Religion’s Failure  Part 1

Religion is a disappointment for many. In fact religion is the
main reason, why so many people no longer believe in God or
the Bible. Most of the people of the world prefer to believe in all
manner of falsehood, or nothing at all.

The religions of "Christendom" have not only failed to be a source
of light, The ministers of Christendom have grossly misrepresented
God and the Bible.

What are the religions of "Christendom"?

The Catholic and Protestant religions with their numerous variations.

How has Christendom grossly misrepresented God and the Bible?

Among other things, She refuses to teach people
that God has a name, and that it is Jehovah.

Who says that God's name is Jehovah?

¹⁵ And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou
say unto the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name
forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
(Exodus 3:15) (American Standard Version)

By throwing away Bible knowledge and replacing it with absurd
man-made doctrines, the result is "Apostate Christendom"
(false Christianity). Because of the work of these priests and
ministers of Apostate Christendom, very few people today know
what the Bible contains, and many don't want to know.  

Why is Christendom being called "She", as if she is female?

In the Bible, the Apostle John calls all false religion 
"Babylon the Great". When the words  "Babylon
the Great" were penned by John, almost two thousand
years ago, the "Great City of Babylon” did not even
exist - it had already been annihilated from the face
of the earth for many centuries. All false religion (Which
originated there) is compared to a prostitute who
commits fornication with the kings of the earth:

¹ One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls
came over and spoke to me. "Come with me," he said, "and I
will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great
prostitute, who sits on many waters. ² The rulers of the world
have had immoral relations with her, and the people who belong
to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality."

(Revelation 17: 1-2) (New Living Translation)

⁴ The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry
made of gold and precious gems and pearls. She held in her hand a
gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality.
⁵A mysterious name was written on her forehead: "Babylon the
Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World."

(Revelation 17:4-5) (NLT)

In John’s vision, “Babylon the Great” appeared as a drunken
harlot. She symbolically represents the tremendous mish-
mash of all the false religious beliefs that exist today.

Apostate Christendom is noted for political involvement. She
has blessed the guns of warfare, on both sides of each battle,
and always encouraged her followers to go to war. “Christian”
Churches have even been used as recruiting centers during
wartime. History shows that the early Christians refused
military service and even died for their stand of neutrality in
all political affairs. Scripture is clear that this neutral stand
would remain a requirement of all Christians, right until the
end of this “system of things”.

During wartimes, Catholics and Protestants killed each other
with the full consent and support of their religious leaders.
Religious leaders lead political inaugurations and many a King
has risen or been deposed by the Catholic leaders themselves
in the past, when the church was more powerful than any
government in history - during the Holy Roman Empire
(circa 315-1800 AD). Those who questioned the Church's
authority during that time were tortured and executed with
the full consent and collaboration of Church and State. Religious
leaders today run for political office and get involved in the world’s
political affairs.

But there are many prophecies yet to be fulfilled and no one is
watching for these anymore, much like when Christ came to the
earth. Many of the Jews were so wrapped up in the traditions
and teachings of men, that they did not recognize their Messiah 
when he came. Christ told his followers to remain politically
neutral, and to be no part of the world, just as he was.

"They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world."  

(John 17:16) (English Standard Version)

So too, today, Christendom has so disillusioned the masses,
that they do not recognize the days that we are living in, as
the last days. People focus so much on Jesus' infancy as a
baby in a manger that they perceive him as helpless or, they
focus entirely on his death and assume that he is just dead
and gone. They do not recognize or teach that he is now a
King in Heaven, ready to take over rule of the earth.

Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until
I make thine enemies thy footstool.

(Psalm 110:1) (American Standard Version)

When apostate Christianity adopted the holidays, customs,

traditions and teachings of the pagans, especially those beliefs
of Ancient Babylon, they began to grossly misrepresent the God,
whom they claim to worship.  By trading Bible truths for pagan
philosophies and traditions of men, they have left God voiceless
- since his manual of life was given to man to help him survive
into a new and different world. 

Rather than look to the Bible for what to teach or believe in,
misguided people have debated for centuries about which
dogmas and doctrines to adopt - and then they found or
made up scriptures to support them.

They have paid translators to remove God's name, "Jehovah",
from the Bible, in order to aid in their teaching of the Mysterious
Trinity Doctrine that originated in Ancient Babylon.

⁶And so, by your own tradition, you nullify the direct commandment
of God. ⁷You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he
said, ⁸  `These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far
away. ⁹ Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands
with their own man-made teachings.'"

(Matthew 15: 6-9) (NLT)

"And Jehovah says:  'For the reason that this people have come near
with their mouth, and they have glorified me merely with their lips,
and they have removed their heart itself far away from me, and their
fear toward me becomes men's commandment that is being taught."   
(Isaiah 29:13) (NLT)

There is only one group of people on the face of the earth who
ignore the traditions of men and teach Bible truth. These
people are present in every country on earth. They want to
reach as many people as possible and teach them the truth.

Who are these people? What can they teach us?

Jehovah’s Witnesses carry out a world-wide preaching work
unmatched by any other religion. Many evangelists such as Dr.
Billy Graham have preached their brand of Christianity to millions
of people, but according to the Watchtower yearbook for the year
2008, more than 7 million members of Jehovah’s Witnesses
spent 1.4 billion hours in service work (door-to-door preaching)
and conducted over 7 million home Bible studies in 236 countries
in the year 2008 alone.

From: http://www.jw-media.org/people/statistics.htm

Babylon The Great

and Christendom

Most people have a religious belief of some kind. This story
is for all people who devoutly cherish their chosen religious belief.
"Christendom" is comprised of the Catholic and the many
Protestant religions. Together with all of the non-Christian religions
of the world they are known collectively by Jehovah's Witnesses
as “Babylon the Great”.

Why are they called “Babylon the Great”?

By the time the Apostle John saw a vision, the great city of
Babylon was long ago destroyed. In his vision, he saw a woman
who was lableled "Babylon the Great". She was not only a
prostitute dressed in royal garb, but the Mother of All Prostitutes:

¹ One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven
bowls came over and spoke to me. "Come with me," he said,
"and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on
the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. ² The rulers of
the world have had immoral relations with her, and the people
who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine
of her immorality." ³ So the angel took me in spirit into the
wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast
that had seven heads and ten horns, written all over with
blasphemies against God. ⁴ The woman wore purple and scarlet
clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems
and pearls. She held in her hand a gold goblet full of obscenities
and the impurities of her immorality. ⁵ A mysterious name was
written on her forehead: "Babylon the Great, Mother of All
Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World." ⁶ I could see that
she was drunk--drunk with the blood of God's holy people who
were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her completely amazed.
(Revelation 17:1-6) (New Living Translation)

Does this aptly describe all false religions?

Have the leaders of the governments “had immoral relations with her”?

What does encyclopedia Encarta say about
the churches of Hitler’s Nazi Germany?

“For the most part, leaders of Germany’s Protestant and
Catholic churches rallied to the new government.”

From: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556540/Hitler_Adolf.html

Has religion always mingled with government?

The first Pope: Constantine I [the Great], emperor of Rome, was
the first governmental official to meddle with Christ's teachings.

“In 324, after defeating Licinius, Constantine proclaimed himself
head of the Catholic Church and summoned bishops to Nicaea
for a council in which he himself would preside. Two hundred fifty
obeyed. In another summons he wrote: ‘such is the regard I pay to
the lawful Catholic Church that I desire you to leave no schism or
division of any kind anywhere.’"

From: Roman Catholicism: The Paganization of Christianity
—Constantine and the Catholic Church-State

What happened later?

"In the 11th century the balance of power began to swing
toward the West. The church became more centralized
and stronger from a reform movement to end the practice
whereby kings installed important clergy, such as bishops,
in office. (See also Investiture Controversy.) Thus for the
first time in many years, the popes were able to effectively
unite European popular support behind them, a factor that
contributed greatly to the popular appeal of the first Crusades."

From: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561210/Crusades.html

What evidence is there that politicians are “in bed” with religion?

According to WWW.CNN.COM

Tuesday, June 21, 2005; Posted: 9:39 p.m. EDT (01:39 GMT)

MANILA, Philippines -- Catholic Cardinal Jaime Sin, who played
a leading role in the 1986 "People Power" uprising that forced
longtime President Ferdinand Marcos from power, died Tuesday
at age 76, the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Manila said.

From: http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/06/20/ppines.sin.obit/index.html

 Preacher Graham knighted

December 7, 2001 Posted: 2:15 AM EST (0715 GMT)

LONDON, England -- Veteran American evangelist Billy Graham
has been made an honorary knight in recognition of his
contribution to religious life.

Graham, 83, received the title in Washington from Sir Christopher Meyer,
the British Ambassador to the U.S., on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

From: http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/12/06/queen.graham/index.html

Why is it that the Catholic Church and all of the Protestant ones
have completely different ideas about their Christian beliefs?

Let us begin with the history of religion as written in the Bible:

⁸ Cush also had Nimrod. He was the first great warrior on Earth.
⁹ He was a great hunter before GOD. There was a saying, "Like
Nimrod, a great hunter before GOD." ¹⁰ His kingdom got its start
with Babel; then Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in the country of Shinar.
(Genesis 10:8-10) (The Message Bible)

What else can we find out about “Nimrod, the
mighty hunter” and his kingdom, Babylon?

Here is an excerpt from an online article that provides more details:

“Genesis 10 describes Nimrod as a "mighty hunter before
the LORD." The term is not complimentary, but implies
ruthlessness and a lust for power. After establishing his
kingdom in the Tigris/Euphrates region Nimrod consolidated
his power by establishing a state religion. He constructed a
religion that included deification and worship of the emperor
(himself), worship of Satan and his demons, and star-worship
(corrupted from a pure antediluvian astronomy).”

From: http://www.towerofbabel.info/
(Click on “History” then “5000-478 BC Genesis)

What were some of these teachings attributed to Nimrod?

“The trinity got its start with Nimrod – Tammuz [son] - and
Semiramis [wife]. Semiramis demanded worship for both her
husband and her son as well as herself.  She claimed that her
son, was both the father and the son. Yes, he was "god
the father" and "god the son" - The first divine
incomprehensible trinity.”
 --The Two Babylons ; Alexander Hislop; p.51

"The two-horned mitre, which the Pope wears, when he
sits on the high altar at Rome and receives the adoration
of the Cardinals, is the very mitre worn by Dagon,
the fish-god of the Philistines and Babylonians."
- The Two Babylons ; Alexander Hislop;  p. 215

"The most prominent form of worship in Babylon was
dedicated to Dagon, later known as Ichthys, or the
fish. In Chaldean [Babylonian] times, the head of the
church was the representative of Dagon, he was considered
to be infallible, and was addressed as 'Your Holiness'.
Nations subdued by Babylon had to kiss the ring and slipper
of the Babylonian god-king. The same powers and the same
titles are claimed to this day by the Dalai Lama of Buddhism,
and the Pope. Moreover, the vestments of paganism, the fish
mitre and robes of the priests of Dagon are worn by the
Catholic bishops, cardinals and popes."
”The Wine of Babylon”; p.9

How amusing that the Pope, cardinals and bishops actually dress
up today like the ancient fish-god priests of ancient Babylon!

How did such absurd and un-Christian practices
become a part of today’s Christian beliefs?

"Fifteen centuries after the birth of Christ, little had changed
in Western Europe but the names of the gods worshiped.
The Western Europeans of the fifteenth century still lived
in an enchanted world—a world of magic and miracles.

• Instead of the twelve gods of ancient Rome, there
  were the cults of the twelve apostles, whose relics
  could cure diseases, control the weather, and inflict
  harm on those who opposed them.
• Instead of the departmental deities of ancient Rome,
  there were the departmental Saints of papal Rome.  
• Instead of the cult of Diana, Queen of Heaven, there
  was the cult of Mary, Queen of Heaven."

These non-Christian beliefs persist today. The Protestant religions
all have their roots from the Catholic religion. Most still have an
abundance of false pagan beliefs incorporated into their doctrines
because they did not go to any trouble to rid themselves of them.
In spite of the abundance of literature that exists which exposes
the truth, many people who call themselves “Christians” still cling
to these false beliefs that Christ and his followers never taught as
part of the pure Christian religion.

What does the Bible say about these false beliefs?

¹ Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will
turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and
teachings that come from demons. ² These teachers are hypocrites
and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead.
(1Timothy 4:1-2) (New Living Translation)

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for
themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and will
turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
(2Timothy 4:3-4) (New American Standard Bible)

What does the Bible say will eventually
happen to Babylon the Great?

⁸ Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death,
mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty
is the Lord God who judges her. ⁹ When the kings of the earth
who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the
smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
(Revelation 18:8-9) (NIV)

¹¹ The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over
her because no one buys their cargoes any more--
(Revelation 18:11) (NIV)

²² The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and
trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman
of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of
a millstone will never be heard in you again.
(Revelation 18:22) (NIV)

²³ The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice
of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again.
(Revelation 18:23) (NIV)

What would wise people want to do now?

⁴ Then I heard another voice calling from heaven, "Come away
from her, my people. Do not take part in her sins, or you will
be punished with her. ⁵ For her sins are piled as high as heaven,
and God is ready to judge her for her evil deeds."
(Revelation 18:4-5) (NLT)

What evil deeds?

History has recorded an abundance of evil deeds committed by
various religions such as the Crusades (link), the Inquisitions
(link), the Witchcraft trials (link), purges (link), etc. The sole
purpose of the spread of the Catholic and Protestant religions was
not for teaching about the love of God but the acquisition of power
and property. Consider the life and death of a respectable physician,
a learned man named Michael Servetus:

Servetus, Michael  1511–53, Spanish theologian
and physician. His name in Spanish was Miguel Serveto.

How is his life and death significant?

“From 1541 to 1553 he lived in the palace of the
archbishop of Vienne as his confidential physician.
When (1553) he had a work setting forth his ideas
of Christianity secretly printed, investigation was
begun by the Inquisition. Servetus, arrested, tried,
and condemned, escaped from prison. Several months
later, while making his way to Italy, he was seized in
Geneva by [John] Calvin's order. There, after a long
trial, in which Calvin's condemnation was a stern factor,
he was burned on Oct. 27, 1553.”

From: http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/people/A0844522.html

What are the details about Servetus’ death at the hands of the clergy?

† Sir William Osler (1849-1919), Michael Servetus, London,
Oxford University Press, 1909, Page 35.

Osler was himself a physician and a freethinker.
His full description follows:

...Shortly after twelve o'clock, a procession started from
the town-hall of Geneva — the chief magistrates of the
city, the clergy in their robes, the Lieutenant Criminel and
other officers on horseback, a guard of mounted archers,
the citizens, with a motley crowd of followers, and in their
midst, with arms bound, in shabby, dirty clothes, walked a
man of middle age, whose intellectual face bore the marks
of long suffering. Passing along the rue St. Antoine through
the gate of the same name, the cortege took its way towards
the Golgotha of the city.
     Once outside the walls a superb sight broke on their view:
in the distance the blue waters and enchanting shores of Lake
Geneva, to the west and north the immense amphitheater of
the Jura, with its snow-capped mountains, and to the south
and west the lovely valley of the Rhone; but we may well think
that few eyes were turned away from the central figure of that
sad procession.
     By his side, in earnest entreaty, walked the aged pastor,
Farel, who had devoted a long and useful life to the service
of his fellow citizens. Mounting the hill, the field of Champel
was reached, and here on sight eminence was the fateful
stake, with dangling chains and heaping bundles of faggots.
At this sight the poor victim prostrated himself on the ground
in prayer.
     In reply to the exhortation of the clergyman for a specific
confession of faith, there was the cry, "Misericordia, misericordia!
Jesu, thou Son of the eternal God, have compassion upon me!"
Bound to the stake by the iron chains, with a chaplet of straw
and green twigs covered with sulphur on his head, with long
dark face, it is said that he looked like the Christ in whose name
he was bound. Around his waist were tied a large bundle of
manuscript and a thick octavo printed book.
     The torch was applied, and as the flames spread to the straw
and sulphur and flashed in his eyes, there was a piercing cry that
struck terror into the hearts of the bystanders. The faggots were
green, the burning was slow, and it was long before in a last agony
he cried again, "Jesu, thou Son of the eternal God, have mercy on
me!" Thus died in his forty-second year, Michael Servetus Villanovanus, physician, physiologist, and heretic.
     Strange, is it not, that could he have cried, "Jesu, thou Eternal Son
of God!" even at this last moment, the chains would have been unwound, the chaplet removed, and the faggots scattered; but he remained faithful unto death to what he believed was the Truth as revealed in the Bible.

Pottage or Birthright?

There is a poignant story in the Bible about two
brothers, Jacob and Esau. Their story may seem
like a minor one compared to many other stories
but closer examination reveals not only a great
turn of events but a harsh lesson to be learned.
Many people are familiar with the saga, especially
the part where Esau came back from an unsuccessful
hunt hungry and tired.

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with
that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his
name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day
thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the
point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  
33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware
unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then
Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did
eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau
despised his birthright.
(Genesis 25:30-34) (KJV)

Because Esau hastily traded his birthright for pottage,
Jacob ended up inheriting Esau's entire future. Jacob
went on to become the founder of nations while Esau
simply lived out the rest of his lackluster life in obscurity.

9 Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram,
God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed
him, 10 saying, “Your name is Jacob, but you will
not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your
name will be Israel.”^[a] So God renamed him Israel. 
11 Then God said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’
Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation,
even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants!
12 And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham
and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants
after you.” 13 Then God went up from the place where he
had spoken to Jacob.
(Genesis 35:9-13) (NLT)

The point of this lesson is that we all have a birthright that
most people have already traded for low-grade pottage!

What birthright do we all have?

Our birthright is to live forever here on a paradise earth!

Rejecting Jehovah

1 "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;
I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation
that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.'
² "I opened my arms to my own people all day long, but they
have rebelled. They follow their own evil paths and thoughts.
(Isaiah 65:1-2) (NIV)

Rejecting Jehovah' laws

18 If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river, your
righteousness like the waves of the sea.
(Isaiah 48:18) (NIV)

"The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed
and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of Jehovah;
and what manner of wisdom is in them?
(Jeremiah 8:9) (ASV)

Ignoring Jehovah's servants

14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your
words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave
that home or town. 15 I tell you the truth, it will be
more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day
of judgment than for that town.
(Matthew 10:14-15) (NIV)

They instead follow senseless man-made
teachings from their preferred priests and
ministers of Christendom

1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last
times some will turn away from the true faith; they
will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come
from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars,
and their consciences are dead.
(1Timothy 4:1-2) (NLT)

3 For the time will come when men will not put up
with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires,
they will gather around them a great number of teachers
to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will
turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside
to myths.
(2Timothy 4:3-4) (NIV)

What kind of myths?

Preachers & priests can magically forgive our sins.
Jesus is holding the gate to Heaven open for us.
God is a 3-headed trinity monstrosity.
God & Jesus love us no matter what.
Christmas & Easter are sacred.
Mary is Queen of Heaven.
Jesus is God Almighty.
all religions are alike.
Crosses are sacred.

The people who believe these LIES have thrown
away their birthright with both hands for pottage.

The world is in upheaval right now because most
nominal Christians are taught that "we are all just
poor sinners who can't help ourselves". People
who believe that they will be endlessly forgiven
for their constant sinning feel justified in satisfying
any urge. They feel free to indulge in any base
immorality even to the point of criminal behavior
with no twinge of remorse.

What does the Bible warn about sin?

And what will be the consequences?

OPENING THE DOOR
TO A PEACEFUL NEW WORLD

Some people have read the Bible extensively enough to
believe that the “World as we now know it” will come to an
end. Understandably, they may look upon the warnings in
the Bible as being ominous and negative, when in truth -
the very opposite is true.

Yes, God wants us to look upon the culmination of our world
as we know it - to be a sign that He really cares about us. The
fact that God is going to step in and bring an end to all human
suffering is surely not a bad thing - but truly a wonderful thing.

Indeed, the daily news reports human suffering daily around
the world. As the end approaches, we should leap for joy; that
our Grand Creator, Jehovah, truly cares about mankind. He is
not going to allow the evils on the earth to go on indefinitely.
NO - He is going to bring an end to all evil, all calamities, and
all suffering on the earth and soon!

He will replace this evil "age" or "system" with a new one - 
with His Son as ruler of the entire earth. Justice will be for
all of mankind and there will finally be equality for all, peace
will be worldwide and there will be grand blessings for
everyone on the earth.

THE END OF EVERYTHING BAD

The Bible has numerous scriptures throughout that point
to a day in our future:

"...Understand that this vision has to do with the time of the
end... I want to tell you what is going to happen... for there
is going to be an end to all this."
(Daniel 8:17,19) (Message Bible)

"...And you will destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth."
(Revelation 11:18) (New Living Translation)

"For the ruthless will come to an end and... all who are intent on
doing evil will be cut off. "
(Isaiah 29:20) (New American Standard Bible)

"...bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the
righteous secure."
(Psalm 7:9) (New International Version)

"...the wicked shall be cut off from the earth,  And the
treacherous shall be "ROOTED OUT" of it."
(Proverbs 2:21,22) (NIV)

"The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will "WEED
OUT" of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who
do evil."
(Matthew 13:36-41) (NIV)

"...I will bring an end to all the crying..."
(Isaiah 21:2) (New Living Version)

"...For the outward form of this world; the present
world order is passing away."
(1Corinthians 7:31) (Amplified Bible)

"The world is passing away..."
(1John 2:17) (NASB)

"...for an end will still come at the appointed time. "
(Daniel 11:27) (NLT)

"...the leaders and rulers of this age, who are being
brought to nothing and are doomed to pass away. "
(1Corinthians 2:6) (AMP)  

"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up
a kingdom  that will never be destroyed,  nor will it be left
to another people.  It will crush all those kingdoms and bring
them to an end, but it will itself endure forever."
(Daniel 2:44) (NIV)

These prophecies were written thousands of years ago.

What is taking so long?

⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand
slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come
like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will
be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people
ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look
forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring
about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt
in the heat. ¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward
to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. ¹⁴ So then,
dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to
be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ¹⁵ Bear in mind that
our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also
wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
(2 Peter 3:9-15) (NIV)

"...They've made a career of opposing God, and have gotten
mighty good at it. But God is fed up, ready to put an end to it."
(1Thessalonians 2:16) (MSG)

THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING GOOD

When all of the evil has been wiped out, it will be
safe to live on the earth again - forever.

"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former
things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind."
(Isaiah 65:17) (NIV)

"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make,
shall remain before me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your
name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon
to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to
worship before me, saith Jehovah. And they shall go forth, and look
upon the dead bodies of the men that have transgressed against me..."
(Isaiah 66:22-24) (ASV)

"But the meek in the end shall inherit the earth and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace. Then the consistently
righteous shall inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever."
(Psalm 37:11,29) (AMP)

Christ, himself promised us this: 

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
(Matthew 5:5) (King James Version)

And he is not the only one:

"Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt you to take
possession of the earth. When the wicked are cut off you shall see it."
(Psalm 37:34) (ASV)

"THEN I saw a new heaven and a new earth... Then I heard a
mighty voice from the throne... saying, See! The abode of God
is with men, and He will live among them; and they shall be His
people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God.
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall
be no more, neither shall there be anguish nor grief nor pain any
more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have
passed away.
(Rev. 21:1,3,4) (AMP)

Halloween -

The Candy-Coated Holiday

Many people love Halloween and enjoy the festivities,
even Christians. People around the world look forward to 
dressing up in costumes and taking the kids out to have
some good clean fun.

But how good is it - and how clean?

"Although Halloween has become a night of
rollicking fun, superstitious spells, and eerie
games which people take only half seriously,
its beginnings were quite otherwise. The earliest
Halloween celebrations were held by the Druids
(devil worshippers) in honor of Samhain, Lord
of the Dead, whose festival fell on November 1."
-(From Halloween Through Twenty Centuries,
by Ralph Linton, p. 4.)

Many don't think of Halloween as a religious holiday.
It's just a day to have a trick and a treat. When Looking
at the roots of this holiday and the possible implications
of what it entails - some Christians are really taking a
serious look at avoiding it at all cost.

"During the night of October 31, the enchanted souls
were freed by the Druid god, Samhain [the god of the
dead], and taken together into the Druid heaven. This
festival was always accompanied by animal and some-
times human sacrifices and linked with all kinds of magic"
- (Occult ABC, Kurt Koch, p. 87).

"The day witches celebrate above all others is All Hallows Eve
or Halloween. It is believed that on this night Satan and his
witches have their greatest power... Today Halloween is largely
a secular holiday, an excuse to get dressed up as somebody else
and have a party. However, true witches and followers of witchcraft
still preserve the early pagan beliefs and consider Halloween
a sacred and deadly powerful time. Having turned their backs
on the God of the Bible, they invoke the help of Satan,
fallen from God's favor and relegated to darkness."
- Understanding the Occult ;
by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart

"There is another religious group which is equally serious
about its Halloween celebrations: the Satanists. Halloween
to them is a more sinister and direct celebration of death
and Satan; they celebrate [it] as one of his two highest holy
days. At Halloween the sacrifices of some of these satanic
cults are unspeakably vicious and brutal. This includes a
series of six weeks of rituals including the slaughter of a
small animal like a bird or cat, progressing through each
week with a larger animal such as a goat, and then the
murder of a small infant or child until the final night
where they ritually murder not only another child but
also an adult female."
-(Like Lambs To The Slaughter,
by Johanna Michaelsen, 1989, p.190).

"Halloween... At this time the power of the underworld
is unleashed, and spirits are supposedly freed to roam
about the earth; it is considered the best time of the year
to contact evil spirits."
-Halloween and Satanism,
by P. Phillips and J.H. Robie, 1987, p. 146).

A Celebration for Christians?

The word "Christian" means follower of Christ.

Could any thinking Christian even contemplate
involvement in such a pagan festivity?

It is truly amazing how Satan candy coats this demonic
holidays to make it appealing to children and the parents
then find excuses to join them. From thousands of years
studying mankind, Satan knows our weaknesses - and
one of them is our children. Therefore, Satan has seen to
it that all of his holy days would be dressed up to appear
harmless - and seemingly made for children. That is Satan's
"TRICK" - and mankind's "TREAT".

Do our children and their pleasures become so important
to us, that we lose all perspective of right and wrong ?

Can't we find other, more wholesome ways of
entertaining our children ?

What Would our Savior Say?

Jesus said, "...anyone who loves his son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me."
(Matthew 10:37) (New International Version) 

Christ is not the only one warning us.

"...how can light have fellowship with darkness? What
harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?"
(2Corinthians 12:14,15) (Amplified Bible)

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says
the Lord. Touch NO unclean thing."
(2Corinthians 12:17) (NIV)