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Now, we've seen angels serve God, and we've seen angels serve Christ. The ministry of angels, as we have seen, can be positive or negative – depending on the need. What we notice in the following verses is that angels also minister to men who serve God. Peter's angel not only shows us that work, but points to the power by which the work is done. All the angel has to do is get Peter up, and dressed, and out. After that is accomplished, the angel immediately disappears. There are no parting words; he is just gone – which tells us an angel's work has limitations. The angel seemed rude and without manners; he simply did his job and left. As to the power involved, the gate seemed to open on its own, plus the locked shackles just opened up and fell off. We see again the manipulation of matter by an angel. We wonder at the brevity of the work, however. Was there only enough power given for a bare-bones rescue? Was there a time restraint? I have lumped some verses together to give the reader a sense not only of the work, but of common thought in regard to angels. When you read the verses, keep in mind that Peter was being rushed; he had barely enough time to react to the commands given him. This he accomplished as he was waking from sleep. He thought he was dreaming. Then, there was mad Rhoda. She told them Peter was outside, but they had supposed they might never receive him again from his imprisonment. Did they consider the voice as a ghost of dead Peter? That would have been a likely and common consideration. No. They called Peter an angel. That is, by itself, an extremely telling clue as to the relationship between men and angels. Even at that time, men considered at least the human servants of God and Christ to ascended upon death – to become angels. Here it is.

Man lives enclosed in a high wall. God would have us tear down the wall so that we may see who, exactly, is on the other side. And, just who is on the other side? Is it man or angel? Or both? See Revelation 19:10, “And I fell at his feet to worship him (the angel). And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony (proof) of Jesus, worship God: for the testimony (proof) of Jesus is the spirit (mind) of prophecy (that which is to come).”

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They say that history repeats. I was recently reminded of the plight of the Jews during the rise of Adolf Hitler. It made me think. There is a comparison to be made between those hapless Jews of European yesteryear and the Western Christians of our modern day. In human nature there are those who push and those who do not. Those who push are male in nature, and they push forward into everyone who does not push back.A raped teen or millions of slaughtered Jews - there is no difference. It would have been well for them all to have pushed back. Of course, human nature is followed by the political nature of a society. The patterns hold true; one either pushes or is pushed into. As for the Jews, I was made aware that their demise began with such subtlety that they hardly noticed, much less responded. They lived life as they normally did, while all around them storm clouds gathered. First came sanctions and separation. An intensive campaign was waged against the Jews with propaganda. There was such a weight of communication portraying the Jews as evil and antisemitism as right that the common German citizen finally bought into it. Once the attitude was in place actions against the Jews was considered justifiable. Legal machinery kicked in; laws were passed against the Jews that permitted the government to label them as contrary to the common good. Rights and liberties, formerly taken for granted, were withdrawn. The basic supports of their identity were destroyed. Public humiliation, beatings, and theft of property followed. Every antisemitic act strengthened antisemitism while every Jewish inaction further undermined the Jewish foothold in society. When action was finally taken, it was too little too late. Finally, the government took direct action against the Jews. They were pushed into crowed trains, pushed into concentration camps, pushed into gas chambers, and pushed into mass graves. The number of Jews was formidable - had they simply pushed back at the beginning. However, when push came to shove, they instead patiently waited and hoped it would all go away on its own. They did not fight fire with fire, so they got burned. They enacted a strategy of same old same old, thinking a passive posture was an appropriate response. Jewishness and prayer proved no more than an open invitation for an extra hard shove. It is not a pretty image, but it is as if a potential army just dropped their pants and grabbed their ankles. If history repeats, then how fare the Christians of today? While atheist play a part in the machinations against Christians, they will ultimately find themselves in the same boat with them. The true enemies of Christianity will also despise the atheist. The Muslim power base grows, not only abroad, but here on American soil as well. Its influence is seen not only in economics, and government, but in a new expanding wave of public opinion. The push against Christianity has been ongoing for decades. The patterns are comparable to the plight of the Jews during the Nazi era. Has there been an effective campaign against Christianity? Yes. It is a subtle campaign, but it is everywhere. Have icons and supports of the Christian identity been attacked and destroyed? Yes. Prayer is gone from the school, display of the ten commandment is gone from official grounds. Christians see it plainly, and yet they still fail to push back. We know what happens when a passive strategy is adopted. The Christian soldier is altogether ineffective; what is needed is a Christian Marine - a Christian that is able to kick some serious ass. Yet, same old same old is the order of the day. While Christians pin their hope in continued Christian practice, and prayer, the Muslims take action after action. The public is beginning to see the Christian as wrong and the tolerance for a Christian-hating religion as right. So, what can we expect to follow? Laws will be enacted that will give Muslims governmental powers. Christians will find themselves ridiculed publicly, beaten, their property taken from them. They will be outcast from society. The real possibility exists that they, along with all non-Muslims in America, will be pushed into trains headed for camps. We know that death is the certain outcome of that scenario. It will be demanded of Christian and atheist alike to convert on penalty of death. There will be torture. Freedoms and liberties, once taken for granted, will be ineffective, as they were never exercised enough to produce muscle. With every present inaction on the part of Christianity, the Christian foothold in America turns into something more like a toehold. With every action of Muslims and atheists against Christianity, not the atheist identity but the Muslim identity becomes more established. It began with subtle affronts, but now it is plain to see. Is it too late? Is there still time for the Christian to push back? Will America see the rise of Christian Marines? No, no, and maybe. I would like to think that Christianity has the balls to take real action. I hope to see the rise of Christian Marines in my lifetime. The sad fact of life is this: you either push or you get pushed. That is roughly equivalent to being either the male or the female. My advice to America is this: be a man. Push.

If you love fantasy, as I do, then you are sure to love my new fantasy novel, The Faerie Dusters. It is only available on my web store , it is formatted as a PDF for your ease and convenience, but best of all, it is only $5 per download - a price suitable for gift giving. Let me tell you just a little about my book. Zamani is the protagonist. He is a young half blood, being part Pucha and part Shee. For most of his life, he has lived in the nhola forest - a mysterious jungle surrounded by a force field. At the death of his mother, he fled from the murderous hand of his father, king Rasha. He has always watched the Shee from the protection of the nholas. He has ventured only so far as Mithal-Moun, where, cloaked in glamor, he secretly learned the Phrava from Ragezeg. But one day, Zamani became tired of his forest adventures, and sought something new beyond the barrier. He is immediately, and inextricably, drawn into the lives and politics of the Shee. Among his new friends is a muscular youth named Takax. When Zamani decides on a course of problem solving for the Shee, he includes Takax in the first of many adventures. The ultimate adventure leads Zamani, Takax, Xarhn, and Tosh to the world of the humans. They become marooned, and must befriend two humans of the late 1800's. It is a race against time, as Zamani must find a way back home, and as Will, one of Zamani's new friends, must find a way to save the widow Hawkshaw. What will Zamani find when he gets back home? Can Will save Emma from the flood, and what will he find beyond the stones?

Here is a small excerpt from The Faerie Dusters:

"No. After the battle, Yagi made it his mission to eliminate the unpure, to put an end to our existence. He found many of us, and while there is no proof, I am afraid many of us were slain by his own hand. I was very small at the time, and my father had served Mithal-Moun on countless occasions. Ragezeg sometimes played with me when our fathers met. It was to Mithal-Moun I was taken to escape the bloody hand of Yagi. Ragezeg hid me there; later, he formed my pait and gave Teefa. No one knows this save I, the Mithal, and you." Pax leaned back against the stage and paused. Zamani struggled to take it in, that such as Yagi could live among the Shee, that no one had sought to stop him. Pax stretched, and yawned lazily, then continued. "Now, Yagi greets me daily in the market; he barters for my wares. He took me as a son when his own died of the fever." Pax lingered in his past, Zamani watched his eyes wander from memory to memory, then he returned with a sigh. "Someday, I will be summoned to Yagi-mon, and he will be on his bed. I will take him in my arms and lift him up on his pillow. He will bless me, and I will kiss his cheek. Then, I will whisper in his ear that he has loved a Gathorne, and I will close his eyes."

I have heard many sermons about the tribulation; heard many differing opinions regarding the number 666, have understood multiple scenarios concerning the suffering of the righteous meek at the hands of those in power who espouse their own, unobstructed, version of the separation of church and state. I must admit that the contemporary church deserves every bit of it, though I would not see it, if they, to the least individual, are too ignorant about, or too unwilling to fight the evil that is apparent all around them. This Bible study began as the notion to study more closely the "number of a man," but then expanded to include separation of church and state - which led me unerringly to the laws of man. This study must, then, necessarily include sources not from the scriptures.

It is commonly held that our secular laws have their beginnings in spirit filled Christians who fled Europe's political tyranny over the Christian way of life. By extension, it is plainly seen that the laws embodied in our Constitution have for their origin the beliefs and hopes of righteous people. So firstly, I point to what the encyclopedia notes about our Constitution:

Constitution of the United States:

A constitution, ratified in 1787, founded upon the principles of the Declaration of Independence, and based upon the concepts of limited and responsible government . . .

I hope that you see as plainly as I do that a limited and responsible government, created from principles already in existence - principles that come down from spiritual people that fled governmental tyranny over them, would be created to enhance and protect, rather than inhibit or detract from the spiritual lives of those who desired the change. So, let us look closely at the more telling points of the Declaration; let us see what these people fought against, and what these people hoped for.

Notice the spirituality of the Declaration: Our very first legal document not only lifted God above man, but set as the true authority of any nation or government - not the government, but the "good people."

appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies,

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence,

to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them,

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,

Did any of this find its way into our present law (by which I mean the Constitution), or were these isolated and fading sentiments? Remembering that our constitution was founded on the spiritual principles of the Declaration of Independence, let us look keenly into our present law.

Constitutional Amendments:

Article I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Article IX. The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Article X. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Please read and note that congress does not have the constitutional authorization to pass any law to separate the exercise of spiritual freedom from any aspect of daily life - which includes not only the schooling of children, but also offices of government; which should be filled only with God fearing men and women that represent and serve the "good people." Note also that any power not delegated by the Constitution, ultimately reverts back to the true national authority: its people. Read these amendments (our law) very carefully - look at the order and wording. Especially read the 9th amendment - anything that is not specifically covered in the rest of the law, is protected by the 9th amendment. The rights of the people (even the unspoken rights of the people) shall never be denied or disparaged. Would not this also include the protection and everlasting affirmation of the unspecified privileges and immunities mentioned above?

So then, let us now return to the Declaration and discover the tyrannies that our forefathers fought against. As we understand that they spoke specifically against their King in England, let us also see that King as a precursory image of our general governmental representative of the "good people." Let us weigh our elected representatives in this light. Do they truly represent us?

let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

invasions on the rights of the people.

erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people,

affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

pretended offences

establishing an Arbitrary government,

abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

destroyed the lives of our people.

works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy

constrained our fellow Citizens to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren,

A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a Free people.

unwarrantable jurisdiction over us.

the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here.

Remember where we have come from, and think closely on those we have elected to represent us. How hard have we fought to put godly men and women in office? If we want prayer in school, but don?t have it, have our representatives truly represented us? I think not! And so it is at this day; the unfit are allowed to have their way unopposed; those who do not represent the "good people" hold sway over policy. The unfit march forward relentlessly, but, the "good people," with every fearful inaction, tighten their future noose just a little tighter on their collective neck.

all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

That statement is shocking, even frightening. Is there no hope? I must cling all the more, then, to the hope that an informed people will do what is right. How can we look straight at a thing and not see it? There are none so blind as the ignorant, and yet, the blind will take the hand of the one who sees. We, then, though blind, can see by the sight of others. We, then, can understand - and act. What did our forefathers see?

1). Governments are instituted among Men,

2). deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

3). whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,

4). laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

5). it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

I have belabored the political end of this Bible study in order to more clearly visualize the future plight of a people that had ample opportunity, and forewarning enough to act in their own best interest. Who are the people of the saints that will fight the righteous fight against evil?

Daniel 7:25-27

25. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

26. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

27. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.

Freedom wears no armor. How can it be a shield? In the United States of America, freedom is offered equally to all. The evil have used it for their evil ends; they have marched forward, like a swarm of termites, devouring from the foundation up. They have twisted the intent of our founding fathers to limit government. The evil infiltrators within our government would limit the people.

Now, many have considered that the mark of the beast has something to do with computers. While it has a bearing on daily commerce, I contest that the real mark is a spiritual mark - one that spiritual beings can see. The ?hand? represents our works; the ?head? or ?forehead? represents the stand we take - whether of God or of the world. Christ said, "Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou savorest not the things that be of God ." What is a beast but a soulless, totally disconnected man, whose inner man lifts up only those lesser things of man, and of worldliness. To whom, then, belongs the greater woe - the beast, or the Christian that did not take his Christianity far enough?

According to the book of Revelation, The ?mark? is described several ways.

Revelation 13:17

17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Many think of computer chips when they think of the mark, but what if the mark turns out to be a sort of dynastic brand: that is, an affiliation to a ruling family? Forget parties - the family is in. Why would I suggest a family or a family name? Let us not forget to remember that John came from a people with much different definitions than our own. What is the number of a man in terms of old world definitions? How did they number a man? For one, they numbered a man by his genealogical pedigree: or the line of his ancestry. Such thinking was still evident in the New Testament, when Matthew numbered Jesus at fourteen generations. For another, men were numbered by their sons and grandsons - and the whole long list of men that made up that clan within the tribe.

For a closing point, I will point to one man that was so numbered in the Old Testament. Might his name be somehow relevant?

Ezra 2:13

13. The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty six.

Compared to the few verses that contemporary Christianity employs to support the rapture theory, I have noted a contrary and recurring theme that runs through the entire span of the Holy Bible from old testament to new. That theme is that all people on the face of the earth must endure tribulation; must 'pass through the fire'.

It is to be the shaking of the tree to see what falls; a test that brings those who have into a humbler relationship with God, and takes those who have not further into their sin.

(Read the parable of the talents with this in mind.)

I have heard many teachings about the rapture, but never have I heard one tempered with the parables of my Lord.

Contemporary Christianity puts forth several judgments, and multiple resurrections. The parables of Christ, however, speak of a single action that performs more than one task.

In His own words, Jesus speaks of the end days, judgement, resurrection, and regeneration.

This study attempts to explore those things which are not taken into account when contemporary Christians speak about the rapture.

Consider the parable of the man who sowed good seed. The man's enemy sowed tares among them, and the servants, when they discovered it, wanted to remove the bad from the good. The master would wait, however, being concerned for his own, and told the servants to allow the bad to grow up with the good.

At the harvest (judgement) the reapers (angels) are to first remove and burn the tares, then gather the good. This parable speaks of a single harvest that is to accomplish two things in a given order. After the parable, Christ explains these things to His disciples in no uncertain terms.

Consider another parable that imparts the same message. It is the parable of the net. The fishermen gather of all kinds; the good with the bad. When the net is pulled in, they separated the two. Notice how Jesus ends the parable: look not only at what He says, but the order in which He says it.

"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just."

Let us look at yet another parable. This one is about a king and the marriage he has prepared for his son. This parable is not obscure; it is often used in sermons. It, too, speaks of end days, and a single judgement on the king's part to reject the one and receive the other.

It is comparable to a fourth such illustration: the one about the ten virgins. In the fourth parable there are two sets of virgins: the one and the other. The one is received and the other is sent away.

With the former of these two parables, the servants gathered both good and bad and brought them into the feast: both were there together until the king judged that the bad should be removed from the good.

Still another: the one of the sheep and goats, tells of a single judgement with the sheep on the right hand, and the goats on the left hand. They are there together, and the judgement decrees that the goats must leave.

In discussing the last days with His disciples, Christ made two high profile statements: "the end is not yet" and "these are the beginning of sorrows".

These expressions were used in conveying that much must transpire before the actual end comes. Jesus is speaking to His own about what His own must go through in regard to tribulation.

He makes this statement in that regard: "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Someone tell me how anyone can endure a thing that they are not directly and thoroughly immersed in. Try reading Matthew 24 with this in mind.

Christ, in the book of Revelation, uses these concepts while speaking directly to the churches: 'overcome'; 'endure'; 'unto the end'. And check out the wording of Revelation 7:14. It goes like this - "out of great tribulation" rather than 'a great tribulation' or 'the great tribulation'. The wording of this verse speaks of something held in common.

And finally consider Revelation 14:13. This occurs in the midst of tribulation, with the gospel still being preached. The verse speaks of those who might otherwise have been caught away, saying, "blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth".

As an afterthought, I would like to add the saying of the two houses; one built on sand, the other founded upon a rock. The thing that struck me about that scripture is that the very same series of catastrophic events were applied to both houses.

The good house was in no sense removed from the storm.