Let the War Begin

signs in heaven and earthIn my article The Place for Prophecy I began with the very first prophecy in the Bible, right at the beginning of the age of mankind, the episode where God cursed the Serpent, Eve and Adam for their eating the forbidden fruit. But God promises that the woman will bear a Seed (single), which is impossible because only the man had the seed. It begins in the heavens with the constellation Virgo who bears the Seed in her left hand and the Branch in her right hand. This prophecy, or parts of it, is referred to many times throughout Scripture but its conclusion is found at the end of the Bible in Revelation 12:1.

“Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.” – Rev. 12:1

But Revelation 12 reveals more and thus begins the last prophecy of the Bible, but still others will come out of it. In Revelation 12 the woman is in the great pain of childbirth.

“Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.” – Rev. 12:2

I have titled this article Let the War Begin because according to Revelation 12 the last war begins in the heavens –

“And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. . . And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” – Rev 12:3-9

The Apostle Paul wrote – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12) and I like to call these skirmishes, but the real war begins with Revelation 12. And with this I will begin this article.

Virgo in Rev12Revelation 12 tells the story of what happens at the end of the age. It begins with a heavenly picture of a woman about to give birth to a male child who was to rule the earth. It also pictures a fiery red dragon who was set to devour the child when it was born but, the child was caught up into heaven as soon as it was born. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared for her by God for 3½ years.

“She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” – Rev. 12:5-6

This prophesy was fulfilled in the heavens by the planet Jupiter (the King Planet) and the constellation Virgo for the first time in 6000 years. As Jupiter left Virgo on Sept. 23, 2017, to begin it’s 7-year journey to the constellation Taurus.

Now, we could think that the birth of the man child who was caught up into heaven tells the story of the birth of Jesus 2000 years ago and the woman fleeing into the wilderness represents the Jewish diaspora except for the statement “that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” Because we know that the diaspora has lasted almost 2000 years. Either “the man child” must mean something other than Jesus’ first assentation into heaven or there must be a time gap between verses 5 and 6. Several have suggested that the “man child” here represents the Church being raptured but, that doesn’t make much sense either because we see the church being persecuted by Satan after he is cast out of heaven.

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. . . . And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” – Rev. 12:7-9, 17

Why would this heavenly sign of Virgo be fulfilled in 2017 and not in the time Jesus was born and ascended into heaven? Jupiter being in Virgo’s womb for 42 weeks minus a day (a normal human birth period) and then leaving must mean something else. Perhaps the man child is not Jesus but the remnant that follow Jesus. Scripture does suggest such a thing –

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” – Rom. 8:29

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” – Gal. 4:19

“the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” – Eph. 1:18-21

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” – Eph. 2:4-7

Paul likens this transformation unto ‘travailing in birth’ until Christ is formed in us and that is exactly what the fulfillment of Virgo represents. Does Virgo’s fulfillment in 2017 represent a re-birth in the body of Christ, perhaps a separation of the ‘wheat and the tares’ or the ‘sheep and the goats’? That seems to be the effect of the so-called virus pandemic that has assaulted us these last several years. It has certainly separated those who trust in the Lord from those who do not. A small remnant is arising from within the Church and their message is “Christ be formed in you”!

The next verses in Revelation 12 present us with the woman (who is most certainly Israel) fleeing into the wilderness where she is protected for 3½ years.

“Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” – Rev. 12:6

A few verses later John returns to this theme –

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time (3½ yrs.), from the presence of the serpent. So, the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” – Rev 12:13-17

The Dragon comes against the Woman causing her to flee into the wilderness but, she flies into the wilderness on the two wings of a great eagle (Jer. 49:22). Is this a reference to God or is it referring to some other force, like the United States which is often likened to an Eagle?

So, the devil spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, (Rev. 17:15 says the waters are “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues) but the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the flood. In other words, God used the natural forces to defeat the Dragon. So, the Dragon turns his venom against the Christians. This goes on for three and a half years. During which time the Dragon rules on the earth through his Antichrist.

Other prophets speak of this time in which the woman flees into the wilderness. The prophet Micah speaks of a time when Israel flees into the sheep folds of Bozrah –

“I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold (Hebrew Bozrah), Like a flock in the midst of their pasture; They shall make a loud noise because of so many people. The one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will pass before them, With the LORD at their head.” – Micah 2:12-13

Notice that they go into the sheepfold as Jacob, but they come out as the remnant of Israel. The name Israel means Prince with God. Something happens to Jacob while he is in the sheepfold, protected by the LORD. I believe the veil is removed from their eyes and they recognize Jesus as their true Messiah thus becoming Israel as they were meant to be.

Bozrah sheepfoldPictured is a typical sheep fold in Bozrah which is located in Edom. The sheep would be closed in within rock walls for the night to protect them from wild animals and the shepherd would come in the morning and break down a portion of the wall to let the sheep out. The remnant of Israel will be here for a long night of 3½ years at which time the LORD will come to break them out. This story is told in the heavens by the Little Dipper, or as it is known in Hebrew the Lesser Sheepfold. The constellation of Draco is right above the Lesser Sheepfold, surrounding them with his vengeance. The Pole star is the LORD that comes to break the sheep out of the fold. The prophet Isaiah also speaks of this deliverance –

Draco and the Lessser Sheepfold“The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made overflowing with fatness, With the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom. . .. For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, The year of recompense for the cause of Zion.” – Isa. 34:6, 8

In the beginning of creation, the Dragon Star alpha Draconis was the Pole star but by the time of Abraham Polaris had become the new Pole Star. Satan, who is represented by the Dragon has been trying ever since to regain that prominence but, he is unable to do so. Ursa Minor or the Lessor Sheepfold represents the ‘first born’ of the flock while Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, represents the ‘Later born’ of the flock or the Gentiles. Scripture says, “To the Jew first, then to the Gentile” and remember the first Disciples of the Church were all Jewish but, Israel fell away and denied Jesus thus opening the door to the Gentiles. We were grafted into the Jewish root as an wild olive branch.

The prophet Isaiah writes more about the ‘breaking out’ of Israel from the sheepfolds in Bozrah –

“Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? — “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger and trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come.” – Isa. 63:1-4

Does this explain where the Lord got the blood on his white robes as He rode out of heaven on His white horse?

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. . .. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.” – Rev. 19:11, 13

Has He already been to Bozrah to deliver Israel? Are they included in the Armies of heaven following Him along with the rest of the saints who follow Him on His way to Armageddon?

“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses” – Rev. 19:14

This is describing the final battle, the battle of Armageddon, which is described in Revelation –

“For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” – Rev. 16:14-16

At some point the Antichrist will erect the Abomination that Desolates in the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and the 3½ year Tribulation will begin and Israel will flee into the wilderness prepared for her. Scripture tells us of these events before they happen, and the time is drawing short. Already we can see what the Antichrist system will do to control the world as governments lock down their citizens, especially the digital-currency1churches. Through the health systems they will eventually control who may work and even now they are considering financial systems that will control what you can buy and sell. When they institute digital currency, they will be able to know what you buy and sell and where you go, and it is close to happening now.

Before that time wars are going to break out involving Israel, Russia, Iran, and Turkey. China will continue building its military preparing for the call to the “kings of the east” to Armageddon (Rev. 16:12).

These prophesies are soon upon us, and you will not escape their consequences. The only way to escape is to be like the church of Philadelphia who “kept God’s word and have not denied the Name of Jesus’. Because they persevered, they were promised to be kept from the “hour of trial” that will come on the whole world. That means to keep the whole word, not just those words you like or agree with. They repented of their sin and then walked in holiness. That is God’s prescription to escape the judgement that is coming and coming soon!

I pray for you and for me that we will be found in such condition when the Lord comes.

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

Personal and Passover

This article will continue to reveal truths about Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits but first I feel led to repost an article I wrote about the passing of my dear wife and son. Perhaps someone out there needs to hear it or maybe I just need to remember it, but anyway I will repost it here as a lead into my continuing message on Passover. In 2019 I wrote Facing Eternity, an article in which I shared part of my personal journey through this life, so here it is.

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April 22, 2019

Israel and AnitaThis has been a time of great loss for me as my dear wife of 60 years went to be with the Lord three months ago and one of my four sons left this earth for his heavenly home this last Passover, three days ago on the Feast of the First fruits. My son, Israel, who was my sounding board as we shared many questions and ideas about the second coming of the Lord and these end days that we live in. What David wrote in Psalm 127 has become even more precious to me.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” – Ps. 127:3-5

While all my children and grandchildren are a comfort to me and we often share about the Lord and His blessings, I want to share what one of Israel’s sons shared about his dad’s passing –

Israel’s children wrote this song, Beside Me, to commemorate their dad’s heart as he struggled in the battle against cancer and the fear of death, we all have. But Israel overcame as his faith was anchored in Jesus and his eyes were lifting to see the King coming for him. His testimony was Jesus walked beside him to the very end.

My memories of my wife, Anita, and my son, Israel, will always be sweet and my hope is in the Lord, though the separation is painful it is only pain for a moment, for soon I will be seeing them again.

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” – 1 Thes. 4:13-18

As I have shared part of my personal life with you, I pray it will encourage you to draw nearer God as He alone is our hope for eternity. Those who know Jesus have hope for the future because we know this life is just a steppingstone on the way to eternity.

That is exactly why we all need to remember Passover and keep it in our hearts. The blood of that lamb was the atonement for their sins but, it had to be applied to the doorposts of their homes. It was a symbolic picture of the true Lamb of God who would later come to earth – Jesus, the Lamb of God. His blood alone can make the atonement for sin in our lives.

“Therefore, purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” – 1 Cor. 5:7

The “leaven” Paul is talking about here is sin. How do we purge out the old leaven? By repenting to God for it and turning away from it. That first Passover had to be taken with their shoes on their feet and being fully dressed for the journey. They had to be ready to leave Egypt, the place of bondage, and to leave on the journey to the Promised Land. They could no longer take pleasure in the Leeks of Egypt. Some who started the journey would later turn back in their hearts as they faced the trials of the wilderness. They said, –

“We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic;” – Num. 11:5

These complainers embraced the Passover to get rid of the slave-master’s whip, but they did not realize God was after their hearts, their attitudes showed they yet loved the world. John the Apostle wrote –

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” – 1 John 2:15, 16

And so, it is today. Many come to Jesus in their hour of need, and they make a start with Him but, when the trials of the wilderness meet them, they turn back. They don’t realize that these trials are designed by God to purify us and purge out the dross that we may be pure silver. They are thinking of God’s mercy in getting them through their hour of need, which mostly were brought on by their own choices, so they began the journey with God. But God is after more – He wants our hearts, and our hearts are wicked –

cardiogram_heart_working_sm_wm“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” – Jer. 17:9

But God is wise, and He knows how to purify us.

“He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.” – Mal. 3:3

And so, as we remember Passover this year, remember it is the beginning of our trip to the Promised Land. The Lamb of God is the only One who can free us from the bondages of sin.

The Passover is joined with the Feast of unleavened Bread because Passover begins the process of purging out the leaven of sin in our lives. And it is followed by the Feast of First fruits because it reminds us that the end of the journey is resurrection into eternal life. Jesus was the first fruit as He was resurrected, and our resurrection will follow when He returns. These three Feasts will be remembered April 5-13 this year.

Another point to remember about Passover is it was associated with their deliverance from bondage. In our nation today there is a great need for deliverance. A majority have turned away from God to other gods and Paul’s message to the Ephesians can be said of us as well –

we “were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” – Eph. 2:1-3

That means before we accepted Jesus and His work on the cross, we had demons! We were under the power of the prince of the power of the air. But God has an answer!

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” – Eph. 2:4-6

Several have asked that I write about deliverance from demons because of my past experiences. Yes, Jesus gave to us power over demons but that is not the most important thing He gave us. He gave us the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is as we declare the good news of His deliverance from sin that demons have to yield and leave. I remember the first time I was involved in a deliverance. I was teaching about receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit and as I prayed for a young woman she began to speak in tongues. But bells went off in my spirit and I knew this was a false tongue. So, I commanded her to stop, and she turned around and looked at me and yelled, “I’m going to kill you, Chuck Cooley!” So, I said “No you’re not, Come out of her!” She let out a scream and collapsed into the chair. In a few minutes I prayed for her again and she received the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues of the Holy Spirit! That young woman is now a missionary serving with YWAM. You don’t have to go looking for demons, you just have to be busy doing God’s work and share the Gospel. Demons can’t stand that message!

If you are having trouble with demons, go to God’s word, study it and obey it. Listen to what God “worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church”Jesus is seated in heaven far above every demon who ever existed, and we are seated there with Him!

“and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” – Eph. 2:6-10

If you will become “born again” by surrendering your whole self to Jesus and claim His work on the cross for yourself, you also will be seated with Jesus in the heavenly places and you also will have the authority to command demons to leave.

I hope you all will celebrate this coming Passover but remember God said leave nothing of the Lamb until morning. In other words, you must take all of Jesus and His commands into your life. You must eat the Passover dressed with your shoes on and be prepared to leave the world of Egypt behind. There is to be no followers of Passover with one foot in the kingdom and one foot in the world. Otherwise, you will perish in the wilderness. And remember, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits are all part of each other.

May this message bless you.

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

The Pruning of God’s Word

LR Greenhouse 2It’s 58° out and I was mowing the grass, and a cool breeze is blowing so, I went into my daughter’s greenhouse to warm up. I love sitting in the greenhouse with its sweet smells and it is warm! I often just sit there and pray. There is background music playing of running water brooks and the sounds of birds chirping in the background. I can almost image what it must have been like for Adam when he was first in the Garden of Eden, shire peace. As I watch my daughter go around tending to each plant, inspecting each, tenderly picking off the dead blooms or sprouts, then watering. But she puts something in the water before using it, it is plant growth fertilizer. I thought, “This is just like God cares for us as well.” He constantly watches over us, cuts away the dead or that which is dying and then pours in the water of the Holy Spirit, but He also adds fertilizer, the Word of God.

“Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” – Eph. 5:25-27

So don’t despise God’s pruning’s, just know that they will bring new growth and beauty.

My last article was about Remembering the feasts of the Lord, so I want to add some fertilizer on this subject. The following will be about the Feast of Passover. It is long but, it will help your growth in your Christian life. I wrote it in 2020.

passoverA very important Christian event is happening soon on April 9th, and I’m not referring to Easter. April 9th will be Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew. Passover is the first Feast of the Lord (Remember there are 7) in the Biblical year and was marked in 2014-2015 by a Blood Red Moon Tetrad. As I wrote in 2015 Blood Red Moons“Heavenly signs are God’s warnings of things to come and 2014 began a series of 4 blood red moons that occur on Biblical Feast days.” The two BRM’s of 2014 did indeed set the stage for increased trouble both for Israel and the world!

Passover is the first of God’s Feasts of remembrance, His “appointed times” as they are called. God Himself commanded that this feast be remembered forever so, why are so many Christians ignorant of it?

“And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.” – Exodus 12:14

The most common answer to my question is, “This was a command to the Jews only!” That is true but consider the following points:

  1. These feasts are called Feasts of the Lord, not feasts of the Jews. (Leviticus 23:2).
  2. We Christians have been grafted into the Root of Israel and made partakers of the commonwealth of Israel. We are part of the “One new man”. (Romans 11:17Ephesians 2:12, 13 , Ephesians 2:15 )
  3. Without the promise of Passover, there would be no Christianity. (Ephesians 2:13)

I am not suggesting that we have to keep these feasts in a legalistic way such as those who demand we must become Jews, as they did in the Paul’s time and indeed even today. What I am suggesting is that by not properly remembering these feasts and understanding their implications, we are losing something of Biblical Christianity that was meant for our instruction and growth in the faith. passover

For example, did you know that in the Passover only the father was to take the blood of the sacrifice lamb and paint it over the doorposts of his house? Remember, this was God’s way of delivering the faithful from the destruction that was passing over Egypt. There are several lessons in this act:

  1. The blood of the sacrifice was required for salvation and we know Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophesy. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” -1 John 1:7
  2. The sacrifice blood had to be applied. ‘And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.” – Exodus 12:7
  3. The head of the house was to apply the blood for his household.
  4. They were to roast the lamb, not boil it in water.
  5. They were to consume it all.
  6. They were to be ready to leave bondage and go out into freedom.

There are other lessons in Passover, but I will concentrate on these. Passover marked a separation between God’s people and those who did not believe. It reminds us that there is to be a separation between Christians and the world.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 last word

In Passover, God makes it clear that He is not politically correct. He discriminates between good and evil and He gets to say what is good and what is evil! He does not discriminate on the basis of race or color but on the basis of who keeps His word and those who do not.

In Passover, God makes it clear He places high value on the man being head of his family. It is the man’s responsibility to place the blood on the doorposts of the house and only that will protect his family. God is not in favor of the modern values of broken families. Today, over 50% of American families are living in fatherless families by their own choices. Those fathers are going to pay a high price for this in the judgment to come. This does not mean a family without a father was lost, for God made provision for families to be joined together in the Passover.

“And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb.” – Exodus 12:4

The American family is being lost because of selfishness and rebellion. We have passed laws to make divorce easy – we call it “no-fault” divorce. The churches have relaxed their standards to allow divorce and remarriage as if there is nothing wrong with it. But remember, God will not judge by man’s standards but by His!

“For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,” says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore, take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” – Malachi 2:16

Do not think that because you are under grace that God will overlook His standards – He will not! He has but one remedy for sin and that is repentance. Believe and repent are action words – they require action. If you believe in God, you do what He says. And if you repent, you must turn around and do what is right! Jesus explained it this way, “If you love Me, keep My commands.” If the Church in America really believed in what the word of God teaches on this, they would either be a lot smaller or American families would be a lot healthier.

The Passover reminds us that just eating a little of the lamb is not enough, it must all be consumed. Many embrace Christianity just enough to sooth a guilty conscience or to get a spiritual high but they don’t want to go any further, especially when the cost of taking up their cross and following Christ starts to become real to them. They are Sunday fair-weather Christians. Now while we all face these temptations, Passover reminds us that to follow Christ means embracing all of Him, even suffering for His names’ sake if need be.

Then the Passover Lamb was to be roasted with fire, not boiled in water. The fire represents the working of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), promised we would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16). God also tests us with fire that all our dross may be purged away.

“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, “– 1 Peter 1:7

Finally, Passover teaches us to prepare to leave the world of bondage. Some make a start with the Lord but, they fall by the wayside, not finishing the race, because they did not want to leave the world behind. We are called pilgrims in this world and our citizenship is not of this world, that we should come out and be separate, and these words are easy to say but hard to do. Jesus told the parable of the Sower to illustrate this (Mark 4:2-8), which we would all do well to read every so often. Passover teaches us that only those who prepared to leave and actually left made it to freedom. There are many who call themselves Christians but there are few who are preparing to leave on the journey to true freedom.

God is giving us heavenly reminders and warnings about Passover, to prepare for the journey Moses-parting-the-Red-Seaahead. We will not make it by our own strength or abilities, only God can satisfy the angel of death that will pass over the land. Only God can provide the blood that will save us and only he can part the Red Sea and bring us to the Promised Land. Our part is to apply the blood and get ready for the journey.

Passover is coming! This year it begins in the evening of April 9th and goes to the 16th, thus including the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the feast of First Fruits. The Hebrew month is Nisan, which is the first month –

“This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. “– Exodus 12:1

Later in this article, I will explain why this important. But there are many facts about Passover that we should remember.

First, it marks the beginning of deliverance from slavery. Most of us think we have never seen slavery but, we have! Jesus taught –

“Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” – John 8:34

and we are all in that category! Many of my blogs have to do with truth and its vital importance because it is truth that is able to set us free, and Jesus is the Truth. The Apostle John wrote about sin –

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” – 1 John 1:8

corrupt white houseMany today are pushing ‘social justice’ movements like Black Lives Matter, women’s liberation, Gay and Lesbian Pride, etc., but they will never have success, only more bondage and slavery because they carry their own problems within themselves – SIN! What is sin? It is any lifestyle, thought or action that is against God. There is no hope in any of such movements. There is hope only in Passover. Only Passover can set us free from the slavery of sin.

Second, Passover begins on the 14th day of Nisan but, a lamb without blemish was to be brought into the house 4 days before Passover on Nissan 10. This lamb was to be the sacrifice and its blood was to be painted on the doorposts of the house. When the angel of death passed over that house and saw the blood, he would pass over. The family of that household got familiar with the Lamb for 4 days, knowing all the time that it would save their lives. There were 4 days of remembering and repenting for all their sins before that final day of judgement – Passover. In this sense it pointed forward in time to the 10 days of awe that would occur between that future Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement (the first two Fall Feasts), when the Lord would return and an account for past sins must be given.

While there are many more important lessons in the Feast of Passover, I want to mention one more vital point. Third, At the time when the destroyer was passing over all, God’s Holy Spirit was at work too. There was much repenting that had to take place and only the Holy Spirit can lead into repentance.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” – Eph. 4:30

Repentance is a reaction to the convicting of the Holy Spirit and not just human remorse. Esau found no place of repentance though he sought it with bitter tears. So, during Passover the Holy Spirit is at work and the rest of the Passover story is all a display of the Holy Spirit’s power; the Red Sea opening, water from the rock in the desert, manna from heaven, no sickness in the wilderness, all needs being met, meeting God at Mt. Sinai.

latter rainAs we celebrate Passover this year we need to remember; we need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to prepare for the final wilderness journey and that is exactly what God promises

“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” – Joel 2:23″

Notice, the rain will come in the first month, the month of Nisan and the time of Passover. And remember, we are specifically told to pray for it –

“Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” – Zec. 10:1

Continue praying, don’t give up. Remember, on Pentecost, when the former rain came, they had been seeking and praying for 50 days. God will honor His word in due time, don’t give up. He is not going to pour out this latter rain because we are so good, but because we are not so good, and we need it for the days ahead!

If you feel discouraged and lost, cheer up – your Passover has come. If you are in bondage to some sin you can’t seem to break, cheer up, Jesus specializes in setting captives free! If you are laboring under the pain of sickness, Jesus has come with healing in His wings (the hem of His robe). This Passover can be your beginning of release and freedom – don’t miss it.

Finally, we need to remember that Passover had an ending – the resurrection of Jesus Christ and He has promised to return for us!

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“But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” – 1 Cor. 15:20-24

For centuries men have been celebrating the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God’s Son.  Jesus was the first fruit from the dead and His promise is ever true – “afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” Meanwhile, God is working to perform His stated plan (1) to reach the nations with the message of the Gospel, (2) to bring Israel back to the land, (3) to restore Jerusalem to the place of God’s Name, (4) to put an end to all rule, authority, and power but His. As we celebrate Passover this year, remember this is what it is all about – the restoration of God and His authority.

Now it goes without saying that the enemy, Satan, is going to oppose this with everything he can. He will attack with deception, subterfuge, and lies. He will attack in politics, social norms, militarily, and even in the Church where he will appear as an angel of light. He will attack with division because unity gives strength. He will certainly attack to bring down the United States because they are the last remaining superpower to stand with the tiny state of Israel. And Satan doesn’t want God’s Name to reign there.

ca pastor fired for preaching against sin Like Balaam of old he will attack our social norms trying to make us sexually immoral because he knows this will cause God’s blessings to lift off us. God has sworn He hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and that no adulterers or homosexuals or sodomites will inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Cor. 6:9).

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.” – Rev. 2:14

Our forefathers, the Pilgrims and Puritans, founded this country on Biblical principles and by God’s grace gave us a Constitution that would protect the religious freedom the Gospel guarantees –

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Gal. 5:1 NIV

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But the new Democrats want to put us under socialism or under globalist one-world rule. All of which experience shows us will enslave us and take away our freedom. What country ruled by socialism is free – China, Russia, Venezuela? Russia and China are closing Christian Churches and putting Christians in jail – so much for freedom. Venezuela, once the richest country in South America, now under socialism, can’t feed its people, provide medicine for the sick, or even keep the electricity operating. Democrats want to flood our country with immigrants who will vote for them, not because they appreciate the principles of freedom, we were founded upon but, because of the welfare free handouts they promise them. And who will pay for these handouts? Under Democratic Socialism, the government will take your money to pay for them. Once these socialists have reached a vote proof majority, they will become oppressive just like every other socialist government in existence.

1585350762-j__adamsSo, as we celebrate Passover let us remember the freedom the Gospel promises and not be enslaved again to the principles of the world – democratic socialism. For these last days before the return of Jesus, God gave the world a nation founded on Republican principles of the Bible, which guarantees freedom – let us not surrender it to Democratic Socialists!

Let these words soke in and follow them and they will strengthen and beautify your life as pruning does with flowers.

Rev. Charles Cooley, ret.

Remembering the Feasts of the Lord

American flag burningMy last article was one of warning, for the Church to wake up and look around at what is happening in the country. It ended with a call to return to the LORD and He will help us. In this word, I want to remind you of a key action in returning to the LORD and that is keeping His Feasts. The prophet Nahum gives a great word of comfort on this –

“Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.” – Nahum 1:15

Just what are these Feasts of the Lord? Israel was commanded to keep them –

“Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘The feasts (appointed times) of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.” – Lev. 23:2

books of heavenNotice, they are not Jewish feasts. God specifically calls them My Feasts. They were times appointed to meet with God and God promised to meet with them. Now over the years they have added many things that are traditions but, the basic tenants are given in Scripture. And Scripture provides the meanings of each Feast. Four of these came in the Spring of the year and three came in the Fall of the year. I will list them below.

  1. Passover – A time to remember that Jesus is the Passover Lamb, and it takes His blood to redeem us from bondage.
  2. Unleavened Bread – A reminder that to walk with God requires us to put away all sin from our lives and to repent for those we have committed.
  3. First Fruit – A reminder to put God first in our lives.
  4. Weeks (We call it Pentecost) – Waiting on God’s Holy Spirit to fill our lives. We cannot accomplish God’s work without the filling and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
  5. Trumpets – God’s alert to us to prepare for the judgement to come when He comes back for His Church.
  6. Day of Atonement – God will open the books in heaven that we will be judged by. It reminds that there is a day coming when we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.
  7. Tabernacles – Reminds us that Jesus will come and dwell with us in His new kingdom on earth for 1000 years.

shofar-2The fact that Jesus fulfilled each of the first four feasts should give us a clue that He may also fulfill the last three feasts, and He did it on the exact days of the feasts: He died on the cross as the Lamb was sacrificed in the Temple, He was without leaven (sin), He rose from the dead on First Fruits, and He sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Each of these feasts also have prophetic meanings and we can learn much from them so, I encourage you all to become familiar with them. I will try to discuss each of them in future articles. I hope you will take them to heart.

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

We are being Invaded

German invasionI wonder what the people of Europe felt like as the invasion by the Nazis was nearing? I suspect some just went on with life as they always had, some probably complained at the changes, and I know there were some who cried out in warning. But sadly, not enough listened.

Well, all the free western world is facing an invasion right now. Not a military one – yet but, an invasion of culture and race. In America, we are faced with Islam, Communism, and racism. As millions of illegal immigrants flood our borders, millions that have no idea of what a Democratic Republic is and do not believe in the Bible or in Jesus Christ. We are already facing this attack as American cities and towns are being taken over by Muslims. What is happening in Europe is beginning to happen here! Listen to this Dutch politician, Eva Vlaardingebrook –

As we witness the riots on college campuses on behalf of Palestinian murderers and rapists, the shutting down of city streets, and read the reports of stabbings and rapes on American streets, you need to know what is behind it.

This video was taken on several American college campuses. And then we read of the presidents of Columbia University, MIT, and Northwestern coming to terms with these protesters by divesting themselves from Israel or any corporation that does business with Israel.  So, they are now controlling American policy as well. At Harvard they took down the American flag and hoisted the Palestinian flag. They are very open about their goal. In the words of one protest leader -“Campus Protester Says, ‘We Must Have a Revolution so We Can Have a Socialist Reconstruction of the USA’.

But the worst part is the part our own government is playing by allowing millions of illegals into our country, even giving them pre-paid credit cards and flying them to cities across America. It is not hard to understand why Democrats and globalists would do this – they want to win the next election (may be the last free election) and they want to bring the United States down. It is rumored that “Joe Biden Mulling Granting Amnesty to Over 1 MILLION Illegal Aliens By Executive Order Ahead of the 2024 Election“.

But does this have to happen? NO! We were founded on a covenant with God and He does not forget. God says, “If you return to Me, I will return to you.” King David wrote –

“If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” – Psalm 11:3

Our historical foundations are being destroyed and most importantly our Christian foundation is being destroyed.

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chron. 7:14

There are yet enough who call themselves Christian in this country and IF we will obey God’s word and humble ourselves in prayer, change our lives, and begin following God and His rules, I believe He can and will save us. In other words, if we return to God, He will return to us.

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

The Place for Prophecy

1585350762-j__adamsDid you know that at least 1/3 of the Bible is prophesy, that includes both the Old and New Testaments. Some of them have been fulfilled, others have not, and some of them have primary fulfillments and secondary fulfillments in the future. God has revealed His plans to mankind through the prophets. These messages can warn us, reveal hidden things to us, and reveal coming events all for our benefit. The Apostle Paul reveals that God not only speaks through prophets but also through nature all around us, even revealing knowledge of His person.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,” – Rom. 1:20

Among other things, Paul is referring to the heavenly constellations God placed in the skies from the beginning of creation. If you study these constellations, you will find they tell the story of salvation from the beginning to the return of the Messiah but more than that they also harmonize with prophesies of the Bible thus fulfilling the requirement for truth being in the mouth of two or three witnesses.

In this blog, I hope to share some prophecies that are written in the Bible. I do not claim to have the total answer to them, but I hope to encourage you to study them for yourself and search out their meanings. There is blessing in the searching as well as finding the answers.

Let’s begin with one of the first prophesies in the Bible, given by God Himself. It occurred after Eve was deceived by the Serpent and her and Adam ate of the forbidden fruit –

So, the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” – Gen. 3:14-16

First, we see that this prophecy has certainly been true for the woman who still to this day bears children through pain. Second, we see that serpents today are still crawling through the dust of the ground as they were cursed. But there is another part of this prophecy that has also happened several times and will happen again in the future and that is the bruising of the heel of the woman’s Seed and His crushing the Serpents head. Satan was the spirit inhabiting the serpent and he has inflicted pain on the woman’s Seed (Jesus) several times and her Seed (Jesus) has crushed his head several times, most notably on the cross and His resurrection when Jesus paid for our sins and defeated death.

Virgo with Spica and SubilonThis prophecy is referred to many times in Scripture and it is also the very first constellation that proclaims the gospel in the stars, it is the sign of Virgo. She is the Virgin portrayed in the heavens holding a sheaf of wheat in her left hand, which is marked by the star Spica, meaning the Seed. And in her right hand, she is holding a branch and is marked by the star Subilon, meaning the Branch. Scripture says –

“Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD;” – Zec. 6:12

The Branch is another name for the Seed that the virgin bears and who will ultimately build the temple of the LORD, His name is Jesus. This Seed did come and die on the cross for us, but He is coming again. But that is another series of prophecies for another day. This picture of Virgo is taken from Revelation 12 and has already occurred on September 23, 2017. While the constellation Virgo appears many times, this is the first time in 6000 years it has appeared as described in Revelation 12 –

“Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.” – Rev. 12:1-2

On September 23, 2017, Virgo appeared in the heaven over Jerusalem with the Sun below her head, the Moon beneath her feet, 12 stars (9 stars of Leo and 3 planets, wandering stars) as a garland on her head, and Jupiter (the king planet) leaving retrograde from her womb for 42 weeks minus a day, which is the normal for a human birth. The planet Jupiter entered Virgo’s womb on December 2016 and went into retrograde motion until September 23, 2017, when it came forth on its way to the constellation Taurus.

There is so much more that could be said about this prophecy, and I have written about it many times. One such article can be found in Introduction to the Gospel in the Stars. There are also many other prophesies that refer to these events, such as Micah 5:3 –

“Therefore, He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel.” – Micah 5:3

This prophecy is talking about Virgo giving birth and it is interesting that since 2017, Jewish return to Israel has greatly increased. I hope you can see that this first prophecy in the Bible is linked to many other prophecies and heavenly constellations which God placed in the heavens as signposts for mankind to observe. You will never be able to fully understand Scripture without giving full attention to the prophecy of Scripture.

Remember, Scripture declares Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Of course, those that love His appearing is another way of saying, those who love prophecy. As the angel told John in Revelation 19:10 –

“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

May God prosper you as you begin to study the prophecies of the Bible.

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

Forgiveness

Palestine riots

You might think the failures of Joe Bidon, or the globalist Americans, or the falsehoods of social media and the media are the worse things that are happening to America, or maybe the pro-Palestinian riots, but I would have to disagree. Our leaving God and His commands are by far the worse and have the worse effect on us. God says in the prophet Malachi –

“For the LORD God of Israel says That He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,” says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore, take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” – Mal. 2:16

There are not many things that the LORD declares He hates in Scripture, so this is important, especially in this culture. A few verses earlier God declares why He hates divorce.

“But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore, take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” – Mal. 2:15

laura and harlan's weddingMarriage is the reason why God created Eve and gave the man and the woman the ability to procreate, God wants godly children in His kingdom. When the man and the woman are together as God intended them to be, they are able parents and can bring up their children in the fear and admonition of the LORD. Divorce breaks that covenant relationship with God. That is why the American law of “No-fault” divorce is a direct slap in God’s face and a death nell to the training it takes to raise godly children!

I have personal experience to the effect of divorce on the children. My parents were divorced when I was 15 and it left a deep scar on me. But thankfully, God’s grace is stronger than any sin man may do. My junior year in college the Holy Spirit found me and changed my life. I’m so glad there is such a thing as forgiveness with God. Both my mother and my father did later repent and find that forgiveness, my mother much sooner than my dad and she had to also forgive my dad for all his mistakes as well.

God explains to Ezekiel His feeling on this matter –

“Say to them:As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” – Ezek.  33:11

and – “as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’ – Ezek. 33:11

 The prophet Malachi accuses Judah of committing an abomination by marrying the daughter of a foreign god (Mal. 2:11). Judah married Tamar. But God even forgave that, and she is listed in the genealogy of Jesus as are Solomon and Bath Sheba in Matthew 1.

web pictures 143We all make mistakes and if God would hold us accountable for them, none of us would be saved. I’m so glad that when we genuinely repent and stop doing them, the Blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross can wash them all away. So, I say to you who think you are too far gone for Jesus to forgive – turn to Him and ask for forgiveness. His Holy Spirit can change your life if you really mean it. You can have the same experience I had so many years ago as a preacher asked me to read Revelation 3:20 –

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” – Rev. 3:20

 It took me reading it three times, but I finally realized that if I opened the door, He would come in! I did, and He did, and He has never left me to this day and that was 61 years ago! God bless you as you begin your adventure, because it will be a mighty adventure from this time on!

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

Warning! America Wake Up!

liberty-no-more-150x150America the Free will soon be an illusion from the past if we don’t wake up and do something! The ‘woke-ness’ that is sweeping through the government, the media, education, and even the Church is no accident. It is a well-funded effort by those who hate America and want to bring it down and they are using its own freedoms to do it. For example, it is using our sense of freedom of religion to infect us with Islam but, once Islam is in control there will be no freedom of any other religion, as one city in Michigan is now finding out.

Their city is now outlawing any freedom flags but their own! Is this a serious problem? In case you think it is not, watch this short video of American Universities and Islam –

As our colleges are exploding with anti-Israel hate groups and American students are under the delusion fostered by pro-Palestinian chants and leftist college professors lies, I thought it would be good to know what is really behind it all.

Israel Hate Groups funded by Soros

Soros, the billionaire left-wing investor, is one of the backers of the Students for Justice in Palestine parent organization. At three colleges, the protests are being encouraged by paid radicals who are “fellows” of a Soros-funded group called the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR). The radical group received at least $300,000 from Soros’ Open Society Foundations since 2017 and also took in $355,000 from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund since 2019.

This is a well-planned attack on America, and it is well funded by globalist such as George Soros, Bill Gates, and even the Rockefeller Group, and yes, Obama is behind it also. And don’t forget the CCP and Communist either!

How can this happen in a country like America, you ask? It is because we forgot our foundation and the covenant both the Pilgrims and the Puritans made with God when they came. And one of the first advances of the attack was on the history being taught in our schools. They mocked and vilified our history knowing that if they controlled the minds of the young, in a generation or two, they would have the country! They even went into the seminaries casting doubt on the truthfulness of Genesis, the virgin birth, and the infallible word of God so the pastors being graduated would fail to teach these things in the Church. Then they infested the media and the government attacking truth itself. Next, they went after the very foundation of every society – the family. With laws such as no-fault divorce, generous welfare programs, and programs that destroy the job market they eroded the family to where 50% of children now live in single parent homes. This plan has been at work since the 60’s and it is succeeding!

But there is an answer! It is found in the Bible –

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” – Gal. 5:1

There is only one true source of liberty, and that is Jesus Christ. Jesus declared, “Jesus said to him, “I am the waythe truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). And the Bible, from cover to cover, proclaims Christ. All Jews, all Gentiles, no race whether white, brown, or yellow has any merit with the One who judges all of us apart from our being in Christ. Those of you shooting off your mouths in protest for Islam will have no protest when you stand before the Judge of all mankind. The wisdom of your college professors will be like dung before Him who is the source of all wisdom. And your bowing before every false god will simply be your ticket into hell! 

touro-the BullI give you fair warning, the Bull of Taurus the Judge is about to begin his charging across the land and only those who are safe in Christ’s hands will be saved. Make your peace with Him now while there is yet time. In a few short months, the Feast of Trumpets will be here. It is a warning from God to get our lives ready for judgement that is coming, and it may mark the beginning of the end – so get ready!

God is saying, “Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you!”

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

Time to Return

horse stampedeThere seems to be a dark cloud that has come over the United States like a herd of stampeding horses; from divorce to abortion to homosexuality to transgenderism to dishonesty in government to disfunction in the Church.

I just read about a transgender young boy, permitted to use the girls Lockeroom and bathroom attacked another girl yelling “I’m going to kill you” in front of witnesses. The teachers and the administration did nothing to the transgender boy. This is partly due to the stupid laws passed by Congress protecting this kind of nonsense. Next, I read about the latest ‘sellout’ of the American people by the US House of Representatives as they passed a 95-billion-dollar bill giving corrupt foreign governments $300 Million Goes for Ukraine Border Security but ZERO DOLLARS for Our Own Border Security. Or as our country strains under the ever-rising energy costs of buying energy from foreign governments, Biden Blocks New Alaska Oil and Gas Leases to Save Polar Bears, Caribou.

There seems to be some dark, sinister, force behind all these calamities striking the country all at once! Some, who are in a position to know, believe it is Obama behind the screen guiding the puppet Biden, but I don’t give that much credit to him. I believe it is rather the embodiment of all evil known as Satan, or the devil. How could he have so much influence in such a short time? It is because the one force that could and can resist him, the Church, has been sleeping. As a nation we have been rejecting God, and the Church has been hiding from its responsibility to preach the Word of God and stop giving in to Satan’s attacks! There are lots of reasons why this has happened, money, or the loss of it if they start preaching the Word of God and lose so-called members. Or perhaps they can’t stand against the social pressure that will come. Or perhaps the flocks of sheep have pastors that won’t face the wolves that are hunting them and hide the truth from them! Whatever the reasons, the Church has failed to be the moral compas God intends it to be. We need to remember the promise of Jesus –

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” – Luke 10:19

There is a song, sung by some of my Grandchildren that tells us what to do – LORD, I’m Coming Home –

Like the Prodigal son Jesus talked about, we need to return home. God is giving us time, if we will take it. If you want to be a Christian, then you have to follow Christ, and in every part of your life, home, church, work, and politics. You can’t compartmentalize your faith and follow Christ. He wants all of you, or none of you.

As revival fires are beginning to sweep the land, I pray you will make the right choice and join in.

Pastor Charles Cooley, ret.

God’s Word and Our Sanctification

trumpmay012017As I watch the spectacle of the Trump trials, I can’t help but think of a verse written hundreds of years ago by Isaiah:

“Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. So, truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice.” – Isa. 59:14-15

I see in the news “In the Race to the White House, Illegals Will Be Casting Votes in the Crucial Swing State of Arizona” and “Top Military Official Lied About Jan. 6: Whistleblowers” and “Sen. Rand Paul: 15 Federal Agencies Knew in 2018 that Wuhan Lab Was Trying to Create COVID 19 – NOT ONE PERSON Came Forward and Spoke the Truth to the American Public” and the only conclusion one can draw is there is no truth left in the government or the big corporations that run the country! And then suddenly you realize, this is just the tip of the iceberg that is bearing down on us!

The next part of Isaiah’s word is also coming true in America: “So, truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey” Those who speak the truth are immediately looked on with suspicion, lied about, or otherwise shut up, like banning them from the social media platforms.

1585350762-j__adamsFrom our founding, God gave us a medium for the truth and as long as it was listened to, America did pretty well. That medium was the Church and its pulpits. That was the way God intended it to be, it was the way God formed the new nation of Israel with Moses and Levi –

“Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD of hosts. “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So, he feared Me And was reverent before My name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.” – Mal. 2:4-7

I am amazed when I hear today’s pastors saying things like “Keep politics out of the pulpit!” Politics is about the people and the Bible is all about the people. God loved Levi and made covenant with him because he was involved with truth and equity, not the equity of this woke generation, but the equity of God, which all about the people and their everyday lives! When you read the sermons of the early founding pastors, they were all about applying the Gospel to our politics! What fools these pastors are but, they are also dangerous because they encourage our one source of real truth to be hidden from the people – which is the Word of God! If they preached the Word of God, there would not be a Christian who would condone Abortion or those who promote it because God says of Manasseh, “and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the LORD would not pardon. (2 Kings 24:4). You cannot be a Christian and support abortion in any way! And yet the churches are full of Democrats and those who vote Democrat to support this ugly, ungodly practice! People, our nation is at a tipping point, and we cannot afford to ignore God’s truth any longer or sugar-coat it with pleasing platitudes like “whatever your truth is – is good enough”. There is only one truth that is good enough and that is God’s truth which is found in His Word, the Bible.

In Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17, He said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” There is only one way to be a true Christian and that is to let the Word of God speak to you and then to obey it. God’s grace allows us to hear the Gospel, but it takes the Word of God to work out that grace in our lives as we repent and then obey that word. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be a helper for us but He will only help those who obey Him!

“And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” – Acts 5:32

It is time to seek the Lord in prayer for this nation. I believe He is our only hope.

Pastr Charles R. Cooley, ret.