Rudolph :: By Grant Phillips

Who hasn’t watched the animated movie about a fictional reindeer named Rudolph? Rudolph was created by Robert L. May in 1939. He worked for Montgomery Ward in Chicago at that time and was given an assignment. From this assignment has eventually developed the animated movie Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Burl Ives narrated as Sam the Snowman and sang “Silver and Gold,” “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” and “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

This may be my wife’s favorite Christmas movie, and I must admit that I also enjoy it and the music. I would recommend it for all ages.

1 – The song “Silver and Gold” refers to silver and gold decorations on the Christmas tree, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. However, as I listened to the song, I was reminded of something Jesus said.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Silver and gold are not evil. It is not a sin to own silver and gold, just as having a lot of paper money or cash is not evil or sinful. Actually, God says that it is the love of money that is evil, not the money.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Maybe we should ask ourselves this Christmas season and any other time, ‘what do I treasure most?’ Are all these materialistic things my silver and gold, or is my relationship with God my silver and gold?

There is not a thing wrong with having possessions, but do we own the item, or does it own us? Are we a slave to our cell phone or television, for example, or a slave to Jesus Christ?

Also, consider that Jesus wants all who are part of His body to lay up gold, silver and precious stones as works that glorify Him, and not wood, hay and straw that are of no value.

“Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

This Scripture passage has nothing to do with our sins. All who have been saved by the precious blood of Jesus have been forgiven of all our sins, past, present and future. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Jesus is telling us in this passage (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) that He wants to reward us for the work we do for Him and in His name. He also says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).

Matthew 6:19-20 is also assuring us that our salvation is guaranteed and permanent since it is kept in Heaven by the power of God. In other words, Jesus makes it clear that we can never lose our salvation when He says, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one” (John 10:28-30).

2 – Rudolph’s nose saved Christmas in the movie because it provided light through the storm so Santa could deliver all the toys to the boys and girls.

Another point that came to mind is that Jesus is the light of the world. When we put our faith solely in Him, He guides us to the Father. While we are on earth, He also guides us through all of life’s storms and keeps us safe in Him. The apostle Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:10-16 that he (Timothy) was aware of all the things that happened to him (Paul) and that the Lord rescued him (Paul) from them all.

What a shame that men would rather walk in darkness than in the light. The thief loves the darkness of night so he can more easily steal what others have. The beer halls and liquor joints enjoy peak business in the hours of darkness, as do the red-light districts of immoral activities. The following verse is so true.

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

Notice that there is condemnation for those who refuse the only light that can save them from an eternal hell. If only we would turn to the true Light.

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life'” (John 8:12).

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).

3 – The last thing I would like to elaborate on concerning the movie is the island of misfit toys. These were toys in the movie that did not work for one reason or another. They were broken, left on an island, and forgotten.

A lot of people can easily identify with these broken toys left all alone. They are broken in body. They are broken in spirit. They have been rejected, even by their families. They are alone and seem to have nowhere to turn. King David felt the same way.

“I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel” (Psalm 31:12).

“Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none” (Psalm 69:20).

Yes, even though David was a king, he had some really low points in his life, some even of his own doing, but what does God tell him?

“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite [regretful] spirit” (Psalm 34:18, insert mine).

In the first century, there was no cure for lepers. Instead, they had to leave their families and could be around no one, so others would not be infected. All they had to look forward to was the agony of the disease, extreme loneliness, shame, scorn, and death. No one, not even their family, would ever get close enough to touch them. Can you imagine suffering the rest of your life with no human interaction? They could never hold their wife again. They could never hug their children. But Jesus “put out His hand and touched him.”

“And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed” (Matthew 8:2-3).

Most everyone has been broken in one way or another at some time in their life. Many, right now, are broken and hurting. Cling to Psalm 34:18, and call upon the Lord Jesus. He does care.

“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite [regretful] spirit” (Psalm 34:18, insert mine).

Often our brokenness is caused by sin in our lives. Even if we don’t feel broken, we all are sinners and have sinned against God. Come to Him now, broken or not, and you will have a new life.

“Come now, and let us reason together,’
Says the LORD,
‘Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

It’s A Prison, Dummy :: By The Gospelist

It seems that the king of Saudi Arabia has come up with a daring plan to save the planet. Mohammad bin Salman, in all his benevolence, has advanced an ambitious proposal that will forever change the way we live. Even though he has neglected to ask us what we think, we can all trust that he is an expert when it comes to bringing happiness to all of humanity.

In an article by The Guardian about the king’s innovative and exciting way to domicile, it states, “The promotional material is striking: two mirror-encased skyscrapers stretching more than 100 miles across a swathe of desert and mountain terrain, providing a future home for 9 million people. Is it the ultimate in high-density living or a grandiose science fiction fantasy?

The answer to this question is ‘both.’ They are not mutually exclusive. It is definitely the ultimate in high-density living, and it is a grandiose science fiction fantasy. This fantasy is the blueprint of an idea that is being planned for all of us by the magnanimous Globalists who care so deeply for the well-being of humanity.

However, ‘high-density living’ is not exactly a new concept.

Unfortunately, economists, architects, and analysts, who apparently have not given much thought to the implications of this fantasy, are not quite sure if this can be accomplished. This ‘urban utopia’ that they call ‘the Line’ may be too grand in scale and scope to ever be realized. We can only hope.

Despite the challenges, there is great excitement that this ambitious plan may actually come to fruition. The ‘futuristic Neom site near the Gulf of Aqaba’ is an idea whose time has come. This project will be the centerpiece of daily living for all of humanity in the future.

Perhaps one day we can all live out our dreams within a high-density structure in the wilderness.

The Guardian continues, “First announced in 2017, Neom has consistently raised eyebrows due to proposed flourishes such as flying taxis and robot maids, even as architects and economists have questioned its feasibility.” The inhabitants of this utopia will no doubt be sipping mint juleps as they sit by the poolside, enjoying the ambiance of high-density living for the rest of their lives.

I wonder what these people are going to do for work and income. In the Sci-Fi fantasy ‘Star Trek,’ everyone labors diligently for the good of humanity rather than for their own self-interest. Maybe this will be part of the science fiction fantasy that is playing out in real-time. That never seems to work out in reality, though.

What is even more exciting about this ambitious plan is that artificial intelligence will be ‘central to how people live’ in this Saudi-created paradise. We can rest assured that this AI will not be used to surveil the inhabitants of this wonderland, as privacy will be paramount. It will be used solely to assist our overseers in ensuring that the structure remains environmentally ‘sustainable.’ How vague.

However, the environmentalists, who have always been champions of freedom and liberty, are skeptical that the Saudis can pull this off. They have heard these promises before. The wonderful pledge of net zero carbon emissions for all of humanity is tantalizing, but we have all been disappointed time and time again when it was shown not to be feasible.

Fortunately, the Saudis have assured our environmentalist protectors through their multimedia presentations that their mega city can become reality. This mega-city, which apparently resembles the “Death Star, “will soon be within our grasp.” The fact that it looks like the “Death Star” from the movie Star Wars should not cause anyone concern. In fact, it is a huge selling point.

Who wouldn’t want to live on the Death Star?

This metropolis, which, to repeat, resembles the “Death Star,” will be decorated with hanging gardens, possibly grander than those that once existed in ancient Babylon.

And who doesn’t want to be reminded of ancient Babylon? No civil rights, being forced to worship statues of the king under penalty of death. What a great society.

If all this is not good enough, the ‘daily needs’ of every resident will be reachable within a five-minute walk. If it is too far to walk, they can use the high-speed rail that can travel the length of the city in 20 minutes.

The builders of this city are so smart that they can anticipate what the ‘daily needs’ of its citizens will be without even having to ask them. As we have learned through 6,000 years of human history, the government has always been successful at meeting the daily needs of its population. There is never scarcity when central planning is the rule in a society. Fortunately, there will be mysterious laborers outside of the building who will be working diligently, making the goods that will satisfy the needs of those inside the building.

I wonder if they will be working for the good of humanity too. It takes a lot of money and effort to support a bunch of welfare recipients.

Sure, government officials have never created anything in their lives. All they have ever done is take what is created by its citizens and use it for their own purposes. However, we can all take comfort in the fact that bureaucrats have evolved into altruistic, self-sacrificing members of society. The idea that they are just paid cronies of the ruling class is from a bygone era and no longer a concern for the enlightened people of today.

What’s more, they have learned how to satisfy the needs of any population without even having to ask the members of that society what their needs might be.

It appears that this city will operate under its own’ founding law,’ but no one really knows what that means. However, we are guaranteed that an alcohol ban will remain in place. After all, if we are all living in a high-density dreamland, there will certainly be no reason for alcohol consumption.

The citizens can also take solace in the fact that there will be no hardline interpretations of Islam that will be imposed with terrible ferocity upon the inhabitants of this city. Saudi Arabia is known for its freedom of religion, conscience, and speech and would never dream of oppressing the people over which it governs.

Although all of this sounds just Jim Dandy, there is only one glaring problem that this writer at the Guardian has overlooked.

It’s a prison, dummy.

(I wonder what these people think they are ‘Guardians’ of. It sure isn’t the truth… or freedom.)

As a rule of thumb, any time a government wants to herd us into high-density, tightly controlled cities, the ‘raised eyebrows’ that we experience should be the result of suspicion. We need to ask ourselves if there are any other examples of when this has been tried. Well, let’s see.

There are, of course, penitentiaries.

We also have the delightful “Reductions of Paraguay” that the evil Jesuits instituted many years ago. Other than these two charming options, and maybe the slums of New York, I cannot think of any time ‘high-density living’ has ever been instituted… or desired.

Then there is the question of motive. Should we just take it on faith that the government of Saudi Arabia cares so deeply about humanity that they are willing to invest billions of dollars into ‘saving the world’? They have certainly not demonstrated this desire in the past, so it is unlikely that we can trust them to do so in the future.

It looks much more like they are creating a giant roach motel. As the old commercial used to say, “Roaches go in, but they don’t come out.”

Once you enter this city, you are completely under the control of the wardens who operate it. You will not be given robot maids, a flying taxi, or little chocolates on your pillow every night. You will be a slave to your masters. They will determine what your needs are. You will do what you are told if you want to live peaceably, or at all.

The definition of a prison is a building in which people are legally held for a crime they have committed or are awaiting trial. It is clear that the Globalists view us as criminals who need to be tightly controlled so we do not do any more damage to the environment. Our crime is against nature that we perpetrate by living our lives while enjoying the comforts that we have earned through our labor.

This is the science fiction fantasy that is being forced upon us. The real motive of the evil Globalists is absolute control of all life on earth while placing people under the illusion that they are ‘saving the planet.’

According to Globalist theology, enjoying the fruits of our labor is a sin, and those who perpetrate it deserve severe retribution. Our overlords have lost interest in punishing real criminals and instead have created a new category of lawbreakers.

I have often wondered what Daniel meant when he said the Antichrist “shall think to change the times and the law” (Daniel 7:25). Although the Antichrist will not be fully revealed until he proclaims himself to be God, his spirit is certainly operating at this time. I have begun to suspect that crimes like murder, assault, child molestation, and all other violations of God’s law will no longer be considered breaches of law. Instead, crimes against nature, along with false accusations of ‘racism’ and ‘homophobia,’ will be punished ruthlessly.

The most egregious crime one can commit now is the offense of ‘destroying the planet.’ Those who refuse to repent of the ‘Protestant Work Ethic’ must be kept where they can do no more damage to mother earth.

Because of our crimes against nature, it has become necessary for us to be held in custody. The evil Globalists hope that we will report to prison of our own free will. There is no doubt that many will be herded in of their own volition. After this stage is complete, those who resist will be sentenced by a judicial authority.

Humanity must be deprived of its liberty so it can serve its full sentence while the earth is allowed to heal. No one really knows what that means or how long it will take the earth to ‘mend.’ Fortunately, our Globalist masters will place us on a ‘need to know’ basis regarding when this environmental recovery is completed.

The Globalists, however, will not be taking advantage of the joys of ‘high-density living.’ As they are the enlightened ones, they must shoulder the responsibility of determining when the planet has recovered.

It seems that we have accumulated a debt that cannot be repaid, and we must remain in a controlled setting to ensure that we do not relapse into our old way of thinking. The desire for freedom and prosperity is dangerous to the earth, and it is the interests of the planet that take precedence over our ‘selfish’ concerns.

The Pope himself has said as much.

We will be fortunate if our jailors only intend to incarcerate us for our crimes. If they decide to forego mercy, they may have to permanently condemn us and place us on ‘death row.’ When people are herded into high-density locations, it will make ‘population control’ much easier.

I guess the lessons of the Nazis didn’t go to waste.

Although the death penalty has been basically abolished for people who murder, rape, or perpetrate other heinous crimes, those who commit crimes against the environment will receive no grace. Those who commit horrible crimes against others can be rehabilitated, but those who commit crimes against nature cannot. They have committed the unforgivable sin and must be dealt with harshly.

Fortunately, there is one chance for temporary redemption. If we become minions of the Globalists, we may be able to receive a form of short-term clemency. If we remain obedient, we can serve the evil Globalists until they determine that we have outlived our usefulness. That buys us a little more time before the inevitable.

It’s sort of like feeding the crocodile, hoping he eats you last.

There is no forgiveness in the religion of the Globalists. No savior, no hope for redemption, and no chance at eternal life. There is only the Gulag for those who are not members of the ‘elect.’

Most of us are familiar with the episode of The Twilight Zone entitled “To Serve Man.” For those who are not familiar with this story, it begins with a man named Michael Chambers, who is on an alien spaceship. He is being taken to the home world of a race of aliens called the Kanamits.

When the Kanamits arrived on earth, they were very generous. They helped humanity put an end to war and hunger. They taught people how to grow food in the desert and develop cheap energy.

The Kanamits gave humanity a book that described their full intentions. However, no one could read it because it was written in the Kanamit language. The main character, Michael Chambers, was actually a code breaker. He had one of his employees work on breaking the code so the book could be understood.

Patty, one of his employees, finally manages to decipher the title of the book, which reads, “To Serve Man.” This is good enough for the main character to agree to go back to the home world of the Kanamits to enjoy firsthand the wonderful paradise they had created.

It is not long before millions of people sign up to go with the Kanamits to their home planet to experience their amazing Shangri-La.

As Michael Chambers is entering the ship, his employee Patty yells at him to stop. She desperately calls out that the book, To Serve Man is actually a cookbook. Before Michael can escape, he is loaded onto the Kanamit spaceship to serve as a meal for those who claimed to care about humanity.

In case you do not understand the moral of the story, the Kanamits are the Globalists, and the rest of us are Michael Chambers. The only difference between the Globalists and the Kanamits is that the Kanamits actually performed a worthwhile service before they had you for lunch.

In the new Penology, there are no penalties for violations of the laws of God. Those that we used to term ‘criminals’ will receive no deterrence or retribution for their evil. They will receive constitutional protections against ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ and ‘due process with equal protection.’

Apparently, they are not a danger to the planet. It is those who expect to enjoy the fruits of their labor who need to lose their civil rights and be denied life, liberty, and property without legitimate due process.

The evil Globalists have already experimented with imprisoning us in our own homes to ‘protect’ us from a fake pandemic. The corrupt U.N. is monkeying around with the idea of ten-minute cities (a.k.a. prison camps) where we can only travel in a 15-mile radius. The C-19 hysteria told them everything they needed to know about the spiritual condition of the world. China is now increasing its ‘lockdowns’ in an effort to show the world how to imprison its people more effectively.

Those who follow the ‘Protestant Work Ethic’ will receive no constitutional protections. There will be no parole for us, no hope for rehabilitation. We will receive solitary confinement for our sins so that we cannot infect others with the Word of God or other ‘noxious’ ideologies.

These are the types of plans that the heathen have for those who reject their faith. Gaia is a merciless and loveless god, and no one will defy her without severe repercussions.

The plan that God has for the faithful is just the opposite.

Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind and to set the captives free from the prison of sin and false religion. Those who are dead in their sins can be released from their gloomy dungeons and receive true clemency through faith in Christ.

When the Son of God sets us free, we are free indeed. Not only free from the cells that the heathen have planned for us but from the prison of hell reserved for those who hate him. Their gulags will not be able to hold us for very long. There is a Day of the Lord coming when the false gods and their followers will be cast into their own dark pits reserved for fallen angels.

There they will await their final destination, the lake of fire.

Those who have received the free gift of faith do not need to be concerned about the plans of the wicked. God is in control. We are not here to have our best lives now; we are here to share the Gospel and to release people from the chains of sin.

www.gospelist.net