And the children of Israel said to the Lord, We have sinned: do to us
whatsoever seems good to You; only deliver us, we pray, this day. And they put
away the strange gods from among
them, and served the Lord: and His soul was grieved
for the misery of Israel. [Judges 10:15-16]
What compassion and love the Creator has. Imagine,
after all their idolatry, when His people promised to put away the ‘strange
gods’ (idols), they pleaded with Him just to deliver them. And what is
written in the Holy Word?
He (our magnificent, glorious Creator) GRIEVED
for the misery of Israel! He grieved!
God Almighty, El Shaddai, Adonai – grieved! It reminds me immediately of the
shortest verse in the Bible. It pertains to Jesus when He was at the gravesite
of Lazarus – even knowing that He was going to raise Lazarus up alive.
He saw the heavy sorrow of his friends (Lazarus’
sisters), Mary and Martha. It is written: Jesus wept. [Jn 11:35] Can
you imagine? The strongest, yet gentlest man that ever lived, Jesus wept! The “world”
tells men not to cry, but this female writer will tell you something I have
said as long as I can remember.
I respect a man who weeps, showing compassion, or
whatever real emotion that moved him to tears. It reveals a tender, yet wise
heart – a real man!
Yes, we have a compassionate, loving, wise, strong,
yet gentle Creator, but He is no fool, no pushover. The way some describe His
love undermines His righteousness and His wisdom. It is as if He will overlook sin,
when you say you are ‘sorry’ because He ‘sees the heart’ – ‘He
understands’.
Oh, He understands, alright! It is called ‘excuses’,
‘compromise’ ‘being unrepentant’, being ‘disingenuous.’ And just for the record, saying, ‘I’m sorry’
is not repentance. You can be sorry that you broke a window, or sorry you
dropped the eggs, and they all broke except one.
But true repentance is recognizing the fullness, the
evil of a sin. It comes with godly sorrow and brokenness. It comes with a
desire to turn away from the sin, and a desire to never repeat it. When you learn
to ‘hate sin’ (and as a child of light, you will progress to that
stage), you are well on your way to being molded into Christ’s image.
Deception Requires Both Discernment and Judgment
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| Bad hair day? Who told you that? ahahaha - Don't be silly. It is called 'the new normal' |
The necessity of “judgment” is obvious; things need to come back into order. The Lord truly has been longsuffering (patient). [2Pet 3:9] All that we walked through in this series, all the harder truths found in the various reports around the world, and in magazines, books and videos, the Lord has made the condition the world is in right now quite clear.
It does not take a genius, or even one with keen
discernment to see that we are truly in the days that are similar to the days
of Noah, and as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. And yet ironically enough,
there are those who really do not see it as being ‘that bad yet’. It is
mind-boggling.
The abominations that are highlighted reveal why
judgment must come upon the nations, including the West (despite what some
prophesy).
Two are astronomical. They run neck-and-neck. The
first is deception (which Jesus/Yeshua mentioned four times
regarding the last days just prior to His return – Christ began with
deception. “Take heed that no man deceive you.” [Mat 24:4]
• deceive: [of a person] cause [someone] to
believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal
advantage; swindle; hoax; dupe; take in; defraud
• fail to admit to oneself that something is true:
give a mistaken impression; also could mean sexually unfaithful to one’s
partner:
• Latin: decipere: ensnare, cheat, catch
– disloyal, unfaithful, untrue
Jesus knew that the days immediately before His return
would be so weighed down with deception that even His own very elect will be
deceived IF possible [Mat 24:24] I realize that most of us are confident
that we are wise enough these days, and will not allow ourselves to be
deceived.
That is not a sarcastic remark, that is a reality. The
majority of us are fairly sure we will not be tricked or deceived, especially
if we have asked God not to allow us to be deceived. Yet, let me ask this, and please
consider it before answering.
Have you come to the point that before any meeting,
before listening to a video, or before a ZOOM conference – before any time where
there will be the meeting of even someone you trust, or meeting one or more people,
that you ask Jesus to keep your eyes and ears alert, and to signal you of any
danger?
You may think that is a little far-fetched, but is it?
I know I have to start doing it more. Keep in mind the words of the Messiah
Himself forewarning us all when He was asked what we are to watch for in the
very last days before His return. [Mat 24:24]
Keep in mind when Saul turned on David, when jealousy
and envy overtook his sensibilities. [1Sam 18:8] He opened the door to the
enemy and Saul was tormented by an evil spirit [allowed by God], which caused
him to try and kill David at times, but God allowed David to escape. Saul was deceived,
blinded by his jealousy. [1Sam 18:10-12; 1Sam 19:11-17]
Think upon Delilah with Samson. Even after he lied to
her three times, and he ‘saw’ her treachery in trying to subdue his strength,
he allowed her seductions to finally win him over, and he revealed the secret behind
his physical strength. And she successfully deceived him, and ultimately
betrayed him. [Judges 16:16,17]
Think upon Peter when Satan spoke to Jesus through the
apostle. Yeshua had just told His small group of men how He would die, and by
whose hands, but be raised up on the third day [resurrected]. Satan,
speaking through Peter, tried to destroy the mission of Jesus through deception.
“Far be it from You, Lord: this shall not be unto You.” [Mat 16:21]
Jesus rebuked Satan, stating that he delighted in the
things of men, and not the things of God. [vs 23] Satan deceived Peter, but
Jesus recognized the source.
Think upon Judas, who ate, drank, slept with Jesus and
the 11 others. Not one other apostle suspected Judas of any wrong, even
when TOLD that the betrayer/deceiver would be the one who
dipped his bread in the bowl with Jesus. Immediately, Judas Iscariot did so …and
still not one apostle ‘saw’. [Jn 13:26]
That is the power and the allure of deception.
The Deception of Idolatry – Shattering the Sacred
The next one is also global, and evident everywhere we turn. Idolatry!
Whatever we idolize becomes more important to be with
them (or it) than with God. It shatters the sacred worship and adoration of our
Maker, and it is handed over to a false god, an idol.
• idolatry: [idolatries]
– extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone before
the holy God; seeking meaning and security from someone other than God—
SOURCE: (for definitions) – Oxford English Dictionary
We have people and things we place first, before Jesus
(our first love), and before God. If we want to walk calmly, focused,
level-headed, with no hint of ungodly fear or angst, we need to walk in the LIGHT
of the Lord.
O house of Jacob [Israel], come, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. [Is 2:5]
It is not just the secular world that is drenched in idolatry, many in the body of Christ are too, but they are blind to it – just as I was to my own idolatry! Jeffery Poor puts it in a nutshell in this short 7:26 minute video. It is spot-on, although I would add ‘prophets’.
Therefore, You have forsaken Your people, the house of
Jacob, because they be replenished [influenced] from the east, and
are soothsayers [spirit of divination] like the Philistines, and
they please themselves in the children of strangers. [vs 6] (God forewarned)
(How often He protects us? Other times, He will allow
us to learn the hard way.)
Violence, Lawlessness, Rebellion, Witchcraft/Sorcery
If you will fear the Lord, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both you and also the king [leader of the nation] that reigns over you continue following the Lord your God:
But if you will not obey the voice of
the Lord, but rebel against the
commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord
be against you, as it was
against your father. [1Sam12:14-15]
Certain people like to repeatedly state that the Lord
is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [Heb 13:8] It is written; so it is
true. However, when it comes to these harder verses, they avoid them, mostly
because they say that is ‘the law’ and we are ‘under grace’.
Being under grace does NOT mean we are lawless; perish
the thought. Otherwise, if that is the case, we just might as wait for the
Lawless one that Satan is going to possess to come along, and do things his
way. No, that would be foolish.
We are not under the 613 laws in the way that if we do
not fulfill them, then we will be stoned to death or whatever the penalty was
for a particular law was. The “law” proved that we could not “keep it”, but
there are spiritual laws, laws with the Holy Spirit and commandments. We are
not a lawless people.
All of these things are escalating and intensifying,
just as the Lord forewarned with those words [escalating, accelerating,
intense (and the derivatives to those words) back in 2018.]
We also see the incredulous rise in violence –
from shootings, stabbings, physical assaults – from schools to churches, from
domestic to public, from personal to civic, all age groups, including an
increase in youth violence, from male to female to transgenders (activists).
Riots, protests, gangs, terrorists, war crimes – all
point to rebellion and lawlessness. The rise of evil, the
celebration of occult holidays, the increasing of satanic groups, public occultic/Satanic
rituals and public gatherings, infiltrating schools with after-hours clubs, Luciferian
worship, and more, all point to witchcraft/sorcery.
Idolatry, deception, violence, rebellion, lawlessness,
and witchcraft/sorcery – it looks like all the props are in place on stage for
the entrance of the Lawless one.
Idolatry and deception top the list. These are
abominations to God, and right now, the majority of the world is steeped in it,
in one way or other, and not even be aware of it.
People are
hearing and seeing so much evil, bloodshed, and injustices, that they are
becoming ‘desensitized’. What horrified us even five years ago is now
being accepted as more ‘common’ every day occurrences. We are being quickly
conditioned.
Is this why the Lord warned that love would ‘wax
cold’? Homelessness has also increased to the point where the police are
having trouble controlling ‘tent cities’ downtown. In Vancouver, a tent city
was torn down one day, with countless bins hauled away…only to be faced with a ‘new
tent city’ being erected within a few days.
The numbers are astronomical. Some panhandlers are
getting aggressive, walking right up to you or your car, when stopped at a
traffic light, waving a hat or a takeout cup in their hand, asking for money.
Many of the same people are outside stores, or on
traffic medians day after day, as if standing there all day begging for money
is their full-time job. It has become difficult to discern who is having a
tough spot in their life, and who is strung out either on alcohol or drugs (with
some, it is easy to tell), and who genuinely just needs a meal.
It has become so much that compassion is fainting
along the broad road that the multitudes travel upon. New agencies, bloggers,
video uploaders, writers of all sorts… everywhere we go, we are being asked for
donations.
It is impossible to help everyone, especially on a
pension. Heck, for anyone, it is difficult. That is where the Lord comes in. He
has a wonderful way of pointing us to those He wants us to help. Bless the
Lord~
That is why I freely give. It is because all I offer is
my little drummer boy gift (which freely I received from God anyway; so it
truly is His – I just borrow it). Yet, I pray that which the Lord gives, He
will anoint, so that it will glorify the Lord and sincerely help and encourage
others. Jesus is exalted on high!
Gird Up the Loins, Brethren
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| click any picture to enlarge |
Apparently, back in the day when the expression [gird up your loins] became well-known, it meant taking the long garment and securing [girding] it around the belt, so that it would not get in the way of work or battle. See the illustration – click on the image to enlarge.
We need to gird up our loins, which literally means to
‘prepare yourself for action’, [prepare] to work hard or
battle hard [Hebrew]; to do our [reasonable] ‘service’
for the kingdom. [Rom 12:1] We are going to have to be a shining light, and
that is going to require that intimate time with the King and Lord
Jesus/Yeshua.
The world, all nations, all tongues and peoples, are
saturated in idolatry – whether it is a person, place or thing. When I began
this series on “Judgment [Comes from the North]”,
it was understood that the Lord was speaking of His judgment coming – and it [heavier
judgment] is coming upon our nations. It began some time ago, but it is
His hand will be felt heavier soon enough.
This ‘Judgment” series is a subcategory under “Season
of Consequences”. 2023 has begun this season, but it will indeed carry on
past this year. 2024 will be another pivotal year. The Lord had said in January
2020 that it was pivotal, and by March 2020 it surely was.
The Great and the Terrible continues, but the reasons
and interpretations have been misconstrued and messed up by plagiarizers. God
will sort this mess out; my part is to be patient. I just do not understand how
anyone who claims to love and work for the Lord would say “thus says the Lord’’
when God did not tell them. Woe – dangerous ground!
Idolatry is Global
I realize that this is not what people want to hear, but the Lord is fed up with idolatry, putting idols before Him – whether it is a person that is idolized, or a thing (something someone else has invented, or created).
Yet they tempted and and dealt unfaithfully like their
fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
For they provoked Him
to anger with their high places, and moved Him to
jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, He was wroth, and greatly
abhorred Israel: [Ps 78:56-59]
If one thinks that His anger pertains only to Israel
in their idolatry, one would be grossly in error. God will not sit by silently
and be mocked. He is patient, but He is no fool!
Some are proud of their material possessions, little trinkets,
and treasures they have discovered. Some have several vehicles (or different
modes of transportation), right down to livestock [horses, camels, donkeys,
etc.]
Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is
there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is
there any end of their chariots:
Perhaps a person is proud of the work they have done with their own hands, and place it where people can see it and be impressed by it. Suddenly, folks want to know that person, or at least, follow what they are doing, and what they have to say.
Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: [Is 2:7,8]
It is so subtle. In this series, I swallowed any pride that might be hiding just under the surface, in order to share something that I never spoke of, until just recently. However, that would be because it was not until November 28, 2022 [my birthday] that the scales fell from off my eyes, and I could see that I had deceived myself the day I turned my back on Jesus. It was a beautiful, unexpected gift.
As challenging and difficult as it has been to admit
this publicly, it came down to one thing – I must decrease,
and [Jesus] must increase. [Jn 3:30] (Thank you,
John the Baptist!)
My earnest desire is that someone else may see that
they are tempted to go down the same path, choosing ‘self-will’,
rather than God’s will. Rebellion is as witchcraft. [1Sam 15:23]
These are serious offenses (sins). Although the
Lord rejected Saul from being king, He did not forsake me, although He was
silent for many years to follow. My heart is that someone else does not make
the same mistake.
Idols Do Not and Can Not Help Us
I spent 39 years self-deceived because of my selfishness. I made an idol out of a person, and a ‘thing’ (lust). I am sure it is because of what happened to me at a young age, but I honestly used to think that if someone wanted to have sex with you, it was because they ‘loved’ you. I could not differentiate, and was so deceived.
Then again, I digress. No matter what happens to us in life, we are the ones in the end who make our own choices. Not even Satan himself can force us to choose his temptations, or force us to sin.
No one can
force us, and God never will, nor would He.
Sin is sin, and we usually know if we are doing wrong.
When I said, “O no, Lord…”, I knew my words were the wrong ones. We have
to own what we did; I take full responsibility.
Strong delusion fell upon me in one area. I was deceived
in the area of ‘men’ because I chose the ‘love’ of a mere man (which was
lust not love) over
Christ Jesus/Yeshua, who IS LOVE.
I instantly became blind (like Paul on the road to
Damascus), except my blindness was spiritual, not physical. And it would
not be for three days like Paul, but for 39 years. The goodness of God must be
understood.
It was an open vision. The Lord Jesus was there in the
room that I was in, but I had no fear of the Lord (no awe, no reverence, I wreaked
with the stench of sin). Jesus even gave me opportunity to change my
mind, but no – I rebelled. God IS good and His mercy endures forever. I will
not repeat the incident, as I thoroughly gave personal
testimony to idolatry.
All that I will add is that I was the callous one. “O
no, Lord…” How tragic! The good Shepherd waited, watching the black sheep.
It was not until I quoted scripture [Mk 11:23] that the Lord vanished from
sight.
He does not go against His Word, and it does not
return void. I sealed my fate that day for 39 years, and had no clue. Satan
rubbed his hands together in delight, but his ‘gain’ would not be forever.
Praise to Jesus.
If I dwell on the sin and not the forgiveness Christ
has now given me, plus deliverance, and healing, I would be utterly crushed by
the weight of such abominable sins. Instead, I am free and determined to stop
anyone I can from making the same mistake. Idolatry is the work of Satan and
flesh. It will steal, kill, and destroy you, if you do not come out of it.
It was insanity, deception to the core. Foolishness,
rebellion – and … idolatry. It was not easy to share the details publicly. In
fact, if it was left entirely up to me, I might not have shared it, but you
see, it is not about me, or my identity, or my reputation, or any such thing.
It is about the goodness and patience of Jesus Christ
toward sinners. He most assuredly does NOT excuse our sins, but if we sincerely
want free, He knows the best way to reach all of us for the sake of eternity.
The ‘choice’ however, is ultimately up to us. Selah
The Gift that Will Last an Eternity
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| the Lamb's blood-the cross-the resurrection an eternal gift - salvation |
But the Lord revealed the bondage that I was in very recently, on my birthday (November 2022). It took several minutes to sink in. My first reaction was disbelief, but as it all unfolded, then shock. I am unsure how long I was in shock because I was completely stunned that I had been under deception.
However, once ended, shock was then followed by crushing
godly sorrow when everything that transpired over the years began to fall into
place, piece together, and make perfect sense.
If there was ever a person who did not deserve grace
or mercy, I would be a likely candidate. I often think now that the Lord takes
the worst and does His amazing work. He loves the underdog, the black sheep,
the rejected and abandoned, the “least likely”.
I will never be able to repeat it enough times because
it is weighted in gratitude. I love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul,
being – I love Him wholly. There is a reason for it. It is written that he who
has been forgiven much, loves much. [Lk 7:47]
Wherefore I say to you, Her sins, which are many, are
forgiven; for loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves
little. [Lk 7]
You, dear reader, may not have sinned to the depth
that I did; I broke every commandment. Does that mean I love Jesus/God more
than you do? No way, that is not what Jesus meant.
The story is about the woman with the alabaster box
filled with expensive perfume. Jesus was having dinner in Simon, the Pharisee’s
house when the woman came in. Simon was thinking that if Jesus knew what kind
of [sinful] woman she was, He would not let her touch Him. [Lk 7:39]
Jesus/Yeshua knew what Simon was thinking, and told
him the story of two people who owed money; one owed 500 pence, and the other 50.
The creditor wrote off both debts. Which one would love him (the creditor)
more, Jesus asked Simon. [vs 42]
Simon answered correctly: the one who owed the most. This
is just my thought, but I do not think Jesus was saying that only the person
who has been forgiven a lot will be capable of loving Him much. It seems to me
the point was if one is forgiven of $50, and another is forgiven of $500, both would
be grateful.
However, the one who got forgiven the $500 would be
most thankful and appreciative. Jesus told Simon that he showed no special love
to Him when he entered the house. He did not give Him water to wash His dirty [well-traveled]
feet, nor did Simon anoint Jesus’ head with oil, or kiss Him, or even soften
His feet with ointment.
The ‘sinful’ woman washed his feet with her tears,
wiped them dry with her long hair, and kissed them. She anointed His head with
oil, and anointed His feet with expensive perfume. She expressed her gratitude
in her actions. Simon did not consider himself a terribly sinful person.
As a result, he did nothing special for Jesus when He
entered his house. It did not mean that Simon did not love Jesus; but his
actions did not express overwhelming gratitude. Both loved Jesus/Yeshua, but
the one who was forgiven more, revealed their gratitude in their actions. [vs
44-50]
The gift of forgiveness and salvation that the Lord
gave me on my birthday will last into eternity. Bless the Lord; Jesus is
exalted on high! [precious Yeshua, the Christ]
True Love Takes Risks and Warns
Would you not want to spare someone else from the seducing spirit of deception, that deadly snare of idolatry? We cannot force people to make the right decision. But what if that person does not realize they are lusting after someone, but think it is ‘love’?
Or what if they do not realize that their admiration
has crossed over the boundary and is now full-blown idolatry? What if that
person does not know they are spiritually blind, or deceived?
Would you not want to help take them by the hand and
place them back on the narrow path, or at the very least, would you not stand
in the gap, grieving for their condition, and intercede on their behalf, asking
the Lord to grant them mercy and deliver them?
What if they do not know they are denying Jesus when
they run to a person for answers, rather than running to Jesus? What if they
are ‘blind’ to what they are doing? I realize that it is difficult to
believe that someone would not know that what they are doing is wrong, but
blind is blind – inability to see is just that, unable to SEE.
You who can see, will you not help them remove the
splinter in their eye, especially when the plank in your eye has been removed? Or
would you just pray, and hope that they will find out on their own, or by God’s
help, grace, and mercy?
What if the internet, pornography, a career, entertainment
(music, sports, movies, television program, etc.), a position in society
(leadership), was something they ‘enjoyed’ but did not realize
they were trapped inside a prison, and walking a broad path that will
eventually lead them to the lake of fire?
To truly love someone, you must be willing to take
risks, no matter how uncomfortable or frightening, in order to save them from
greater grief – sinning against a holy and just God! Sometimes, when we share a
humbling testimony, and leave the results up to God, sometimes we snatch a
person from the gripping flames of eternal separation from God.
Passing the Buck
• passing the buck: to shift the responsibility for
something to someone else; to shift ‘blame’ from oneself to another person
• SOURCE: dictionary.com
(<< I make sure I get the right answers to you 😊 )
I even made up an excuse because that is what we sinners
do. It is part of our fallen carnal nature. It is called ‘passing the buck’. We
prefer to ‘justify’ our actions, or pass the blame onto someone else.
In the 80s, there was a sitcom, where the father was
always saying, “the devil made me do it.” It caught on and was very popular for
about a decade. Once in a short while, one may hear it circulate amongst the
old-timers.
I did not see what I said as an excuse though; I saw
it as a fact. The Bible says, “It is not good for man to be alone.” [Gen
2:18] I would quip back, “It’s not okay for man to be alone, but it’s okay
for woman, Lord? Why?” I would say
that I was joking, but was I?
Pardon the expression, but the apple really does not
fall far from the apple tree, does it? When Adam and Eve sinned, Eve blamed the
serpent. “The serpent beguiled me, and I ate…” [Gen 3:13]
Adam was bolder. He blamed the woman AND God.
He said, “The woman whom YOU gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” [Gen
3:12] We know how Adonai handled it. The serpent was cursed.
Adam and Eve were covered with animal skins [Gen
3:21], and evicted from paradise [vs 24], the Garden of Eden that the Lord had
made for them. He also foretold of His plan for salvation. [vs 15]
What is An Idol?
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| YouTube screenshot_uploader credit Lion of Judah |
It does not have to be someone of the opposite sex that we idolize; nor does it have to do with physical lust per say. That is only with some people, not all. That was my particular sin …shamefully.
A person can idolize another person; admire, even [unbeknownst
to themselves, inwardly] worship them. They are attracted to their looks,
their personality, their charisma; attracted to outward appearances, and not
listening closely with their discernment.
I am not saying people are physically bowing to the
people they idolize [I do not speak of cultures where bowing to
royalty or leadership is the custom; that is usually done out of
respect for position and authority. It is protocol].
Few people bow down to anything or anyone these days.
However, in the past decade, there has been a trend to bow low several times to
a singer, or an actor. Some say it is out of respect, yet to do it for an ‘entertainer’
strikes me as odd (but that is just my personality).
People can idolize someone they love, a spouse,
children, relative. To them, the sun rises and sets on them, and they put them
on a pedestal. Nothing but praise rolls off their lips for the person. In their
eyes, they can do no wrong.
It could be a counselor that you adore, or cannot get
enough of. It could be a teacher, musician, actor, politician, a military person,
a doctor, nurse, pastor/preacher, a ‘prophet’, [fill in the gap].
On another hand, it might not be a person at all. It
could be a thing, a career, a sport, a group, a place, a hobby, a talent – it can
even be a charity, or a ministry… It can be anything and anyone.
Have you ever watched the number of people at a bus
stop, or in a bank, or some other public place. It is very rare that we do not
see a cellphone or a tablet in someone’s hand these days. It was so bad at one
point that signs had to go up against texting whilst driving due to the
accidents it caused, and the people that were killed.
An idol is anyone or anything that you run to first, that
takes the place of Jesus/Yeshua, and is often the first thing you think about
in the morning, and the last thing at night.
Nevertheless, I have somewhat against you, because you
have left your first love. Remember
therefore from where you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else
I will come to you quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of his place,
except you repent. [Rev 2:5]
If we pray to God for help, why should He help us, if
the only time we pay Him much mind is when we are in trouble, or someone we
care about, or there is an urgent need? Yet, we have left our first love, and
go to the fellowship of another – spend time with them, whether in the physical
or in the virtual.
And even still, look how our blessed Creator was with
Israel. Truly, He is beyond anything or anyone we can imagine. We will be fools
if we do not turn our hearts wholly back to Him, with trust and obedience.
Idolatry and deception are two of
the top reasons that judgment is upon the nations – and rightly so!
Paradigm Shift from Grace to Judgment
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| paradigm shift from grace to judgment |
I have noticed that some of those who spoke of 2023 being a good year, back in December 2022 or January 2023 have shifted gears. Now they have shifted to judgment coming, and repentance, but they declare that it is not for God’s people.
The change in their message came within a few weeks (if
that) of their first prophetic word for the year, the word that told people
get cake and popcorn because it was going to be a happy year.
They backpaddled very fast, and none of the regular
followers batted an eye. Now if you are going to speak and say ‘thus saith
the Lord’, you best guard yourself if you are going to make God look like
He is capricious, because that ‘sudden’ paradigm shift makes God look unstable,
or He got caught off-guard by today’s evil activities.
It seems more to me that it was not a ‘thus says the
Lord’ [directly], but it is a ‘thus says the Lord’ through others, but who will
know? It baffles my mind that not one ‘faithful follower’ caught it, and
if they did, they dismissed it or excused it.
It was as if God always changes His mind, depending on
the opinions of people. It seems it went
from a year where popcorn and cake were to be part of the celebration to ‘woe,
here comes judgment and justice, and you better repent’.
It came with ‘fake tears’ because it was a hard
message to put out. Is that the truth, or is it to hoodwink people by emotionalism,
so they do not discern the paradigm shift. That is what happens when one
searches the internet instead of waiting upon God.
Why do people make excuses for such false prophecies
and false teachers? It is because of the ‘truth’ and the correct doctrine that
they gleaned from others? And these ‘prophetic voices’, where is the fear of
the Lord? Do they truly think God will wink in ‘understanding’ and look
the other way?
This is not a game that is being played, and God is
not mocked. Just because He does not move on them instantly, does not mean that
He is turning a blind eye. And the followers; why are they ignoring the
obvious?
The people do not see the falsehoods. Instead, the
people say, ‘well, this is true’ and ‘that is true’, so
this must be also.
They will ignore the inconsistencies. They will get
laden down with so much information that they will forget the failed prophecies
because they will not be able to remember all that was spoken. However, the
‘prophet’ will gladly remind the people of all the prophecies that ‘have’
come to pass, and the people will be in awe that the prophet ‘hears from
God’.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the
very elect. [Mat 24:24]
If the false ones are able to deceive the very elect;
it means they have wrapped their lies in deception. If they will show great
signs and wonders, it will be because Satan or demons are helping them.
I wish I could remember who the person was that warned
about this kind of thing happening nearly 60 years ago. I did not hear it back
then. Someone had reposted their prophecy about 15 years ago, or so. I lost it
along the way, and cannot remember the name.
The letter warned that modern-day
pastors/preachers/teachers would introduce false doctrines, and false prophets
would operate in deception with stolen works as well as divination. He warned
that there would be such a mixture of truth and error that many people would unknowingly
embrace both.
It possibly came from one of Andrew Strom’s
[newsletters, but I cannot be sure. Andrew is a preacher of truth and warns
people about false doctrines (prosperity preaching, NAR, etc., as well as
demonic spirits in the charismatic movement that are identical to the evil
spirits found in Hindu religion, such as the Kundalini spirit).
He often passes good messages along in his Revival newsletters.
Lord bless Andrew Strom and family, as he continues going into places such as
Africa, Singapore and many other places around the world preaching, bringing
deliverance and healing in the name of Jesus, but mostly to speak the truth and
the true gospel of Christ Jesus.
The Accuracy in Divination
I often mention the damsel who was a fortune-teller or soothsayer, who noticed Paul and Silas and followed them around. The Greek word used is ‘pneuma Pythonos’, which means ‘spirit of python’ or ‘python spirit’. The Pythia was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo who prophesied. Suffice it to say that it is a demonic spirit, a spirit of divination.
These men are servants of the most high God who show
us the way unto salvation. [Acts 16:17]
This grieved Paul, as she went about repeating herself
for several days. Did you know that the term ‘most high God’ was also attributed
to the gods of the heathen, or the pagans? Zeus and Apollo were two deities
that the title was attributed too.
Paul likely knew this as they were in a town where the
worship of Apollo was well-know. After hearing it enough times, Paul finally
set her free from the demon. When the young woman with a spirit of divination [python
spirit] was delivered, her masters were infuriated because they lost a
fortune financially.
How can that be if it was divination? It is because so
many of her ‘predictions’ from her soothsaying came true that people
flocked to her from far away just to find out what their future held.
The false god (idol) Apollo was known for
healing and prophecy, so Paul knew what that when he delivered the girl to free
her, and to preserve the gospel of Christ, that there would be a severe backlash
by her masters.
Satan does not know the future, but he has a
‘temporary’ loose reign on this world, as the god of this world, who ‘blinds’
unbelievers. [2Cor 4:4] He has boundaries, and there are certain things he does
that God allows.
We cannot counsel God, or comprehend His wisdom all
the time. Satan can cause things to happen, put sickness (spirit of
infirmity) upon people, then remove it, thus making it look like the ‘idol’
healed, and prophesied correctly (divination).
Since he and his demon legions are invisible, they can
see and hear things that we cannot see or hear in the physical realm, so it
‘appears’ as if he knows the future. He can ‘appear’ as an angel of light, so
his ‘ministers of righteousness’ can ‘appear’ as ministers of righteousness.
[2Cor 11:14,15]
I have learned that speaking on behalf of the Lord
comes with great responsibility, as well as accountability. The Lord Himself
takes it most seriously. Our flesh can mimic the Lord’s voice and we can
deceive even ourselves. Jesus sees the motives and intent of the heart, and it
is Him that each person will have to stand before on Judgment Day.
We can fool others, but we cannot fool God. Divination
is the counterfeit of prophesy, yet it sounds identical. I have mentioned this
example several times over the years because when the Holy Spirit opened the
eyes of my understanding as I read the words in scripture, the depth of
deception blew my mind. Satan is indeed crafty, clever and subtle, and so are
those who knowingly or unknowingly serve him.
When the young woman was delivered from the spirit of
divination, her outraged masters took hold of Paul and Silas and brought them
to the marketplace before the rulers and the magistrates of the city. They were
falsely accused of teaching customs that were unlawful to the people.
As the crowd of her admirers/followers rose up, Paul
and Silas were ordered beaten and tossed into prison. Singing praises moved the
hand of God and a great earthquake shook open the doors and loosed the chains
and bands of every prisoner.
The guard was awakened from his sleep, saw all the
prison doors open and chains broken and was about to kill himself with his own
sword, but Paul hastily stopped him, urging him not to harm himself, and
assuring him that no prisoners had escaped.
Relieved and humbled, the guard became a believer in
Jesus Christ that very night. [Acts 16:19-40]
Satan is the father of lies, and every demon is a
liar. Salvation is not for any demon. We all know that our decisions, our
choices, have consequences, whether for the good or for the bad. With some, the
season of consequences are completed or fulfilled. For others, the season of
consequence is about to begin or has begun.
Be Careful When Mercy Smiles Upon You
For others still, God is granting them room to repent,
urging them to stop what they are doing and truly turn back to Him. Allow Him
to deliver, and set you back upon the right track. Do not let pride or
reputation or monetary gain, or the temptation to go down in Christian history
be the hindrances that stop you from doing what is right.
God through Jesus is THE most important
decision that you could ever make. Let it all go and do the right thing…be
forgiven. I have already…but God’s forgiveness is the most important. Please,
be wise – choose Jesus. Choose eternity…
If, perchance, the Lord’s judgment has brought mercy
that has overruled consequence, El Shaddai is always fair and ever wise, even
when we do not understand the fullness or fairness thereof. Moses and King
David were given as examples of grace and mercy, both who had been guilty of
murder, and by law, should have been stoned to death.
In Moses’ case, it was the law of Egypt, the law of
Pharaoh, that anyone who killed an Egyptian would themselves be killed. With David,
it was the law of Moses that anyone who murdered another should be killed
themselves. God is all-wise (Omniscient).
I can witness that I myself have escaped consequences
that I deserved, but as a result, the same sin was never repeated. Both Moses
and David escaped the consequences of murder by the grace and mercy of God.
Neither were stoned to death; however, neither one repeated their mistake (same
sin) again.
That did not mean they had hassle-free lives. Indeed,
both men suffered in their own ways. This life brings suffering for everyone
who lives long enough; some more than others, which none of us can explain. How
it is handed to us and by what means is as individual as we are.
Some mistake a delay in consequences for sin as a sign
that what they are doing, even though it is wrong [sin], as approval or
as a nod from God. His desire is for repentance, but He is not mocked. One
person’s consequences may be delayed for the purpose of trying the heart of a
soul they injured, or for the Lord to help that injured soul to overcome
bitterness that pain caused.
Be careful when mercy smiles upon you. Try not to make
the mistake of taking it for granted. It may be your heart that He is trying.
When Judgment is Delayed, The Meaning Can Be
Misinterpreted
 |
| delayed judgment |
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his
days be prolonged, yet surely I know that is shall be well with them that fear God, which fear
before Him:
But it shall not be well with
the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because
he fears not before God. [Eccl 8:11-13] KJV
There have been people in positions of trust, such as
pastors, teachers, prophets, who became prideful when consequences were
delayed. Thinking they had favour from God, due to the Lord being pleased with
their advancing the kingdom as they preached or taught about Jesus and the
Word.
Despite their wrongdoing, and being fully aware of it,
they continued in their sin, and began to look down upon the one they had
wronged or were hurting, whether directly or indirectly.
If you study scripture, you will see where people
continued in their sin for a season before God intervened with judgment. Look
at Samson. He got away with fornication and lust, until he trusted a betrayer
[Delilah] and after three lies, finally gave away the secret to his strength.
[Judges 16:16-22]
Then, there is King Saul and how long, the years that he
pursued David, and the times he endeavoured to kill him, all born out of
jealousy and bitterness – until that fateful day when Saul and his sons,
including David’s friend Jonathan, were all slaughtered on the battlefield.
David was a youth when he was anointed as king, yet
Saul was allowed to carry on his shenanigans, his disobedience for years before
David took the throne at 30 years old. Look at how long David escaped rebuke
and punishment after he impregnated Bathsheba and had her husband killed.
Not only had enough time passed that Bathsheba made it
through her pregnancy full-term, but the child was already born before God sent
Nathan the prophet to confront the king. So, it had to be close to a year, give
or take, that David first took Uriah’s wife into his bedchamber and she
conceived.
God is not capricious or inconsistent. Throughout the
Bible, we learn of the living God’s strength, steadfastness, stability,
consistency, dependability, unwavering ways, righteousness, holiness, justice, and
so much more. Everything is balanced with Abba!
The wisdom of God is as far out of our reach as our ‘wisdom’
is out of the reach of an ant. Notwithstanding, our wisdom is foolishness
beside God’s wisdom. There is no comparison. Period.
Neither Moses or King David suffered the consequences
of the law, which would have meant that each man be stoned to death for the
murder of another that each separately committed. By the grace and wisdom of
Adonai, both men were kept alive by God’s mercy.
Moses killed an Egyptian who was cruelly mistreating a
Hebrew: King David ordered the commander of Israel’s army to withdraw from a
dedicated king’s soldier, Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, in the heat of battle,
which meant certain death to the warrior.
Mercy was granted to both by God. He sees the heart –
that is not some glib saying. Even Adam and Eve escaped physical death when
they sinned, but there was an immediate spiritual death (separation from God).
It is not a matter of blessings and favouritism. It is
a matter of God’s wisdom, knowledge and Sovereignty. None of the above had
trouble-free lives, just as none of us do. The Lord’s mercy and grace are
intentional and purposeful, even when we do not understand why some people seem
to escape certain consequences. If one cries about ‘unfairness’, consider
carefully before you cry out.
If God chose to forego mercy and grace, and just ‘be
fair’, He would have wiped out all of mankind with the flood and started
all over again, leaving none to question or challenge His decision. Yet, He is
the Sovereign God who moves in mercy and in grace. He sought out the righteous
and undisturbed bloodline and found Noah and his family.
Fast-forward to today; there will be those, scattered
throughout the nations of the world that will taste the similar mercy of God.
There is work to be done in these last of the last days. The harvest is
plentiful, but the labourers are few.
Ezekiel Speaks Forth Even to This Day
 |
| women weeping for Tammuz |
I am not the type who can tell you what each book of
the Bible speaks about, as some are gifted with that, or the memorization of volumes
of scripture.
Ezekiel eight – those words
were clearly impressed upon me as I prepared to spend time with the Lord. I did
not understand until I read it. The fifth of April is the first day of Passover,
and I have chosen to celebrate Passover rather than Easter.
(This part was being written that day, Wednesday,
April 5, so in the editing, changes were made to make it past tense. If
I miss a word somehow, this explains it. Yes, just shy of six weeks ago,
I planned to post this article – but it was not to be then.)
The first thing that stood out in Ezekiel eight was
the word ‘north’.
And he put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a
lock of my head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven,
and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner
gate that looked toward the north; where was
the seat of the image [idol] of jealousy, which
provokes to jealousy. [Ezek 8:3]
Verse four (4) speaks of the glory of the God of
Israel and how it was there, just as Ezekiel had seen in the vision in the
plain.
Then said He unto me, Son of man, lift up your eyes
now the way toward the north. So, I lifted
up my eyes toward the north, and behold, northward at the gate
of the altar this image [idol] of jealousy in the
entry. [vs 5]
The Lord succeeded in drawing my attention to the ‘north’,
but why? What is it about the north that I am to pay attention to? So far, the
prophet was taken to the ‘north’ gate of the inner court. According to
theologians, the ‘north’ gate was the gate that led the temple
priests directly to the altar. It is elsewhere mentioned to be the gate where
kings entered.
Bible experts agree that the ‘image of jealousy’ did
not point to a specific idol, but rather it indicated that the priests had
corrupted the temple with the presence of heathen idols, which would stir up
the Lord’s indignation.
The ‘north’ gate was considered the ‘higher gate’ [Jer
20:2; 2Kings 15:35], the door of the gate of the inner court, or the ‘gate of
the altar’. It is an area where large crowds of people would have gathered;
hence the ‘image’ (idol) of jealousy.
Solomon had built places of worship for his wives and
the diverse idols of each, in the ‘hill that is before Jerusalem’.
Wicked kings after him had continued with the idolatry, but Ahaz is the one who
had purposely set an altar for idols (some suggested Canaanite) inside
the very temple of the Most High God of Israel.
The images of unclean beasts and creeping things that
were idolized (Egyptian suggested) that were engraved upon the walls
provoked God. Ezekiel had mentioned the glory of God, so the purity and
holiness of the God of Abraham revealed the corruption and pollution of the
idolatrous images.
Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the
LORD’s house which was toward the north; and behold,
there sat women weeping for Tammuz. [Ezek 8:14]
And after seeing the women weeping for the idol
Tammuz, Ezekiel turned and witnessed 25 men who had their backs to the Lord,
facing east and worshipping the sun. Ezekiel saw violence in the land,
idolatry, and an image that several commentators named as possibly being
Asherah/Ishtar/Astarte/Ashtoreth [Hebrew] (same goddess/different names,
different cultures). The prophet saw weeping for Tammuz, as well as
debauchery/immorality.
By the time the vision ended, Ezekiel witnessed God’s
glory leave the temple (Ichabod).
Resurrection Power and Victory
And it came to pass, as they [Mary Magdalene,
Joanna, Mary (mother of James) and other women] were much perplexed
thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were
afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, Why do you
seek the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spoke to
you when He was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into
the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
[Lk 24:5-7]
The cross and the resurrection of Jesus the Christ (Yeshua
HaMashiach) are at the center, the core of the doctrine of the
Messiah/Saviour. The precious blood of Jesus, willingly offered up by Him as
the spotless, unblemished (sinless, perfect) Lamb, a living
sacrifice to pay for the atonement of mankind’s sins. The resurrection is the
victory over sin, death (His body saw no corruption), and Satan.
Jesus foretold of His death, burial and resurrection.
He plainly said that He would be in the grave three days and three nights, just
as Jonah was in the belly of the large fish for three days and three nights
before the fish spewed him forth. [Mat 12:38-40]
The fish vomiting Jonah out of his belly [Jonah 2:9]
was symbolic of the resurrection of the Saviour. The grave could not hold Him
and He rose victoriously from the dead. The cross of Jesus must go hand in
glove with His resurrection!
The stone that took strong soldiers to put in place
was rolled away, and the tomb is empty. No one could explain it, so the
Pharisees said the apostles stole the body. Christ proved His divinity, and His
love. What a glorious victory!
Yet, on the very day Passover began this year (2023),
when I awoke, the Lord specifically prodded me to read Ezekiel, chapter eight.
For the month before (March), off and on, I had come across
heart-wrenching articles that exposed sin in the church.
I had wondered if the eighth chapter of Ezekiel was
about the wheels inside the wheels, something I have a hard time imagining, but
no, it was about idolatry and abominations happening in the house of God, the
holy temple.
Despite all His warnings through His prophets, and His
faithfulness, the people of Israel refused to repent and turn back to God. Many
things were being done in secret, including the weeping over Tammuz.
It was about 20 years ago, give or take, that I
learned about the origins of certain celebrated holidays, such as Christmas and
Easter. It came as a shock to me because I had never heard such things ever
taught before.
The introduction of the internet became an important
tool for learning, but little did I understand at the time how much deception
rules in this world. Christmas and Easter were never the same to me after I
learned the origins, and how pagan celebrations were blended with Christian
festivals as a concerted effort to please all the people.
Easter and Passover are Not the Same Thing
The word ‘easter’ is only found once in the Bible in
Acts 12:4. Some say that the men who translated the scriptures from Greek made
a mistake, putting ‘easter’ instead of ‘Passover’, from the word
‘Pascha’.
Others claim that the fault lies with Herod, who mixed
pagan holidays with Jewish celebrations. He celebrated Easter, not Passover,
which is why the translators used ‘easter’ in the verse in Acts. We know Herod
had nothing to do with Jewish festivities.
Several sites claim that Easter originated in Germany,
with celebration beginning at the Spring Equinox, with the [pagan] holiday
being named after Eostre, the ‘Germanic’ goddess of dawn.
I skipped over all that due to Ezekiel the prophet,
who spoke of the women weeping for Tammuz. There was no intent on my part to
write about this, until the Lord led me to read about Ezekiel’s vision.
Daniel, Ezekiel and other Israelites were held captive
in Babylon. The story of Ishtar and Tammuz was a Babylonian myth. Tammuz was
said to be the son of Nimrod and Semiramis, who is also called
Ashtarte/Ashtoreth and Ishtar, Babylonian goddess of fertility and war.
She was also known as the queen of heaven, whom the
prophet Jeremiah mentions.
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the
fire, and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the queen of
heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto others gods, that they may
provoke me to anger. [Jer 7:18]
The queen of heaven was said to be the wife of the
false god Baal, also called Molech. There is no queen of heaven, and neither is
Mary [Jesus’ mother] the queen of heaven as the Vatican claims. That is
idolatry. Mary will always be honoured and considered blessed among all women
because she was the chosen virgin who birthed the Saviour of the world.
Semiramis/Ashtarte/Ishtar was married to Nimrod, who
was murdered and his body cut up into several pieces (pagan version).
Semiramis/Ishtar found all the parts except for his penis. The phallus (obelisk)
was created to pay tribute to Nimrod. There are few countries today that do not
have an obelisk or phallus.
Ishtar claimed that the rays from the sun god Baal
impregnated her. She bore Tammuz [Dumuzi], a son, claiming that he was the reincarnation
of Nimrod, born December 25, during the Winter solstice. He became a shepherd (herdsman),
and later Ishtar married him (incestuous), making herself both his
mother and his wife.
[NOTE*: The name of the goddess changed depending on the culture. Semiramis and Nimrod were Babylonian - Sidon - Philistines. Ashteroth/Astarte from the Hebrew, associated with Baal. She was the Caananite 'queen of heaven' [Jer 44] Ishtar/Tammuz from the Sumerian/Mesopotamian - goddess of love, war, sex, fertility - And so on. End Note BP]
Constantine was another one who had merged
Christianity with pagan festivities. Herod did so to please the people, whereas
Constantine’s efforts were an attempt to introduce a universal religion, but
excluded Jewish beliefs.
When Tammuz was killed by a wild boar, a 40 day fast
was ordered, each day to honour each year that Tammuz had lived (he died at
age 40). Women were to weep for him each day. At the end of the fast, a
meal of ham was prepared to remember that a boar killed Tammuz.
The Catholic church kept the tradition of celebrating
the pagan/Christian festival mix. This was the information found regarding the
‘women weeping for Tammuz’, a Babylonian idol. There are variations,
however slight, written by people, but basically the story is the same.
The Pleading Love of the Father
If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to Me you
should return. If you remove your detestable things from My presence, and do
not waver. [Jer 4:1] ESV
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,
Return, you backsliding Israel, declares the Lord; and I will not cause My
anger to fall upon you: for I AM merciful, says the Lord, and I will not keep
anger forever.
Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have
transgressed against the Lord your God, and have scattered your ways to the
strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice, says the
Lord. [Jer 3:12,13]
F. B. Meyers [Baptist pastor/evangelist] wrote:
“The people of the northern kingdom, to whom this
appeal is especially addressed, were more excusable than Judah, because their
privileges had been less. God judges us according to our opportunities. How
precious the invitation and promise of Jer 3:12! Confession is an essential
condition that must be fulfilled by us.”
He then mentions [Jn 1:7]
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanses us from all sin.
The good Lord knows what each person has gone through
in life, and what support and love they may or may not have had when enduring
excruciating circumstances. Sometimes what we may see as ‘unfairness’ is in
fact an outpouring of understanding, grace and love toward a spiritually and
psychologically wounded soul.
Please do not misunderstand or misconstrue my words or
meaning. Sin is sin, but God’s wisdom and understanding far surpasses ours. We
look upon outward appearances because that is how we learned to judge matters,
but God’s perspective is deeper and broader, wholly encompassing.
This can be extremely difficult at times, especially
when it comes to matters very close to the heart. This is where we have to
trust, and anyone who has been in a heart-gripping situation can say with all
HONESTY how difficult trust can be when God makes us wait for His move. It
looks like people are getting away with a great injustice sometimes, but wait…
At this time in my life that is what the Holy Spirit
is encouraging me to do.
Trust and wait. As I have told you before, it will not
go on forever. Patience is difficult at times; lean on Me.
Conclusion:
I am going to halt this piece here, and will
surprisingly post Part G [part 7] tomorrow. That will definitely be the last
part in the series. In case it was somehow missed, Idolatry and Deception are
the main focal points the Lord is establishing.
Do we truly see the times we are in, or is part of us still in denial? (Not in our day, perhaps our children’s day…) No, God is making things very clear for a reason.
[Prt A] Judgment Comes from the North – Call 2Repent- Worthy
of Hard Tests
[Prt B] Judgment Comes – Good N Bad in World N
Church-Prodigals Are Returning
[Prt C] Judgment Comes – Sins of
Gov’t N Church – Setting Captives Free
[Prt D] Judgment Comes – Alert the
Nations-Flee Idolatry-Repent-Pray
[Prt E] Judgment Comes
– Let Your Idols and Soothsayers Deliver You
[Prt F] Judgment
Comes – Ezekiel Still Speaks Today
[Part
G] Judgment
Comes – The Counterfeit is Here, But Nothing Replaces Jesus-Yeshua
in the presence of His glory
Bonita dovesofthevalleys4@gmail.com