book of Revelation and the three books of John. After his exile, he returned to Ephesus where he later died and was buried. It is common knowledge in the Ephesus area that Mary, Jesus’ mother, went with him, and there are even monuments there memorializing her. John followed through on Jesus’ dying appeal to take in His mother. John was a caring, kind, and loving man who kept his promise to Jesus as He was dying on the cross. He must have been an amazing man.

John was a man of love. His writings reflect his simple practicality just as Paul’s reflect his complex education. John was as simple as Paul was complex. The epistle of Ephesians may arguably be Paul’s deepest written revelation, and as profoundly complex as Ephesians is, 1 John is simple and practical. Also, I find it interesting that both of these giants of New Testament scripture received their most profound revelations while imprisoned. Think about it.

Even from the beginning of 1 John, it is easy to see that these are basic lessons. The first chapter lays out the foundation of Christianity with these two points:

·           We are to have a relationship with the Father and His Son
·           God sent Jesus to forgive our sins so that we could have that fellowship.

First John 1:4 gives the purpose for the writing: that your joy may be full.

Throughout 1 John the Father seems to be saying, “Little children, I called you into joy, freedom and power, not into bondage and defeat.”

Note: This study of 1 John will never suffice for your personal reading of it, but it can serve as a guide to take you through the book. Each of the usages of “little children” holds a powerful message and lesson. Each of these usages will be covered in the following sections with the verse in its title.

Usages of ‘Little Children”

There are nine different usages of “little children” in 1 John. Seven of them are expressed by the Greek word teknion, which means a very small child, and the other two by the Greek word paidion, which means a child who is just a little older, but still small. Both words are extensions of their respective nouns, referred to as diminutives. A diminutive makes something smaller and endearing, like a boy calling his girlfriend “baby,” or you calling your dog “the cutest little thing.” Both Greek words are important to our study as we look at these basic lessons for simple Christian living.

So “little children,” please sit down and learn these primary lessons. If you already know them then please take the time to deeply reconsider them, and give the new believers a good example by living them.

Lesson One—1 John 2:1—If we sin, Jesus is our defense attorney.

My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ~1 John 2:1

The first lesson to new believers is do not sin. But if they do sin, Jesus is their defense attorney and has them covered. Chapter 1 talks about this as well, exhorting us to do what is right but still assuring us that Jesus will be there for us if we fail. Not only did He pay the price for our salvation, He also paid the price for our forgiveness and restoration into fellowship with the Father.

Lesson Two —1 John 2:12—Our sins are forgiven.

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. ~1 John 2:12

The second lesson to new believers is that our sins are forgiven. This exhortation is similar to the first, which is God’s way of emphasizing it. He tells us twice that because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, our sins are forgiven and they will not separate us from Him.

This portion of 1 John is written to three categories: little children, young men, and fathers (King James Version). Each has specific instructions, but what is addressed to “little children” settles the righteousness issue.

Lesson Three—1 John 2:13—Get to know your heavenly Father.

I write to you, little children [paidion], because you have known the Father. ~1 John 2:13b

The third basic instruction for simple Christianity is get to know your heavenly Father. The Greek word for “known” in 1 John 2:13b is ginosoko, which means to know by experience. God wants His little children to get to know Him by experiencing His fatherly love. In Old Testament times, God’s people had to wait until the Sabbath to really fellowship with Him, but because of the blood of Jesus, His children can freely access His presence and experience perpetual fellowship with Him. Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we could intimately know God, so why not enjoy getting to know Him as your heavenly Father? (My book, You Don’t Have to be Smart to Walk with God, available at our LMCI.org e-store, is also a helpful resource.)

Lesson Four—1 John 2:18—The Anti-Christ is in the world.

The fourth basic instruction for simple Christianity is the anti-Christ is in the world. Our loving heavenly Father warns us that Satan will come after our faith. The seed that falls by the wayside is gobbled up by Satan before it can grow roots (Mark 4:15). Little children in God’s family are instructed to beware of the “antichrists” that are already in the world; and there are other cautions in 1 John about the enemy and his deception. Just as earthly fathers do not let their kids take candy from strangers, our heavenly Father wants us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Satan is coming after our faith. Be on guard.

There are also other three places in 1 John that tell us to be on guard because we have an enemy.

Lesson Five—1 John 2:28—Have confidence, not shame, before Him at His coming.

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. ~1 John 2:28

The fifth basic instruction for simple Christianity is have confidence, not shame, before Him at His coming. Having hope in Jesus’ coming is more than looking forward to being raptured and taken off the planet. It does include that, but the exhortation is given that if we have that hope of seeing Him face to face, we will keep ourselves pure (1 John 3:3). From the end of chapter 2 through the first part of chapter 3, it talks about looking like Him when He appears. We should have hope in His coming and that hope should inspire us to be pure just as He is pure.

The hope of Christ’s return and His coming kingdom is our undergirding strength. Regardless of what happens in this world, we have an inheritance that is reserved in heaven for us (2 Peter 1:4). Have hope!

Lesson Six—1 John 3:7—Let no one deceive you.

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ~1 John 3:7

The sixth basic instruction for simple Christianity is let no one deceive you. This is a bold lesson from the Father, and it again reminds us of the previous instruction—that we have an enemy who wants to deceive us. We can know his people by their fruit, just as we will know a true Christ follower by his fruit. This is a great lesson to all of us who are taught to love one another. Pay attention to the fruit that is being produced by others (as well as the fruit we are producing!). Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits (1 Corinthians 15:33).

New believers, in particular, should consider the company they are keeping and how it affects them.

Lesson Seven—1 John 3:18—Love one another.

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ~1 John 3:18

The seventh basic instruction for simple Christianity is love one another. In John 13:33 and 34 (written by the same Apostle John), Jesus told the “little children” that they had a new commandment—to love one another as He has loved us. That is a tall order, but one He has given us the ability to fulfill. The truth about the transforming love of God is woven throughout the gospels, as well as the epistles written by Paul, Peter, James, and John.

Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). First John 2:15 instructs us to not love the world or the things of the world. Even though these are simple lessons, love is a deep one to walk in and develop. According to Ephesians 3:17–19, it has four dimensions! Love is a big lesson that must be understood and is truly the law of life for a genuine believer. As we live His love, He perfects it in us—so much so that it expels every fear in our lives. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Walk in love.

Lesson Eight—1 John 4:4—He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

The eighth basic instruction for simple Christianity is He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. This lesson for little children again shows the conflict that we have walked into, being in God’s family. But this exhortation is that greater is God’s power in you than the temptations or devices that will come against you. This verse should build great confidence in you. There is a spirit of antichrist in the world, but greater is Christ in you (Colossians 1:27) than all of Satan’s power in this world.

There should never be any reason for you to fear Satan and his kingdom. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. No fear! (Remember, His perfected love in you will expel all fear.)

Lesson Nine—1 John 5:21—Keep yourself from idols.

Little children [teknion], keep yourselves from idols. Amen. ~1 John 5:21

The ninth basic instruction for simple Christianity is keep yourself from idols. The culture in Ephesus was centered upon the idol worship of Diana of the Ephesians. This is telling the new believers in Christ to come apart from their old way of living. In our culture it is not so much worshiping an idol of stone or wood or even gold—it is the worship of self. This last exhortation to us as little children is very powerful. Follow only after the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not let the things of this world distract you from your true, first love—Jesus.

Keep God #1. This verse in The New Living Translation reads, “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts.”

The following table summarizes the lessons of “little children” from the Epistle of 1 John. These instructions apply to a “newborn” believer and to us all, no matter how mature we are in our spiritual lives.

Keep it Simple!

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ~2 Corinthians 11:3
©2018 Dale M. Sides

Posted by Dale Sides at 12:34 PM 1 comment: Lunar Eclipse and Celestial Events of July 27, 2018

On July 27, 2018 a lunar eclipse, being touted as the longest lunar eclipse in the 21st century, will cover most of Africa and Asia. In addition, there are other celestial signs happening simultaneously that also merit our attention. This eclipse will not be visible from any place in North America, but it will be visible in Israel, the center of the Earth from God’s perspective. Many millions of people across the world will witness this celestial display; and yet, who has “eyes to see” what they are looking at?

There is a message in the eclipse. This is not just a light show to dazzle those who stay up late at night. We need to lift up our eyes and consider what the celestial word of God is saying. This article explains some of the significant events and offers a plausible interpretation of the eclipse and the message that God may be telegraphing to Earth.

There are three separate celestial events occurring at this time.
·         The lunar eclipse
·         The message of Mars
·         All the major planets are on the same side of the Sun

Each event is significant but when you put the three together, it appears that something big is brewing and we are getting a preview of coming attractions. This is a big message; pay attention.

Interpreting an Eclipse

Interpreting an eclipse requires the examination of a series of things: 1) the location of the Moon in the heavens at the time of the eclipse, 2) the location of other planets visible during the eclipse, and 3) the location of the Earth where the shadow passes. The eclipse of July 27, 2018 will have some amazing displays and possibly is sending a message to all who know how to read it. It is being magnificently accentuated by the retrograde and brightness of Mars, which will be exactly next to it in the heavens and cannot be missed if you see the eclipse.

(Incidentally, this is not astrology but is the Christological study of the message in heavens, which Psalm 19 says changes daily. Anytime that you want to know what the heavens are saying “today,” go to http://Today.lmci.org. This is our computer program that has even amazed NASA. If you want to know what the heavens declared about you on the day of your birth (Genesis 1:13), go to http://astronomy.lmci.org. These are Christological interpretations according to accurate astronomy and not errant astrological, archaic tables. The heavens declare the glory of God; the day you were born has a message about your potential glory.)

Eclipses are a big deal when we read the celestial word of God and they historically tend to indicate a bad omen or cataclysm. Blood moon eclipses over Israel were often times of bloodshed—for example, when the angel of death “passed over” the Israelites at the first Passover when the Egyptians’ firstborn died. It is not unusual for Israel to be around shedding of blood at blood moons and now, when we see what Mars (representing Yeshua the warrior) is doing in the heavens, it is breathtaking indeed. This portends toward war, even for Israel.

In interpreting an eclipse, the location of the eclipse in the heavens is of foremost importance, even before we begin looking at where the shadow will cross the face of Earth. When the light of the Moon dims, paying attention to what is visible elsewhere in the heavens is extremely important too. In this particular eclipse, something of huge significance is happening with less than 10 degrees of separation from the Moon—the planet Mars in retrograde, shining the brightest it has ever been in the history of mankind. (Note: Not only is Mars in retrograde at the time of this visibility, but Jupiter and Saturn are also. It is very unusual for three planets to be in retrograde simultaneously on the same side of the Earth, so this intensifies the significance of the event even more.) And if that wasn’t enough, all the other major planets will be on the same dark side of the Earth where the eclipse and the retrograde of Mars will be visible. The greater the number of significant events happening at the same time, the more emphatic the message is.

First, when the Moon passes through the shadow of the Earth on July 27th, it will be located against the backdrop of Sagittarius, in the locator decan of Draco. Sagittarius is the bow man coming to take vengeance on his foe, the Scorpion. His arrow is trained on the Scorpion and he is coming in judgment. The amplifiers (decans) of Sagittarius are all nasty vindicators. First is Lyra, meaning the praise of God torments the devil; next is Ara, the devil’s judgment signified by the lake of fire; and last is Draco, being trounced underfoot by Hercules, aka Yeshua the redeemer. At the time of the eclipse, the Moon will be located in the rear part of Sagittarius. This is the area of Sagittarius assigned to relate to Draco, or Satan, or the devil (Revelation 12:9). Of all the areas in the heavens, this particular location points at the devil, and especially his defeat.

What does this mean? For Christ followers, this reminds us of the authority we have over Satan; and yet, even with superior power over him, he must still be thrown down. We are to be sober and vigilant for a battle is approaching. This also may have international significance because of the retrograde of Mars. I personally believe that Israel needs to be vigilant and to be prepared for war, either proactive or reactive.

This picture is representation of the location of the Moon and Mars at the time of the eclipse. Location of Moon and Mars on July 27th

The Message of Mars

Next is what will be seen in the immediate vicinity of the Moon during the eclipse. It will not be missed, even when the Moon is full and not eclipsed! It is impossible to not notice it in the southern skies during the early morning hours. Mars, depicting Yeshua the warrior, is shining in its brightness to Earth more than at any other time in thousands of years. Its name in Hebrew is so obvious now; it is Madim, the color red. It is the atonement planet and shows the willingness of Messiah to shed blood for us. Mars shows Jesus the warrior fighting for His people. During the eclipse, it will be at its brightest and it will be located in the heart of Capricorn the sacrificial goat in a dazzling display of retrograde motion—just next to the blood red moon.

Astronomically, a retrograde motion is an optical illusion cause by one object overtaking another when looking at the background behind it. The other object appears to move backwards for a brief moment as we would pass by it. It happens when a driver passes a car on the interstate highway; it also happens when the planets we are viewing pass by each other while we are looking at the backdrop behind them. They actually appear to go backwards over a period of time and then to go forward again. When you look at the trail it leaves, it appears to draw a circle or an ellipse in the sky. What it circles is important. This is a huge key in interpreting the heavens and is one of the secrets of Magi of old. (Note: There is a specific article on retrogrades in the appendices of my book, Christological Astronomy: Interpreting Christological Profiles in the Heavens, available in the e-store at LMCI.org.)

When Mars retrogrades, it often signifies war. Also, this is the red planet showing the shedding of blood and it has been circling around the front part of Capricorn for months now. Capricorn is the sacrificial goat. This is a violent, bloody spot in the heavens and the events happening on the Earth around this time could very well be the same.

Several years ago, I did some research on retrogrades of Mars as it relates to Israel’s military and political history. The summary is that oftentimes when Mars goes into a retrograde motion Israel has military involvement, and within the past 100 years it has indicated a decisive victory for them. Examples of Israel coinciding with Mars’ retrogrades are the Balfour Declaration of 1918, Israel becoming a nation in May 1948, and the Six Day War of 1967, among others.

Here is a picture of the current retrograde. Retrograde of Mars May–October 2018

The brightness of Mars. Only once in 30,000 years has Mars been as bright as it is now. Both Mars and the Earth are in opposition, meaning on the opposite side of the Sun, and since Earth is passing by Mars causing the retrograde, we are closest to it and so it appears even brighter than at any other time. Both of the planets have orbits that are elliptical and not circular, and now the two ellipses are bringing the planets closer than at any time in thousands of years—perhaps ever since the history of mankind on the Earth. Mars, or more preferably Madim, the red one, has been beaming the message of the Lord fighting for His people. This has a meaning for us and it possibly has a special message for Israel.

When we combine the meanings of the eclipse together with the retrograde and Mars being at its brightest, an interesting conclusion emerges—all of these signs indicate conflict, bloodshed, and perhaps warfare. The Moon in Sagittarius in the decan of Draco shows the throwing down of Satan in a violent conflict. And then, accentuating the announcement of his demise is the planet Mars in its most brilliant radiance, retrograding. Mars represents Jesus the warrior, and in retrograde it shows Him circling back to double the judgment on his enemies. By its brilliance, it is screaming that the Lord is fighting for His people. This is a “RRRBD” (really, really, really big deal). And yet, there is more.

All Major Planets on the Same Side of the Sun
It is a rare occurrence indeed to have all the major planets on the same side as the Sun at any given time. It is difficult to determine how often this happens but this is the first time in at least 200+ years. So in interpreting this eclipse, what we see when the light of the Moon dims is important. In this case, all the planets will be seeable during that time. It does not mean that all will be visible with the naked eye, but Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will be quite visible. The other planets (Mercury, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) are seeable with optic aids. Having all of them on the same side of the Sun during the eclipse is special. Here is a link to an article and video on the subject. All the major planets on the same side as the Sun could mean that God is about to do a big thing so that everyone can see it. The fact that it is visible over Israel lends the interpretation more international significance. If this is so, it could be a big affair.

On the morning of July 27th, Africa, Asia, and especially Israel will experience the blood moon eclipse. The Moon will pass in the shadow of the Earth in the longest eclipse in this century. Could this mean that God really wants us to see this so He is leaving it up a little longer than usual? The Moon will be located in the rear section of Sagittarius, in the area that indicates Yeshua’s victory over Satan.

When the Moon dims, immediately to the left of the eclipse, Mars will be brilliantly beaming its message brighter than ever before seen by humans. It is the red planet indicating the shedding of blood. It is in retrograde which says, “Hey look at this!” It is encircling the heart of Capricorn the sacrificial goat whose throat was cut and blood was shed. This looks like a bloody scene. Since Mars in retrograde also can indicate Yeshua fighting for Israel, this could mean a military conflict for Israel is on the immediate horizon.

And last, all the planets will be on the same side as the Sun and seeable during the eclipse. Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and of course Mars will be shining brightly and visible. (Note: The eclipse itself will not happen during the night time for North America, so it will not be visible there. But the position of Mars and appearance of other planets will still be seeable.)

What does this mean? First of all, it does not mean that something absolutely will happen on this particular day. It could, but there is not a guarantee. The heavens are God’s calling card and oftentimes, He announces significant events in advance.

Personally, this has a serious message that Jesus will fight for His people and throw Satan down. We should remember this in our personal walks, but we also need to put our foot down and claim our authority. This would be a good time for us to attack the enemy through destroying his strongholds in our lives. Don’t sign a peace treaty with the devil. Attack sin; repent; be holy and victorious over Satan. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). The eclipse says it; Madim/Mars says it through the retrograde and brightness, and all the planets agree—this could be a good time to go to war. Jesus will fight for us.

The retrograde of Mars usually has military and political omens for Israel. This could be a good time for a victory for Israel, and a bad time for its enemies. The fact that all the planets will be visible during the eclipse means that this could be a really big deal. If Israel had Magi now, I believe they would convey this message to Prime Minister Netanyahu. This would be a great time to be proactive.

There are several big wars touted by prophecy. Many people are looking for signs of the Ezekiel 38 and 39 conflict, others are looking for Damascus to be destroyed, and yet there is still Armageddon. We have plenty of choices since there will be wars and rumors of war during the end times. All the separate events that are occurring in the heavens during this eclipse are announcing something big. It appears to be bloody and not good news for enemies of the children and people of God. I do believe that this could have international significance and could be very important for Israel. Wouldn’t it be great to see the war of Ezekiel 38? Not for the destruction and bloodshed, but for the Jews to wake up and realize that Yeshua is mighty for them.

The heavens are read through interpreting the symbols of the constellations with respect to the movement of the Sun, Moon, and planets. There are certainly other interpretations of these celestial events, and yet the impending issue of warfare and the shedding of blood is being foretold. So let’s gird up the loins of our minds and be prepared for such things (2 Timothy 2:3).

Regardless of what occurs, in all the things we are reminded to lift up our eyes for our redemption draws nigh and the King is coming. We are not looking for signs in the heavens in as much as we are looking for the Lord Jesus Christ to return out of the heavens.

The signs indicate that we are getting close. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Posted by Dale Sides at 7:27 AM No comments: If Women Can’t Teach in the Church then I Can Own a Slave

I have been a major supporter of women’s rights to minister in the church for a very long time. This subject has been a “parking lot” discussion for me because I know that Jesus Christ came to set people free, not shackle them to cultural norms from pre-Christian traditions.

Recently I was in a conversation with someone who brought up a valid point of logic on the debate of women ministering in the church, or more particularly, within the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11. We were discussing the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:35 and 1 Timothy 2:11ff which seem to forbid women to minister in the church. He said that those who will not let women minister in the church must by deduction allow for slavery too. Good point!

Upon closer examination of these verses, it’s evident that they are not referring to women in general, but to wives of ministers who were trying to crowd in on their husband’s place and authority.

And if they (the wives of the prophets) will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands (the prophets) at home: for it is a shame for women (the wives of the prophets) to speak in the church. ~1 Corinthians 14:13

Let the woman (wife) learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman (wife) to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. ~1 Timothy 2:11–13

Neither of these verses were meant for women in general but were specifically addressing the wives of ordained ministers. They were being admonished for disrupting their husbands’ messages and being told to discuss them at home instead. These words were not meant to shackle women or limit their authority but to address a problem that was occurring at these churches with the ministers’ wives.

My friend and I were also discussing the cultural norms of the communities to whom these instructions were given—communities that were based upon sex and idol worshiping and that considered women as “property,” rather than as human beings. We were also discussing the evolving revelation of liberty, beginning with Christ’s earthly ministry. Churches who forbid women to minster in the church often say that they are literally interpreting the Scriptures. First of all, if they were literally interpreting them, they would need to point out that the context identifies “the women” in these verses as the wives of the ministers, and not women in general. Second of all, a literal interpretation would also take into consideration the truth that Christ came to set us free, not to keep us bound.

My friend then made the dazzling deduction that the title of this posting is based upon. He said, “If those who disallow women to minister in the church are justified by their ‘literal’ interpretation of the Scriptures, then by the same logic they would have to accept and legitimatize slavery because that culture also allowed slavery, as shown by the Scriptures that deal with how a servant (slave) is to act towards his master and vice versa” (Ephesians 6:5­–8; Colossians 3:22–24). In other words, to be logically and deductively consistent, if women cannot minister in the church then it must also be okay to own slaves.

My friends, Jesus Christ came to set us free, not to laden us with heavy burdens in order to justify our flesh. Jesus came to set slaves free and He came to set women free (which, in some cultures, would be relevant to both). Properly interpreted, there is no restriction on women ministering in the church. According to Galatians 3:28, in Christ Jesus, there is neither male of female. We are all set free to serve him regardless of race, sex, country and/or culture.
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