Preparing the Bride of Christ For His Return By Janet Van Hierdan
A Tale of Two Brides is now available on Amazon.com:
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Babylon is Falling Down, Part 14
August 8, 2013
Felicitations!
In John 14:6, Jesus makes perhaps the one single statement that separates our walk with Him from religion and -- more than that -- from the spirit of Babylon and Mammon.
"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Add to that His statement which John quotes in chapter 10:9: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
Then in verse 11 of the same chapter, Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
Jesus makes clear here that we are NOT "the way, the truth and the life." We are NOT the door to Kingdom living. We are NOT the good shepherd! Human flesh and human will are not willing to give up life in order to provide eternal life with God!
These statements that Jesus makes distinguish the Kingdom of God from the kingdom of Babylon. Take another look at Babylon's beginning:
"And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:3-4)
Notice the focus? US! Funny thing! There's absolutely no recognition of God; and everything about Babylon's focus is what WE'RE going to do, what WE'RE going to get, and what WE'RE going to make of ourselves in the earth. Let's make US a city -- as if living freely off the land isn't safe! Let's make US a tower that will take us into Heaven.
Let me pause parenthetically here to point out a prophetic Word that Isaiah gave. (See Isaiah 14:12-14)
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Now you see where Babylon had its real beginning! It's all about I, ME, US, WE -- not Father God, not the Lord Jesus Christ, not the promised Messiah who would redeem them from the Curse!
And Babylon's beginnings are wrapped up in the statement, Let US make US a name. Embodied in that is the core desire to be equal with God, to supplant the need for God, to replace God with I, ME, US and WE. It is the core of what we know today and refer to as Secular Humanism. There are some other names for it in our socio-political world today: Progressive, Socialist, Liberal. The so-called "Progressive" or "Socialist, Liberal" mindset is a nice, sanitized way of expressing the very thing we left off with in our last discussion.
Watch carefully. Let's revisit the 12 categories of importance to the Babylonian mindset.
1. Precious metals (gold, silver, etc.)
2. Precious stones (e.g., diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, etc.)
3. Rare or exotic woods
4. Ivory
5. Decorative (and even useful) things made of brass, iron and marble
6. Perfumes, fine scented things (cinnamon, fragrant powders, incense, ointments and frankincense)
7. Fine wines
8. Oil, fine flour, wheat (a nice way to express the "importance" of fine cuisine)
9. Flocks (cattle, beasts of the field, sheep, goats, etc.)
10. Might in battle (horses and chariots)
11. Slaves (having physical control over human beings, having control over the way they live and their lifestyles, and having control over the way they do business)
12. The souls of men (having control over the minds, the hearts, the thoughts and the desires of human beings) THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE MARK OF THE BEAST!!
The so-called "Progressive" way of thinking creates at once a sameness (more accurately, a puppet mentality), a robotic behavior according to a set of unsaid (or as the case may be, actually stated) rules which ban societal behavior that acknowledges and honors the Lord. The fraud incorporated in this mindset is that the "progress" is into rebellion and humanistic "I'm my own god" thinking. It is the lie of Satan -- the same lie he told Eve when he said, "Ye shall not surely die [if you eat of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil]: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4b-5)
The very use of the word "Progressive" itself is a lie since this thinking is regressive. It deprives people of the freedom and liberty there is in Christ Jesus. It takes them backwards spiritually, mentally, physically, and economically. The same applies to the use of the word, "Liberal," since there is no liberty whatever. Those who come under this kind of thinking actually submit to the slavery of the Grand Puppet Master himself, the king of Babylon.
People who buy into this lie generally become blinded to the Truth -- the Truth that is the Lord Jesus Christ. They're sold a myth, one that says that there must be a secular society "free from religion," one in which there is a distinct "separation of church and state."
The problem with this kind of thinking -- and I'm pausing momentarily to deal with something that a lot of folks will see as not being "politically correct" -- is that the same folks who push this demonic philosophy treat the Gospel of Jesus Christ as "religion," when in fact it is anything but. The fact that some folks treat the worship of God and the Lord Jesus as "mere religion" is nothing more than an effort to escape from the judgments of the Lord, not understanding that His judgment is redemptive, NOT destructive.
The lie of Mammon -- the lie of Babylon -- is that all religions are the same. Christianity -- despite the fact that major efforts have been made to treat it as such -- is about as un-religious as anything can be. True Christianity is nothing more and nothing less than an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion(s) on the other hand is devoid of real relationship. Religion -- and especially the humanistic religion of Babylon -- requires near-robotic behavior to a set of laws, commandments, rules, regulations, restrictions and doctrines which strip one of relationship with God while attempting to please Him through this mechanical behavior.
Babylon requires allegiance to the king of Babylon. Babylon requires uniformity of thinking and living. Babylon creates sheer slavery by forcing men and women to take the "mark of the beast" -- the king of Babylon himself -- in their right hand and live, and conduct business according to Babylon's rules. Babylon deprives men and women of free will and free choice, the kind of free will and choice that Jesus describes like this:
"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)
The Babylonian mindset, therefore, is the mindset -- again -- of the king of Babylon, the beast. John sees this and describes this in Revelation 13:16 as "a mark ..... in their foreheads."
That mark is demonstrated in the so-called "progressive" mindset. It is also demonstrated in those who don't necessarily refer to themselves as "liberal" or "progressive" but still are greedy for power, for control, for money, for "stuff" because they are afraid to yield control of their lives, their situations, their finances, etc., to the Lord Jesus Christ for a huge variety of reasons.
The entire Babylonian system and mindset -- the "mark in the forehead" if you will -- revolves around self, serving self, satisfying self, worshiping self above the Lord, and getting, getting, getting, getting, getting, and never being satisfied because the "getting" never fills the spiritual need for relationship with Jesus Christ, and with Father God.
The entire Global Currency Reset to a large degree revolves around this mindset. To be sure there is a genuine effort being put forth by men and women of good will whose heart is to try and solve the world's economic crises and put people and nations back on track to financial health. The root of the "financial health" of course is ultimately found in Mammon and the spirit of Babylon; and yet despite this, the Lord is turning the tables to provide an immense blessing to millions of people -- the majority of whom have a Kingdom mindset.
Despite this incredible effort being made to turn around a failing economic system, this is only a temporary fix. I personally see this as a grace period implemented by the Lord at Babylon's expense. Babylon can't fix itself! Babylon's mindset hasn't changed. That said, people who are involved at the top of our world economic system still have the same underlying policies and thought processes. The nations and governments of this world will continue their same profligate spending policies and socialist, liberal thinking.
Even with all the Basel III protocols in place and the Global Currency Reset being implemented, all this is going to do is to buy a little time -- time that the Bride of Christ absolutely MUST utilize to make herself ready for the coming of the Bridegroom, and time that must be seized and redeemed for this last great harvest. From what I see and hear, we have perhaps seven to ten years in which to accomplish things before the world's economies collapse inward on themselves with a mighty bang!
There is no Basel IV. There is no new Global Currency Reset the economists and banking leaders can come up with seven-to-ten years from now that will be able to implement another fix. Tax and spend policies will begin the death spiral all over again, and this time the system is going to come down once and for all.
Take a quick look at how John describes it in Revelation 18:15-20:
"The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought.
"And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
"Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her."
Here's how John finishes the picture of Babylon's fall in verses 23 and 24 (with my amplification of the Greek):
"And the light of a candle shall shine NO MORE AT ALL in thee; and the [celebratory] voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard NO MORE AT ALL in thee: for thy merchants were the great [the prominent] men of the earth; for by thy sorceries [and manipulations] were all nations [blinded by her enticements, and] deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."
As is more than obvious today, anyone who dares to speak out against the sin and the policies which not only permit but encourage behavior which is abominable in the sight of God, and addresses the practices of leaders and governments which defy the Word of God are often quickly arrested and put in jail, or had lawsuits filed against them, or had military action taken to quiet their voices; and, in more cases than we want to even think about, been put to death.
Jezebel absolutely HATES rebuke and reproof. Anyone who dares to rebuke or to reprove the actions and activities of those under the domination of this spirit of rebellion frequently (and increasingly in this day and time) suffers as a result. Let it be known, however, among the saints of God that Jezebel's days of speaking out against God's anointed have been shortened.
In next week's Coffee Break -- the last one in this series, I'll share with you some "signs in the heavens and the earth beneath" which portend the final collapse of Babylon.
Have the most prosperous week you've ever known or experienced!
Blessings on you!
Regner
Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES
709 South 7th StreetCAPENER MINISTRIES
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
(509) 515-0133
A Tale of Two Brides is now available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Two-Brides-Relationship-ebook/dp/B00BSV6HZC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1363139096&sr=8-8&keywords=A+Tale+of+Two+Brides#_
All Coffee Break articles are copyright by Regner A. Capener, but authorization for reprinting, reposting, copying or re-use, in whole or in part, is granted –provided proper attribution and this notice are included intact. Older Coffee Break archives are available at http://www.RegnersMorningCoffee.com. Coffee Break articles are normally published weekly.
If you would like to have these articles arrive each morning in your email, please send a blank email to: Subscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.To remove yourself from the mailing list, please send a blank email to Unsubscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.
If you would like to have these articles arrive each morning in your email, please send a blank email to: Subscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.To remove yourself from the mailing list, please send a blank email to Unsubscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.
CAPENER MINISTRIES is a tax-exempt church ministry. Should you desire to participate and covenant with us as partners in this ministry, please contact us at either of the above email or physical addresses, or visit: http://www.RiverWorshipCenter.org.
Babylon is Falling Down, Part 12
July 22, 2013
Sorry for the delay in getting this edition out, but I was on the road traveling in Canada. This Coffee Break and the next one in sequence will follow closely together.
During the past couple of decades, I have occasionally written about a very close friend of ours -- Eileen Finnman -- who is famous worldwide for her remarkable cinnamon buns, and particularly for her ministry through the Country Kitchen each year at the Calgary Stampede. Before we get back into our primary discussion, let me again honor this lady who has been such a part of our lives.
We first met Jim & Eileen in 1991 when they came to Alaska on vacation and visited us. We had been introduced to them earlier over the telephone by mutual friends. There was an immediate bond formed between us and Della was directed by Holy Spirit to help Eileen that summer at the Stampede. I joined them the following year after we had made our move to Post Falls, Idaho to set up a ministry base for the northwest and Della and I worked with Jim & Eileen at the Stampede each year thereafter until 1996 when, following the close of the Stampede, Eileen felt that her labors were finished there.
In 1993, Eileen felt directed to sow a new Compaq computer into our ministry efforts. That computer became the beginning of a vast array of efforts including editing and assembling the spontaneous worship music we were recording into tapes -- and eventually CD's -- which have been distributed to thousands of people throughout the years. That computer also spurred my writing endeavors which, up to that time, had been long hand followed by an IBM Selectric typewriter -- a painful process (:-) -- and made possible what began as Open Letters to the Ekklesia, which later evolved into Another Coffee Break.
Some six weeks ago or so, Eileen began to suffer some extreme physical issues. The doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of cancer and gave her roughly two weeks to live. Della flew down from Alaska to be with Eileen, and I called George Robinson who has a fabulous track record of ministering healing to folks with cancer. We joined together over the phone in prayer and saw immediate improvement in Eileen. Although she is not back to 100% yet, her recovery has been remarkable from the doctors' perspective, and the cancerous tumor continues to shrink.
Della and I spent a couple of days in High River, Alberta with Eileen this past week and shared with her a picture of the multiplication of the seed she has sown over the years. We talked about the thousands of people who have been saved, healed, delivered and set free just as a byproduct of the praise and worship ministry that has taken place. We talked about the million-plus readers who have subscribed to these Coffee Breaks, along with thousands of people in ministry who continue to receive encouragement and sustenance, and then turn around and share with increased multitudes of others in 80-plus countries.
I said to Eileen, "You cannot even begin to count the numbers of people who have come into the Kingdom, or whose lives have been drawn into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ as a direct result of the seed you have sown, just with us! And that says nothing about the multiplied thousands of people you have shared with and ministered to during the past 70 or more years. Enjoy this time of recovery! Enjoy and just bask in the presence of the Lord, and know that you have a time of reaping from the multiplied seeds you have sown throughout the years."
OK. Let's see how far we can get today as we look at the events that have taken place historically, the prophetic pictures that have been given to us in the Word concerning the bringing down of the spirit of Babylon, the historic (and currently ongoing) war between the people of God as this spirit (we also refer to it as Mammon) asserts itself and attempts to keep believers from walking in true Kingdom life with the prosperity of Heaven manifested.
Wow! That was a mouthful! But so are the pictures I'd like to share with you. Let's go back a ways into the history of God's covenant with His people. It's a bit long, but take a look at the first chapter of the book of Joshua.
”Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
" Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
"Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
"Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
"And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage."
Now, don't look at me in that tone of voice! I know you think I've lost it, and what's running through your head about now is, What in the world does all of this have to do with Babylon?
Let's not forget that the spirit of Babylon has been the tormentor of mankind since before the days of Nimrod. That spirit became manifested in Nimrod's efforts to democratize and socialize the people, his desire for "one world government" under man's control with everyone thinking alike, and living under uniform rules and a lifestyle that applied to all the people.
We don't especially think of Canaan in the same terms as Babylon, but that's only because most folks don't realize that the principal god of the seven Canaanite nations was Baal. I don't want to get into the history and/or the genesis of Baal because that would take us off course in this series, but suffice it to say that Baal was a centuries-old incarnation and representation of Nimrod. In the pantheon of gods worshiped by the Canaanite nations, Baal's consort was Astarte (or Ashtaroth), a representation of the lewd, licentious and sexually perverted Egyptian wife of Nimrod.
Consider now the judgment of God against this manifestation of the spirit of, or the King of Babylon in the command to Joshua:
"Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast."
Do you see it? Israel was commanded to dispossess the land of the Canaanite nations. Their houses and lands, their wealth, their vineyards, their groves, their fields, their horses, their oxen, their sheep -- EVERYTHING that pertained to those nations -- was being taken away from them and transferred to God's people. This was due to be a wealth transfer from the wicked to the righteous that made the transfer of Egypt's wealth into the hands of the Israelites pale by comparison.
They were literally being given everything from the Nile to the Euphrates! There was just one catch. Israel was going to have to lay claim to it and fight for it. Let's not forget however, God's promise to Israel in the midst of the battles that would ensue:
"Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that HE WILL without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites." (Joshua 3:10)
"And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed. And He shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.
"The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing." (Deuteronomy 7:22-26)
By now you should be seeing the picture. The Lord was the one that would be driving their enemies before them, but they were going to have to fight. They were going to have to do battle. They were going to have to seize this wealth by force. The spirit of Babylon was going to do everything in his power to prevent Israel from getting it's inheritance in God. Mammon was going to cheat, deceive, connive, infiltrate and do everything to compromise this wealth transfer, and Israel was going to have to stay focused on the Lord and not get distracted!
(By the way, there's a pretty good parallel between what Israel went through and what God's people today are experiencing as this great wealth transfer from Babylon is taking place. Just as Israel needed to stay focused on the Word of the Lord and the prize before them, so also do God's people have to stay focused on what God is saying, refuse to give up, refuse to be discouraged because of delays and the interference of the enemy and persist in faith, believing!)
We've used this quote before but here it is again: "But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish his covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy 8:18)
Let's consider this from another angle. The transfer of this wealth is intended to deprive Babylon of its power to influence, to control, to manipulate people and to keep them subservient in poverty and continual need. God's intention is to demonstrate to the world that Babylon, its spirit, its mindset and its mode of doing business are the exact opposite of the covenant life we have in Christ Jesus.
I know that many folks have been utterly discouraged and disheartened because of the delays that have taken place throughout the past few years with the Global Currency Reset, and the revaluation of a number of currencies (including the Iraqi Dinar), especially in view of the promises that God has made to His people in the midst of all that is happening. HE is the one who has ordained this! HE is the one who has gone before us to prepare this day! Now, more than ever before, it is critical that folks NOT lose sight of the covenant God has made with us, and the opportunity (AND responsibility) set before us to demonstrate His covenant!
This is war, folks! We're at war with Mammon. We're at war with the king of Babylon. This demonic principality (or ruler of the darkness of this age) continues to do everything in his power to prevent this wealth transfer into the Kingdom of God. However, the end of this battle has been promised to us in the Word!
Again, I've just scratched the surface of this. There's lots more to talk about, and one thing I want to share with you before we wrap up this series is the unfolding signs of the time -- signs in the heavens, and signs in the earth -- of the final fall of Babylon and the victory of the Bride of Christ promised by the Lord! That's probably still a couple weeks away, but we're headed there.
See you soon.
Blessings on you!
Regner
Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES
CAPENER MINISTRIES
709 South 7th Street
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
(509) 515-0133
A Tale of Two Brides is now available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Two-Brides-Relationship-ebook/dp/B00BSV6HZC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1363139096&sr=8-8&keywords=A+Tale+of+Two+Brides#_
All Coffee Break articles are copyright by Regner A. Capener, but authorization for reprinting, reposting, copying or re-use, in whole or in part, is granted –provided proper attribution and this notice are included intact. Older Coffee Break archives are available at http://www.RegnersMorningCoffee.com. Coffee Break articles are normally published weekly.
If you would like to have these articles arrive each morning in your email, please send a blank email to: Subscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.To remove yourself from the mailing list, please send a blank email to Unsubscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.
If you would like to have these articles arrive each morning in your email, please send a blank email to: Subscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.To remove yourself from the mailing list, please send a blank email to Unsubscribe@AnotherCoffeeBreak.com.
CAPENER MINISTRIES is a tax-exempt church ministry. Should you desire to participate and covenant with us as partners in this ministry, please contact us at either of the above email or physical addresses, or visit: http://www.RiverWorshipCenter.org.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Babylon is Falling Down, Part 13
July 30, 2013
Good Morning!
I always get excited when I see immediate answers to prayers, decrees and declarations -- but even more so when they take place in a corporate setting, and the individual(s) you are praying for or declaring over is literally across the continent!
In our last Coffee Break, I noted how our longtime friend, Eileen, had received healing and was progressing towards a full recovery following conferenced prayer over the telephone with George Robinson, whose track record of ministering healing to folks with cancer is unparalleled among people we know and with whom we fellowship.
Never let it be said that the Enemy misses an opportunity to launch an attack against folks who are on the frontlines of ministry. Paul Keith Davis and Steven Shelley are two such brethren who have suffered physical attacks on their bodies by the Enemy and are in the midst of healing and restoration at the moment. Ditto for George Robinson. Some days ago -- more than a week, actually -- George took a spill (I believe it was on a stairway) and landed on his right shoulder. It was severely dislocated and ripped a tendon in the shoulder.
When we were talking on the phone last week, he expressed to me the extreme pain he was going through, and said he was scheduled to go in for an MRI on Monday the 29th. I prayed for him over the phone and declared his healing, but also let him know that our fellowship would be lifting him up before the Lord on Sunday.
Our gatherings tend to last for anywhere from 4 - 6 hours, and sometimes even more, because of the time we give to praise and worship, sharing around the meal table, fellowshipping together, ministering to one another, teaching, etc. That said, on Sunday afternoon between 4:00 and 4:30, we took time to pray over George. One of the things we've learned to do -- and we do this whenever specifically directed by Holy Spirit -- is to call for new body parts from the "body parts room" in Heaven. Now, I know that sounds really strange; and some folks will think we've really lost it, but that's too bad! We commanded a new shoulder for George as we were praying and decreeing his healing.
George called me later on Sunday night and he was pretty excited. "The coolest thing happened to me tonight," he said. He went on to say that he was teaching in a Sunday night service and was preparing to minister to a particular lady. His arm had been swollen and black and blue from the bruising. All of a sudden the swelling disappeared and the discoloration left. He stretched out his arm over the lady to pray over her and the people sitting up front called out, "George, look at your arm! See what you are doing?!"
He suddenly realized that he had complete and total mobility with his arm, that there was no pain, and the swelling and black and blue marks were gone. The time frame was identical to the time of our prayer and declarations. He went on to say that he had an appointment on Monday for an MRI on his shoulder and that he would call with a report.
Sure enough, he called back on Monday to report that the MRI showed that his shoulder displayed no injury whatever. Don't you just love it when the Lord does really cool creative miracles like that?
Let's pick up our discussion today with a statement made in last week's Coffee Break.
This transfer of wealth we've been talking about is intended to deprive Babylon of its power to influence, to control, to manipulate people and to keep them subservient in poverty and continual need. God's intention is to demonstrate to the world that Babylon, its spirit, its mindset and its mode of doing business are the exact opposite of the covenant life we have in Christ Jesus.
We're at war with Mammon. We're at war with the king of Babylon. This demonic principality (or ruler of the darkness of this age) continues to do everything in his power to prevent this wealth transfer into the Kingdom of God. However, the end of this battle has been promised to us in the Word!
Let's get to some of the nitty-gritty today of just how Babylon, the spirit of Babylon -- Mammon -- the system, the structure and the economy are all going to take a big fall.
We've made several references to the new banking software and protocols that were put in place in February of this year. Notice again that the software is referred to as "Babylon II." That's significant, folks! This is not the first Babylon. This is not the ancient city of Babylon! This is not a newly rebuilt city of Babylon with a thriving population and a monarchial government.
This is Babylon II. This is the same spirit that ruled in the days of Nimrod, the same spirit that ruled in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, the same spirit that ruled Babylon when Israel was carried away captive, the same spirit that ruled the city and the land during the 99 years that Daniel prophesied, had visions and experiences and received prophetic pictures of the events that would unfold in the centuries to come.
Babylon II is not just computer software. It is reflective of an effort to keep Mammon thriving off the backs of people -- and especially God's people. It is (from a purely technical standpoint) some of the most advanced, state-of-the-art programming technology which seeks to continually monitor and adjust currency values worldwide against their relative asset bases and structures, and provides banks and currency-traders the ability to predict and profit from shifting currency rates on a day-to-day (and even a moment-by-moment) basis.
Babylon II: the name alone is hilarious! Babylon comes from Babel: confusion. The confusion that exists in the world's economies is staggering beyond belief. The software attempts to make some sense out of the confusion and allow the financial structures of the various nations to operate in the midst of that confusion.
When Jesus said, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon," He wasn't kidding! With the Lord comes perfect order and harmony -- NOT the chaos of Babylon. The strange and wonderful blessing of the Lord is that He has the capacity to take what Satan means for evil in order to manipulate, corrupt, entice and deceive us, and turn it into a blessing for His people while at the same time using it to expand and build up His Kingdom.
The transfer of such great wealth into the body of Christ deprives the king of Babylon of resources he might otherwise use against us. The lie of Mammon -- and unfortunately many Christians have believed this -- is that money is the root of all evil; and therefore, it is evil for Christians to have a lot of money. Not so! The Word clearly tells us that "the love of money is the root of all evil." That's a huge difference! Sadly, many Christians seem to lack the ability to differentiate between having money and loving money.
The entire Babylonian system and mindset revolves around ..... well, let's take it straight from Revelation 18:9-19:
"The kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
"And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
"And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
"For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate."
Notice what is important to Babylon! Let's see if we can categorize all of it -- and once you see this picture, it is nothing less than astonishing. It is revelatory!
1. Precious metals (gold, silver, etc.)
2. Precious stones (e.g., diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, etc.)
3. Rare or exotic woods
4. Ivory
5. Decorative (and even useful) things made of brass, iron and marble
6. Perfumes, fine scented things (cinnamon, fragrant powders, incense, ointments and frankincense)
7. Fine wines
8. Oil, fine flour, wheat (a nice way to express the "importance" of fine cuisine)
9. Flocks (cattle, beasts of the field, sheep, goats, etc.)
10. Might in battle (horses and chariots)
11. Slaves (having physical control over human beings, the way they live and the way they do business)
12. The souls of men (having control over the minds, the hearts, the thoughts and the desires of human beings) THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE MARK OF THE BEAST!!
We need to explore these categories in greater depth, but let me simplify, consolidate and then break them apart into the basic spiritual categories.
Over the years I have shared a revelation that Holy Spirit poured into me back in the late 70's and 80's on the three families of fear: the Fear of Evil (which affects our relationship with the Lord), the Fear of Man (which affects our relationships with people and causes us to judge ourselves -- or others -- against both "successful" men and women, and those struggling just to maintain an existence), and the Fear of Death (which does everything to artificially protect us against perceived threats to our well being, our future existence, and the care of our physical bodies).
Embodied in the above list we can see the manifestation of all three of those families of fear. Watch!
John describes "the merchandise (or the buying and selling) of gold and silver, of precious stones, and of pearls." Why do people "invest" in gold and silver or precious stones (as a commodity rather than a piece of jewelry)? Everybody pretty much knows the answer to this one: because they want to protect their future existence; they want a hedge against possible future losses so that they will always be in a position to take care of themselves.
I'm not preaching against hedging in general; I'm referring to the underlying driving force that motivates people to go to extremes in order to protect their future. That, folks, is rooted in the Fear of Death. (I don't have time in this discussion to deal with this the way it needs to be dealt with. What I'm addressing are motivating and driving issues that control a person's decisions.
The Fear of Man is abundantly apparent in several ways in the next groups. Why do folks invest in fine or exotic woods or ivory? Then there are the decorative pieces made of brass, iron and marble. We're talking works of art, the workmanship of one's hands.
Then we come to perfumes or ointments that make us look and smell desirable. Next we have fine wines.
Once more, let me make it clear that I'm not criticizing the need or the use of perfumes or ointments or spices. The point I'm making is that many folks buy works of art because they want to have them around the house to impress others with their "good taste." One could apply that same principle to having a wine cellar with the finest of wines on hand.
Are you seeing the picture? Babylon uses works of art or the workmanship of artisans in order to distract and impress one's neighbors so as to lift up one's own status in the eyes of others. Obviously we utilize perfumes and oils and spices in the same way. What are we describing? If we have a need to impress others, we are suffering from the Fear of Man.
There is a tricky balance in the addition of fine wines to this picture. Depending on whether one treats wine as a natural benefit to good health (used in moderation), or goes to extreme in purchasing super expensive wines just to impress one's neighbors.
Oil, fine flour and wheat -- depending on whether the application is the provision of ample supplies of food to eat, or -- as we have seen with the Romans and the Greeks during the 3rd century BC through the 2nd century AD -- fine cuisine prepared artistically for the sake of impressing; you have a tossup between the Fear of Man and the Fear of Death.
Having a goodly supply of cattle, sheep, goats or other beasts of the field ensures that a person has an ample supply of meat. Thus, we have again the preservation of one's existence.
Lest you think I'm saying this is not good, or that having an ample supply of foodstuffs and meat is somehow wrong or evil, think again! What I'm getting at is Babylon's focus!
I'll stop here because I'd like to delve into the next categories at greater length, and then we'll come back to draw the overall analysis.
See you next week.
Blessings on you!
Regner
Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES
CAPENER MINISTRIES
709 South 7th Street
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
(509) 515-0133
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