Archive for Spirit

Independence Day, July 4th, 2026, Freedom & Labor

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Culture, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , on July 3, 2026 by paulthepoke

Liberty: 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

So let’s take the other side of this verse.

Where there is no Lord and no Spirit, there is no freedom.

Introducing the Democratic Socialists of America… This movement is gaining traction in the Democrat Party. Their stated goal is Communism.

Communism, theoretically, ideologically, and historically, opposes God and all forms of religion. From the time of Karl Marx to today, communism is based on the abolition of religion. In 1844, Marx wrote, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.” https://victimsofcommunism.org/curriculum-chapter-3/

There are politicians and citizens who want to take money from one group of people (the rich as defined by others) and give money and material goods to another group of people (the poor or in need of more as defined by others). There is nothing voluntary or free will about this. It is “legally” mandated.

So much for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

What happens if the rich (as defined by politicians) or the tax base moves away because of these government mandated policies? Remember, the rich are free to live their lives and make their choices too. They don’t have to stay and take it.

“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” -Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister

These demands fly in the face of Biblical precepts. Let’s take the free will social contract of labor.

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Deuteronomy 24:14-15 Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

Notice, labor is involved and required. There is no free check, no free lunch, no free health care, no free house, or no free education.

This is a free will agreement. In exchange for labor, goods or a wage are earned and traded. The Bible has a higher standard than 21st century, modern day companies. The worker is paid daily. Western society has a pay check every two weeks or monthly.

It is considered oppression and theft, if the laborer is not paid after working. Biblically, the wage is to be paid by sunset of the day of labor.

This concept with labor and immediate wage is even extended to animals.

1 Timothy 5:18 For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

Again, this is a free will agreement between two parties. What if a company or a boss does not value its work force. What if the company does not pay a fair wage or benefits? Is the boss a jerk? God has a term for these folks, sinners.

The employee has a choice. There are other places to work. One can even start their own business and provide services directly to the population.

Labor is valued by God. The Creator has expectations for the employer and the employee relationship.

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Exodus 20:15 You shall not steal.

Theft implies personal property owned by the individual. People own stuff.

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Exodus 20:17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.

The mental attitude of coveting is at the core of Communisms and Socialism. These people see other’s belongings and they want it!

The atheist wants to define morality instead of God. They want to determine who gets what and how much. They do not trust their fellow man to be charitable.

Communists and socialists call others “greedy” when others oppose their will.

“It’s not fair you have all these things!” They want to legislate how much is a fair share.

Their battle is against God. The battle is real and it is spiritual.

Don’t kid yourself, the godless have a plan and they are intentional.

Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

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https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

COVID-19, Slaves to Death

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , on May 10, 2020 by paulthepoke

Hebrews 2:14-16 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham.

This is a sober reality. Currently, Satan has the power of death. And Satan utilizes fear of death over us to the point of slavery.

So the other day… a great friend of mine and I were discussing the reality of the coronavirus, COVID-19. We all have different perspectives on how this has impacted us. We all have our points of view. His point was the spiritual impact. Humanity’s response to COVID-19 speaks to the current global spiritual condition of man.

Gulf News

Look at the response across Earth. It does not matter where people are located. We have all seen the pictures. The streets of major metropolitans around the globe are empty. Every one is shut in their place. From the point of origin in Wuhan China, to Italy, to Spain, to Australia, to New York City, to Los Angeles, to Brazil, to Moscow, to where ever…

COVID-19 is a simple reality. People are scared of death.

photo: Atlantic

Millions of people in China are quarantined under a totalitarian government. Nations around the planet have closed their borders. We are much more sophisticated here in America. We are free. We are not quarantined. We are to “Stay at Home”.

Politicians tell us we are to “shelter in place” to stop the spread of COVID-19. We are told we do not want millions of people to die. Wear a mask for the safety of others. Practice social distancing. Mind you, this is solid practical advice to stop the spread of the disease. But, the populous has been paralyzed with fear.

I find it interesting we are very consumed with life when it impacts us personally with a killer virus. But in other cases, we could care less when it comes to the issue of other’s lives with abortion or euthanasia.

Look at humanity’s response to this virus. We are all slaves to death. We have holed up in our places in the fetal position. Collectively, our response indicates we are ultimately slaves to death and Satan.

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Because of Christ’s death on the cross, He has utterly abolished and rendered Satan inoperable. Jesus has power over death. Life reigns supreme through Him and because of Him.

John 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Do not think as a Christian, we are immune to the pressure and fear of death. Do not become over confident.

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

As Christians, we should have no fear. There is absolutely no need to be scared of death. So what if we die from COVID-19 or whatever. Eventually, we all physically die. Death is inevitable except for a raptured generation. Believers are in Christ and with Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

As followers of Christ, we should not shy away from the pressure of the times. It is the squashing that ultimately defines who we should be in Jesus. In the Greek, the word is θλῖψις/thlipsis. The idea is being squeezed. Our character is revealed in these pressing moments.

Romans 5:3-6 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

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Hebrews 2:16 For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham.

The offspring of Abraham is human kind. Christ is for humanity. He died for us, human beings.

Cherubim & Wheels Working Together

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Angels with tags , , , , , , , on December 5, 2019 by paulthepoke

Ezekiel 1:15a Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures…

Ezekiel 10:9 And I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub…

Each wheel has a corresponding cherub. The cherub and the wheel belong to each other. In each of the three cases above, the word is translated as “beside”. This is the Hebrew preposition etsel. Per Strong’s Concordance, the word can be defined as a joining together, proximity. The idea is the wheel and the cherub are joined together.

Ezekiel 10:17b for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Ezekiel 1:20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Ezekiel 1:21b … for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

The spirit of the individual cherub is housed in the wheel. The spirit of the cherub is outside of its body. The cherub needs its wheel. The cherub and spirit are in sync, body and spirit.

Photo: youtube

Ezekiel 10:16, 17, 19a When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and even when they spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not veer away from their side. When the cherubim stood still, the wheels also stood still, and when they ascended, the wheels ascended with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in them. As I watched, the cherubim lifted their wings and rose up from the ground, with the wheels beside them as they went.

Ezekiel 1:17, 19-21 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

The individual cherub and its wheel move together where ever they go. The direction does not matter, up, down, or sideways. The wheel sticks to the cherub like glue regardless of the speed or direction. The two work together as a concurrent, coexisting team.

Roughly 2,600 years ago, Ezekiel saw these things on Earth in what is modern day eastern Syria…

Trend Update: Breath of His Nostrils, Sea Water Recedes, September 2017

Posted in Creation, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 12, 2017 by paulthepoke

2 Samuel 22:14-16 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen; the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

This passage is an excerpt from a song or psalm written by David. He had been delivered from his enemies and King Saul. The LORD God had spared David.

At first glance, the verses appear to be over the top and unfathomable. How in the world can the water of the sea be removed and we see the floor of the ocean?

The critic of the Bible has a field day with verses like these. “The Bible is a book of fairy tales. The little stories are just cute fables. This is an example of an uneducated, primitive man trying to make sense of a so called God.”

Prior to Hurricane Irma, the ocean was reported to recede in the Bahamas, Pensacola Bay Florida, and Tampa Bay Florida. This was a result of the strength of Hurricane Irma.

But in other parts of the western hemisphere where hurricanes are not occurring, vast swaths of beaches in Brazil and Uruguay are reporting the same phenomena. The ocean is receding from the shore along hundreds of miles. The recession is so striking, natives are in fear of tidal waves.

…at the blast of the breath of his nostrils…The focus of the passage is on the terms “blast” and “breath”.

“Blast” or neshamah in the Hebrew means breath.

“Breath” or ruach in the Hebrew means breath, wind, or spirit. Ruach is the same word used of the Holy Spirit of God. The word is most frequently translated as “spirit” from the Hebrew.

Simply put, God is breathing through His nose. If this is an example of God breathing, I don’t think I am interested in seeing the results of God blowing His nose or sneezing.

This is not an example of Mother Nature. This is the omnipotent and all powerful creator El Shaddai at work. The meaning of Shaddai in the Hebrew: almighty, most powerful; the Almighty of God. (Strong’s Concordance).

Psalm 135:6-7 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.

 

The last passage in the psalm is a promise to God’s chosen people of Israel. David ruled Israel 1,000 years before Jesus Christ. Today in the 21st century, we are 3,000 years removed from this prophecy. The pledge is not temporary. The promise is eternal.

2 Samuel 22:51 “He is a tower of deliverance to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

 

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