Righteous Anger - The Victorious Warrior or The Compromising Whelp

In my past articles I have taken on some topics that over the years, the feminized emasculated church has turned from.
Because we do not take the time to really read the bible, but instead listen and watch all the famous preachers, teachers and such. Today they tell us what is in the bible instead of us finding out on our own.
Well over the years we have had a more feminine influence than we have had of biblical masculinity. Thanks to this softer, more “caring” and “loving” ideas (which is total bunk by the way) we now have a more emotionally, experience driven church than one that relies solely on God’s Word.
It is God’s Word plus experience, feeling, leaning on our own understanding, and the list goes on.
Like it or not, these are all feminine traits. Women base a lot of their “truth” on feelings and emotions. This is a fact.
Men base their “truth” on logic and plain “yes” or “no”, mission oriented results.
Like it or not, this is how God sees things as well. God is very binary, yes – no, black – white. There is no gray area and in fact God’s Word warns about this.

James 1:8 (KJV) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Speaking of the Laodicean church today Christ said –

Revelation 3:16 (KJV) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

In fact we are warned but trusting our emotions (heart). God says that the heart (our emotions) are deceitful above ALL THINGS.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Yet we are where we are today because we have feminized the church and gone against God’s Word and its teachings.
Because we (most men) have lost the testicular fortitude to do what is right and stand our ground, we now have the touchy feely sugar coated church today.
No one is willing to call a spade a spade.
In the past articles I showed where Christ himself got angry, wielded weapons, took on soldiers and bowled them down, got in people’s face and yes called them names the described their true selves.
In today’s world Christ would be called intolerant, hateful, mean spirited, and all the other names that the emasculated feminized church likes to toss around out there today.
Christ was a man’s man, not this Brad Pitt effeminate looking sissy boy that so many put out there today representing Christ.
If men stood their ground, remained being grounded in God’s Word and retained the boldness, I believe that our nation would be a different place than what we have today.
So what do we have today?

Starbucks Produces Sicko Sodomite Cross Dressing Commercial

As reported by Christian News Network…

“Starbucks has released its first homosexual-themed commercial this week, featuring two crossdressers.

In the one-minute commercial, Starbucks Corporation featured the top two contestants from RuPaul’s “Drag Race” season six: Adore Delano and Bianca Del Rio.

Starbucks has been a long-time supporter of homosexuality.”

Source - http://christiannews.net/2014/11/02/starbucks-releases-first-homosexual-themed-commercial-featuring-crossdressers/

I do not know about you, but this is sick, I mean really sick.
But where is the righteous anger over this?
I can hear all the feminized pastors out there saying, “oh we just need to love them into heaven.”
What a stupid thing to say.
Folks, these people are morally and spiritually depraved via their own free will. These people are reprobates, they are now enemies of God. They know of God, His saving grace and His Son Jesus Christ. In fact, they go to gigantic extents to spit in God’s Face to the point of making “sex toys” in the image of Christ, Moses, and the Cross.
So this idea that these reprobates do not know about God is sugar coated thinking and an unwillingness to do what is right and call these people reprobates. We then need have nothing todo with them what so ever.
I look at other things going on out there. Both sides of the political idea has no back bone and both settle for milk toast than be men and leaders as they were voted in to be.
Where is the righteous anger in the church today? Have we been hammered down (Stockholm’s syndrome) so much that to think anything negative is all of a sudden hate speech?
I guess to talk about this, we need to define what righteous anger is.
First – Righteous Anger reacts against actual sin. We are called to define the sin/ true evil biblically. Males who stick their appendages into other males backsides are called Sodomites. This act is in violation of God’s Word. But thanks to the effeminate emasculated church today, we are welcoming these people into churches today and even preach from the pulpit instead of recognizing reprobates and enemies of God. These people do not want to change, they force their sin upon us and force us to accept and change. Righteous Anger says NO MORE and puts the foot down and boldly speaks up.
Second – Righteous Anger focuses on God, His Kingdom, Rights, and Concerns. NOT on our little kingdoms, rights, and concerns. Yep, this is a biggie to many. See we like to blur that line and make “our” rights, concerns and such the same as God’s. Our anger needs to be God centered and not self-centered. We need to have Godly motives based on His Word. But because we lack knowledge of His Word or rely on some watered down bastardization of His Word, then it is natural that we are ignorant of truly what is Godly motives and not. The key is to accurately viewing things as offensive is not enough. We must view things primarily as offending God and not ourselves.
This is why I say that I am not going to spend another penny in Starbucks ever again. If enough people truly had the fortitude to stop going to Starbucks and give up their caffeine addiction then how much money would Starbucks loose? Let me remind you that the sodomite community that they are pandering to is only what.. 2% - 3% of the population? The only reason they are where they are is the old adage… the squeaky wheel gets the grease. They have allowed their evil anger to drive them and they have won. Where we have allowed our Righteous Anger to be subdued and therefore we have lost.
Third - Righteous Anger is accompanied by other Godly qualities and we express it in Godly Ways. This is the tough one, because we can allow the flesh gain control in the blink of an eye. See, Righteous Anger retains self-control. We must keep our head and wits about us without cursing, screaming, raging, or flying off the handle. We must remember that we are always God’s Ambassador.
In some of my studies I talk about duels, when we are exercising our Righteous Anger we are at that time in a duel. Not only are we battling ourselves remaining focused and sharp, but we are also battling the other person and the moment that we do lose our cool and stoop to the level of the heathen, then we have lost.
I am all in favor of being stern, identifying people by their true character(calling a spade a spade), even defending myself if the person wants to get physical. But I will not cower, and I will stand in the duel. People know truth and justice when they see it. They also know evil and perversion when they see that as well.
People to this day still fill movie theaters where it is good vs evil and the masses are always glad with good prevails over evil.
To do this at times, Righteous Anger must be involved and we must be willing to stand our ground.
This is why it is critical that we be in God’s Word and truly know right from wrong, good from evil and those gray areas that the enemy likes to throw into the mix. When we know God’s Word and educate ourselves we are able to fight those who wish to oppress us with their evil and expose the darkness to the light.
But as long as there are emasculated, effeminate, spineless, willing to bend at sin men who refuse to stand for what is right and show a little righteous anger. We will never gain the high ground that we have lost over these years all because we did not have the testicular fortitude needed to do the right thing in the first place, not advocate the chain of command that God put in place.
But we are where we are because man basically wussed out and did not want to do the hard work anymore. Today men want to sit in the lazyboy and watch sports all day wasting all that time on their sports addiction instead of studding God’s Word?
So many men have lost their way because the lack the knowledge of God’s Word. They have accepted these watered down churches and watered down bibles. Instead of being real leaders, it is easy to just go with the flow and accept these sugar coated bastardiaztion of what Church and the Bible should be.
No wonder we have no Righteous Anger, we have no power of God what so ever and no I am not talking about this so called Charismatic voodoo garbage people equate to God’s Power.
I am talking about the fortitude and courage that allows us as Christians to stand for the truth. And until we get back to the real Word of God (The Authorized King James Bible) we will continue to be worthless whelps accepting the sugar coating instead of doing the right thing and being those true Godly Leaders that the world so desperately needs.
IF I have made you mad, good, maybe it will wake something up in you where maybe you will start standing for truth, justice and everything right again, instead of just going with the flow and accepting it.
The word for that is compromise.
Compromise is for the emotional person not willing to draw the line in the sand.
Compromise is for the person that does not want to get involved.
Compromise is for those people who like having their heads buried in the sand as the world pass them by.
Compromise is for the lazy and unwilling, thinking that they have paid their dues in life and now life owes them.
Compromise is for those who do not want to rock the boat.
Compromise is for those who do not have the courage to do what it takes, especially when times get tough.
Compromise is for those who would rather let the world win than stand for God, even when it isn’t the popular thing to do.
I can go on, but you get the message.
We no longer have Righteous Anger because so many people have compromised themselves with God.
What would have happened if Jesus Christ compromised instead of dying on the cross for our sins, where would we be today?
We need to cowboy up and suck it up. The world is a filthy horrible place today. Instead of sitting on the sidelines compromising, we need to get back in the game again.
It means getting angry at what angers God.
It means having courage to shine the light on the evil that is so prevalent today.
It means drawing that line in the sand and not going to Starbucks anymore no matter how much you like that coffee and need that caffeine fix.
It means being willing to righteously angry and to fight the compromise that has become the terminal cancer in the churches today.
William Burke is attributed to saying “ For evil to prevail, all a good man has to do is nothing.”
Well, that “nothing” has been going on now for a very long time. We have lost our country to these stinking reprobate enemies of God. Now we can either continue to compromise or we can start doing something about it.
As long as we are here, we are accountable. We will have to stand before him for our complacency. Those of us who boldly stood, we will be rewarded well with crowns and mansions. Those who did not have the fortitude and courage to stand for God, scripture says they will get sticks for their eternal reward. If you think God is going to give the compromiser the same rewards as those of us who had the courage to stand when it was tough, think again.
It is time for the righteous anger to rise up and we need to stand for what is right again in light of God’s Word and not based on our own fleshly feelings, thoughts, and emotions.
We need to drop the whole touchy feely thing and get back on the hard narrow road.
What will be interesting is to see how many will accept the hard challenge and how many will continue their compromising ways.
When we get to Heaven we will see who the true warriors were and who were the whelps that came up lacking.
Makes me wonder, how many people will be in heaven wishing they had the fortitude to show righteous anger and stand for the truth? How many will have made it in by the skin of their teeth knowing they wasted so much time here on earth compromising on God, His Son, The Gospel and His Word?
What sort of person will you be when you get to heaven?
Will you be the victorious warrior or the compromising whelp?

Happy Commit Spiritual Adultery Against Christ Day

Well it is that day of the year again when "Christians" dump Christ and choose to wallow in the muck and mire of the enemy. I call it spiritual adultery, in other words, basically sleeping with a whore once a year. People will make all kinds of excuses about how fun it is or what a great way to reach people, ... Yada, yada, yada.
Sleeping with a whore is sleeping with a whore no matter how fancy or dirty she may be. One is committing adultery no matter what.
Wives, how would you feel if you found out your husband was entertaining a woman of the night once a year?
Men, what if you found out your wife was entertaining a male prostitute once a year?
Get what I am saying here?
So why do we commit spiritual adultery with Satan on one of his highest holidays?
You enjoying sleeping with the Whore Satan?
I know that I am ticking off a lot of people right now saying what I am saying, but like it or not, that is what you are doing.
Because Jesus Christ is "not visible" before our eyes, we have no problem getting in bed with that prostitute and we justify in so many ways.
I know for a fact that I am going to get a bunch of email from people telling me that I am wrong, being judgmental, I am a pharisee, why can't I let the kids have fun,  Kirk Cameron says it's ok, etc, etc, etc.
Listen, you want to whore around with Satan... Go for it, it does not effect me one way or the other. Who it does matter to is the one who paid the price for your very soul. He was tortured, whipped, scurged, bled, mocked, hung on the cross and died a horrible death all for you... And how do you repay that love? You go get in bed with Satan once a year dressed up as what ever and unite yourself with the enemy all in the name of fun and the flesh.
You are then going to sleep off the spiritual hangover all day Saturday and then go to Church on Sunday and talk to all the other spiritual adulterers about all the "fun" you had.
Again, how would your husband or wife feel if you did the same thing and cheated on them?
Pretty bad right?
I bet if you cheated on your wife or husband you would also feel pretty guilty too, right?
SO why don't "Christians" feel the same guilt when they cheat on Christ with Satan?
Scripture says...

1 Corinthians 10:21 (KJV) Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

Galatians 5:17 for the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

1John 2:4-5(KJV) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Here is a statement by Harry Ironside, a great fundamental pastor.

"Error is like leaven, of which we read, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Truth mixed with error is equivalent to all error, except that it is more innocent looking and, therefore, more dangerous. God hates such a mixture! Any error, or any truth-and-error mixture, calls for definite exposure and repudiation. To condone such is to be unfaithful to God and His Word and treacherous to imperiled souls for whom Chris died." --H.A. Ironside

True Christian or Just Another C.I.N.O.?

Time to do a check up from the neck up and REALLY ask yourself, Who Do You Serve?
What distinguishes a true Christian from a C.I.N.O.?
In most cases the answer is one word - guilt.
Those who are truly Christians are convicted when they sin and feel guilt whenever they do sin ( and we all sin).
Those who aren't true Christians don't feel guilt, either because they have quenched the Holy Spirit or because they were never saved in the first place.
If fact, one of the sure ways to find out if you are really saved is how you react to sin.
If you just shrug it off and say "everyone sins" then you have problems.
If you hate every sin you have committed and feel guilt every time, it is safe to say that you are saved.
SO if you are going to choose to whore around with Satan tonight, ask yourself the morning after, how do you feel?
Guilty or just "shrug it off" because everyone is doing it?
Then ask yourself who do you really love - Christ or Satan?
If you liked whoring around, felt no guilt and justified it, odds are you aren't one of His.
See, it is a common lie told by many CINOs - "It's who you know that gets you into heaven."
Actually, this is wrong. It is who knows YOU.
Here is what I mean. I know George W Bush, he was the president, lives in Texas, and I was able to drive up to his front gates when we lived there.
If I drive there today and pull up to his gate, Secret Service agents will stop me, look me in the eye and ask me what I am doing there.
My responce "Well I am here to see George W" and flash him the perly whites.
He asks my name, checks his list, asks if I have an appointment and does not see my name on the list.
WHY?
Although I know of George W Bush, he does not know me. So am I gaining access to this former president?
Nope, nada, no way.
Same goes with Christ. Just because YOU know Him does not mean HE knows you. Well, He does in His God manner, He knows everything. But what you are not, is one of His children.
Scripture says...

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

So, if you choose to go out whoring with Satan tonight and you claim the title Christian. Look yourself in the mirror and get real with yourself and ask "Who do you REALLY serve?"
I hope these words sting and cut to the bone. It is the truth and it does not matter if you like it or not, it still is the truth.
If you do not like what I am saying and I am just being mean and hateful, news flash - the truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.
No sugar coating and no halloween candy from me. No siree....
So the choice is yours.
Stay true to your first love, or go whore around with the enemy.
What will matter is how you will react to your choice / action the morning after.
That will tell who you REALLY care for, love and serve.
Be ready for an eye opener one way or the other.


By Ray Gano

My NEW Book Coming Out Soon

Back in July 2011 my book “Survive The Coming Storm – The Value of a Preparedness Lifestyle” was published.

This book is one of the few “Survival books” written from a biblical and well as practical every day perspective. I did not write that book for all the “Rambo’s” in the world. I wrote it for all the everyday “soccer parents” out there that realized that things are getting grim and that they know they are behind the 8-ball.

You can purchase this book in paperback and in Kindle at http://amzn.com/B006JA4A06

In the book I put myself and my family in the role of “Guinea Pig” and we lived and used the things that I wrote about in STCS.

We are not rich by any means, and in fact we have learned to live a pretty frugal life over the years. God has blessed us with what we have needed and also blessed us from time to time with things we have wanted. There is a difference too. But we were able to prioritize and finally get multiple years of food, medical supplies as well as arms to protect ourselves and our home.

Fast forward to today and we are facing yet another possible storm, that storm is called Ebola.

Reports are showing that the spread of Ebola is starting to become exponential. In fact, the head of the World Health Organization stated that this outbreak "is moving faster than our efforts to control it".

I am not trying to be a fear monger, what I am trying to do is fulfill my job of being a watchman. In the days of high walls and castles, it was the job of the watchman to stand upon the wall and call down into the city what is going on and what he sees approaching the city. He had a vantage point that those in the city did not have. He was able to look out upon the horizon a great distance. He could see far and report on advancements of armies and even storms. If it was within eyesight, the watchman could see it and report on it.

God states in scripture the importance of the watchman as well as his responsiblity.

Ezekiel 33:2-6  Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

3 if when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

4 then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

That is my job and I try to do my job as good as possible. I try not to be “sensational” like others out there, but also try not to “sugar coat” things so that it is more palatable. 

My latest book is going to be titled "Survive The Coming Storm - EBOLA CRISIS"

 It is my hope to have it finshed by Aug 8th and push it out to Amazon Kindle. I am going to also try to push it out on iBook and Nook. We will see. 

Please pray that this book does well and helps people if the situation arises.

The Lord is Our Shepherd – Psalms 23

I love the 23rd chapter of Psalms. It speaks to me on so many levels. It helps settle the turbulence that is in my heart when I read the horrible goings on in the world. It also helps me to remember that HE, God the Father is still in charge and that HE will see us through.
The Lord is my shepherd … it is interesting that so often we place man on a pedestal. I have to admit that it happens to me, people put me up as some great holy guy know it all and then they realize that I am just a sheep, just like them. Just like you.
The Lord is our shepherd and because of that we will not have want. He is there for us and even though we have other “sheep” we learn from and align with, at the end of the day they, us, you are all still sheep in need of the one true shepherd.
That is not to discredit those of us who are called to lead and be in the service of The Lord. But sometimes it goes to folks head and it gets the best of them.
I look at all these famous bestselling pastors out there. Caught in adultery, homosexual trappings, drugs and debauchery. They think they are above it all and forget that they are just sheep like everyone else.
Knowing that The Lord is my shepherd is comforting. At times the weight of the world sits so heavy on my shoulders. That is when this chapter helps me realize what I really am and who is really in charge.
God is in Charge, He is my shepherd. Because He is in charge, His grace is sufficient for me. I shall not want.
Back when we first moved out to the ranch in New Braunfels we were given some sheep to take care of. Boy did we learn a lot from watching the sheep. They are really stupid and stubborn creatures. I now know why Christ refers to us as sheep so often. Because we are stupid and stubborn as well.
That is why I find verse two so humorous. He MAKETH me to lie down in green pastures.
When we had our sheep they were constantly trying to get out onto the ranch. We had great green grass, good feed, fresh water all the good things that sheep love. But the grass was always greener on the other side of the fence. One time two of them escaped and it took me several hours to wrangle them back. I had to lasso them and literally drag them back into the safety of the yard. Both of them kicked and fought me every step of the way. I was really tempted to just leave them out there, but I knew that they would end up as coyote food once it became night.
Like our sheep, God makes us lie down in green pastures. Why? Because he loves us and he is protecting us from the predators that are out there. But we constantly want to escape so we can partake in the “greener grass” that we believe is out there.
He leadeth me beside the still waters. Like the green pastures, God knows what is best for us. If we just get to that point where we will submit to His will and not our own, we will find out that the waters HE LEADS US TO is the freshest and quenches our thirst like none that we can ever find on our own.
But the key is to submit to HIM and allow the Lord to lead us. It is something hard for a sheep to do.
But if we do, “He restoreth my soul.”
This is something that all of us need today. The world is so hard and it seems like it is pressing in harder and harder on us daily with all the trials and tribulations that we as Christians endure. I am reminded again of His Grace. It is sufficient for us and is there for us even in our darkest times. He sees us through and restores our soul.
When we finally submit and start walking with Him, allowing Him to lead, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
God leads us in the way of being one of His children. He instructs us through His Word and directs us through that still small voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us through our conscience. After a while we start to see His providence at work in our lives because we came to the point of trusting him and stopped being stubborn.
This is our duty. In past writing I taught of the Servant – Warrior. To walk that path of duty is the truly pleasant way. When we submit to the shepherd and He becomes our King we discover that the path of righteousness is a path of true peace.
The key is submission, like the sheep finally submitting to the shepherd. We cannot walk these paths unless God both lead us onto them and lead us in them.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
This is the peace that walking the path of righteousness gives. Even though we are facing all sorts of trials, life changing events, maybe even death, God promises to be with us.
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
When we see these mentioned the first thing that comes to mind is hooking the sheep with the shepherds crook. That is the big curve in his staff and that is how he captures sheep who do not want to listen and try to run off. The rod or a goad is a stick with a sharp point that prods us in the direction that the shepherd wants us to go.
When we buck against the goad, we feel the prick.
Scripture says…

Ecclesiastes 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

When we finally learn to submit to His rod and His staff, we realize that there are boundaries. See boundaries for sheep is a very good thing. The boundaries are there to protect us and keep us safe. They help us to live a life of peace and tranquility in Him. His rod and His staff they comfort us. They remind us of the boundaries the shepherd has put in place because He loves us and wants the best for us.
Like the sheep we used to have, we wanted them to be protected and live a life of safety inside the boundaries of our yard. The coyotes and other things were out on the ranch that could lead to their destruction and kill them.
When we do submit and we learn the boundaries He has placed before us and we learn to live within those limits, rules, laws and we come to realize that life is good.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Even in the midst of trouble, trials, hardship and affliction, we realize that His Grace is there. He gives us a peace that only God’s Grace can provide, so much so that our cups runneth over. The key is to remember that we are the sheep and He is the shepherd. In submitting to the will of the shepherd is the only way that we will have that peace that pours over us. Much like warm fragrant oil being poured over our head. The warmth of the oil envelops us and the sweet fragrance fills our nose with soothing smells that calms us.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
When we are in that place of peace, it truly is a place of goodness and mercy that the shepherd provides and will continue to provide all the days of our life.
This is what it means to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The Lord is our shepherd, and our King. He alone is the one who sees us through the storms when we allow him to be our shepherd. But when we buck against the staff and run wild in rebellion, the shepherd will come after us and drag us back to Him, even with us kicking and screaming like the stubborn sheep we are.
Do you know what a shepherd does if he has a sheep that continues to buck against him and run away?
He breaks their legs so that the sheep cannot walk and then must be carried by the shepherd. This in turn causes the sheep to bond to the shepherd and that sheep will never stray very far from the shepherd. The sheep remembers the pain and will continue to have that “ghost pain” for the rest of his life reminding him of the consequences of running away and rebelling against the shepherd.
But if the sheep does not learn and bond with the shepherd, the shepherd will eventually kill the sheep. The shepherd realizes that the sheep will lead other sheep astray and endanger the entire flock. Sheep are natural followers and from time to time there rise up sheep that are rebellious. So for the sake of the flock, the rebellious sheep is taken away and put to death. It does not happen very often, but it does happen.
I highly encourage you to memorize the 23^rd Psalm. It will be there in your heart when that dark time falls upon you, and yes, dark times are coming.
The more that we are able to equip ourselves with His Word in our heart the more we will be able to weather the storms that are beginning to bear down on us in these last days of the last days.
Trust in the one true Shepherd and submit to Him. He is the way, the truth and the life.

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul:

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

By Ray Gano

The Final Generation??? By Ray Gano

Do  we or do we not serve a God of logic and reason?
Well the answer is obvious, we serve a God of logic and reasoning. To confirm that all we need to do is look at His creation.
If we serve a God of logic and reason, then why do so many of us believe in things that almost equate to being a fairytale and worse, given no critical thought at all?

Matthew 24:34(KJV) Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 

Many folks point to this verse when speaking of the last day / end times.  Some say that the countdown clock started in May 1948, others say it was June 1967 when Israel finally took back the city of Jerusalem and won control of the Temple mount.

Both points are promoted, but I stand upon the birth of the nation that took place in 1948.

The issue that I want to focus on is this, IF we are the final generation, then why do we bow down to the god of time?
"WHAT?? The god of time?"
Yes, often when asked a question that is hard to answer, many people say "it is just a matter of time."
Many people ask, "when will the rapture take place? " Common answer is "Well, God tells us not to set dates, but it is just a matter of time."
As a side note, let me state right here that I am one who stands upon the imminent return of our Lord, so please don't send me emails giving me grief about timing and such.
There are many out there proclaiming that there is an upcoming middle east war and even claiming it to be a fulfillment of some of the prophecies found in scripture.  You see it in discussion forums, emails and even some popular bible prophecy teachers newsletters and websites.
" We will see prophecy come to pass this summer 2013, you mark my words. And if things don't turn out, well it is just a matter of time till they do."
Foolish Statements
With the election of the new Pope, we hear foolish statements like "The antichrist will be an Italian of roman catholic decent."
Or this "Russia is going to invade Israel and then we are going to get raptured out of here."
Or this, " a European antichrist with his forces are going to kill all the Christians by beheading them, Revelation 20:4 tells us so."
Or this, " The coming war is the fulfillment of Psalm 83"
Or this.. " Islam is going to be wiped out this summer in the Israel war."
Do you get the idea at what I am trying to point out here?
People are making foolish statements that have little if any biblical backing what so ever.
Often they are thrown out there without any logic or reasoning given what so ever. The sad thing is that I have heard some of these statements come from the very teachers whose books we read, TV shows we watch, ect.
What's more is that you yourself have heard these sort of things out there too.
What is the common theme in all of this?
If things don't work out, all of these are backed up by the god of time.
" It will happen - it is just a matter of time."
This is why I ask, are we the final generation or not?
People quote this verse all the time and then state something else that completely contradicts the final generation found in Matthew 24:34.

Matthew 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

 It is like the old Hollywood Indian saying you see in the movies.. "white man speaks with forked tongue."
Folks, if we are the final generation then that means we are running seriously out of time.
What is the flip side of that?
We are NOT the final generation and all those bible prophecy that have come to pass, well, all those were just chance, a winning roll of the dice.
It is like we have become accustomed to having our cake and eating it too.
Either these things that are being taught are going to take place here soon,…
because we are the final generation,…
OR they are not and we are not the final generation.
In fact, let me pick on some of these statements to clarify.
"The antichrist will be Italian of roman catholic decent."
This is one that has been tossed around out there for a while now, and I hate to say it, but time has just about run out on this one.
How has it run out?
Everyone can clearly see that Europe is being taken over by Muslims, this is a fact.
Based on birthrate studies, in order for a culture to maintain itself for more than 25 years the required fertility rate must be 2.11 children per family. Historically a culture has never reversed a fertility rate of 1.9 children per family. AND IF the fertility rate hits 1.3, it is impossible for that culture to reverse because it would take that culture 80 to 100 years to correct itself. In fact there is no economic model to sustain a culture during that time.
Let's look at the birthrate of Europe.

France 1.8
England 1.6
Greece 1.3
Germany 1.3
Italy 1.2
Spain 1.1

Across the European Union  that consists of 31 countries, the cultural fertility rate is 1.38. Historical research tell us that these numbers are impossible to reverse.
In just a matter of years, Europe as we know it will cease to exist.
But Europe is growing and birthrates are high. What is taking place? Immigration.. Islamic immigration.
Who are having all the children?  Muslims.
Based on the numbers and information above, I do not see some Italian guy coming to power being backed by the catholic church when 1/3 of all European children will be born to Muslim families by 2025.
It is a fact that Islam will not bow to a Italian man backed by the Catholic Church. But the Catholic Church will bow to Islam and this has been historically proven time and again.
But what is the answer given by those who support this idea?
"Just give it time, you will see. Some Italian guy from Rome will rise up, you mark my words."
Well they are dutifully marked and it is looking like they are coming up wanting.
Folks, the sands of time are running out. We do not have the luxury of time any more if we are the final generation.
Do you know that most census offices worldwide utilize as the timeframe of 25 years for a generation as an average?
But we are speaking biblically here. How long is a biblical generation?

Scripture says…

Psalms  90:10 (KJV)  The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

In other words, the number of years people live on the average is 70, possibly 80 if they are strong and of good constitution.
To back this up, Matthew in his reciting of Christ's generations follow the Psalms 90:10 definition of a generation, 70 years.

Matthew  1:17 (KJV)  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Matthew is using the Psalm 90 definitions of generation in order to tell a specific chronological time story of our Lord Jesus Christ. So if Matthew is using it pertaining to and qualifying our Lord, we should use it also.
So with all that said, and just doing simple math, 1948 70 years comes to 2018. That is approximately 5 years. Well taking into account that 2013 is 1/4 over, we have a little over 5.5 years left.
Now I do not want to get emails saying I am date setting, I am not. What I am showing is logic and reasoning. Either we are the last generation or we are not.
Continuing on and looking at the birthrate of Muslims in Europe, what are the odds of an Italian man backed by the Catholic Church coming to power, uniting Europe as a force to rule the world in just 5.5 years?
Will Islam just sit back and let this happen?
If you say "Yes," you are kidding yourself and rejecting logic and reasoning.
The problem is that these people who promote this idea have lost the ability to mix fairness with objectivity and are suffering from an acute case of "Don't confuse me with the facts my mind is made up!"
In other words they worship at the feet of the god of time and feel like they have all the time in the world for their ideas to jell together.  
On the other hand, how many Muslims are looking for the Mahdi to come and establish the global one world caliphate?
Who do we as Christians look to in scripture to create a global one world government in these last days?
Think on this for a moment.
Here is another one the defies logic and reasoning…

" A European antichrist with his forces are going to kill all the Christians by beheading them, Revelation 20:4 tells us so."

Revelation 20:4 (KJV)  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Like the Italian AC, this is another one that is surrounded by illogical ideas when being promoted.
In fact I produced a 10 minute video taking this topic on.
You can watch this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fVwv7r-Nqw
Many people point to the Catholic Church being the ones who will help the Antichrist dispatch all the Christians worldwide. A majority of the popular authors promote the idea.
I have been reading a book titled " On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill In War and Society"  written by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman.
This book was written to explain a startling fact: throughout most of military history, up until the end of World War II, the vast majority of soldiers (between 75% and 95%) have refused to kill their fellow man.
Brigadier General S.L.A. Marshall, who studied this phenomenon during World War II, found that no more than 20% of soldiers would "take any part with their weapons".
The interesting fact is that these results can be found throughout time and across cultures, from Alexander the Great who lost only 700 men in years of fighting, to tribesmen in New Guinea who remove the feathers from their arrows before going off to war, to the soldiers at Rosebud Creek in 1876 who fired 252 rounds for each American Indian they hit.
Grossman conducted very in-depth research.
So what was happening to these soldiers?
These fighting men were resorting to a number of options, and I mean anything that prevented them from having to kill their fellow man.
So what did these soldiers do?
Some fell back to support positions running supplies, ammo, messages. Some tended to the wounded carrying them off the battlefield.  Some even faked injury themselves and even others ran away. 
In fact many just fired into the air just above the enemies heads.
In Civil War times, conscience-stricken soldiers also had the option of pretending to fire - that is, loading up their muskets, mimicking the movements of a firing soldier next to them, and pretending to recoil.

Do you know at Gettysburg there were over, 27,574 muskets were found on the battlefield? Over 90% of these guns were loaded. On the average a good soldier can load and fire a musket about 4 times in a minute.  So logically speaking the chances of these muskets representing mostly soldiers killed JUST before they were getting ready to fire is pretty slim.
Do you know that over 12,000 muskets were found with multiply-loads down the barrel? In fact, at Gettysburg they found over 6,000 of them loaded with 3-10 rounds apiece? That means that the soldier "Faked" firing the weapon and then went through the procedure to reload the weapon. They consciously objected to killing their fellow man. So they just went through the paces to look like they were fighting the battle.
Clearly this shows that among soldiers a deeply ingrained resistance to killing is prevalent when faced with killing other human beings. But this isn't just with soldiers, it is with man in general, he does not want to kill his fellow man.
Now what is interesting is that Grossman uses most of his book to discussing the ways in which this resistance can be overcome.
How can this take place? Simple, training and brainwashing is conducted upon the soldier.
Revelation 20:4 tells us the Christian martyrs will die, that is a fact.
But here is what I have to ask, were are the huge number of forces that are being trained to dispatch Christians?  In fact we also need to include Jews as well because we know that Jews will also be persecuted against during the tribulation.
How Many Will Die?
According to the website adherents.com, there are 2.1 billion Christians worldwide. This number also includes Mormons, JWs, ect.  
So how many of these will go in the rapture?
Scripture gives us clues.
In Matthew 7, which I consider one of the bibles most troubling chapters in all of scripture, we see Christ who is speaking to Christians / believers.
Scripture says…

Matthew  7:13-14 (KJV)  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at:

14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Christ himself tells us that there are many believers who are on the broad way that leads to destruction. He also tells us that those who are on the narrow way, the Lord tells us that "few there be that find it."
Now I am not talking about losing one's salvation. I am one who stands on if a person is saved, they cannot lose their salvation.
What is being presented in this chapter are those who claim the title, but are not true Christians. These Christians In Name Only, or what I refer to as C.I.N.Os.
What do I mean by that?
Simple example, Oprah Winfrey publicly claims to be a Christian, but we clearly see that her fruits do not show it. We cannot judge ones heart, but based on her fruits, I would speculate that she is one of those on the broad way.
So how many is "few there be that finds it?"
To be honest I don’t know, but to look at the logic of this situation let's be fair and keep things simple and say 1 billion Christians are raptured.
Of those who are left, again keeping it simple to explain logic let's say that 1 billion "Christians" are left behind.
We also have to remember that there are approximately 14 million Jews in the world as well.
We know based upon scripture that 2 thirds of the Jews living will be persecuted.

Zechariah  13:8 (KJV)  And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

That is approximately 4.6 million Jews left in the world with 9.3 million being persecuted.
My question is, who is being trained and brainwashed to kill 1 billion, nine point three million Christians and Jews worldwide?
Do we see the Catholic Church stepping up to the plate to fulfill this large order?
What about other false religions out there? Maybe Mormons? What about New Agers? What about the dreaded Freemasons?
Here is another point to consider. Studies show that it takes approximately 2-3 people to execute one person.
Now we know for a fact that there will be Christians and Jews who do survive the tribulation, scripture tells us of the nations who will populate the millennial kingdom. This is a fact. So not all 1 billion, nine point three million Christians and Jews worldwide will die. But a good number of people will.
So again, I have to ask who is being trained to dispatch these millions of people?
FACT - We know that man has an aversion to killing other human beings, Christian morals or not, that is clearly shown in the multiple military studies conducted.
FACT - We also know from scripture that "beheading" will be the method of choice so we cannot blame nuclear, biological or chemical weapons of mass destruction.
It will be the simple "off with their head" solution.
"Well Ray, the "restrainer" will be taken out so all hell will break lose."
Good point, but it does not negate these studies. Grossman in his book talks about Alexander the Great who lost only 700 men in all his years and campaigns of fighting and concurring the known world. He also experienced the same unwillingness to kill. Alexander lived at the time prior to the restrainer.
Folks, the unwillingness to kill our fellow man is ingrained into us. God's law is written upon all of our hearts.

Romans 1:18-19 (KJV)  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

We know that the restrainer was not present during Alexander's time. There are other "pre-restrainer" cases in history that back this up as well. We also know that the law of God is known to all men because it is written upon our hearts.
The only way to overcome this unwillingness to kill our fellow human being, is to be subjected to training and brainwashing. In fact the longer that the person is exposed, the less remorse and mental trauma one will encounter.
Knowing that millions will die at the hands of the Antichrist and that a generation is 70 years. Where are the masses of people being trained today to kill their fellow man?
Last Generation?

Remember that based upon Psalms  90:10 a generation is 70 years. Again looking at Israel becoming a nation in 1948 and using simple math we get the year  2018 being the approximate end of the generation. Seeing that we are about on quarter through 2013, that gives us approximate a little over 5.5 year to train millions to behead and kill all those during the tribulation.
"Well Ray, I have heard that there are guillotines all over the US in secret FEMA camps just waiting to be used."
Again, an unwillingness to think critically or objectively.
If this was the case, who is the company that produced all these guillotines?
Where are they located?
Based on the statement above, they had to be shipped all over the US.
Where are the truckers to drove these guillotines all over the US?
What about the people who loaded and unloaded the guillotines from these vehicles?
What about the people who worked in the no-name factory who built these guillotines?
What about eye witnesses of some form or fashion, or  innocent bystanders who happened to be in the right place at the right time?  
The truth about a secret is that no matter what, it will not remain a secret very long specially if it is a government secret.
In regards to this story, there are too many variables that would easily expose the production of  these guillotines taking place in this nation.
In fact ramping up a company, training the workers and in these financially stressful days, finding the money, stockholders, and financial backing to achieve this as well as dispatching all those Christians, I think 7.5 years is not enough time.
Again there are too many variables that could go wrong in keeping this a secret. 
Now playing the devil's advocate, and taking the US alone, how many true blue Americans would put up with a large number of guillotines being produced in secret? Someone would expose this, there would be pictures posted on facebook, videos on you tube. More proof of the company would come out followed by investigations and then congressional hearings.
Folks, a tool of death like the guillotine, would not go unnoticed and would be reported to the public the moment that the company came into existence .
 Just look at the 9/11 conspiracy,  the Obama birth certificate conspiracy or what about the old idea that  men did not land on the moon  and it was all shot on a movie sound stage?
All these are well known, the conspiracy of guillotines all over the US is a myth and does not have any provable facts based on logic and reasoning to support it.
BUT, let's just entertain this idea for a moment and say it is  true, you would still need 2-3 people trained and brainwashed to kill their fellow human being day in and day out, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week non-stop because we are dealing with millions. Look how long it took Hitler to kill six million Jews. We are talking at least a billion people here.
Here is another point. Our own military is trained to kill and have put into practice these ideologies to help overcome the resistance to kill and still they are ineffective. Look at how many  of our gulf war and Afghanistan war vets come home with post traumatic stress syndrome because they have been trained and have killed, and yet they are still suffering the consequences of taking another's life. 
The American fighting man and woman are some of the best trained soldiers in the world, but what is missing is the brainwashing making killing a part of their lives.
Scripture says…

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

This is often seen as a blessing to Christian parents, but when viewed from another angle, it is seen as a curse.
Who has been training up their children to kill at such a young age?
You know and I know… Islam.
How many Muslims are there worldwide?
According to adherents.com, it is estimated that there are 1.5 billion Muslims. This study was also conducted around 2001. It is believed that nearly one-fourth of the world’s population today is Muslim. Without firm numbers it is believed that  there are more than 1.5 billion, to quite possibly 2 billion with Islam being the fastest growing religion in the world today.
So taking into account that Christians will be taken out in the rapture, that Islam is the fastest growing religion and that many will die at the hands of the antichrist, there is only one group of people that fit the ability to meet Revelation 20:4 and that is Islam.
Points to consider about Islam …
Muslims are taught to hate Christians and Jews
Muslims are taught to kill the infidel
Beheading is the standard form of execution
Muslims are taught from a young age to die for the cause of Islam
Muslims are taught to kill for the cause of Islam
But here is the stickler, all the countries mentioned in scripture that are associated to Christ's physical return are all Muslim countries and are clearly named. There is no refuting that.
For example , the chapters in Isaiah 13 - 29 all deal with Christ's literal second coming and the destruction of Israel's enemies.
Isaiah 13 Burden of Babylon,
Isaiah 14:24 Burden of Assyria,
Isaiah 14:28 Burden against Philistia (Gaza),
Isaiah 15:1 Burden of Moab,
Isaiah 17 Burden of Damascus & Samaria,
Isaiah 18 Burden of Ethiopia
Isaiah 19 Burden of Egypt
Isaiah 21:13 Burden against Arabia
Isaiah 22 Burden against Jerusalem (occupied by enemy),
Isaiah 23 Burden against Tyre.
All of these are  Muslim counties.
In fact every time the sword of the Lord is mentioned, it is always in association to a Muslim country.

Ezekiel 30:4- 5 (KJV)  And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.

5  Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.

We must accept the fact that Islam and the descendant of Ishmael, Esau and Lot are the last day players. Over and over again they are mentioned by name in scripture. Not the EU, USA, New York or Rome.
We as students of bible prophecy have forgotten that  this whole situation started in Genesis with the children of Abraham and a battle over the promised land.
The problem, there are many who refuse to look at the logic and reasoning. Like many of the statements believed above, they do not want  to be bothered with the facts because their mind is made up to what they want to believe even when it is clearly in black and white and contained in God's Word.
Conclusion
I personally believe that we are the final generation.
If we are the final generation as many in the bible prophecy arena are teaching, we must contend with logic and reasoning and not fairytales.  
Just because something has been taught for the last 50-100 years, does not make it so.
We are called to look down at scripture and then peer out to the horizon to see how the world fits within scripture, not how scripture fits within the ideas that are being taught in the world.
We as students of bible prophecy need to put away all the books of men and look at what scripture is truly teaching.
We have forgotten to go to God's Word and apply Acts 17:11 to make sure that what is being taught holds true to scripture. But more than that, it must adhere to logic and reasoning because our God is not a God of confusion nor does He lie.
Therefore if it is not God who is in error, we have to ask "who is?"
The obvious answer is man.
We need to once again learn how to think critically, with an objective mind. We have got to stop allowing people to "spoon feed" us what they believe we need to know and this includes me as well.
It is the Holy Spirit which teaches us and it is He who will illuminate the truth if we apply God's logic and reasoning.
We also need to come to the realization that if we are the final generation that scripture talks about, then there are some issues at hand that we need to contend with and not push it off to the god of time.
We need to admit that there are things that we have once believed that do not fit scripture as well as the timeframe given the days we are living in.
We must come to the understanding that If scripture fits, we must submit.
There are going to be those out there who will argue the timeframe of a generation, when did that generation begin, when will it end, ect. Personally that does not matter, time is still time and it is ticking down. An extra 20 or so years will not really matter if we are the final generation.
Taking into account of the Muslim demographics presented, that situation is not changing and only some fairytale idea of all the Muslims being taken off the earth in some miraculous event is absurd. Yes, there are folks out there who believe that all of Islam will be destroyed.
The fact that an event like that is not even mentioned in scripture either except at Christ's literal second coming when He destroys the enemies of Israel should tell you something about the idea.
Therefore we need to decide if we are the final generation or not. If we are that final generation, we have a limited amount of time in this generation for things to come together logically because we serve The Omniscience God of logic and reason. (all knowing all seeing)
More importantly, we need to start holding our teachers feet to the fire and challenge them with God's Word as well as logic and reasoning. We need to start asking the hard questions and demand solid biblical as well as logical answers. Not these fairytale ideas that were dreamt up some 50-100 or more years ago when Israel was not a nation. 
We need to reexamine what we have been taught with a sound mind allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us and not the latest popular teacher with the bestselling book.
Folks, I hold myself up to the same scrutiny as well. If I am wrong, I am willing to admit that I am wrong if shown from scripture to be incorrect. I have admitted error before and I have no problem recanting something said in error.
But one has to ask, how many others are out there with all their books, DVDS, CDs, studies, TV shows on the line? How many are out there are willing to admit that they are wrong when presented with sound logic and reasoning in light of all their books, DVDs, CDs, ect?
Odd are that they will stick to the  "Don't confuse me with the facts my mind is made up! Besides, it is clearly stated in my book, CD or study guide, so how can I be wrong?"
If that is the answer you get, then we need to question pride being the culprit.
Scripture says…

Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

If we are the final generation, we have a lot of work still needing to be done. Millions upon millions do not have any knowledge of the Lord our God, nor the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We no longer have the luxury of time and must be about the Lord's Work.
BUT… if we are NOT the final generation, then we have all the time in the world and can worship at the feet of the god of time.
What you need to do is ask yourself "what generation are we?
The final generation or the one serving the god of time?





By Ray Gano

Keys To Spiritual Survival – The Armor of God

In the past few articles we have learned about applying the Third Party Rule (Proverbs 3:5-6) in our lives. We have discussed “Living in God’s Grace” and “Living in God’s Sovereignty.”
In this article I want to talk about how to start bringing these things together so that you can be effective and be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy.
As I have been saying, we are living in the last days of the last days. Now more than ever we need to cleave to God, His Word; His Ways and live a life holy and acceptable unto Him.
But so many people who are good bible believing Christians have forgotten how to do these things or have been attending churches that refuse to teach the true tenants of the faith.
This is why I feel it is important that we wear the armor of God daily, and make a concerted effort to truly wear these tools of war and understand why it is important to wear these daily.
So what does it mean to wear the armor of God?
Men Beating Each Other Silly with Swords
Here is a little story that some of you may have heard before.
Back in my college days I used to be involved with group that is called the SCA, also known as the Society for Creative Anachronism.
Those involved would role play as if they were living in the King Arthur days. They would wear armor of all sorts and go bash each other over the head with rattan swords.
What is interesting is that today it is actually seen as an official form of martial art.Well, I was one of those guys who enjoyed beating each other senseless. Now to be honest I was getting beaten on more than I was beating on others.
At one of these events I happened upon one of the well-known "knights" and struck up a conversation. One thing led to another and he let me hang out with him for the weekend, kind of being his "squire."
In these circles this was seen as pretty cool, especially if your knight was well known. Mine, he was well known.
This guy was really into the SCA, he owned a complete set of full plate armor. In fact he built it himself and was actually world renown for his ancient armor work. Rumor had it that he has even worked on some of the armor that is in the tower of London. Yep, he was that good.
Well, I got a chance to try on his armor. It was about 50-60 lbs of steel wrapped all over my body from head to toe. Wow… it was pretty cool.
Now this is what was interesting; here I am standing in his armor and he comes over and barely pushes me with his index finger.
I just about fell over backwards because I was not used to wearing so much weight let alone know how to fight in it. He laughed and kept me from falling over backwards.
In that short moment he taught me a very valuable lesson that still sticks with me today.
What I learned was that it was different for him because when he was out on the "battle field" he was running and jumping and hitting people with his sword, bashing people with his shield, going full bore. He was also often the winner of the tournaments and have been made "king" of the local SCA group several times. This is a very high position in the SCA and it also meant that you were a true warrior.
Me, it was all I could do to just to keep standing up.
So why could he run around in this armor and I barely was able to stand?
Several things.
1 - He literally wore his armor every day in one form or another, so it became a part of him.

2 - Because he and his armor were one, this "trained" his body. This in turn conditioned him and he was always ready for the fight.
I tell this story because the armor of God needs to be seen the same way. It is not something that you just "throw on" and then think you are going to go out and do battle.
You need to consciously train and live in the armor daily.
Why? So when that evil day does come, you have done all that you can to train...and having done all, then stand and fight.
If we are not wearing the armor daily, how does our “spiritual muscles” strengthen? If we are not used to wearing it and the armor becomes like a second skin, how long will we last in battle when that evil day comes?
By not actively wearing the armor daily we will fail.

Failing Due To The Lack of Training
Archilochus who was an early Greek poet as well as a warrior stated the following…
We do not rise to the level of our expectations.
We fall to the level of our training.
 
How often do we watch these action adventure movies and get caught up in them?
We watch the good guy chase down the bad guy, the fight ensues and the good guy stomps the bad guy into the ground. He then picks him up, cuffs him and hauls him away.
If you were put in the position where you had to fight for your life, how long could you fight?
2-3 minutes?
How about 3-5 seconds?
A battle for one’s life often lasts a minute, most likely less because the person who is attacking is usually better trained and has the endurance to last the entire fight.
The common man, well they can barely last 10 maybe 20 seconds tops before he gives out and is exhausted.
Yes we watch these movies and say we can do that.
Sure we may play fight in our mind and run different situations through our head.
But unless you physically train, you will always fall to the level of your training.
The same goes for spiritual battles.
Unless you train consciously utilizing the armor of God daily, you will also fail and fall to the level you have trained at.

Ephesians 6:13 (KJV) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The armor will not protect us as much as it should have because even though we are wearing it, our effectiveness in it is greatly minimized.
We have to actively train in God’s armor, pushing those spiritual muscles daily.

The Pieces of God’s Armor

Ephesians 6:14-18 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I want to help explain what each piece of the armor does both in the real world and the spiritual world.
Starting with the head and working our way down…
The Helmet of Salvation
The helmet was the most noticeable piece of armor. In many cases was ornate, etched and often decorated with a plume with brightly dyed feathers or colored horsehair. The helmet was one of the most critical pieces of armor, it protected the brain. It was designed to protect the wearer from blows with a sword, a war hammer or battle ax. A good helmet would not allow these weapons to pierce it but if designed properly, it would deflect these blows giving the soldier maximum protection.
Why do we wear the the Helmet of Salvation?
Simple, to protect our brain. There is an old computer saying, “G I G O” Garbage In – Garbage Out.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We are to meditate on the Word of God, renewing our minds daily.
In Deuteronomy chapter 6 we read what is often referred to as the Shema.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

So our helmet of salvation helps protect our brains, the very places we think and contemplate. Without the helmet, we are vulnerable to the deadly blows of the enemy that will in turn, effect the brain’s thinking and reasoning power.
Have you ever noticed that when you are in the word of God daily that you find it easier to not “sin”?
Sure we all sin, but when we are in His Word and renewing our minds, we are more conscious of what it is we are doing and often choose not to disobey Him. That is the helmet of salvation at work. It is protecting your brain so that you can then in turn make proper and right decisions for God, and not fall for sin.

The Breastplate of Righteousness
The Breastplate was really often work of art. Each breastplate was custom made for the soldier that wore it. Often a casting was made of the man’s torso. This casting then allowed the armorer to make a breastplate that would be a perfect fit to the one who would wear it.
Breastplates often had the coat of arms or royal crest with which the knight gave his allegiance too. At times there were additional decorations telling about the warrior and polished to a brilliant mirror finish that was blinding in the sunshine.
Despite the beauty and craftsmanship, the breastplate was very functional piece of armor protecting the heart, lungs and other vital organs from penetration through its metal shell.
It was also the main piece which the back, shoulders and arm pieces of armor often hung and were attached too. It was the main support for the pieces that did battle. It literally assisted in holding up the weight of the other pieces.
In the spiritual it is righteousness that helps us stand. In fact the word righteousness simply means, “Right standing before God.”
Now what is interesting is that in legal terms it means “being found innocent.”
In Isaiah 59, the chapter in Isaiah that prophecies the Messiah, we read the following…

Isaiah 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate. 

Many Christians do not live like they have been made righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. The majority Christians today walk around in constant guilt and condemnation, feeling like failures and not ‘worthy’ to serve God, or worse to receive His wonderful blessings from Him.
The devil is constantly bombarding us with fiery darts and missiles of lies and accusations always reminding us of past sins we have committed.
Without the breastplate of righteousness, these missiles will impact us and penetrate our heart.

Psalms 37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.  

Proverbs 10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: 

The Belt of Truth – Having your loins girt about with truth
The belt is not the most noticeable piece of the armor, however, it is actually the central piece that holds all the rest securely in place and provides for every need during battle.
The belt was broad and made of sturdy leather. From it hung an overlapping skirt of leather straps which on the inside surface were armored with small rectangular pieces of metal held in place by decorative rivets which showed on the outside. It was these straps / apron that protected the loin.
The belt also had specialized hooks and holders on which to secure the scabbard that contained the sword at the proper angle, the quiver which held lances, and an apparatus on which to rest the large battle shield. Also, on the belt were clips with which to hold the breastplate in its proper place. It also held pouches the soldier’s supplies like bread, oil and water, an extra knife, coin purse, etc.
Srcipture says…

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

2 Corinthians 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

Just as the belt is central to the armor of God, the written Word of God, the absolute truth of the Bible is central to all that pertains to spiritual warfare.
If one has a weak belt, then the armor will not hold together in the time of need, that critical part of the battle. If your belt is weak and breaks, you lose all your armor and become vulnerable on the battle field. This is why the belt was thick, and well-oiled and well cared for. It was also the one piece of armor that was worn both on and off the battlefield. It is what equipped him for day to day life as well as life on the battle field.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: 

Today it is critical that we adhere to the absolute truth of God’s Word. It is what holds all of what we are as Christians together. If we are wavering in the truth, we do not believe in absolute truth, or we lack the truth in our hearts, then when that day comes our belt of truth will fail us and we will lose the armor with which we wear.
This is why truth and standing on the truth with all your heart is so vital.
Think about this for a moment.
The Truth is Incorruptible. 
The Truth is Indestructible.  
The Truth tells us who we are, what we have and what we can do. 

John 17:17 Jesus says, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.”

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

The Shoes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace
The Shoes of the warrior were no normal footwear. Every military gives great care to supply the soldiers with the best and most appropriate footwear they are able for the assignment the soldier is given.
The warriors shoes / boots usually consisted of an elaborately cut and laced leather. the soles had layers of metal and leather with ‘hob nail’ spikes or cleats often extending one-half inch, to in some cases ‘inches,’ from the sole so that the soldier could plant his foot into the ground thus preventing him from being moved.
Some shoes had toe spikes and or built-in spurs with which to do damage to the enemy. The uppers of the sandals were often armored by small overlapping pieces of metal riveted to the leather straps.
In addition, attached to the uppers of the sandal were removable metal or leather greaves that extended up over the kneecap protecting the knees, shins and ankles.
Before you go somewhere today, you have to equip yourself for the occasion. You take into consideration the place you are going, the climate as well as the terrain.
If we do not have good shoes or the right shoes, we will tire out and most likely not get to where we were planning on going.
This is why armies for generations to present realize that shoes were critical. Armies move by foot and if those feet are not well protected, well cared for, and properly fitted, the army is not going to get very far.
The battle was lost before the army could even get to the battle field.
As Christian warriors do you know our mission that all of us have been called to?

Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This is one of the reasons why I Iove the KJV bible. In the modern versions the word YOU is used here in place of YE.
When YOU is used, people have a way out or an excuse to say that Christ was just talking to the disciples here. The responsibility of sharing the gospel is shirked because of the modern versions.
Where by using the word YE as is used in the KJV, it is a direct command. A command by Jesus Christ himself not only to the disciples, but also directed directly at us as well.
YE is addressing anyone who is reading or hearing this command. YE also makes it a command because Christ is addressing us personally.
So when we are called to GO YE to all nations, that means put on your shoes and go. We are called to take the gospel of peace of The Lord Jesus Christ to all the world.
If we ware ill equipped and have not put on the proper shoes, how far do you think we will be able to get?
 
The Shield of Faith
I love the following verse…

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

There are three types of common shields used by warriors.
First, a small disc held in the offhand often 6” inches in diameter to 16” inches in diameter. This type of shield was called a “Buckler” and often used in close quarter combat, duels, etc.
The next was an actual shield and was approximately 24”-36” inches diameter round, this was not only used in defense, but at times in offense. Going in first with the shield, the opposing force would hit the shield. The shield would flip up where the edge was then facing the oponent. The warrior would use the extended edge of the shield to then “trap” the opponent and allow the warrior to freely attack the person by using the sword that was now hidden under the shield that trapped the opponent.

 

The final shield was a large rectangular shield approximately 60”x30” in size. This rectangular shield called a “thureos” (thoo-reh-os) in Greek literally meant “a door,” because it looked like the soldier was carrying a full sized door that was leather covered.
The warrior could stand safely behind this large shield thus protecting him from the arrows and such being hurled at him.
A good shield was made of six layers of thick animal hide specially tanned and woven together making them as tough and durable as metal yet relatively light weight. The leather shields could be soaked in water before battle so that in the event the enemy would rain fiery projectiles on them, the fire would be extinguished on impact.
So why is it called The Shield of Faith?
Along with being large and relatively light, it also had the ability to hook together with other shields and create a wall with which the army was protected. This tactic was often referred to as the “Roman Turtle.”

 

The Thureos or “Door Sheild” in the “Turtle Formation”

In this position, the army was protected from all sides as well as above. The negative is that the army could not see where they were going. So they depended greatly on the captain who was behind them and riding a horse to direct their steps and tell them to go here, go there, turn left, turn right.
See if they broke the shield wall, arrows, spears, fiery darts were able to penetrate and would injure or kill those who standing inside the turtle formation.
The soldier had to trust and obey the captain and walked in blind faith listening only to the commands the captain gave and nothing else.
The very survivability of the entire group of soldiers depended on all the soldiers trusting and obeying the orders of the captain at the time the orders are given.
Failure to do so would compromise the entire unit’s safety. Injury and death was the result of not acting immediately on the orders of the captain.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

When our captain who is Christ Jesus speaks, we are to obey.
How does God speak to us? It is through His Word, the Word of God; the Bible.
Our faith grows by hearing God’s Word spoken into our hearts. This is why it is so critical that we have good preachers and teachers who preach from God’s Word. Expository teaching, taking the bible verse by verse is the best way to learn God’s Word.
This is why so many Christians are weak in their faith, they lack solid pastors who are teaching their congregations chapter and verse. Expanding on God’s Word and going into the “meat” of the Word and not staying only with the “milk.”
Babies require milk, but warriors require meat. It is the meat of the Word that strengthens our faith in His Word, Law, Commands, and proper living.
We follow Christ in blind faith allowing Him to direct our paths and lean not on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5-6 – The Third Party Rule)

The Sword of the Spirit - The Word of God
The sword is the primary weapon of the warrior and was greatly feared. A true sword master could take on 5+ men at once and dispatch all of them in a short amount of time. In the hand of someone who is educated the lightweight and well balanced double edged sword was quick and deadly.
The razor sharpened edges of the broad blade was made to cut and slice. The tapered point was designed to easily penetrate and disembowel the enemy. It was well known that if true warrior ever would unsheathed his sword -- he would use it.
The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16 -17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The more we have God’s Word in our hearts the more of a “master of the sword” we become. The better we know our personal bible, the more of a master of the sword we become.
In fact, remember in Sunday school having “Sword Drills”?
The students would have the bible flat on the table and hands in the air, the teacher would call out a verse and the first one to the verse got to read it.
If you were really good, the teacher would take the better students and let them hold the bible between their two flat hands and the thumbs on the pages. Then the verse was called out and the first one to get to the verse won the round.
This is being a Master of the Sword / The Word. Not only do you know your scripture, you know where to find it and how to get to it quickly. You are able to flip to a verse and in many cases just open up your bible and be just a few pages off.
You as a sword master know how to apply scripture, where to apply scripture and teach others how to find, use and apply scripture. You are a master of The Sword of God, His Word.
One thing, the sword of the spirit is a double edged weapon and it will cut both ways. So you can use it for good as well and use it to hurt people. We see this take place a lot in today’s world. The sword being improperly used to hurt, manipulate and force people through coercion. This is using the sword for error, not for good.

We Are Warriors For The Lord
It is our duty and assignment is to stand in the gap shoulder to shoulder with the other soldiers of the Lord as He places us.
We are to resist every attack of the devil. Holding the ground, refusing to be moved, healing the oppressed and destroying every work of the devil. 
We are warriors for the Lord.
Scripture says…

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.

But alone we are just single fighters. It is when we are together that we are able to charge the gates of hell.
This is why it is so important to be in fellowship with other Christian warriors who love the Lord. When we do this it helps us keep our spiritual batteries charged to the fullest level. We are able to pray for each other, learn from each other, encourage each other.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Iron sharpens iron and when we become accountable not only to God, but to other warriors, we then become better warriors for the Lord we serve.

Many of you know that we are living in the last days of the last days. We are sitting upon the razor's edge. Now more than ever we need to keep the batteries charged at full, the powder dry and ready for the fight.

We do not know when we will be called upon to fight, but when we do, we want to be completely ready, and not caught at our lowest level of training.
If you do not train and wear the armor of God daily you will lose the battle and become a casualty of the battlefield.
The enemy, when he comes, he will most likely ambush us. So when the fight comes to us, and it will, there will be no time to "put on" the armor. By that time it will be to late. If we do not have the armor on at the time of the ambush, we will become just another casualty of war.
So I challenge you brothers and sisters in the Lord always be ready for the fight.
The fight will come to you for our enemy prowls in the shadows like a ravaging lion waiting to pounce on us when we are not looking.
What do we need to ensure? And having done all – To Stand.

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

By Ray Gano