uh oh, did i receive “the mark”?

My first mistake was getting on Twitter. My second, reading the comments from armchair prophets. A particular tweet asked if Christians might not be dogwhistled by the implications of vaccinating against the COVID-19 virus and how that squares with end-time prophecy, particularly the famous one about “the mark of the beast.”

I will admit, the thread did give me pause. While it’s a safe bet Moderna is not the mark, I wondered internally if we’re not being pre-conditioned for something more sinister down the road.

In recent days we’ve heard the Biden administration float the idea of a “vaccine passport.“ I haven’t researched it, but it’s obviously a way to greenlight the ones vaccinated back into the commercial mainstream. Get a jab and we’ll let you get your groceries. More nefariously, such a thing slams the door shut on those without their papers and leaves them out in the cold to fend for themselves regarding medical care and other life necessities.

There’s a little argument these days about everything going on in culture today being a slippery slope, so I would not doubt for a moment that the public is being trained like seals to comply with the even more restrictive measures that are coming down the pike. But…

In the category of “this ain’t it” these fast-tracked vaccines aren’t causing us to reject our Messiah and worship a counterfeit Jesus. That’s another prophecy for another eschatologian to deal with.

There’s a fair amount of tsk-tsking on social media directed at christians for foolishly kowtowing to the gummint and getting stuck. As a result, some are starting to reconsider taking the shot and others are regretting having done so, worried they have done something that cannot be undone and their souls might be damned forever.

May I set your heart at ease? The prophecy about “the mark of the beast” is just that. It’s about THE BEAST (Rev . 13:15-17). It’s not about this virus and it’s not about getting healthy so you can be a good neighbor.

Here’s some sane (and sage) counsel:

… the historical data does not permit us to think the “mark of the beast” is something you can accidentally take. It’s a mark of loyalty and worship, which requires full cognitive and heart-felt awareness of what you are doing (otherwise it’s not worship). If there is some future mark imposed on people by some nefarious person, then to take that mark, you’ll know exactly what you are doing—namely, cursing Christ and pledging devotion to his enemy… The message of Revelation beckons us away from angst and worry. It bids us to gaze upon the slain Lamb—to worship him with loyalty, devotion, and commitment. Let’s make Christ our focus, not endless speculations that, at the end of the day, have very little to do with the message of Revelation.”

— Tavis Bohlinger, The Logos Academic Blog, May 18, 2020 (emphasis mine)

Real talk, my friend.

You are not going to accidentally stumble into the “giving of the mark ceremony,” you are going to know exactly what you are doing. Don’t let the scaremongers get to you. They’ve been out there doing it since time immemorial, twisting the words of Jesus and holding parts of his church hostage through fear and control. Get off Facebook and get into the Word. Get you a good commentary (preferably an older one) and stay away from extremists and false-flag alarmists.

The One who is “able to keep you from falling” (Jude 24-25) is well-equipped to prevent you from receiving the mark… if your devotion is to Jesus today you will not give the beast your affection tomorrow. For myself, I pray each day that the Lord will grace me with the joy of finishing well and not falling away.

With heart free and easy, I’ll be getting my first poke on April 26, knowing full well I will not be marked for damnation. As the needle goes in, my heart will offer up a prayer of praise to the One who is my true King.

Selah, beloved.

so i carry my mat

Let me tell you a Jesus story.

Several days later, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news quickly spread that he was back in town. Soon there were so many people crowded inside the house to hear him that there was no more room, even outside the door.
While Jesus was preaching the word of God, four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man. But when they realized that they couldn’t even get near him because of the crowd, they went up on top of the house and tore away the roof above Jesus’ head. And when they had broken through, they lowered the paralyzed man on a stretcher right down in front of him! When Jesus saw the extent of their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are now forgiven.”
This offended some of the religious scholars who were present, and they reasoned among themselves, “Who does he think he is to speak this way? This is blasphemy for sure! Only God himself can forgive sins!”
Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts and said to them, “Why are you being so skeptical? Which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are now forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’? But to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your stretcher, and walk home.’” Immediately the man sprang to his feet in front of everyone and left for home.
When the crowds witnessed this miracle, they were awestruck. They shouted praises to God and said, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Mark 2:1-12
(Passion Translation)

No doubt the same man had heard about the first round of miraculous healings (chapter 1) and may have even hoped someone would get him near the Healer. Now here he is, perhaps again, longing and hoping. The Healer is near.

The house is crowded, though, so how will he ever get close enough to the Man from Heaven? His hopes are flagging and he must be thinking, “I keep missing out. God’s blessings, it seems, are meant for others but not for me. I just can’t seem to find any way…”

“ I can’t get a break. Nothing changes, no matter how many times I lift up a prayer. My number never gets called. I guess this is just my lot.”

The story reminds us when it is our time, Jesus will make a way. It may take uncommon methods, a circuitous route, or a banging on and barging through a door that seems to have you locked out. His Presence will draw you to himself much like the Eye of Sauron drew the One Ring to itself. Only you won’t find a mount of doom waiting, you’ll find a world of mercy.

God may choose to use other ways and means to get you to himself, but only he can lift you. Other means can bring you, only Jesus can save you.

If you’re stuck in the “lying paralyzed on a mat with no hope or help in sight” mode, just remember, as with this paralyzed man, Jesus wants to do an interior work in you first; that is most important to the Savior. You want to “walk,” he wants you to live – free, whole, and forgiven!

What, then, are we to make of the mat? Doesn’t it belong in the incinerator?

Why, oh Jesus, did you tell the healed paralytic to take it with him?

Ah, that’s the beautiful mystery unveiled to those who know the painful holiness of hard surrender. That smelly old, foul mat, the bane of his miserable existence, suddenly became his fragrant testimony!

I have been paralyzed for nearly 40 years but God has done a healing work in me of such magnitude that the miracle of walking would pale in comparison. My wheelchair is my mat and I take it with me everywhere I go to testify to the goodness and graciousness of God. 

…Jacob still walked with a limp. 

…The apostle Paul bore the brand marks of Jesus in his body.

…Peter lived with the memory of denying his Jesus thrice but became one of Christendom’s greatest preachers.

…Moses carried his grand mistake to his grave but it didn’t define him.

Will I walk again? Absolutely. 

I have faith for that. 

All in due time, brothers and sisters.

All in due time.

And until then, I carry my mat and give thanks.

Are you depressed?

Have your dreams fallen to dust and left you groveling in sand?

Take your burdens to the Lord; yes, a million times yes.

But also. (Hang with me here.)

Reach out to someone who sits in the Room of Grace with Jesus regularly, and ask them to pray for you.

Let me tell you another Jesus story. This will be quick I promise.

I’ve been facing a situation that has taken the wind out of my sails and many have been praying, and God has heard every petition and has acted accordingly. But my situation has not reversed.

Last week, when the family’s greatest prayer warrior, my precious Aunt Jean (my mom’s sister), set camp in her prayer room, the very next morning there was significant change. The doctors marveled, the outlook is nowhere near as ominous, and a fresh wind of hope has lifted my sails and borne me aloft. The road ahead will still be tricky but the Lord has given me a soft spot in the way. He’s spent considerable time hugging and loving on me by way of his Nearness, intercedings, and answering the prayers of his people who love me.

You have people who love you too. Send them an S.O.S.

Sometimes we carry our mats, and other times someone else will carry it for us.

Oh, and one last thing. After healing the guy and forgiving his sin (not in that order), Jesus told him to “go home.” I have no doubt the guy told everybody his story “on the way home.“ No doubt he testified by waving his mat around!

That’s what is required of us when the Lord intervenes and changes our story: don’t keep it to yourself, don’t hold it inside; in fact, if God has delivered you from previous hardships, text or email or call someone and tell them how Jesus loved on you then.

“All the way home.”

The very act of praise opens doorways into greater miracles, I’m convinced of it.

Wave.

Your.

Mat.

T E S T I F Y.

That’s  it for now, beloved.

Until next time.

Selah

you must be *new* here

©️ Pasturescott

You must be new here.

By new, I mean if you’re new to this thing called faith, I’d like to share with you a simple primer on one of Christianity’s most avoided lessons and yet the most widely experienced.  

We don’t like to talk about hardship and pain and suffering. Sermons on trials and afflictions are not as common as you’d like to think, and yet the most necessary if you live in the covenant of salvation for any length of time.   So let me introduce you (or re-introduce you, as might be the case) to some things God has to say about our daily struggles, big and small.  

There are hundreds of “Fear nots” in the Bible, and almost certainly the greater majority of them are in connection with something that the hearer (or reader) is going through that disturbs or exasperates them.

One of the great lessons of the Christian life is that every Christian must suffer through hardship and trial, some great, others minor, but all of them are designed to deepen our trust in Christ and make our witness more genuine and effective. And, a fact that cannot be overstated enough: to prepare us for eternity.

The apostle Paul said “It is through many trials and tribulations we come into the kingdom of God” (see Acts 14:22). The apostle Peter instructed us not to be “surprised” if we find ourselves in a fiery ordeal (see 1Peter 4:12). In the same chapter, Peter offers this surprising counsel: our suffering is useful in disciplining us to sin less (1Peter 4:1)!  

Nehemiah was commissioned by God to help his people navigate through the aftermath of pain and loss and great hardship. The city that once stood proudly as their capital and the center of the universe, now lay in ruins, a virtual ghost town.  

To add insult to injury, while the people wanted a fresh start, to forget the pain of the past and look forward in hope, there were enemies working against them. These enemies hated them and did everything in their power to intimidate them from reclaiming what was rightfully theirs.  

This is where Nehemiah comes in. In one poignant moment he rallies the people with the words, “Fear not!” and then says something beautifully profound: “Remember the Lord!” (see Neh 4:14)  

Packed into that admonition to “Fear not!“ is the truth that we are not to let our circumstances drag us down to the level of defeat. Worry gets us nowhere. Despair takes us to dark places. Discouragement sabotages our peace.   Instead we are to embrace the hope that we are more than conquerors in spite of the headlines (see Rom 8:35-37) and more loved than we could possibly imagine (Rom 8:38-39)!  

On top of this, we are to “Remember the Lord!” in the middle of our storm. Just like Peter could only walk on top of the violent, swirling waters so long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, so we are to fix our gaze on the One who fights for us.  

In fact, Nehemiah will mention this a few verses later (v20). What are they to remember? They are to remember that God is on their side and working out his Redemptive Story for their good and his glory (see Neh 4:20; Rom 8:28). So writes the great apostle,

  If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31)

Our tendency when going through rough times is to think that God has abandoned us, but, oh dear Christian, that is never the case! Words greater than Nehemiah’s or Paul’s or Peter’s were spoken by the Lord himself to all of us who struggle in the fight.   He reminded us that he will

  never leave us, nor forsake us. (Heb 13:5; Matt 28:20)

Fear not, suffering saint, and remember the Lord has your name on his heart and his grace will lead you through your troublesome ordeals. He promises to bring you into a fruitful, abundant place if you only turn to him and trust his ways (see Psalm 66:12).

Charles Spurgeon, famed Baptist pastor in 19th century London, offered this encouragement which remains highly relevant to the followers of Jesus today:

  [The happy Christian] believes [God] to be too wise to err and too good to be unkind; he trusts Him where he cannot trace Him, looks up to him in the darkest hour, and believes that all is well.